The Cryptic Clue

The book cover for The Cryptic Clue by Amanda Hampson includes the tagline 'Look who's back in hot water' highlighted by a magnifying glass which is making the look and in hot larger in size. The image is a white background with an orange border. To the left there's a dressmaker's dummy with a geometric shift dress on it. Out of a low down pocket on the front of the dress there's a light stick of explosive.

Look who's back in hot water! The highly anticipated new novel in The Tea Ladies cosy crime series, a runaway bestseller of the year. Available for pre-order now!

Welcome back to Zig Zag Lane in the heart of Sydney's rag-trade district, where our intrepid tea ladies, Hazel, Betty...Read more

Perversion of Justice

The book cover of Perversion of Justice by Steve Matthews includes the taglines 'The Spencer Investigations', 'In the darkest shadows, the pursuit of truth is the only light.' and 'From the bestselling author of the Hitler's Trilogy'

The image is of a corridor with barred walls (cells) either side of it. The lighting is subdued. The title of the book is in orange lettering in the middle, the author's name and taglines in white.

In the scorching summer of 2004, a working-class Sydney suburb erupts in turmoil when Percy Fullwood, a respected local, is accused of a heinous crime by his own family. As the media frenzy ignites, Detective Bruce Spencer leads a high-profile raid, branding Percy guilty before trial....Read more

We Are the Stars

The book cover of We Are the Stars by Gina Chick has the subtitle 'A misfit's story of love, connection and the glorious power of letting go'. The image is of Gina's smiling beautiful face looking upwards to the right. There is a blurred tree in the background, Her hair is swept back and her shoulders slightly bare.

Gina Chick, the inaugural winner of Alone Australia, tells the story of her extraordinary, indomitable life in one of the most powerful, moving memoirs you will ever read.

From day one of her wildly unconventional...Read more

Naked City

The book cover of Naked City by John Silvester is made up of a city street slightly in darkness because of a bright glowing sun in the background. There are two figures in the middle, both of them are standing in the middle of tram tracks, wearing coats, and they are looking towards each other, hands touching ? maybe a handshake. 

The tagline is 'True Stories of Crimes, Cock-ups, Crooks & Cops'. The title of the book is in large red letters at the bottom, with the author's name under that. 

There are two quotes 'No journalist has done more to explain the world of crime, the justice system and the politics of Law and order' Australian Media Hall of Fame and 'He brings to life the characters of the good guys, the villains and the victims.' Graham Perkins, Australian Journalist of the Year Award

John Silvester has been reporting on crime from the cop stations, courthouses, back alleys and gangster mansions of Melbourne for forty years. His contact book is a who's who of both sides of criminal justice, and the shadowy worlds between. He is the trusted confidante of cops, criminals,...Read more

The Bat

The book cover for The Bat by Jo Nesbo includes a black "sticker" circle with the note - The First Harry Hole Thriller in it. The image is of a man with his back to the viewer, walking through dry red dust with a blue cloudy sky above, birds flying above, and a building off in the distance. The tagline 'Over 14 Million Books Sold Worldwide' is at the bottom

HARRY IS OUT OF HIS DEPTH.

Detective Harry Hole is meant to keep out of trouble. A young Norwegian girl taking a gap year in Sydney has been murdered, and Harry has been sent to Australia to assist in any way he can.

HE'S NOT SUPPOSED TO GET TOO INVOLVED....Read more

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Kill Yours, Kill Mine

The book cover for Kill Yours, Kill Mine by Katherine Kovacic includes the tagline 'Men Get Away with Murder all the time. Now it's our turn.'

The image is black with an outline of a woman highlighted by reddish / pink lighting around the contours of her shoulder's, hand, face and hair. She has a finger held up to her lips in a classic "shoosh" pose. The title of the novel is in bright yellow lettering over the woman's image and there are little puffs of yellow what looks like smoke coming off some of the lettering.

Mia's grief counselling practice, The Pleiades, is named for the seven sisters from Greek mythology who were the companions of the Goddess of the Hunt—and who, in some stories, die of grief or are killed to be saved from attackers.

Mia has been gathering broken women together for...Read more

Shadow City

The book cover of Shadow City by Natalie Conyer includes, in a yellow "sticker" the quote 'Tense, gritty and insightful' Emma Viskic.

The image is looking out from a dark space, probably under a bridge, towards a brightly lit night skyline with a couple of gulls flying across the sky. The title is at the top in white lettering, the author's name towards the bottom in yellow.

Sydney, The body of a young woman is found in Chinatown. She's been beaten, tortured - and tattooed with the image of a sun. Called to the scene, Sergeant Jackie Rose asks herself whether this was a drug murder, or something else. But before her investigation can get under...Read more

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The Company of Rats

The image of the book cover for The Company of Rats by Sulari Gentill is an image of an elaborately dressed gentleman in front of a large house, with a very fancy 1940's style car behind him. There are rats around and on parts of the house, and text at the bottom headed Proclamation Plague

A short story prequel in the Rowland Sinclair series available on the State Library of NSW website.Read more

The Tea Ladies

The book cover for The Tea Ladies by Amanda Hampson includes the tagline 'They keep everyone's secrets ... until there's a murder'. The image is a white background with a blue green / teal border. To the right there's a dressmaker's dummy with a brightly patterned shift dress on it. In the centre there's a burnt edged bullet hole with the text of the book showing through it.

They keep everyone's secrets, until there's a murder...

Sydney, 1965: After a chance encounter with a stranger, tea ladies Hazel, Betty and Irene become accidental sleuths, stumbling into a world of ruthless crooks and racketeers in search of a young woman believed to be in...Read more

One of Us Is Missing

The image of the book cover for One of Us Is Missing by B.M. Carroll is an image of a typical stadium styled plastic seat in blue, with the sign of others around it. There's a set of bright orange headset on the seat. The title is in large white lettering and the author's name at the bottom in slightly smaller text. It's striking in its simplicity.

There's no such thing as safety in numbers ...

Rachel and Rory Sullivan decide to celebrate making it through a difficult year by taking their teenagers, Emmet and Bridie, to their first ever stadium concert. By the end of the night, one of the four has vanished without a trace...Read more

A Decline in Prophets

The image of the book cover for A Decline in Prophets by Sulari Gentill includes the tagline 'A Rowland Sinclair Novel', with the quote 'Rowland Sinclair ... the gentleman sleuth ... with a penchant for living la vie de boheme' Sun Herald. 

The cover is made up of a shot of three men, and one woman standing in front of a deck railing, looking out towards a city view featuring high buildings. The men are wearing 1940's style suits, two in hats, and the woman is wearing a long dress with a coat over the top, and a hat. There is a paint brush above their heads with a blood spatter at the brush end.

In 1932, the R.M.S. Aquitania embodies all that is gracious and refined, in a world gripped by crisis and doubt.

Returning home on the luxury liner after months abroad, Rowland Sinclair and his companions dine with a suffragette, a Bishop and a retired World Prophet. The Church...Read more

Miles Off Course

The image of the book cover for Miles off Course by Sulari Gentill includes the tagline 'A Rowland Sinclair Novel', with the quote '... a sparkling crime series. The Age'. 

The cover is made up of a shot of 4 people standing in a group, 3 holding walking sticks in their hands. One is female, she's wearing a dress and coat, and is holding an umbrella. The men in suits, vests and ties. They are standing on a grassed area. There is a paintbrush with a blood spatter at the brush end, and an insignia burnt into wood to the right of the title.

In early 1933, Rowland Sinclair and his companions are ensconced in the superlative luxury of The Hydro Majestic - Medlow Bath, where trouble seems distant indeed.

And then Harry Simpson vanishes.

Croquet and pre-dinner cocktails are abandoned for the High Country...Read more

The Prodigal Son

The image of the book cover for The Prodigal Son by Sulari Gentill is a drawing of an elaborately dressed gentleman and woman in front of a decorated railing. She's seated with a cloth covering her lower body and her arm out, holding a round hoop. He's dressed in a suit and tie, hands in pockets, leaning back against a heavy table. The tagline at the top says 'A Rowland Sinclair Novella'.

After publishing seven books in the award-winning Rowland Sinclair Mysteries, Sulari Gentill wanted to let her readers know how much she appreciates their support. And so, believing that a story is the most valuable thing a writer has to give, Sulari wrote The Prodigal a gift to those...Read more

A Few Right Thinking Men

The image of the book cover for A Few Right Thinking Men by Sulari Gentill includes the tagline 'Introducing Rowland Sinclair', with the quote 'Witty dialogue, lively characters, and a shrewd political awareness of the times. - Award-winning Novelist, Marele Day. 

The cover is made up of a shot of men standing, at the top, the lower half of their bodies only visible. They are wearing suits with dress shoes, and one is holding a hat in his hand. The colours are muted grey's, whites and slightly tinted brown. There is a blood spatter at the bottom of the book, beside the tagline with a paint brush lying across the image and the author's name below that.

In Australia's 1930s, the Sinclair name is respectable and influential, yet the youngest son Rowland - an artist - has a talent for scandal. Even with the unemployed lining the streets, Rowland lives in a sheltered world... of wealth, culture & impeccable tailoring with the family...Read more