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Girls' Lips Are Sealed: A Birdie Mealing Mystery #2
1985 has started with a bang!
Shoulder pads securely velcroed in place and Walkman on her hip, musician and amateur sleuth Birdie Mealing is on the beat.
Can she unravel the rumours in time to catch a killer?
A new gossip column in the local paper is the talk of the town. The talk only increases when the editor is stabbed, and Birdie’s boss is caught knife in hand and covered in blood.
Luckily, with Detective Herb Lawson – her so called boyfriend – missing in action, there's no one to stop Birdie investigating the crime and clear her boss’ name. Perhaps that promotion she was aiming for might just be hers too.
Is it the adulterer, the swindler of school funds, the sacked principal or the cradle snatcher? Everyone's keeping secrets and when hunky Herb finally strides back into town, the flimsy excuse he gives for his absence means he's keeping them too.
Can Birdie find the culprit, save her colleague, repair her relationship and land her dream job? And can she do it all without her own dirty little secret being the next one published?
Forget the sticks and stones words can break bones.
Shoulder pads securely velcroed in place and Walkman on her hip, musician and amateur sleuth Birdie Mealing is on the beat.
Can she unravel the rumours in time to catch a killer?
A new gossip column in the local paper is the talk of the town. The talk only increases when the editor is stabbed, and Birdie’s boss is caught knife in hand and covered in blood.
Luckily, with Detective Herb Lawson – her so called boyfriend – missing in action, there's no one to stop Birdie investigating the crime and clear her boss’ name. Perhaps that promotion she was aiming for might just be hers too.
Is it the adulterer, the swindler of school funds, the sacked principal or the cradle snatcher? Everyone's keeping secrets and when hunky Herb finally strides back into town, the flimsy excuse he gives for his absence means he's keeping them too.
Can Birdie find the culprit, save her colleague, repair her relationship and land her dream job? And can she do it all without her own dirty little secret being the next one published?
Forget the sticks and stones words can break bones.
400 pages, Paperback
Published May 13, 2026
About the author
Philippa Kaye
2 books3 followersPhilippa (aka Pip) lives on the Central Coast of NSW Australia, with her lovely husband and three – often lovely – children. She has experience teaching in primary, secondary and tertiary settings and currently teaches secondary English and lectures at the University of Newcastle. Her Great Aunty was an Olympian, her dad invented Pavlova Magic and in her spare time she paints pictures on the wall. 'Girl Detectives Just Wanna Have Fun' is Pip’s first novel. Girls' Lips Are Sealed, released May 2026, is her second Birdie Mealing Mystery.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
Excuse me what!!? 1980s called and said Eat your heart out!! (Gag me with a spoon, ahaha!)
I just about die for anything 80s, when I found this book, I was like "yeah right i could dig it" and then I found out philippa was Australian. I was sold. Sign me up...
Kingston bickies, timtams, Holden gemmis....... this story is nancy drew meets gossip girl, with a sprinkle of spice!
Loads of research went to this book to make sure it was factual to the time and first nations people. Oh and to include the cleo quotes from the 80s was icing on the cake. Chef's kiss! I really liked this book.
FAVOURITE QUOTE "Which newly appointed Catholic school principal was caught polishing his desk with a co-teacher’s tight backside?" ON PAGE ONE!! Excuse me!!
I just about die for anything 80s, when I found this book, I was like "yeah right i could dig it" and then I found out philippa was Australian. I was sold. Sign me up...
Kingston bickies, timtams, Holden gemmis....... this story is nancy drew meets gossip girl, with a sprinkle of spice!
Loads of research went to this book to make sure it was factual to the time and first nations people. Oh and to include the cleo quotes from the 80s was icing on the cake. Chef's kiss! I really liked this book.
FAVOURITE QUOTE "Which newly appointed Catholic school principal was caught polishing his desk with a co-teacher’s tight backside?" ON PAGE ONE!! Excuse me!!
May 7, 2026
Want to read a mystery romance that has plenty of grumpy/sunshine vibes, features an amateur sleuth, a strong female protagonist and a broken up but working together soulmates?
Oh and it’s set in Australia in the 80’s and has quotes from Cleo Magazine sprinkled throughout!!
Girls Lips Are Sealed is an action packed read that gives grown up Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys nostalgia.
As we follow Birdies sleuthing there are many ups and downs in relationships, both professional and personal. Can you piece the clues together before she does?
I would recommend this for a lighthearted read that captivates all that is the 80’s in Australia.
Thanks for the opportunity to ARC review Phillipa Kaye and The Berry Agency.
Oh and it’s set in Australia in the 80’s and has quotes from Cleo Magazine sprinkled throughout!!
Girls Lips Are Sealed is an action packed read that gives grown up Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys nostalgia.
As we follow Birdies sleuthing there are many ups and downs in relationships, both professional and personal. Can you piece the clues together before she does?
I would recommend this for a lighthearted read that captivates all that is the 80’s in Australia.
Thanks for the opportunity to ARC review Phillipa Kaye and The Berry Agency.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This cozy mystery romance is set nostalgically in the 1980s.
Amateur sleuth, music teacher and band member Birdie tries to assist her Uncle Larry, a solicitor, hired to defend her Principal, Sister Therese Margaret, when she becomes the prime suspect in the stabbing of the editor of the local newspaper that prints the ‘Shame Game - No Names’ gossip column.
Birdie and her friends use speculation about the anonymous subjects of the gossip column to try to solve the crime.
Birdie is a strong independent woman, not one to shy away from a bit of mischief, flirty banter and fun, trying to uncover the truth while hiding her own secrets and wrestling with conflicting emotions navigating a love/hate relationship with former police detective Herb Lawson. A sexy but dangerous liaison.
Also of note were the empowering quotes from articles from Cleo magazines of the 1980s as they projected a ‘take charge’ attitude for women in relationships, a bold move at that time.
This book would appeal to readers of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series.
Thanks to @theberryagency and @philippakayewriter for this early copy to enjoy and review.
Amateur sleuth, music teacher and band member Birdie tries to assist her Uncle Larry, a solicitor, hired to defend her Principal, Sister Therese Margaret, when she becomes the prime suspect in the stabbing of the editor of the local newspaper that prints the ‘Shame Game - No Names’ gossip column.
Birdie and her friends use speculation about the anonymous subjects of the gossip column to try to solve the crime.
Birdie is a strong independent woman, not one to shy away from a bit of mischief, flirty banter and fun, trying to uncover the truth while hiding her own secrets and wrestling with conflicting emotions navigating a love/hate relationship with former police detective Herb Lawson. A sexy but dangerous liaison.
Also of note were the empowering quotes from articles from Cleo magazines of the 1980s as they projected a ‘take charge’ attitude for women in relationships, a bold move at that time.
This book would appeal to readers of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series.
Thanks to @theberryagency and @philippakayewriter for this early copy to enjoy and review.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews