Devils, Lusts and Strange Desires: The Life of Patricia Highsmith by Richard Bradford Bloomsbury Publishing Born in Texas in 1921 at a time when sexuality was, in varying degrees, hidden and fluid, Patricia Highsmith became famous for writing dark psychological thrillers. Notably, many have been made into unforgettable films – including The Talented Mr Ripley, […]
The Secret Mantra by David Michie Hay House Matt Lester is in the Himalayan Mountains, following a goat track to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery in Bhutan. In The sequel to The Magician of Lhasa, the former quantum physicist Matt has completely changed his life and devoted the last 5 years to spiritual development with Tibetan […]
Note to Self: The Secrets of Calm by Rebekah Ballagh Allen & Unwin Rebekah Ballagh is a qualified counselor who created the popular Instagram page called Journey to Wellness – @journey_to_wellness_ – when she wanted students at the school where she was counseling at to have something better than leaflets. Her book is a beautifully […]
Author Garry Linnell has spoken to OUTinPerth editor Graeme Watson about his new book, Moonlite which documents the life of Andrew George Scott, one of Australia’s last bushrangers. Known as Captain Moonite, Scott was different to other outlaws such as Ned Kelly, because he was in love with one his fellow bushrangers. In this interview […]
Honeybee by Craig Silvey Allen & Unwin When fourteen year-old Sam Watson climbs over the rail of the traffic overpass late at night, Sam wonders if it is going to do will hurt or if death would be instant. Having a slight pang of sympathy for whoever would find what remained, Sam notices an old […]
The Book of Two Ways By Jodi Picoult Allen & Unwin Dawn Edelstein knows a lot about death. As a death doula (a death midwife), she helps people on their final journeys and tries to fulfill their last wishes. Fifteen years earlier, before she married and had a daughter, she was a graduate student in […]
Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason Fourth Estate Martha writes a funny food column for a magazine, but her editor keeps taking out her jokes, so it might just be a food column. Turning 40, she realises that she has lost touch with school, university and work friends simply because they all had children and […]
Poly by Paul Dalgarno Ventura Press Melbournites Chris and Sarah Flood met in Hong Kong. He was working as a DJ and she was dancing professionally with Tasty Moves in Asia. Many years and two children later (7 year old Oliver and 5 year old Sophie), Chris can’t decide what to buy his wife for […]
Indigo Owl by Charlie Archibold Wakefield Press This is Adelaide author Charlie Archibold’s second Young Adult novel and it is set on the futuristic planet of Galbraith. After Earth was destroyed by climate change and overpopulation, only private corporations had the money to colonise new planets and Galbraith was a huge pharmaceutical enterprise. It is […]
The Wreck by Meg Keneally Echo Publishing Meg Keneally is fascinated by marine history and the title of her second historical novel gives an indication as to what historical aspects have influenced her writing of The Wreck. In the nineteenth century, the sailing ship Dunbar was forced into the cliff face a little south of […]
