LIAN TANNER

Feathered crime fighters

A Clue for Clara

star
Winner of Best Children's Crime Novel, 2021 Davitt Awards
star
Shortlisted Best Designed Children's Fiction Book, ABDA 2021

‘GREETINGS. I AM LOOKING FOR A MAJOR CRIME TO SOLVE. PLEASE INFORM ME OF ANY RECENT MURDERS, KIDNAPPINGS OR JEWEL HEISTS IN THIS AREA.’

Clara wants to be a famous detective with her own TV show. She can read claw marks, find missing feathers and knows morse code and semaphore.

There’s just one problem. She’s a small scruffy chook, and no one takes her seriously.

But when she teams up with Olive, the daughter of the local policeman, they might just be able to solve the crimes that have been troubling the town of Little Dismal.

A puzzling and hilarious mystery from bestselling author, Lian Tanner.

This is an absolutely delightful book! Although a chicken who thinks she is a detective might just sound like a fun story (and it certainly is), A Clue for Clara also touches on far bigger topics that are handled beautifully ... extremely humorous and will be thoroughly enjoyed by middle to senior primary students.

lamontbooks.com.au

This smart, clever and very funny story of standing up to bullies, of friendship in the most unlikely of places, of coping with grief, all wrapped up in a story about a girl and her pet chook is one of the most endearing tales I have read for a long time.

Fran Knight, Readplus

A great little mystery, heart-warming and a joy to read. A Clue for Clara is a book for all ages and a bright little gem which puts the sparkle into the dull days of lockdown.

Moraig Kisler, Sisters in Crime

Feathered crime fighters

Rita's Revenge

star
Winner 2023 Russell Prize for Humour for Young People
star
Shortlisted 2023 NSW Premier's Literary Awards
star
Shortlisted Best Children's Crime Novel, 2023 Davitt Awards

‘Chasing cows and pigs. Mockery. Rude songs. Piracy, bullying, revenge, warfare and general thuggery.’
This is the list of approved duck activities and it does NOT include poetry.

The ducks of Little Dismal are angry. A scruffy chicken called Clara has been telling lies about them. They need revenge.

Enter Rita – a duck with the soul of a poet. After an embarrassing talent night, Rita sees revenge on Clara as a chance to restore her reputation.

But Rita finds more than revenge on her mission. She uncovers a dastardly plan that will take her and Clara a long way from home.

Luckily, it’s Rita’s unlikely friendship with a human and the help of some street-smart birds that just might save the day!

Jealousy, revenge, crime, adventure, duck poetry and laugh-out-loud comedy - Rita's Revenge has it all! I adore this book.

Katrina Nannestad, author of The Girl, the Dog, the Writer in Rome

Rita stole my heart and quacked me up.

Deborah Abela, author of The Book of Wondrous Possibilities

The funniest book I've read in ages.

Tristan Bancks, author of the Tom Weekly series

Humour is hard to write well at the best of times, but throw in human relationships, a developing mystery and some old-fashioned detective work, and the writer could be excused for losing their way. Somehow, Tanner holds it all together nicely, while leaving the reader in tears of laughter.

NSW Premier's Literary Award judges

Sign up to Lian’s blog and get a free, unpublished Keepers story

Follow Lian on Facebook, Instagram & Goodreads