Cirrus@Austlit

'On the eve of the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union, Adolf Hitler is preparing to move from Bavaria to the ‘Wolf’s Lair’, his top secret headquarters in East Prussia. Little does he know that among his entourage is a British spy, teenager Joseph ‘Katipo’ St George, playing the part of a keen Hitler Youth who has been chosen as Hitler’s successor.

'Already under suspicion by German counterintelligence, Joe has been given a risky new task by his handlers at MI5: the assassination of Hitler before he can lead Germany to victory over Russia.

'The attack is to take place on the Führersonderzug, Hitler’s Special Train, en route to the Wolf’s Lair. But a perilous night-time crawl on the outside and roof of the train, in an attempt to poison Hitler’s water supply, ends in failure, as does an air raid the following day.

'With Hitler safely ensconced at his new headquarters, the invasion begins, and Joe sits horrified in the daily briefings as German troops blitz their way into Russia. Aided by Sofie, a German girl disillusioned with the Nazi regime, he embarks on an even more audacious assassination plot, a plan that is complicated when he discovers that his father – arrested three years earlier on Kristallnacht – is among the prisoners working as forced labourers at the complex.

'With German counterintelligence closing in, Joe and Sofie must now try to help Joe’s father escape, while continuing their plans for a powerful bomb right in the heart of the Wolf’s Lair.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'"I have been accused of whitewashing the Nazi leadership in my memoirs. Some people say I make them seem human. But therein lies the problem. I saw these men up close. They were human. If we think of them only as monsters and demons we may lose sight of the fact that they were very much like you and I. They had the same number of eyes, ears and limbs. If we forget what humans are capable of, we risk it happening all over again."

'In Spycraft, Falkner's masterful telling of the astonishing journey of Joseph St George (Katipo Joe) continues. A teenage boy recruited by MI5, is this time on a mission to infiltrate an elite group of Hitler Youth.

'Joe travels to Germany, to the very heart of the Nazi spider web, where Adolf Hitler is making plans that will change the course of the war, and the course of Joe's life. In a world where one wrong word could bring catastrophe, he must compete with the other young people for a prize beyond his wildest dreams. But the consequences of failure are torture and death.

'From the war-torn skies over Germany, to the heights of the Eagles Nest, this is Joe's story. Set amidst actual events, Joe's story is once again a tale of incredible heroism, unlikely romance and unbearable tragedy.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Joseph St George is a young New Zealander, the son of diplomats in 1930s Berlin.

'But the Nazis are on the rise and the world is on a spinning path to destruction.

'Joe’s world is about to change, violently.

'After a narrow escape from Germany with his mother, Joe is recruited by British Intelligence and given a mission to infiltrate the Hitler Youth movement.

'From vital convoys across the frozen North Atlantic, to the terror of the London Blitz,
to the shadowy world of the French Resistance, this is Joe’s world.

'Inspired by true events, Katipo Joe is a story of incredible heroism, unlikely friendships and unbearable tragedy, set against the backdrop of World War II.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Cassie has survived a hit and run but now she hears her father has disappeared - supposedly run off with a news reporter. As a senior congressman and Speaker of the House, her father is an important player in the tense world of American politics. Cassie knows he would not walk away from his career or his family and she is determined to find out what really happened. But there are bigger players who are equally determined to stop her, and she no longer has a security detail ...'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'A boy helps his sister disguise her birthmark on her first day of school.

'A seventeen-year-old awakens to find himself trapped in an elderly body.

'A teenage girl discovers her boyfriend has a life-threatening virus the day after they share their first kiss.

'A high school student tries to communicate to his hospitalised brother who is in a vegetative state.

'Brian Falkner serves up bite-sized tales of fear – fear of rejection, fear of dying, fear of disease, fear of the unknown, fear of exclusion, fear of being caught and fear of embarrassment –showing how that stubborn seed of hope hungers our darkest moments. ' (Publication summary)

'Funny, thrilling, action-packed books boys will devour.

'Daniel wants to play rugby league for the New Zealand Warriors. The problem is he's only twelve years old. But Daniel has a secret, he has a "power" which enables him to move extraordinarily fast. He impresses the Warrior s coach, convinces him to let him have a place on the side and becomes the youngest ever player to play for the Warriors! But life in the limelight isn't all that Daniel expects it to be. As Daniel's career unfolds he and his family learn about friendship, fair play and what is most important to them.' (Publication summary)

'This alternative history re-imagines the 1815 Battle of Waterloo as a victory for the French emperor Napoléon Bonaparte, when he unleashes a terrible secret weapon - giant carnivorous survivors from pre-history - on his unsuspecting British and Prussian adversaries. In this world, smaller "saurs" are an everyday danger in the forests of Europe, and the Americas are a forbidden zone roamed by the largest and most deadly animals ever to walk the earth. But in his quest for power, Napoléon has found a way to turn these giant dinosaurs into nineteenth century weapons of mass destruction. Only Willem Verheyen, an outsider living in hiding in the tiny village of Gaillemarde, has the power to ruin the tyrant's plans. And Napoléon will stop at nothing to find him.

'War is coming, and young Willem is no longer safe, for Gaillemarde is just a stone's throw from the fields of Waterloo – fields which will soon run red with blood.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'The fourth and final book in a high-octane sci-fi adventure series by bestselling and award-winning author, Brian Falkner.

'In this explosive conclusion to the series, readers will finally get to discover the fate of our planet. Will Earth forces be defeated and the Bzadians rule forever or will humankind be victorious? Or will the conflict result in the destruction of the planet?' (Publication summary)

'It is February 2033 and Earth forces have their full attention on the Bering Strait. If Bzadian forces manage to cross the icy wastelands and enter the Americas, then the planet will be lost. On Little Diomede Island, the control centre for the Bering Strait, something is not right. An agent and two Seal teams have vanished. Recon Team Angel, although officially shut down, is secreted into the frozen landscape to investigate. What they find is more than chilling and has catastrophic implications for the survival of the human race. Who will win the Ice War? ' (Publisher's blurb)

'The fate of the human race hangs in the balance. The Angel team are back behind enemy lines, as part of Operation Magnum. The most audacious military mission of all time. But as the ill-fated mission runs into trouble, Lt Ryan Chisnall is forced to make a terrible decision. A decision that could have dire consequences and result in the ultimate sacrifice. ' (Publisher's blurb)

'The dark forest of Northwood has never seen the likes of Cecilia Undergarment before …

'Cecilia Undergarment likes a challenge. So when she discovers a sad and neglected dog, she is determined to rescue him. No matter what. But her daring dog rescue lands her in deep trouble. Trouble in the form of being lost in the dark forest of Northwood. A forest where ferocious black lions roam. A forest that hides a secret castle, an unlikely king and many a mystery. A forest where those who enter never return. But Cecilia is determined to find her way home. No matter what.' (Publication summary)

'A thrilling action novel set in the not-too-distant future in which a brilliant young computer hacker fights to prevent the human race from being erased.

'It would take a very special person to crack the computer systems of the White House.
An expert.
A genius.
A devil.

'All of the above, some would say. Someone like Sam Wilson, brilliant teenage computer hacker. But Sam's obsession is about to lead him into a dangerous world. A world of espionage and intrigue; of cybercrime and imminent war. A world where logging on to your computer could mean the difference between life and death.' (Publication summary)

'Crack the code, or tomorrow is history!

Tane and Rebecca aren’t sure what to make of it. A sequence of 1s and 0s, the message looks like nothing more than a random collection of alternating digits. As they work to decode it, and the ones that follow, it slowly it becomes clear—the messages are being sent back in time from Tane and Rebecca’s future! Something there has gone horribly wrong, and it’s up to them to prevent it from happening. 

Tane and Rebecca follow the message’s cryptic instructions, but it’s not long before they begin to suspect that worst—that the very survival of the human race may be at stake...'

Source: Author's blurb.