AustLit

'This established WA-based writer examines notions of truth, gender, identity and acceptance in a compelling novel about a cold-case podcast.

'Truth is like a lens we apply to everything we see, it is malleable and transformative, we can bend it, mould it, shape it, vanish it. We do this to present the versions of ourselves we want the world to see, and to hide the versions we can't bear to reveal.

'Newly returned to Western Australia, journalist Amy Rhinehart pitches a crime podcast to increase her radio station's ratings. Her idea: to use the listeners of the show as its co-creators, with live-time calls and suggestion boards. The case: Jonah Scott, charged and imprisoned for life for the murder of his girlfriend, transgender woman Casey Williams. Jonah went to great lengths to hide the body - but when arrested, confessed immediately and pleaded guilty, negating the need for a trial. Amy believes there is something darker at the heart of this case and sets about finding the truth, investigating a world of drugs, sex, gender identity and religious cults.

'Threaded through the main narrative, the podcast transcripts represent a story-within-a-story, exploring the characters of Jonah and Casey and the relationship between them, interwoven with Amy's investigation into the cult run by Jonah's family and its potential involvement in Casey's murder.' (Publication summary)

'Jasmine Lovely has it all – the looks, the grades, the friends. But when a house party spins out of control, Jazz discovers what can happen when your mistakes go viral ...

'We know our kids are at risk of becoming victims of cyberbullying. But do we know how at risk they are of becoming perpetrators? This controversial new novel tackles cyberbullying from a whole new perspective.' (Publication summary)

'Lucy is in Year 12 and under pressure to succeed. The last thing she needs now is an intense boyfriend. Breaking up with Carl feels like the only way to keep her dreams on track.

'But good decisions can have bad consequences.

'And leaving Carl is going to be a whole lot harder than Lucy could ever have imagined.' (Publication summary)

'It only takes a few blood-stained seconds for Tessa’s life to change forever. Her brother is gone and now she wants her old life back. She wants her mum and dad the way they were. If it wasn’t for Ned, she’d be all alone. He’s her greatest support and her staunchest ally, privy to her deepest secrets. Ned is like her other half, and he has the answer. If Tessa can just be perfect, life will get better.'

Source: www.fremantlepress.com.au/ (Sighted 22/06/2010).

'Mia and Sophie have been best friends forever — but that’s all about to change. Experimenting with alcohol, flirting with boys, and dabbling in drugs, their lives quickly spiral out of control. There is little currently available for young readers — and their parents — that accurately reflects both the appeal and the consequences of drug use from a teenage perspective, making this an important and valuable novel.' (Publication summary)