AustLit

'If you knew when you were going to die, what would you do differently?

'It all begins on a flight from Hobart to Sydney. The flight will be smooth. It will land safely. Everyone who gets on the plane will get off the plane.

'But almost all of them will be changed forever.

'Because on this ordinary flight, something extraordinary happens. 'A lady', unremarkable until she isn't, predicts how and when many of the passengers are going to die. For some, death is far in the future; for others, it is very close.

'A brilliantly constructed story that looks at free will and destiny, grief and love, and the endless struggle to maintain certainty and control in an uncertain world. Liane Moriarty is a modern-day Jane Austen who humorously skewers social mores while spinning a web of mystery and asking profound, universal questions.' (Publication summary)

 

'From the outside, the Delaneys appear to be an enviably contented family. Even after all these years, former tennis coaches Joy and Stan are still winning tournaments, and now they've sold the family business they have all the time in the world to learn how to relax. Their four adult children are busy living their own lives, and while it could be argued they never quite achieved their destinies, no-one ever says that out loud.

'But now Joy Delaney has disappeared and her children are re-examining their parents' marriage and their family history with fresh, frightened eyes. Is her disappearance related to their mysterious house guest from last year? Or were things never as rosy as they seemed in the Delaney household?' (Publication summary)

"The retreat at health and wellness resort Tranquillum House promises total transformation. Nine stressed city dwellers are keen to drop their literal and mental baggage, and absorb the meditative ambience while enjoying their hot stone massages. 

"Watching over them is the resort's director, a woman on a mission to reinvigorate their tired minds and bodies. 

"These nine perfect strangers have no idea what is about to hit them.

"With her wit, compassion and uncanny understanding of human behaviour, Liane Moriarty explores the depth of connection that can be formed when people are thrown together in... unconventional circumstances." (Publisher's website)

'Six responsible adults. Three cute kids. One small dog. It’s just a normal weekend. What could possibly go wrong?

Sam and Clementine have a wonderful, albeit, busy life: they have two little girls, Sam has just started a new dream job, and Clementine, a cellist, is busy preparing for the audition of a lifetime. If there’s anything they can count on, it’s each other. Clementine and Erika are each other’s oldest friends. A single look between them can convey an entire conversation. But theirs is a complicated relationship, so when Erika mentions a last minute invitation to a barbecue with her neighbors, Tiffany and Vid, Clementine and Sam don’t hesitate. Having Tiffany and Vid’s larger than life personalities there will be a welcome respite. Two months later, it won’t stop raining, and Clementine and Sam can’t stop asking themselves the question: What if we hadn’t gone?

In Truly Madly Guilty, Liane Moriarty takes on the foundations of our lives: marriage, sex, parenthood, and friendship. She shows how guilt can expose the fault lines in the most seemingly strong relationships, how what we don’t say can be more powerful than what we do, and how sometimes it is the most innocent of moments that can do the greatest harm' (publication blurb).

'I guess it started with the mothers.'

'It was all just a terrible misunderstanding.'

'I'll tell you exactly why it happened.'

'Pirriwee Public's annual school Trivia Night has ended in a shocking riot. A parent is dead. Was it murder, a tragic accident... or something else entirely?

'Big Little Lies is a funny, heartbreaking, challenging story of ex-husbands and second wives, new friendships, old betrayals and and schoolyard politics.

'No. 1 New York Times bestselling author turns her unique gaze on the dangerous little lies we tell ourselves every day and what really goes on behind closed suburban doors.

'Let me be clear. This is not a circus. This is a murder investigation.'

(Publication summary)

'Ellen O'Farrell is an expert when it comes to human frailties. She's a hypnotherapist who helps her clients deal with everything from addictions to life-long phobias. So when she falls in love with a man who is being stalked by his ex-girlfriend she's more intrigued than frightened.

'What makes a supposedly smart, professional woman behave this way? She'd love to meet her! What she doesn't know is that she already has. Saskia has been masquerading as a client, and their lives are set to collide in ways Ellen could never have predicted.

'This wonderfully perceptive new novel from Liane Moriarty is about the lines we'll cross for love. It's about the murky areas between right and wrong, and the complexities of modern relationships.

'As Ellen is about to discover, we're all a little crazy - even her.' (From the publisher's website.)

'It was past midnight when Nicola Berry - Earthling Ambassador and leader of the Space Brigade - received an urgent phone call.

'Shimlara from the planet Globagaskar was ringing with terrible news: her mother, father and little brother Squid had been kidnapped!

'They were being held captive on the Planet of Whimsy - the most beautiful planet in the universe - by the scaly inhabitants of Volcanomania and their new President, Mrs Mania.

'Now the members of the Space Brigade have to daringly rescue Shimlara's family, and help the dreamy people of the Planet of Whimsy overcome the evil Volcanomanians.

'Another thrilling adventure in outer space with the intrepid members of the Space Brigade.' (From the publisher's website.)

'The Space Brigade are relaxing after their spectacular triumph over Princess Petronella and her evil plans to destroy Earth, when they receive an intriguing letter. The planet of Shobble wants to employ their services. Should they accept this new mission? After all, the letter mentions grave danger. On the other hand, the people of Shobble are apparently the nicest in the galaxy. As leader of the Brigade, Nicola Berry puts it to the vote and the decision is made. It's time to unpack the spaceship for another intergalactic adventure!

'When the Space Brigade land on the planet of Shobble they soon discover this beautiful planet has a dark secret. Most of the population are virtually slaves, forced to mine for marshmallow and drill for chocolate (the ingredients of Shobble-Choc, the most divine chocolate in the galaxy). Led by a teenage girl called Topaz, the workers are beginning to rebel. The commander-in-chief wants the Space Brigade to squash the rebellion.

'At first Nicola refuses to be involved but then something shocking happens that leaves her with no choice. Now the Space Brigade are on an incredible journey that will take them across infested rivers, snowy swamplands and frozen seas. Along the way they'll learn new skills, make new friends - and they might just change this planet's history forever.' (Publication summary)

'When an incredibly tall man interrupts Nicola Berry's incredibly boring geography lesson, she's sure that something fantastic and unexpected and unusual is about to happen... and she's right.

'The king and queen of the planet Globagaskar have gone on holiday leaving their spoilt daughter, Princess Petronella, in charge. The bored princess decides to turn Earth, the holiday destination of choice for the discerning Globagaskarian, into a rubbish dump.

'Armed with ten important questions devised by the Save the Little Earthlings Committee, Georgio Gorgioskio is dispatched to find the Earthling Ambassador, the only person in the galaxy who can change Princess Petronella's mind. At Honeyville Primary School, he discovers Nicola Berry, an ordinary girl about to embark on an extraordinary mission.

'Will Nicola and the Space Brigade be able to change Princess Petronella's mind in time to save the world? Or will Nicola Berry be left with egg on her face – literally?' (Publication summary)

'Sophie Honeywell always wondered if Thomas Gordon was the one who got away. He was the perfect boyfriend, but on the day he was going to propose, she broke his heart. A year later he married his travel agent, while Sophie has been mortifyingly single ever since. Now Thomas is back in her life because Sophie has unexpectedly inherited his aunt Connie's house on Scribbly Gum Island–home of the famously unsolved Munro Baby mystery.

'Sophie moves onto the island and begins a new life as part of an unconventional family, where it seems everyone has a secret. Grace, a beautiful young mother, is feverishly planning a shocking escape from her perfect life. Margie, a frumpy housewife, has made a pact with a stranger, while dreamy Aunt Rose wonders if maybe it's about time she started making her own decisions.

'As Sophie's life becomes increasingly complicated, she discovers that sometimes you have to stop waiting around–and come up with your own fairy-tale ending. Liane Moriarty once again combines sharp wit, lovable and eccentric characters, and a page-turning story for an unforgettable Last Anniversary.' (Publication summary)

'The three Kettle sisters have had a mortifying mishap. Their raucous, champagne-soaked birthday dinner has come to an abrupt end following a violent argument and an emergency dash to the hospital. So who started it this time? Was it angry, hurt Cat, still recovering from the 'Night of the Spaghetti'? Was it Lyn, so serenely successful, at least on the outside? Or was it quirky, dreamy Gemma, the sister who can't keep a secret, except for the most important one of all?' (Publication summary)