Staff Reviews

Missing by Nicole Morris

Available in print and eBook

In Missing, Nicole Morris, best-selling author of Vanished and founder of the Australian Missing Persons Register, delves into the chilling world of long-term missing persons cases. With over 55,000 disappearances annually in Australia, each story is a heart-wrenching account of unanswered questions and shattered lives.

From a West Australian man entangled in the dangers of online dating to an Adelaide father possibly linked to Australia's most notorious serial killings, Morris uncovers haunting tales of those who vanished without a trace. Three mothers leaving behind bewildered children, a young hitchhiker lost on a desolate Queensland highway, and two Sydney men who lost their way—all woven into the fabric of inexplicable disappearances.

The narrative spans decades, from the 1980s to present-day mysteries, including the puzzling case of a gentle Greenpeace worker vanishing amidst inner-city Melbourne, the suspicious disappearance of a 21-year-old, and the grim discovery of scattered remains in Queensland, unravelling a harrowing tale of violence and tragedy. And then there is the perplexing case of a man who went missing over and over again.

Missing sheds light on the untold stories of those who vanished, leaving behind a void of unanswered questions and enduring pain. Nicole Morris brings attention to the cold cases from families of missing persons, raising awareness, and hopefully uncovering new leads for desperate families searching for the truth.

The Kingpin and the Crooked Cop by Neil Mercer

Available in print, eBook and CD

Roger Rogerson captured Australia's attention as its most notorious cop in the golden age of graft and violence. But who was the real Rogerson? And who was his principal partner in crime, the underworld kingpin, heroin dealer and armed bandit Arthur 'Neddy' Smith? Now Rogerson and Smith are both dead, and the full truth can be revealed.

Roger and Neddy have fascinated the public for decades. Our most decorated yet crooked police officer and the murderous drug importer he protected and enabled led interwoven careers that were truly stranger than fiction. Their crimes were committed against the backdrop of a changing Australia, as the nation's social fabric adapted to a more global world, and money - and drugs - poured into the country. Police, judges and even the media were up for sale, and Rogerson and Smith were the princes of this glamorous but bloody kingdom.

But as Roger and Neddy grew ever richer and more powerful, their crimes became too brazen, too violent and too public, leading to their spectacular downfall, years in court and life in prison. Crime reporter Neil Mercer knew Roger and Neddy from the early 1980s, when the men were at the height of their powers. He followed their careers for major news outlets, met with them and was given exclusive interviews and insider information. Rogerson even wrote to him from jail. With key witnesses finally coming forward, Mercer has uncovered astonishing new evidence that will rewrite the story of the Australian underworld.

The Kingpin and the Crooked Cop is the definitive account of Roger and Neddy, and the era that made them. As compelling as any crime novel, it is filled with colour, violence and inside stories never seen or read before.

The knowledge gene by Lynne Kelly

Available in print and CD

Over 500,000 years ago, a single gene mutated. It spread over time, becoming critical in the journey that transformed our earliest ancestors into fully modern humans, capable of navigating the entire planet and beyond.

A few thousand years ago, humans started outsourcing knowledge to writing, displacing art and music from the heart of learning.

This is the extraordinary story of a gene that makes us uniquely human. Dr Lynne Kelly recounts how a widespread congenital disorder was the critical clue she and her collaborators needed to identify this gene as the supergene that has long eluded researchers into human cognition.

The knowledge gene supercharged our ability to learn and share knowledge with others, explaining the prodigious memories of Indigenous people the world over. The knowledge gene unlocks many other puzzles too. It explains for the first time why humans are the only species to make art, offers new insights into the earliest music and storytelling, and discusses the cognitive strengths of neurodivergent people.

The Knowledge Gene shows that we can all access the full power of our memories, without giving up any of the advantages of writing and technology. The implications for learning and creativity at any age are profound.

Hyperefficient by Mithu Storoni

Available in print 

In today's digital age, we move through life at a frantic pace to keep up with the never-ending influx of information and daily tasks. But what if some simple shifts could help boost creativity and optimise how we focus and process data, to elevate our mental performance and productivity?

In Hyperefficient, Dr Mithu Storoni lays out the tools to retune our brains to the best settings for complex thinking, concentration, and decision-making. Storoni proposes we impose the rhythm of our brains on our work in order to create the perfect environment for us to thrive individually at work and at home. Rooted in the very latest scientific research, Hyperefficient is a must-have practical manual for your brain.

Real conversations by Mitch Wallis

Available in print 

Healthy relationships are the heartbeat of life: research tells us the number-one thing that keeps us happy is who we have around us. The best way to improve your own life, and the lives of others, is to invest in your ability to connect. But so often, when the people around us experience emotional pain, we don’t know how to support them.

You may be a parent supporting your child with anxiety, a partner supporting your spouse with depression or addiction, a manager trying to support your employee through grief, a co-worker supporting your teammate with relationship issues, a friend supporting a loved one through financial stress or a teacher supporting a student being bullied.

If you can see yourself in any of these situations, this book is for you. Like the tens of thousands of people Mitch Wallis has trained over the years through his Real Conversations workshops, you will learn from an evidence-based 5-step framework: Engage, Listen, Safety, Action and Boundaries.

Real Conversations will help you to form unprecedented trust and closeness in your most important relationships, without hurting yourself in the process.

Tonight by Nagi Maehashi

Available in print

Australia's favourite home cook, Nagi Maehashi, is back to solve the perennial problem of what's for dinner tonight ... and every night.

Following on from her record-breaking first cookbook, Dinner, Nagi brings us Tonight with more than 150 brand-new foolproof, flavour-packed recipes, 800 variations on those recipes and 3000 possible combinations that match formulas (including the world-famous Charlie sauce) with different ingredients.

Some dinners can be cooked in 20 minutes, and others can be made using only pantry staples. For high-impact guest-impressing, turn to Sunday Suppers - the Vietnamese pulled pork is a festival of flavour - while the Sweets chapter delivers on the promise of maximum decadence.

With a stunning photo and link to a how-to video for each recipe - and plenty of guest appearances from Australia's most loved golden retriever, Dozer! - this is a book for every Australian kitchen, for every level of cooking ability, for every budget, for every set of taste buds, and for every single night of the week.

Too easy by Donna Hay

Available in print

Cooking has never been easier! In Donna Hay's stunning new cookbook, Too Easy, you'll find inspiring recipes that transform a few pantry staples and fresh ingredients into delicious meals within minutes.

Understand the value of creating a well-stocked pantry with staple ingredients aimed at minimising food waste. Then challenge yourself to perfect your fake-away game with pad thai, pizza, toasties and brunch ideas. 

Mediterranean diet: the Australian way by taste.com.au

Available in print

Australians are captivated by the Mediterranean diet, and no wonder. Along with its regular listing as the world's #1 healthiest diet, for anyone watching their grocery bills, it's also one of the most affordable. The ingredients that form the cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet are fresh, plentiful, accessible and wide-ranging in Australia, from vegetables to herbs, wholegrains to legumes, and fresh omega-rich fish. They're all at our fingertips.

Like all healthy recipes on taste.com.au, each recipe makes prep and cooking easy, and all the ingredients are as close as your local supermarket. The cookbook also includes an easy meal planner with every meal occasion covered.

When it comes to healthy diets, the Mediterranean diet is second to none. Five decades of studies and research clearly point to its broad suite of health benefits, and its proven links to help reduce risk of a whole raft of serious chronic diseases. All recipes in The Mediterranean Diet: The Australian Way have been rigorously checked for their alignment with the traditional Mediterranean diet protocol by taste.com.au's leading nutritionist.

Sewing perfect little bags & totes by Carolina Moore

Available in print

Whether you've been sewing for years or are looking for an approachable entry point to learn how to sew, this is a must-have guide for any kind of crafter. Featuring 15 easy-to-make pouch and bag sewing patterns, plus tutorials for various styles and techniques for applying straps, pockets, and hardware, have a blast mixing and matching to sew all kinds of bags.

From a simple clutch to an organizational tote or even a reusable gift bag, this guide will show you tons of the most common techniques used in bag making to build your sewing skills and even make your own original bag designs.

Crochet toy box: create toys & games the family will love

Published by Sona Books

Available in print

Every kid loves to have fun, so why not fill up their toy box with delightful handmade toys?

From bears and dolls to rattles and lovies, we've got everything you need to create crochet toys and games for the little ones in your life. They can take a trip to Mexico with an amigurumi doll, learn colours and shapes with fun geometric patterns, and battle each other in noughts and crosses.

For crochet beginners, we've also included a handy guide to get you started in the craft. So what are you waiting for? Straightforward text, ideal for the beginner.

Macrame: 25 projects to create with cord by Francoise Vauzeilles

Available in print

There are more than 30 simple and beautiful projects for readers to turn their hands to, including braided wreaths, fringed lampshades and woven wall hangings.

All the projects are shown in versatile Scandi neutrals, which would make a tasteful addition to any home, but if you decide to feature a bit of colour, there’s handy information on using natural dyes included. With helpful instructions on basic macramé knots as well as inspirational photography, it won't be long before your home is adorned in gorgeous macramé pieces.

Painting birds: expressive watercolour techniques by Sarah Stokes

Available in print

A guide to capturing the beauty of birds using modern, expressive watercolour painting techniques.

Painting watercolours in a loose style is a technique admired by many artists, yet there are a range of skills to master in order to achieve a sense of freedom and lightness of touch. Birds present us with a vibrant array of colours and textures – from the iridescent plumage of the hummingbird to the zingy turquoise blue of the kingfisher – and with such varied and lively characters they are a wonderful subject to paint.

Supported by instructional photos throughout, experienced artist Sarah encourages you to let go of the detail whilst providing you with all the techniques required to paint beautiful and characterful portraits of birds with colour and verve.

Minecraft the voyage by Jason Fry

Available in print 

Join a daring expedition into strange new lands with this official Minecraft novel! When a young man is ripped from his quiet life and stranded far from home, he must learn not only how to survive, but how to live.

Stax Stonecutter has lived a peaceful—if unremarkable—life in his small town in the Overworld. The son of great adventurers and wise builders, Stax prefers an easier life. He loves to tend to his gardens and play with his cats all day, rather than venturing out to explore the surrounding lands. It’s quiet on his estate, even lonely sometimes, but it suits Stax well enough.

His solitude is shattered when a mysterious stranger arrives with a band of merciless raiders. In one terrible night, Stax’s old life is taken from him, and he is left stranded in the middle of nowhere, angry and alone. 

The Autist’s guide to the galaxy by Clara Törnvall

Available in print

A playful guide to understanding the ways of ‘normal people’, The Autist’s Guide to the Galaxy flips our usual scripts about neurodiversity. Following on from her internationally successful memoir, The Autists, Clara Törnvall has written a fun, comprehensive, and accessible explanation of neurotypical, or ‘normal’, behaviour. Full of facts, tips, and tests, and developed with input from other autists, this book places the difficulties autists face in the context of a world built for the neurotypical majority. It will help neurodiverse people — and their families, friends, and loved ones — navigate this world, nurture stronger relationships, and thrive.

Long live evil by Sarah Rees Breannan

Available in print

A tale for anyone who's ever fallen for the villain...    

When her whole life collapsed, Rae still had books. Dying, she seizes a second chance at living: a magical bargain that lets her enter the world of her favourite fantasy series. She wakes in a castle on the edge of a hellish chasm, in a kingdom on the brink of war. Home to dangerous monsters, scheming courtiers and her favourite fictional character: the Once and Forever Emperor. He's impossibly alluring, as only fiction can be. And in this fantasy world, she discovers she's not the heroine, but the villainess in the Emperor's tale.

So be it. The wicked are better dressed, with better one-liners, even if they're doomed to bad ends. She assembles the wildly disparate villains of the story under her evil leadership, plotting to change their fate. But as the body count rises and the Emperor's fury increases, it seems Rae and her allies may not survive to see the final page.

The girl who thought in pictures by Temple Grandin

Available in print

If you’ve ever felt different, if you’ve ever been low,
if you don’t quite fit in, there’s a name you should know…

Meet Dr. Temple Grandin—one of the world’s quirkiest science heroes!
When young Temple was diagnosed with autism, no one expected her to talk, let alone become one of the most powerful voices in modern science. Yet, the determined visual thinker did just that. Her unique mind allowed her to connect with animals in a special way, helping her invent groundbreaking improvements for farms around the globe!

The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin is the first book in a brand new educational series about the inspirational lives of amazing scientists. In addition to the illustrated rhyming tale, you’ll find a complete biography, fun facts, a colourful timeline of events, and even a note from Temple herself!

Unlock your aesthetic by Maris Jones

Available in print

Unlock Your Aesthetic guides readers on a journey of brand self-discovery through a series of personal stories, visually captivating guides, and quirky prompts. Jones helps you tap into your creative voice by building on your specific interests and tastes in everything from fashion, music, art, décor, colour, and more. You’ll learn how to bring your unique creative visions to life, whether you’re putting together a show-stopping look for a big party or creating a video for your social media channel.

Whether you are a seasoned professional or just beginning your creative journey, this book offers valuable insights and practical tips for finding your own aesthetic and expressing it through every aspect of your life. With Jones's expert guidance, you'll learn how to embrace your interests and passions and turn them into a visually stunning cohesive brand.

James by Percival Everett

Available in print and eBook

The Mississippi River, 1861. When the enslaved Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a new owner in New Orleans and separated from his wife and daughter forever, he decides to hide on nearby Jackson's Island until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck Finn has faked his own death to escape his violent father who recently returned to town.

Thus begins a dangerous and transcendent journey by raft along the Mississippi River, toward the elusive promise of free states and beyond. As James and Huck begin to navigate the treacherous waters, each bend in the river holds the promise of both salvation and demise.

With rumours of a brewing war, James must face the burden he carries: the family he is desperate to protect and the constant lie he must live. And together, the unlikely pair must face the most dangerous odyssey of them all . . .

From the shadows of Huck Finn's mischievous spirit, Jim emerges to reclaim his voice, defying the conventions that have consigned him to the margins.

Sister Viv by Grantlee Kieza

Available in print, large print, eBook and eAudiobook

Bangka Island, 1942: Australian Army nurse Vivian Bullwinkel was just twenty-six when Japanese soldiers marched her and her fellow nurses into the shallow waters of a remote beach to be executed.

Miraculously, Vivian would be the lone survivor - and she committed the rest of her long life to an exceptional peacetime career which she lived in tribute to her lost friends. The Lieutenant-Colonel would also be the first woman to be honoured with a statue at the Australian War Memorial for her extraordinary bravery and service - a country girl who became one of the highest-ranking women in the Australian army, and who spent her life caring for others.

Growing up in Broken Hill, New South Wales, Vivian started work at a local hospital and joined the Australian Army Nursing Service in World War II. When the Japanese attacked Singapore in 1942, she and sixty-four other nurses were ordered to evacuate, but soon their ship was bombed by enemy aircraft. Some of the women drowned, but Viv made it to Radji Beach on Bangka Island, off Sumatra, with twenty-one of her nursing colleagues.

Wing by Nikki Gemmell

Available in print and eBook

Students from an elite girls' school go on a camping trip into the Australian bush. Four of them - a girl gang, a group of best friends dubbed 'The Cins' by the teachers - become separated from the main group. A male teacher volunteers to look for them.

None of the five come back.

A major search immediately gets underway. Days crawl past, agonisingly, with no sign of the girls or their teacher. The principal of the school, godmother to one of the missing students, is desperately trying to hold the parents, the school community - and herself - together. She needs to find out what happened before the police do. Finally, separated and traumatised, the four girls re-appear. But the male teacher does not.

And The Cins aren't talking.

Just for the summer by Abby Jimenez

Available in print 

To find their soulmates, all they need is four dates, a kiss and a breakup . . .

Justin has a curse, and thanks to a Reddit thread, it's now all over the internet. Every woman he dates goes on to find their soul mate the second they break up. When a woman slides into his DMs with the same problem, they come up with a plan: They'll date each other and break up. Their curses will cancel each other's out, and they'll both go on to find the love of their lives. It's a bonkers idea . . . and it just might work.

Emma hadn't planned that her next assignment as a traveling nurse would be in Minnesota, but she and her best friend agree that dating Justin is too good of an opportunity to pass up, especially when they get to rent an adorable cottage on a private island on Lake Minnetonka.

It's supposed to be a quick fling, just for the summer. But when Emma's toxic mother shows up and Justin has to assume guardianship of his three siblings, they're suddenly navigating a lot more than they expected - including catching real feelings for each other. What if this time Fate has actually brought the perfect pair together?

This is why we lied by Karin Slaughter

Available in print 

Everyone here is a liar, but only one of us is a killer...

Welcome to the McAlpine Lodge: a remote mountain getaway, it's the height of escapist luxury living. Except that everyone here is lying. Lying about their past. Lying to their family. Lying to themselves. Then one night, Mercy McAlpine - until now the good daughter - threatens to expose everybody's secrets. Just hours later, Mercy is dead. In an area this remote, it's easy to get away with murder. But Will Trent and Sara Linton - investigator and medical examiner for the GBI - are here on their honeymoon.

And now, with the killer poised to strike again, the holiday of a lifetime becomes a race against the clock ...

From here to the great unknown by Lisa Marie Presley & Riley Keough

Available in print, eBook and eAudiobook

In 2022, Lisa Marie Presley asked her daughter to help finally finish her long-gestating memoir.

A month later, Lisa Marie was dead, and the world would never know her story in her own words, never know the passionate, joyful, caring, and complicated woman that Riley loved and grieved.

Riley got the tapes that her mother had recorded for the book, laid in her bed, and listened as Lisa Marie told story after story about smashing golf carts together in the yards of Graceland, about the unconditional love she felt from her father, about being upstairs, just the two of them. About her singular, lifelong relationship with Danny Keough, about being married to Michael Jackson, what they shared in common. About motherhood. About deep addiction. About ever-present grief. Riley knew she had to fulfill her mother's wish to reveal these memories, incandescent and painful, to the world.

This extraordinary book is composed of both Lisa Marie's and Riley's voice, a mother and daughter communicating across the transom of death as they try to heal each other. 

Maggie’s recipe for life by Maggie Beer

Available in print 

With over 200 delicious recipes and the latest scientific research, bestselling author Maggie Beer and leading Alzheimer’s researcher Professor Ralph Martins show us how to eat and live well to promote optimum brain health to help fight one of the most debilitating diseases of our later years. This second edition contains a new introduction and 13 recipes from the ABC TV series Maggie Beer’s Big Mission.

Maggie Beer and Professor Ralph Martins have teamed up to fight one of the most debilitating diseases of our later years. Based on the latest scientific research, Maggie has created more than 200 recipes that help provide the nutrients we need for optimum brain health. More than one million Australians are affected every day by Alzheimer’s, directly or indirectly, but the good news is that you can eat well to age well, from this moment on.

Not just jam by Matthew Evans

Available in print

Farmer, former chef and food critic Matthew Evans shares the art of preserving when the bounty is at its best.

This book is Fat Pig farm's ode to the surplus of the seasons. Overwhelmed by ripe fruit, or mountains of rhubarb, we have found ways to preserve what we grow, and what grows near us.

Not Just Jam is farmer Matthew Evans' collection of more than 90 modern recipes for old-fashioned preserving methods. It is for the forager, who scours the suburbs looking for fruit trees whose bounty is overlooked by others; for the cook, who wants their dishes to resonate with flavours borne from their own hands; and for anyone who is passionate about flavour.

It’s not hysteria by Dr Karen Tang

Available in print

Did you know that up to 90% of women experience menstrual abnormalities or pelvic problems in their lifetime? Yet these issues are overwhelmingly misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or dismissed. Conditions such as PCOS, endometriosis, fibroids, ovarian cysts, PMDD, or pelvic floor dysfunction, don’t receive the stream of funding for research and new treatments that other conditions do, despite affecting up to half the population.

It's Not Hysteria shares critical knowledge that anyone impacted by these conditions desperately needs. Covering everything from the anatomy and reproductive health basics you wish you learned at school, to issues such as abnormal periods, PCOS, endometriosis, and fibroids, to more complex aspects of gynaecologic care like fertility, sexual health, and hysterectomies. Dr Tang's accessible advice empowers readers to act and advocate for themselves with healthcare professionals.

Archaeology by Colin Renfrew, Paul Bahn, Elizabeth DeMarrais

Available in print

Known for being an accessible and authoritative introduction, Archaeology: Theories, Methods and Practice has been updated in the Ninth Edition to include new discoveries in archaeology, innovations in field and laboratory methods, as well as covering the latest developments in archaeological theory.

Collaborating with Colin Renfrew and Paul Bahn, new co-author, Elizabeth DeMarrais, updates earlier editions’ clear presentation of archaeology’s history, theory and ethics. The contributions made by women, people of colour, and Indigenous communities to the study of the human past are highlighted. New theoretical sections address Indigenous archaeology, ontology, post-colonial theory and historical archaeology. Sections on the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage and the changing role of museums are included. The Ninth Edition includes broader coverage of approaches to identity, ethnicity, and the archaeology of the modern world.