Joe Cinque's consolation : a true story of death, grief and the law

Author: Helen Garner
Publisher: Sydney: Pan MacMillan 2004

Anu Singh, the bright and beautiful daughter of two Indian doctors moved to Canberra to study law at the Australian National University (Australian book review). Singh turned to drugs to aid her obsessive dieting, fuelling eating disorders and mental unbalance. She planned a disturbing dinner party where friends knew she had hopes of killing herself and one other person. With help from her suggestible friend, Madhavi Rao, Singh drugs her own boyfriend and kills him. Author Helen Garner attached herself to the criminal trial that eventuated from this grisly and bizarre murder. Written with a compelling pace of the true crime genre, Garner “explores the gap between ethics and the law” (Blurb, back of book) 
Recently adapted to an SBS film, the brilliantly written book brings more depth and moral perspective to the events and trial. The movie chooses to omit Helen Garner entirely as a key character, and “without the supporting structure of Garner, it’s essentially a moral tale without a moral.” (Annabel Crabb)

Reserve a copy of the book at Inner West Council Library.

For more information:

About the author
Read reviews and ratings on Goodreads
Hear the full podcast episode by Annabel Crabb and Leigh Sales
Read the Australian book review
Why removing Helen Garner during the book to film process was a mistake