‘Don’t try this at home’: Risk rewarded
Joanne Fedler defied inner fear and official advice, to take a risk at a time of personal loss – and made an extraordinary discovery that brought back her gift for storytelling.
Books
‘What happened? Who is guilty?’
Four girls disappear from a school camp and a male teacher goes after them. The girls return – but the man does not. Wouldn’t you be asking hard questions, writes Nikki Gemmell.
‘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.
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.
More Stories
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.
Original URL: https://www.themercury.com.au/entertainment/books