The Model Murder

The Tea Ladies #4

by Amanda Hampson

Never underestimate a tea lady.
Sydney, 1968. When a popular local man is murdered, police are quick to pin the blame on his glamorous model fiancée, who has since disappeared. But Hazel suspects a criminal cover-up and rallies the tea ladies to investigate; a quest that brings danger right to her door.
Meanwhile, Merl’s long-buried family secret threatens to unravel her carefully constructed life. When she stumbles on evidence that her detective son-in-law is corrupt, she’s forced to swallow her pride and reunite with the other tea ladies, enlisting their help to expose him.
Betty becomes immersed in a local theatre group where there is more drama offstage than on it, further complicated by her infatuation with the enigmatic leading man.
Irene aspires to a new career as a debt collector but her first case has more frustrations and obstacles than she bargained for, even with the help of a new weapon.
The highly anticipated new novel in the beloved The Tea Ladies series is available for pre-order now.

326 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 21, 2026

About the author

Melbourne-based author, Amanda Hampson has been writing professionally for more than 30 years and is the award-winning author of nine novels: The Olive Sisters, Two for the Road, The French Perfumer, The Yellow Villa, Sixty Summers, Lovebirds, The Tea Ladies, The Cryptic Clue and The Deadly Dispute.

A runaway bestseller, The Tea Ladies won the 2024 Danger Awards for Best Crime Fiction and was Shortlisted for 2024 Davitt Awards Best Adult Crime & 2024 Ned Kelly Awards Best Fiction.

Reviews

[Davena · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Model Murder by Amanda Hampson

The Model Murder is the 4th book in the Tea Ladies series. I've mentioned it before, but I read the first book in this series, The Tea Ladies, while staying in a hotel in Surry Hills that was once a convent. On the wall was a portrait of a famous madam from the area. Which, I felt, set the scene for the book. I did a little self-guided walking tour of the area, which made the series more engaging to me.

Tagline: Never underestimate a tea lady.

This book is also set in Surry Hills, in 1968. Hazel is back working at Empire Fashion, and Betty has joined a local theatre group where she falls for the enigmatic leading man. Irene has suspicions; she is living in a high-class brothel, but thinks she might make a good debt collector. Her first case turns out to be harder than she assumed.

A local man is murdered down one of Surry Hills shady lanes, and police pin the blame on his glamorous model fiancée, who disappeared. Hazel suspects a cover-up and rallies the tea ladies to investigate, but the evidence points to Merl's favourite son-in-law, the detective. Will her long-buried family secret threaten to unravel everything?

A big thumbs up 👍 If you enjoy cosy mysteries or fun, light books with strong characters, then I think this is a series you'll enjoy this series. This is the latest novel in The Tea Ladies series, and it is available now.


Side Note: I didn't have the audiobook, so here's a photo of my cats' toes.

#designnerd #booksdeevaareads #2026bookshelf
#TheModelMurder #NetGalley
@penguinbooksaus @penguinrandomhouse @amandahampsonauthor

[Jillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was probably a mistake to read this on Anzac Day, when my mind is focused on family contributions to War and the suffering involved for both combatants and those who kept the home fires burning. I look forward to the tea ladies, their adventures, grit and detection. They lived up to expectations. However, for me these are not cosy crime stories. I grew up in the Sydney of these books and I knew this world . It’s close to the bone. I walked these streets daily in 1968, the year of this novel, on my way to my last year of teacher training, my parents and neighbours worked in the factories and canteens of that world and the next year I taught children born in Surry Hills, some of them in brothels. The strength of this series is its realism. Reading them I am back in that world - and in the worst, as well as the best. I was not caught in the webs these women untangled, but I knew of their existence, experienced the undercurrents, and was taught how to stay away. I attended the protest that ends the book - or others very like it. Yes, the spirit. and camaraderie were real and uplifting but so was the danger, the corruption and violence.
The book is brilliant. For me, today, in spite of the tea ladies’ success, it is sad and a little depressing. There is little cosy about the world it evokes.

[Tammy O'Keefe · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fourth instalment in the beloved Tea Ladies series, Amanda Hampson once again delivers a charming and delightfully clever cosy mystery featuring our favourite tea ladies—Hazel, Betty, Merl and Irene.

Set in Sydney in 1968, this story centres on Merl and her rather questionable detective son-in-law. When a well-liked local man is murdered, suspicion quickly falls on his model fiancée—but something doesn’t quite add up.

Enter the Tea Ladies, whose knack for noticing what others overlook proves, as always, invaluable. With their sharp instincts (and plenty of tea along the way), they begin to unravel a mystery that may not be as straightforward as it first seems.

And keep an eye out for Irene’s newest “weapon”—it’s guaranteed to give you a laugh.

A warm, witty and thoroughly enjoyable addition to a much-loved series—perfect for fans of classic cosy crime.

[Lisa (Insta: serenity.of.books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Trouble’s brewing, just add hot water!” My favourite crime solving Tea Ladies are back and not a moment too soon. The Model Murder, the fourth book in Amanda Hampson’s delightful series, feels like catching up with old friends, and I loved slipping back into their world.

Set in the late 60s, this instalment gives each of the ladies plenty to juggle. Hazel is pulled into a murder enquiry that quickly puts her in danger, Betty is tackling her first production with a local theatre company, Irene is trying her hand at debt collecting as a side hustle, and Merl, who hasn’t taken centre stage since Book 1, uncovers long buried family secrets that call for the Tea Ladies’ unique brand of support.

If you enjoy cosy crime or simply want a lighthearted read with charming characters and plenty of personality, this series is such a good one! You could read this as a standalone, but the books are so much fun that I genuinely think it’s worth starting from the beginning.

Huge thanks to @penguin and @amandahampson for the fabulous PR pack in exchange for an honest review.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love reading cozy crime, let me introduce to The Tea Ladies series by Aussie author Amanda. The Model Murder is book four of the series and through fun and humour readers follow Hazel, Betty, Merl and Irene as they investigate a local man’s murder.

🫖 It’s always fun to follow the tea ladies on their adventures. Each is such a unique character with their own quirks and the way the author ties them together as the story unfolds is witty, charming and full of personality.

I enjoyed the main mystery of this story, but also the side quests each of the ladies were involved in. Irene especially cracks me up with her unique ways and brings light and fun to the story at perfect times.

The Model Murder can be read as a standalone, but if you’d love to know the tea ladies backstory then I’d recommend starting with book one.

Thank you to Penguin for the wonderful PR box and a copy to honestly review.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the fourth book in Amanda Hampson’s Tea Ladies series. I confess I haven’t read any of the first three, but I do enjoy a cosy mystery so I thought I’d give this one a try. I wasn’t disappointed. It has the elements expected of a cosy mystery, and I didn’t feel particularly lost because I hadn’t read the earlier books. I do think they would round the characters out better for me though, so I will try to catch up with them. I enjoyed that they were set back in the 60s, and all the tea ladies had fun old fashioned names so typical of women in that era. This was an entertaining read.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

[Marit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining to read and great to catch up again with The Tea Ladies. Set in Sydney, in 1968, the ladies become involved when a young cobbler is found murdered and his fiancee is treated as the main suspect. It’s always fascinating to read how the author interweaves events and attitudes of that era into her books. Engrossing and well-written I find giving each chapter its own heading a great plot device. Highly recommended.

[Angelynn23 · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fourth instalment of the Tea Ladies and it was entertaining, I so enjoyed reading the mystery adventures of the tea ladies. It was absolutely amazing! Loved following the tea ladies crime stories. With so much thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher Penguin Random House Australia for the ARC.

[Craig and Phil · Rating 5 out of 5]

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