Recreation

New Titles Fiction May 2014 (arrived in April)

Adventure

City of the lost, Will Adams.
High stakes thriller which weaves Turkey's war-torn past with adventure, action and conspiracy.
Saucer : savage planet, Stephen Coonts.
Aliens are coming! A year after young engineering student Rip Cantrell discovered the first flying saucer buried deep in the sands of the Sahara, another saucer is brought up from the bottom of the Atlantic.
Robert Ludlum's The Janson option, Robert Ludlum; written by Paul Garrison.
Ex-covert-ops soldier Paul Janson and his sharpshooting partner, Jessica Kincaid, set out to rescue the wife of an oil executive who has been kidnapped by Somali pirates.
Blood pact, David Hagberg.
A large portion of the fabulous treasure originally stolen by conquistadors of the eighteenth century was buried in the desert of southern New Mexico by Spanish monks. Jacob Ambli, a Catholic priest, was sent as a spy on a Spanish military mission to find seven caches left for the Church.
Runner, Patrick Lee.
Sam Dryden, retired special forces, lives a quiet life in a small town on the coast of Southern California. While out on a run in the middle of the night, a young girl runs into him on the seaside boardwalk. Barefoot and terrified, she's running from a group of heavily armed men with one clear goal — to kill the fleeing child.
The madness of July, James Naughtie.
Spy thriller set in the endgame of the Cold War. First novel by well known British broadcaster and political writer.
The accident, Chris Pavone.
Set in New York's publishing world where the hunt for an anonymous manuscript leaves a trail of ruined careers and lives in its wake.
Remembrance day, Henry Porter.
Constantine Lindow is waiting for his brother Eamonn outside a central London tube station when a bus turns into the street and explodes. The next day Con is arrested as the prime suspect for the bombing. Con is determined to prove his innocence, but the only way he can do that is to find the real bomber.
The Auschwitz escape, Joel C. Rosenberg.
Jewish family's escape from Auschwitz is the basis for this mixture of action and spiritual thriller.
The Cairo affair, Olen Steinhauer.
When a U.S. diplomat is assassinated in Budapest his wife sets out to discover who is responsible and why.
The execution, Dick Wolf.
Follows his debut thriller "The intercept" with his hero, Jeremy Fisk, on an action packed chase across the globe.
Better off dead, Tom Wood.
Latest in the gritty tough series featuring Victor the assassin on the mean streets of London.
The warriors, Tom Young.
Lieutenant Colonel Michael Parson has seen plenty of action lately, so he's happy with his new assignment as safety officer at a Kyrgyzstan air base. It's a pretty laidback way to spend the next year. Or so he thought. On his second day, a C-27 crashes on the runway with a load of electronic gear and opium.

American Fiction

Black moon, Kenneth Calhoun.
A gripping and strange debut that imagines a world without sleep, driven to the brink of exhaustion, a true waking nightmare.
No book but the world, Leah Hager Cohen.
Follow up to her Orange Prize longlisted novel "The grief of others" is a tale of a boy who goes missing, a loner who is accused, and a family grown apart.
And the dark sacred night, Julia Glass.
Story of a middle aged man who searches for his father, upending relationships beyond his own and changing forever they way he fits in the world.
The replacement wife, Eileen Goudge.
A professional matchmaker finds out she has only 6 months to live, so she goes in search of her husband's next wife.
Off course, Michelle Huneven.
1980s and a young woman is drawn into the life of a small mountain community but love and an obsession with a married man throw her life off course.
The blazing world, Siri Hustvedt.
Story of an artist, ignored by the art world, who conceals her identity behind three male fronts.
Cambridge, Susanna Kaysen.
A novel by the author of the much praised (and filmed) "Girl interrupted" tells the story of a girl whose academic father moves around in 1950s Harvard Square.
Redeployment, Phil Klay.
A strong and truthful tale that takes us to the frontlines of Iraq and Afghanistan wars and what happened to the soldiers who returned. If you liked "Billy Lynn's long halftime walk" and "Matterhorn," try this one.
The last bride, Beverly Lewis.
Set in Amish country's beloved fictional Hickory Hollow, Tessie Miller, the youngest of her Old Order parents' five daughters, followed her heart, and the unthinkable has happened. Will she find a reason for hope, in spite of her desperate plight?
The facades, Eric Lundgren.
Set in a city called Trude, once known as the Munich of the Midwest, now known as a good place to commit suicide. A city that has decaying mansions, broken down buildings and an authoritarian mayor bent on destroying the town's library. Its beleaguered starring man is Sven, whose wife Molly has disappeared. He wants only to find her and finds clues everywhere but inside himself.
Seth MacFarlane's A million ways to die in the West, Seth MacFarlane
Debut novel from the creator of "Family guy" and "American Dad" is the story of a mild-mannered farmer fed up with the tough life of the American West. Too quirky to be an ordinary western and already filmed (with Liam Neeson, Charlize Theron and Neil Patrick Harris).
Blossom Street brides : a Blossom Street novel, Debbie Macomber.
Feel-good fiction with wedding bells ringing in the community that gathers around A Good Yarn, Seattle knitting store.
Bark : stories, Lorrie Moore.
Eight short stories that explore the passage of time - some are sad, some funny - by the author acknowledged as one of the best story writers today.
Love and treasure, Ayelet Waldman.
Story of contraband masterpieces, tragic love and the legacies of forgotten crimes. Based on the story of the Hungarian Gold Train in World War 2.
The strange and beautiful sorrows of Ava Lavender, Leslye Walton.
Magical realism, lyrical prose, and the pain and passion of human love haunt this hypnotic generational saga which some see as a YA novel/crossover title.
The collected works of A. J. Fikry, Gabrielle Zevin.
AJ Fikry owns a failing bookshop. His wife has just died, in tragic circumstances. His rare and valuable first edition has been stolen. His life is a wreck. Amelia is a book rep, with a big heart, and a lonely life. Maya is the baby who ends up on AJ's bookshop floor with a note. What happens in the bookshop that changes the lives of these seemingly normal but extraordinary characters?

Australian fiction

How I became the Mr Big of people smuggling, Martin Chambers.
Young guy, straight out of school and on a gap year ends up as a trafficker in human misery.
Gone fishing, Susan Duncan.
Sequel to "The briny café." Bargeman Sam is happy with his life in Cook's Basin then hears that a flash resort is about to be built. The residents storm into action.
In certain circles, Elizabeth Harrower.
Couple from diffrerent social worlds come together ina novel set amonst the lush gardens and grand stone houses of North Sydney.
Joyful, Robert Hillman.
The story of a collector of haute couture and what happens after his wife's death when he discovers her correspondence with an unknown lover.
The empress lover, Linda Jaivin.
One day, Linnie receives an intriguingly old-fashioned and formal invitation from a Professor H, an invitation that promises to reveal long hidden secrets of her family. And so two worlds collide.
Driving under the influence, Jenna Martin.
Father-daughter story about a twentysomething woman who has not lived up to her potential and ends up on the road with her father who is busy promoting his autobiography.
The Tea Chest, Josephine Moon.
Three women come together in a venture to save a teashop business. A tale of love and friendship with appeal to fans of authors such as Cathy Kelly and Monica McInerney.

British Fiction

The letter bearer, Robert Allison.
Left for dead in the North African desert at the end of World War II, The Rider has no memory of who he is and why he's here and has to piece together his identity in this intriguing and impressive debut.
Echo's bones, Samuel Beckett ; edited by Mark Nixon.
A previously unpublished story, an early work by Beckett.
Ghost moon, Ron Butlin.
Set mostly in Edinburgh in two different time strands - 1950 with a young woman pregnant and forced to leave home, then today, when her son visits her in a care home. A novel that is touching and even funny.
The tell-tale heart, Jill Dawson.
Fifty year old drinker and womaniser is ill but given a new lease of life by a heart transplant. The donor was a teenager and the man wants to know the story of his new heart.
The lie, Helen Dunmore.
Set during and just after the First World War, The Lie is an enthralling, heart-wrenching novel of love, memory and devastating loss.
Arctic summer, Damon Galgut.
In 1912, the SS Birmingham approaches India. On board is Morgan Forster, novelist and man of letters, who is embarking on a journey of discovery. This book evokes the life and work of EM Forster, his travels to India, and the freedom and inspiration he found there.
Little Egypt, Lesley Glaister.
Little Egypt is a once well-to-do country house. Now derelict and trapped on a small island of land between a railway, a dual carriageway and a superstore, it looks deserted but it isn't. Twins, Isis and Osiris, now in their nineties, still live in Little Egypt, the home they were born in. For their long lives they have always remained here, guarding a terrible secret.
Archbishop, Michele Guinness.
Five years from now, the Church of England is in crisis - then a woman is appointed the Archbishop of Canterbury. Not everyone wants a woman at the top and opposing forces are gathering.
Love, love me do, Mark Haysom.
1963 and a slick liar moves his family to Ashdown Forest then disappears. When he returns to put things right it may be too late. Enjoyable first novel captures well the time and the place.
Spilt milk, Amanda Hodgkinson.
1913 and two sisters live in a cottage on a Suffolk river and later, in 1939, a teenage girl adopts out her child. A perceptive tale that reveals how the past and the present collide.
For once in my life, Marianne Kavanagh.
A couple who went to university, live in London and have friends in common are soul mates they they've never met. They settle for second best and then finally meet.
Road ends, Mary Lawson.
This author's previous work was set in her native Canada. She now lives in London and this novel moves from the Silver Rush in Ontatio in 1900s to London in the 1960s.
The following girls, Louise Levene.
1970s suburbia and a teenage girl's mother is absent, stepmother drinks and father spends his time on getting a school for his other daughter.
The unloved, Deborah Levy.
Author is a prizewinner for her short stories and is a notable playwright. This is the tale of a group of hedonistic West European tourists who gather to celebrate Christmas at a remote French chateau where nasty things happen.
Northanger Abbey, Val McDermid.
In this modern retelling of Austen's classic, bookish minister's daughter Cat Morland joins her well-to-do friends in Edinburgh and falls for an up-and- coming lawyer who may harbour unsettling secrets.
A mad and wonderful thing, Mark Mulholland.
You wouldn't get involved, Johnny, would you? What about those terrible bombs? You wouldn't do a bad thing, would you?' In this passionate and strong debut novel by Irish writer Mark Mulholland, we meet Johnny Donnelly an intense young man who is in love with books, with his country, and with the beautiful Cora Flannery. But in his dark and secret other life he shoots British soldiers: he is an IRA sniper.
The first fifteen lives of Harry August, Claire North.
Forced to relive his life over and over again, Harry August receives a message on his eleventh death bed from a little girl who tells him that the world is about to end, and it is up to him to stop it.
The canal bridge : a novel of Ireland, love, and the First World War, Tom Phelan.
1913 and two young Irishmen join the British Army. The novel is their story and those of the people waiting back at home.
Mother of the year, Karen Ross.
A woman whose TV fame, parenting columns and Mother of the Year Award (three times!) has a daughter who'd really just like an ordinary Mum.
This is the life, Alex Shearer.
First adult novel by children's author. It's the story of Louis, who never quite fits in, and his little brother.
Jam, Jake Wallis Simons.
A state of the nation novel about what happens when the flow of traffic halts on the M25 and lives combine unexpectedly.
The forever girl, Alexander McCall Smith.
Standalone story about childhood playmates whose lives become a star crossed love affair.
Cat out of Hell, Lynne Truss.
The scene: a cottage on the coast on a windy evening. Inside, a room with curtains drawn. Tea has just been made. A kettle still steams. Under a pool of yellow light, two figures face each other across a kitchen table. A man and a cat. The story about to be related is so unusual yet so terrifyingly plausible that it demands to be told in a single sitting. The man clears his throat, and leans forward, expectant. 'Shall we begin?' says the cat.
Vanishing, Gerard Woodward.
The story of a boy whose drawing talent leads him to 1930s art scene, the Soho underworld and wartime North Africa.

Fiction from the rest of the World

Cataract City, Craig Davidson.
Border town overlooking Niagara Falls is home to men from different sides of the track whose lives will intersect. By the Canadian author whose "Rust and bone" was very memorable film.
The lost sisterhood, Anne Fortier.
From Danish/Canadian author of the bestseller "Juliet" comes the story of a young scholar risking her reputation - and her life - on a journey to prove that the warrior women known as the Amazons actually existed.
Falling out of time, David Grossman
A story of breaved parents setting out to reach their lost children. Moving tale by leading Israeli author.
The lemon grove, Ali Hosseini.
Identical twins Ruzbeh and Behruz were raised in southern Iran; their summer home is surrounded by a lemon grove. Both boys fall in love with Shireen, a childhood friend. Behruz goes to America to escape the pain of competing for Shireen's affections. Ruzbeh fights in the Iran/Iraq war and ends up alone and wandering the streets. When Behruz returns to Iran to help his shell-shocked brother, he finds the country devastated by revolution and war.
All my friends are superheroes, Andrew Kaufman.
Canadian author's tale, described as a romcom with a fellow author saying "I expect this story will replace boxes of chocolates and flowers in courting rituals to come."
Diary of the fall, Michel Laub
A schoolboy prank goes horribly wrong and a boy is injured. Years later one of his schoolmates relives the story. Author is Brazilian and this novel has been highly praised.
The bathing women, Tie Ning
A modern Chinese classic about two sisters who grow up in the shadow of the Cultural Revolution.
Zebra crossing, Meg Vandermerwe.
The eve of 2010 World Cup and a brother and sister flee to Cape Town but find it's a dangerous place for an illegal immigrant and an albino.
Look who's back, Timur Vermes
A big bestseller in Europe described as a sharp satire of our media obsessed world. An outrageous tale of Hitler waking up alive and well and becoming a TV star, going viral on YouTube, etc.
Nothing holds back the night, Delphine de Vigan
A candid family memoir in fictional form about a mother's mental health issues and how they impact on the family.

Graphic Novel

A game of thrones. Volume 3 : the Graphic Novel, George R.R. Martin ; adapted by Daniel Abraham
The Hedge knight. II, Sworn sword, George R.R. Martin ; adaptation by Ben Avery.
Clive Barker's Hellraiser. [2], The dark watch, Clive Barker and Brandon Seifert
Down. Set. Fight!, Chad Bowers & Chris Sims
Lucifer. Book three, Mike Carey
Trinity of sin. The Phantom Stranger. Volume 2, Breach of faith, Dan DiDio, J.M. DeMatteis
Planetary omnibus, Warren Ellis
Trinity of sin. Pandora, Volume 1, The Curse, Ray Fawkes, Geoff Johns
Death, Neil Gaiman
Locke & key. Volume 6, Alpha & omega, Joe Hill
The man who laughs, David Hine ; adapted from the novel "L'homme qui rit" by Victor Hugo.
Real. 12, Takehiko Inoue
The walking dead. [Volume 20, All out war. Part one], Robert Kirkman
The James Bond omnibus. Volume 005, Jim Lawrence
Animal Man. Volume 4, Splinter Species, Jeff Lemire
Solid state Tank Girl, Alan Martin, Warwick Johnson-Cadwell.
Nemo. The roses of Berlin, Alan Moore, Kevin O'Neill
Hana-Kimi : for you in full blossom. [Volumes 16, 17, 18], Hisaya Nakajo
Hana-Kimi : for you in full blossom. [Volumes 22, 23, AS], Hisaya Nakajo
Halo. Initiation, Brian Reed
DC Universe Presents. Volume 2, Vandal savage, James Robinson
Black bird. 18, Kanoko Sakurakouji
Talon. Volume 1, Scourge of the Owls, Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV
The tale of Brin & Bent and Minno Marylebone, Ravi Thornton
Fairest in all the land, Bill Willingham

Mystery

Harm's reach, Alex Barclay.
FBI Agent Ren Bryce finds herself entangled in two seemingly unrelated mysteries. But the past has a way of echoing down the years and finding its way into the present. When Special Agent Ren Bryce discovers the body of a young woman in an abandoned car, solving the case becomes personal.
Destroyer angel, Nevada Barr.
After a summer fighting wildfire, park ranger Anna Pigeon is enjoying a weekend away camping in Minnesota's National Park with her girlfriends. But when they encounter a band of violent kidnappers little do they realise that their ultimate challenge will be to stay alive.
The facts of life and death, Belinda Bauer.
Lone women terrorised in a creepy game that then turns to murder. A dark mystery about bullying that goes further.
The dogs of Littlefield, Suzanne Berne.
Only partly a mystery, an interesting tale about a community of academics being studied by a sociologist who finds that an epidemic of dog poisonings points to a community of dark secrets.
The strange death of Fiona Griffiths, Harry Bingham.
DC Fiona Griffiths in third of series is given her toughest test as she volunteers to go undercover.
Stone cold, C.J. Box.
Investigating allegations about a hit man who lives a life of wealth and secrecy on a remote Wyoming ranch, troubleshooter Joe Pickett discovers two men at the ranch including a ruthless killer and a disturbing person from his past.
I've got you under my skin, Mary Higgins Clark.
Five years after her husband's murder, Laurie Moran, a TV producer and single mother, starts filming a new "cold case" series in which four women involved in the unsolved murder of a wealthy Westchester matron reunite to recreate the scene of the crime along with the real killer.
Keep your friends close, Paula Daly.
Happily married couple run into trouble when her old friend turns up and proceeds to steal her life. Psychological thriller.
Don't look for me, Loren D. Estleman.
Amos Walker doesn't mean to walk into trouble. But sometimes it finds him, regardless. The missing woman has left a handwritten note that said, "Don't look for me." Any P.I. would take that as a challenge.
Gallowglass, Gordon Ferris.
Second in series featuring a Scottish journalist by an author described as a possible new Ian Rankin.
Blood secret, Jaye Ford.
Nothing ever happens in Haven Bay, which is why Rennie Carter a woman who has been on the run for most of her life stayed there longer than she should. However, that illusion of security is broken one night when Max Tully, the man she loves and the reason she stayed, vanishes without trace.
The bleeding heart : Bryant & May, Christopher Fowler.
Another crime for the Peculiar Crimes Unit a dead man rising from a grave and who stole the ravens from the Tower of London. If you like zany mysteries (in the "New Tricks" vein), you need to try these likeable mysteries.
Never somewhere else, Alex Gray.
When three young women are discovered strangled and mutilated in a Glasgow park, it is up to DCI Lorimer to find their killer.
Rest assured, J.M. Gregson.
Twin Lakes, a complex of holiday homes in a fine English setting, runs into trouble and D.S. Hook and D.S. Lambert have a murder on their hands.
Black horizon, James Grippando.
Following a drilling explosion in Cuban waters, close to Deepwater Horizon disaster, attorney Jack Swytek finds he's representing a woman whose husband died on the rig.
The coal black asphalt tomb, David Handler.
Latest in the comedy mystery series featuring film critic Mitch Berger and Connecticut police trooper Des Mistry.
Deep shelter, Oliver Harris.
"A twisting spiral of lies and corruption" with "a beguiling bastard of a hero" says top crime writer Val McDermid.
The house of dolls, David Hewson.
Rome detectives are ordered to investigate an apparently open and shut case of a supposed accident in a glass factory.
Someone else's skin, Sarah Hilary.
Excellent mystery debut. A woman Detective Inspector is a rising star in the ranks but she has secrets connected with her parent's murder which come to light on a new case.
Wild people, Ewart Hutton.
DS Glyn Capaldi is recovering from a car crash in which a passenger dies when he realises it may not have been an accident.
Snatched, Bill James.
The new director of a regional museum and gallery has a hard time with vandalism and scandal and then things even more nasty.
Girl Seven, Hanna Jameson.
Second in London Underground series. Story of a young wom an whose family were murdered, leading her to become part of London's underworld and bent on revenge.
In search of murder, Roderic Jeffries.
Inspector Alvarez is rudely awakened from his afternoon siesta by a phone call reporting the death of one Senor Picare. On arrival at the Picare villa, it seems his grieving widow is passed out in bed and the housekeeper is the one dealing with the police and comforting the young maid, Marta, who is devastated by the death of her employer.
Falling, Emma Kavanagh.
Debut psychological thriller by a former police psychologist. About a plane crash linked to a woman's murder.
Irène, Pierre Lemaitre
Commandant Verhoeven's happy existence is blighted by a very savage murder where the crime scene resembles one in an actual James Ellroy novel.
By its cover, Donna Leon.
23rd instalment in the Commissario Brunetti series.
Death can't take a joke, Anya Lipska.
Meet Janusz Kiska, private eye and fixer and even perhaps murdered. Tale set in London's East End.
Buried angels, Camilla Lackberg
Psychological thriller featuring Detective Patrick Hedstrom and Erika Falck, here involved in a case where a family vanishes from their island home.
Sorrow bound, David Mark.
Third in series featuring D.S. Aector McAvoy, policeman in Hull.
The dead ground, Claire McGowan.
Irish thriller featuring forensic psychologist Paula McGuire on a case with links between a stolen baby and a murdered woman.
The weight of blood, Laura McHugh.
Woman living in the Ozark Mountains is an outsider since her mother ran away. When her friend is murdered there may be a connection.
The first rule of survival, Paul Mendelson.
Debut psychological thriller about a cold case involving abducted schoolboys in Cape Town that is mired in secrets and lies.
The son, Jo Nesbo
Sonny is a model prisoner. He listens to the confessions of other inmates at Oslo jail, and absolves them of their sins. Some people even whisper that Sonny is serving time for someone else: that he doesn't just listen, he confesses to their crimes.
High crime area : tales of darkness and dread, Joyce Carol Oates.
The most prolific writer of them all is back and this time with a clever collection of 8 stories of fear, murder and mystery.
Water music, Margie Orford.
A frozen child found close to death on an icy Cape Town mountainside and profiler Dr. Clare Hart investigates and finds there is a disturbing pattern.
Treachery, S.J. Parris.
The fourth historical thriller featuring Giordano Bruno: heretic, philosopher and spy. If you like the historical mysteries of C.J. Sansom, try this author.
Eden in winter, Richard North Patterson.
Two months after the suspicious and much-publicized death of his father on the island of Martha's Vineyard, it is taking all of Adam Blaine's character to suture the deep wounds both within his family and himself torn open by the tragedy. Moreover, as the court inquest into Benjamin Blaine's death continues, it is taking all of Adam's cunning to protect those closest to him from figures who still suspect that Adam's father was murdered by one of his kin.
The one you love, Paul Pilkington.
Days before her wedding, the bride's fiance goes missing and his brother is left for dead. The tabloids get hold of the case and the bride to be is put into real danger.
What she saw, Mark Roberts.
When a boy is badly burned on a sink estate in Peckham, DCI David Rosen investigates and finds a killer who leaves secret codes. Debut by a former schoolteacher.
Keep quiet, Lisa Scottoline.
Jake Whitmore is enjoying a rare bonding moment with his sixteen-year-old son, Kurt, when disaster strikes. They get in a terrible car accident that threatens to derail not only Kurt's chances at college, but his entire future. Jake makes a split-second decision that saves his son from formal punishment, but plunges them both into a world of guilt, lies, and secrecy.
The Norway Room, Mick Scully.
Debut novel by Birmingham author. The story of a city on the make and a boy caught in the crossfire of a rival gang war to control a nightclub.
The carter of La Providence, Georges Simenon
Inspector Maigret is standing in the pouring rain by a canal. A well-dressed woman, Mary Lampson, has been found strangled in a stable nearby. Why did her glamourous, hedonistic life come to such a brutal end here? Surely her taciturn husband Sir Walter knows or maybe the answers lie with the crew of the barge La Providence.
Lion plays rough, Lachlan Smith.
Framed for murder and fighting for his life, lawyer Leo Maxwell is a marked man.
Huber's tattoo, Quentin Smith.
Imagine if the secretive Nazi ambition to breed a super intelligent race in the 1930s had been realised. Set in London in 2011, several loosely connected murders are gradually traced back to the secretive and shocking Nazi eugenics program centred around Himmler's Lebensborn birthing homes.
East of innocence, David Thorne.
Introduces a fast paced and hard-edged series featuring a disgraced lawyer who can't escape his violent past.
The tulip eaters, Antoinette van Heugten.
In a riveting exploration of the power the past wields over the present, Antoinette van Heugten transports readers back to the dark days of World War II. Thirty years after the conflict between Dutch resistance fighters and Holland's Nazi sympathisers, a child's life hangs in the balance.
A lovely way to burn, Louise Welsh.
A pandemic is sweeping the globe and London is in crisis but Stevie Flint is convinced that her boyfriend's death is more sinister. First in the Plague Times trilogy.
Carnal curiosity, Stuart Woods.
Stone Barrington on the track of some clever crimes that involve insider knowledge.
The silence of the sea, Yrsa Sigurdardottir
Chilling in every way thriller about a luxury yacht arriving in Reykjavik harbour with nobody on board except for a child.

New Zealand Fiction

Heartland, Jenny Pattrick.
After a short stint in prison on trumped-up charges, the loveable simpleton Donny Mac returns to the house left to him by his grandfather in the small settlement of Manawa, in the shadow of Mt Ruapehu. Now inhabited by a handful of colourful locals, the once prosperous milling town is only bustling in the ski season when the out-of-towners arrive.
News pigs, Tim Wilson.
A sharp media satire, fast and funnny, about a flailing reporter, Tom Milde, who gets pulled into covering a live TV report about the latest gun massacre in an American university.

Romance

Risk of a lifetime, Caroline Anderson.
The Dining Club, Marina Anderson.
An exception to his rule, Lindsay Armstrong.
Uncovering her secrets, Amalie Berlin.
A debt paid in passion, Dani Collins.
Rescued by the millionaire, Cara Colter.
Seduction never lies, Sara Craven.
Road trip with the eligible bachelor, Michelle Douglas.
Safe in the tycoon's arms, Jennifer Faye.
For his eyes only, Liz Fielding.
When Falcone's world stops turning, Abby Green.
Unlocking the doctor's heart, Susanne Hampton.
Trouble on her doorstep, Nina Harrington.
An exquisite challenge, Jennifer Hayward.
A queen for the taking?, Kate Hewitt.
Securing the Greek's legacy, Julia James.
Waking up pregnant, Mira Lyn Kelly.
Shamed in the sands, Sharon Kendrick.
The returning hero, Soraya Lane.
No time like Mardi Gras, Kimberly Lang.
A secret until now, Kim Lawrence.
Waves of temptation, Marion Lennox.
Awakened by his touch, Nikki Logan.
The sheikh's last seduction, Jennie Lucas.
Tempted by Dr Morales, Carol Marinelli.
The accidental romeo, Carol Marinelli.
Romance for cynics, Nicola Marsh.
Time will tell, Fiona McCallum.
Holiday with a stranger, Christy McKellen.
Resisting her ex's touch, Amber McKenzie.
Daring to trust the boss, Susan Meier.
A bargain with the enemy, Carole Mortimer.
A prize beyond jewels, Carole Mortimer.
The woman sent to tame him, Victoria Parker.
Heiress on the run, Sophie Pembroke.
The plus-one agreement, Charlotte Phillips.
Melting the ice queen's heart, Amy Ruttan.
The summer they never forgot, Kandy Shepherd.
What a Sicilian husband wants, Michelle Smart.
To know her by name, Lori Wick.
White chocolate moments, Lori Wick.
Somebody to love : a Cupid, Texas novel, Lori Wilde.
Enthralled by Moretti, Cathy Williams.
The last guy she should call, Joss Wood.
Pretender to the throne, Maisey Yates.

Saga & Historical

A beauty so rare, Tamera Alexander.
Story of woman's plans for an orphanage at manor house clash with the plans of the architect.
Queen Elizabeth's daughter : a novel of Elizabeth I, Anne Clinard Barnhill.
The tale of Mary Shelton, Elizabeth I's young cousin and ward, set against the background of Elizabethan England.
The crimson ribbon, Katherine Clements.
Set during the English Civil War and looking at witchcraft, superstition and hope through the eyes of two strong and brave women.
Frog music, Emma Donoghue.
The author of the bestseller "Room" takes a new direction with a story based on an unsolved murder in 1876 San Francisco.
The May bride, Suzannah Dunn.
The early life of Jane Seymour, the unlucky third wife of Henry VIII.
Viper wine : a novel, Hermione Eyre.
1632 and the ladies of Charles the First's court use the viper wine treatment. A story of beauty and vanity based on real events.
When I was young, Mary Fitzgerald.
World War II has been over for five years but dark secrets of the time still overpower the present.
Time to say goodbye, Katie Flynn.
Three girls, evacuated from Liverpool during World War II, support each other through the tough years and as they grow up rivalries enter their lives and, twenty years on, a reunion has suprises in store.
Warrior of the West, M.K. Hume.
Action historical, second in "Twilight of the Celts" series.
Hannibal : clouds of war, Ben Kane.
213 BC. Syracuse. Under the merciless Sicilian sun, a city is under siege. Outside the walls, a vast Roman army waits. Yet the city's incredible defences designed by Archimedes mean that the city will not be easily taken. A veteran of the bitter war since its beginning, Quintus is ready to give his life in the service of the Republic.
The girl with the painted face, Gabrielle Kimm.
Modena, Italy, 1582. Seventeen-year-old seamstress Sofia Genotti is on the run, falsely accused of theft. Penniless and desperate to avoid the perils of whoredom, she is introduced to a troupe of travelling actors, who ask her to join them as costume mistress. Within weeks she is learning to act. Acting will bring her closer to Beppe Bianchi, who plays the anarchic character Arlecchino.
The seven streets of Liverpool, Maureen Lee.
The residents of Pearl Street in Liverpool prepare for Christmas 1942.
Hyde, Daniel Levine.
In this clever reimagining of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic, Mr Hyde is trapped in Doctor Jekyll's surgical cabinet, counting the hours to his capture and telling his strange story.
Black Venus, James MacManus.
The literary bohemian world of Paris is the backdrop to the passionate romance between Baudelaire and his muse, a Haitian cabaret singer.
Bodies of light, Sarah Moss.
Set in 19th century in the world of the Pre-Raphaelites and the early suffrage movement.
A different world, Mary Nichols.
Story of two women - a Polish woman who joins the Resistance and a Norfolk woman who takes in evacuees.
The scandalous duchess, Anne O'Brien.
'If you will be a great man's mistress you must pay the price' 1372 The Savoy. Widow Lady Katherine de Swynford presents herself for a role in the household of merciless royal prince, John Plantagenet, Duke of Lancaster, hoping to end her destitution. But the Duke's scandalous proposition leaves her life of pious integrity reeling.
A sensible arrangement, Tracie Peterson.
Marty Dandridge Olson is a widow looking for a way out of Texas. Widower Jake Wythe has secured a job as a bank manager in Denver, only to discover that the bank board wants him to be a married man. With Texas in his roots, he advertises for a Lone Star bride, and Marty answers the call.
The anatomy lesson, Nina Siegal.
Set in 17th century Holland, the story behind one of Rembrandt's most famous paintings.
Empress of the night : a novel of Catherine the Great, Eva Stachniak.
A follow-up to "The Winter Palace" continues the Romanov monarch's reflections on her world-changing rule in the shadow of the French Revolution, during which she orchestrates a political manoeuvre to secure her successor.
Take this cup, Bodie & Brock Thoene.
Nehemiah, son of a Jewish woman, a weaver from Jerusalem, is born and raised among the Jews who didn't return to Jerusalem from the Exile. He grows up with the expectation of a soon-coming Messiah. Could the Yeshua of Nazareth, who is walking the earth, reportedly doing miracles, be that Messiah?
The illusionists, Rosie Thomas.
London 1870 where a woman meets a showman who runs his own theatre company.

Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror

Night broken, Patricia Briggs.
The latest in the Mercedes Thompson series of fantasy novels. This one has been high on the US bestseller lists.
The burning dark, Adam Christopher.
Described as "a widescreen Hollywood spectacular in novel form" - littered with 'wow moments' and set in space. First in Spider War series.
The starter house, Sonja Condit.
Eerie horror thriller about a young couple whose new house holds deadly secrets from the past.
Working God's mischief, Glen Cook.
Book 4 in the Instrumentalities of the Night series of alternative history science fiction.
The gospel of Loki, Joanne M. Harris.
A clever first-person narrative of the rise and fall of the Norse gods retold from the point of view of the world's ultimate trickster, Loki. A change of pace for the bestselling author of "Chocolat."
Reflected, Rhiannon Held.
Rhiannon Held continues the secret lives of the werewolf packs that live and hunt alongside human society in the third book of the series that began with her debut novel, Silver.
Truth and fear, Peter Higgins.
Comparisons have been made with China Mieville for this interesting debut that imagines another Russia, an epic land of deep powers in the earth now in crisis.
Lagoon, Nnedi Okorafor.
A fantasy of sorts but more than fantasy. A star falls from the sky, a woman rises from the sea and the world changes in this magical dystopian tale.
Baptism of fire, Andrzej Sapkowski
War rages across the lands in the third of the imginative Witcher series. Translated from the Polish.
A love like blood, Marcus Sedgwick.
1944 just after the liberation of Paris, Charles Jackson sees someone drinking a woman's blood. A dark debut horror tale about love and revenge.
The given sacrifice : a novel of the Change, S.M. Stirling.
Rudi Mackenzie has won the battle that expelled the enemy from the new High Kingdom of Montival. Now he must free the people who live in the state once known as Idaho from occupation by the legions of the Church Universal and Triumphant and pursue them to their lair over the mountains.
Annihilation, Jeff VanderMeer.
First in trilogy about charting the widlerness of Area X, deemed an environmental disaster 30 years ago.
The king, J.R. Ward.
The latest in the bestselling series continues as a royal bloodline is compromised by a grave threat to the throne.
The war of the grail, Geoffrey Wilson.
The third volume in the alternative-history series that began with Land of Hope and Glory takes the English rebels led by Jack Casey to a head-on clash with the occupying Indian forces who have conquered Britain in the 1860s. Author now lives in Britain but studied in Christchurch.