There's just something about Melbourne that keeps drawing me back.

Perhaps it's the rattle of the trams, the hidden bars, the laneway culture or the fabulous coffee. Maybe it's the street art and the markets. It's definitely the food. Always the food. And the dumplings, which, as we all know, deserve to be their own food group. Then there's the footy. If you've ever been to a packed MCG, you'll know exactly what I mean.

My favourite way to explore Melbourne is on foot. The deal is simple: if we walk, we can eat anything. We'll wander through Richmond for steaming bowls of pho, browse vintage shops in Fitzroy and Collingwood, then head down to the river, the Royal Botanic Gardens or the National Gallery of Victoria.

Every visit adds another favourite café, another hidden laneway and another story.

It's no surprise, then, that Melbourne has found its way into my novels. Many of the places you'll discover in this series began as places I fell in love with first. The only downside? However long we stay, I always leave with sore feet and a longer list of restaurants to try next time.