HarperCollins Media Bites August 2021

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MEDIA BITES

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Gabriel Bergmoser TH E I NH E R I TANC E The new fast-paced, high-adrenalin thriller from Gabriel Bergmoser, author of the critically acclaimed bestselling outback noir The Hunted Think Jack Reacher meets John Wick in a high- octane, high-speed chase on the dark streets of Melbourne. Filming for the Hollywood adaption of The Hunted due to begin in late 2021.

Samera Kamaleddine HA L F MY LUCK The first Matilda Prize winner brings you a heartwarming coming-of-age story about growing up in Australia when caught between two cultures. Half My Luck is a funny, warm, insightful and authentic debut novel that introduces us to Lebanese-Australian Layla Karimi over the course of one rollercoaster summer. This is a story that so many teenagers will idenity with.

Ross Coulthart I N PL A I N S I GHT A ground-breaking investigation into UFOs and impossible science, from award-winning investigative journalist and bestselling author Ross Coulthart. Bizarre, sometimes mind-blowing and utterly fascinating, In Plain Sight tells a story that’s largely escaped the radar of mainstream media but has been there all along. Now it’s time to see what’s in front of our eyes.

Julie K Brown PE RV E RS I ON OF J US T I C E

Dauntless journalist Julie K. Brown recounts her uncompromising and risky investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s underage sex trafficking operation. Her explosive reporting for the Miami Herald finally brought him to justice while exposing the powerful people and broken system that protected him.

AUGUST 2 021 – F ICT ION

The Cellist DAN I E L S I LVA

Viktor Orlov had a longstanding appointment with death. Once Russia’s richest man, he now resides in exile in London, where he is waging a crusade against the kleptocrats who have seized control of the Kremlin. His mansion is protected by armed bodyguards. Yet somehow, on a rainy summer evening, in the midst of a global pandemic, Russia’s vengeful president finally manages to cross Orlov’s name off his kill list. Before him was the receiver from his landline telephone, a half-drunk glass of red wine, and a stack of documents ... The documents are contaminated with a deadly nerve agent. The Metropolitan Police determine that they were delivered by one of Orlov’s employees, a prominent investigative reporter. And when the reporter vanishes hours after the killing, MI6 concludes she is a Moscow Center assassin who penetrated the billionaire’s formidable defences. But Gabriel Allon believes his friends in British intelligence are dangerously mistaken. His search for the truth will take him to Geneva, where a private intelligence service is plotting an act of violence that will plunge an already divided America into chaos. Only Allon, with the help of a brilliant young woman employed by the world’s dirtiest bank, can stop it ....

Released: 28/07/21 TPB | 480pp

AU $32.99 NZ $35.00 Imprint: HarperCollins danielsilvabooks.com

The Inheritance GABR I E L B E RGMOS E R A young woman is hiding out in a sleepy North Queensland tourist town, trying to stay under the radar, when she stumbles across a dangerous drug cartel. Anyone else might back away shaking their head, pretend they hadn’t seen anything, keep quiet, even though people are getting hurt. But Maggie is no ordinary girl. She’s got skills, as well as plenty of secrets to keep, burdens to carry – and anger to burn. When circumstances mean that she has to get out of town – fast – she heads towards Melbourne, where she just might find the answers that she needs – answers about her family and who she really is. With a bent cop for a dubious ally, the police tracking her and furious bikers on her trail, Maggie is in deep trouble. She’s only got her ingenuity and wits on her side – and a determination not to inherit the sins of her father.

The Bourne Trechery BR I AN F R E EMAN

Three years ago, Jason Bourne embarked on a mission in Estonia with his partner and lover, a fiery Treadstone agent codenamed Nova. Their job was to rescue a Russian double agent, recently smuggled out of St Petersburg in the midst of an FSB manhunt. They failed. Their charge died at the hands of a shadowy assassin. Now, three years later, everything has changed. Nova is gone, killed in a mass shooting in Las Vegas. Bourne is a lone operative working in the shadows for Treadstone. He’s awaiting his next assignment when his handler brings him shocking news.

Released: 28/07/21 TPB | 304pp AU $29.99 NZ $32.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

Released: 28/07/21 TPB | 384pp AU $29.99 NZ $32.99 Imprint: Head of Zeus

bfreemanbooks.com

F ICT ION

The Desert Prince PE T E R V. BR E T T

Fifteen years have passed since the end of the war with demons, creatures of darkness who have hunted the night and plagued humanity for time out of mind. The heroes of mankind’s hour of need have become legend, and those that remain struggle to escape their shadows. Olive Paper and Darin Bales have grown up in this new, peaceful world. Demons have all but been destroyed, but dangers still lurk for the children of heroes. But when Olive and Darin step across the wards one night, they learn the demons are not all gone, and those that remain hunger for revenge. Events are set in motion that only Prophecy can foresee as Olive and Darin seek to find their own places in the world in time to save it again.

Released: 04/08/21 TPB | 656pp AU $32.99 NZ $35.00 Imprint: Harper Voyager

petervbrett.com

The Girl Behind the Wall MANDY ROBOTHAM

Dog Rose Dirt J E N WI L L I AMS

When the Berlin Wall goes up, Karin is on the wrong side of the city. Overnight, she’s trapped under Soviet rule in unforgiving East Berlin and separated from her twin sister, Jutta. Karin and Jutta lead parallel lives for years, cut off by the Wall. But Karin finds one reason to keep going: Otto, the man who gives her hope, even amidst the brutal East German regime. When Jutta finds a hidden way through the wall, the twins are reunited. But the Stasi have eyes everywhere, and soon Karin is faced with a terrible decision: to flee to the West and be with her sister, or sacrifice it all to follow her heart?

Serial killer Michael Reave – known as The Red Wolf – has been locked in Belmarsh Prison for over 20 years for the brutal and ritualistic murders of countless women. Ex-journalist Heather Evans returns to her childhood home after her mother’s inexplicable suicide and discovers something chilling – hundreds of letters between her mother and Reave, dating back decades. When the body of a woman is found decorated with flowers, just like his victims, Reave is the only person alive who might be able to help. After years of silence, he will speak to Heather, and only Heather. If she wants to unearth the truth and stop further bloodshed, she’ll have to confront a monster.

Released: 28/07/21 TPB | 368pp AU $29.99 NZ $32.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

Released: 28/07/21 TPB | 416pp AU $29.99 NZ $32.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

F ICT ION

Mrs March V I RG I N I A F E I TO

George March’s latest novel is a smash hit. None could be prouder than Mrs. March, his dutiful wife, who revels in his accolades and relishes the lifestyle and status his success brings. A creature of routine and decorum, Mrs. March lives an exquisitely controlled existence on the Upper East Side. Every morning begins the same way, with a visit to her favourite patisserie to buy a loaf of olive bread, but her latest trip proves to be her last when she suffers an indignity from which she may never recover: an assumption by the shopkeeper that the protagonist in George March’s new book – a pathetic sex worker, more a figure of derision than desire – is based on Mrs. March. One casual remark robs Mrs. March not only of her beloved olive bread but of the belief that she knew everything about her husband – and herself – sending her on an increasingly paranoid journey, one that starts within the pages of a book but may very well uncover both a killer and the long-buried secrets of Mrs. March’s past. All My Mothers JOANNA GL E N Meet Eva Martinez-Green, an only child full of questions about her beginnings. But between her emotionally absent

Released: 28/07/21 B+PB | 288pp AU $27.99 NZ $29.00 Imprint: 4th Estate

The fire took everything - except two women’s fighting spirits. Across several decades, including natural disasters, personal calamities and the collapse of their industry, neighbouring orchardists Catherine and Annie battle to save their livelihoods, their families, and their secrets. A sweeping, big-hearted Australian family saga for readers of Judy Nunn and Victoria Purman. ‘What a cracker of a debut! A beautiful story of family and orchards, of secrets and love and forgiveness’ - Victoria Purman, author of The Women’s Pages MARY LOU S T E PH E NS The Last Of The Apple Blossom

mother and her physically absent father, there is nobody to answer them. Eva is convinced that all is not as it seems. Why are there no baby pictures of her? Why do her parents avoid all questions about her early years? When her parents’ relationship crumbles, Eva begins a journey to find these answers for herself. Her desire to discover where she belongs leads Eva on a journey spanning decades and continents – and, along the way, she meets women who challenge her idea of what a mother should be, women who will change her life forever …

Released: 28/07/21 TPB | 480pp AU $32.99 NZ $35.00 Imprint: HarperCollins

Released: 28/07/21 TPB | 464pp AU $29.99 NZ $32.99 Imprint: HQ Fiction

maryloustephens.com.au

F ICT ION

Meet Me In Bendigo E VA SCOT T

Her Heart For A Compass SAR AH F E RGUSON TH E DUCH E S S OF YORK In an attempt to rebel against a society where women are expected to conform, free-spirited Lady Margaret Montagu Scott flees the confines of polite society, and an arranged marriage. But Lady Margaret’s parents, the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch, as close friends with Queen Victoria, must face the public scrutiny of their daughter’s impulsive nature, and Margaret is banished from polite society. Finding strength amongst equally

Rural Australia meets You’ve Got Mail in this romantic comedy about online dating, second chances, and following your heart. Ed Carpenter is in Wongilly to offer the owner of a small hardware shop a payout to pave the way for his family’s next superstore. What he doesn’t expect is for the owner to be the woman he’s been talking to online. Annalisa is beautiful and passionate, and he’s sure she’s the one for him. But how can he reveal the truth without losing her? Released: 28/07/2021 TPB | 400pp AU $29.99 NZ $32.99 Imprint: MIRA evascottwriter.com The Secret Keeper Of Jaipur A L K A JOSH I In New York Times bestselling author Alka Joshi’s new novel, henna artist Lakshmi arranges for her protégé, Malik, to intern at the Jaipur palace in a tale rich in character, atmosphere, intrigue and lavish storytelling. Malik, now twenty and finished his private school education, leaves to apprentice at the Facilities Office of the Jaipur Royal Palace. Their latest project: a state- of-the-art cinema. Malik soon finds that not much has changed as he navigates the Pink City of his childhood. Power and money still move seamlessly among the wealthy class, and favors flow from the palace, but only if certain secrets remain buried. When the cinema’s balcony tragically collapses on opening night, blame is placed where it is convenient. But Malik suspects something far darker and sets out to uncover the truth.

free-spirited companions, including Queen Victoria’s daughter Princess Louise, Margaret resolves to follow her heart. On a journey of self-discovery that will take her to Ireland, America, and then back to Britain, Lady Margaret must follow her internal compass and search for her place, and her own identity, in a changing society. Incorporating research into her heritage and drawing upon her own unique life journey and experiences, the Duchess pens a fictional account of the life of her great-great-aunt, Lady Margaret Montagu Douglas Scott. Rich in historical detail, Her Heart for a Compass offers a compelling look at Victorian England and the fascinating journey of a woman, born into the higher echelons of society, whose only desire is to follow her heart.

Released: 04/08/2021 TPB | 400pp AU $29.99 NZ $32.99 Imprint: HQ Fiction

Released: 28/07/2021 TPB | 352pp AU $29.99 NZ $29.99 Imprint: HQ Fiction

alkajoshi.com

F ICT ION

AUGUST 2 021 – NON - F ICT ION

In Plain Sight ROS S COU LTHAR T

The Ferals that Ate Australia GUY HU L L From the author of The Dogs that Made Australia Isolation was once the impenetrable barrier that protected Australia and its unique fauna. But a little over two hundred years ago a foreign power took possession and brought with it the foreign animals that now dominate the country’s ecosystem. They are the enemy within. Since that time, around 10 per cent of Australia’s endemic terrestrial mammalian species have become extinct. Today Australia is dealing with the damage caused by all hard-hoofed animals, domestic and feral. Yet the bigger feral story is the ravages of acclimatisation, caused as new settlers tried to make the colony more like their homeland and released the rabbit, the fox, the hare, feral cats, common mynas, starlings, sparrows, redfin perch, and the many other invasive species that have brought native Australia to its knees. In this book, Guy Hull details the history and toll of the numerous animal species that have contributed to the decimation of Australian species, their assault on land and agriculture, and the modern strategies that are – hopefully – reclaiming the country for our native fauna and its human population.

Award-winning investigative journalist Ross Coulthart has been intrigued by UFOs since mysterious glowing lights were reported near New Zealand’s Kaikoura mountains when he was a teenager. The 1978 sighting is just one of thousands since the 1940s, and yet research into UFOs is still seen as the realm of crackpots and conspiracy theorists. In 2020, however, after decades of denial, the US Department of Defense made the astonishing admission that strange aerial and underwater objects frequently reported and videoed by pilots and tracked by sensors are real, unexplained, and pose a genuine national security concern. Compelled to investigate, Coulthart has embarked on what’s become the most confronting and challenging story of his career, speaking to witnesses, researchers, scientists, spies and defence and intelligence officials and insiders. What he has found suggests that the world is on the cusp of extraordinary technological breakthroughs and cultural revelations. Bizarre, sometimes mind-blowing and utterly fascinating, In Plain Sight tells a story that’s largely escaped the radar of mainstream media coverage but has been there all along. Now it’s time to observe what’s in front of our eyes.

Released: 28/07/21 TPB | 352pp AU $34.99 NZ $36.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

Released: 18/08/21 TPB | 384pp AU $34.99 NZ $36.99 Imprint: ABC Books guyhulldogbehaviourist.com

rosscoulthart.com

NON - F ICT ION

Perversion of Justice: The Jeffrey Epstein Story J U L I E K . BROWN

For many years, billionaire Jeffrey Epstein’s penchant for teenage girls was an open secret in the high society of Palm Beach, Florida and Upper East Side, Manhattan. Charged in 2008 with soliciting prostitution from minors, Epstein was treated with unheard-of leniency, dictating the terms of his non-prosecution. The media virtually ignored the failures of the criminal justice system, and Epstein’s friends and business partners brushed the allegations aside. But when in 2017 the US attorney who approved Epstein’s plea deal, Alexander Acosta, was chosen by President Trump as Labor Secretary, reporter Julie K. Brown was compelled to ask questions. Despite her editor’s scepticism that she could add a new dimension to a known story, Brown determined that her goal would be to track down the victims themselves. Pouring over thousands of redacted court documents, travelling across the country and chasing down information in difficult and sometimes dangerous circumstances, Brown tracked down dozens of Epstein’s victims, now young women struggling to reclaim their lives after the trauma and shame they had endured. Brown’s resulting three-part series in the Miami Herald was one of the most explosive news stories of the decade, revealing how Epstein ran a global sex trafficking pyramid scheme with impunity for years, targeting vulnerable teens, often from fractured homes and then turning them into recruiters. The outrage led to Epstein’s arrest, the disappearance and eventual arrest of his closest accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, and the resignation of Acosta. Tracking Epstein’s evolution from a college dropout to one of the most successful financiers in the country – whose associates included Donald Trump, Prince Andrew, and Bill Clinton – Perversion of Justice builds on Brown’s original award-winning series, showing the power of truth, the value of local reportage and the tenacity of one woman in the face of the deep-seated corruption of powerful men.

Released: 28/07/21 TPB | 464pp AU $34.99 NZ $39.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

Great Australian Volunteer Firies Stories B I L L ‘ SWAMPY ’ MARSH

Released: 28/07/21 TPB | 352pp AU $32.99 NZ $35.00 Imprint: ABC Books

The devastating 2019 – 2020 Black Summer bushfires threw the importance of our volunteer firefighters into sharp focus. But these brave men and women don’t just step up to protect life and property in fires; they are also there to help in road accidents, plane crashes, natural disasters like cyclones and floods – and, yes, they even rescue pets that have got themselves into strife. In this collection of first-hand stories, ranging from the 1880s to 2020, our courageous volunteer firies take us right up to the frontlines and reveal the stark realities of the dangers they face to keep our communities safe. This book serves as a tribute to the thousands of volunteer firies across Australia who roll up their sleeves and selflessly put their lives on the line to assist their fellow human beings. Bill ‘Swampy’ Marsh is an award-winning writer/performer of stories, songs and plays. Based in Adelaide, he is best known for his successful Great Australian series of books published with ABC Books: More Great Australian Flying Doctor Stories (2007), Great Australian Railway Stories (2005), Great Australian Droving Stories (2003), Great Australian Shearing Stories (2001), and Great Australian Flying Doctor Stories (1999).

billswampymarsh.com

NON - F ICT ION

Steve Hansen: The Legacy GR EGOR PAU L

Between the years 2012 and 2019, Sir Steve Hansen oversaw an era of such remarkable success that it would be almost impossible to repeat. His 15-year career in the All Blacks coaching team is the heaviest footprint in rugby history. Of the 210 tests he was involved with, his team lost just 25 times. Of the 107 tests he served as head coach, Sir Steve accumulated a record four World Rugby Coach of the Year awards and orchestrated 93 victories – a winning percentage of 87 per cent, the highest of any All Blacks coach. Steve Hansen: The Legac y delves into the highs and the lows that earned the New Zealand rugby knight a place in the pantheon of world rugby coaching greats. Revealing and perceptive, the book uncovers how Hansen dealt with the immeasurable pressure of leading the world’s most famous rugby team; the tension created by being re-appointed specifically to win the Rugby World Cup; how he dealt with high-profile athletes and an exodus of New Zealand’s all-time greats; the endless tug-of-war between commercialism and high performance; the increasing influence of referees on the game; the power battle between the northern and southern hemispheres; the Achilles heel that contributed to the All Blacks’ 2019 Rugby World Cup loss; and how, during his career, he learnt to understand his weaknesses and use them to his advantage. Much more than a biography, in Steve Hansen: The Legacy , award-winning writer Gregor Paul tells the compelling story of the former policeman from Mosgiel, his quest for world rugby dominance and his journey to coaching greatness.

Released: 04/08/21 CHB | 368pp AU $45.00 NZ $49.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

AUGUST 2 021 – CHI LDREN’ S & YA

Half My Luck SAME R A K AMA L E DD I N E

Released: 28/07/21 PB | 272pp | Ages 12+ AU $17.99 NZ $19.99 Imprint: Angus & Robertson samerak.com

From the winner of the inaugural Matilda Prize comes a heartwarming coming- of-age story about growing up in Australia when you’re caught between two cultures. Layla Karimi has been cursed by the evil eye. Well, that’s what Layla’s superstitious grandmother tells her. And Layla reckons it makes sense as she’s sort of Australian and sort of Lebanese: a ‘halfie’ who doesn’t really fit into either world. And when all hell breaks loose at the first beach party of the summer, Layla finds herself caught between her friends and the Lebanese kids who call themselves ‘the Cedar Army’ (of which her cousin Sufia is the Queen Bee). One group has been wrongfully accused and Layla knows the truth that could help clear them. But will she speak up?

CH I LDR EN ’ S & YA

The Travelling Bookshop: Mim and the Baffling Bully K ATR I NA NANN E S TAD ( I L L . CH E RYL ORS I N I ) An enchanting series for young readers. The right book might just change your life. Mim Cohen roams the world in a travelling bookshop, with her dad and brother and a horse called Flossy. Flossy leads them where she will, to the place where they’re needed most ... the place where the perfect book will find its way home. Now Mim has arrived in a pretty Dutch village where she meets Willemina, a kind and gentle child, who is being bullied by a girl named Gerda. Mim knows they’re here to help Willemina. To change her life. To make her strong and brave and happy. If only Dad would find her the right book. If only he would stop giving everyone else the wrong book!

My Favourite Teachers B E CK & ROB I N F E I N E R

Teachers are all around us – it’s time to give them a gold star! School teachers teach us all kinds of interesting stuff – like maths and science, and how to read and write. And then there are the other teachers in our lives: our parents and grandparents, sisters and brothers, neighbours and friends. They teach us other things, in other ways, on other days. Our teachers are always giving us encouragement, stickers and stars. It’s time to put the spotlight on the teachers. Let’s give them some stars! Let’s give them some stickers! Who are your favourite teachers?

Released: 28/07/2021 HB | 32pp | Ages 4+ AU $19.99 NZ $24.99 Imprint: ABC Books

Released: 28/07/21 PB | 224pp | Ages 7+ AU $14.99 NZ $16.99 Imprint: ABC Books

robinfeiner.com.au

beckfeiner.myportfolio.com

cherylorsini.com

katrinanannestad.com

Gods & Monsters SH E L BY MAHU R I N

Hello World L I SA SHANAHAN ( I L L . L E I L A RUDGE )

Evil always seeks a foothold. We must not give it one. The electrifying conclusion to the New York Times and Indiebound bestselling Serpent & Dove series is perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Kendare Blake. Lou has spent her whole life running. Now, after a crushing blow from Morgane, the time has come to go home – and claim what is rightfully hers. But this is no longer the Lou her friends knew. No longer the Lou who captured a chasseur’s heart. A darkness has settled over her, and this time it will take more than love to drive it out. shelbymahurin.com

See the world through the eyes of a toddler. The sun is up and so is one gorgeous munchkin, ready to welcome the world! With a delicious rhyming text and scrumptious illustrations, here is a joyous celebration of all the small wonders waiting to be discovered, in a single ordinary day.

Released: 28/07/2021 HB | 24pp | Ages 0-2 AU $19.99 NZ $24.99 Imprint: ABC Books

Released: 28/07/2021 PB | 624pp | Ages 14+ AU $19.99 NZ $22.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

lisashanahan.com

leilarudge.com

CH I LDR EN ’ S & YA