Best-selling and award-winning author Tricia Stringer will launch her latest novel, Keeping Up Appearances, at the Mount Gambier Library on Thursday.

With 18 books to her name across three genres, Ms Stringer is no stranger to the region, having visited on numerous occasions with her book launches.

Ms Stringer’s diversity in writing for rural romance, family saga and general fiction has her reaching out to a broad audience.

Library Programs Team Leader Kristi Brooks said that tensions simmered in Keeping Up Appearances, a novel set in a small country town, where three women will need more than CWA sausage rolls and can-do community spirit to put things right.

“This is a delightful novel full of practical wisdom and dry humour that examines female friendship, buried secrets and why honesty is (usually) the best policy,” she said.

“A country girl through and through, Tricia grew up on a farm on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula.

“She and her husband owned the first licenced post office in South Australia and ran a children’s bookshop.

“A yearning to write stories to bring local history alive for children started Tricia on the journey to develop her writing skills, and she began writing for younger readers, which paved the way to writing adult stories.

“With a host of writing accolades to her name and her passion for writing about Australia’s diverse settings and real community scenarios, Tricia has been hailed ‘The Voice of Australian Storytelling’.”

The free event will start at 7pm with bookings available by contacting the Mount Gambier Library on 8721 2540 or booking online at www.mountgambier.sa.gov.au/library under ‘Programs and Events’.