AustLit

'Gutsy new P.I. Lou Alcott takes charge in this brilliantly crafted thriller. Twisty, gritty and unputdownable, in this story the underdog is fighting back. Perfect for readers of Sarah Bailey and Jane Caro's The Mother.

'She's the one to turn to when you need saving. But first she has to save herself...

'Lou Alcott is turning over a new leaf as a private investigator. Formerly police, she was forced to resign when she attacked a domestic violence perpetrator. She's always vowed to be nothing like her grandfather Hamish, Melbourne's biggest crime boss, delivering an eye for an eye, but this guy had it coming.

'On her first day she draws two cases helping at-risk women. First there's Diane Paterson, who has apparently left her husband without a word. Who should Lou believe? The charmingly distraught husband, Diane's suspicious parents, or the freezer full of lovingly prepared food left behind?

'Then a house security check for an isolated young woman who is convinced her abusive ex is stalking her again turns worrisome when she fails to show up for their meeting. Lou reports Melinda's odd disappearance to the police but with no signs of struggle she fears they're not able to act quickly enough.

'With her protective radar pinging, Lou keeps digging until she unearths chilling evidence that puts her in the hot seat. Suddenly Lou is embroiled in a cat-and-mouse-game where there will only be one survivor... Will Lou's first case be her last?' (Publication summary)

'A dead employee. A missing child. Anonymous phone calls in the dead of night. Judi Westerholme's troubles aren't over yet...

'Already struggling to juggle co-running the local pub along with her new childcare responsibilities for her orphaned niece, Judi does not need her life to become any more complicated.

'Yet, as usual, complications arrive in spades: she starts receiving threatening, late-night phone calls before discovering one of her employees, Kate, shot dead.

'Judi finds herself caught up in a murder investigation, as well as the hunt for the Kate's fourteen year-old daughter, who has been missing since the murder.

'Add in the uncertainty of her relationship with Melbourne-based D.S. Heath and the fact that her estranged mother's nursing home keeps urging her to visit, and Judi might finally be at breaking point.'

Source: publisher's blurb.

'Myron Lysenko and Kevin Brophy have a long history together as poets, as editors of the journal Going Down Swinging many years ago, with Hit & Miss Productions (publishing), and as friends. It seemed fitting that their books be reviewed together, not so much to compare as to have an opportunity to chart their different paths in poetry. It gave me an opportunity to pull previous collections by both of them off my shelves and do a little looking back as well.' (Introduction)

'Mina wants her own bedroom more than anything else in the whole wide world. And it’s almost ready! Just one more lick of sunny yellow paint and it’s hers.

'But when Mina's parents take in an unexpected guest, they give her room away. At first, Mina is too upset to speak. She doesn’t care that this new kid, Azzami, needs a place to stay.

'At school, the other kids call Azzami names, and Mina wishes he’d stand up for himself. Then she sees his drawings, and for the first time really thinks about the life of the quiet boy in front of her.

'Told in candid verse, here is a story about finding friendship where you least expect it and making room for everyone across this big wide world.'

Source : publisher's blurb

'Judi Westerholme has been through it. Brave and strong-willed, she's just about coping in her new role as foster parent to her orphaned niece, taking a job at the local pub to help make ends meet. Then the pub's landlord and Judi's friend, army veteran Pete 'Macca' Maccasfield, is murdered, and her world is suddenly turned upside down. Despite warnings from the city police to keep out of it, Judi can't help but get involved in the search for Macca's killer. But she soon becomes deeply entangled with some ruthlessly dangerous men. She must act fast and think smart to work out what they want - before anyone else gets hurt... Long buried secrets resurface in Sherryl Clark's pacey crime novel that pushes Judi Westerholme to her limits to protect the people she loves most.'

Source : publisher's blurb

'Things are touch and go when Ellyse decides to add another sport to her schedule!

'Ellyse can't wait to start touch footy again with her new team - touchdowns are the best! But with homework piling up and training every night of the week, is it all getting too much too handle? As much as she doesn't want to, it looks like Ellyse is going to have to make some tough decisions.

'There's also the drama at school with her best friends, Jazz and Charlie. One minute things are great, and the next their friendship is falling apart. Maybe getting selected for the regional touch footy team will help take her mind off things.

'Will everything sort itself out or is Ellyse going to have to learn to step up and face things head on?' (Publication summary)

'Ellyse is bursting with excitement – she's been invited to try out for a new youth soccer academy along with her friends Hu and Jamie. Could this be the start of something big? Fingers crossed!

'But that's not the only thing. Cricket season has started up again and there's both school and club competitions to play. Certain that she can do it all, Ellyse won't slow down. That is, until she finds herself in danger of disappointing everyone around her. Man, growing up sucks sometimes!

'Will Ellyse finally have to choose between cricket and soccer?' (Publication summary)

'When cricket season is over, there's only one thing to do . . . play soccer!

'Soccer season is here and Ellyse is desperate to pull on her boots and start dribbling and defending. Unlike club cricket where she is the only girl on the team, her best friends Charlie and Jazz also play soccer and it's so much fun! But on the day of their first training session, the girls tell Ellyse they don't want to play soccer this year – there are too many other things to do now they're in Year Seven. Ellyse is disappointed but has an idea to try to get a girls team together at school! However, things don't go to plan at school or at training: Ellyse is targeted by one of her own Hawks teammates and this scares off the girls from joining the school team.

'Will Ellyse find a way to deal with the bully and convince her schoolmates to join in the soccer action?' (Publication summary)

'Find out where it all began for Ellyse Perry, Australia's most prominent sportswoman!

'Meet Ellyse Perry, age twelve. All she wants to do is play sport. Cricket, soccer, touch footy, athletics – you name it! But now that she's in high school, just playing sport and having fun doesn't seem so easy. For starters, her new school uniform is too big (as usual) and then there's a mix up with her electives and she has to do debating of all things! To top it off, mean Ms Parkes won't let her on the school cricket team because she thinks Ellyse is too small. Could life be more unfair? Luckily there's still club cricket with the Hoppers! They're a sure bet to make the grand final and Ellyse can't wait to get out onto the pitch with her mate Jamie.

'Can Ellyse handle the challenges of high school and still find time for all her sporting pursuits?' (Publication summary)

'Do you dare...

'Leave school to support your family?

'Save your big brother?

'Stand up to the local crims?

'It's an adventure in history.

'Do you Dare?

'It's 1915 in Melbourne's inner west and Jimmy has left school to support his family while his brother is away at war. But when Jimmy's brother returns, he is a different person, and Jimmy finds his "odd jobs" for the local crims have also taken a turn for the worst. Will Jimmy go to gaol and can he save his family and his brother...?' (Publication summary)