Cirrus@Austlit

'Virginia is on a ship bound for London, lured by her creative dreams, leaving behind her weeping mother and father in Adelaide. On the cocoon-like journey she is struck by the messiness of relationships and her uncontrollable body. But things on the other side of the world are no neater, as she is pulled between her conservative expectations and her magnetic internal life. 

'In innovative poetic prose, artist and author Barbara Hanrahan plunges us into the possibility-filled London of her youth while reflecting the all-but-unchanged experience of finding independence as a creative woman. Originally published in 1974, Sea Green was inspired by Hanrahan’s experiences but has a life and immediacy all its own.' (Publication summary)

'I was never supposed to fall in love with a married man. 

'My best friend’s brother. 

'I’d made too many mistakes in my past. 

'Like last night—when I married Lex Edwards impulsively. In a bid to finally find their happily ever after, Lex and Charlie find themselves on a journey of learning how to love again. They began a new future to move forward from a broken past, finally together at last. 

'They vowed nothing would tear them apart… again. 

'But life’s cruel fate destroys their lives, and in desperate times they tear their love apart grieving over a lost loved one. Lex and Charlie find themselves on the verge of finally saying goodbye to each other, until the return of a scorned ex-fiancé who’s desperate to claim back what was his.' (Publication summary) 

'He was my best friend’s older brother.

'My first love, who left town without so much as a goodbye...

'Eight years later, I’ve said yes to marrying another man-the ever-so-perfect Julian Baker.

'I’m finally ready to let go of my past for a new future.

'But like all gut-wrenching love triangles, my past and future collide in a cruel twist of fate.

'Inside a busy restaurant, he’s sitting at the table next to me wearing a jealous stare.

'And I’m forced to face the man who destroyed my heart in high school.

'Lex Edwards, now billionaire tycoon, won’t back down easily. He’s ruthless, cunning, and no longer the sweet and loving college graduate studying to become a doctor.

'Just like me, our tumultuous affair broke him.

'But now, he is hell-bent on winning me back.

'And Lex Edwards will stop at nothing to prove just how powerful our love is, even if it means we need to relive the past…

'A forbidden love story about fate, heartache, and second chances.' (Publication summary)

'Private investigator Rainey Hall stumbles into a dark mystery from her past that embroils her with an underground society of artists, a dangerous new drug, and a string of violent deaths.

'While in high school, Rainey spent a summer taking advantage of the wildfires near Los Angeles to break into the empty houses of the rich and famous with her best friends, Alice and Spencer, committing small acts of larceny. These acts of rebellion culminated in a big theft from a powerful, well-connected musician with underworld ties. Days later, Alice went missing.

'Now—nine years later—Rainey is a private detective chasing a missing person case. Chloe, a young vulnerable artist with a history of substance abuse, disappeared from her parents' house without a trace. As she digs into the case, Rainey not only discovers a string of missing artists, but connections to Alice, a case that had gone cold years ago. Diving back into her own past and Alice’s disappearance, the investigation quickly becomes more twisted and dangerous than Rainey'd ever anticipated. She unearths a mysterious society steeped in drugs, art, and some of the most influential people in Los Angeles.

'Powerful forces begin to close in on Rainey as she finds herself in a race against time to save Chloe—and finally reveal the truth of what happened to Alice all those years ago.' (Publication summary) 

'A young woman stuck in a rut is dragged by her grieving grandmother to hike the Inca Trail – but can a holiday heal heartbreak, or will longtime secrets tear them apart? A heartwarming novel from the acclaimed author of Someone Else's Bucket List .

'Heather Russo is miserable – work is non-stop, her love life is in tatters and she's in a total rut. But Heather's not the only struggling woman in her family. Her mother, Sandy, is finally separating from Heather's womanizing father, while her grandmother, Bonnie, is grieving her third husband by carrying his urn everywhere she goes… even the supermarket. She's had enough of wallowing, though, and plans a surprise girls' trip: they're going to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu!

'Heather is a reluctant hiker – until she meets charming Owen on the trail and things start to get interesting. But, of course, that's when Bonnie decides to share some long-held secrets that just might send Heather and Sandy over the edge. Will they even make it to the summit?

'With every twist on the trail, Heather learns more about her family – and herself – than she anticipated. And as her time with Owen becomes precious, she's forced to reconsider what she really wants for her future.' (Publication summary) 

'For ten years, Logan Booth served as a contract killer for the CIA – he just never knew it.  The first book in a blockbuster thriller series from Matt Rogers, a million copy bestseller and 'a bright new talent shaking up the genre' (Candice Fox).

'In the twilight of his career, Logan learns he has been a vessel for furthering government interests, not a rogue hitman for a band of vigilantes. The revelation destroys him.

'But when Jorge Romero – an investigative reporter and Logan's oldest friend – is brutally and inexplicably murdered, Logan allows his fury to deliver him from despair.

'With an ally in Alice Mason, a homeless witness with a target on her back, Logan goes to war. Against whom, he isn't sure, but he knows powerful forces are at work behind the scenes.

'Now, to deliver justice, Logan and Alice must confront their demons and win a savage battle that could destroy their lives... even if they survive.'  (Publication summary)

'One night in the woods
A party gone wrong
A body discovered at sunrise

'He murdered her at the folly on their wedding day, left her body for the crows. They say she haunts the woods now, a girl in a white dress …

'Everyone in the small town of Thorncombe knows the tales of the haunted woods where the birds don’t sing and a girl in a white dress roams, luring people to their deaths. But when a girl in white is found dead the morning after Halloween, her body carefully arranged at the bottom of an old stone folly, the community is thrown into turmoil.

'With a teenage daughter of his own, police detective Ben Chase knows how high the stakes are. Was the girl the victim of a party prank gone wrong, or does her death represent something more sinister and ritualistic?

'As the investigation unfolds and the noose tightens around Chase’s own family, the only thing anyone can be sure of is that no one is safe until this violent killer is caught.'  (Publication summary)

'Damien Hunter is a veteran born in the unforgiving cauldron of combat operations. An Air Force special forces operator turned contractor; Damien is employed by the shadowy Taipan Organisation. In company with Warwick ‘Wuz’ Davis and Paul ‘Stayer’ MacLean, Damien is in command of the tight three-man outfit, Taipan One Six. The team are the Warfighters who take missions no one else will.

'Taipan left one of their own behind in blood-soaked Afghanistan. Haunted by Taipan's decision, Damien seeks solace in the Australian outback, only to be thrust back into turmoil when a desperate plea for help arrives.

'Homaria Radrizzani rots in an Afghani prison. Along with other international sports women, she lives out the last of her days before the Taliban swing the executioner’s blade.

'The abandoned operator establishes contact with Taipan after years of imprisonment. Taipan initiate a rescue mission for the operator, coupled with a lucrative contract to rescue Homaria and the women.

'Damien learns the identity of the operator and the Taipan 16 handler issues an ultimatum to Damien, rejoin Taipan and command the mission for the women first, then the operator or take no part at all.

'Damien will stop at nothing to rescue his friend. He leaves a trail of destruction through Afghanistan’s Banyam Province as he prosecutes the mission. Can he save his friend in time, or will the shadows of the past consume them all?' (Publication summary)

'The Hope Prize is one of the world’s leading short story competitions, and this collection of winning and shortlisted stories will delight, move and inspire you. From two lovers in Nigeria navigating uncertain futures; a homeless man in Melbourne holding fast to his dignity against the backdrop of an indifferent city; a former prisoner stepping back into the world; and a mother in Ireland who is unknowingly whisper-close to her long-lost son, these stories grapple with issues that define our time – mental health, poverty, war – in a way that feels both intimate and urgent.

'In Tomorrow There Will Be Sun some of the world’s most promising literary voices remind us that no matter the challenges we face, through the strength of the human spirit and the power of connection, we can move through darkness and into the light. In a tapestry of unique perspectives, this engrossing and entertaining collection is a balm for the soul.

'Hope isn't passive. It’s something we create, together. And in these pages, you’ll find hope well and truly alive, waiting for you to carry it forward.' (Publication summary) 

'Stan Grant is talking to his country in a new way. In his most poetic and inspiring work yet, the Wiradjuri writer offers us a means of moving beyond the binaries and embracing a path to peace and forgiveness rooted in the Wiradjuri spiritual practice of Yindyamarra – deep silence and respect.

'Murriyang: Song of Time, in part Grant’s response to the Voice referendum, eschews politics for love. In this gorgeous, grace-filled book, he zooms out to reflect on the biggest questions, ranging across the history, literature, theology, music and art that has shaped him, setting aside anger for kindness, reaching past the secular to the sacred and transcendent.

'Inspired by spiritual thinkers and sages from around the world, Grant finds connections with Plato, Saint Augustine, Isaac Newton, jazz saxophonist John Coltrane, Saint Teresa of Avila, Simone Weil, among others. Murriyang is a Wiradjuri prayer in one long uninterrupted breath, challenging Western notions of linear, historical time in favour of Indigenous concepts of deep, circular time – the Dreaming.

'Murriyang is also very personal, each meditation interleaved with a memory of Grant’s father – a Wiradjuri cultural leader – and asking how any of us can say goodbye to those we love.

'It is a book for our current moment, and something for the ages.'  (Publication summary)

Discover the exhilarating story of Glenn Maxwell, the Australian cricket maestro whose audacious flair has redefined the nation’s beloved game.

'Glenn Maxwell's brilliance on the cricket field is not without its risks. His bold approach can exasperate as well as exhilarate, yet when he hits his stride, he has the power to change the course of a match in a matter of moments.  

'In a career marked by jaw-dropping performances and an exile from test cricket, Maxwell's record-breaking feats have left cricket enthusiasts in shock and awe. From blasting the fastest T20 international century in Australia to delivering a mesmerising World Cup double-century in 2023, Maxwell's achievements keep breaking records. 

'Yet, away from the pitch, Maxwell grapples with his own battles, bravely confronting his mental health challenges and a headline-grabbing night out that landed him in hospital.  

'With insights into Maxwell's electrifying journey, The Showman offers a captivating exploration of one of cricket's most enigmatic talents, a player whose name is synonymous with spectacle, resilience, and the boundless thrill of the game.'  (Publication summary)

'Grace Porter has the perfect job, great pay, a beautiful office, everything she ever dreamed of, if not for one small detail.
She’s utterly and hopelessly in love with her boss.

'Gabriel Ferrara is tall and handsome, and most days she wants to stab her eyes out with a pencil, anything to stop her seeing his perfection.
How any female could work in these conditions and not be completely besotted with him is beyond her.

'Then he opens his mouth and she remembers why.
He’s bossy and sarcastic, with a wit so sharp it could cut glass.

'Every weekend is the same . . . while he’s off living his dream life, she’s counting down the days until Monday when she sees him again.

'But enough is enough.
Grace is tired of organising his glamorous and exciting life, instead of living her own.
Determined to find true happiness, she hands in her resignation.
 
'Furious, he won’t accept it, and rages like never before.
Desperate to keep her, he offers her a Bonus . . .  one she never saw coming.

'Finally . . .
It’s Grace’s turn to be the boss.' (Publication summary)

'From the bestselling author of Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray (River of Dreams) comes another groundbreaking historical novel about resistance, resilience and love during the frontier wars.

'Miinaa was a young girl when the white ghosts first arrived. She remembers the day they raised a piece of cloth and renamed her homeland ‘Bathurst’. Now she lives at Cloverdale and works for a white family who have settled there.

'The Nugents are kind, but Miinaa misses her miyagan. Her brother, Windradyne, is a Wiradyuri leader, and visits when he can, bringing news of unrest across their ngurambang. Miinaa hopes the violence will not come to Cloverdale, but she knows Windradyne is prepared to defend their Country if necessary.

'When Irish convict Daniel O’Dwyer arrives at the settlement, Miinaa’s life is transformed again. The pair are magnetically drawn to each other and begin meeting at the bila in secret. Dan understands how it feels to be displaced, but they still have a lot to learn about each other. Can their love survive their differences and the turmoil that threatens to destroy everything around them?

'Anita Heiss is breathing new life into the Australian historical epic. Dirrayawadha (Rise Up) shows the resistance leader Windradyne as the remarkable figure he was and surrounds him with fascinating figures otherwise lost to history. With irresistible imagination and verve, as well as a deep desire for truth telling, Anita Heiss’s novels are re-peopling our past.' (Publication summary)

'The first comprehensive biography of the godfather of Australian bushranging – Frank Gardiner – leader of the Lachlan gang and mastermind of the largest gold heist in Australian history.

'Atop the hierarchy of Australian bushrangers sits Ned Kelly – the ultimate outlaw, and just below him, the tragic figure of Ben Hall, who joined a gang led by a man whose name today is less well known, but who in his day was much more famous than Hall or any other bushranger – Frank Gardiner. Mastermind of the biggest gold robbery in Australia’s history, Gardiner led an extraordinary life, the full telling of which is long overdue.

'In a tough country and among a group of tough men, Gardiner was regarded as the toughest of them all. But while he engaged in gunfights with police to evade capture, he was always courteous in manner and could lay claim to never killing anyone, and never stealing from those who could not afford to be robbed. He went by three different surnames in his lifetime and spent almost half of it behind bars, including as one of the original prisoners in Melbourne’s Pentridge Stockade, later on Sydney’s notorious Cockatoo Island and finally in Sydney’s infamous Darlinghurst Gaol.

'If Frank Gardiner was never quite the Robin Hood he sometimes imagined himself to be, he was, like the mythical outlaw, a natural leader, a man capable of inspiring a motley bunch of stockmen and drifters to become the most effective and successful bushranging gang in the country’s history. They operated with a clockwork efficiency that culminated in the robbery of the Gold Escort at Eugowra Rocks, a deed that shocked the Australian colonies at the time and that would later be immortalised in Rolf Boldrewood’s classic novel Robbery Under Arms.

'The Lachlan gang that Frank Gardiner put together included several men who became household names, Ben Hall, Johnny Gilbert and John O’Meally among them. From 1861 to 1863, they held reign over the roads of the Western Plains of New South Wales. Then, at the height of his success, Frank walked away from it all to spend a life of anonymity with the woman he loved. The relationship ended in tragedy, and Frank’s life subsequently took a bizarre turn that saw him exiled from his own country. He died a pauper in San Francisco, a stranger in a strange land, but not before regaining fame of a different kind.' (Publication summary)

'In The Good Fight, Harry Garside, Australia’s ballet dancing boxing star, offers a raw and unfiltered account of his journey through sport, unexpected challenges and personal growth. Harry opens up about his remarkable journey with wit and wisdom, and offers a refreshing perspective on masculinity, sharing his struggles, triumphs, and moments of profound self-discovery.

'‘Uh oh, here’s another celebrity wanker with a self-help book telling everyone how to live their lives. Don’t worry. It’s not. I can’t think of anything worse to read, let alone write, so I won’t subject you to that kind of book. That’s not what this is and it’s certainly not what anyone needs right now.’

'Having won both gold and bronze medals at the Commonwealth and Tokyo Olympic games respectively and playing a starring role at the 2024 Olympics, Harry is one of Australia’s stand out boxing talents. But this isn’t your stock-standard sporting memoir.

'Through personal anecdotes and some touches of his own heartfelt poetry, Garside invites readers to see beyond the stereotypes, offering a nuanced exploration of identity, resilience, failing forward and the pursuit of authenticity. An inspiring and thought-provoking read, The Good Fight is a testament to the power of vulnerability and the beauty of embracing one's true self.' (Publication summary)
 

'Morgan McBride is tough as nails – but a surprise mail-order bride is enough to have him quaking in his cowboy boots in this laugh-out-loud historical romance.

'The oldest of the McBride siblings, Morgan has had to look after his siblings since Ma died and Pa ran off. It hasn’t always been easy, especially when his heart longs for the solitude of the wide open road. But now that his brother Kit is married and settled, the time is right for Morgan to leave in search of adventure. Little does he know that Junebug, his hellcat of a little sister, is dead set on keeping him at home – all with one honest advertisement in The Matrimonial News.

'Epiphany Hopgood has always been good at doing the wrong thing. She’s too tall, too loud, too opinionated, and too contrary for polite society. Staring down the barrel of spinsterhood, she decides to answer a seemingly straightforward ad for a bride.

'But when Pip shows up to meet her betrothed, she finds that Morgan McBride is not the husband she expected. In fact, he doesn’t even want to be a husband. Unwilling to return to her unsupportive family, Pip is determined to take control of her own future – with or without Morgan McBride.' (Publication summary)

'The fifth novel in the John Bailey thriller series. Bailey is trying to solve two murders, ten years apart – unfinished business from his former flame Sharon Dexter. But will it cost him his life? 

'Detective Holly Sutton has been seconded to work with the New South Wales Homicide Squad to investigate the murder of Sydney socialite, Tottie Evans, who was found dead at the Palm Beach home of a millionaire property developer.

'Alec Blacksmith isn’t like other real estate guys. He’s a former mercenary soldier who shot to fame after appearing on a reality TV show. Blacksmith is refusing to cooperate with police because he has his own secrets.

'John Bailey is an old school reporter with a nose for a story.

'He gets a call from the police about a break-in at the house he inherited from his former girlfriend, Sharon Dexter – a cop murdered in the line of duty.

'Whoever crowbarred the lock was looking for Dexter’s case file about the murder of a waitress named Sally King at an exclusive Sydney gentlemen’s club a decade earlier. After examining the file, Bailey discovers something that will blow up the Homicide Squad’s investigation into Tottie Evans’s death – a link to the murder of King.

'The only problem is that a serial killer is already serving a life sentence for the crime.

'Catching killers is Holly Sutton’s job. But for John Bailey, solving the case offers him a chance to finish a job for the woman who saved his life.' (Publication summary)

'This is a book for anyone who believes that racism has no place in Australia’s future and is ready to take action.

'‘I’ve played the role of the quiet and embarrassed Asian girl who shyly laughs along more than I should have in my lifetime. Enough is enough.’

'Growing up, Alyssa Huynh heard stories from her family about their journey from Vietnam to Australia following the fall of Saigon and the racism they experienced upon arrival. While the discrimination she faced was different, she never quite felt like she belonged either.

'Longing for a safe space, she turned to the internet. Through sharing her writing online, she created a supportive community for fellow Asians and people of colour with similar experiences, as well as for allies.
When some of her views went viral, important conversations were sparked, but there was also racist backlash – showing her that the work was necessary and her voice had impact.

'Honest and heartfelt, Safe Space is unapologetically angry and sincerely hopeful. Alyssa explores the challenges she has faced as an Asian-Australian and those that made her the advocate she is today. She also offers practical advice, both to those who are victims of racism and wish to add their voice to the discourse or deepen their connection to their cultural identities, and to allies who want learn more about how they can meaningfully show their support.' (Publication summary)