A local author has brought fact to fiction with the release of her latest novella, The Body in the Bridge.
Wagstaffe’s Helen Menzies released the historical novella, which details an investigation into the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, last month.
The Body in the Bridge features famous investigative reporter, Kate McClymont, as the protagonist as she uncovers a cold case dating back to the 1930s.
Menzies said The Sydney Morning Herald reporter was thrilled to feature as a character in the novel.
“I admire her so much with what she’s done – she’s done so much good in bringing corruption to light,” Menzies said.
“When I’m thinking about doing a story which needs detective skills, who better than Kate McClymont!
“There’s also a lot about Kate herself in the book … she’s a very, very funny person.”
McClymont begins to investigate the case alongside retired school teacher Bax and policewoman Lauren, as they try to reveal the identity of bones found inside the girders of the famous Bridge.
Sydney’s colourful past of razor gangs, brothels, street battles, and secret armies all came to a head on the day of the official opening of the Bridge, and that’s where the characters begin their search.
Their investigation takes them back and forth between the chaos of the 1930s and the high-tech forensic analysis methods of the 21st century.
Menzies said the idea for the novel came about unexpectedly after she read about a new invention.
“The idea that started the novel was when I read about the robot that goes inside the hollow girders of the Bridge where people can’t go … I thought it’d be interesting if it ever found bones down there where somebody had fallen,” Menzies said.
“An enormous amount of research has gone into the novel … about Sydney in the 1930s (and) new high-tech methods.”
The Body in the Bridge is published by Hilliard Hudson and is available as an ebook on Kindle and on Booktopia, and in hard copy at Book Bazaar in Umina.
Maisy Rae