Cirrus@Austlit

'1838, England: When eighteen-year-old Frances Dickinson impulsively marries Lieutenant John Geils, all her hopes for her future are quickly shattered as she finds there is much about her husband she did not know. A cruel and violent man, John keeps Frances in isolation on his family's estate, while spending her fortune and preying upon their maids.

'Frances yearns to break free from her marriage but the law is not on her side. Only when John's abuse escalates can she set in motion a daring plan to secure her freedom.

'A story of gaslighting, control and one woman's fight, An Idle Woman is the true story behind one of the most sensational divorce trials of the nineteenth century.'  (Publication summary)

'From international bestselling author of The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, Holly Ringland, comes a haunting and magical novel about joy, grief, courage, and transformation.

'The last time Esther Wilding's beloved older sister Aura was seen, she was walking along the shore towards the sea. In the wake of Aura's disappearance, Esther's family struggle to live with their loss. To seek the truth about her sister's death, Esther travels from Tasmania to Copenhagen, and then to the Faroe Islands.

'On her journey, Esther is guided by the stories Aura left behind in her treasured journal: seven fairy tales about selkies, swans and women, as well as cryptic verses Aura wrote and had secretly tattooed on her body.

'The Seven Skins of Esther Wilding is about the far reaches of sisterly love, the power of wearing your heart on your skin, and the ways life can transform when we find the courage to feel the fullness of both grief and joy.' (Publication summary)

'One small island, six troubled lives, and the storm of the century is on its way.

'In one of the world’s most vibrant international cities, present day Hong Kong, the lives of six people become irreversibly intertwined. The past is catching up with those running from it, while the futures of others hangs dangerously in the balance. But who knows the most? And what will they do to get it?' (Publication summary)

'Lizzie Burdett was eighteen when she vanished, and Noah Carruso has never forgotten her. She was his first crush, his unrequited love. She was also his brother’s girlfriend.

'Tom Carruso hasn’t been home in over a decade. He left soon after Lizzie disappeared under a darkening cloud of suspicion, and now he’s back for the inquest into Lizzie’s death – intent on telling his side of the story. As the inquest looms, Noah meets Alice Pryce on holiday. They fall for each other fast and hard, but Noah can’t bear to tell Alice his deepest fears. And Alice is equally stricken – she carries a terrible secret of her own. Is the truth worth telling if it will destroy everything?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'It's funny how quick it happens and without you really noticing. Anton said once that it's like walking out into the sea, and you think everything's fine and the water's warm, but when you turn back you're suddenly miles from shore. I've never been much of a swimmer, but I get what he means. Like, being caught in a current or something. A rip.'

'A young woman living on the street has to keep her wits about her. Or her friends. But when the drugs kick in that can be hard. Anton has been looking out for her. She was safe with him. But then Steve came along.  He had something over Anton. Must have. But he had a flat they could crash in. And gear in his pocket. And she can't stop thinking about it. A good hit makes everything all right. But the flat smells weird. There's a lock on Steve's bedroom door. And the guy is intense. The problem is, sometimes you just don't know you are in too deep, until you are drowning.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Arabella Lane, senior executive at a children’s publisher, is found dead in the Thames on a frosty winter’s morning after the office Christmas party. No one is sure whether she jumped or was pushed. The one person who may know the truth is the newest employee at Parker & Lane – the office temp, Eleanor.

'Eleanor has travelled to London to escape the repercussions of her traumatic childhood in outback Australia, but now tragedy seems to follow her wherever she goes. To her horror, she has no memory of the crucial hours leading up to Arabella’s death – memory that will either incriminate or absolve her.

'As Eleanor desperately tries to remember her missing hours and uncover the events of that fateful night, her own extended family is dragged further into the dark, terrifying terrain of blame, suspicion and guilt.

'Caught in a crossfire of accusations, Eleanor fears she can’t even trust herself, let alone the people around her. And soon, she’ll find herself in a race against time to find out just what happened that night – and discover just how deadly some secrets can be.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Grace has not had twelve people at her table for a long time. Hers isn't the kind of family who share regular Sunday meals. But it isn't every day you turn seventy.

'As Grace prepares the feast, she reflects on her life, her marriage and her friendships. When the three generations come together, simmering tensions from the past threaten to boil over. The one thing that no one can talk about is the one thing that no one can forget.

'Grace's Table is a moving and often funny novel about the power of memory and the family rituals that define us.' (Publisher's blurb)

'Growing up in a small country town, Ben and Fab spend their days playing cricket, wanting a pair of Nike Air Maxes and not talking about how Fab's dad hits him, or how the sudden death of Ben's next-door neighbour unsettled him. Almost teenagers, they already know some things are better left unsaid.

​'Then a newcomer arrived. Fab reckoned he was a secret agent and he and Ben staked him out. He looked strong. Maybe even stronger than Fab's dad. Neither realised the shadow this man would cast over both their lives.

​'Twenty years later, Fab is going nowhere but hoping for somewhere better. Then a body is found in the river, and Fab can't ignore the past any more.'

Source : publisher's blurb

'‘Never Worry What the Neighbours Think’ was the philosophy that Kenneth Hockney used to inspire his children – David Hockney, one of the world’s greatest living artists and siblings John, Paul, Philip and Margaret – to each choose their own route in life.

'The Hockneys is a never before seen insight into the lives of family by youngest brother John, from growing up in the Second World War in Bradford through to their diverse lives across three continents. Hardship, successes as well as close and complex relationships are poignantly illustrated by both famous and private pictures and paintings from David Hockney.

'With a rare and spirited look into the lives of an ordinary family with extraordinary stories, we begin to understand the creative freedom that led to their successful careers and the launchpad for an artist’s work that has inspired and continues to inspire generations across the world.

''He has a view of me no-one else has' David Hockney'

Source: publisher's blurb

'The Continent, 1864: Two bomb attacks, three deaths.

'Clues to an elaborate assassination plot are intercepted in Paris and the authorities believe the assassin’s lair lies in Soho, London. Heloise Chancey, courtesan and professional detective, must go undercover to spy upon the nest of suspects and end their murderous conspiracy.

'Meanwhile, her Chinese maid, Amah Li Leen finds herself trapped in a deadly nightmare of deceit and madness. Will she be able to escape before time runs out? Danger keeps Heloise close company as she hunts evil down to its devilish source.'  (Publication summary)

'What did you have for breakfast? Was it pure enough? Did it set you up for a day of grace, positive intentions and bum-selfies that would make a teenager weep? If not, Elle Campbell is here to help. She once led an army of ab-tastic mums, but after a public shaming she's reinvented herself as a mountain-top model of serenity. Elle presides over an exclusive retreat where women pay thousands to mimic her extreme lifestyle or die trying.

'Abi Black is blogging about her chaotic blended family from her falling-down farmhouse, trying to keep it together while her ex- husband is building a financial cult in the shed and her teenage daughter's YouTube channel is gaining followers for all the wrong reasons. All Abi wants is to marry her one true love, but the Internet—and Elle—appear to have other ideas.

'Frances Graham has a colicky newborn, an absent husband and a Whatsapp Mother's Group that's giving her anxiety. If she can just be more like those fitmums on Instagram things will get better. If she can scrape enough money together to make it to Elle's retreat, everything in her life will be just . . . perfect.

'Through a world of fake gurus, pretox parties, smug mummies and influencer angst, How to Be Perfect follows Elle, Abi and Frankie into the cult of self-improvement that's taken over your phone—and your breakfast.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'When three young women set off on a hike through the wilderness they are anticipating the adventure of a lifetime. Over the next five days, as they face up to the challenging terrain, it soon becomes clear they are not alone and the freedom they feel quickly turns to fear. Only when it is too late for them to turn back do they fully appreciate the danger they are in. As their friendship is tested, each girl makes an irrevocable choice; the legacy of which haunts them for years to come.

'Now in their forties, Samantha, Lisa and Nicole are estranged, but decide to revisit their original hike in an attempt to salvage what they lost. As geography and history collide, they are forced to come to terms with the differences that have grown between them and the true value of friendship.' (Publication summary)

'Meet Elle Campbell. She's the glossy, lycraclad Mum with washboard abs and a ten-year plan. Abi Black has quit sugar, moved to the country and is homeschooling her kids while Liesel Adams slogs away every day at her city office job then rushes home steeped in guilt for a precious moment with her kids before bedtime. Three very different women sharing their lives online are suddenly thrown together when they are nominated for a prestigious #mummyblogger award. The scene is set for a brutal and often hilarious battle for hearts and minds but more importantly, likes and clicks! Sometimes life behind the screen is not as rosy as it seems . . .'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'In the long, hot summer of 1989, Ben and Fab are best friends.

'Growing up in a small country town, they spend their days playing cricket, yabbying in local dams, wanting a pair of Nike Air Maxes and not talking about how Fab's dad hits him or how the sudden death of Ben's next-door neighbour unsettled him. Almost teenagers, they already know some things are better left unsaid.

'Then a newcomer arrived in the Wimmera. Fab reckoned he was a secret agent and he and Ben staked him out. Up close, the man's shoulders were wide and the veins in his arms stuck out, blue and green. His hands were enormous, red and knotty. He looked strong. Maybe even stronger than Fab's dad. Neither realised the shadow this man would cast over both their lives.

'Twenty years later, Fab is still stuck in town, going nowhere but hoping for somewhere better. Then a body is found in the river, and Fab can't ignore the past any more.'

(Publication Summary)

'There’s life Before Baby and life After Baby. Any idiot knows that. I knew that. Except I didn’t know what life After Baby would really be like . . .

'Georgie Henderson is having a bad year. As a new – working – mum, she strives to be Sheryl Sandberg at work and Martha Stewart at home. But she’s discovering that in the twenty-first century being a Good Working Mum means answering emails at midnight while you purée vegetables and line up play dates and French lessons for your four-month-old daughter.

'Georgie’s ex, Jase, gets 100 per cent of the credit for 5 per cent of the work, and her best friend, Nina, is on a ‘self-discovery’ journey that involves a 25-year-old bartender and a plan to become an artisanal florist. And all Georgie’s mum wants is for Georgie to find a man. Preferably the one who is the father of her child . . . ' (Publication summary)

'Georgie Henderson doesn't want to have kids, but her best friend, Nina Doherty, has wanted to have a baby for as long as she can remember. Sadly, Nina's uterus refuses to cooperate. One drunken evening, Nina asks Georgie for the ultimate favour: would she carry a baby for her? Georgie says yes . . . and spends the next nine months discovering what she's got herself into.

'With intense bacon-and-egg roll cravings, a foundering friendship and distant memories of what her feet look like, Georgie also tries to keep it all together in her dream job as the editor of Jolie, a magazine whose readership is shrinking as fast as Georgie's waist is expanding.

'She's Having Her Baby is an entertaining story about pregnancy, dating and modern parenting, and – ultimately – the indomitable power of female friendship.' (Publication summary)

'When my dad dropped us off at the front gate, the first things I saw were the rose garden spreading out on either side of the main driveway and the enormous sign in iron cursive letters spelling out LAURINDA. No 'Ladies College' after it, of course; the name was meant to speak for itself.

'Laurinda is an exclusive school for girls. At its secret core is the Cabinet, a trio of girls who wield power over their classmates - and some of their teachers.

'Entering this world of wealth and secrets is Lucy Lam, a scholarship girl with sharp eyes and a shaky sense of self. As she watches the Cabinet at work, and is courted by them, Lucy finds herself in a battle for her identity and integrity.

'Funny, feisty and moving, Laurinda explores Lucy's struggle to stay true to herself as she finds her way in a new world of privilege and opportunity.' (Publication summary)

'Stoke Newington, 1863: Little Margaret Lovejoy is found brutally murdered in the outhouse of her family’s estate.

'A few days later, another victim is found on the doorstep of Eurasian courtesan and professional detective Heloise Chancey at her prestigious address. At the same time, Heloise’s mother, Amah Li Leen, must confront events from her past that threaten her present.

'In a maelstrom of murder and deceit, Heloise is caught up in a crime that reaches into the very heart of her existence.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Natalie King has been hired to do a psychiatric evaluation for the children's court. A custody dispute. Not her usual territory, but now that she's pregnant she's happy to do a simple consult.

'Jenna and Malik's break-up is anything but simple. He claims she's crazy and compulsive; she claims he's been abusing their daughter Chelsea.

'But what if all the claims are true? Or none? How can Natalie protect the child? And how does she work out where her concerns for Chelsea slide into her growing obsession with her own lost father?

'More urgently- with both parents saying they're desperate to keep their daughter safe - what if one of them is desperate enough to kill?' (Publication summary)

'A popular teacher with something to hide.

'A new principal determined to uncover the truth.

'A young mother, suddenly single, who struggles to rebuild her life.

'A grieving daughter who must learn to face the world again.

'A family forced to flee their homeland and start afresh.

'A small town can be a refuge, but while its secrets are held, it's hard to know who to trust and what to believe.

'The Teacher's Secret is a tender and compelling story of scandal, rumour and dislocation, and the search for grace and dignity in the midst of dishonour and humiliation.' (Publication summary)