Conversation Starters

ALLEN & UNWIN’S

CONTENTS

About the book 1 About the author 1 From the author 2 Conversation starters 2 Just for fun 3 If you liked this book 3 Recipes 4 About the book

Suspense and family secrets surround a pair of estranged siblings in a compelling debut thriller.

She knew she should talk to him. But what could she say? Once there had been blame to apportion, rage to hurl. Now she no longer had a sense of that. Who knew what the facts of them being here together like this meant. What was she to make of the situation? Scott lying unconscious here in this bed, unknown to her in almost every way. She a wife, a mother, but in her mind no longer a sister. Not a sister for a very long time now.

Lori Spyker is taking her kids to school one unremarkable day when a policeman delivers the news that her brother, Scott Green, has been injured and hospitalised following a hit and run.

Lori hasn’t seen Scott in decades. She appears to be his only contact. Should she take responsibility for him? Can she? And, if she does, how will she tell her own family about her hidden history, kept secret for so long?

Twenty years before, when she and Scott were teenagers, their lives and futures, and those of their family, had been torn to shreds. Now, as Lori tries to piece together her brother’s present, she is forced to confront their shared past-and the terrible and devastating truth buried there that had driven them so far apart.

Compassionate, wise and shocking, Life Before tells the gripping story of an ordinary family caught in a terrible situation. What if the worst thing you can imagine is only just the beginning? How do you go on? And what steps will you take to protect yourself from further pain? About the author

Carmel Reilly is one of Australia’s busiest educational writers, with over 300 titles to her name. She has written a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction for ages five to teens, with subjects that encompass topics from democracy, global cultures and the solar system to everyday life, adventurous aliens and silly superheros.

Outside of writing for children, she won the 2013 Partners in Crime Short Story Award for her entry ‘Another Life’. In 2016 she was awarded a Varuna Residential Fellowship, and was shortlisted for a 2018 Varuna Publisher Introduction Program Fellowship. Life Before is Carmel’s first novel for adults. She currently lives in Melbourne. Image credit Madi Connolly About the book From the author

Suspense and family secrets surround a pair of estranged siblings in a compelling debut thriller. How the idea originated

She knew she should talk to him. But what could she say? Once there had been blame to apportion, The story has no absolute genesis. It was in part inspired by newspaper accounts I’d read rage to hurl. Now she no longer had a sense of that. Who knew what the facts of them being here in the 2010s about young men facing court cases (generally dangerous driving causing together like this meant. What was she to make of the situation? Scott lying unconscious here in this death charges) in the wake of accidents in which a passenger in their car—invariably a close bed, unknown to her in almost every way. She a wife, a mother, but in her mind no longer a sister. friend—had died. Reading these set me thinking about the ramifications of these kinds of Not a sister for a very long time now. accidents; the ripple effects on not just the family of the deceased, but the other passengers and their families, the driver and his family, the police and emergency service workers, and Lori Spyker is taking her kids to school one unremarkable day when a policeman delivers the news the wider communities in small towns where many people are known to each other. that her brother, Scott Green, has been injured and hospitalised following a hit and run. I grew up in the country and my teenage social years were centred around a small town. Lori hasn’t seen Scott in decades. She appears to be his only contact. Should she take responsibility Car accidents were not uncommon and I knew people who died. The necessary use of cars for him? Can she? And, if she does, how will she tell her own family about her hidden history, kept in the country, the lack of things for kids to do and the easy access to alcohol at parties were secret for so long? (are still) all contributors. The rest of the story was really a ‘what if’ in the sense of what if the worst happened, that this accident triggered a snowball effect that overwhelmed those Twenty years before, when she and Scott were teenagers, their lives and futures, and those of their involved. family, had been torn to shreds. Now, as Lori tries to piece together her brother’s present, she is forced to confront their shared past-and the terrible and devastating truth buried there that had driven them so far apart. Conversation starters

Compassionate, wise and shocking, Life Before tells the gripping story of an ordinary family caught The novel is set in the fictional country town of Northam in Victoria. If you have in a terrible situation. What if the worst thing you can imagine is only just the beginning? How do experience living in a country town what aspects of the author’s depiction rang true you go on? And what steps will you take to protect yourself from further pain? for you? If you don’t, do you feel the author gave you a window into life in a small country town? What aspects of living in a small town struck you the most? About the author The novel is told from the point of view of three characters and is set in two different time periods, Pam Green in 1993, her daughter Lori Spyker in 2016 and policeman Des Robinson in 1993. What do you think it is about the author’s writing and the way Carmel Reilly is one of Australia’s busiest educational she structured the book, that allows the narrative to so successfully move between writers, with over 300 titles to her name. She has written a characters and back and forward in time? wide variety of fiction and non-fiction for ages five to teens, with subjects that encompass topics from democracy, global Does your impression of Lori change between the two eras? If so, why? cultures and the solar system to everyday life, adventurous What do you think Lori’s real motivations were for cutting her brother from her life? aliens and silly superheros. Was it because she blamed him for the accident and what followed, or could it also be Outside of writing for children, she won the 2013 Partners in because she partly blamed herself and seeing him was a reminder? Crime Short Story Award for her entry ‘Another Life’. In 2016 Can you understand why she reinvents herself? Why do you think Lori was never she was awarded a Varuna Residential Fellowship, and was able to bring herself to tell her husband the real events surrounding her family? shortlisted for a 2018 Varuna Publisher Introduction Program Fellowship. Life Before is Carmel’s first novel for adults. She When Lori finally tells Jason what really happened, he reacts incredibly supportively. currently lives in Melbourne. Do you think you would have reacted in the same way, or would you have been angry Image credit Madi Connolly or hurt that your partner couldn’t share that with you? Do you think she’ll ever be able to fully reveal her secret? Do you think Pam’s decision to visit the Druitt family after the accident was the right one? Can you imagine what would you might have done if you found yourself in her situation? One of the themes raised by the author is around the apportion and acceptance of blame and guilt. On page 231, Pam questions whether the accident was ultimately her fault, that she should have been a better parent. Is she right to blame herself? Are parents in some part responsible for the actions of their children? Is it right for the Druitt family to seemingly place more blame on Pam than Scott? Do you empathise with them? Do you think Ray’s actions can ever be justified? Despite the outcome of the accident and its aftermath, should there be redemption for Scott? What did you think of Des Robinson as a person and policeman? Is he the kind of cop you’d like in your town? Which character did you most identify with and why? When you were reading Life Before, how did you think it would end? How did the actual ending compare to your prediction? Did any of the twists and turns surprise you? Just for fun Pick a passage that strikes you as particularly moving or interesting and read it to the group. If you could speak with any character from the novel, who would it be and why? What three questions would you ask them? Who would you cast as the main characters in a television or movie adaptation of Life Before? If you liked this book

Suggested reading...

• The Cry by Helen Fitzgerald • Bluebottle by Belinda Castles • Sign by Colin Dray • The Way Back by Kylie Ladd • Blame by Nicole Trope • The Children by Charlotte Wood • Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey • Little Gods by Jenny Ackland • Six Minutes by Petronella McGovern – Coming July 2019 Recipes Cocktail

There’s no better way to talk about books than over a plate of something delicious with a To pair nicely with your dish, we’ve chosen an aptly named glass in hand. Our selected recipes ensure your dishes bring as much coversation to the concoction by master barman Oskar Kinburg. table as any great romance or dark thriller. In Cocktail Cookbook, Oskar Kinberg presents 75 cocktails that will change the way you drink. The master barman For Life Before, we turned to three Aussie greats for a flavoursome variety that will please shows you simple recipes for homemade bar ingredients guests of every generation. such as nettle cordial, olive oil-infused gin and kiwi and avocado puree - and then how to incorporate them into original cocktails, all invented and tested at his destination drinking den Oskar’s Bar in London.

Get ready to reach for standard bar ingredients - cucumber, rhubarb and herbs - and more adventurous inclusions such as pine, peashoots and tonka beans. Then transform and mix into exciting, delicious drinks that are as tasty as they are impressive.

Ideal for the curious and creative home cocktail maker, as well as adventurous cooks.

For more information, go to murdochbooks.com.au

Tuck into classic recipes submitted from all over Australia in The Australian Blue Ribbon Cookbook and Tried, Tested and True by Liz Harfull. Featuring savoury favourites and mouth-watering desserts of yesteryear, neither one will disappoint!

If you’re looking for Aussie dishes with a modern twist, you can’t go past the impressive selection in Luke Mangan’s Sharing Plates. Whether it’s a lazy weekend brunch, casual supper for friends at the kitchen table, special-occasion lunch, or drinks with nibbles, you won’t be short on options (or compliments).

There’s plenty to choose from and you can find out more on our websites below: Paradise City (Cocktail Cookbook Frances Dutch Breakfast (Cocktail Cookbook Frances Lincoln (Adult) Quarto UK November 2016) Lincoln (Adult) Quarto UK November 2016) https://www.allenandunwin.com/ https://www.murdochbooks.com.au/ Y RECIPEZ

Ingredients Filling Rough puff pastry 1 kg sausage mince 250 g (11/3 cups) plain ﬂ our 1 or 2 apples, grated pinch of salt 1 large onion, ﬁ nely chopped 185 g butter, roughly grated or grated into large pieces 60 g (1 cup) fresh breadcrumbs 200 ml iced water, approximately squeeze of lemon juice 1 egg, whisked

Method 1 To make the pastry, sift the ﬂ our and salt into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the butter with a knife. 2 Make a well in the centre and add the water and lemon juice gradually, using just enough liquid to form a fairly stiff dough. Mix the dough with your hands, fi nishing the process on a lightly ﬂ oured board or marble benchtop. 3 Divide the dough into three pieces. Put two pieces back in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the fridge. Top: Show schedule advertisement 4 Push the remaining piece of dough into a rectangle about 1.5 cm (courtesy Bega Agricultural, Pastoral and Horticultural Society). thick. With a short side facing you, use a rolling pin and fi rm, sharp Above: Crowds at a recent Noorat movements to roll the dough into a strip about three times as long as show (courtesy Noorat and District it is wide, trying to keep the edges as straight and even as possible. Agricultural and Pastoral Society). 5 Fold the dough into three, folding the bottom third up and over the centre, and the top third down. Give the pastry a quarter turn and repeat the process. Repeat the rolling and folding process twice more (a total of four times), giving the dough a quarter turn each time. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge to rest for at least 30 minutes. Repeat this process with the remaining pieces of dough.

204 The AusTrAliAn Blue riBBon CookBook

BRC2_166-240pp_SI.indd 204 3/12/13 9:01 AM 6 Preheat the oven to hot (220°C). Cover a baking tray with baking paper. fro th TIPS COOK 7 To make the fi lling, put all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix with your hands until well combined. Always use the best quality 8 To assemble the sausage rolls, roll each piece of pastry into a long ingredients, especially the narrow strip, about 10 cm wide and 2 mm thick. Place one-third of butter for the pastry. the fi lling along the full length of each piece, forming a long even The butter should be cold and roll in the middle of the strip. fi rm before you start. 9 Carefully roll the pastry around the fi lling, and brush water over You should still see bits of butter the join to help seal the edges. Now, gently roll the long length of after you have formed the sausage roll backwards and forwards to make sure it is well sealed dough, and there should still and shaped evenly. Repeat the process with the remaining pieces be visible streaks of butter after of pastry and fi lling. you have rolled the pastry. 10 Cut each roll into individual sausage rolls, measuring about 6 cm It is very important to keep the in length. Prick each sausage roll three times with a fork, and brush pastry cold and to give it time with the egg. to rest in the fridge. Run your 11 Place the sausage rolls on the prepared tray and bake for fi ngers under cold water before 10 minutes, then turn the temperature down to moderate (180°C) you work it, and keep any and bake for another 20 minutes until golden brown and the fi lling pastry you are not working is cooked through. with in the fridge. The pastry will keep well overnight, Makes 12 to 18 sausage rolls. wrapped in plastic wrap.

Most shows ask for a selection. Make sure the sausage rolls are all the same length, even in colour on all sides, and cut square at each end. The sausage rolls should be small and dainty, and the pastry well sealed. The pastry should be ﬂ aky and tender, and not too thick.

Above: Grand parade at the 1890 Warrnambool show, attended by Lord Hopetoun, Australia’s ﬁ rst Governor General (courtesy Corangamite Regional Library Corporation).

Extract from The Australian Blue Ribbon Cookbook by Liz Harfull (Allen & Unwin) Available Now.

205 SAUSAGE ROLLS

BRC2_166-240pp_SI.indd 205 5/12/13 2:47 PM Lamb in puff pastry with mushroom duxelles & dried black olives (Sharing Plates by Luke Mangan, Murdoch Books).

RRFST_CH6_Meat_finalFST_CH6_Meat_final SI.inddSI.indd 146146 114/12/20164/12/2016 2:552:55 pmpm These savoury morsels make a handsome canapé for a party. Cut them into smaller bite-sized pieces if you prefer. Lamb in puff pastry with mushroom duxelles & dried black olives

MAKES 16 PIECES

TO DRY THE OLIVES Preheat the oven to 60ºC (140ºF). 160 g (5½ oz/1 cup) kalamata olives Line a tray with baking paper. 4 sheets puff pastry Pit the olives and place on the lined baking tray. 4 x 80 g (2¾ oz) lamb ﬁ llets or Bake for 4 hours, until all the moisture has been drawn tenderloins, trimmed out of them. Remove from the oven and set aside. 1 free-range egg, beaten extra virgin olive oil, for shallow- FOR THE MUSHROOM DUXELLES Heat the olive oil frying in a frying pan over medium–high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 5–8 minutes, or MUSHROOM DUXELLES until all the liquid has evaporated. 2½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Add the thyme and wine and cook until there is 300 g (10½ oz) button mushrooms, no liquid remaining. sliced Leave to cool, then blend in a food processor 4 thyme sprigs, leaves picked until you have a coarse paste. Season with salt and 400 ml (14 ﬂ oz) red wine pepper, fold the chopped black olives through 80 g (2¾ oz/½ cup) pitted black and set aside. olives, chopped

FOR THE LAMB PARCELS Cut the puff pastry sheets Extract from Sharing Plates by Luke Mangan (Murdoch slightly larger than the lamb fillets, keeping enough Books) Available Now. width to completely enclose the lamb and filling. Spread the mushroom mixture on one side of each piece of lamb. Place the lamb on the cut pastry. Brush the pastry edges with the beaten egg, then roll up like a sausage roll. Press the pastry edges together to seal. Pour olive oil to a depth of 5 mm (¼ inch) into a frying pan to shallow-fry the lamb parcels. Place over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the lamb parcels and cook until dark golden on all sides. This will take 1½ minutes on each of the four sides. Remove from the heat and leave to rest for 2 minutes.

TO SERVE Cut each lamb parcel into four slices and serve warm, garnished with the dried olives.

147 MEAT

RRFST_CH6_Meat_finalFST_CH6_Meat_final SI.inddSI.indd 147147 114/12/20164/12/2016 2:552:55 pmpm A DIFFERENT WAY too READ PAPERS

St Andrew’s Modern Recipe Book contains some priceless information if the thermostat in your oven ever stops working. Just use the paper index. ‘If a sheet of writing paper burns whenever it is put in, it is too hot,’ the cookbook recommends. ‘If the paper becomes dark brown, it is suitable for pastry, scones, muffins, little dinner loaves etc. . . . If light brown, it does for small cakes and buns, pies and tarts . . . If dark yellow for cakes . . . If light yellow, for biscuits, puddings etc.’ The cookbook was published around 1930 by the women’s guild of St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Launceston. The modest publication features a foreword by the then minister, Reverend John Lewis Hurse, who hoped it would prove useful to members of the culinary department. Besides about 70 pages of unattributed recipes, the book features a section of miscellaneous useful hints. Among the recipes is a selection using Cadbury’s Bournville Cocoa, which was then being made at the British company’s new Hobart factory, opened with great fanfare in 1922. Australia had become an important market for Cadbury, after placing the company’s first overseas order about 40 years earlier. Cadbury selected Tasmania above Sydney and Melbourne as the preferred location for a new manufacturing base, because of the cool climate, access to cheap hydro-electricity, and a plentiful supply of quality milk.

Chocolate shortcake SERVES 4 The recipes provided to the St Andrew’s women by Cadbury included this very simple but tasty chocolate shortcake. I’ve made it more chocolatey than the original by adding extra cocoa powder, and updated it to use a pre-made pastry case so it can be whipped up in just a few minutes.

METHOD Preheat the oven to moderate (180°C).

Spread the jam thinly over the base of the pastry case.

35 INGREDIENTS Beat the caster sugar and egg together until thick and creamy and the sugar is 2 tablespoons raspberry jam dissolved. Sift in the flour and cocoa powder and beat until combined. Lastly, 1 x shortcrust pastry ﬂ an case stir in the melted butter. Pour the mixture over the jam and spread evenly in (approximately 18 cm in the pastry case.

diameter) Bake in the oven for 15–20 minutes, until the filling is firm and slightly springy 3 tablespoons caster sugar to the touch. Cool and dust with icing sugar. 1 egg 3 tablespoons self-raising LIZ’S TIPS ﬂ o u r 3 heaped teaspoons cocoa • If you prefer, use your favourite shortcrust pastry recipe to make the flan case, and blind-bake before adding the filling. powder 30 g butter, melted • Use a good-quality cocoa powder, with a rich, dark flavour. icing sugar for dusting • The tart keeps well for several days. It is delicious served with thick cream and fresh raspberries or poached pears.

Opposite: Advertisement from Let's Cook with Chocolate, 1955.

Extract from Tried, Tested and True by Liz Harfull (Allen & Unwin) Available Now.

36 Chin Chin! Your Home Restaurant

Eager to expand your culinary skills? We have more than a few recommendations Whether you’re planning a drinks menu or considering a home bar, these delicious that will keep your pickiest guest happy. concoctions are sure to add more than a little flavour. Recipes Cocktail

Ideal for the curious and creative home cocktail maker, as well as adventurous cooks.

For more information, go to murdochbooks.com.au

350g/14oz Sloes to Sloe gin benefits from being made slowly. 50ml/2 fl oz Sloe gin This is a great party Put the cucumber slice and the mint leaves 1 700ml/28 fl oz gin 10ml/ ⁄3 fl oz Fresh cocktail. It’s easy to The more patience you have with leaving the in a wine glass. Fill it with cubed ice. Add all lemon juice multiply or make in a the other ingredients and stir for 8 seconds. 1 sloes in the gin the better the result. It’s perfectly 10ml/ ⁄3 fl oz Sugar syrup punch bowl, and it will 2 Add more cubed ice. 15ml/ ⁄3 fl oz Pink be loved by most people. drinkable after 6 weeks but I would recommend a grapefruit juice Like a wintry Pimm’s. minimum of 3 months. Sloes are tough and they 75ml/3 fl oz Ginger ale 1 Cucumber slice take a long time to break down. Once the flesh is 4 Mint leaves separated from the stone, the gin starts taking on Extract from Cocktail Cookbook by Oskar Kinberg Wine glass (Frances Lincoln, (Adult) Quarto UK) Available Now. nutty notes from the stone. If, like me, you aren’t Mint, cucumber very patient, you can always make multiple batches and leave one or more for a longer period of time.

Freeze the sloes for at least 72 hours to break the skin and the cells. Put everything in a sterilised jar. Leave for at least a year, ideally, or 3 months minimum, turning the jar every week. It keeps almost indefinitely.

152 153 Chin Chin! Your Home Restaurant