What to read this week
From destination thrillers to a behind-the-scenes look at Formula 1, here are Review’s best new reading picks.
The Whisperer’s War By Jackie French
HQ, Historical Fiction
464pp, $32.99
Jackie French’s books have won more than 60 literary awards and have been published in 36 languages. Her latest, The Whisperer’s War, is set in England at the height of Nazi aggression. Lady Deanna is the granddaughter of the Duke of Claverton and spends her evenings wining and dining the powerful upper class at parties as a spy, gathering intelligence from the Nazi sympathisers in attendance. She learns of a German plan to restore the Duke of Windsor to the throne, which would safeguard an alliance with Hitler himself. Teeming with royal conflict, drama, and betrayal, set during the height of WWII, this novel is binge-worthy.
First Name Second Name By Steve MinOn
UQP, Fiction
272pp, $32.99
First Name Second Name is the ambitious and imaginative debut novel from Brisbane/Meanjin writer Steve MinOn. Readers are introduced to Stephen Bolin, a corpse who in his final moments before death left a note for his sisters. It is a request for them to return his body to Innisfail in north Queensland, the place of his birth. When he wakes up in a morgue and realises that they have ignored his request, he embarks on the journey alone. This compelling voyage takes Stephen back through an eventful family history.
The Private Island by Ali Lowe
Hachette, Fiction
384pp, $32.99
Who doesn’t love a destination thriller? It is the ultimate in escapist fiction and it is hugely in vogue right now with the success of The White Lotus and the works of Liane Moriarty. The destination in The Private Island is the tropical paradise and exclusive resort of Loloma Island, Fiji. It’s New Year’s Eve and the drinks are flowing like a sparkling Fijian waterfall when a body washes ashore. And in true whodunit style, the suspects are mounting up. There is the billionaire’s glitzy daughter, who is eyeing off her inheritance; a young dive instructor, who is struggling to make ends meet; and a start-up founder, who is running out of money. It’s a thrill.
Five Seasons in Seoul by Christine Newell
Affirm, Travel
272pp, $34.99
Christine Newell was left in a state of depression after her father’s death. Her career in musical theatre was flailing – resulting in a very emotional and disastrous moment parked up on the side of a road dressed as a dinosaur. What do you do when everything in your life is falling apart? Newell decided to move to South Korea, immersing herself in its stunning culture. The travel memoir is fast becoming one of my favourite sub-genres, and if you’re keen to enter the same lane as me, Five Seasons in Seoul is a wonderful place to start.
On the Grid by Luke Smith
Simon & Schuster, Sport
304pp, $34.99
The 2025 Formula 1 season kicked off last month in Melbourne and it won’t let up until December, when a champion will be crowned in Abu Dhabi. But what most viewers see on their televisions and streaming devices is rarely the entire story. Behind closed doors and in the hustle of pit lanes, thrilling drama unfolds. Luke Smith has spent the better part of a decade trackside and writing about Formula 1. He is currently a senior writer for The Athletic covering all F1 news, and his work features regularly in the New York Times. On the Grid is essential reading for any Formula 1 fan.
After the Fall by Kirsten Alexander
Ultimo Press, Fiction
304pp, $34.99
Kirsten Alexander has worked as an editor, copywriter and writer and has published two novels to critical acclaim: Half Moon Lake and Riptides. In After the Fall, Alexander explores female friendship, coercive control, power in relationships, and the possibilities that new connection brings. Giselle’s life has been thrown into chaos. She is escaping her previous life, the loss of her sister Lina – whose death has raised suspicions – and a toxic marriage. Seeking a new beginning, she arrives in the small village community in North Yorkshire called Hollydale, but things don’t go smoothly. After the Fall is eloquent and candid storytelling at its finest.
Essence by Thuy On
UWAP, Poetry
112pp, $24.99
Where does an artist find their muse, and how does one navigate the challenge of finding a home for their work? Essence is the follow-up from the critically acclaimed Turbulence and Decadence by poet Thuy On, which continues her exploration of language, writing, publishing, the arts and their place in our busy modern society. Separated into three parts, Essence is essential reading for anyone working in the Australian arts industry or anyone with a passing interest in, or love of, writing and the arts. Thuy On is the reviews and literary editor of ArtsHub. She is a journalist, critic and poet who has written for The Guardian, The Saturday Paper, The Australian, Australian Book Review and Sydney Book Review.
By Her Hand by Marion Taffe
4th Estate, Historical Fiction
400pp, $34.99
What I love most about reading historical fiction is the knowledge shared by the author. Marion Taffe’s debut novel, By Her Hand, is set in 910 CE in Mercia – a kingdom in central England ruled by the Anglo-Saxons. It follows Freda, a delightful young girl who loves nothing more than foraging in the woods and crafting beautiful stories with her rich imagination. When her small village is destroyed by a raid during this tumultuous medieval period, her father vanishes. Marion Taffe has worked in media for two decades. She was runner-up in the Grace Marion Wilson Emerging Writers Prize in 2022 and a recipient of a Varuna Residential Fellowship in 2023. By Her Hand is an impressive debut.
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