Australian fiction
City of Crows by Chris Womersley
It was during the reign of King Louis XIV that the Affair of the Poisons transpired, scandalising seventeenth-century France. Many members of the aristocracy were implicated, hundreds of people were arrested and more than 30 were executed. During this time…
The Last Days of Jeanne d'Arc by Ali Alizadeh
Ali Alizadeh blends historical research and poetic sensibilities to imagine Jeanne d’Arc’s life, moving between her imprisonment and execution at the hands of the English, her heroic exploits and her early life in Lorraine. Alizadeh balances two stories: that of…
A New England Affair by Steven Carroll
Once upon a time T.S. Eliot (Tom), considered one of the most influential playwrights and poets of modern times, wrote: ‘I said to my soul, be still, and wait without hope/ For hope would be hope for the wrong thing.’…
Common People by Tony Birch
In one of Tony Birch’s stories, a young character says, ‘You never told me that part of the story.’ Her friend Betty replies, ‘No, I didn’t. It was better to concentrate on the best part. That’s how stories work.’ This…
On the Java Ridge by Jock Serong
Jock Serong’s books don’t shy away from tackling topics that affect contemporary society and in On the Java Ridge, although this doesn’t dominate the narrative, they are there. In Quota, it was the ethics of the legal system…
The Way Back by Kylie Ladd
When 13-year-old Charlie doesn’t return from a late-afternoon horse ride in a Victorian national park, her parents Rachael and Matt are naturally concerned. The local police try to reassure them that Charlie has probably run off or is injured, and…
The Town by Shaun Prescott
It’s telling how a novel sets up, and answers, its mysteries. I’ve always preferred the ones that don’t sacrifice plot for character or vice-versa, and instead meet somewhere in the middle. The Town, the first novel by Australian author…
Siren by Rachel Matthews
After a night of underage clubbing, 16-year-old Jordi Spence goes home with with two late-career AFL players. They are both more than double her age. Hours later she leaves, bruised and emotionally broken. Crippled by fear of judgement from others…
Pulse Points by Jennifer Down
Jennifer Down’s debut novel, Our Magic Hour, released last year, remains one of the most absorbing works of fiction I’ve had the pleasure of reading. This intimate, emotionally astute novel about grief, relationships and everyday life, set around the…
Deeper Than the Sea by Nelika McDonald
Theo and her teenage daughter Beth live a quiet life in a small and isolated coastal Victorian town. Theo works in the local library, Beth at a bistro while she completes her studies. Theo enjoys pottery, Beth dreams of going…
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