‘She had shot her husband dead’
She has told the stories of a murderous royal mistress, Christian Dior’s Nazi-fighting sister and the real Miss Moneypenny. Now Christine Wells has Jackie Kennedy in her lens.
Books
Love and self-loathing: Worst kind of jealousy
Jealousy can have devastating consequences, as international bestseller Adele Parks discovered in a nuanced tale about dead ex-lovers and what it’s like to always come second.
Book trend stealing Aussie hearts
Bored by traditional airport thrillers, horror and crime yarns? There’s a new genre taking over Aussie fiction – and social media’s bookworm community is leading the charge.
Why women pretend to be men
Harry Potter author JK Rowling is one of many women to pose as a bloke: and the experiences of fellow female talents in music and art indicate she was smart to do so.
’I’d be so wired’: Beer, bands and books
Melbourne’s 1990s pub scene was a potent blend of beer, bands and bonding. Jock Serong revisited his old haunts for his latest novel – and created a time-travelling hotel in the process.
Inside the head of ‘killer king’
For centuries, the mystery of the Princes in the Tower has chilled and enthralled. Amid debate around a fascinating new theory, a book goes inside the mind of the boys’ alleged murderer.
‘Taboo topic’ drove me to booze
Devastating loss in an area few people understand or talk about led Mitch Jennings to the realisation that people don’t always respond to life’s challenges the way we might hope.
‘It’s first love’: Adele’s bestie spills the beans
She’s besties with Adele and she’s married to a rock star – but Laura Dockrill’s story of insecurity, love and “the one that got away” is something we can all relate to.
One question: What would you do?
There’s a secret to creating plots that stand out in a world of high-octane drama and competing streaming services. It comes down to one key question, reveals Linwood Barclay.
‘Double desserts, too much wine’
Lizzy Dent was nervous about travelling to Italy alone for work. But the trip became a pilgrimage to food and romance – and produced a love story of its own.
‘Yes, I’m angry. I hope this helps’
Can crime fiction, created to entertain, help us make sense of real-life horrors like domestic violence? Furious at the injustice around her, Sherryl Clark hopes so.
Why we love tales of trouble in paradise
“Bad stuff happens to them so it doesn’t have to happen to you”. From The White Lotus to The Beach, there’s a reason we love tales of trouble in paradise.
Love and a ‘dangerous, dark’ history
Australia’s Shelley Davidow was there when the Berlin Wall fell. Now she can reveal a story of impossible love set against the most heady – and horrific – moments of recent history.
‘A mad twist’: Author responds to critic
Plot twists are a key part of our favourite shows and stories – but do they always work? One of Australia’s favourite writers has a message for a reader who missed the memo.
Why I met Mum for the first time in my 50s
A highly personal quest into her own past prompted Lisa Medved to weave a powerful plot about absent parents and secrets into her critically-acclaimed historical novel.
How to tell if you’re a Mean Girl
From the workplace to parties, Mean Girls live on into adulthood, long after leaving school. And you may be one of them, without even knowing. How’s how to tell.
‘A posh Gwyneth Paltrow, with problems’
Fakes, hypocrites … and murder. All is not well in the ‘wellness’ world, as Lucy Foley shows with her take on the Instagram-curated craze.
Sex joke’s brutal backfire on genius
Everyone knows the name Oppenheimer, thanks to the blockbuster biopic. But an ugly bullying incident in the scientist’s past gives new insight into his character and motivation.
‘You can bet on that’: Radio queen’s rule
Worried our reliance on screens will mean people stop reading and kids forget how to play? Aussies have been there before, a fascinating new book reveals – and look what happened.
Joy, fear and endless shifts: the truth about motherhood
One moment you are invincible, the next you’re overcome by worry and a lifetime of work. There’s something we should know about women, says Cathy Kelly.
‘Women not welcome’ and a vegan biffo
Behind uplifting new Aussie comedy Milking Time lie serious, even confronting, stories – and at least one of them will be relevant to you, reckons Rachael Treasure.
‘I caught my kid looking at fake news’
With up to 63 per cent of kids and teens getting news from social media, how do we help them dodge fake content? Don’t panic, says Kate Temple – there is a way and you can start now.
‘There is no forgetting this book’
From a novel that hooked an entire generation to true stories of extraordinary people in extraordinary times, these are the books our top authors recommend in the run-up to Anzac Day.
‘We live in the shadow of a volcano’
A real-life memory of an island community led by women sparks a story of love, murder and the true cost of ignoring threats, by one of Australia’s best-known writers.
Gaslighting or a real home horror story?
Ever thought there’s something weird about a house or the people in it? You’re not alone – and Lisa Unger knows why.
Vampire brides bent on vengeance
Gravestones, vampire brides and ghosts mingle with life-affirming pleasures in a city that Rachael Johns couldn’t ignore for her new book.
‘My story eerily foreshadowed COVID’
Christina Sweeney-Baird had just written a novel about a deadly pandemic sweeping the globe — then things became very real.
Anzac mothers’ monumental victory
Australians commemorating our Diggers’ deeds at Gallipoli have been urged to look back to an extraordinary feat achieved.
‘The children have disappeared’
The forgotten true story of a father’s brave defiance of the Nazis — and his heroic attempts to save Jews in the war — has been uncovered.
I was ‘a failure and an embarrassment’
Fiona McCallum’s family reacted to her broken marriage by treating her as an embarrassing failure. Then she discovered how to recover.
Why the first kiss never fades
First kisses, fighting bullies and classroom politics: why coming-of-age stories live on and are as relevant to adults as they are to kids.
My horror day with Lou Reed
Aussie rock writer Barry Divola reveals his most awkward encounter with a music great — 15 minutes of shame dished out by the legendary, and extremely difficult, Lou Reed.
‘She saw me as a child, not a colleague’
Workplace power dynamics between age groups are a minefield — and traditional ways of doing things aren’t always best.
‘At night, a set of eyes watched me’
Author AJ Gnuse lived in an old, strange, beautiful fixer-upper on the outskirts of New Orleans where he feared the worst as a child.
The royals are like ‘flawed gods’
As the Sussex circus exposes yet more royal rifts, Alexandra Joel argues our fascination with this all-too-human family is like the ancients’ relationship with the gods.
‘Traumatic and terrifying’: A mother’s grief
Kelli Hawkins’ new novel is about a grieving mother who haunts open houses. A devastating personal tragedy shaped her story.
My life in G-strings and scrubs
By night she was an exotic dancer; by day, a prim funeral home employee working with dead bodies and comforting the bereaved. This is Emma Jane Holmes’ extraordinary story.
Australian Gothic was my cure
Mad Max, The Cure and Wuthering Heights: how a teenage encounter with a Gothic classic sparked a lifelong obsession.
‘I dumped my love … then killed him’
Love is their speciality, 365 days a year — but even top romance writers can have spectacular fails in real life.
The dirty truth of moving to the country
Are you one of many Aussies fantasising about a tree change? City slicker Todd Alexander did it — and he has some words of advice.
‘Girl A’ tackles a hideous truth
‘House of Horror’ crimes involving abducted or imprisoned children are all too familiar. This author tackles what happens to the victims next.
What aspiring authors must know
New York Times and internationally bestselling author Amie Kaufman has revealed her tips on how fantasy author hopefuls can hook readers.
’Angel of Waterloo’ reveals Australia’s scars
ABBA famously sang about Waterloo. But few realise how that brutal conflict impacted Australia — and still does to this day.
‘I asked my husband if he’d do this’
Nest parenting is a solution for separated parents, in which the children stay in the family home and adults take turns living with them. A nice idea, but does it work?
How to tell war stories to your child
Like it or not, lots of kids love playing soldiers, watching war films and hearing accounts of battle. This is how to navigate that sensitive topic.
Search for Australia’s missing past
One of Australia’s most enduring mysteries — the unsolved disappearance of explorer Ludwig Leichhardt — is the backdrop for a new book.
How famous dancer’s perfect life came crashing down
Australian international ballet sensation Mary Li — wife of fellow star and Mao’s Last Dancer author Li Cunxin — had the world at their feet until a shock diagnosis.
A new world built on lies
The rise of Fascism and a world falling apart gave rise to Bridget Collins’ new novel The Betrayals, in which the characters must navigate the abuse of truth.
War letters reveal lost soldier’s fate
With her latest work set in World War Two, Hazel Gaynor discovered her own connection to that conflict — resolving a family story and bringing comfort to a 100-year-old woman.
‘You are not going to die’
An overpowering anxiety attack left author Tricia Stringer in emergency. She reveals how she fought back, with a message of hope.
Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/books