Cirrus@Austlit

'In this spine-chilling gothic thriller, a woman on the brink travels to a remote writers’ retreat to uncover the secrets of her past and lands herself in a deadly situation that could destroy her future.

'Kate arrives on the wild, remote island of Rathlin in the freezing Irish Channel for a ten-day writers’ retreat. Plagued by memories she can’t unravel and desperate to understand the breakdown of her marriage, Kate is determined to leave the retreat with answers.

'As the retreat’s director uses techniques that tap into the eerie mythology of the island, Kate becomes increasingly fascinated by him and her surrounds. But when the temperature plummets and the strange therapy intensifies, her memories unspool. Triggered into a series of disturbing flashbacks, Kate realises her past hides a frightening truth, but can she trust her own mind?

'Faced with dark secrets and duplicity, Kate must unlock the answers she’s so desperate to find – and survive the danger she has unwittingly walked into.'  (Publication summary)

'FIRE UP! shares some of the lessons I’ve learned from the first twenty-five years of my life, from growing up in the bush to running across Australia. This is what fires me up every single day.

'I’m aware I’m just one person among billions, many of whom are far wiser than I am.

'While this is what works for me, by no means am I suggesting it’s some sort of guaranteed formula for success. You may read something that sparks a fire in your belly (as it does in mine), but ultimately it comes down to you having a red-hot crack.

'I hope that, among these insights and stories, you’ll find some words of inspiration that encourage you to chase your dreams and give you the self-belief to back yourself along the way.'  (Publication summary)

'Gina Chick, the inaugural winner of Alone Australia, tells the story of her extraordinary, indomitable life in one of the most powerful, moving memoirs you will ever read.

'From day one of her wildly unconventional childhood, Gina Chick blazed her own trail, which led her to dance through the hidden world of 90’s Sydney nightlife into the arms of a conman. She fled to the wilderness to find healing, began a wondrous love affair with the deepest lessons life - and death - can offer, and found that all the answers are written in the wisdom of the body and the whirling silence of stars.

'If you’re ready to get lost in jungles, wander into wolf-dens, sing with storms, rescue orphaned animals, dive to the depths, dance ‘til your knees wobble, fall in love, find yourself by losing it all, and most of all be real; this book is for you.

'We Are the Stars is a magic carpet ride through the exquisite mystery of the human heart. You’ve never read anything like it.' (Publication summary) 

'From the acclaimed author, and bestselling illustrator, this beautiful, heartfelt collaboration celebrates the magic of grandmothers (and their secret recipes).

'‘It’s my everything cake,’ Grandma says. ‘My grandmother’s grandmother gave it to her, and my grandmother gave it to me.’

'Grandma makes her everything cake for every special occasion. These days she sometimes needs a little help, but that’s what grandkids are for.

'From the acclaimed author, Kate Mildenhall, and bestselling illustrator, Jess Racklyeft, this beautiful, heartfelt collaboration combines food and family to celebrate the magic of grandmothers (and their secret recipes).'  (Publication summary)

'Within hours of arriving in New York City, Jane is dragged into a case and finds herself up against one of the toughest minds she’s ever had to crack: a Silicon Valley billionaire whose ex-business partner has just been murdered.

'Sarah Noble is the darling of the tech world – the genius behind an AI defence system that hijacks enemy missiles. But when Sarah’s estranged business partner is killed in a mysterious plane crash, suspicion immediately falls on one of the few people who could hack the plane’s guidance system and had a motive to do so: Sarah herself.

'Against her better judgement, Jane agrees to profile Sarah and is immediately drawn into a world beyond her control, where money is no object, murder a tool of trade and the stakes go straight to the heart of the United States itself.

'Jane Halifax will need all her forensic experience to unlock the secrets of one of the world’s most formidable minds.' (Publication summary)

'It took ten years in the coal mines for Mitchell Burns to realise that no pay cheque is worth sacrificing your dreams. Now he’s making up for lost time.

'Mitchell Burns never wanted to be a miner. Growing up in a Queensland coal mining town with parents in the industry, it never felt like pursuing his passion for photography was an option. So, he went in the only direction he knew – straight into the mines.

'After spending a decade in a job he hated, Mitch realised that he had put his dreams on hold for too long. With no blueprint for success, he turned away from mining knowing he’d have to forge his own path in photography. In a vulnerable moment, he posted online about leaving the only industry he’d ever known to follow his dreams – the now-viral video has inspired millions of people around the world not to give up on their goals.

'These days, hundreds of thousands of viewers follow Mitch as he travels Australia and abroad, sharing his breathtaking landscape photographs and how he captures them. His story is a compelling call to action for anyone who has ever longed to quit their day job and pursue their passion. Learning the hard way that you won’t find happiness in a big bank balance, Mitch discovered that some risks are well worth taking – you just need to be brave enough to take the shot.'  (Publication summary)

'Opposites attract in this laugh-out-loud rom-com about a heart-throb actor, the grumpy woman who minds his beloved dog, and the cat that steals his heart.

'Ethan James has a problem: he’s about to start shooting a movie and he needs someone to mind his anxious dog, Harry. This film could make or break Ethan's career, and he knows he has to give it all his attention, but Harry's new minder turns out to be more of a hindrance than a help. She's gorgeous and funny, and throws so much shade in his direction that Ethan can't think straight.

'Hazel Conor has a problem: she’s just lost her job as a sous chef at the fancy beachside restaurant she uphauled her life for. And if she doesn’t get another job soon, she won’t be able to afford food – or worse, cat food, and then her grouchy cat Kevin will finally murder her in her sleep. So when she sees an ad for an easy dog minder job, she goes for it.

'Hazel finds everything about Ethan annoying; he’s flashy, flirty, and a total charmer. She probably wouldn’t look at him twice if it wasn’t for her cat. Because Kevin, the cat who hates everyone, is totally smitten with Ethan James. And with each purr, cheek rub and head bump that Kevin bestows on Ethan, Hazel begins to wonder if there’s something her cat can see that she can’t.' (Publication summary) 

'A captivating tale of love, glamour and betrayal, inspired by the life of 1920s Australian film icon Annette Kellerman, for readers of Kate Morton and Taylor Jenkins Reid.

'Blue Mountains, 2023: 

'Working on a documentary at the historic Carrington Hotel, videographer Emma Quinn rescues a box of vintage film reels destined for landfill. Trawling through the box, Emma finds a series of handwritten letters hidden beneath the reels – letters that seem to belong to Rose Carey, golden girl of the silent film era.

'Intrigued, Emma begins to read the letters and is fascinated by what she uncovers. And as her relationship with her wife fractures under the stress of IVF, she becomes increasingly obsessed with Rose’s story, at the heart of which lies a deadly secret.

''Sydney, 1923: Rose Carey knows her glittering Hollywood days are numbered after a near-death experience following the filming of her latest epic. On top of that, she faces bankruptcy. Rose is no quitter, though – she has reinvented herself many times before, overcoming several obstacles to transform into one of Hollywood’s glamour girls. She can’t stop now, and so she throws herself into planning a spectacular production that will take the world by storm.

'But when she suffers another life-threatening accident, Rose realises that someone close to her wants her out of the way. Who in her close-knit circle has the most to gain? Can she trust anyone, other than herself?' (Publication summary)

'From the scene-stealing star of Pitch Perfect and Bridesmaids comes a refreshingly candid, hilarious, and inspiring book about her unconventional journey to Hollywood success and loving herself.

'For decades, Rebel Wilson had single-mindedly focused on her career, making a name for herself through her iconic roles in Pitch Perfect, Bridesmaids, and Isn't It Romantic. Now she's ready to chronicle the emotional and physical lessons she learned, as well as her most embarrassing experiences. A malaria induced hallucination? An all-style-martial arts fighting tournament? Junior handling at?dog shows? And this was all BEFORE she moved to Hollywood!

'Rebel Rising follows Rebel Wilson's incredible journey of "making it," constantly questioning "Am I good enough?", "Will I ever find love?" and "Will I ever change and become healthy?" Rebel writes for the first time about her most personal and important moments in her life- from fertility issues, weight gain and loss, sexuality, overcoming shyness, rejections and, well...okay there's at least one story thrown in about Brad Pitt! It's all here. This memoir shows us how to love ourselves, while making us laugh uncontrollably.' (Publication summary)

'Have you ever had a bad week? Justin Chase sure has, and this is it! Against all odds, he somehow survived the trials and torments of Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. But now ... it's Friday! Just when Justin thinks his wacky week can’t get any worse, he’s plunged to a new, all-time low. We’re talking subterranean levels. The actual pits. An abysmal abyss. So prepare to plumb the depths!' (Publication summary)  

'Have you ever had a bad week? Justin Chase sure has and this is it! Monday was mortifying, Tuesday was tumultuous Wednesday was wild, but now it's ... Thursday! Justin's utterly unwanted celebrity status sees his most embarrassing moments being beamed around the globe! But it's a case of mistaken identity, creating a kidnapping kerfuffle, that will truly test our hapless hero to his limits.'(Publication summary)

The first dual biography of Bennelong and Governor Arthur Phillip, two pivotal figures in Australian history – the colonised and coloniser – and a bold and innovative new portrait of both.

'Bennelong and Phillip were leaders of their two sides in the first encounters between Britain and Indigenous Australians, Phillip the colony’s first governor, and Bennelong the Eora leader. The pair have come to represent the conflict that flared and has never settled.

'Fullargar’s account is also the first full biography of Bennelong of any kind and it challenges many misconceptions, among them that he became alienated from his people and that Phillip was a paragon of Enlightenment benevolence. It tells the story of the men’s marriages, including Bennelong’s best-known wife, Barangaroo, and Phillip’s unusual domestic arrangements, and places the period in the context of the Aboriginal world and the demands of empire.

'To present this history afresh, Bennelong & Phillip relates events in reverse, moving beyond the limitations of typical Western ways of writing about the past, which have long privileged the coloniser over the colonised. Bennelong’s world was hardly linear at all, and in Fullagar’s approach his and Phillip’s histories now share an equally unfamiliar framing.' (Publication summary)

'Mitchell likes playing soccer, but he loves being a princess.

'On Saturdays, Mitchell plays soccer alongside his best friend, Beck. He likes to wear a tutu over his uniform but feels upset when one of his teammates makes fun of him for it. Damon thinks princesses can’t play soccer.

'Mitchell knows better, though. And he’s excited because next week is both his birthday and the soccer grand final. His princess party is going to be so much fun, but he can’t stop worrying about the game. What will Damon say if he misses a goal?

'Mitchell will need to use all his skills to help his team, and he might just have a special trick up his sleeve…

'Princess Mitchell is a heartwarming story about making friends, celebrating differences and embracing who you are.'(Publication summary)

'The Immortals of Australian Motorcycle Racing: The World Champs celebrates our greatest ever riders. It takes the Immortals concept used elsewhere in sport and applies it to two-wheeled motorsport, choosing the best of the best from the 500cc and MotoGP eras, Bathurst's road racing era, the Dakar Rally, motorcross and speedway.

'Author Darryl Flack selects his top 12 riders then delves into the careers of the true greats. Legendary riders selected and profiled include Wayne Gardner, Mick Doohan, Casey Stoner, Chad Reed, Toby Price. Troy Bayliss and Daryl Beattie.

'The book tells the remarkable stories behind each Immortals rise to the top and the adversity faced through their careers.' (Publication summary)

'In Legends of the Track: Australia's champion jockeys and trainers, best-selling author Alan Whiticker tells the stories of 25 modern-era horse racing greats.

'This book celebrates the careers of champions trainers such as Bart Cummings, Tommy Smith, Colin Hayes, Gai Waterhouse, Lee Freedman and Chris Waller, and features interviews with the best jockeys of the modern era – Ron Quinton, Darren Beadman, Shane Dye, Hugh Bowman, Damien Oliver, Glen Boss and James McDonald.

'With full career statistics for each chapter and dozens of rare photos, Legends of the Track details the greatest achievements in a wonderful sporting era of Australian horse racing.' (Publication summary)

'Justin Chase sure has, and this is it! Monday really socked, Tuesday blew up, but now it's ... Wednesday! His cat is still mysteriously missing. He's an unintentional internet sensation. And right now sharks are circling as he's stranded in a heart-stopping, skin-crawling, jaw-dropping, seriously shocking S.O.S situation with his unbelievably annoying arch-enemy!' (Publication summary)

'TWO MISSING WOMEN. ONE WITNESS. SO MANY LIES . . . The brand-new thriller by the number-one bestselling and award-winning master of crime 

'Twenty years ago, Cyrus Haven's family was murdered. Only he and his brother survived. Cyrus because he hid. Elias because he was the killer.

'Now Elias is being released from a secure psychiatric hospital and Cyrus, a forensic psychologist, must decide if he can forgive the man who destroyed his childhood.

'As he prepares for the homecoming, Cyrus is called to a crime scene in Nottingham. A man is dead and his daughter, Maya, is missing. Then a second woman is abducted . . . The only witness is Evie Cormac, a troubled teenager with an incredible gift: she can tell when you are lying.

'Both missing women have dark secrets that Cyrus must unravel to find them - and he and Evie know better than anybody how the past can come back to haunt you . . .

'This breathtaking new thriller from the #1 bestselling author will keep you guessing until the very end.'  (Publication summary)

'Social media and business entrepreneur Sophie Cachia reveals never-before-shared details of her marriage breakdown, and how delving into her feminine intuition and falling in love with a woman turned her whole world upside down. 

'I was running late, again. The sweat from under my milk-filled udders ran down my stomach and onto the post-natal recovery shorts I’d squeezed on under my leather skirt. Only eight weeks earlier, I’d birthed my second baby, and this was one of my first work appearances. 

'I raced into the hotel, took the lift to the wrong floor, fumbled my bag and finally landed at the entrance. I went around the circle of unfamiliar faces, smiling, shaking hands, introducing myself…

'Then there was her. 

'As our hands touched, time froze. My whole world changed forever…

'Sophie Cachia had her white picket fence life. By the age of 25, she was a mother and happily married, and had also built a very successful business by documenting her every move online.

'But Sophie and her comfortable existence were thrown a curveball when she met a woman who prompted her to ask herself the questions: What more can I do? What more can I learn? What more can I be?

'In Then There Was Her, Sophie describes how challenging the set social narrative for a young woman led her down a path of awareness, empowerment and acceptance as she navigated identity, sensuality and the true meaning of authenticity as a mother and a woman.

'A deeply honest and inspirational memoir of a strong female who made peace with her decisions all in the unrelenting glare of the public eye, Then There Was Her encourages readers to stop fearing the unknown in life and to instead be excited about what may just come your way.'  (Publication summary)