Regular readers of this website and, especially, listeners to our podcast, will probably recognise the name Sue Williams.
Sue co-hosts our podcasts and is a prolific writer on property (among many other topics) which is what brings her into our orbit. But there’s so much more to her work.
To date, she has written 25 books – almost exclusively non-fiction – and, among other achievements, was the first Australian to be short-listed for the international Gold Dagger crime writing award.
That was for her book “And Then the Darkness” about the disappearance of Peter Falconio, the UK media vilification of his girlfriend Joanne Lees and the conviction of Bradley Murdoch for his murder.
Despite her stellar track record, last week saw a major professional breakthrough for Sue when her first full-length novel was published.
Elizabeth and Elizabeth (Allen & Unwin) is a work of historical fiction based on the real lives of Elizabeth Macarthur (who created the Australian wool trade) and Elizabeth Macquarie, wife of the then Governor, who left her mark on Sydney with fine buildings, charitable institutions and sophisticated town planning.
Elizabeth Macquarie was also instrumental in creating the Australian idea of a “fair go”, when her husband Lachlan scandalised the squattocracy by freeing convicts who had served their time, thereby depriving them of slave labour.
And that’s why these two notable women’s husbands were sworn enemies, with John Macarthur plotting ruthlessly to bring Lachlan Macquarie down in scheming and conspiracies that would not be out of place in modern day Washington DC.
Bridgerton, eat your heart out.
Elizabeth & Elizabeth is available from bookshops and online and you can read more about it, and Sue’s other books on her website, suewilliams.com.au.
