FICTION

*The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek (Collector’s Edition)* by Kim Michelle Richardson is a richly atmospheric work of historical fiction that celebrates the power of reading, community and quiet bravery. Set in 1930s Appalachia, it’s the kind of story that sweeps you up with its rugged setting, big-hearted characters and steady hope. Cussy Mary Carter rides the hills of Kentucky as a packhorse librarian for the WPA’s Pack Horse Library Project, delivering books to families who’ve had little else to rely on. But Cussy is also marked as different—her skin is blue—and that difference makes her a target in a town quick to judge. As she strives to do her job and protect the people she cares about, she’s forced to navigate prejudice, suspicion and the hard choices of survival. Perfect for readers who love bookish historical novels, Appalachian stories, and book club fiction with heart. Add this collector’s edition to your shelves and let Cussy’s journey carry you somewhere unforgettable.

At the Foot of the Cherry Tree by Alli Parker is a moving work of historical fiction drawn from the true story of Australia’s first Japanese war bride—told with intimacy, clarity, and real emotional heft. In the rubble of post–World War II Japan, eighteen-year-old Australian soldier Gordon Parker meets Nobuko “Cherry” Sakuramoto, a teenage survivor trying to piece life back together. What begins as wary contact between former enemies deepens into a love that seems impossible to keep, let alone defend. As their relationship grows, they’re forced to confront not only trauma and distance, but the White Australia Policy and a fearful, war-scarred nation determined to keep them apart. Perfect for readers who enjoy Australian history, wartime romance, cross-cultural love stories and family-based true stories, this novel balances heartbreak with hard-won hope. Add it to your pile if you’re after a heartfelt read that lingers long after the last page.

The Butterfly WomenIt's 1863, and Melbourne is transitioning from a fledgling colony to a thriving, gold-fuelled metropolis. But behind its shiny new façade, the real Melbourne can be found in the notorious red-light district of Little Lon, full of brothels where rich and poor alike can revel all night. The most glamorous among them is Papillon, home to the most alluring women in the city.For poor Irishwoman Johanna Callaghan, a job at Papillon could be her ticket to success, but in a time when women's lives are cheap, it also brings great danger. Meanwhile, for respectable women like journalist Harriett Gardiner, Papillon is strictly off-limits, but when a murderer begins stalking the streets of Little Lon, she becomes determined to visit it and find the truth.As both women are drawn into the hunt for the killer, a long-hidden side of old Melbourne is revealed. Lush, dark and meticulously researched, The Butterfly Women weaves romance and mystery into an unforgettable tale of Australian history, and the women so often erased from it.

The Mad WifeFrom bestselling author Meagan Church comes a haunting exploration of identity, motherhood, and the suffocating grip of societal expectations that will leave you questioning the lives we build-and the lies we live.They called it hysteria. She called it survival.Lulu Mayfield has spent the last five years molding herself into the perfect 1950s housewife. Despite the tragic memories that haunt her and the weight of exhausting expectations, she keeps her husband happy, her household running, and her gelatin salads the talk of the neighborhood. But after she gives birth to her second child, Lulu's carefully crafted life begins to unravel.When a new neighbor, Bitsy, moves in, Lulu suspects that something darker lurks behind the woman's constant smile. As her fixation on Bitsy deepens, Lulu is drawn into a web of unsettling truths that threaten to expose the cracks in her own life. The more she uncovers about Bitsy, the more she questions everything she thought she knew-and soon, others begin questioning her sanity. But is Lulu truly losing her mind? Or is she on the verge of discovering a reality too terrifying to accept?In the vein of The Bell Jar and The Hours, The Mad Wife weaves domestic drama with psychological suspense, so poignant and immersive, you won't want to put it down.

Forged In Rome Sitting alongside his Nero series and set in Ancient Rome, master storyteller Conn Iggulden's epic next novel follows a freed slave's fierce fight to survive and ascend through the ranks of powerAncient Rome, AD 37A scribe in a noble household, all Cormac has ever known is a life of slavery. When his master suddenly relieves him of his post, along with a hundred other men and women, Cormac is furnished with documents to free him from bondage but given no means to survive.Somewhere between slave and citizen, the freedom to live is the freedom to starve too. All that was once orderly, structured and routine is now chaos, and Cormac must learn life anew.His writing skills have afforded him flickers of opportunity in a world far wealthier than his, but will he resist the pull of the city's underbelly? Can he untangle himself from its crimes?Conn Iggulden's next novel will take readers on an epic journey to discover what one man - fighting against all the odds - will make of his freedom.

TapestryAn epic, adventurous, and romantic historical timeslip novel from the million-copy bestselling author.The key to her future is trapped in the past.In 1715, the Earl of Nithsdale is sentenced to be beheaded for his part in the doomed Jacobite rebellion for Scottish independence.In 1978, Jane Maxwell is plagued with doubts about her engagement. When tragedy leaves her fiance Will near death, Jane's guilt makes her determined to save him.On a desperate and dangerous quest to find answers, Jane finds herself trapped in the past. Convinced that saving Nithsdale will also save Will, Jane embarks on a risky plot to rescue the Earl from the Tower of London.Based on the true story of a daring escape from the Tower of London, Tapestry takes us on a gripping journey from the 1970s into the England and Scotland of 1715.

Christmas Joy, a sweet holiday romance and perfect Christmas gift, comes from a bestselling Australian author and is ideal for fans of Josie Silver and Laurie Gilmore.1889 Rye, Sussex, EnglandJoy by name and joy by nature, Miss Joy Parker loves nothing more than performing acts of kindness and making other people's lives brighter. Even after the loss of her family's fortune and being forced to accept a job as a lady's companion to the formidable Lady Hyacinth Montague, Joy remains optimistic. Hyacinth initially treats her as the lowliest of servants, until her great-nephew and heir, Earl Peter Montague, arrives.Despite a disastrous first impression, Peter is soon captivated by Joy's compassionate ways. Sparks fly between them, and Joy finds herself unexpectedly and heartbreakingly in love. However, in the world of high society, love and marriage are seen as separate entities, and Hyacinth has grander plans for Peter than the impoverished Joy. Montwoods Manor is brimming with the upper class, with Lady Regina of Hove being groomed as the leading candidate to become Peter's wife.Joy is tasked with organizing a lavish Christmas ball, one she can hardly attend in her humble gown. As the snow falls on this picturesque seaside town on Christmas Eve, Joy's kind heart becomes entangled in a scandalous plot. She begins to question whether the games of the idle rich make love impossible or if the magic of Christmas could bring the greatest gift of all.Mary-Anne O'Connor, the author, is praised for her breathtakingly beautiful writing. She is dubbed the Queen of Australian Historical Romance on Goodreads. Her historical fiction is of such quality that it takes readers on a beguiling roller-coaster ride, according to Better Reading.

The Tattooist Of Auschwitz (Tie-In) This internationally bestselling novel is now a six-part drama series streaming on Stan in 2024, starring Harvey Keitel.

Sharpe'S Storm The gripping new novel from internationally bestselling master of historical fiction Bernard Cornwell.‘There is everything here that Sharpe fans will love. If this really is the last time Sharpe wields his heavy cavalry sword, he will be sorely missed’ The TimesIf any man can do the impossible it’s Richard Sharpe …The year is 1813. France is a battlefield, and winter shows no mercy. Amidst brutal conditions, Major Richard Sharpe finds himself saddled with an unexpected burden: Rear-Admiral Sir Joel Chase, dispatched by the Admiralty with sealed orders, unshakable confidence, and a frankly terrifying enthusiasm for combat.Sharpe’s mission from Wellington is clear, yet anything but simple: keep Sir Joel alive.Sir Joel could hold the key to defeating Napoleon once and for all. But to pull off his audacious plan, he needs someone who knows how to fight dirty, think fast, and survive the impossible.He needs Sharpe …_____________________________Real readers love the Sharpe series:'Non-stop action from cover to cover' Reader review ?????'Cornwell is a master … and heroic Sharpe doesn't disappoint' Reader review ?????'Bernard is a great story teller and historian' Reader review ?????'This is first class story-telling' Reader review ?????'Engrossing, fast paced. And with a hero like no other' Reader review ?????

Hamnet The Sunday Times No. 1 bestseller that inspired the major film starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal'Richly sensuous... something special' Sunday Times'Stunning. Immersive and compelling' Marian KeyesA LOVE THAT DRAWS THEM TOGETHER. A LOSS THAT THREATENS TO TEAR THEM APART.The untold love story that inspired Shakespeare's greatest masterpiece.On a summer's day in 1596, a young girl in Stratford-upon-Avon takes to her bed with a sudden fever. Her twin brother, Hamnet, searches everywhere for help. Why is nobody at home?Their mother, Agnes, is over a mile away, in the garden where she grows medicinal herbs. Their father is working in London.Neither parent knows that Hamnet will not survive the week.Hamnet tells the powerful story of Agnes and Will, and of the son whose life has been all but forgotten, but who inspired one of the greatest plays ever written.*Fall in love with HAMNET this year*'HAMNET is a feast for the senses''One of my favourite books of the year. Simply gorgeous''Words fail me... this story had me feeling everything''I read and reread passages throughout this exceptional novel'

The American BoysOlivia Spooner is the number one bestselling author of two historical novels, The Girl from London and The Songbirds of Florence. She is also the author of two contemporary novels, A Way Back to Happy and A Bumpy Year. A former bookshop owner, Olivia is a strong advocate for the importance of books and reading. She lives in Auckland, New Zealand, with her family.

The Matchbox Girl: Lose Yourself In This Autumn'S Most Captivating Historical Novel From the multi-award-winning author a beautiful, stunningly ambitious novel telling the story of a young girl's battle for survival and search for the truth in occupied Vienna 'A shimmering masterwork' Alice Austen 'An extraordinary novel about resilience' Amanda Craig 'A mesmerising tapestry woven across history' Gina Rippon 'Gripping and profound. A masterful work of rare complexity that lingers and haunts' Christine LeunensAdelheid Brunner does not speak. She writes and draws instead and her ambition is to own one thousand matchboxes. Her grandmother cannot make sense of this, but Adelheid will stop at nothing to achieve her dream. She makes herself invisible, hiding in cupboards with her pet rat, Franz Joseph, listening in on conversations she can't fully comprehend.Then she meets Dr Asperger, a man who lets children play all day and who recognises the importance of matchboxes. He invites Adelheid to come and live at the Vienna paediatric clinic, where she and other children like herself will live under observation.But the date is 1938 and the place is Vienna a city of political instability, a place of increasing fear and violence. When the Nazis march into the city, a new world is created and difficult choices must be made.Why are the clinic's children disappearing, and where do they go? Adelheid starts to suspect that some of Dr Asperger's games are played for the highest stakes. In order to survive, she must play a game whose rules she cannot yet understand. Triumphant and tragic, soulful and spirited, The Matchbox Girl is a burningly brilliant book that brings the stories of a generation of lost children into the light. 'A vividly imagined story told with real drive and heart' Rachel Seiffert 'Unique and profoundly human' Emma Darwin 'One of the most charismatic and companionable narrators I've ever come across' Toby Litt 'The sheer brilliance of Alice Jolly's writing stopped me in my tracks, stole my breath' Angela Findlay 'An important, powerful book, so real I couldn't put it down' Kathleen Jones

DuskRobbie Arnott is the author of Limberlost, The Rain Heron and Flames. He's a two-time winner of The Age Book of the Year, and has also been awarded the Voss Literary Prize. He's been named a Sydney Morning Herald Best Young Novelist, and has twice been shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Literary Award, as well as the Dylan Thomas Prize. He lives in Hobart with his wife and daughter.

The Bell And The Blade Paullina Simons is the author of sixteen internationally bestselling novels, one non-fiction memoir, a cookbook, and two children's books. Born and raised in the former Soviet Union, Paullina immigrated with her family to the United States in the mid-seventies. She received her Bachelor's degree in political science from Kansas University. She has lived in Rome, London, Dallas, and now lives in New York with her husband and four children.