Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward

On a slave plantation in the Carolinas, Annis is sold south by the white enslaver who fathered her. Annis must venture through landscapes of the American South alone: from the rice fields of the Carolinas to the slave markets of New Orleans. Searching for relief in memories of her mother, she opens herself to a world beyond her own, teeming with spirits of earth, water, history and myth.

Obsession by Stuart Woods

A Teddy Fay novel.

Teddy Fay is brought to a filming location to help recover the wife of a young Croatian billionaire when he quickly comes to find that darker forces are at play and an old vendetta has been revived that puts everyone at risk. Meanwhile, danger lurks even nearer to home as an obsessive fan with perilous intentions weasels his way onto the film set, and only Teddy can stop him from getting too close for comfort.

Devil's Breath by Jill Johnson

Reclusive botanist Professor Eustacia Rose turns sleuth when her neighbour is abducted and is drawn into a world of intrigue where people are as toxic as the plants she studies.

Geneva by Richard Armitage

Nobel Prize-winning scientist Sarah Collier is starting to show signs of Alzheimer’s, which her father suffers from.  She is invited to a conference in Geneva where Mauritz Scheiller has been developing technology that could change medicine forever.

Mr Smith to You by Kerry Taylor

76 year old jockey Bill Smith has always preferred solitude and horses over people. Bill was assigned female at birth, a fact that shaped his life but never limited his ambition.  His nurse, Maureen, want to find someone who knows and loves him, but only one name seems to mean anything to Bill - Catherine, his first love. Can Maureen find out more to make Bill's final days more meaningful?

Remember Me ed. Anne Kennedy

A selection of over 200 poems from Aotearoa to learn by heart - whakatauki and odes, poems of love and of nature, of whanau, history and politics. For a wedding, a tangi, for a day at school or an evening at home, Remember Me will be a lively poetic companion for years to come.

Night Side of the River by Jeanette Winterson

Our lives are digital, exposed and always-on. We have changed, but our ghosts have not. They've simply adapted and innovated, found new channels to reach us. They are the stories of the dead - of those we've lost, loved, forgotten... and feared. Some are fiction. But some may not be.

The Opposite of Success by Eleanor Elliott Thomas

It is launch day for Council employee Lorrie Hope. As the day spirals from bad to worse to frankly unhinged, Lorrie and her friend, Alex, must reconsider what they can expect from life, love and middle management.

Sea of Treason by Julian Stockwin

A Kydd Series book.

1813. Captain Kydd finds himself drawn into the political scheming and warlike manoeuvres of the young United States, as it attempts to seize Spanish Florida.  With his ship-of-the-line, the greatest military asset in the region, Kydd must show all his courage and quick thinking to stay ahead of the game. And all the time in Europe, the situation continues to darken."--Publisher.

Gunflower by Laura Jean McKay

The stories in Gunflower explode and bloom in mesmerising ways, showing the world both as it is and as it could be.

The Goodbye Cat by Hiro Arikawa

Against changing seasons in Japan, seven cats weave their way through their owners' lives.  Bursting with empathy and love and exploring the unstoppable cycle of life as we see how the steadiness and devotion of a well-loved cat never lets us down.

Checkerboard Hill by Jade Kake

The novel confronts the complexities of families, secrets and trauma and the way these play out across generations. It also explores the ways in which Māori cultural traditions and tikanga are transmuted and transformed across the Tasman, across time and space.

War Bride by Patricia Fenton

Grim, uplifting and funny, this fictionalised family saga weaves memories and historical records stemming from real-life stories of a Welsh girl and a Kiwi boy who would never have met, if it wasn't for Hitler. 

Gum Tree Gully by Mandy Magro

Samantha Evans returns to her Queensland hometown of Gum Tree Gully for her friend's wedding where she meets up with her childhood sweetheart, Connor Gunn who harbours a tragic secret he can't share with anyone.  That is, until Sammie comes back to town.

Prima Facie by Suzie Miller

Tessa is a young, brilliant barrister.  One sickening night, though, Tessa finds herself in a position countless women - one in three - have been in before her.  Will she take the stand to testify about her rape, with the full awareness that the system has not been built to protect her?

Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll

Tina Cannon is convinced her missing friend was targeted by the man papers refer to as the All-American Sex Killer--and that he's struck again. Determined to find justice, the two join forces as their search for answers leads to a final, shocking confrontation.

Salt River Road by Molly Schmidt

In the aftermath of their mother's death, the lives of the five Tetley siblings fall apart.  When Noongar Elders Patsy and Herbert encounter Rose marching away from the mess, they take her home. Rose finds herself welcomed into a home where she has the chance to discover the true power of belonging. With the help of Patsy and Herbert, she'll find a way to begin to heal not only her family's pain but wounds hidden for a generation.

The Sugar Palace by Fiona McIntosh

Grace Fairweather is working in her father's grocery shop in The Rocks when she begins making her own confectionery and she meets Alfie Sweeting.  With Grace's natural business acumen and Alfie's creative sales skills, it seems like they could be the perfect pairing, in work and in love, but when Alfie's criminal past catches up with him, both their lives come under threat and Grace is forced to make the most difficult decision of all.

The Monk by Tim Sullivan

Series: DS Cross

The body of a monk is found savagely beaten to death in a woodland near Bristol. Nothing is known about Brother Dominic's past, which makes investigating difficult. How can Cross unpick a crime when they don't know anything about the victim? And why would someone want to harm a monk? 

Mr Einstein's Secretary by Matthew Reilly

All Hanna Fischer ever wanted to do was to study physics under the great Albert Einstein. But when, as a teenager in 1919, her life is suddenly turned upside-down, she is catapulted into a new and extraordinary life-- as a secretary, a scientist, a sister and a spy. 

Good Night, Irene by Luis Alberto Urrea

In 1943, Irene Woodward enlist with the Red Cross in Europe who drive military vehicles to provide camaraderie and a taste of home to the troops before they head into battle.  Luis Alberto Urrea delivers a story of women’s heroism in World War II inspired by his own mother’s service.

Unruly by David Mitchell

David Mitchell explores how England's monarchs, while acting as feared rulers firmly guiding their subjects' destinies, were in reality a bunch of lucky sods who were mostly as silly and weird in real life as they appear today in their portraits. Taking us right back to King Arthur (spoiler: he didn't exist), David tells the founding story of post-Roman England right up to the reign of Elizabeth I (spoiler: she dies). It's a tale of narcissists, inadequate self-control, excessive beheadings, middle-management insurrection, and uncivil wars.

Berserker by Adrian Edmonson

Ade Edmondson smashed onto the comedy circuit in the 1980s, stormed The Comedy Store and, alongside Rik Mayall, brought anarchy to stage and screen. How did a child brought up in a strict Methodist household - and who spent his formative years incarcerated in repressive boarding schools - end up joining the revolution? Well, he is part Norse. Could it be his berserker heritage?

Vege Patch From Scratch by Jo McCarroll

Vege Patch from Scratch will teach you the fundamentals of growing pretty much everything, plus show you how to grow fresh food at home – whether in a courtyard, on a deck, in pots on the windowsill, or in a large vegetable patch. Inside you will find how to: Plan your garden to make the most of your site’s sun and shelter; Understand the health of your soil and make it even better; Grow more plants from seeds, seedlings and cuttings; Plant by the season and soil temperature and more.

Ginger Pig Christmas Cook Book by Tim Wilson

From the award-winning Ginger Pig butchers, here are all the recipes you need for the most important meal of the year, plus all the other get-togethers of the festive season. In addition to delicious dishes there's a wealth of helpful advice, from how to stuff a bird to the art of building a festive cheese board ... together with advice on alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks ... Packed with recipes for every possible Christmas, whether you're feeding a crowd or cooking for just a few, this is the ultimate culinary guide for a stress-free, luxurious Christmas.

Kitty's Kitchen by Kitty Williams

From running a sandwich business to opening a food truck to then creating the viral lockdown scroll, this is a mouth-watering cookbook filled with indulgent recipes that are sure to leave you drooling. It's filled with classic recipes with a naughty twist that shows off Kitty's cooking style, such as: Choc chip at pancakes with salted, whipped maple butter; Sticky fried chicken burgers, satay chicken rice bowls with coconut rice; Spicy pineapple salsa and pickled cucumber, alla vodka paste bake with herby, garlicky breadcrumbs

Plated by Tina Duncan

Renowned New Zealand cook, caterer and cooking school tutor Tina Duncan has always held a deep love for cooking for others - be it around the kitchen table, at dinner parties, or catering for thousands of weddings and corporate events. A lifetime love affair with food has finally culminated in this outstanding collection of some of the most delicious plates from Tina's sixty years of cooking. She shares how to prepare, cook and present your food for maximum effect and minimal stress, ensuring you spend less time in the kitchen and more time at the table with guests. 

The Cat Who Taught Zen by James Norbury

This is the tale of a cat wise in the ways of zen who hears of a solitary ancient pine, deep in a maple forest, under which infinite wisdom may be found. So begins a journey of discovery. Along the way he meets a vivid cast of animals- from an anxious monkey and a tortoise tired of life, to a tiger struggling with anger, a confused wolf cub and a covetous crow. Each has stories to tell and lessons to share. But after a surprise encounter with a playful kitten, the cat questions everything.

The League of Lady Poisoners by Lisa Perrin

This lavishly illustrated book introduces more than 25 infamous women poisoners, exploring the circumstances and skill sets that led them to lives of crime. Learn about popular poisons throughout history and their deadly effects, and explore the common motives that drove these women to commit their dastardly deeds. You might find yourself rooting for some of them-- like Sally Bassett, who helped poison her granddaughter's enslavers in Bermuda, or the Angel Makers of Nagyrév, who helped women get rid of their abusive husbands. Other stories, may prove less palatable.

The Forgotten Forest by Robert Vennell

Deep in the forest, in places you would never think to look, are some of the most remarkable creatures. Overlooked and unsung, this is the forgotten forest: a world of glow-in-the-dark mushrooms and giant mosses, where slime moulds travel the forest in search of prey and ancient lichens live for thousands of years. Filled with beautiful historical artworks and illustrations, go on a walk through this fantastical forest, wandering through tales from history, science, and spirituality in search of these weird and wonderful species. 

The Night Hunt by Alexandra Christo

Atia is an immortal who feeds on fear and nightmare. As the last of her kind, she hides in the shadows of the world to escape the wrath of the vengeful Gods. Silas is a Herald, carrying messages and ferrying the dead, as punishment for a past he can't remember. When Atia breaks a sacred law and the gods send monsters to hunt her, Silas offers an irresistible deal.  All they need to do is kill three powerful creatures: a vampire, a banshee and one of the very Gods who has destroyed both their lives.

All the Dead Lie Down by Kyrie McCauley

Days after a tragedy leaves Marin Blythe alone in the world, she receives a surprising invitation from Alice Lovelace, an acclaimed horror writer and childhood friend of Marin's mother. Alice offers her a nanny position at Lovelace House, the family's coastal Maine estate. But as Marin settles in, she can't escape the anxiety that shadows her. Dead birds appear in Marin's room. The children's pranks escalate. Something dangerous lurks in the woods. All is not well at Lovelace House, and Marin must unravel its secrets before they consume her.

Under This Forgetful Sky by Lauren Yero

Rumi Sabzwari has spent his entire life behind the armored walls of St. Iago, which protect citizens of the Union of Upper Cities from the outside world's environmental devastation. When rebels infect his father with a fatal virus Rumi leaves, desperate to find a cure. In the ruined city of Paraíso he meets Paz, who agrees to guide him on his journey. As they travel together, Rumi finds himself drawn to Paz. But she knows more about Rumi's father's illness than she's saying and has her own agenda.