AustLit

'PI Edwina 'Ted' Bristol's latest case is proving complicated. Ballerina Giselle Terreiti is the target of a stalker, but she is also the ex-wife of Ted's good friend, swordcraft nemesis and cop Spike.

'While accepting the case is a win for the agency, Ted must distance herself from Spike without explaining why. As the stalker ups the ante, breaking into Giselle's house and leaving a disturbing message, Ted throws herself into the investigation, identifying three suspects. She must go undercover via the dating apps to locate her most promising lead, life coach Jarrod, who Giselle dated briefly. Meanwhile, Ted's sister Bob refers a curious case: Cecily is trying to find her husband, Pete, who has been missing for a year, presumed dead, after he failed to return home from a day out surfing. As Ted closes in on the culprit in the stalking case and Spike questions her friendship, a murder turns everything upside down ...' (Publication summary)

'For fans of Phryne Fisher and The Nancys from Elizabeth Coleman, a screenwriter for Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries

Thirty-five-year-old commitment phobe Edwina (Ted) Bristol runs EBI, a private investigation agency. Her latest case is to conduct routine surveillance on a couple suspected of having an illicit affair. She also discovers her sister Bob has fallen prey to an internet catfishing scam. With some help from her acutely intelligent miniature schnauzer, Miss Marple, who's a valued colleague as well as a beloved pet, they set out to find the scammer, who has already fleeced Bob of $500.

'Meanwhile, Ted's next door neighbour, a medium named Chantal, insists she's been getting messages from the spirit world warning her that Ted is in danger. Ted's a rabid non-believer; and she's incensed!

'As Bob's catfishing case takes a series of bizarre twists and turns and the danger from the embezzlement case escalates to murder, Ted may be getting her first taste of serious crime -

'If you love the madcap adventures of Phryne Fisher, you're sure to love Ted Bristol.' (Publication summary)

'Twenty years on – when Laura Gibson returns to the beachside paradise of Pearl Bay to attend the birth of her estranged daughter’s baby – rising seas levels, community cover-ups and some very stormy weather conspire to convince her this town now needs her as much as she needs it.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Vanessa Rooney is a thirty-something dental assistant who finds herself a single mum with a hole in her heart where her husband had been. Adrift, she somehow finds the courage to fulfil her childhood dream of writing a romance novel but soon discovers that her novel has been plagiarised by celebrity author, Charlotte Lancaster. Vanessa reluctantly sues Charlotte with the help of suburban solicitor Dave Rendall, who's nursing some unfulfilled dreams of his own. When Charlotte's spurned husband, gun QC Marcus Stafford, agrees to join their legal team, Vanessa feels like her perfect man has stepped out of the pages of her book and into her life.

'As all hell breaks loose publicly and privately, Vanessa confronts a painful past and realises what Dave already knew—that she's an intelligent, funny, amazing woman and Marcus Stafford is, well, a tosspot. Vanessa finally understands that what she wanted wasn't what she needed, but has this realisation come too late?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Set in 1964, audiences will meet the gorgeously reckless Peregrine Fisher who inherits a windfall when the famous aunt she never knew goes missing over the highlands of New Guinea. Peregrine must prove herself brilliant enough to become a world class private detective in her own right.'

Source: Screen Australia (https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/sa/media-centre/news/2018/07-26-ms-fisher-modern-to-swing-onto-tv-screens). (Sighted: 26/7/2018)

'Over five decades, she’s been the one that we want. The hugely popular Australian singer Olivia Newton-John is the subject of this moving drama about her brilliant career. The two-part series charts the astonishing personal life of Australia’s sweetheart. Aged just 15, Newton-John won a local tv talent contest which propelled her to London on her first recording contract. She went on to become her country’s most successful singer, selling an astounding 100 million albums internationally. She became loved the world over in the role of the innocent Sandy in the 1978 global smash-hit movie, Grease. She was a major part of one of the best-selling soundtracks in movie history. Then in 1992 the singer bravely announced that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. After her recovery, Newton-John become an inspiring advocate for further research into breast cancer and helped set up The Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness Centre in Melbourne. This highly affecting drama underscores that above all else Newton-John is not only a fighter and survivor, but a tireless campaigner who continues to give back and make a difference. By the end, viewers of this absorbing life-story will doubtless be “Hopelessly Devoted to Olivia”.'

Source: Screen Australia.

'Newton’s Law centers around Josephine Newton, a suburban solicitor with an over-developed sense of responsibility who attempts to return to her briefly glorious stint at the Bar. When Josephine’s low-flying solicitor’s practice is incinerated by a disgruntled client, she is persuaded by her old uni friend and admirer, Lewis Hughes, to trade the benefits of her brilliant mind for the lofty glamour of Knox Chambers. With her office destroyed, her marriage collapsing and motherhood fast losing its charm, Josephine decides it’s time to take her own aspirations off the back burner and resume her barrister’s robes. If only it were that easy to leave her old life behind!'

Source: Australian Broadcasting Commission (http://about.abc.net.au/abc-in-2017/drama-lovers/). (Sighted: 04/11/2016).

'Lisa McCune stars as Dr Sam Stewart, the Sherlock Holmes of tropical medicine and the head doctor in the only medical clinic for the Great Barrier Reef Islands. Sam leads a handful of dedicated practitioners hoping to extract the hidden secrets from venom that have the power to cure some of the world's most fatal diseases. On a daily basis, her small team of medics deals with everything from deadly snakebites and jellyfish stings, to divers with the bends and tropical diseases that can spread like wildfire. But it's not all medical emergencies and dramas for the vendomdocs on Hope Island. Life's also an adventure — wind surfing, scuba diving, abseiling, and at night, kicking back at the Backpackers Hostel, and in the steamy, romantic tropical nights at the end of a long day, maybe even finding love.'

Source: Australian television Information Archive. (Sighted: 1/5/2014)

'Phryne, Dot and Dr. Mac happily accompany Aunt Prudence to a picturesque chalet to celebrate a white Christmas in July. The party arrives to find one of the residents dead — electrocuted while hanging festive lights. No more suspicious than the usual Miss Fisher investigation, until the body count starts to rapidly rise.

'Heavy snowfalls and harsh weather trap them all with a murderer in their midst — and any one of them the next victim. It's a race against time for Phryne and Jack to hunt down the culprit — and restore enough Christmas joy to take full advantage should they find themselves standing under that bunch of mistletoe!'

Source: Australian Television Information Archive. (Sighted: 26/2/2014)

'13 episode series about a family that runs a debt collection business.

Warm, funny and moving, Tricky Business looks at the lengths people go to get themselves out of trouble - financial trouble, emotional trouble, growing up trouble, relationship trouble... things we all have to deal with at some time or other. Nine's exciting new Aussie family drama looks at the lengths people go to get themselves out of trouble.'

(Source: Channel Nine website)

'Murdoch Foyle is at large and has been connected with the mysterious death of Albert Monkton, antique dealer. In investigating the murder, Phryne discovers Murdoch Foyle's involvement in a bizarre reincarnation cult, inspired by Ancient Egypt.

'Phryne's hunt for the madman leads her on a disturbing trail of death and despair before she realises her own significance in Foyle's grand plan. Can she overcome her nemesis and finally solve the mystery regarding the fate of her sister, Janey, or will her own death be the price she has to pay to discover the truth.'

Source: Australian Television Information Archive. (Sighted: 24/5/2013)

'The glamorous Phryne Fisher, accompanied by her maid Dot, decides to travel to the country by train to collect her new Hispano-Suiza motor car.

'The charm of rail travel soon evaporates though, when Phryne unexpectedly has to use her trusty pearl-handled pistol to save a young woman's life and solve the disappearance of her fellow passenger's mother.

'When her train trip is derailed by a gruesome murder, Phryne speeds home in her Hispano-Suiza to her new abode in St Kilda where she works through the clues until she discovers her unassuming murderer.'

Source: Australian Television Information Archive. (Sighted: 24/5/2013)

'Based on the novels of Australian author Kerry Greenwood. Our lady sleuth sashays through the back lanes and jazz clubs of late 1920s Melbourne, fighting injustice with her pearl handled pistol and her dagger-sharp wit. Leaving a trail of admirers in her wake, our thoroughly modern heroine makes sure she enjoys every moment of her lucky life.'

Source: Inside Film and Television website

A humorous pseudo-biographical series, Whatever Happened to that Guy? followed comedian Peter Moon (playing himself) into a life post fame.

'Bed of Roses is about Louisa Atherton (Kerry Armstrong) handling her life after she discovers her husband has died in the arms of another woman, leaving her broke. She returns to her home town of Rainbow's End to live with her feisty mother, Minna (Julia Blake). Rainbow's End is in a 'growth corridor' with neighbouring town of Indigo. Besides problems with Minna, Louisa encounters trouble with her teenage daughter Holly (Hanna Mangan-Lawrence) and local residents. Louisa has few financial assets except "Mary Kelly's Shack" she inherited from her father. Louisa decides to demolish the shack and build a new house to sell. Holly has taken the death of her father very hard and insists on carrying around his ashes. Louisa's irresponsible driving results in numerous traffic offences, which she can ill afford.' (Production summary)

'About a group of 20-somethings living in the urban environs of St Kilda. They have yet to make it, but know it's just a matter of time.'

Source: Screen Australia. (Sighted: 28/11/2013)