HarperCollins April 2021 Media Bites

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MEDIA BITES

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A PR I L 2 021 – F ICT ION

The Ripping Tree N I KK I GEMME L L An illustrious family. A beautiful home. A shipwrecked young woman left on its doorstep. Don’t think they’re going to save her. Early 1800s. Thomasina Trelora is on her way to the colonies. Her fate: to be married to a clergyman she’s never met. A powerful and gripping tale of survival written in Nikki Gemmell’s signature lyrical and evocative prose, it examines the darkness at the heart of early colonisation. Unsettling, audacious, thrilling and unputdownable. Released: 07/04/21 TPB | 352pp AU $32.99 NZ $35.00 Imprint: 4th Estate

The Truth About Her JACQU E L I N E MA L E Y

Journalist and single mother Suzy Hamilton gets a phone call one morning, and finds out that the subject of one of her investigative exposes, 25-year-old wellness blogger Tracey Doran, has killed herself overnight. Suzy is horrified by this news but copes in the only way she knows how – through work, mothering, and carrying on with her ill-advised, tandem affairs. The consequences of her actions catch up with Suzy over the course of a sticky Sydney summer. She starts receiving anonymous vindictive letters and is pursued by Tracey’s mother wanting her, as a kind of rough justice, to tell Tracey’s story, but this time, the right way.

Released: 07/04/21 TPB | 368pp AU $32.99 NZ $35.00 Imprint: 4th Estate

nikkigemmell.com.au

You Need to Know N I COL A MOR I AR T Y

Mirrorland CAROL E JOHNS TON E No. 36 Westeryk Road: an imposing flat- stone house on the outskirts of Edinburgh. A place of curving shadows and crumbling grandeur. But it’s what lies under the house that is extraordinary – Mirrorland. A vivid make-believe world that twin sisters Cat and El created as children. A place of escape, but from what? Now in her thirties, Cat has turned her back on her past. But when she receives news that one sunny morning, El left harbour in her sailboat and never came back, she is forced to return to Westeryk Road; to re-enter a forgotten world of lies, betrayal and danger. The holidays are here. The extended family has gathered. The cars are packed and the convoy sets off. The cottage is a few hours’ drive – but not everyone will live to see it ... For Jill, her three sons, their wives and children, a terrifying road crash will tear apart their family. The crash will be an accident but the shattering that follows has been long coming. Because at the heart of this family lies a secret – concealed, wrestled with, festering and harmful – and nothing now can stop it coming out. But will any of them survive it? Released: 07/04/21 TPB | 416pp AU $32.99 NZ $35.00 Imprint: HarperCollins

Sweet Sweet Revenge Ltd. JONAS JONAS SON Meet Ole Mbatian Jr., a Maasai warrior; Kevin, his sort-of-son; Agneta, a wronged and penniless ex-wife; and Johan, an unscrupulous Stockholm ad-man who has set up a company specialising in revenge services. As Agneta and Kevin seek revenge against the gallery owner who has wronged them, this madcap, funny and philosophical novel takes us on a journey that spans four continents and will introduce us to a colourful cast of characters, including a goat called Molly … and the Pope. Along the way, it travels in time, drops in a few lessons on colonialism and art history, and pokes fun at capitalism, the art world and greed – with plenty of laughs.

nicolamoriarty.com.au

Released: 07/04/21 B+PB | 336pp AU $24.99 NZ $27.99 Imprint: HarperVia

jonasjonasson.com

Released: 07/04/21 TPB | 416pp AU $29.99 NZ $32.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

F ICT ION

Where the Grass is Green L AU R E N WE I S B E RGE R

Peyton Marcus is the woman New York wakes up to, anchor of the most- watched morning show in the city. With a husband who adores her and a daughter who’s headed to one of the best Ivy League schools, Peyton Marcus is that woman, and she’s damn good at it … Skye, her sister, is a stay-at-home mum in Paradise, the idyllic NY suburb that’s home to designer boutiques and people who fly private. She has a knack for helicopter-parenting with the best of them. But she’s not like them. She’s looking for something real and it’s within touching distance … Max, Peyton’s bright and quirky seventeen-year-old daughter, is poised to kiss the fancy private school she hates goodbye – and all of its spoiled rich kids – and head off to pursue her dreams in film. She’s waited her entire life for this opportunity … But suddenly the grass isn’t looking so green. One little lie. That was all it took. Will any of them survive the truth?

Released: 21/04/21 TPB | 432pp

AU $29.99 NZ $32.99 Imprint: HarperCollins laurenweisberger.com

The Castaways LUCY C L ARK E

Early Morning Riser K ATH E R I N E H E I NY

‘Warm, witty, touching – and frequently hilarious’ David Nicholls, author of Sweet Sorrow and One Day A wise, bighearted, boundlessly joyful novel of love, disaster, and unconventional family from the celebrated author of Standard Deviation . A novel that is alternately bittersweet and laugh-out-loud funny, Early Morning Riser is Katherine Heiny’s most astonishingly wonderful work to date.

A secret beach. A holiday of a lifetime. Wish you were here? Think again ... It should be like any other holiday. Beautiful beaches. Golden sunsets. Nothing for miles. You’ll never want to leave. Until you can’t ...

Released: 07/04/21 TPB | 400pp AU $29.99 NZ $32.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

Released: 21/04/21 B+PB | 304pp AU $27.99 NZ $29.99 Imprint: 4th Estate katherineheiny.com

F ICT ION

Last Night MHA I R I M c FAR L AN E

Eve, Justin, Susie and Ed have been friends since they were eighteen. Now in their 30s, the four are still as close as ever, Thursday pub quiz night is still sacred, and Eve is still secretly in love with Ed. Maybe Eve should have moved on by now, but she can’t stop thinking about what could have been. And she knows Ed sometimes thinks about it too. Then one night, in an instant, all their lives change forever. And, as Eve learns she didn’t know her friends as well as she thought, she also discovers she isn’t the only person keeping secrets … ‘Brilliant on relationships, friendships and emotions… I loved, loved, loved this book’ Marian Keyes, #1 bestselling author of Grown-Ups ‘Gorgeously romantic, as well as a story about friendship and grief and loss; I never wanted it to end’ Beth O’Leary, #1 bestselling author of The Flatshare

Released: 07/04/21 TPB | 416pp AU $24.99 NZ $27.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

Trick Of The Light F I ONA MCCA L LUM

Sisters Of Freedom MARY- ANN E O’ CONNOR

Sydney, 1901. Federation has been achieved but Australian women have yet to gain the right to vote. A passionate tale of three sisters as they strive for freedom and independence and follow their hearts to unexpected places. For readers of Fiona McIntosh, Nicole Alexander and Natasha Lester.

The old saying goes: ‘A problem shared is a problem halved’. But what if your problem is secret? Newly widowed, Erica discovers her finances are in ruins. Can she swallow her pride and reach out to those who love her? A moving story of loss, change and self-discovery from Australia’s master storyteller.

Released: 07/04/21 TPB | 384pp AU $29.99 NZ $32.99 Imprint: HQ Fiction

Released: 07/04/21 TPB | 368pp AU $29.99 NZ $32.99 Imprint: HQ Fiction

maryanneoconnor.com

fionamccallum.com

F ICT ION

The Girls Are All So Nice Here

L AU R I E E L I Z AB E TH F LYNN

A darkly intoxicating novel of female friendship and obsession, perfect for fans of My Dark Vanessa, The Girls and The Virgin Suicides. ‘Deliciously dark, full of simmering menace.’ KAREN HAMILTON ‘Twisted, compelling, devastating.’ SAMANTHA DOWNING ‘This is Mean Girls all grown up, with a very dark

All We Have Is Now K AN E ANA MAY Healing others is their calling, but what happens if they can’t fix themselves? Health and wellbeing brought Olive, Elsie and Bree together. After five years, their bustling wellness centre is demanding expansion. A beautiful federation house nestled among the picturesque backdrop of their small town is the perfect place to grow their business. But they don’t count on their personal lives getting in the way. A richly nuanced and empathetic examination of life, loss and courage from a talented new Australian author.

twist.’ ELLE CROFT Released: 07/04/21 TPB | 400pp AU $29.99 NZ $32.99 Imprint: HQ Fiction

laurieelizabethflynn.com

Raft of Stars

ANDR EW J . GR A F F

The further you run, the closer you get to the truth… An instant classic for fans of Where the Crawdads Sing and We Begin at the End . One summer night in Wisconsin, the lives of two ten- year-old boys are changed forever… Tired of seeing his best friend Dale Breadwin abused by his alcoholic father, Fischer Branson takes action. A gunshot rings out, and Bread and Fish flee into the woods. They build a raft, but the river quickly leads them into even greater danger.

Released: 07/04/21 TPB | 464pp AU $29.99 NZ $32.99 Imprint: HQ Fiction kaneanamay.com

Released: 07/04/21 TPB | 304pp AU $29.99 NZ $32.99 Imprint: HQ Fiction

andrewjgraff.com

F ICT ION

Legends of the Lost Lilies JACK I E F R E NCH Based on real-life events, this is the story of the women men didn’t see. In the final book in the Miss Lily series, Jackie French tells the story of the remarkable women who have been carefully left out of our war histories: those lost lilies of allied espionage. Sophie, Countess of Shillings, has been living a quiet life on her property in Australia, until love and loyalty draws her back to Shillings Hall where she trained to become one of Miss Lily’s ‘Lovely Ladies’. Now, in 1942, Shillings Hall is training women to become espionage agents. Sophie’s mission? To seek out disaffected German officers prepared to kill Hitler. Across Europe, women like Sophie must determine where their deepest loyalty lies. And as Europe slowly disintegrates, Miss Lily must also decide her final fate.

Released: 07/04/21 TPB | 448pp AU $32.99 NZ $35.00 Imprint: HarperCollins jackiefrench.com

A PR I L 2 021 – NON - F ICT ION

With the Falling of the Dusk S TAN GR ANT

In only a few short decades, we have come a long way from Francis Fukuyama’s declaration of the ‘end of history’ and the triumph of liberal democracy in 1989. Now, with the inexorable rise of China, the ascendancy of authoritarianism and the retreat of democracy, the world stands at a moment of crisis. This is a time of momentous upheaval and enormous geopolitical shifts, compounded by the global pandemic, economic collapse and growing inequality, Islamist and far right terror, and a resurgent white supremacy. The world is in lockdown and the showdown with China is accelerating – and while the West has been at the forefront of history for 200 years, it must now adapt to a world it no longer dominates. At this moment, we stand on a precipice – what will become of us?

Released: 07/04/21 TPB | 304pp AU $34.99 NZ $36.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

NON - F ICT ION

Lapsed MON I CA DUX

From devout ten-year-old performing the part of Jesus in a primary school play to blaspheming, undergraduate atheist, Monica Dux and her attitude to the Catholic Church changed profoundly over a decade. Ten years on she’d calmed right down and was just ‘lapsed’. Then, on a family trip to Rome, her young daughter expressed a desire to be baptised. Monica found herself re-examining her own childhood and how Catholicism had shaped her. Was it really out of her system or was it in her blood for life? In Lapsed , Monica sets out to find the answer. She ponders the big questions, such as would Jesus really make a great dinner party guest? And, far more seriously, given what she now knows about clerical abuse and its extent, is it enough to turn her back on the Church, or did she have a deeper, more enduring obligation?

Released: 07/04/21 TPB | 304pp AU $34.99 NZ $365.99 Imprint: ABC Books

Pie Maker & Co TAS T E . COM . AU Has there ever been a kitchen appliance that we’ve loved as much as the pie maker? It’s taken our kitchens by storm. At the same time, our air fryers and sausage roll maker recipes are quickly gaining all-time favourite status, while the jaffle maker and waffle maker have been on our must-have rotation list for years. In Pie Maker & Co you’ll find every recipe you need for all your favourite appliances. With 100 recipes covering both sweet and savoury, this is your go- to cookbook where every dish is as easy as... well... pie! Released: 07/04/21 NSP | 256pp

Food for the Soul LUCY LORD

Whether you have 15 minutes or an hour to spare, this gorgeous debut cookbook from Lucy Lord will reignite your love for cooking, help you get creative in the kitchen, and redefine your relationship with food. Be it a two-minute-smoothie in the morning to get you going before work, or a thick slice of banana bread on a lazy weekend catch- up with friends, these recipes are simple but special. Dig into this beautiful book and discover that happiness really is homemade. Released: 07/04/21 NSP | 176pp

taste.com.au

lordlucy.com

AU $29.99 NZ $34.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

AU $34.99 NZ $37.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

NON - F ICT ION

A PR I L 2 021 – CHI LDREN’ S & YA

The True Colour of a Little White Lie GABR I E L B E RGMOS E R

From the super-talented young author of the best-selling The Hunted comes a book that reminds you just how tough adolescence can be. After a catastrophic attempt to ask out his crush, fourteen-year-old Nelson is desperate for any chance to escape the daily humiliations of his small-town high school. And with his parents taking over a nearby ski lodge, that chance seems to have arrived. Up at the lodge he discovers a whole new freedom in a world where nobody knows he’s a loser and he can be whatever he wants. But reinvention is complicated, especially when a few white lies land you in the middle of an unexpected love triangle which leads you to sign up for a ski race that you’re nowhere near good enough for. As Nelson’s new world spirals out of control, he’ll slowly discover that no matter where you are, sometimes the hardest thing to run away from is yourself.

Released: 07/04/21 PB | 272pp | Ages 14+ AU $19.99 NZ $22.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

gabrielbergmoser.com

Heroes of the Secret Underground SUSANN E GE RVAY

The Vanishing at the Very Small Castle JACK I E F R E NCH

From the bestselling author Susanne Gervay comes a heart-racing timeslip story inspired by her own family’s escape from Budapest during the Holocaust. Louie lives with her brothers, Bert and Teddy, in a hotel run by their grandparents. It is one of Sydney’s grand old buildings, rich in history ... and in secrets. When a rose- gold locket, once thought lost, is uncovered, it sends Louie and her brothers spinning back in time. Back to a world at war: Budapest in the winter of 1944, where their grandparents are hiding secrets of their own.

It’s 1932, the height of the Depression, and Butter O’Bryan and his friends have another mystery to solve. The Very Small Castle is home to Butter O’Bryan, his father, three aunts, friends Gil, Olive and Tish, and their dog, Woofer. But now there’s also a monster at the castle! When glamorous film actress Delilah Divine vanishes in the middle of filming on Howlers Beach, the police suspect her co-star, the war-hero actor behind the movie’s villainous monster. But soon even more strange disappearances leave the police baffled. It’s up to Butter to solve the mystery of the vanishing film star, but can he crack it before it’s too late?

Released: 07/04/2021 PB | 272pp | Ages 10+ AU $16.99 NZ $19.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

Released: 07/04/2021 PB | 240pp | Ages 8+ AU $16.99 NZ $19.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

sgervay.com

jackiefrench.com

CH I LDR EN ’ S & YA

Spellbound Ponies: Magic and Mischief S TACY GR EGG

Lightfall: The Girl & the Galdurian T I M PROB E R T For fans of Amulet and middle grade readers who love sweeping worlds like Star Wars, the first book of the Lightfall series introduces Bea and Cad, two unlikely friends who get swept up in an epic quest to save their world from falling into eternal darkness. Deep in the heart of the planet Irpa stands the Salty Pig’s House of Tonics & Tinctures, home of the wise Pig Wizard and his adopted granddaughter, Bea. As keepers of the Endless Flame, they live a quiet and peaceful life, crafting medicines and potions for the people of their once- prosperous world. All that changes one day when, while walking through the woods, Bea meets Cad, a member of the Galdurians, an ancient race thought to be long-extinct. Cad believes that if anyone can help him find his missing people, it’s the Pig Wizard. But when the two arrive home, the Pig Wizard is nowhere to be found – all that’s left is the Jar of Endless Flame and a mysterious note. Fearing for the Pig Wizard’s safety, Bea and Cad set out across Irpa to find him, while danger fights its way out of the shadows and into the light. Will these two unexpected friends find the beloved Pig Wizard and prevent eternal darkness from blanketing their world? Or has Irpa truly seen its last sunrise?

Enchanting stories, taking the reader on magical pony adventures. Can they rescue ALL the ponies? The ponies of Pemberley Stables have been bound by magic and each of them are trapped in time. Can two brave girls help get them back? Bess the highway pony is very good at robbing the carriages and loves life just the way it is. Can Olivia and Eliza help break the spell that is making Bess so naughty, and prove that crime really doesn’t pay? Released: 07/04/21 stacygregg.co.uk

PB | 176pp | Ages 7+ AU $12.99 NZ $14.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

Spellbound Ponies: Sugar and Spice S TACY GR EGG The second book in the enchanting

Released: 07/04/21 PB | 256pp | Ages 8+ AU $19.99 NZ $22.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

timprobert.com

Spellbound Ponies series. Prince the racehorse isn’t as speedy as he used to be and his love of fine dining isn’t helping matters. Can Olivia and Eliza help break the spell and get Prince working out again in time for the big race?

Released: 07/04/21 PB | 176pp | Ages 7+ AU $12.99 NZ $14.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

stacygregg.co.uk

CH I LDR EN ’ S & YA

Skulduggery Pleasant: Dead or Alive D E R E K L ANDY Skulduggery, Valkyrie and Omen return in the 14th and penultimate novel in the internationally bestselling Skulduggery Pleasant series – and their most epic test yet. In a matter of days, the world will change. Billions of lives will be wiped away in a final, desperate search for the Child of the Faceless Ones – she who is destined to bring about the return of humankind’s ancient overlords. To prevent this, Skulduggery Pleasant and Valkyrie Cain have one last – terrible – option: the assassination of Damocles Creed. With protests stirring in the magical city of Roarhaven, with riots and revolutions on the horizon, Valkyrie must decide who she wants to be: the hero who risks everything for a noble ideal, or the killer who sacrifices her own soul for the fate of humanity. The decision must be made, and time is running out.

Released: 07/04/21 PB | 592pp | Ages 11+ AU $19.99 NZ $25.00 Imprint: HarperCollins skulduggerypleasant.co.uk

CH I LDR EN ’ S & YA