Cirrus@Austlit

'Can one tiny girl change a very big school?

'Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones is waving goodbye to her weeping parents and starting her first day at boarding school. But something is wrong at Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young Ladies. The headmistress, Miss Grimm, hasn't been seen for ten years. The prize-winning flowers are gone. And a mysterious stranger is camping in the greenhouse.

'Alice-Miranda must complete a series of impossible tests. Can she really beat the meanest, most spoilt girl at school in a solo sailing mission? Could she camp in the forest all on her own for five whole days and nights? Well, of course. This is Alice-Miranda, after all.' (From the publisher's website.)

'Ryan and Sophie are a golden couple in Melbourne, the charming, salt-of-the-earth country boy and the charismatic, gorgeous social butterfly. When Ryan’s father dies, leaving them the family farm, it seems like a chance for Ryan to get back to his roots and for Sophie to embrace the bucolic country life she always dreamed of. But reality proves very different, and years spent struggling against an implacable drought have pushed their marriage – and finances – to the absolute limit.

'Things change when a jovial middle-aged man hires out their guest house. George’s curiosity, optimism and eccentric ideas prove to be a strange kind of balm for the couple. But as his suggestions for fixing their marriage take on a dangerous, sinister edge, both Ryan and Sophie are forced to confront how far they are willing to go to avoid hard truths – and whether George is in fact who he says he is.

'Meanwhile, across the country, a young fugitive named Maggie is hunting for a man with whom she shares a twisted mutual obsession. A man who has a lot in common with George. And one who might be doing everything in his power to draw her into a final, decisive showdown.

'Patricia Highsmith meets Jane Harper in this psychological thriller from the author of The Hitchhiker.'  (Publication summary)

'It's been three years since Bo Sullivan lost her dream job as one of the producers of the hit wildlife docu-series, Wild Hearts. Three years since her twin brother Max started battling cancer and she returned home to Lord Howe Island and put her life on hold. Three years since Griffin Marr, one-time crush and partner-in-crime, stole her job to become the lead producer of Wild Hearts.

'With Max now in remission, and Bo with a surprise podcast hit on her hands, it's time to start living again. Especially when Wild Hearts, now struggling in the ratings, comes to Lord Howe Island to film a special series on its unique environment and wildlife. This is the chance Bo's been waiting for – get her job back, broadcast the plight to extend the island’s marine conservation area, and get revenge on Griffin, all in one fell swoop.

'But with Bo’s experience as a producer, she should know that there’s always more to the story than meets the eye. Maybe the Wild Hearts job isn’t the quite the dream scenario she thought it was. And maybe Griffin isn’t the villain she’s assumed him to be. As Bo and Griffin work together behind the camera to produce the special, she realises that maybe there’s room to rekindle the old magic between them as well – and this time, not just for Wild Hearts.'  (Publication summary)

'Who is Audrey Hoedemaker? It's a question her sister Maureen has heard more times than she can count, and she doesn't know what the short answer would be. Little sister, troubled teen, backpacker, musical theatre coach, con artist, childcare worker. Murderer.

'A tragic, traumatic childhood casts a long shadow on the Hoedemaker sisters. Maureen has worked hard to move beyond the violence of the past and build a good, honest life for herself. Audrey, however, just can't seem to do the same, careening from one state of chaos to another.

'Maureen loves her sister, but when Audrey's criminal past catches up to them both, she will have to make some difficult decisions about the limits of family loyalty - and just how far sisters are willing to go to protect each other...'  (Publication summary)

'Sri Lanka, 2009. Decades of civil war and bloodshed are being brought to an end at last – by any means necessary. In the capital, Colombo, tenacious journalist Ameena Fernando is murdered, execution-style, on a busy street near her home, with no witnesses.

'With pressure growing to find Ameena’s killers, CIA agent Ellie Harper is sent to seek justice for the journalist’s death with strict instructions: Find something, but not too much. It’s her first time returning to the island after her last mission went tragically awry four years prior, and Ellie has more than one ghost to lay to rest. Amidst the international scheming and jostling for stakes in post-war Sri Lanka, Ellie follows the trail of secrets on a mission to uncover a truth worth killing for.' (Publication summary)

'At twenty-two, free-spirited Amber Farrow has no concerns beyond finishing her final year of nursing on exchange in Australia. What she hasn't counted upon is crossing paths with Griffin Lee. Amber and Griffin's two hearts are clearly made for each other. But where Griffin is inclined to put down roots, Amber has always been a citizen of the world, treading lightly upon the earth, never staying too long in one place. Before long, Amber's inability to be still leaves Griffin behind.

'At thirty, Amber has built a life of constant exploration and humanitarian nursing—yet she's haunted by the memory of Griffin. After narrowly surviving a near-fatal accident, she reckons with her lingering passion and no small measure of regret. Following her heart could mean tying herself down, or it could be her chance to rewrite her life's journey.

'In the joyful spirit of David Nicholls' One Day and Emily Henry's You and Me on Vacation, a romantic story from Minnie Darke about the roads we choose, the chances we miss, and the beautiful, unexpected ways our paths can bring us back together again.'  (Publication summary)

'A couple moves to Far North Queensland looking for a fresh start, but can they escape their past? A page-turning domestic thriller for fans of Sally Hepworth and Liane Moriarty.

'On a cold, dark night, two cars collide …

'Inside the vehicle at fault, Jennifer Ashby survives with barely a scratch. In the wreckage of the second, the occupants are not so lucky. Jennifer's good character helps her escape jail, but she is traumatised by the event.

'Desperate for a change, and with her marriage buckling under the stress, she convinces her husband Jon to move to the beautiful but wild Daintree region, far away from family and friends.

'As Jon spends long hours at his new job and Jennifer makes plans to absolve her lingering guilt, cracks begin to form in their idyllic new life. Will the shadow of their past continue to haunt them? Will their dark secret be exposed?'   (Publication summary)

'Who is Peter Dutton, and what happened to the Liberal Party? In Bad Cop, Lech Blaine traces the making of a hardman – from Queensland detective to leader of the Opposition, from property investor to minister for Home Affairs. This is a story of ambition, race and power, and a politician with a plan.

'Dutton became Liberal leader with a strategy to win outer-suburban and regional seats from Labor. Since then we have seen his demolition of the Voice and a rolling campaign of culture wars. What does Peter Dutton know about the Australian electorate? Has he updated Menzies' Forgotten People pitch for the age of anxiety, or will he collapse the Liberals' broad church? This revelatory portrait is sardonic, perceptive and altogether compelling.' (Publication summary)

'My favorite hobby is infuriating Elliot Miles. Just the sight of my boss’s handsome face triggers my sarcasm. God knows how he earns his Casanova reputation—if a million women want him with his personality, what the heck am I doing wrong?

'Disgusted with my love life, I join a dating app under a fake name. I start chatting to a man named Edgar. He’s not my type and lives on the other side of the world, but we hit off a friendship, laugh and confide in each other.

'But lately things are getting weird at work. Elliot’s being…attentive. His eyes linger a little longer than they should, and there’s a heat behind them that I haven’t felt before. And then, in the shock of all shocks, he tells me that my vulnerability is appealing. But when was I vulnerable?

'Horror dawns…Has my boss been reading my emails to Edgar?

'Damn it, why did I use my work email?

'Oh no, does he know what I really think of him? I’d rather die than ever admit it.

'Or, even worse: is it possible that the man I loathe in real life is the man I’m falling for online?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'I first met Tristan Miles at a meeting where he was trying to take over my late husband’s company.

'He was powerful, arrogant, and infuriatingly gorgeous, and I hated him with every cell in my body. In the shock of the century, he called me three days later and asked me on a date.

'I would rather die than date a man like him—though I do have to admit it was good for the ego. Turning him down was the highlight of my year.

'Six months later, he was the guest speaker at a conference I attended in France.

'Still arrogant and infuriating—but this time, surprisingly charming and witty.

'When he looked at me, I got butterflies.

'But I can’t go there.

'He’s just a player in a hot suit, and I’m just a widow with three unruly sons.

'I just need this conference to be over.

'Because everybody knows that Tristan Miles always gets what he wants…and what he wants is me.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'I was upgraded to first class on a flight from London to New York.

'The food, champagne, and service were impeccable.

'The blue-eyed man sitting next to me, even better.

'He was suave and intelligent.

'We talked and laughed, and something clicked.

'Fate took over and the plane was grounded, and we had an unexpected stopover for the night.

'With no plans, we made our own.

'We danced and laughed our way around Boston and had a night of crazy passion that no woman would ever forget.

'That was twelve months ago, and I haven’t heard from him—until today.

'I started a new job and met the CEO. You can imagine my surprise to see those naughty blue eyes dance with delight when he saw me across the mahogany desk.

'But I’m not that carefree girl anymore. My life has changed, I have responsibilities.

'I just got an email.

'He wants to see me in his office for a private meeting at 8:00 a.m.

'Naughty blue eyes have no place in the workplace.

'What kind of private meeting does he have in mind?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'An unexpected story of life, family, hope and redemption – at the end of the world.

'Arto has a problem. For one, he's a robot. He’s awoken with no memory of who he is, with nothing but a mysterious letter, in a world bereft of those fleshy, talky things that made him. So why is he alone, and where have all the people gone?

'He stumbles upon a lost, cheeky kitten and selects it as his best friend for the adventure of a lifetime, trying to make sense of all this existence stuff. Just as Arto begins to fear he's the only sentient thing left on the whole planet, a cantankerous robot falls from the sky.

'She says she's his sister.

'And that's the problem, because she might be the reason there are no more people.' (Production summary)

'A searing indictment of the media's failures in reporting Indigenous affairs - and a powerful corrective that shows how Black journalism can pave the way for equality and justice.

'From one of this country's leading Indigenous journalists comes a collection of fierce and powerful essays proving why the media need to believe Black witnesses and showcasing ways that journalism can be used to hold the powerful to account and make the world a more equitable place.

'Amy McQuire has been writing on Indigenous affairs since she was seventeen years old and, over the past eighteen years, has reported on most of the key events involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, including numerous deaths in custody, the Palm Island uprising, the Bowraville murders and the Northern Territory Intervention. She has also drawn attention to the misrepresentations and violence of mainstream media accounts, and also to their omissions and silences in regards to Indigenous matters altogether. In myriad ways the mainstream media has repeatedly failed to report accurately, responsibly or comprehensively on Indigenous affairs.

'Black Witness is the essential collection of First Nations journalism that we need right now - and always have.' (Publication summary)

'It's 1999, and Eira Hart and Ru Tattersall are set up to co-host The Lonely Harts Club, a new late-night radio show to help New Yorkers find love. It's a last chance attempt for both Eira, expert in Celtic mythology and amateur Welsh matchmaker, and Ru, once-hot-shot Aussie DJ, to achieve their New York dreams.

'The thing is, you either click with a co-host, or you don’t. It’s a bit like falling in love. There’s co-host chemistry, or there isn’t.

'With the countdown to a new millennium, it feels like the world as they know it is about to end.

'Radio is becoming commercialized and superficial. Lower Manhattan is gentrifying. The Lonely Harts Club feels like the last chance to hold on to something real. As confessions pour out over the late-night airwaves and their show gathers an impressive following of happily-matched couples, can The Lonely Harts Club make one last true match?'  (Publication summary)

'Eva Kavinsky wakes in a dark cellar, with no memory of how she got here. Imprisoned with her, seemingly at random, are four men. The only way out is the trapdoor in the ceiling – and it's locked.

'The single clue about what brings them all here is a cryptic message sprayed onto one wall. Connect the dots. Repent. A camera fixed high above reach is livestreaming this whole nightmare to the world. What confessions are they meant to make to their unseen audience?

'With only a single lighter between them and the cellar steadily filling with water, Eva races to discover what connects her to the four men. But nobody here is who they claim to be. And in this dark place, secrets and lies are so much easier to tell than the truth that could destroy them all.' (Publication summary)

'Prepare to be captivated by acclaimed crime writer Candice Fox’s gripping audio thriller, Hunting Game. Featuring an all-star cast including Krysten Ritter, Anthony Mackie, and Tony Goldwyn, you’re about to enter a high-stakes game of cat and mouse.

'NYPD Detective Esme 'Es' Compran (Krysten Ritter) finds herself torn between her duty and her own desperate circumstances when a child is kidnapped. The victim's father, Jack Dengate (Tony Goldwyn), is a controversial big pharma CEO whose company's price hikes on life-saving drugs have dire consequences for Es' ailing daughter.

'As the investigation unfolds, FBI Special Agent Morris Jones seeks Es' help, but suspicions mount when evidence points towards Es’ ex-husband Danny (Anthony Mackie), a suspended officer. With a kidnapper in police uniform, a ruthless bounty hunter, and Danny's knowledge of her darkest secret, Es must navigate a treacherous world to protect her family.

'Hunting Game is a heart-pounding, immersive experience that plunges listeners into the depths of suspense and moral ambiguity. Trapped by the demands of duty and the unyielding bonds of blood, can Es outwit the dangers closing in on her family while uncovering the spine-tingling secrets of this relentless hunt?' (Publication summary)

'Two estranged sisters reunite to solve the harrowing mystery of their missing mother.

'In 1998, the American Jorgenson family had been on a year-long road trip in Australia. One humid, storming night, the mother - Elsa Jorgenson - vanished in an isolated stretch of Australian everglades. Elsa was never seen again.

'That night, twelve-year-old Lily Jorgenson was left alone and terrified in the family camper—even her teenage sister Iris is missing. When Iris comes racing back through the rain, she refuses to tell where she’s been. Lily is certain her sister is hiding a dark secret.

'24 years later, Lily is a travel writer living a settled life with her son in Pennsylvania, USA. Lily and Iris are estranged, with Iris’s secret having torn them apart. When floods dredge up their mother’s backpack from the everglades, tantalising clues are uncovered, and the police reopen the cold case.

'Lily returns to Australia, determined to force Iris to finally tell her secret, and to do that, she'll have to reunite with her. But when Lily unlocks the gut-wrenching events of the past, she finds that everything she thought was true about her family is about to shatter.' (Publication summary)

'A subterranean power creates strange bedfellows for Jason and his friends in the epic next installment of He Who Fights with Monsters.

'Following the devastating attack on Yaresh, its people are left to pick up the pieces. The city lies in ruins, but its decimated defenders have more to deal with than just reconstruction. Jason's actions during the battle have brought unwelcome attention from allies and enemies alike. While the adventurers question his loyalty, the messengers question his very nature. Both have designs on Jason that he intends to thwart, but a danger comes to light that shifts everyone's agenda.

'Deep underground, a hidden civilization has survived by tapping into a long-buried power. That power's growing instability has become both a threat and an opportunity to the warring surface factions. Neither side can stop or claim the power alone, leading to an uneasy alliance with a reluctant Jason at the center. The adventurers, messengers, and Jason himself all have intentions for the power but little idea what awaits them below ground. There are more players involved than any of them realize, and soon, they will have greater problems than each other.' (Publication summary)

'With the Builder threat behind them, the time has finally come for Jason and his team to hit the road.

'Eager to get back to the adventuring he’s been longing for, Jason is excited to not be at the center of world-changing events. But before he goes, one last attempt to pull him into politics has him leaving Rimaros with a strong final impression.

'With new places to visit and new people to meet, the remnants of recent events have scarred the land and left lingering dangers behind. It's a busy time for adventurers willing and able to fight with monsters. Threats that once loomed in the background start coming to the fore, and the team prepares to join the fight. Their angelic new adversaries are patient, powerful, and remorseless, using such unconscionable strategies that mass slaughter is only the beginning.

'Jason is forced to confront that his growing power may give him more in common with his foes than his friends. While this opens a path to uncovering the methods and objectives of their enemies, it also brings him to their attention. To them, this makes him yet another tool to be used. But when conflict spills into epic battle, they'll be the latest to discover that challenging Jason Asano is a very bad idea.' (Publication summary)