AustLit

'A powerful love story in which one woman's quest for identity and healing also becomes the single way she can honour her grandparents, whose lives were irreversibly shattered by the Holocaust. Perfect for readers of Anna Funder and Megan Rogers.

'It's 1989 and for a young Jewish-Australian violinist, a scholarship to Berlin is the chance of a lifetime. Germany is on the verge of change as the wall is torn down, and Susanna is swept along by the tumultuous event. Under the careful guidance of Stefan Heinemeyer, her renowned violin teacher and the grandson of a Nazi, she begins a composition in memory of her grandmother, Mirla, who died in the Buchenwald concentration camp during the Second World War, and is inspired to retrace her final footsteps.

'It's a journey that reconnects Susanna to her heritage and propels her musical gift to extraordinary heights. Yet as a forbidden yearning for Stefan begins to unfurl, Susanna's life is forever changed, and the repercussions will echo through decades and across continents.

'In a world where history, society and inherited traumas threaten to silence Susanna and prevent her from ever becoming her true self, can she find the courage to reclaim her power as a woman, a musician, and a composer, and in so doing, lay her haunted past to rest?' (Publication summary)

'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 woman must track down a murderer to save her brother from the hangman's noose ... A rollicking and entertaining historical mystery, filled with adventure and romance from the Australian author of Daughter of the Hunter Valley.

'1842, Hunter Valley: Lucy Stewart's life turns chaotic when she finds herself caught up in a murder investigation in order to save her brother-in-law, Joe, from the hangman's noose. Constable Sam Donovan believes the accusations levelled at Joe Stewart are suspicious at best and feels compelled to work with Lucy to find the real killer. Getting to know this fiercely independent woman in the process is a bonus.

'Their pursuit brings them to the attention of the notorious Smokey Gang, and when Lucy is ambushed on a deserted bush track and threatened, they realise they must be getting close to finding out what is really going on in the Valley.

'Life has taught Lucy the hard way not to rely on anyone, but Lucy needs Sam's sleuthing skills. However, she has secrets in her past, the kind that once revealed change everything, and the only way she can find out if she can place her confidence in him, is to trust him. And that's the hard part...

'Bushrangers, corruption and cover-ups, it's a perilous journey to the truth...' (Publication summary)

'Digging up the past isn't easy ... Sweet, funny and feel-good, the unmissable rural romance from the bestselling author of A Home Among the Snow Gums and The Vet From Snowy River.

'Dr Joanne Tan is an expert in a lot of things. Love isn't one of them.

'Being thirty-something, broke, divorced, and in a cold war with her twelve-year-old son is a lot, but Jo's handling it. Just. At least, she is until her job at the Natural History Museum is in jeopardy. An invitation to dig up dinosaur bones on a remote Queensland sheep station arrives at just the right time.

'It's not her first trip to Yindi Creek, but it's not as though anyone will remember her from fifteen years ago ... And by anyone, of course, she means the pilot she had that fling with. The fling that taught her she's far safer sticking to science ...

'Gavin "Hux" Huxtable, helicopter pilot and reluctant sheep-shearer, has turned his broken heart into a secret (and successful) writing career. But running into Jo again, all these years down the track, stirs up a lot more than outback country dust.

'A missing person, a fossilised legbone, and a nosy country cop force Jo and Hux together and the sparks that start flying don't go unnoticed by the locals ...

'Digging up the past isn't easy. Digging up the truth can be even harder.' (Publication summary)

'Can love conquer all? A moving story of overcoming the past and second chances from bestselling Australian romance author Mandy Magro.

'Can their love heal the shadows of the past?

'After losing her family in a tragic fire when she was a child, Amelia Price has battled to put the shattered pieces of her life back together. Even so, she's never felt like she belongs anywhere, and she longs for stability and love. When a mysterious letter turns up at her apartment with hints that she'll uncover the truth behind what happened all those years ago if she goes to the sleepy, picturesque town of Riverside, she sets off on a journey to tropical Far North Queensland.

'Jarrah King owns and runs the Riverside Roadhouse. He loves the simpleness of country living, and the fact it gives him complete anonymity. Over the years he's made a life for himself under a new name, however his past has never stopped haunting him.

'When a sassy blonde takes up the new cook position, he can't help but be drawn to her vivacious personality. But he can tell there's also pain hiding underneath her bubbly facade and he longs to erase those shadows. However, lowering his defences to let her in may risk his new identity, as well as everything he holds dear.

'Can Amelia show him that love is worth the risk? Or will the secrets of their entwined past tear them apart forever?' (Publication summary)

'A terrible accident burns down a family's life on the same day a murder is committed. From the ashes of these acts comes revelation, darkness, and the truth. Psychological suspense and profound family drama meet in this heartrending and original Australian novel.

'1975, Ballarat Alice is happy in her world and in return for her happiness the world is good to her. She has everything she needs - a lovely house and children, and a devoted husband. Even though her journalism job doesn't pay much, she doesn't have to worry about the bills. All is well with her world until a terrible accident rips a child from her, a profound betrayal is uncovered, and things fall apart.

'On the same day Alice's world collapses, a man is found brutally murdered on respected teacher Ellery's farm. Ellery can't remember what happened but there is blood on his clothes, and he is arrested.

'Neither Alice nor Ellery realise that their paths in life are about to intertwine and a desperate bargain is about to be made. A bargain that could save or destroy them in their quest to draw some light and fathom the darkness that surrounds them.' (Publication summary)

'From the bestselling author of The Nurses' War comes this charming, funny, pointed look at the golden years of radio broadcasting in post-war Australia, celebrating the extraordinary unseen women who wrote the radio plays that held a nation captive. For readers of Lessons in Chemistry.

'Martha Berry is fifty years old, a spinster, and one of an army of polite and invisible women in 1956 Sydney who go to work each day and get things done without fuss, fanfare or reward.

'Working at the country's national broadcaster, she's seen highly praised talent come and go over the years but when she is sent to work as a secretary on a brand-new radio serial, created to follow in the footsteps of Australia's longest running show, Blue Hills, she finds herself at the mercy of an egotistical and erratic young producer without a clue, a conservative broadcaster frightened by the word 'pregnant' and a motley cast of actors with ideas of their own about their roles in the show.

'When Martha is forced to step in to rescue the serial from impending cancellation, she ends up secretly ghost-writing scripts for As The Sun Sets, creating mayhem with management, and coming up with storylines that resonate with the serial's growing and loyal audience of women listeners.

'But she can't keep her secret forever and when she's threatened with exposure, Martha has to decide if she wants to remain in the shadows, or to finally step into the spotlight.' (Publication summary) 

'Beneath the facade not everything is as it seems...

'A moving and suspenseful story of family dynamics, obsession and the power of true friendship from Australia's master storyteller, Fiona McCallum.

'On the surface Natasha and Mitchell live an idyllic life in the Adelaide Hills with their two daughters and kelpie cross. While both have busy careers, they ensure time is spent with family and friends.

'Natasha, an aspiring interior designer, has started her own homewares shop and is excited to develop her business further. Mitchell, on the other hand, is becoming more withdrawn. Is he pressured by work, having a mid-life crisis or hiding something from his family?

'Jesse, a charismatic new locksmith in town, offers to help Natasha with client leads. She welcomes the assistance and distraction. But is Jesse all he makes out to be?

'Who ultimately is looking out for whom, and who is hiding from the truth?' (Publication summary)

'From a bestselling Australian author comes a gripping novel of espionage, passion and sacrifice set in the Middle East during World War I. Based on an astonishing true story, it asks what are you willing to die for? For readers of Geraldine Brooks, Heather Morris and Alli Parker.

'During a train journey across Turkey's Anatolian Plain in 1915 during World War I, Shoshana Adelstein witnesses the slaughter of the Armenians and knows she has just come face to face with her destiny.

'Convinced that her Jewish community in a small outpost of the Ottoman Empire will soon meet a similar fate, she is desperate to save her people. With Turkey and Britain locked in a global conflict, she orchestrates an audacious plan. Enlisting a group of co-conspirators who include her charismatic lover Eli and her impetuous brother Nathan, this young woman forms a clandestine spy ring. Conquering almost insurmountable obstacles, they risk betrayal, torture and death to spy on the Turks and pass on intelligence to the British to help them win the war.

'This epic novel explores the fate of ordinary people whose mission collides with the secret agenda of powerful countries, people ready to risk everything to rescue their communities. But can individuals affect the fate of nations? And when life is at stake, how far will we go to reach the limits of our dreams?' (Publication summary)

'October 1941: As war rages in the Soviet Union, Nina is devastated as she watches her younger brother being sent off to the front. She has witnessed so many soldiers go to war and never return, and with her father already on the battlefield, her brother is her only family left.

'Sick of feeling helpless and determined to fight for her motherland, Nina and her best friend Katya decide to volunteer for the first female-only aviation regiment, led by the legendary pilot Marina Raskova.

'But fighting a war is nothing like they expected, and soon the battle lines are no longer restricted to the front – a forbidden love begins to blossom, and Nina is faced with the ultimate betrayal. Will Nina and her loved ones make it out alive?

'From the bestselling author of Sisters of War comes a heart-wrenching novel of love, friendship, betrayal and sacrifice, perfect for fans of Mandy Robotham and Pam Jenoff.' (Publication summary)

'To move forward, she'll have to face the past.

'Paige Bennett is fulfilling her childhood dream of working and living on the land as a station hand on Whitetail Ridge. Getting her hands dirty, riding horses, working with cattle and kicking up red dust. Life can't get much better. Or so she thinks, until a devastating act of violent betrayal leaves her unemployed, homeless and broken.

'A fight with his father drove Jackson Brady off Karilga, his family's cattle station in the Queensland outback. Now he's made a life for himself away from the land, joining a band and settling into the city. When the girl he's always had his eye on shows up with news from back home, he's faced with a difficult choice: go home where he's needed or stay where he's wanted.

'Winding up on Karilga Station, Paige is a shadow of the person she once was. Desperate to forget what happened to her, she considers leaving her beloved channel country. But things aren't so easily forgotten in the outback. When fate gives her no option but to trust again, will she find love as well? Or at least a safe place to land?

'Jackson knows he's never been more to Paige than a country larrikin who only takes the beer at the end of the day seriously - a sentiment closely echoed by his father. Can Jackson prove himself to his father and become the man Paige needs him to be? Or will it all crumble in the red dirt of the outback?

'A heartfelt, deeply emotional story about finding home, facing the past and falling in love, from a captivating new voice in rural romance.' (Publication summary)

'A terrible crash... but the facts don't add up. Worlds converge and two women's lives are torn apart when a devastating accident uncovers a shocking web of lies. A gripping and thought-provoking new mystery from bestselling Australian author Fiona Lowe. Perfect for readers who enjoy Liane Moriarty and Sally Hepworth.

'Freya thought she could relax when Ryan's best mate Jamie got engaged to her best friend Hannah. Two couples, four friends - what could be better than that? But a day before the wedding Freya's torn between keeping the peace or blowing it up.

'Hannah's perfect wedding is hours away and she's daydreaming of a honeymoon in Tahiti and starting the family she longs for when she hears the first-responder sirens. Is it a grass fire? Worse? And why aren't Ryan or Jamie answering their phones?

'When a car veers off the road with devastating consequences, the small wheatbelt town of Garringarup is left reeling, but no one's world is more shattered than Hannah and Freya's.

'As disturbing details surrounding the accident emerge and questions pile up, ugly secrets rise to the surface.

'Mystery, lies and scandal - it's soon obvious nothing is as it seems in this small town...' (Publication summary)

'When taking up an unexpected inheritance with an unhappy past, newcomer Stirling is daunted to find a town set against him. Except, perhaps, for one sassy, big-hearted woman, who is willing to give him a chance to prove he belongs. Pitch-perfect rural romance from popular Australian author Cathryn Hein.

'When helicopter pilot Stirling Hawley travels to Grassmoor in Victoria's lush Western District to claim an inheritance, he doesn't expect to face a town that hates him.

'Nor does he anticipate being saved from near-death by glamorous vintage clothing designer Darcy Sloane. Or that she'll take a personal interest in his recovery. But Grassmoor and Westwind, the historic mansion Stirling inherited from the father he never knew, prove full of surprises.

'The more Stirling digs into his father's life, the more uneasy he becomes. Behind Dougal Kildare's respectable stock agent and farmer veneer was a man of secrets. While the fraud that devastated the community and led to Dougal's tragic death is one, there are others. And such things never stay buried forever...

'As Stirling's suspicions about Dougal's death grow, danger creeps ever closer. Until it's not only Stirling's life in peril but the woman he's come to love.' (Publication summary)

'Love, friendship and dangerous secrets in the early years of Cadbury's Tasmanian factory.

'It's 1921, and after years of working for Cadbury's at Bournville, Dorothy Adwell is on her way to a new adventure in the colonies, helping to establish the Firm's new Australian factory. A promotion and a fresh start are just what she needs after the horrors of the Great War and the loss of her beloved husband. During the long sea voyage, she meets Thomas and is immediately drawn to him. The war has left Thomas damaged, both mentally and emotionally, and Dorothy vows to help him - if only he will let her.

'Maisie Greenwood is the oldest daughter of a war widow, living on a pittance in the Hobart suburb of Glebe. Her mother's health is failing, and with two younger siblings depending on her the security of a job at the brand-new Cadbury's factory is a godsend. With Dorothy's mentorship and her budding romance with fellow worker Frank, life begins to look a little sweeter.

'Cadbury's competitors have one goal: to steal the recipe for Dairy Milk, the most popular chocolate in the world. But the recipe is kept in a vault and the few who know it are legally bound to never divulge its secret. When chocolate spies target the new factory, Dorothy and Maisie become caught up in their plot. Can they protect the recipe, help those they love and fulfil their own dreams?

'A tangled web of ambition and intrigue melts into a tale as delicious and rich as chocolate.' (Publication summary)

'A diehard country girl. A city-boy newcomer. Some rules were meant to be broken... Opposites attract in this delightful rural romance, set in charming small-town Bundilla, from bestselling Australian author Alissa Callen

'Horsewoman Brenna Lancaster has no time for relationships. Unless a man looks good on a horse and lets her call the shots, she isn't interested. She'd rather wear a dress and heels than give someone else power over her life.

'Finance guru Wyatt Killian is a self-made man who has left the train wreck of his childhood behind. There is zero room in his workaholic world for downtime and distractions, let alone emotions or country girls.

'When Wyatt's corporate horse-riding retreat is led by a woman determined to unplug him from his urban life, it isn't just his laser focus that becomes compromised. Being in a saddle unlocks a part of himself that he'd long ago discarded. In a rare moment of nostalgia, he prolongs his stay in the high country.

'After Brenna becomes mired in a family secret that involves a historic feud and bushrangers, she has no choice but to involve Wyatt in the search for answers. But as Wyatt's past collides with his future, and the only home Brenna has known comes under threat, both must decide what they need to let go of and what is worth fighting for.' (Publication summary) 

'As floodwaters rise, can their love bring a fractured community together?

'Mildura, Northern Victoria - 1956

'Isabel Hayward has ambitions of being a great chef. But cooking for the locals at the country pub she and her mother run doesn't really allow for experimenting with haute cuisine.

'When she meets local Italian farmer Matteo Sorrenti, their connection is instant and intense - much to the displeasure of Ross Burrows, one of the region's wealthiest sons, who has been keen on Isabel since they were kids.

'Isabel and Matteo's blossoming relationship has challenges to overcome: their cultural differences, prejudice, Ross' jealousy, and the worst flood in Australia's history.

'As the Murray River rises to its peak, threatening the Sorrentis' farm and the Haywards' pub, secrets are revealed that show Matteo, Isabel and Ross are inextricably linked by their fathers' wartime experiences. Will the secrets their fathers kept threaten Isabel and Matteo's relationship? Or can their love break down the remnants of prejudice left behind by the war?' (Publication summary) 

'Beloved key characters from The Lawson Sisters return in a standalone rural romance about motherhood, family traditions and having the courage to chart a new future. A new novel from award-winning romance author Janet Gover.

'Kayla Lawson believes nothing is good unless it's perfect. This search for perfection has made her a successful high-end wedding planner. But all that comes crashing down when Kayla discovers she is pregnant. She retreats to the sanctuary of Willowbrook Stud to consider this imperfect future as a single mother.

'Connor Knight has never known perfection. A kid from the wrong side of the tracks and a motorcycle gang member, he's no stranger to trouble with the law. But he's trying to leave that past behind. By giving a run-down pub in Scone a new lease on life, he's hoping to rebuild his own.

'At Willowbrook, Kayla is reunited with her childhood best friend. Jen and her two kids have come to stay while her husband is awaiting trial for a crime he didn't commit. While struggling to decide her future, Kayla is suddenly exposed to what motherhood really looks like.

'When she meets Connor there's instant chemistry between them that can't be denied. But with her plans in tatters around her, is there any way to make the pieces fit? Or are the obstacles in front of them insurmountable?' (Publication summary)

'From the bestselling author of The House of Now and Then comes a vividly portrayed story that reveals the darkness of greed and desire where people will stop at nothing to get what they want. No matter the cost ...

'After a brutal attack and the breakdown of her marriage, life has taught former TV star Remi Lucan that it's safer to not rely on anyone. Instead, she's buried herself in Hobart, transforming her dilapidated sandstone house back to its former splendour, and it has been her proudest achievement. Better than her short-lived acting career. Definitely better than being a smile-on-command trophy wife. But when she runs out of money, her wealthy ex-husband tries to force the sale of the property and Remi realises her only option is to lower her defences and take in tenants.

'At first her biggest problem is adjusting to the intrusion of two unlikely housemates, but when a series of 'accidents' turns ugly, it becomes clear these incidents are more than pranks. Someone is out to get Remi, and they won't stop until they destroy her...

'Another twisty mystery from the bestselling author of The House of Now and Then.' (Publication summary)

'Darkly compelling and twisty psychological drama from a talented new Australian author. Perfect for readers who love Sally Hepworth, Pip Drysdale and Adele Parks.

'Will one mother's lie cost another woman her life?

'Sleep deprived, struggling and at breaking point, first-time mum Gracie Michaels books one night - alone - at The Maxwell Hotel. A king-size bed all to herself. No demands. With time to recharge she'll be able to return to her family more like the unflappable mother she pretends to be.

'Instead, she wakes in a room she doesn't recognise after an encounter with a man who is not her husband. Then she sees something she wishes she didn't.

'Being drawn into a crime was not something Gracie had planned for her hotel stay but when a distraught family appeals for information and a police investigation heats up she is trapped in a maze of lies.

'To speak out jeopardises her marriage, but her silence threatens her son, her sanity and her safety. Will Gracie destroy her own family by telling the truth or devastate someone else's by keeping her secrets?' (Publication summary)

'From bestselling author Jackie French comes a compelling story of murder, mystery, and mutiny on the high seas - and a love so intense it can overcome two different cultures.

'You never know what the sea will give you ... or what it will take back.

'When Mair McCrae follows her island tradition and hunts for a husband cast up on the beach, she has no notion that the naked, half-drowned man she rescues is not just Captain Michael Dawson, heir to a major shipping firm, but that he's also obsessed by a 'ghost ship' carrying golden cargo.

'On Big Henry Island women make the decisions and knit the patterns that mark a man as their own. But Big Henry is also a volcano, and threatening to erupt. Yet when Mair agrees to accompany Michael home, she finds that the Australian comfort he promised has a danger just as real: a social system that tries to keep women confined to small roles at the edge of men's lives.

'And as Michael hunts for the 'Ghost' in his revolutionary new steamship, a string of mysterious deaths upends Mair's new life in Sydney,

'Who is committing these murders, and why is Mair the only one who realises what is happening?' (Publication summary)