FICTION

It Should Have Been YouThey came for you. But they got the wrong house...A gripping, unputdownable thriller from the No. 1 bestselling author of NO ONE SAW A THING. Andrea Mara turns ordinary fears into extraordinary thrillers, and this is her best book yet. All the neighbours have secrets. But how far will they go to keep them? Get ready for your new obsession - the unputdownable new thriller from No.1 Sunday Times bestseller Andrea Mara. Look what you started. You text your sister. Your message is full of gossip about your neighbour. But you accidentally send it to the entire local community WhatsApp group instead. Now everyone knows. As rumour spreads like wildfire through the picture-perfect neighbourhood, you convince yourself that people will move on, that this will quickly be forgotten. But then you receive the first death threat. And someone wants you dead. The next day, a woman has been murdered. And what's even more chilling is that she had the same address as you - 26 Oakpark - but in a different part of town. Did the killer get the wrong house? It won't be long before you find out...

'A brilliant concept, brilliantly executed.' Bri Lee 'Took my breath away.' Sofie Laguna It starts with a lie. One small lie to get everything he wants. But one lie leads to another, and another. Caught in his own web of deception, how can he recognise the truth? And what is it going to cost him? The legendary career of reclusive cult author Brenda Shales remains one of Australia’s last unsolved literary mysteries. Her books took the world by storm before she disappeared from the public eye after a mysterious plagiarism case. But when an ambitious young writer stumbles across Brenda at a Melbourne pool, he realises the scoop of a lifetime is floating in front of him: the truth behind why she vanished without a trace. The only problem? He must pretend to be someone he’s not to trick the story out of her. One innocent lie leads to a slew that are definitively not, as Brenda reveals the strange and troubling truth of where her books came from. Yet the more the author unravels about Brenda’s past, the more he begins to question whether Brenda is a reliable narrator. Is she spilling secrets or spinning tales? Is she, like him, little more than a talented thief? To write the book that will make his name, he must balance his ethics and ambition and decide what he’s willing to sacrifice to become the next great Australian writer. This astonishing debut, full of delicious twists and wicked insights, is a dazzling novel of desire and deception, authorship and authenticity, and the costs of creative ambition. 'That rare thing, a great contemporary novel.' Lauren Oyler

Tenacious Maori investigator Hana Westerman returns in this stunning new thriller from the award-winning author of Better the Blood. In the depths of the bleak New Zealand winter comes the rising of Matariki – a sacred constellation in Maori culture, heralding a time of new beginnings. For former Detective Senior Sergeant Hana Westerman, life is good: her work in her hometown of Tata Bay is going well, the community is thriving, and her daughter Addison is getting engaged. But this Matariki brings unwelcome change. When Hana’s ex-husband Jaye walks into an Auckland liquor store and directly across the path of a gunman, their family’s hard-won peace is shattered. With the stakes at their highest, Hana finds herself picking up a path she thought she’d never return to. Desperate for answers, she rejoins the police to help scour the city for the unidentified shooter. But as the investigation progresses, she finds herself unprepared for the darkness of the world she is entering.A darkness much closer to home than she knows. PRAISE FOR MICHAEL BENNETT: ‘A tensely plotted, gritty crime novel that has the courage to force us all to rethink our relationship with the past’VASEEM KHAN ‘A significant addition to Indigenous literature’KIRKUS REVIEWS ‘A writer to watch’PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

The Retirement Plan Dark humour, dirty deeds, marriages and murder . . . The perfect new read for fans of The Thursday Murder Club, How to Kill Your Family and White Lotus'An absolute scream from the first page to the last' Janice Hallett, author of The Appeal'Incredibly funny with plot twists you won't see coming' StylistTheir husbands are driving them mad, and murder is on their minds . . . but the men have a plan of their own.Pam, Nancy and Shalisa once imagined retirement would mean setting aside their worries, picking up their margaritas, and lying back in a hot tub. Right up until their husbands lost all their savings in a reckless investment.Now, collecting their husbands' life insurance is starting to sound more appealing than growing old with them. But enlisting the help of the local barber/hitman isn't merely the most daring thing the friends have ever done - it's also where the trouble really begins.Because they don't realise their husbands have some tricks up their sleeves. And there's no turning back now . . .From the first laugh to the final twist, The Retirement Plan is full of characters who will steal your heart while plotting their dark deeds.'Clever, funny, tender. A triumph' Jennie Godfrey, author of The List of Suspicious Things'Blending Desperate Housewives and White Lotus vibes, this is a darkly funny crime novel' My Weekly'Funny, twisty, deviously dark!' Sarah Pearse, author of The Sanatorium'A total riot' Clare Pooley, author of The Authenticity Project'Hincenbergs knocks it out of the park' Publishers Weekly, starred review'Thoroughly addictive' Ian Moore, author of Death and Croissants'Relentlessly entertaining' Chris Brookmyre, author of The Cracked Mirror'Absolutely hilarious' Jessica Bull, author of Miss Austen Investigates'Packed full of humour and charm' Amy McCulloch, author of Breathless'Deliciously funny and unpredictable' Keith Stuart, author of A Boy Made of Blocks

Midnight And BlueThe brand new John Rebus thriller from the iconic Number One bestseller Ian Rankin: one of the must-read books of the year. 'Rebus in jail and better than ever ... Surprising, gripping and witty. Rankin has taken the police procedural and transformed into an epic character study of a man and his city ... Nobody does it better.'THE TIMES* * * * * JOHN REBUS SPENT HIS LIFE AS A DETECTIVE PUTTING EDINBURGH'S MOST DEADLY CRIMINALS BEHIND BARS.NOW, HE'S JOINED THEM.As new allies and old enemies circle, and the days and nights bleed into each other, even the legendary detective struggles to keep his head.That is, until a murder at midnight in a locked cell presents a new mystery. They say old habits die hard...However, this is a case where the prisoners and the guards are all suspects, and everyone has something to hide. With no badge, no authority and no safety net, Rebus walks a tightrope - with his life on the line.But how do you find a killer in a place full of them?* * * * *PRAISE FOR MIDNIGHT AND BLUE:'Unforgettable ... Proves that Rebus is one of the most remarkable characters in crime fiction.'DAILY MAIL'With every novel, Rankin leaves us wanting more. Midnight and Blue is no exception. As Rebus ages, he becomes ever more human, ever more relatable, and the books become even better... This is unmissable.'MICK HERRON, the Sunday Times Number One Bestseller'Midnight & Blue is a triumph. Rebus as you've never seen him before and Rankin at his best.'ELLY GRIFFITHS, the Sunday Times Number One Bestseller'I was absolutely knocked sideways by it - it is utterly marvellous and so touching.' JILLY COOPER, the Sunday Times Bestseller'A taut, claustrophobic thriller, that puts a Golden Age twist on a modern-day tale. The perfect book to keep Rebus fans clanging their tin cups against the prison bars, until the riot kicks off...'STUART MACBRIDE, the Sunday Times Number One Bestseller'Kept me up reading until long after midnight. Blew me away. Absolutely brilliant, as always.'JILL MANSELL, the Sunday Times Bestseller'Loved this tense, pacy thriller, jam-packed with action but also a surprising vulnerability.'B. A. PARIS, the Sunday Times Bestseller****PRAISE FOR THE ICONIC NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER IAN RANKIN:'Ian Rankin is a genius'LEE CHILD'Rebus is one of British crime writing

Private Dublin in the latest thrilling novel in the globally bestselling Private series, Jack Morgan chases a violent criminal to Dublin and is dragged into the city's dark underbelly.In L.A., a star-studded movie premiere descends into chaos when a shooter opens fire on the crowd.The culprit escapes and boards a plane to Dublin, Ireland.Jack Morgan, the head of the world's largest private detective agency, is at the premiere and his partner Justine is badly wounded in the shooting.Following the gunman to Dublin, Jack soon realises that this is much bigger than a single shooter. What Jack thought was a random act of violence was actually a targeted attempt on his life.To ensure the safety of those he loves most, Jack must find the person who is so intent on his downfall -- and eliminate them once and for all.PRAISE FOR THE PRIVATE THRILLERS'Great action sequences ... breathtaking twists and turns' ANTHONY HOROWITZ'An unmissable, breakneck ride' JAMES SWALLOW'Exhilarating, high-stakes action' LESLEY KARA'An exhilarating and totally satisfying read' NB MAGAZINE'A breakneck fast, brutally good page-turner' DAILY MAIL'Hits the ground running and the pace never misses a beat' DAILY EXPRESS'Yet another fine outing from the master of thrillers' CITY A.M.Private Dublin was picked as one of 25 novels for 2025 by Sunday Independent, Ireland

The gripping and brilliant debut crime novel from the universally acclaimed creator of TV series BROADCHURCH  When Detective Nicola Bridge moves back to Dorset from the big city, the last thing she expects is for the picturesque village of Fleetcombe to become a grisly crime scene.  Jim Tiernan, pub landlord, is dead, the body staged with macabre relish on an isolated country road. Nicola soon realises everyone in the village has something to hide. The hairdresser. The delivery driver. The farmer. And even the little girl, hidden at the top of the playground slide.  Whispers. Rumours. Lies. And somewhere among them, a killer hiding in plain sight. Because sometimes the smallest villages hide the darkest secrets...

Solving crimes, one cuppa at a time. The highly anticipated new book in the award-winning Australian series The Tea Ladies.  Murder and Mayhem on the waterfront. It's time for the Tea Ladies! 1967- Hazel's new job at the docks quickly turns perilous when she stumbles into the criminal underworld that lurks beneath the surface. A million in gold coins has vanished from a cargo ship and a dead body washed up. Suddenly, she's in over her head.  Disillusioned with her life, Betty is led astray by a charismatic new friend and finds herself exposed in more ways than one - until a crisis drags her back to reality.  Living in a high-class brothel, Irene gets wind of a threat that could destroy her livelihood. She takes on the Maltese mafia and becomes involved in a dangerously sticky situation.   When one of the tea ladies disappears, they face their greatest challenge yet, pushing their detective skills to the limit. It will take more than a glass of Hazel's homemade wine to solve this one.  The delightfully entertaining new novel in The Tea Ladies cosy crime series, with murder and mystery, nostalgia and history, and plenty of tea and biscuits. Available for pre-order now!

Another case to solve for the number-one bestselling Bookshop Detectives. When we opened Sherlock Tomes people warned us that we'd made a terrible mistake. The one thing they didn't warn us about was the murders . . .  The Bookshop Detectives are on the case!   In this rollicking new adventure, Garth and Eloise (and Stevie) must sniff out a prolific poisoner ahead of a vital fundraising event, the Battle of the Book Clubs. As time runs out and the body count rises, it seems the bad actors are circling closer to the people and places they care about.  Could Pinter, the infamous serial killer from Eloise's past, somehow be involved? And when anyone could be a suspect, how can Garth and Eloise keep their customers, their small town and their beloved bookshop safe?  Praise for The Bookshop Detectives- Dead Girl Gone- 'Eloise and Garth are the book-selling, tea-drinking, crime-fighting duo that I didn't know I needed in my life! The Bookshop Detectives is a real treat for bibliophiles of all stripes.' - Jack Heath 'Warm-hearted, filled with wry humour, spiced up with suspense . . . captivating Kiwi cosy crime!' - Nicky Pellegrino

The nation's favourite amateur sleuth is back! Jane Austen returns to solve another devilish mystery, in the compelling follow-up to Miss Austen Investigates  Welcome to Kent, 1797.  Jane Austen is set to spend the summer with her estranged brother, Neddy. As heir to wealthy widow Mrs Knight's fortune, it is imperative that Neddy stays in his benefactor's good graces.  But upon arrival at Godmersham Park, Jane realises Neddy is in dire need of her help. For a mysterious young woman currently resides with Mrs Knight - a stranger who threatens to swindle the inheritance for herself.  Jane must uncover who this imposter is, to protect the fortunes - and fate - of her entire family. But when her investigation takes a dark and dangerous turn, can she solve the mystery - and save herself?

We'Re Not Us Without You Four friends. One secret. And the cult that could burn them all. High school friends Lani, Tinker, Maya and Stig were inseparable until an unthinkable act shook the group. Now in their thirties, three of the friends are still close while Stig has disappeared completely, unable to face what happened in high school. With Lani’s wedding fast approaching, she is determined to bring the group back together. This leads them to a spiritual retreat where Stig has been living off-the-grid, and to Stig’s enigmatic partner – or leader – Acharya. Is it too late to save Stig from himself? And will bringing him back into the fold threaten the silence that has been keeping them safe all these years? PRAISE FOR WE’RE NOT US WITHOUT YOU ‘A darkly compelling and addictive drama about the ties of friendship and the dangers of blind belief.’ – Christine Gregory, author of The Community

The Final Wife Till death do us part… Luke Whitney is stabbed to death. His wife Anna confesses after she is found next to his lifeless body. But if she did it, why can't she confirm any of the details of the crime? As police dig into the circumstances, they learn that the victim was a liar, a cheat and a narcissist. More than one person had a reason to want him dead; his scorned ex, his neglected mistress and Anna – who knows what happens to Mrs Whitneys when Luke gets bored of them. Luke Whitney had it coming. But who made sure he got what he deserved? The latest twisty, propulsive psychological thriller from international bestseller Jenny Blackhurst. Perfect for fans of Adele Parks, Claire Douglas and Shari Lapena.

The ThrashersThe unputdownable, unforgettable thriller from bestselling author Julie Soto, perfect for fans of A GOOD GIRL’S GUIDE TO MURDER and THIRTEEN REASONS WHY.Jodi never asked to be a Thrasher – a member of the high school elite. But Jodi has been best friends with Zack Thrasher her whole life, and like it or not, that means she’s branded a Thrasher by the rest of the school. And different as she feels to the other four Thrashers – all talented, privileged and beautiful – she can’t help appreciating her social status, especially compared to her violent home life.But being a Thrasher isn’t worth dying for – except, apparently, it was to Emily Mills. Sweet but intense Emily, whose fixation on Zack brought her close to the in-crowd, but never close enough. Emily, who took her own life on prom night.When a detective finds a copy of Emily’s diary, there are whispers that she was ‘Thrashed’ – bullied to death by Zack and his gang. They are arrested, charged, and ostracised, their once bright futures extinguished. Then begin the texts from unfamiliar numbers, inexplicable light flares, the run of bad luck that becomes a string of near-fatal accidents… and the constant dreams of Emily.But something isn’t adding up. The diary is too convenient. In fact, it’s filled with Jodi’s own secrets, repurposed by Emily. But why?One thing is clear. Emily isn’t done with the Thrashers.

South Of Nowhere In a race against time and nature, there’s only one man you want on your side. In northern California, a small town teeters on the brink of disaster as flood waters bear down on it. Colter Shaw, however, is on an even more urgent rescue mission – a family swept away in the initial deluge. The clock is ticking, and their survival window is rapidly closing. However, the impending disaster raises questions – is the town’s vulnerability a natural occurrence, or is there a more human element at work? Teaming up with his sister, Dorion, Shaw must uncover the truth, and quickly, otherwise there will be no town, and no one, left to save.