Media Bites October 2023_

OCTOBER 2023 – FICTION

Lola In the Mirror TRENT DALTON ‘Mirror, mirror, on the grass, what’s my future? What’s my past?’ A girl and her mother are on the lam. They’ve been running for sixteen years, from police and the monster they left in the kitchen with the knife in his throat. They’ve found themselves a home inside an orange 1987 Toyota HiAce van with four flat tyres parked in a scrapyard by the edge of the Brisbane River – just two of the 100,000 Australians sleeping rough every night. The girl has no name because names are dangerous when you’re on the run. But the girl has a dream. Visions in black ink and living colour. A vision of a life as a groundbreaking artist of international

After the Forest KELL WOODS

www.harpercollins.com.au

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Ginger. Honey. Cinnamon. Flour. A drop of blood to bind its power. 1650: The Black Forest, Wurttemberg. Fifteen years after the witch in the gingerbread house, Greta and Hans are struggling to get by. Their mother and stepmother are long dead, Hans is deeply in debt from gambling, and the countryside lies in ruin, its people recovering in the aftermath of a brutal war. Greta has a secret, though: the witch’s grimoire, secreted away and whispering in her ear, and the recipe inside that makes the most sinfully delicious – and addictive - gingerbread. As long as she can bake,

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Trent Dalton LOLA IN THE MIRROR

Kell Woods AFTER THE FOREST

Trent Dalton is the author of Boy Swallows Universe (HarperCollins 2018), the critically acclaimed international and national bestseller and winner of the 2019 Indie Book of the Year Award, the MUD Literary Prize, and the UTS Glenda Adams Award for New Writing and People’s Choice Award at the 2019 NSW Premier’s Literary Awards. At the 2019 Australian Book Industry Awards, the novel won a record four awards, including the prestigious Book of the Year Award. Trent is also a two-time winner of a Walkley Award for Excellence in Journalism, a four-time winner of a Kennedy Award for Excellence in NSW Journalism and a four-time winner of the national News Awards Features Journalist of the Year.

Kell Woods is an Australian historical fantasy author. She lives near the sea with her husband, two sons, and the most beautiful black cat in the realm.Kell studied English Literature, creative writing and librarianship, so she could always be surrounded by stories. She has worked in libraries for the past twelve years, all the while writing about made-up (and not so made-up) places, people and things you might remember from the fairy tales you read as a child.

Greta can keep her small family afloat. But in a village full of superstition, Greta and her intoxicating gingerbread is a source of ever-growing suspicion and vicious gossip. And now, dark magic is returning to the woods and Greta’s own powers - magic she is still trying to understand – may be the only thing that can save her... If it doesn’t kill her first. Released: 04/10/23 TPB | 384pp AU $32.99 NZ $36.99 Imprint: Voyager www.kellwoods.com.au

acclaim. A life outside the grip of the Brisbane underworld drug queen ‘Lady’ Flora Box. A life of love with the boy in the brown suit who’s waiting for her in the middle of the bridge that stretches across a flooding and deadly river. A life far beyond the bullet that has her name on it. And now that the storm clouds are rising, there’s only one person who can help make her dreams come true. That person’s name is Lola and she carries all the answers. But to find Lola, the girl with no name must first do one of the hardest things we can sometimes ever do. She must look in the mirror. A big, moving, blackly funny, violent, heartbreaking and beautiful novel of love, fate, life and death and all the things we see when we look in the mirror. All of the past, all of the present, and all of our possible futures. ‘Mirror, mirror, please don’t lie. Tell me who you are. Tell me, who am I?’ Released: 04/10/23 TPB | 448pp

Tricia Stringer is the bestselling and multiple award-winning author of sixteen novels, including six contemporary novels focusing on close knit Australian communities, seven rural romances and three historical sagas set in the nineteenth-century Flinders Ranges. Tricia grew up on a farm and now lives on the traditional lands of the Narungga people on the Copper Coast. She shares her passion for the country and its people through her books. Tricia Stringer BACK ON TRACK

Richard Glover has written a number of bestselling books, including Love, Clancy, The Land Before Avocado, Flesh Wounds and The Mud House. He writes regularly for the Sydney Morning Herald and The Washington Post, as well as presenting the comedy program Thank God It's Friday on ABC Local Radio. To find out more, visit www.richardglover.com.au Richard Glover BEST WISHES

AU $32.99 NZ $36.99 Imprint: Fourth Estate

FICTION

The Royal Windsor Secret CHRISTINE WELLS

Traitors Gate JEFFREY ARCHER

Wreck the Halls TESSA BAILEY

Could she be the secret daughter of the Prince of Wales In this dazzling novel by the author of Sisters of the Resistance , a young woman seeks to discover the truth about her mysterious past. Perfect for readers of Shana Abe, Bryn Turnbull, and Marie Benedict. Cleo Davenport has heard the whispers: the murmured conversations that end abruptly the second she walks into a room. Told she was an orphan, she knows the rumor – that her father is none other than the Prince of Wales, heir to the British throne. And at her childhood home at Cairo’s Shepheard’s Hotel, where royals, rulers, and the wealthy live, they even called her “The Princess.” But her life is turned upside down when she turns seventeen. Sent to London under the chaperonage of her very proper aunt, she’s told it’s time to learn manners and make her debut. But Cleo’s life can’t be confined to a ballroom. She longs for independence and a career as a jewelry designer for Cartier, but she cannot move forward until she finds out about her past. Determined to unlock the truth, Cleo travels from London, back to Cairo, and then Paris, where her investigations take a shocking turn into the world of the Parisian demi-monde, and a high-class courtesan whose scandalous affair with the young Prince of Wales threatened to bring down the British monarchy long before anyone had heard of Wallis Simpson.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey delivers a sexy, hilarious standalone holiday rom-com about the adult children of two former rock stars who team up to convince their estranged mothers to play a Christmas Eve concert... Melody Gallard may be the daughter of music royalty, but her world is far from glamorous. She spends her days restoring old books and avoiding the limelight (one awkward tabloid photo was enough, thanks). But when a producer offers her a lot of money to reunite her mother’s band on live tv, Mel begins to wonder if it’s time to rattle the cage, shake up her quiet life... and see him again. The only

24 hours to stop the crime of the century The race against time is about to begin…

THE TOWER OF LONDON… Impenetrable. Well protected.

Secure. Home to the most valuable jewels on earth. But once a year, the Metropolitan Police must execute the most secret operation in their armoury when they transport the Crown Jewels across London. SCOTLAND YARD… For four years, Chief Superindendent William Warwick – together with his second-in-command Inspector Ross Hogan – has been in charge of the operation. And for four years it’s run

christine-wells.com

Released: 04/10/23 TPB | 352pp AU $32.99 NZ $35.00 Imprint: HarperCollins

other person who could wrangle the rock and roll divas. Beat Dawkins, the lead singer’s son, is Melody’s opposite – the camera loves him, he could charm the pants off anyone, and his mom is not a potential cult leader. Still, they might have been best friends if not for the legendary feud that broke up the band. When they met as teenagers, Mel felt an instant spark, but it’s nothing compared to the wild, intense attraction that builds as they embark on a madcap mission to convince their mothers to perform one last show. While dealing with rock star shenanigans, a 24-hour film crew, brawling Santas, and mobs of adoring fans, Mel starts to step out of her comfort zone. With Beat by her side, cheering her on, she’s never felt so understood. But Christmas Eve is fast approaching, and a decades-old scandal is poised to wreck everything – the Steel Birds reunion, their relationships with their mothers, and their newfound love. Released: 04/10/23 B+P | 368pp AU $22.99 NZ $25.00 Imprint: Avon Books www.tessabailey.com

like clockwork. THE HEIST…

Hercule Poirot’s Silent Night: The New Hercule Poirot Mystery

AGATHA CHRISTIE & SOPHIE HANNAH

But this year, everything is about to change. Because master criminal Miles Faulkner has set his heart on pulling off the most outrageous theft in history – and with a man on the inside, the odds are in his favour. Unless Warwick and Hogan can stop him before it’s too late… An unputdownable new thriller from the master storyteller. Released: 04/10/23 CHB | 384pp www.jeffreyarcher.com

The world’s greatest detective, Hercule Poirot – legendary star of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express , Death on the Nile and A Haunting in Venice – puts his little grey cells to work solving a baffling Christmas mystery. CAN HERCULE POIROT SOLVE A BAFFLING MURDER MYSTERY IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS? It’s 19 December 1931. Hercule Poirot and Inspector Edward Catchpool are called to investigate the murder of a man in the apparent safe haven of a Norfolk hospital ward. Catchpool’s mother, the irrepressible Cynthia, insists that Poirot stays in a crumbling mansion by the coast, so that they can all be together for the festive period while Poirot solves the case. Cynthia’s friend Arnold is soon to be admitted to that same hospital and his wife is convinced he will be the killer’s next victim, though she refuses to explain why. Poirot has less than a week to solve the crime and prevent more murders, if he is to escape from this nightmare scenario and get home in time for Christmas. Meanwhile, someone else – someone utterly ruthless – also has ideas about what ought to happen to Hercule Poirot . . .

AU $39.99 NZ $45.00 Imprint: HarperCollins

www.agathachristie.com

Released: 04/10/23 TPB | 384pp AU $32.99 NZ $35.00 Imprint: HarperCollins

FICTION

FICTION

Dark Ride LOU BERNEY Sometimes the person you least expect is just the hero you need. Twenty-one-year-old Hardy “Hardly” Reed – good-natured, easygoing, usually stoned – is drifting through life. A minimum-wage scare actor at an amusement park, he avoids unnecessary effort and unrealistic ambitions. Then one day he notices two children, around six or seven, sitting all alone on a bench. Hardly checks if they’re okay and sees injuries on both children. Someone is hurting these kids. He reports the incident to Child Protective Service. That should be the end of it. After all, Hardly’s not even good at looking out for himself so the last thing he wants to do is look

A Holly Jolly Ever After JULIE MURPHY & SIERRA SIMONE “Saints love to hate sinners, and sinners love knowing that the saints are all secretly sinning too.” Kallum Lieberman is an ex-boyband member now known exclusively for hooking up with bridesmaids at weddings. He’s even considered a lucky charm: he’s such a fail-safe one-before you-find-the-one that people have started seeking him out. Winnie Baker’s reputation is the exact opposite: she married her childhood

Sun of Blood and Ruin MARIELY LARES Mexican history and Mesoamerican mythology meet in this thrilling historical fantasy with magic, intrigue, treachery, romance, and adventure. The empire of Montezuma II has long fallen, a city raised on the bones of Tenochtitlan. None dare whisper the names of their gods- or speak of the magic that once graced the land, of the witches who hunted as jaguars, the warriors who soared as eagles. Until a new name emerges- a curse on the lips of the Spanish, a hero in the hearts of the people. A masked vigilante, a sorceress with a blade. Pantera

Back on Track TRICIA STRINGER

Ketty Clift’s couture dressmaking business is thriving but the same can’t be said for her staff. Lately, cracks have appeared in the team’s harmony, testing relationships and causing issues with customers. Worse, the rumour that Ketty has lost her touch is circulating. So when Ketty’s old friend Carlos suggests a holiday by train - on the iconic Ghan, no less - Ketty decides to take her surprised staff with her in the hope of fixing what ails them. But it’s not turning out to be the cure all Ketty had hoped for. Her protective second-in-command, Judith, doubts Carlos’s intentions and sows suspicion

sweetheart and became a star of many popular – although very

reserved – Hope Channel movies, while still avoiding the downfalls of adolescent fame.

But that is not her only name. To all who know her, Leonora de Las Casas Tlazohtzin is a glittering jewel of court, promised to the heir of the Spanish throne. The respectable Lady Leonora faints at the sight of blood and would sooner be caught dead than wield a sword… even against a dauntless thief with a cutting smile. No one suspects that Leonora and Pantera are one and the same. Leonora has fooled them all, and, with magic of her ancestors running through her veins, she is nearly invincible- until an ancient prophecy of destruction threatens, and she is forced to decide: surrender the mask or her life. But the legendary Pantera is destined for more than an early grave, and once she discovers the truth of her origins, not even death will stop her. Released: 04/10/23 TPB | 384pp AU $32.99 NZ $35.00 Imprint: Voyager

out for anyone else. But he’s haunted by the two kids, his heart breaking for them. And the more research he does the less he trusts that Child Protective Services – understaffed and overworked – will do anything about it. That leaves… Hardly. He is probably the last person you’d ever want to count on. But those two kids have nobody else but him. Hardly has to do what’s right and help them. Gradually, with assistance from unexpected allies, he develops investigative skills and discovers he’s smarter and more capable than he ever imagined. But Hardly also discovers that the situation is more dangerous than he ever expected. The abusive father who has been hurting these children isn’t just a lawyer – he also runs a violent drug-dealing operation. The mother claims she wants to escape with the kids – but Hardly isn’t sure he can trust her. Faced with a different version of himself than he has ever known, Hardly refuses to give up. But his commitment to saving these kids from further harm might end up getting the kids, and Hardly himself, killed.

in Ketty’s mind. Her younger staff members, Birgit and Lacey, are beset by relationship disasters and financial worries, whereas invaluable employee Ning is under pressure from her family to retire, and seamstress Tien is terrified of everything outside her comfort zone - especially the outback. Each new stop on the way, and the surprising behaviour of some of the other passengers, affects the group and reveals something more about each of them. As the train pulls deeper into the mesmerising outback, matters seem set to come to a disturbing crescendo.

Except neither of them want these lives anymore. And what better way to change their reputations and bring them both back into the spotlight than to star in a steamier-than-steamy Christmas movie, filming in none other than Christmas Notch, the cute, cosy town where it’s Christmas everyday? But Winnie can’t act a pleasure on screen she’s never experienced in real life. When she decides some pleasure ‘research’ – purely for science and artistic authenticity, of course – is the only course of action, she realises there’s no better research partner than every bridesmaid’s favourite, Kallum himself. But suddenly Kallum’s teenage crush on Winnie is bubbling to the surface, and he’s struggling to keep this ‘research’ purely professional… They say opposites attract, but is this holly jolly ever after really ready for its close-up? Released: 04/10/23 BPB | 400pp www.imjuliemurphy.com

Ketty must sidestep the drama, reunite her troubled workers and save her business and relationships. But will her transformative magic work to bring them all back on track?

www.louberney.com

Released: 04/10/23 TPB | 256pp AU $32.99 NZ $34.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

AU $22.99 NZ $25.00 Imprint: HarperCollins

triciastringer.com.au

Released: 04/10/2023 BPB |464pp AU $32.99 NZ $34.99 Imprint: HQ

www.thesierrasimone.com

FICTION

FICTION

OCTOBER 2022 – NON-FICTION OCTOBER 2023

Gum Tree Gully MANDY MAGRO Bestselling Australian romance author Mandy Magro tells a heartwarming story of homecoming and love against all the odds ... Would you give up everything for love? Samantha Evans may have been born and bred in the country, but over the years she has adapted to, and loves, her big city life in London. She’s reached heights of success in her business that she’d never dreamed of achieving back in Australia. When her best friend’s wedding forces her to return to her beautiful Queensland hometown of Gum Tree Gully, fate reminds Sammie about everything, and everyone, she left behind, including her childhood sweetheart, Connor Stone. Now a handsome and kind cattle farmer, he harbours a tragic secret he can’t share with anyone. That is, until Sammie comes back to town. Samantha soon learns her country blood runs much deeper than she allowed herself to believe, so too does the intense feelings she’s carried for Connor all these years. But her life is overseas now, while his is in Gum Tree Gully. Living on opposite sides of the world, with oceans and long-held secrets standing between them, is there any hope for their love to prevail? Released: 04/10/23 TPB | 320pp AU $32.99 NZ $34.99 Imprint: HQ mandymagro.com

Best Wishes RICHARD GLOVER Making the world a better, less annoying place one wish at a time. ‘Glover asks life’s big questions and helps us celebrate the simple joys - bin night, tax receipts that don’t fade and the secret thrill of high-pressure hosing’ Lisa Millar, broadcaster ‘There is an eternal hopefulness in all this man does. I only wish more of his wishes were granted’ Tommy Dean, comedian and regular guest on Thank God It’s Friday Do you hate gambling ads, pre-ripped jeans and pedestrians who walk five abreast? Do you also have a problem with plastic-wrapped fruit, climate-change deniers and take-away sandwiches priced at $14.95? And, most of all, do you think the world would be a better place if people got back their sense of humour? Here’s proof you are not alone. Heartfelt and hilarious, serious but sly, Best Wishes is the Encyclopedia of ‘Can Do Better’. It’s a plea for a better world - one wish at a time. Even More Basics to Brilliance Donna Hay, Australia’s most trusted and bestselling cookbook author, returns with a follow up to her much-loved bestselling classic, Basics to Brilliance . When Donna Hay first launched her visually-stunning hardcover book Basics to Brilliance in 2016, she had no idea its pages would become home to some of her (and the country’s!) most cherished cult recipes, including that failproof fall-apart slow cooked beef brisket and the most addictive molten choc-chunk brownies. In Even More Basics to Brilliance , you’ll find many more of those much-loved foundation recipes everyone needs in their cooking repertoire, with simple flavour switch-ups and shortcuts to take you from basics to brilliance in the kitchen, including simple and nourishing base stock for ramen (hello, bowls of umami), the tastiest oven-roasted tomato sauce (say goodbye to stirring at the stove-top!) and the easiest, serve-with-everything yoghurt flatbreads, not to mention the fluffiest foolproof carrot cake and a show-stopping Basque cheesecake. Each recipe is followed by clever variations and flavour shortcuts to make them even easier to master, while giving home cooks the confidence to elevate their cooking to delicious new heights. And in true Donna style, there are plenty of clever change-ups along the way! DONNA HAY Released: 04/10/23 NSH | 272pp AU $55.00 NZ $60.00 Imprint: Fourth Estate www.donnahay.com.au

www.richardglover.com.au

Released: 04/10/23 TPB | 288pp AU $34.99 NZ $39.99 Imprint: ABC Books

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NON-FICTION

The House That Joy Built An uplifting, powerful and inspiring book about breaking through fear and finding joy through creativity, from bestselling author, Holly Ringland. The House that Joy Built is about how to give ourselves permission to be creative. It explores two big forces: the fear that can block our creativity, and the permission we can meet that fear with - to not just create, but to revel in the life-changing wonder and joy of doing so. It offers a jump-start for the nervous heart of anyone whose desire to create is overruled by fear. It is a book for those people who yearn to write, as well as people who find their creativity elsewhere: gardeners, carpenters, sculptors, jewellery-makers, florists, songwriters, dancers, cooks, painters... anyone who wants to make something but doesn’t because they’re afraid. Afraid of feeling vulnerable, of criticism and judgement from others, of not being good enough, of not having enough, of having ‘bad’ ideas, of being too much. It is for everyone who has ever felt stuck creatively, for those who don’t know how to begin, for those who feel they have so much welling up inside and are just trying to find a way into themselves. This book is an openhearted clarion call to experience the joy and freedom of creating. HOLLY RINGLAND

Worthy A gripping, painfully honest, and ultimately inspirational memoir from global superstar and creator of the Red Table Talk series Jada Pinkett Smith. In a media driven landscape that crafts narratives for our celebrities, Smith recounts her story in an intimate conversation with readers. Along the way, she explores her path to accepting her power as a woman, and her discovery that a strong sense of self is every woman’s right and saving grace. An impactful and rare memoir that engages and educates, Worthy is a courageous love song to self, to family, to life, and to the world. From an unconventional upbringing in Baltimore, to an unconventional marriage to one of the most famous men in the world, adhering to the status quo has never been a familiar road for Jada Pinkett Smith. In Worthy , Smith strips herself of all the labels and stories crafted by others, and reclaims her narrative with radical self-love. Worthy teaches us who Jada is, and how to embrace our most authentic loveable souls. JADA PINKETT-SMITH

Released: 18/10/23 TPB | 304pp AU $34.99 NZ $37.99 Imprint: Fourth Estate

hollyringland.com

Released: 18/10/23 NSH | 128pp AU $29.99 NZ $32.99 Imprint: Fourth Estate

Conflict: The Evolution of Warfare From 1945 to Ukraine DAVID PETRAEUS & ANDREW ROBERTS

Australia’s Most Infamous Jail: Inside the walls of Pentridge Prison JAMES PHELPS THE NEW BOOK FROM AUSTRALIA’S BESTSELLING TRUE CRIME AUTHOR In a long-awaited return to his best-selling prison series, James Phelps will lift the lid on Australia’s most infamous prison - HM Prison Pentridge, the former home of Mark ‘Chopper’ Reed and Ned Kelly. From Jika Jika to the execution of Ronald Ryan, the last man executed in Australia, Phelps recreates the history of one of Australia’s most infamous institutions in his critically acclaimed page-turning style featuring never before published interviews with some of Pentridge’s most infamous inmates.

Conflict is both a sweeping history of the evolution of warfare up to Putin’s invasion of the Ukraine, and a penetrating analysis of what we must learn from the past – and anticipate in the future – in order to navigate an increasingly perilous world. In this deep and incisive study, General David Petraeus, who commanded the US-led coalitions in both Iraq and Afghanistan and former CIA director, and the prize-winning historian Andrew Roberts, explore over 70 years of conflict, drawing significant lessons and insights from their fresh analysis of the past. Drawing on their different perspectives and areas of expertise, Petraeus and Roberts show how often critical mistakes have been repeated time and again, and the challenge, for statesmen and generals alike, of learning to adapt to various new weapon systems, theories and strategies. Among the conflicts examined are the Arab-Israeli wars, the Korean and Vietnam Wars, the two Gulf Wars, the Balkan wars in the former Yugoslavia, and both the Soviet and Coalition wars in Afghanistan, as well as guerrilla conflicts in Africa and South America. Conflict culminates with a bracing look at Putin’s disastrous invasion of Ukraine, yet another case study in the tragic results when leaders refuse to learn from history, and an assessment of the nature of future warfare. Filled with sharp insight and the wisdom of experience, Conflict is not only a critical assessment of our recent past, but also an essential primer of modern warfare that provides crucial knowledge for waging battle today as well as for understanding what the decades ahead will bring.

Released: 04/10/23 TPB | 320pp AU $34.99 NZ $39.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

Released: 18/10/23 TPB | 544pp AU $37.99 NZ $39.99 Imprint: William Collins

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Amy Winehouse: In Her Words

Down the Drain Julia Fox is famous for many things: her captivating acting, such as her breakout role in the film Uncut Gems ; her trendsetting style, including bleached eyebrows, exaggerated eyeshadow and cutout dresses; her mastery of social media. But all these share the trait for which she is most famous: unabashedly and unapologetically being herself. This commitment to authenticity has never been more on display than in Down the Drain . Fox recounts her turbulent path to cultural supremacy: her parents’ volatile relationship that divided her childhood between Italy and New York City and left her largely raising herself; a possessive and abusive drug-dealing boyfriend whose torment continued JULIA FOX

Smart Sex Host of the #1 podcast Sex with Emily, sex educator and expert in human sexuality, Dr Emily Morse offers a ground breaking new guide to sex and pleasure. Unlock the best sex of your life in this liberating and empowering guide from sex educator and human sexuality expert, and host of the top podcast, Sex with Emily. DR EMILY MORSE

THE AMY WINEHOUSE FOUNDATION

Global icon Six-time Grammy winner Headline-maker The most talented recording artist of her generation Much has been said about Amy Winehouse since her tragic death aged just 27. But who was the real Amy? Amy Winehouse: In Her Words shines a spotlight on her incredible writing talent, her wit, her charm and lust for life. Bringing together Amy’s own

In this revolutionary book, Dr. Emily Morse argues powerfully that we need to start prioritising pleasure in our lives and that sex is integral to our self-care. Smart Sex introduces a ground-breaking framework that will change the way you think about sex and pleasure, helping you discover:

•A new sexual intelligence that will allow you to connect deeply with your body, your desires, and understand the psychological and physical blocks that stop you from experiencing pleasure •New techniques to communicate your needs with your partner •The truth and science behind pleasure including how to start having more plentiful, powerful, and satisfying orgasms •Everything you need to know to be a good lover, from collaboration to technique (Hint: it’s not what you think.)

never-before-seen journals, handwritten lyrics and family photographs together for the first time, this intimate tribute traces her creative evolution from growing up in North London to global superstardom, and provides a rare insight into the girl who became a legend. The Estate of Amy Winehouse will donate 100% of the advance and royalties it receives (net of agency fees charged) from the production and sale of this book to The Amy Winehouse Foundation (registered charity number 1143740). The minimum donation will be £70,000. These funds will assist the charity in continuing their vital work helping thousands of young people to feel supported in managing their emotional wellbeing and making informed life choices. Initiatives include Amy’s Place, which provides addiction recovery housing for young women; resilience-building programmes in schools and music therapy programmes supporting children with special educational needs and life-limiting conditions. More information can be found at https:// amywinehousefoundation.org.

Drawing from science, research, and lived experience, Smart Sex will help you radically improve your sex life, your confidence, and your relationships. This is a liberating guide to finally experiencing the best sex of your life.

even from within Rikers Island; her own trips to jail as well as to a psychiatric hospital; her work as a dominatrix that led to a complicated entanglement with a sugar daddy; a heroin habit that led to New Orleans trap houses and that she would kick only after the fatal overdose of her best friend; her own near-lethal overdoses and the deaths of still more friends from drugs and suicide; an emotionally explosive, tabloid-dominating romance with a figure she dubs “The Artist”; a whirlwind, short-lived marriage and her trials as a single parent striving to support her young son. Yet as extraordinary as her story is, its universality is what makes it so powerful. Fox doesn’t just capture her evolution from grade-school outcast to fashion-world icon, she captures her transition from girlhood to womanhood to motherhood. Family and friendship, sex and death, violence and love, money and power, innocence and experience – it’s all here, in raw, remarkable and riveting detail. More than a year before the book’s publication, Fox’s description of it as “a masterpiece” in a red carpet interview went viral. As always, she was just being honest. Down the Drain is a true literary achievement, as one-of-a-kind as its author.

Released: 04/10/23 TPB | 304pp AU $34.99 NZ $39.99 Imprint: HQ

Released: 04/10/23 NSH | 288pp AU $52.99 NZ $60.00 Imprint: HarperCollins

Released: 18/10/23 TPB | 256pp AU $34.99 NZ $37.99 Imprint: Fourth Estate

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OCTOBER 2023 – CHILDREN’S & YA Giinagay Gaagal, Hello Ocean

The Turtle and the Flood

A Multitude of Dreams

Finding Bear

MELISSA GREENWOOD

MARA RUTHERFORD

HANNAH GOLD & LEVI PINFOLD

JACKIE FRENCH AND DANNY SNELL

April Wood has returned home from her adventure on Bear Island. But, over a year later, she can’t stop thinking about Bear. When April hears that a polar bear has been shot and injured in Svalbard, she’s convinced it’s her friend and persuades her dad to travel with her to the northernmost reaches of the Arctic. So begins an unforgettable journey across frozen tundra and icy glaciers. But along the way, she discovers much more than she bargained for - a tiny polar bear cub, desperately in need of her help. In freezing temperatures, April must navigate the dangerous Arctic terrain and face her deepest fears if she’s to save him. Beautifully illustrated by Levi Pinfold, Finding Bear is a stunning story of survival and a heartwarming tale of love that shows us how hope is born from the smallest of beginnings.

The bloody plague is finally past, but what fresh horror lies in its wake? Princess Imogen of Goslind has lived a sheltered life for three years at the boarded-up castle — she and the rest of its inhabitants safe from the bloody mori roja plague that’s ravaged the kingdom. But Princess Imogen has a secret, and as King Stuart descends further into madness, it’s at great risk of being revealed. Rations dwindle each day, and unhappy murmurings threaten to crack the facade of the years-long charade being played within the castle walls. Nico Mott once enjoyed a comfortable life of status, but the plague took everyone and everything from him. If not for the generosity of a nearby lord, Nico may not have survived the mori roja’s aftermath. But does owing Lord Crane his life mean he owes him his silence? When Lord Crane sends Nico to search for more plague survivors in the castle, Nico collides with a princess who

Gaagal (ocean) is our special place, we love to swim in the waves. We’ll catch some yamaarr (fish), eat, dance and play games.

A companion title to the best-selling The Fire Wombat, this is the story of Myrtle, a small turtle who, by heading uphill, tells the other animals that a flood is coming. Myrtle the turtle knows everything about the waterhole where she lives in the creek. She can also sense the giant flood that is coming, long before other animals or humans. And when Myrtle begins her long, slow climb up the mountain to safety, who will follow her? From the award-winning duo of The Fire Wombat, Jackie French and Danny Snell have now created a fascinating and beautifully illustrated story about Myrtle, a Common Long- necked Turtle; reptiles that can predict the weather very accurately.

An ode to joyful days spent by the ocean, from Gumbaynggirr artist Melissa Greenwood, the creator of the heart-stirring picture books Miimi Marraal, Mother Earth and My Little Barlaagany (Sunshine).

Released: 04/10/22 NSH| 352pp AU $19.99 NZ $21.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

Released: 04/10/2023 BPB| 336pp AU $19.99 NZ $19.99 Imprint: HQ

Released: 04/10/23 NSH | 320 pp AU $22.99 NZ $24.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

Released: 2/8/23 NSP | 64 pp

AU $11.99 NZ $13.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

wants to break out. They will each have to navigate the web of lies they’ve woven if they’re going to survive the nightmares ahead.

Kip of the Mountain EMMA GOURLAY

The Elf on the Shelf’s Night Before Christmas CHANDA A. BELL

The children are nestled, the stockings hung. Elf is ready to say goodbye to his family for the year, when this perfect Christmas Eve scene becomes a twisty, tangled calamitous sight! Join Scout Elf in this playful retelling of the beloved Christmas classic, with charming illustrations that capture the magic of the festive season. Can Santa and his Christmas magic save The Night Before Christmas? From the global phenomenon, The Elf on the Shelf, tap into the magic of believing and the love of tradition at Christmas.

Kip Boowitt wants a best friend. So when she rescues a tiny creature that looks like a kitten but isn’t a kitten, she loves him with all her heart. Kip names him Buffel, and he really listens when she talks. He’s there when her dad is too busy to notice her, and he’s there when the kids at school are being mean. He’s there when Kip feels all alone. So when Buffel is kidnapped, there is only one thing to do - take a slow ride on a fast motorbike, sail across the ocean, and take back what belongs to Kip. But will Buffel want to leave? An action-packed fantasy adventure full of heart, from debut author Emma Gourlay!

Released: 04/10/2023 NSH| 32pp AU $19.99 NZ $21.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

Released: 04/10/2023 NSH| 288pp AU $19.99 NZ $21.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

CHILDREN’S

CHILDREN’S

Little Ash: Sports Carnival! JASMIN MCGAUGHEY & JADE GOODWIN Australian tennis superstar Ash Barty teams up with Jasmin McGaughey and Jade Goodwin to bring young readers this fun and exciting new illustrated series about school, sport, friendship and family. Ash LOVES tennis. So when it’s the school sports carnival, Ash wishes she was playing tennis instead. Will Ash find her school spirit and help her team win the day?

Ruby Red Shoes Goes to Paris - 10th Anniversay Edition A special new edition to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the much-loved Ruby Red Shoes Goes to Paris. Ruby Red Shoes and her grandmother are on holiday in Paris! Ruby is fizzing with excitement; her smart red shoes are aflutter as she explores cafes and markets dotted along cobblestone streets. Ruby practises her French, eats buttered baguettes, and beetles around on a scooter with a special new friend who shows her the sights. It is a time she will treasure forever. KATE KNAPP

Little Ash: Puppy Playtime! JASMIN MCGAUGHEY & JADE GOODWIN Australian tennis superstar Ash Barty teams up with Jasmin McGaughey and Jade Goodwin to bring young readers this fun and exciting new illustrated series about school, sport, friendship and family. Ash is so excited to get a NEW PUPPY! He is full of energy and ready to play, but every game Ash chooses ends in disaster! Whatever will Ash do?

Every Exquisite Thing

LAURA STEVEN

Penny Paxton is the daughter of an icon. Her supermodel mother has legions of adoring fans around the world, and Penny is ready to begin her journey to international adoration, starting with

joining the elite Dorian Drama School. When Penny’s new mentor offers her an

opportunity she cannot refuse, to have a portrait painted by a mysterious artist who can grant immortal beauty to all his subjects, Penny happily follows in the footsteps of Dorian’s most glittering alumni, knowing that stardom is sure to soon be hers. But when her trusted mentor is found murdered, Penny realises she’s made a terrible mistake - a sinister someone is using the uncanny portraits to kill off the subjects one by one. As more perfectly beautiful students start to fall, Penny knows her time is running out . . .

Released: 04/10/22 BPB| 352pp AU $19.99 NZ $21.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

Released: 04/10/23 BPB | 64 pp AU $9.99 NZ $11.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

Released: 04/10/23 BPB | 64 pp AU $9.99 NZ $11.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

Released: 04/10/23 NSH | 48pp AU $24.99 NZ $26.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

The Boy Who Slept Through Christmas MATT LUCAS “Nearly as good as one of my books” David Walliams Leo LOVES Christmas.

The Memory Thief LAUREN MANSEY In the city of Craewick, memories reign. The power-obsessed ruler of the city, Madame, has cultivated a society in which memories are currency, citizens are divided by ability, and Gifted individuals can take memories from others through touch as they please. Seventeen-year-old Etta Lark is desperate to live outside of the corrupt culture, but she grapples with the guilt of an accident that has left her mother bedridden in the city’s asylum. When Madame threatens to put her mother up for auction, a Craewick practice in which a “criminal’s” memories are sold to the highest bidder before being killed, Etta will do whatever it takes to save her. Even if it means rejoining the Shadows, the rebel group she swore off in the wake of the accident years earlier. To rescue her mother, Etta must prove her allegiance to the Shadows by stealing a memorized map of the Maze, a formidable prison created by the bloodthirsty ruler of a neighboring Realm. Etta faces startling attacks, unexpected romance, and, above all, her own past as she uncovers a conspiracy that challenges everything she knew about herself and the world around her.

And this Christmas needs to be absolutely perfect, because it’s the first one without Mum. Only it all keeps going wrong! The fairylights are in a tangle, the tree’s wonky and the Christmas biscuits taste AWFUL. Soon Leo decides he’s had enough - he makes a heartfelt wish that it would all GO AWAY. Then Leo wakes up on Christmas morning - and it’s gone!! All of Christmas! But Leo isn’t going to let it get away that easily. With the help of his best friends, Prisha and Ivan, he sets out on a mission to undo his wish and get Christmas back. This is Home Alone meets The Christmas Carol in a hilarious adventure with a big dollop of festive magic. Funny, sensitive and emotional in all the best ways - this warm and seasonal family story touches ever so gently on childhood grief but is wrapped up in a chaotic and heartwarming adventure. Listen to over 20 original songs, written and recorded by Matt to accompany the story, bringing the joy of a musical to book form!

Released: 04/10/2023 NSP| 320pp AU $19.99 NZ $21.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

Released: 04/10/2023 BPB| 288pp AU $16.99 NZ $18.99 Imprint: HarperCollins

CHILDREN’S

CHILDREN’S

Murder on a School Night KATE WESTON Fiercely funny, feminist and FUN! I bloody loved it - M.A. KUZNIAR There’s never a good time to find a dead body. But finding a dead body while you’re trying to kiss your crush? Dead awkward. All Kerry wants to do is stay at home with her rom-coms and strict retainer schedule. Instead, her BFF Annie has roped her into going to their first sixth-form party to investigate who’s cyberbullying Heather, the most popular girl in school. On the cusp of kissing her dreamy crush, Scott, Kerry discovers the body of Heather’s second in command - suffocated with a menstrual cup. Within days, another student turns up dead, this time with a sanitary pad across the eyes. Now Annie and Kerry are officially on the case to stop the menstrual murderer . . . period.

Released: 05/07/23 NSH | 320pp AU $19.99 NZ $19.99 Imprint:HarperCollins

The Scarlet Veil SHELBY MAHURIN

Six months have passed since Célie took her sacred vows and joined the ranks of the Chasseurs as their first huntswoman. With her fiancé, Jean Luc, as captain, she is determined to find her foothold in her new role and help protect Belterra. But whispers from her past still haunt her, and a new evil is rising—one that Célie herself must vanquish, unless she falls prey to the darkness.

Released: 04/10/23 BPB | 640pp AU $19.99 NZ $19.99 Imprint:HarperCollins

CHILDREN’S