Masala and Murder

Patrick Lyons grew up in a house full of crime; literally. Almost every room had a crime novel lying around, spread-eagled, face down, his mother’s way of bookmarking. Christie in the bedroom, Rendell in the kitchen and Chandler in the lounge. It was only a matter of time before he picked these books up himself.

Writing about his experience as an Anglo-Indian growing up in Australia during the 1970s and 1980s is a good way for Patrick to explore broader concepts of exclusiveness, racism, identity, and duality. These notions subtly pepper his work, bringing grit to his characters. The often-hilarious cultural clashes he witnessed provide plenty of scope for humour, and an opportunity to reflect on the universal desire to belong.