The Vanishing Point by Andrea Hotere

London, 1991: Alex Johns, an art intern at the Courtauld, believes a hidden secret lies within Diego Velázquez's Las Meninas -- one of the most written about paintings of all time. Her mother died in mysterious circumstances while trying to uncover its secrets and Alex is troubled by memories of her own encounter as a child with the girl in the painting -- the Infanta Margarita -- who continues to haunt her. Alex must take up her mother's work and find evidence to uncover the truths within the canvas. NZ author

Emergency weather by Tim Jones

Three people find themselves in Wellington as the climate crisis crashes into their lives. A giant storm is on its way - what will be left of the city when it's over? NZ author

Lola in the mirror by Trent Dalton

A girl and her mother have been on the run for sixteen years, from police and the monster they left in their kitchen with a knife in his throat. They've found themselves a home inside a van with four flat tyres parked in a scrapyard by the edge of the Brisbane River. The girl has no name because names are dangerous when you're on the run. But the girl has a dream. A vision of a life as an artist of international acclaim. There's only one person who can help make her dreams come true.

Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood

A woman abandons her city life and marriage to return to the place of her childhood, holing up in a small religious community hidden away on the stark plains of the Monaro. She does not believe in God, doesn't know what prayer is, and finds herself living this strange, reclusive life almost by accident. As she gradually adjusts to the rhythms of monastic life, she finds herself turning again and again to thoughts of her mother, whose early death she can't forget.

Light over Liskeard by Louis de Bernieres

Q wants a simpler and safer life. His work as a quantum cryptographer for the government has led him to believe a crisis is imminent for civilisation, and he's looking for somewhere to ride out what's ahead. He buys a ruined farmhouse in Cornwall and begins to build his own self-sufficient haven. As life in the cities gets more complicated, and systems of electronic control begin to fall apart, Q flourishes in the wild countryside.

Back on Track by Tricia Stringer

Ketty Clift's couture dressmaking business is thriving but the same can't be said for her staff. Lately, cracks have appeared in the team's harmony, testing relationships and causing issues with customers. Worse, the rumour that Ketty has lost her touch is circulating. So when Ketty's old friend Carlos suggests a holiday by train - on the iconic Ghan, no less - Ketty decides to take her surprised staff with her in the hope of fixing what ails them.

The Burnout by Sophie Kinsella

Sasha has had it. She cannot bring herself to respond to another inane, "urgent" (but obviously not at all urgent) email or participate in the corporate employee joyfulness program. She hasn't seen her friends in months. Sex? Seems like a lot of effort. Even cooking dinner takes far too much planning. Sasha has hit a wall. Armed with good intentions to drink kale smoothies, try yoga, and find peace, she heads to the seaside resort she loved as a child.

Winter's Orphan by Katie Flynn 

London, 1940: When tragedy strikes, Libby Gilbert is left homeless and destitute, fending for herself on the capital's most dangerous streets. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and Libby is on the cusp of making a decision that could jeopardise her future when a local boy saves her from ruin. The kindness of this stranger sets her on a different path, and Libby heads to Liverpool with a determined mind and hope in her heart.

Black Sheep by Judy Nunn

Orphaned at sixteen, James Wakefield was determined to be a gun shearer like his father. Now he's killed twice, changed his name, and is on the run from the law. He had his reasons for both murders, and he felt no joy in taking life.  Ben McKinnon, meanwhile, is heir to the vast Glenfinnan sheep property near Goulburn, New South Wales. He too has a secret that, if ever revealed, would shatter the privileged lives of his father, Alastair, and his sisters, Jenna and Adele. When fate brings James and Ben together, a powerful friendship is forged, both men gladly becoming the keeper of the other's secret.

A Winter to Remember by Roison Meaney

Emily Feeney has always loved the festive season, so when she invites some of her favourite people to Christmas dinner at her restaurant, she has an afternoon of delicious fare and seasonal fun in mind. But as the big day draws near, her plans start to look a bit uncertain.

An Impossible Return by Caroline Laurent

An epic love story set against a backdrop of injustice, devastating secrets, and the painful price of independence. It's 1967 in the Chagos archipelago-- a group of atolls in the Indian Ocean-- and life is peaceful and easy for hardworking Marie. Her fierce independence and love for her home are quickly apparent to Gabriel, the handsome and sophisticated Mauritian secretary to the archipelago's administrator; it's love at first sight.

The Secret by Lee Child & Andrew Child

Jack Reacher is out and about in book number 28!

Chicago. 1992. A hospital patient wakes to find two strangers by his bed. They show him a list of names and ask a simple but impossible question. Minutes later he falls to his death from his twelfth-floor window - a fall which generates some unexpected attention. That attention comes from the Secretary of Defense, who calls for an inter-agency task force to investigate. Jack Reacher, recently demoted from Major, is assigned as the Army's representative.

Blood Lines by Nelson DeMille & Alex DeMille

Army Criminal Investigation Agents Scott Brodie and Maggie Taylor have been separated for five months following their last assignment. Now, they are reunited and tasked with investigating the murder of one of their own: CID Special Agent Harry Vance of the 5th MP Battalion, an accomplished counterterrorism agent who had been stationed in western Germany, and whose body was discovered in a city park in the heart of Berlin's Arab refugee community.

Traitors Gate by Jeffrey Archer

Book 6 in the William Warwick series.

Once a year, the Metropolitan Police must execute the most secret operation in their armoury when they transport the Crown Jewels across London. For four years, Chief Superindendent William Warwick - together with his second-in-command Inspector Ross Hogan - has been in charge of the operation. And for four years it's run like clockwork. But this year, everything is about to change.

Loyalty by Martina Cole with Jacqui Rose

Dara Tailor has had to grow up fast. With a mother addicted to cocaine, Dara must look after her seven younger siblings, until social services split them up for ever. Grace Perry has led a sheltered life. Until her widowed mother is attacked and left for dead and Grace is taken into care. At Holly Brookes Children's Home, the two girls unite in the face of horrific abuse and form an unbreakable bond of loyalty.

Code Red by Kyle Mills

Book 22 in the  A Mitch Rapp series

Mitch Rapp hates owing anyone a favor--especially when it's the world's most powerful crime lord. But when Damian Losa calls, Mitch is honor-bound to answer. The Syrian government appears to have created a highly addictive new narcotic that it plans to distribute throughout Europe. It's a major threat to Losa's business and he's determined to send someone to keep him on top by any means necessary. Rapp is the perfect choice for the mission.

The Last Goodbye by Tim Weaver

Book 12 in the  David Raker series

ONE DAY AGO... On the night Tom Brenner and his nine-year-old son Leo visit the Seven Peaks theme park, they head straight for the ghost house. They go in. But they don't come out. Somewhere inside the ride, impossible as it seems, the two of them simply vanish.

No Reserve by Felix Francis

Theo Jennings is a young auctioneer at the Thoroughbred sales ring in Newmarket. The October yearling sales are where the big money exchanges hands in frenzied auctions: millions of Guineas paid for horses that are as yet unnamed, untested, and have never taken a step on the track. It's the greatest gamble in all of horseracing, and one that can end in ruin..

Stop Them Dead by Peter James

Book 19 in the Roy Grace series

In the dead of night, a farmer hears a suspicious noise. It’s everyone’s worst nightmare: a break-in. When he confronts the intruders, he has no idea that just minutes later he will be left lying in a pool of blood. But the chilling truth lies not in the act itself, but what the perpetrators were willing to kill for.

Past Lying by Val McDermid

Book 7 in the Karen Pirie series

It's April 2020 and Edinburgh is in lockdown. It would seem like a strange time for a cold case to go hot-- the streets all but empty, an hour's outdoor exercise the maximum allowed-- but a mere pandemic doesn't mean crime takes a holiday. When a source at the National Library contacts DCI Karen Pirie's team about documents in the archive of a recently deceased crime novelist, it seems it's game on again.

The Seven by Chris Hammer

Book 3 in the Detective Nell Buchanan series.

Yuwonderie's seven founding families have lorded it over their district for a century, growing ever more rich and powerful. But now-- in startling circumstances-- one of their own is found dead in a ditch and homicide detectives Ivan Lucic and Nell Buchanan are sent to investigate.

New Zealand Bird Calls by Lynnette Moon

New Zealand is known for its birds, and the melodic quality of their song. In the book, each bird entry includes information about habitat, distribution, appearance and behaviour of the bird, along with a description of its calls. Each entry is illustrated with photographs from the renowned collection of Geoff Moon, making identification easy. Use the QR code to link to the recording of the call of each of the birds.

Edible Perennials by Rebecca Stewart

Perennials in the vege garden are nothing new, many old gardens would have had easy care perennials and self sowers as the basis of their food supply. Today many of these perennial edibles are unknown and apart from asparagus and rhubarb will not be found at the green grocers or supermarket. It may take some adjustments for us to get used to cooking and eating many of them, but with over 150 plants in this book, you may be surprised how many are already in your garden.

Eject! Eject! by John Nichol

'Eject! Eject!' When the call is made to abandon an aircraft, it's only the beginning of the story... This is the astonishing story of an invention that has saved many thousands of lives around the world, including the author's own: the ejection seat. Nichol tells the remarkable tale of how the ejection seat was first conceived during the Second World War as countless lives were lost in accidents and in battle.

Living Big in a Tiny House by Bryce Langston

Many of us dream of having a life free from rent, mortgages and utility bills. For some, this can be achieved by living in a tiny house, which offers a low-cost, environmentally friendly path to home ownership. In 'Living big in a tiny house', Langston, who has also produced a YouTube series of the same name, has collected a diverse range of examples that best illustrate innovative small-space design, along with the intriguing stories of their owners from here in New Zealand, USA, Canada, Australia and Japan.

Bluebells Cakery Classics by Karla Goodwin

In this, her third book, the well-known Auckland based baker revisits some of her earlier recipes and adds new ones, plus detailed instructions on how to create some of her signature decoration effects: learn how to decorate a Cloud Cake, a Vintage Cake, a Tea Rose Cake, a Unicorn Cake and more.

Great Railway Journeys in Europe by David Bowden

Great Railway Journeys in Europe features 34 fascinating journeys in North-West, Nordic, Central, Southern and South-East Europe, ranging from international mega-trips to short, nostalgic excursions on steam trains. Whether you are planning a special trip by train or delighting in discovering Europe's best railway journeys from the comfort of your armchair, this book is an informative and entertaining read.

No Comment by Jess McDonald

The Met Police's Direct Entry Detective scheme was aimed at turning people with no experience of the police into detectives. When it was launched, to tackle an unprecedented recruitment crisis, over 4,500 people, including Jess McDonald, applied. In her incisive book she explores the challenges of life on the front line, dealing almost exclusively with serious crimes against women, and what that reveals about the Met Police now.

The Kneeling Man by Leta McCullough Seletzky

The intimate and heartbreaking story of a Black undercover police officer who famously kneeled by the assassinated Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, and a daughter's quest for the truth about her father. This kneeling man was a member of the Invaders, an activist group that was in talks with King in the days leading up to the murder. But he also had another identity: an undercover Memphis police officer reporting on the activities of this group, which was thought to be possibly dangerous and potentially violent. 

The Six by Loren Grush

The Six was an extraordinary cohort of women recruited by NASA in the seventies. Ride was just one member of the Six. Greeted in Houston by make-up bags designed for use in space, no designated locker rooms and flight suits that didn't fit, they went on to break barriers on earth and in space. This sparkling history reveals their journey through NASA's outreach programme, rigorous tests and training, sexism, press attention, and the solidarity with which they overcame obstacles and launched into space..

I am the Mau by Chemutai Glasheen

This enticing collection of contemporary fiction is a celebration of our ubuntu- the invisible ties that bind us all together. From ancient forest guardians to modern cultural warriors, from grappling with ageold traditions to championing hair identity, these evocative stories explore the duality of Kenyan life and how to find a way between two cultures, both of which are yours. Chemutai Glasheen's unforgettable characters are drawn from her early life in Africa, with all its richness, diversity and complexity.

This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede

Three weddings. Three funerals. Alessa's gift from the gods is supposed to magnify a partner's magic, not kill every suitor she touches. Now, with only weeks left until a hungry swarm of demons devours everything on her island home, Alessa is running out of time to find a partner and stop the invasion. 

Glimpse by Jane Higgins

The city authorities have abandoned the D-Zone…It's a no-go area where ongoing earthquakes threaten to destroy what's left. Jonah can see the quakes-- before the ground shudders and grinds, before the buildings fall. Glimpsing is a rare ability and a great survival asset. It has attracted the attention of GlimpseCorp and the cult movement People for a New Nation. But Jonah’s friend, Bas, joins People for a New Nation and disappears…