AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Emily Webb, author of 'Murder in the Suburbs' and 'Suburban True Crime'

Emily Webb is a bestselling author, podcast host and licensed investigator. Her latest book, Murder in the Suburbs, is a collection of chilling true crime stories that highlight tragic cases from both Australia and abroad. You can read my review here.

It was great to learn more about Emily’s longstanding interest in true crime and her approach to writing about these cases.

Hi Emily! You have written several true crime titles now, along with hosting various podcasts. When did you first develop an interest in true crime?

I was a big reader from an early age and I loved reading magazines and newspapers. I do have memories of news coverage of the baby Azaria Chamberlain case and the conviction of her mother Lindy Chamberlain for her murder. Lindy was later exonerated and there was lots of news coverage and stories in magazines like The Australian Women’s Weekly and Woman’s Day, New Idea. This case was massive and in later years I was at university studying journalism and the media coverage was explored in some of my subjects.

I started full-on reading true crime when I was in my early teens. Ann Rule’s books, Cuckoo by Andrew Rule and a book called Myra Hindley: Inside the Mind of a Murderess by Jean Ritchie were formative reading for me. I was basically reading a lot! True crime and biographies were my go-to reads.

Each of the cases featured in Murder in the Suburbs lingered in my mind. How do you decide what cases to feature and write about? And how do you maintain good mental health when delving into some of these dark cases?

I approach my writing with curiosity and I am drawn to cases that I don’t know much about, usually ones that pre-date the internet. This makes things harder but I love research. Themes are also something I will choose to write – for instance in Murder in the Suburbs I wrote a long chapter on baby abductions that drew from some historic cases, Melbourne-based ones and high-profile abductions that happened in the UK in the 1990s. I don’t really have any plan with my writing!

The way I look after my wellbeing when I am writing (or reading and watching) true crime is to be purposeful and focused. I don’t tend to listen to true crime podcasts (though I have a number of pods that I have on my weekly listens) or watch true crime endlessly.

While reading, it occurred to me that serial offenders and murderers are literally walking our streets. Has writing about true crime impacted or changed how you live your life?

I understand that it might scare some readers. I have two daughters (16 and 19) and their safety is so important to me. It’s hard to balance some of my fears sometimes – like in recent years with my eldest daughter travelling and the younger one going on a cruise last year with her friend and her family, which was a fantastic opportunity but I was low key stressed.

It blows my mind that in Australia, some people can be released into the community even after serving sentences for triple murders. Do you feel our Australian justice system needs reform? Can the legal system do more for victims and their families?

The legal system can be confusing and baffling, for sure. I think there’s always improvements to be made, especially in trauma-informed approaches to victim survivors and their families. It’s understandable there is community concern when a sentence doesn’t seem to reflect the gravity of a crime and that’s where I think better information about the justice system and how it works is important. The recent rise of podcasts covering high profile criminal trials is something that is positive and engages people in learning about the legal process, court reporting and allows a forum for asking questions (e.g. The ABC’s Mushroom Daily podcast would address questions listeners had about the Erin Patterson Trial and the Australian Criminal Judicial system more broadly).

I felt that in many cases throughout the book, you were the voice for those no longer able to speak. Do you feel a certain kind of responsibility when it comes to that?

My writing is driven more by curiosity but in saying this, I do feel a responsibility to make sure I write responsibly, accurately and as sensitively as possible.

Are there any unsolved crimes in Australia that have especially impacted or touched you, that you would most like to see solved?

The 1987 disappearance of 17-year-old Suzanne Lawrance (Healesville, VIC) is a case I have reported on since 2011. Suzie was walking home from a party through Queens Park in the town on Saturday night, 7 February and has never been seen or heard of since. The local police at the time thought she might have run away. Some people said they saw her the next day and these became part of the story of Suzie’s last known movements. However, in 2020 and 2021 when I revisited what happened to Suzie and spoke to more people, it became apparent that those sightings were never able to be verified by later reinvestigations by Victoria Police. I’ve got to know her mum, Liz, over the years and I hope so much that Suzie’s family and friends can know what happened to her.

Note: If you have information on the disappearance of Suzanne Lawrance, please contact Crime Stoppers or 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report here.

What are you currently reading or listening to? Are there any true crime docuseries that you would recommend?

I find podcasts about scammers and fraudsters fascinating and I was hooked on the podcast Unicorn Girl about Candace Rivera. I also recently listened to Hometown Boys by ABC’s Background Briefing I don’t actually watch a lot of true crime series but I thought Fred & Rose West: A British Horror Story and American Murder: Gabby Petito on Netflix were well done.

What’s next for Emily Webb? Do you have plans for another book?

I think I am working up to writing another true crime book because there are other cases I want to write about. I would also like to have a go an crime fiction. Watch this space!

Thanks for your time, Emily. Good luck with your next project!

To learn more about Emily’s work, you can visit her website, or Instagram and pick up your copy of Murder in the Suburbs here.