Local readers will have the chance to hear from Kelly Rimmer following the release of her new novel, set against a familiar backdrop. The Central West author sat down with Forbes' Book Dispensary owner Deb Prior two weeks ago for a Q and A on the launch date of The Midnight Estate, with a capacity audience for the event. The book shop is just one of the Forbes landmarks to feature in the book, described as a gothic epic or haunting tale that spans generations. On Wednesday, August 27 Kelly will be at the Parkes Library to celebrate the novel's release with an author talk from 6pm. Bookings are essential (6861 2309). The Midnight Estate tells the story of Fiona Winslow, who comes home to Forbes after her life - in Kelly's words - implodes. Fiona finds solace in the decaying grandeur of the family estate, Wirumburra, and is intent on restoring it despite her mother's objections. Wirumburra isn't real, but it is inspired by Kelly's time in heritage consultancy as well as some of the grand old homes of this region. The Midnight Estate is also a book within a book, an enjoyable writing experience for the author. Like other books Kelly has written, it has a serious issue at its core and the author did invest time in researching coercive control as she prepared to weave the issue into the story. "The conversation around domestic violence is as urgent as it ever was, and we cannot shy away from it," she writes in the author letter included in the book. The Midnight Estate is Kelly's 14th novel. She is the author of historical and contemporary fiction, including The Warsaw Orphan, The Things We Cannot Say and The Secret Daughter, with three million books sold.
