Blanche d’Alpuget is turning heads with her bold shift into erotic writing
The author and former wife of late prime minister Bob Hawke is releasing a risqué new novel called The Bunny Club in a daring departure from her political biography and historical fiction works.
Now 81, d’Alpuget has penned 15 books throughout her career, including the bestselling biography Robert J Hawke: A Biography and historical novels like Turtle Beach and Winter in Jerusalem.
Her new novel marks an unexpected venture into the erotic romance and mystery genre with The Bunny Club.
This steamy detective novel is set against the high-class backdrop of Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs and the Southern Highlands, combining themes of atonement, tragedy, and redemption into one thrilling story.
Despite her extensive writing experience, crime writing poses a new set of challenges for d’Alpuget, leading her to consult experts like anesthetists for accurately writing about poisons, plus medical workers, lawyers, and tech workers.
“I’d never done one before and I had no idea how to do it. It took an enormous long time to find out how to write one. I had to learn from my mistakes,” she told The Guardian.
The author’s deep connection to the eastern suburbs where she grew up andand time at the exclusive private school Sceggs provided her with an insider’s unique insight into the glamorous and complicated world of the wealthy.
In a semi-autobiographical style, D’Alpuget draws on her own life experiences, including her time with her late husband, to inspire the characters and romantic dynamics that form the story.
After a long road of personal challenges, including the death of her husband and her battle with breast cancer, d’Alpuget has found a renewed sense of inspiration and creativity.
Her return to writing with The Bunny Club marks the start of a new chapter, with several characters from the book potentially finding their way into future stories.
