The fourth installment of award-winning Ocean Grove author Dorothy Johnston’s Sea-Change mystery novels was three years in the making.
The Lodeman follows the first three books in the series – Through a Camel’s Eye, The Swan Island Connection and Gerard Hardy’s Misfortune.
It’s Dorothy’s 13th novel overall and the official launch, which was postponed from last year, is on February 12.
The inspiration from Dorothy’s latest book didn’t actually come from a lodeman itself. A lodeman is a sea pilot boat that shepherds large ships to safety.
“I’ve always been interested in the pilot service, its longevity – it was founded in 1839 – its importance for commercial shipping and its independence,” she said.
“But The Lodeman really began with an image of a drowned man on a beach. The image stayed in my head, and I realised that it was the start of a new story.
“I also realised that the dead man was a member of the pilot service.”
The story follows its main characters Chris Blackie and Anthea Merritt, two local police constables, who would not normally have anything to do with a murder investigation, apart from securing a crime scene and keeping on-lookers away. But in each of the mysteries, they are drawn into the investigation and their local knowledge proves invaluable.
In The Lodeman, the body is found by an old friend of Chris’s.
“The local setting and the local characters are of interest to readers,” Dorothy said.
“People tell me how much they enjoy this aspect of my series, and I’m grateful for their support and enthusiasm.
“With regard to The Lodeman in particular, the real-life pilot service is so well-known and well regarded that the fact that not everyone in my fictional service behaves well, has raised a few eyebrows.
“I stress that The Lodeman is a novel, and that all the characters are imaginary.”
Dorothy said readers of the series might be in for a rude shock this time around.
“Well, I run the risk of a plot spoiler here, but the death of a close friend of Chris Blackie’s was a shock to me when I realised that it had to happen, and I hope it will be a shock for readers too,” she said.
The launch is at 4 pm on February 12 at the Uniting Church Queenscliff. It’s a free event but bookings are essential at lodeman.eventbrite.com.au or 5258 4496.
