Cirrus@Austlit

'Who knew overhearing a private conversation would change her life forever?

'When Kimberley Riordan realises how much trouble her long-time friend, Quinn Calthorpe is in, she knows she must find a way to help him.

'But if Quinn discovers her plan, Kimberley knows he will leave Augathella and lose his cattle station. She enlists the help of her sister, determined to make Quinn fall in love with her, even though she isn’t in love with him.

'But Cupid delivers unexpected results, and Kimberley’s plans are destined for a fall.
What will she do when she discovers that Quinn has always been in love with her?' (Publication summary)

'From one of Australia's most brilliant writers, a gripping true story about the tangled fates of two couples and the foster children trapped between them

'Michael and Mary Shelley are Christian fanatics who loathe their fellow Australians – especially their 'foul language, reckless indulgence of alcohol and obsession with idiotic ball sports'.

'Lenore and Tom Blaine are working-class Queensland publicans raising a large family in a raucous, loving, rugby-league-obsessed home.

'There's just one problem. The Blaines are foster parents to three of the Shelleys' children, who were removed from Michael and Mary as infants. And the Shelleys are prepared to do anything to get them back. Anything.

'Australian Gospel is a family saga like no other – heartbreaking, hilarious and altogether astonishing.' (Publication summary)

'Sydney, Australia. The body of a young woman is found in a food court, and detective Jackie Rose is tasked to investigate. Is this a drug murder, or something else?

'Cape Town, South Africa. Another young woman falls off the radar after leaving to study in Australia. Detective Schalk Lourens, who has been wrongly accused of war crimes, decides to visit Australia and while he's there, see if he can find her.

'Schalk and Jackie join forces and, in a trail that stretches across the world, find themselves up against an enemy more powerful and depraved than they could imagine. Their own futures, and those of hundreds of others, hang in the balance. ' (Publication summary)

'A warm and engaging memoir about freedom, adventure, and fathers and sons, set against the sumptuous backdrop of Corfu.

'At the age of eighteen, Kari Gislason arrives on the island of Corfu after a life-altering encounter with his father in Iceland. Looking for adventure, he decides to stay after meeting 'the Pirate', a mysterious Greek stranger who offers him work - only to find himself eventually fleeing the island, leaving behind a debt he promises to repay.

'Three decades later, as a father of two teenage sons, he returns to Corfu with his family. As he revisits his memories of the island, he begins to understand that this place has shaped the adult he has become, and that the inevitable letting go of his own children lies ahead.

'Full of the colour and vitality of the Greek islands, Running with Pirates traverses the joys and challenges of parenthood, the fearlessness of youth, the debts of our past, and the stories we tell ourselves and our children.' (Publication summary)

'Who killed Martin Friedrich? From award-winning writer Steven Carroll comes the first book in a series of post-war literary crime novels featuring Detective Sergeant Stephen Minter, with shades of The Third Man and Brighton Rock.

'Cambridge, UK, 1947.

'Martin Friedrich, a German philosopher who is in Cambridge to give a series of lectures, is cycling through an intersection on his way to give a lecture when a speeding car runs through him and kills him. A grisly death for one of the finest minds of the age.

'Shortly afterwards, Detective Sergeant Stephen Minter, an Austrian-born, cockney Jew, whose parents were interned during the war as enemy aliens, stands over the body of Friedrich contemplating the age-old question - who did it? Because Friedrich might be one of the finest minds of his age, but he's also problematic. A brilliant philosopher whose lectures attracted students from all over Europe before the war and is regarded as the founder of modern existentialism, Friedrich was also, in the 1930s, a member of the Nazi Party. As Stephen is soon to discover, there is no shortage of suspects. Friedrich -arrogant, a womaniser dedicated solely to his own work over anything or anybody else - was hated by almost everybody, even those who loved him.

'Is there any sense to his death - a logic to the sequence of events that led to it - or was his death just a case of rotten, random luck? Has the universe spoken, and, in this sense, should Friedrich be pleased with the nature of his death as it is, after all, confirmation of his life's observations on our indifferent, random universe? Or are there more sinister factors at work?

'From one of Australia's finest, critically-acclaimed writers, The Death of an Existentialist is a playful mixture of detective story, farce and literary fiction that examines the quite serious question of how to live a meaningful life in an indifferent, random, post-god world.' (Publication summary)

'Bec Hunter, an Augathella local and nurse at the local health centre, is driven by a strong work ethic and commitment to her career. Working and studying for a Master’s degree in aged care, leaves her little time for socialising. She has a life plan that does not include a relationship

'Travelling guitarist, Matt Randall is new to town and doesn’t intend to stay long, but his plans are thrown into turmoil when he is injured rescuing a young child, and is admitted to the health centre.

'Intense chemistry sparks between patient and nurse. Bec pretends indifference to the newcomer, and Matt fights his attraction to the feisty nurse.

'Will they overcome their differences as fate throws them together at every turn?' (Publication summary)

'Jacinta Mason, kindergarten teacher at Augathella school, is horrified when she attends the hen’s night at the local pub for Sophie Cartwright, her future sister-in-law. Disillusioned by a failed romance when she was at university, Jacinta is content with her life in her hometown. Meeting Ryder Francesco again leaves her reeling. His new career is a far cry from his past studies in medical research.

'Jacinta is the last person Ryder Francesco expected to encounter on the outback tour with the male dance troupe. Circumstances have changed his life drastically since he had to leave her. He is wary of Jacinta’s reaction to him, even though he has never stopped loving this gentle, shy woman.

'Jacinta is torn, the hurt from her past tells her to steer clear of Ryder, but her heart wants to dig deeper and find why he really left. He pushes her away, yet every time she pushes back, Ryder finds her harder to resist.

'Can they overcome the past and give in to the love that has never died?'  (Publication summary)

'When his father was jailed for a cold case murder, stockman Cy Prescott fled his life on the land. The victim was the birth mother of Dee Porter-Carey, his cousin’s wife and joint owner of Wilderness Station. Now that the Porter and Hardy families are connected by marriage, past events made it too difficult for Cy to hang around.

'Moving to a managerial job in livestock export at the port of Darwin, Cy cut ties with his family until circumstances put him in a position where he needs another job. Kane and Ellie McLaren's mango farm has expanded, and when Ryan approaches Kane seeking a job for his cousin, Kane is happy to employ Cy as assistant manager.

'When horticulturist, Tarni Morgan, takes on a part-time position at the McClaren Mango Farm, it’s a chance for a new beginning in the Northern Territory. Hiding a tragic past, Tarni treasures her privacy. She is surprised when the property owner, Kane and his wife, Ellie leave on a three-month trip not long after she accepts the position, but is happy to house-sit in their absence.

'The only downside is Cy Prescott, the relieving manager. As they work together, Tarni begins to realise that Cy holds secrets as she does, and fights her growing attraction to this taciturn man.

'Can Cy and Tarni both overcome the past that has defined their lives? Is a new beginning in reach or will Cy move on again as he refuses to give in to his feelings for this enigmatic woman?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

''You're a politician, a public figure. What on earth were you thinking?'

'Up-and-coming junior minister Gregory Buchanan has had a portrait painted of himself by the acclaimed artist Sophie White - a painting she intends to enter in this year's Archibald Prize. Until then, Gregory has hung it in pride of place on his dining-room wall. It's a life-sized standing portrait, practically photographic in nature. And it's a nude.

'His wife will be home soon and he thinks the painting will be a pleasant surprise. Even more surprising will be an unexpected accumulation of guests- his sardonic mother, his fundamentalist mother-in-law, his lycra-clad cycling-enthusiast sister, and the state premier, Louisa Wetherly - a senior minister has just resigned in scandalous circumstances, and she needs Gregory to step into the spotlight ahead of the coming election.

'It's going to be a wild afternoon, and an even wilder campaign - to do something about Gregory's naked ambition.' (Publication summary)

'When Laura Adnum, sister-in-law of Braden Cartwright, arrives unexpectedly in Augathella to visit the three sons of her deceased sister, Julia, it seems she is there to cause trouble; Laura is not impressed that Braden is planning to marry Callie Young.

'Newly-appointed local doctor, Harry Higgins, is surprised when Laura insists on visiting him to check that the care of her three nephews is adequate. Harry has his own demons and has come to Augathella for peace and a quiet life.

'Harry is suspicious of Laura’s motives. Why has she suddenly decided to visit three nephews she has never met? He tries to ignore his instant attraction to this enigmatic woman.

'What secrets does each of them hold, and can they each find peace through love?'  (Publication summary)

'How far would you go in the name of love?

'Sarah Parsons has a choice ahead of her. After the trip of a lifetime she’s somehow returned home with TWO handsome men wanting to whisk her away into the sunset.

'Pulled in two directions across the globe, it’s making life trickier than it sounds. Her gorgeous American Josh, wants to meet Sarah in Hawaii for a holiday to remember. Meanwhile silver fox James plans to wine and dine her in London.

'It’s a lot to handle for this Aussie girl, who had totally sworn off men!'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Note to self: don't sleep with your flatmate after a curry and three bottles of wine... especially if he's secretly in love with you and wants you to meet his mum.

'Cat Parsons is on the run. She doesn't do relationships. After ten years of singlehood even the hint of the 'L' word is enough to get Cat packing her bags and booking herself onto a two-week holiday.

'A European bus tour feels like a stroke of genius to dodge awkward conversations at home. But little does Cat realise that the first stop will be Paris, the city of love itself.

'Joined by new friends, Cat has got two weeks, eight countries and a hell of a lot of wine ahead of her. As they discover hidden treasures and the camaraderie of life on the road, will Cat find a new way of looking at love?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'There was something in the air that night. . .

'Sarah has had enough of men. It's time to rekindle her first true love – travel – so she books a sailing trip around the Greek islands with a group of strangers.

'The very last thing Sarah wants is to meet someone new, but then a gorgeous American man boards her yacht… And when she also encounters a handsome silver fox who promises her the world, she realises that trouble really does come in twos.

'Will Sarah dive into a holiday fling or stick to her plan to steer clear of men, continue her love affair with feta and find her own way after all?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Life doesn't always give you what you think you need

'Bestselling author Liam Wyndham needed an escape, and Noosa, with its small town charm and beautiful ocean, is the perfect place to hide out from the scandal surrounding his estranged dead wife. A place where he can enjoy his writer's block in sweet isolation. But all of his plans to become a surly recluse disappear when carpenter Georgie Sacchi marches into his house. 

'Georgie wants an adventure, and she has a plane ticket that promises her everything she needs—excitement, independence, and a way to escape the memory of her last ruined relationship. Still, she has one last job to complete before she can leave the country. The last thing she needs is a recalcitrant author distracting her from her plans.' (Publication summary)

'At a crossroads in her life, Sandra Porter knows she must find the courage to find her true self. She has lost her husband in tragic circumstances, and seen each of her adult children overcome adversity. Deciding it's time to push her boundaries, she makes a booking to trek the Larapinta Walk across the centre of the remote Northern Territory.

'World renowned nature photographer, Graysen Hughes has come to the outback seeking solace after the death of his wife. Always a loner, Graysen isn't happy when the tour guide insists on the participants walking in pairs. At least Sandra Porter is quiet and keeps to herself.

'After a suspicious accident and the sudden disappearance of their guide, the group struggles on, but then another accident occurs. It soon becomes obvious that someone doesn't want them to complete the trek. Without any means to call for help, Graysen and Sandra flee into the bush in an attempt to stay safe.

'Can they survive the wilderness in the heat and the rugged conditions, and can they both keep their hearts intact as they learn to rely on each other?' (Publication summary)