AustLit

'What would you do if you had the chance to change a pivotal moment from your past?

'How far would you go to save someone you loved?

'These are just two of the fateful choices a woman must face in this highly original and hauntingly evocative detective story of love and loss.

'At the core of the enigmatic Stella’s story, past and present, is a mystery she is compelled to solve, a beautiful young woman who went missing fifty years ago – and a tragedy much closer to home she must try to prevent.

'As Stella unravels the dark secrets of her family's past and her own, it becomes clear that everyone remembers the past differently and the small choices we make every day can change our future irrevocably.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

''I'm not saying anything until you tell me some stuff. Like, who are you really?'

'I can't say,' said Skender.

'We're stuck, then,' said Kitty firmly. 'But I am sorry about spying on you. David's grandfather says he hasn't been kidnapped after all.'

'You were right, though, to think that he was in danger,' said Skender. 'I heard my parents talking. I don't think your friend is safe at all.''

'It's the end of a long, hot summer, and mystery is the last thing on the minds of friends Kitty, David, Andrea and Martin. Then Andrea spots a strange van parked behind David's house, and a few days later, he disappears. Kitty is convinced he's been kidnapped - and that the secretive new boy has something to do with it - but David's family say he's safe. Only why won't they say where he's gone?

'The friends don't know it, but they've stumbled on a sinister plot involving a criminal gang, a planned kidnap, and a school event that could go very, very wrong.' (Publication summary)

'With winter closing in, Elly Cartwright dreams of escaping her inner-city existence for a more carefree life in the country. On a drizzly Monday morning, the view from her tram window is grim, and she isn't looking forward to yet another mundane working week.

But Elly's week will be anything but mundane, with two people she's closely associated with murdered in quick succession and two attempts on her life.

Someone believes Elly knows something she shouldn't, and she doesn't have a clue what it is. Her search for answers - and a sanctuary to hide in - has her fleeing from one city to another. But it's not long before she realizes there's no safe place for her to run to...

This thrilling debut crime novel by Jenny Spence will keep you on the edge of your seat - after you've locked your doors and windows!' (Publisher's blurb)