Writing Podcast Episode 710: Candice Fox and the cold case that inspired 'Redbelly Crossing'

With 20 books now to her name and a slew of accolades and bestseller titles under her belt, crime author Candice Fox has gone with something a little different for her latest novel, Redbelly Crossing . Inspired by a real-life family reminiscence, she has reimagined elements of two actual Sydney cold-case murders – and in this episode, Candice discusses how she balanced the sensitivity of a real case (including speaking with the victim's husbands) with her creative storytelling instincts and a genuine desire to solve the case. 00:00 Welcome 06:56 Writing tip: Set an Intention 09:51 WIN!: Astral Library by Kate Quinn 11:49 Word of the week: 'Ylem' 13:52 Writer in residence: Candice Fox 14:41 Crossing the line into a true-crime inspired novel 16:25 Candice's mum's encounter with a possible killer 20:30 Rabbit Holes and why she didn't make a true-crime podcast 26:07 Similarities in the cold cases: one killer or two? 26:44 Writing real tragedy into fiction: meeting the husbands & making hard edits 28:50 Pitching the project to her agent 32:23 The novel's elevator pitch 34:22 Ending a fictional case when the real one is unsolved 37:02 What readers should take away 39:55 Career reflections – 20 books in 12 years 42:19 Candice's writing routine and finding ideas 45:25 Top tips for crime writers 47:39 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.com

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Writing Podcast Episode 710: Candice Fox and the cold case that inspired 'Redbelly Crossing' is an episode from So you want to be a writer by Australian Writers' Centre.

This episode is 51:05 long.

This episode was published on Mar 30, 2026.

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