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Audiobooks Narrated by Caroline Lee
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"A serial arsonist with a burning desire...
In a country town, an arsonist is burning homes down. Their signature move is placing an identical model of the house on the front porch before setting the fire. But no one is there to witness this in the silence of each dark winter night.
A happy couple is out celebrating their anniversary when they receive a chilling phone call—a recorded children's verse warning them their house is on fire and their children are gone. They race home to an inferno and missing children.
Detective Jace Franco is first on the scene and is confronted by scenes that will haunt him. The couple were good friends of his. And there's something else—a model house near the front door. He sighted exactly the same thing thirteen years ago, at a fire that claimed the lives of a whole family.
Franco becomes certain a twisted killer is at work. But his team is not convinced. The fire is officially deemed a tragic accident.
There is just one other person who saw what Franco did thirteen years ago—Franco's former homicide partner, Kate Wakeland. Can he tempt her away from her new role with the federal police for this one case?
Or will the arsonist continue to destroy the evidence with each of their deadly blazes?"
"'Tension and menace ... Mercier wields exceptional talent' CANDICE FOX
'Will keep you turning pages late into the night: don't say you weren't warned!' HAYLEY SCRIVENOR
'Suspenseful, smart and utterly gripping' BETTER READING
Longlisted for the 2024 Davitt Best Adult Novel Prize
Only a handful of inmates in Westmead Prison have committed crimes so atrocious that they've been locked away for life, and for fifteen years, convicted murderer Tomas Kovak has refused to disclose where he hid the body of his victim, a vulnerable young woman.
When Kovak is diagnosed with terminal cancer, intense pressure is put on Dr Laura Fleming, criminal psychologist, to find the location of Kovak's victim so her grieving family can find some sort of closure.
Laura has to use all of her training, skills and instinct to form a connection with the cold, remorseless killer, a man who has refused any psychological assessment since the day he confessed to the murder.
With every session, Laura becomes more and more convinced that something about Kovak's story doesn't ring true, and as his health rapidly deteriorates, the pressure on Laura ramps up. She becomes increasingly desperate, resorting to unconventional methods to find out what she can from the secretive man.
As she inches closer to the truth, she discovers some people will stop at nothing to keep the past hidden ... and the people Laura cares most about are fair game.
Love can make you do terrible things.
PRAISE
'Tension and menace ... Mercedes Mercier wields exceptional talent to keep the reader flipping pages.' CANDICE FOX
'Dr Laura Fleming is back! This book will have you turning pages late into the night: don't say you weren't warned!' HAYLEY SCRIVENOR
'Twisty and whip smart ... You'll devour this novel' ALI LOWE
'A page-turner of the highest order ... Enthralling' MEREDITH JAFFE
'A stunning thrill ride ... A must read' NINA D. CAMPBELL
'Cracking pace, crisp prose and compelling plot culminate in a nail-biting climax. Mercier's inner knowledge of the criminal justice system puts her in a league of her own' VERONICA LANDO
'Dr Laura Fleming is one of my favourite characters. I want her job.' B.M. CARROLL
'Tense, propulsive, sharply plotted ... Black Lies is a fresh spin on crime, and an enthralling mystery which will leave you frantically guessing to the last page. I couldn't put it down!' JOSH HORTINELA, DYMOCKS SYDNEY"
"The sweeping new saga of strong heroines and family secrets from the bestselling author of The Paris Model. While searching for her lost sister, art historian Wren Summers takes on the glittering world of New York's auction houses.
A missing girl, a hidden masterpiece, and the search for the truth
1965: After escaping from anti-war turmoil and the suffocating weight of family expectations, a beautiful young couple embrace a life free of materialism and tradition by a sapphire lake in Italy. But the past does not always let go so easily ...
1987: When talented art historian Wren Summers lands her dream job at the Sydney Art Museum, it seems she can finally leave her wildly unconventional background behind - until a treacherous act threatens everything she has strived for.
The revelation of a monstrous family secret sees Wren head to New York, compelled to find the missing girl who holds the key to this shocking mystery - and to make a fresh start in the glittering realm of international art auctions. As she struggles to fulfil her quest, can she navigate this new, high-stakes world of swirling temptation, romance and deceit, danger and betrayal, while staying true to what she knows is right?
Praise for Alexandra Joel:
'A mesmerising storyteller' The Australian
'Exceptional research and great storytelling ... She has that rare flair for drawing the reader into sumptuous worlds from glamorous bygone eras' Better Reading"
"'A true edge-of-your-seat thriller ... A total page-turner' KELLI HAWKINS
Someone knows your secrets. Someone knows your shame. And they won't stay buried for long.
A searing, dark and dangerous thriller from an exciting new voice
When prison psychologist Dr Laura Fleming is assigned charismatic inmate Justin Jones to assess for parole, alarm bells ring. Working with some of the state's most damaged criminals, she knows Jones is too dangerous to release, but he's got everyone fooled . . . She needs proof.
Laura knows all about damage. Her own painful mistakes have destroyed her marriage and she's been refused access to her daughter. Step by agonising step, she's rebuilding her life and her relationships, but it's a hard road. What does she have to do to prove she can be trusted?
Laura's not taking any chances with Jones, and as she races to find evidence before his parole hearing, she digs deep into his life - and is shocked by what she finds.
But as she edges closer to the truth, Laura falls victim to a series of increasingly personal attacks, and secrets from her past threaten to unhinge everything she holds dear - her job, her family . . . even her sanity.
Sometimes redemption is out of reach. But revenge will do just fine."
"Senior Detective Kate Wakeland senses dark undercurrents in her beloved small town, Tallman's Valley.
She's glimpsed a silent town lying beneath the valley ' a place where the streets and landscapes are the same, but where daylight never reaches. But as Kate begins to investigate the silent town, a shocking multiple shooting occurs on the mountain that bookends the valley, Witness Mountain.
Kate is forced to suspend all else and focus on the case at hand. How did a frail, elderly man manage to shoot his family? Did he have the help of his grandson, a teenage boy who can't account for his whereabouts that morning?
The height of a devastating fire season hinders Kate at every turn. Through the smoky veil hanging in the valley, Kate begins to suspect a connection between the Witness Mountain shootings and the silent town.
But the dangers are far greater than Kate ever imagined. There are people who will kill to conceal what they know and what they've done."
"'Heat and dust, love and hope - Fiona McArthur captures the resilience of rural communities.' FIONA LOWE
They'd bought a stock and feed store called, of all things, The Farmer's Friend.
Gracie could tell Jed thought it a great name. 'Farmers stick together. I like it.'
NEW BEGINNINGS
Jed and Gracie's move to Featherwood brings big dreams and open hearts, despite the drought around them. The ready-made rural store even comes with an ancient homestead overlooking the river, albeit one requiring some TLC. Gracie is expecting, and they're eager to put down family roots in the tiny community.
UNEXPECTED CONNECTIONS
Midwife Nell has fled her life in Sydney, hoping to start afresh on a small farm away from prying eyes and gossip. She strives to go unnoticed, but that proves near impossible when she meets charismatic Gracie and Jed, and the unpredictable, attractive Liam, who has as much emotional baggage as Nell does herself.
TRIALS AND TRIUMPHS
Jed's store becomes the meeting place for the town's colourful characters, people who'd do anything for their neighbours and friends. As Gracie's due date draws close, tensions rise between her and Jed when his impulsiveness strains their precarious financial situation. As a bushfire ravages the region, the whole town comes under threat, putting relationships and lives on the line.
Can quiet achievers, unexpected heroes, and a valley of part-time fire-fighters and farmers help Featherwood rise again?
PRAISE FOR FIONA MCARTHUR
'Reading Fiona McArthur is like wrapping yourself in a warm blanket and sitting under the stars.' RACHAEL JOHNS
'McArthur...has great skill in storytelling.' SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
'I never miss one of Fiona McArthur's books.' SAM STILL READING"
"'Michael was my love ... the perfect man, the perfect husband. I had the perfect life. And then it all went wrong.'
Julia Falconer is an artist married to a successful winemaker in the coastal hinterland of southern Victoria. From the outside, it looks like Julia and Michael have it all ‒ but things are never as they seem. A storm has destroyed a major crop, Michael is devastated, and is taking it out on Julia. And Julia retreats into herself, taking solace in her work, wine ... and the comfort of her friend Christopher.
Having stopped communicating almost entirely with Michael, Julia finds herself grappling with how her feelings towards Christopher are changing. He listens, he cares, he talks. But what does he really want?
Soon Julia will discover how wrong she was about the man she thought she loved ... and the man she really does love.
Under Ten Thousand Stars is a story about secrets and lies, loss and betrayal, and how people are never what they seem."
"From the bestselling author of The Paris Model comes another breathtaking story of glamour, romance and espionage.
Success would depend on taking a dangerous risk.
When Blaise Hill, a feisty young journalist from one of Sydney's toughest neighbourhoods, is dispatched to London at the dawn of the swinging sixties to report on Princess Margaret's controversial marriage to an unconventional photographer, she is drawn into an elite realm of glamour and intrigue.
As the nation faces an explosive upheaval, Blaise must grapple with a series of shocking scandals at the pinnacle of British society. Yet, haunted by a threat from her past and torn between two very different men, who can she trust in a world of hidden motives and shifting alliances? If she makes the wrong choice, she will lose everything.
Inspired by real events, The Royal Correspondent is a compelling story of love and betrayal, family secrets and conspiracy that takes you from the gritty life of a daily newspaper to the opulent splendour of Buckingham Palace.
Praise for The Royal Correspondent:
'Combines romance, a splash of espionage and lots of glamour, inspired by real events' Australian Women's Weekly
'It will sweep you up with its winning combination of historical facts and fabulous fiction' Herald Sun
'Vividly brings the swinging '60s to life' Who Weekly
'This engaging read has it all - glamour, intrigue, gossip, espionage, romance and fashion ... it's a gripping read with well-drawn characters ... a well woven tale set on the cusp of changing times' Weekly Times
'A fabulous story, with an extremely compelling protagonist at its heart ... Joel has hit her stride here' Better Reading
'A world of glamour, intrigue and scandal' Woman's Day
'Engaging characters and a well-paced story line brimming with social history, romance, and mystery will captivate readers across genres' Booklist
'An engrossing story [which] will keep readers turning the pages' Publishers Weekly"
"A decade ago, The Lullaby Man preyed upon young girls in Tallman's Valley. He stole into their lives, whispered in their ears, spoke of love.
Abby Wakeland was fourteen then. Now twenty-four, she's found the courage to tell her mother--Senior Detective Kate Wakeland--about what happened.
The Lullaby Man was her teacher.
What Abby reveals next will lead Kate down dark, twisting tunnels of discoveries that will blow this small town apart."
"Winner, Earphones Award 2020
Five long-missing children are about to be returned.
It was summer in the mountains when five small children vanished from their nursery school picnic. The heat was stifling that day, the tinkle of an ice-cream van in the air....
Three-and-a-half years later, in the dead of winter, the children are returned to their families...one by one.
All except for Ivy - the granddaughter of Homicide Detective Kate Wakeland. The other four children say Ivy is dead.
Speculation grows that the mysterious abductor is enacting a cruel revenge plot due to a murderer that Kate put in jail years before.
Kate isn't sure what to believe. But one thing is certain - she's about to begin the battle of her life. When the children were first stolen, she was prevented from investigating the case.
But now, Kate will be relentless in uncovering the identity of the abductor and discovering what happened to Ivy."
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