Laraine Stephens

After nearly forty years of working as a teacher-librarian and Head of Library, Laraine Stephens decided to experience life on the other side of the bookshelves and became a writer of historical crime fiction. Her debut novel, The Death Mask Murders, the first in the Reggie da Costa Mysteries, was published in June 2021 by Level Best Books. It is set in Melbourne, Australia during the dying days of The Great War. Deadly Intent, the second in the series, will hit the bookstores in May 2022, followed by A Deadly Game in June 2023.

Authenticity is very important to Laraine. It isn’t easy to shrug off nearly forty years of teacher-librarianship. By taking on a new career, as a writer of historical crime fiction, it was in her DNA to be as authentic as she could in giving an accurate setting to The Death Mask Murders.

When she isn’t writing, travelling or playing golf, Laraine finds inspiration from her work as a volunteer guide at the Old Melbourne Gaol.

Laraine lives in Beaumaris, a bayside suburb of Melbourne, Australia, with her husband, Bob, and her maladjusted red toy poodle, Zoe.