Books on the Rail ninjas return with new novel

It’s been three years since two women left a book on a Melbourne train for commuters to pass on. Now the Books on the Rail duo have released their second novel and are dreaming of even bigger things.

Book ninjas Ali Berg and Michelle Kalus with their second novel While you were reading. Picture: Andy Brownbill

It all started when they left their favourite book at South Yarra Station for a stranger to discover.

Three years on, Books on the Rail duo Ali Berg and Michelle Kalus have written two novels, amassed thousands of followers and could soon have a movie deal.

Their latest offering, While You Were Reading, continues their love of the written word and, much like their debut novel The Book Ninja, is an unashamedly Melbourne story.

“We’ve included a lot of smashed avocado in there and the unique relationship you have with your local barista, cafe culture plays a big part in it,” Ms Berg said.

While the first novel took place in Brunswick and surrounds the second is set south of the Yarra and a little closer to home for the pair, who live in Malvern and Prahran.

While You Were Reading follows the adventures of Beatrix Babbage, who finds a preloved book full of scribbled notes and is determined to find the person who wrote them.

The Book Ninja fans may even spot some cameos of characters such as heroine Frankie (birth name Frankston, in honour of being conceived on the southeastern train line) Rose.

Ms Berg said there was also interest in bringing The Book Ninja — which has been published in 10 countries — to the silver screen.

“It’s been pitched for the Melbourne International Film Festival. There are a couple of people who are interested but we can’t say much about it at the moment,” she said.

And the duo’s third novel may revisit their beloved Frankie’s story.

“We still have separation anxiety about our Book Ninja characters, people want to know what happened to Frankie after that book so we’re thinking of writing a sequel,” Ms Berg said.

Meanwhile Books on the Rail — Berg and Kalus’ movement to leave books on public transport for commuters to read and pass on — continues to gain traction.

Inspired by Books on the Underground in London, they started the trend in Melbourne by leaving a copy of Paullina Simons’ The Bronze Horseman on a South Yarra Station platform for a fellow commuter to find.

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Their army has grown with more than a thousand people nationwide taking on the mantle of ‘book ninja’ to share their love of reading with strangers.

The movement has since received support from authors such as The Handmaid’s Tale writer Margaret Atwood and Graeme Simsion ( The Rosie Project ).

Thanks to Books on the Rail there are now more than 8000 books in circulation across Australia’s trains, trams and buses.

The pair said they liked to champion Australian writers — such as Carly Findlay, Davina Bell and Liane Moriarty — with their book ninja drops.

They have also hosted ‘commuter book clubs’ on trains and trams with sometime book ninja Simsion and have more than 14,000 Instagram followers.

You can join the movement by visiting their website.