Category: Australian

Waiting on Wednesday – While You Were Screaming by Shailee Thompson

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Thriller, Waiting on WednesdayLeave a comment

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  For this week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I look at a fun upcoming thriller from a rising Australian author with While You Were Screaming by Shailee Thompson.

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Those familiar with my blog know that I’m a massive fan of weird and unique thrillers, especially those that take established genre elements and flip them on their head.  It’s thanks to this love of unusual books that I was lucky enough to read the fantastic 2026 debut, How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates by Shailee Thompson.  A hilarious novel that served as a combined parody of romance and slasher films, How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates was an extremely compelling read, and it ended up being one of my favourite debuts and Australian releases from the first half of 2026.

Based on how much I enjoyed How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates, I’ve been eager to see what Thompson would write next, which is why I discovered the focus for this week’s post, While You Were Screaming.

Set for release in February 2027, While You Were Screaming is another amazing sounding thriller that will a protagonist find love in all the wrong places.  This time combining the romance genre with a gritty thriller narrative involving murderous cults, While You Were Screaming has an awesome plot behind it, and I’m already curious to see how it’s fun, if deadly, narrative goes.  Sure to be one of the distinctive thrillers of 2027, I’m very eager to read While You Were Screaming and it should be an early entertaining read for me next year.

Plot Synopsis:

From the #1 bestselling author of How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates comes a swoony killer romance in which a sinister couples retreat results in cult chaos – for fans of Grady Hendrix and Brynne Weaver.

Filmmaker Laurie Hamilton knows a red flag when she sees one, and Kindred Souls sets off every alarm. The organisation claims to counsel couples for a steep price, but what’s their real deal? Is it a scam … or a cult?

On a hunch that might get her killed, Laurie heads undercover with Connor Kincaid – a dangerously handsome podcaster and the one man she swore she’d never see again. Posing as the perfect match, they infiltrate a Kindred Souls retreat run by Cardinal, the enigmatic leader whose eerie charisma and devoted followers suggest there’s far more going on than relationship counselling.

Once inside, there’s no leaving. Surrounded by couples desperate to prove they’re soulmates, Laurie and Connor quickly realise the retreat isn’t about finding love – it’s about deciding who deserves it.

When things go from creepy to deadly, Laurie must decide who she can trust. Getting out alive is one thing, but what if she starts to grow feelings for the man she’s pretending to love? Urgh.

The Mortons by Justine Larbalestier and Scott Westerfeld

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, ThrillerLeave a comment

Publisher: Penguin Random House Australia (Trade Paperback – 21 July 2026)

Series: Standalone

Length: 454 pages

My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

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Get ready for one of the more unique crime fiction reads of 2026, as the superstar writing team of Justine Larbalestier and Scott Westerfeld present The Mortons, a complex and addictive read about a very messed up family.

Plot Synopsis:

A darkly funny, action-packed gothic thriller following a modern-day, old-money crime family with murderous intent. It’s The Secret History meets The Sopranos, with a dash of Saltburn!

Meet the Mortons: In this family, murder is currency – and business is booming.

The Mortons are a modern-day, old-money dynasty with impeccable taste, from their exquisitely crafted cocktails to their expertly tailored vintage garments. They are also stone-cold killers.

They, along with the other crime families, send their progeny to Helshire College, where legacy students learn to exercise control over their wealthy peers. Jessica Morton has always excelled at Helshire, secure in her knowledge that she is the prodigy of her generation. Now, having committed her first kill, it should be Jessica’s moment, her honour.

But that kill will cut more ways than one – and it will set in motion a series of consequences from which there is no turning back.

Sharp and hypnotic, The Mortons is an epic novel of alliances and power, loyalty and kinship, and the consequences of ruthless ambition.

The Mortons was an exceptional and highly addictive crime fiction thriller that provides a dark look at humanity through the eyes of a born and raised killer.  The first adult fiction collaboration between Australian young adult fiction author Justine Larbalestier and her husband Scott Westerfeld, also an established young adult author, The Mortons was a brilliantly twisted and complex read that I honestly couldn’t put down as I moved between shocking moments.

The plot of The Mortons is centred around protagonist and sole point-of-view character Jessica Morton, a murderous prodigy hiding in plain sight at the elite Helshire College.  A member of the Morton family, an extended clan of killers who manipulate, threaten and assassinate others for power and influence, Jessica is the rising star of the family, determined to do the rest of the Mortons proud.  However, after she is ordered to perform her first kill and murder an underperforming cousin, Jessica’s carefully planned life begins to change as she balances new feelings with her family duty and expectations.

The authors do an excellent job setting up much of The Mortons’ key story elements in the first half of the book, and I really appreciated the effective introduction to the protagonist, the titular Morton family, and the wider hidden world of family-controlled violence and manipulation.  There is some good early character work, especially as the protagonists deals with her apparent guilt, while also finding out some secrets around her family and Helshire.  Things become even more complicated when Jessica is sent on an important mission for the family.  This part of the book provides some of the more intriguing looks at Jessica’s personality, and the authors play up new uncertainty about her role and her family.  It also leads up to one of the book’s main, shocking moments halfway through, which changes the protagonist’s entire trajectory.

After this big moment, the second half of The Mortons is just one intense and highly addictive thrill ride, which I honestly got through in one extended sitting.  Faced with several traumatic events, Jessica’s storyline goes in a very interesting direction as she struggles with who she truly is.  I really enjoyed the additional emotional uncertainty of the plot in this part of the book, while additional revealed motivations from several supporting characters add to the general chaos of the plot, until a big moment changes everything once again.  I was very impressed with Larbalestier and Westerfeld for the big twist towards the end of the book, as it changed everything you thought you knew about the plot and altered everyone’s motivations.  The authors follow this twist up with some very dark moments guaranteed to leave you shocked, before leading up to the complex and thought-provoking conclusion.  The ending itself is a little low-key, but there is an intense beauty to it which fits The Mortons’ various character arcs extremely well.  It also leaves the story open to allow potential sequels from the authors, although The Mortons works quite well as a standalone story and adding more might remove the overall impact of this excellent book.

Larbalestier and Westerfeld crafted together a slick and emotionally charged novel here with The Mortons.  Blending a deeply personal character driven story from a damaged protagonist into a larger tale of family expectations and criminality resulted in a great read, and I loved the intense amount of drama and intrigue that the authors loaded into this book.  The underlying setting of the hidden crime families secretly influencing the world and training together alongside normal wealthy students a Helshire was very clever, and I loved the extended look at the sinister Mortons.  The authors do a wonderful job of initially showing the Mortons as a cool, if dangerous, family to be a part of, although the full depth of their evil becomes more apparent as the book continues.  This slow reveal of the titular family ties in nicely with the overarching themes of self-determination, nature vs nurture, and generational trauma, all placed in the context of a cultish criminal dynasty.  I did think at times that The Mortons had a young adult feel to it, especially the sequences examining first love and Helshire.  While this is to be expected considering the authors’ young adult fiction background, it might not appeal to some more mainstream thriller fans.  Still, I really enjoyed the easy style of The Mortons, and its complex characters and clever twists makes it a fantastic read for all crime fiction readers.

A key highlight of The Mortons is the distinctive characters contained within, especially the various murderous members of the Morton family proper.  The compelling collection of family-orientated killers and the people they associate with, was an impressive part of the book, and the authors do an amazing job of showing how dangerous and manipulative they can be, while also examining other parts of their personality.  As the book’s primary protagonist, much of The Mortons’ focus is on Jessica Morton, who goes through a particularly intense journey in this novel.  Initially shown to be a diligent Morton, Jessica finds herself drawn between family loyalty and other connections after her first kill.  The authors do an amazing job of initially introducing Jessica and her cold personality, before bombarding her with new experiences and thoughts.  This includes her first flourishes of romantic love, as well as other personal connections, all of which play against her family’s beliefs.  Jessica’s internal struggle is a big part of the book’s plot, especially once you understand how it’s being manipulated by others, and I really appreciated how effectively the authors dove into this protagonist.

Other key characters I have to highlight include Jessica’s roommate, Faraday, a party girl who finds herself drawn towards the mystique of the Mortons without fully understanding the dangers, and Jessica’s adopted cousin, Sebastian, who provides an interesting human perspective on the dark family.  These characters, and more, are all extremely well written, and their take on love, death, and the trauma of being or knowing the Mortons becomes integral to the plot in some many excellent ways.  I was so damn impressed with all these complex character moments, all of whom add to the powerful emotional depth of The Mortons.

Thanks to its captivating story, intense characters, and killer charm, The Mortons stands tall as one of the more intriguing and distinctive crime fiction reads of 2026.  Justine Larbalestier and Scott Westerfeld prove to be an incredible writing team, and there is so much depth and complexity in this brilliant joint adult thriller debut.  The Mortons comes highly recommended as a result, and readers are guaranteed to have an incredible time with this book, although you likely won’t be prepared for all its devilish twists.

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He Who Fights With Monsters: Outworlder by Travis Deverell (Shirtaloon)

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Fantasy, Throwback ThursdayLeave a comment

Publisher: Michael Joseph (Trade Paperback – 7 July 2026, originally published 23 February 2021)

Series: He Who Fights With Monsters – Volume One

Length: 755 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Looking for something to scratch your LitRPG itch?  Then dive into the acclaimed world of He Who Fights With Monsters, the first entry in an impressive series from Australian author Travis Deverell.

Fantasy fiction has a lot of interesting subgenres to it, with one of the more distinctive being the popular LitRPG genre, which throws ordinary humans into RPG settings.  This often results in some awesome narratives, where self-aware characters attempt to survive in fantasy worlds where the game system and its components are part of the setting.  While I so far haven’t read a ton of LitRPG books, it is a subgenre that I’m getting a lot more into recently, especially as there are a ton of awesome and often bonkers LitRPG books out there.  It’s thanks to this interest in the wider LitRPG genre that I made sure to pick up a copy of the first volume of Travis Deverell’s He Who Fights With Monsters, a long-running series that is considered a major recent addition to LitRPG fiction.

Travis Deverell is an Australian author who rose to prominence through writing on the Royal Road web novel site.  Also known as Shirtaloon, Deverell’s work on Royal Road formed into the He Who Fights With Monsters series, which has previously been released through independent publishing.  I was lucky enough to receive a review copy of the new trade paperback first volume of He Who Fights With Monsters released by Penguin Random House Australia (through their Michael Joseph imprint), I was quite intrigued by its fun sounding plot.  As such, I eagerly dived into this first book (titled in this release as Outworlder), and swiftly got drawn into this cool new series.

Plot Synopsis:

It’s not an easy career jump, going from retail assistant manager to interdimensional adventurer. Jason doesn’t have much of a choice, though, when he wakes up naked confused in a world of mystery and magic.

It wasn’t prophecy that brought him here. He wasn’t chosen. It was the wrong place, the wrong time and the very, very wrong guy. The wizard who summoned him by accident does not react well.

In short order, Jason will have to fight monsters, face cultists, escape cannibals and find some pants, preferably not in that order.

The good news? He has powers. The bad news? They’re kind of evil.

With no idea where he is or what he’s doing, he’s going to need friends, and fast, because in this world, power isn’t just about magic and monsters.

Jason will have to deal with politicians, noble houses and crime lords to survive. He’ll need to master his powers, evil or not, hopefully without becoming the worst monster of all.

Now that was a particularly epic and ultra-fun read.  I must admit that I didn’t quite know what to expect from He Who Fights With Monsters, but I honestly loved every second I spent with it.  There was something about this great first volume that quickly drew me in, and I soon got stuck powering through the novel’s wildly entertaining and compelling story.  A remarkably addictive read that serves as an outstanding introduction to the He Who Fights With Monsters series, I am so very glad I got a copy of this book.

The plot behind this first volume of He Who Fights With Monsters was extremely fun and awesome, and I was really impressed with how effectively Deverell dragged me into the action.  Starting off with a classic LitRPG set-up, with protagonist Jason Asano awaking in a strange fantasy land with no idea how he got there.  Equipped with a gaming interface and character abilities, Jason is soon forced to fight off monsters and cannibalistic cultists in a series of escalating misadventures while trying to figure out what is going on.  I quite liked this start to the story, although I felt it didn’t get going until Jason met up with several fellow adventures who, after some mutual saving and unlikely victories, agree to help Jason and teach him about this new world.

From this initial starting point, Deverell soon creates a rich and complex larger narrative and surrounding setting, and the reader gets an excellent crash-course in the magical system, how the world is set up, an explanation for how Jason is there.  With no other option, Jason accompanies his new friends on a journey to a nearby major city, and starts the process to become an adventurer, which includes taking on quests, fighting monsters and finding his own unique magical style.  The author keeps building in more world-building elements in this first half of the book, and you start to get a better idea of Jason’s personality, as well as hints about future threats.  The plot gets particularly interesting once Jason arrives at this volume’s central location of Greenstone, a major city where Jason endeavours to become a professional adventurer and soon gets in embroiled with a whole new range of supporting characters.

While I did quite enjoy the first half of He Who Fights With Monsters, I think the second half was stronger as Deverell didn’t need to explain the key concepts of his world as much and instead was able to unleash Jason and his full personality onto the unsuspecting city.  Jason soon finds himself experiencing multiple challenges and threats as he joins the Adventurer’s Society and becomes a player in local politics.  At the same time, Deverell sets up several intriguing secondary storylines around the other supporting characters, which blend well with the main adventure.  There is some excellent progression in the protagonist’s abilities and insights in this second half of the book, and I found it quite amusing to try and deal with the various threats and influences of the city.  Several of the ongoing storylines set in Greenstone come together in impressive fashion towards the end of the novel, especially as there is an extended series of fights with a dangerous new threat.  The author throws in some last-minute tragedy, as well as some moments that hammer home the underlying issues of corruption and stupidity that Jason was fighting through most of the book.  I felt that this volume ended on an interesting and compelling note, and there are several open storylines left to explore in the next volume of the story.

I rather enjoyed the writing in He Who Fights With Monsters, although it was admittedly rough in places.  It was a little obvious that Deverell was writing for an online audience, which resulted in some interesting style choices, most of which you get used to as the book continues.  For example, I initially questioned the author’s choice of writing this story in the third person, as I felt that a first-person perspective would have been a better choice.  However, the author made this third-person perspective work, as it allowed him to set up several storylines outside of the Jason’s perspective, while also showcasing the supporting character’s view the protagonist.  This book also had a great flow to it, with lots of action, compelling worldbuilding, and some very entertaining sequences.

All this resulted in an excellent blend of excitement, intrigue and humour, which was honestly addictive enough to keep me coming back and power through the over 700 pages within this volume.  This very compelling writing allowed me to overlook a lot of the book’s initial roughness, although I cannot forgive the weird error that resulted in various sentences of the book having noticeably different spacing.  I’m not sure if this was an issue with the Penguin release of He Who Fights With Monsters, or it’s just been carried over from the online edition, but it kept taking me out of the story, especially as the first few times I thought it was a deliberate choice to attempt to show a character talking quickly.  Whatever it was, I hope it’s not in future volumes, as it looks quite amateurish next to the rest of the fantastic formatting and artwork.

On top of the exciting story, I felt that a major highlight of He Who Fights With Monsters was the compelling worldbuilding.  The author clearly put a lot of thought into this compelling new fantasy world, which serves as a mirror to ours, filled with monsters, adventurers and magic.  Many of these elements were quite clever in concept and utilisation, as Deverell did an outstanding job introducing all these ideas to the reader.  He Who Fights With Monsters’ magical system, which involves adventurers absorbing various essences and slowly unlocking abilities associated with them, was particularly clever and helped to standout.  This cool system allowed for the author to introduce to some interesting power combinations, especially for the protagonist, and you quickly get the hang of its peculiarities and enjoy all the possibilities around it.

I also was very impressed with how the author worked the LitRPG aspect of the book into the narrative, introducing a credible reason why the protagonist had a game interface into his head, and ensuring that his ability to accept quests, loot corpses and more, seemed quite natural in the context of the story.  This great use of the LitRPG concept, as well as making the setting a real world with real people rather than a video game, ensured that there were some real stakes to the story, and helped to turn it into a particularly captivating adventure.

Another very interesting part of the He Who Fights With Monsters are the characters, especially the protagonist Jason Asano, who I had heard in advance was a bit of a divisive figure for readers.  I initially didn’t see any issues with Jason, who at first seemed to be a typical fish-out-of-water fantasy protagonist whose lack of knowledge about what is going on allowed readers to learn about the world and magic system at the same pace.  Even after the initial parts of the book, Jason seemed liked an entertaining main character, with a quirky sense of humour and insights into the fantasy world born from gamer experience.

However, once you get to the part of the story set in Greenstone, I began to understand why some readers didn’t like him, as Deverell starts to showcase his ability to read people and manipulate them.  Despite being framed as a good guy, there is a certain arrogance behind how he interacts with a lot of characters, including being quite dismissive of well-established aspects of the new world he finds himself in.  Jason also came across as kind of conceited when it came to dealing with the inherent inequalities of the fantasy world.  While in a lot of cases this was justified, especially when dealing with incompetent or corrupt adventurers and nobles, it honestly came across as a little preachy at times.  Still, this slightly annoying character trait wasn’t enough to reduce my enjoyment of He Who Fights With Monsters, and I quite enjoyed seeing Jason develop as an adventurer.  While there is a certain amount of plot armour in how quickly he advances, I felt that Deverell hit the right mark in Jason’s development in this first book and ensured that it filled the bounds of a typical progressive fantasy book.  I especially liked the character build that Deverall gifted Jason, turning him into a shadowy affliction specialist with various evil-themed powers.  Watching Jason attempt to balance his pleasant nature with the scary abilities he needs to work with was a key part of the character’s arc in this first volume, and I think it was a compelling and memorable bit of character development.  I’m very curious to see Jason evolves as the series continues, and must highlight how fun it is to have an Australian character in a big fantasy series.

I do quickly want to mention the larger cast of this first He Who Fights With Monsters book, as Deverell introduces a large group of supporting characters throughout the novel.  While most of these characters are very overshadowed by Jason and his antics, there are still some entertaining or complex figures here, whose own personal storylines work into the large plot of the novel.  I quite enjoyed seeing some of their relevant storylines, and it also ensured the reader got several outsider perspectives of Jason and his actions, which helped to highlight just how weird the protagonist seems to the inhabitants of this new fantasy world.  Many of these characters were quite likeable, and I rather got attached to Jason’s initial party in this world, Rufus, Farrah and Gary (the three of whom get a short story at the end of this volume).  While there is no major named antagonist in this first book, Deverell introduces some fun secondary villains who serve as a good initial opponent for Jason alongside the multitude of monsters he faces, especially as he is forced to deal with politics, intrigue and criminal networks.  All these characters, and more, added a lot to the larger story, and the resulting interactions produced some great moments.

With a highly entertaining blend of action, complex world building and a certain chaotic energy, the first volume of Travis Deverell’s He Who Fights With Monsters proved to be an exceptional hit that I couldn’t stop thinking about.  Featuring an outstanding LitRPG adventure set around a compelling protagonist, He Who Fights With Monsters was really something special, and I really couldn’t stop reading it at times.  I’m definitely planning to keep reading this series now that I’ve powered through the first volume, and I cannot wait to see what crazy antics and moments happen in the rest of the series.

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Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Australian Books from the First Half of 2026

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, List2 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics.  The official topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday was to list a participant’s books that they had to have immediately but still haven’t read. While this is an interesting concept, I’m instead going to do something different and will provide two separate lists here that continue my theme of recapping the first half of 2026.

I have had a lot of fun recapping some of the best books, audiobooks and new-to-me-authors from the first half of 2026 in previous weeks, but I also need to spend this time highlighting releases from outstanding Australian authors.  While I generally tend to read a great deal of Australian fiction each year due to my location, I have found that the first half of 2026 has been a particularly impressive year for Australian fiction, with some truly outstanding novels from very talented local authors.

As such, I thought I would take this opportunity to highlight some of the very best Australian talents who have so far released books in 2026.  To make it onto this list, the book had to be released by an Australia author this year.  I tend to take a bit of a different approach to Australian fiction than some other bloggers, as I highlight all books written by Australian authors rather than novels purely set in Australia or featuring Australian characters.  The eventual list I pulled together was pretty long, but I was eventually able to whittle it down into the absolute best Australian books of the year so far, which included some amazing reads from across the genres.

Honourable Mentions:

On the Edge by Kate Horan

A compelling and intense novel about secrets in small town Australia.

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Red Star Rebels by Amie Kaufman

A very exciting young adult science fiction novel from a major Australian author.

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The Writers Retreat by Victoria Brownlee

An intriguing novel with a great take on a recent mystery trope.

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We Did It Anyway by Carla Salmon

A fun Australian young adult adventure novel that serves as a sequel to Salmon’s debut We Saw What You Started.

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Top Ten Tuesday:

The Red Winter by Cameron Sulivan

A novel that has been a highlight of several of my previous lists, The Red Winter was an excellent debut from Australian author Cameron Sulivan.  A unique and compelling read that combined fun fantasy elements with some fascinating dives into French history, The Red Winter was an exceptional novel that had me hooked very early on.  A highly recommended book that is a wonderful first entry on this list.

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The Lineup by Nicholas Timms

Next up we have probably the most ‘Australian’ novel on this list, with The Lineup by Nicholas Timms.  A very compelling crime fiction debut that follows a former surfer who returns home to Byron Bay to find a killer, The Lineup was very impressive novel with some real heart to it.  I deeply enjoyed this book, and it truly showcased how distinctive Australian crime fiction can be.

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Redbelly Crossing by Candice Fox

One of Australia’s best known crime fiction authors continues to pump out awesome hits in 2026 with Redbelly Crossing by Candice Fox.  A powerful standalone Australian thriller, Redbelly Crossing follows two damaged siblings as they investigate a murder in their remote hometown.  However, dark secrets soon set the siblings against each other with deadly results.  This was a particularly intense read from Fox, who taps into some real-life Australian tragedy with powerful results.

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How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates by Shailee Thompson

New Australian author Shailee Thompson had one of the more exciting debuts of 2026, with How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates.  A wonderfully entertaining thriller that brings together elements from the horror and rom com genres, How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates was a lot of fun, and I enjoyed Thompson’s extreme take on speed dating.

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The Yacht by Kayte Nunn

Another crime fiction read with some international flair was The Yacht by Australian author Kayte Nunn.  Set in the sunny waters of Spain, The Yacht sees an ultra-rich family deal with drama aboard their new mega-yacht, while vengeful crewmembers watch from below deck.  Expertly bringing together class struggles with some excellent crime fiction elements, The Yacht was a striking standalone novel that is really worth checking out.

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Dark Desert Road by Tim Ayliffe

One of my favourite Australian authors Tim Ayliffe had an excellent 2026 with the standalone novel Dark Desert Road.  Following two estranged sisters caught on opposites sides of radical sovereign citizens, Dark Desert Road was a gritty and powerful thriller that took an interesting look at a rising element of Australian society.  An outstanding read that comes highly recommended.

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Warhammer 40,000: Da Freebooterz Code by Justin Woolley

I’m happy that I can include one book from my favourite franchise on this list, with the recent Warhammer 40,000 book Da Freebooterz Code.  Written by Australian author Justin Woolley, Da Freebooterz Code was one of the funniest books of the year that saw an ambitious ork pirate facing off against a vengeful human captain.  A wonderful and highly entertaining novel that comes highly recommended, especially on audiobook.

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The Shark by Emma Styles

Next on this list we have the fascinating and unique crime fiction read, The Shark by Emma Styles.  Following two damaged women who have been impacted in different ways by a serial killer haunting Perth, The Shark sees these protagonists attempt to take control of the situation in a very dark way.  An intriguing psychological thriller, The Shark was a great read that will stick in the mind well after you’ve finished reading it.

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The Couples Retreat by Mercedes Mercier

Mercedes Mercier takes the reader to the iconic Kangaroo Island with her latest novel, The Couples Retreat.  Following two separate protagonists caught up in a dramatic mass murder on the island, The Couples Retreat was a fantastic piece of crime fiction that proves easy to get caught up in.  Filled with compelling characters and interesting twists, The Couples Retreat is worth reading and I enjoyed its compelling mystery.

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Dark Sanctuary by Sarah Barrie

The final piece of Australian fiction that I want to highlight on this list is the twisted thriller Dark Sanctuary.  Written by Sarah Barrie, who excels as showcasing the dark side of Australian crime fiction, Dark Sanctuary was a chilling novel about murder and buried secrets told from three different perspectives.  Barrie really outdid herself with this powerful book about a deranged serial killer with some unique motives, and Dark Sanctuary ended up being a spectacular and memorable read that is a very worthy novel to end this list on.

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As you can see from the above, I have managed to check out a bunch of epic Australian novels in the first half of this year.  Each of the above were exceptional and fun reads and I would strongly recommend to everyone.  I look forward to reading more awesome Australian books in the second half of 2026, with some many upcoming books likely to make the end-of-year version of this list like Choppy Water by Jack Heath and Bad Neighbours by Joanna Jenkins.  Make sure to check out my other recent lists about the first half of 2026, especially my other Top Ten Tuesday post tonight, and let me know what cool Australian books you have already checked out this year.

Warhammer 40,000: Da Freebooterz Code by Justin Woolley

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Australian, Comedy/Satire, Extended Universe, Five-Star Books, Science Fiction, Tie-in Novel, Warhammer1 Comment

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 9 May 2026)

Series: Warhammer 40,000

Length: 9 hours and 41 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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Australian author Justin Woolley returns to the insane world of Warhammer 40,000 fiction with one of the funniest books of the year, the outstanding Da Freebooterz Code.

Readers of this blog will know that I have a lot of love for Warhammer 40,000 fiction which produces so many outstanding books each year.  While many Warhammer novels are enjoyable because they have awesome action or intense grimdark themes, some stand out because they are incredibly funny and use humour to enhance the darker elements of the setting.  One of the best recent authors who uses humour in Warhammer 40,000 is Justin Woolley, who has a particular affinity for the hilarious ork faction.  His first Warhammer 40,000 novel, Catachan Devil, had a hilarious partial focus on ork characters, and watching their crazy exploits alongside the perspective of serious and grim human soldiers ensured that Catachan Devil was a particularly funny and compelling read.  As such, I have been eager to read more from Woolley for a while, and I was quite excited when his latest novel, Da Freebooterz Code was announced, especially as Woolley was going to look at a group of ork pirates.

In the depths of space, there are few beings that have as much fun as an ork freebooter, an unusual breed of ork who haunt the stars in ramshackle ships.  The life of an ork freebooter is consumed with raiding, looting and destroying any ship unlucky enough to encounter them.  However, only the most successful ork leader can keep control of a band of freebooterz, and if a kaptin fails to find enough loot then an ambitious underlying can do a mutiny to take control of the ship and their pointy hat.  However, the next kaptin of the Gork’s Revenge has a different plan.

After accidently taking over the ship, Kaptin Skeeg Horntoof finds himself with several hungry underlings eying his position.  Luckily, Horntoof is an ork of rare ambition, and his crazy and ambitious plans soon leads his crew into a new period of raids and pillage.  However, Horntoof’s most unique and potentially un-orky idea is to lay down Da Freebooterz Code, a set of rules so outrageous that the rest of the orks can’t help but follow along.

Now determined to use his code to rally more orks to his cause to become the greatest freebooter the galaxy has ever seen, Horntoof embarks on a series of daring raids to find more loot.  However, Horntoof soon finds his ship floating into the Gulf of Gannemedes, an area of space protected by legendary rogue trader Lord Captain Antoinette von Hume, who vows to destroy the ork menace encroaching into her territory.  However, when tragedy strikes, von Hume finds herself becoming obsessed with the hunt for Horntoof and his ship, determined to wipe out the ork kaptin no matter the cost.  Caught between mutiny plots and a deranged human chasing him across the stars, can Horntoof fulfil his dream, or will he go up in flames alongside his ship and crew?

Da Freebooterz Code was an outstanding and highly entertaining Warhammer 40,000 novel from Justin Woolley that provides laughs, thrills and captivating characters in spades.  Featuring a powerful story of ambition and revenge perfectly set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, Da Freebooterz Code was an incredible read that was a true highlight from the first half of 2026.

Woolley did an amazing job pulling together an exciting and compelling narrative for Da Freebooterz Code, that is both funny and a little tragic.  Primarily a character-driven narrative focusing on some intriguing protagonists, Da Freebooterz Code is broken into two major storylines that cleverly interact with each other as the book progresses.  Woolley effectively introduces you to both major protagonists, Kaptin Skeeg Horntoof and Lord Captain Antoinette von Hume, early in the plot and you soon get very invested in their different narrative threads.  There is the more humour laden narrative around Horntoof, as he learns the ropes of being a kaptin and starts his ambitious plans.  Woolley also provides a great early introduction to the more rigid von Hume, as she is drawn back into the Gulf of Gannemedes in response to Horntoof’s raids.  The author sets up some interesting early elements in this first part of the book, and there are some fun early contrasts between the two different storylines.

After this excellent introduction, Woolley cleverly leads both storylines towards an initial collision between the opposing protagonists, which results in a sudden reversal of fortunes that changes the entire status quo of the story and makes you see both protagonists in a very different light.  Horntoof’s narrative becomes a fun story of ork politics and betrayals, as he fights to maintain control of a new tool that could give him everything he wants.  Meanwhile the storyline around von Hume dissolves into a tale of mass tragedy and revenge, with the rogue trader focusing her wrath on Horntoof as the being responsible for her losing everything.  This leads to a powerful central part of the book, with the dark narrative around the now unstable von Hume, perfectly matched by the unsubtle machinations of the orks around Horntoof.  Woolley does an excellent job alternating between these two main threads, and I loved the contrast in humour and emotional depth that emerged.

Everything leads up to the final third of Da Freebooterz Code, which was the strongest part of the book.  Woolley provides some similar initial obstacles for both Horntoof and von Hume, as they are forced to overcome obstacles from treacherous or ambitious rivals of their own species.  However, their determination soon sees the two protagonists finally facing off against each other in a series of compelling and emotionally charged sequences.  I loved some of the twists and reveals that came out in this final part of the book, especially as you realise that Woolley had laid down some interesting early clues hinting at them.  The big confrontation was everything you could hope it would be with some even-handed action, alternating betrayals, and fantastic interactions between the main two characters.  The result of this confrontation was pretty perfect, especially with disappointments on both sides, and you really come away equally appreciating these very different protagonists.  Woolley also leads the main plot open for continuation, and I frankly would love to see the main story threads from Da Freebooterz Code continue, especially after all the hilarious, yet dramatic, build-up contained in this brilliant narrative.

I really loved how this story came together, as Woolley leans into the over-the-top nature of the Warhammer 40,000 setting and pulls as much humour from it as possible.  Much of this is because at least half the book is focused around the always hilarious ork faction, and Woolley excels at showcasing the innate comedic charm of these seemingly unsophisticated alien brutes.  The character dynamics and dialogue between the various orks is so damn amusing, and their interactions with humans, who they really don’t understand, is just amazing.  The craziness of this faction is even further enhanced by the fact that all the ork characters are emulating classic pirate tropes, which essentially results in Da Freebooterz Code become a book about a backstabbing band of the dumbest pirates possible, constantly failing upwards.  There are also some clever pirate-themed jokes and puns thrown in as well, and I honestly had some laugh-out-load moments when I first heard them.  What makes this humour even better is the way in which Woolley writes the human perspective chapters in Da Freebooterz Code almost entirely dead serious, with the human characters forced to continuously deal with the brutal destruction left in the ork’s wake.  The alternating chapters contrasted off each other extremely effectively, with both the ork humour and the tragedy of the human characters enhanced when compared to the other.  Woolley also balances this well written, alternating character-driven comedy and drama with some amazing action sequences.  I especially enjoyed the multiple space battles between warring ships, especially when the orks go for some outrageous strategies, while the entertaining and excessively violent fight scenes aboard ship are always quite fun.

I felt that Da Freebooterz Code was a particularly awesome entry in the wider Warhammer 40,000 franchise that will appeal to a wide range of readers.  Pretty much anyone who loves an entertaining science fiction romp can dive into Da Freebooterz Code and fully appreciate the story, as it is very accessible to new readers unfamiliar with the franchise.  Indeed, Da Freebooterz Code would be a good starting point as it showcases both the over-the-top nature of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, as well as the inevitable tragedy lying beneath the surface.  Established Warhammer fans will obviously get a little more out of Da Freebooterz Code than other readers, especially as Woolley dives into two unique sub-factions, rogue traders of the Imperium of Man, and freebooter ork pirates.  The author provides some compelling insights into both these sub-factions, especially that of the rogue traders, and it was fascinating to see the contrasting mindsets of both groups.  This was probably one of the more purely entertaining romps into the Warhammer 40,000 universe I have had the pleasure of exploring in recent years, and I would really recommend it to anyone looking to explore the franchise at any level.

The writing element of Da Freeboterz Code that turned it into one of the top Warhammer books of the year were the amazing character arcs that Woolley loaded into the story.  These character arcs produced some deeply complex storylines, and I really appreciated the range of fun or damaged figures that emerged.  Much of the book’s focus lies around the very entertaining ork Kaptin Skeeg Horntoof, a new freebooter kaptin attempting to make a name for himself.  Initially shown to be an inexperienced figure well out of his depth thanks to the machinations of his crew, Horntoof quickly proves to be a somewhat canny ork, using his ambition and imagination to increase his influence.  I loved how Horntoof evolved in his role, and his over-the-top plans and growing appreciation for a talented human rival allowed for some particularly entertaining moments.  Horntoof’s perspective chapters are well supplemented by several other fun ork characters, who seek to help or hinder him on his journey, including a mad mek and several amusing bridge crewmembers.  My favourite, though, is the ship’s second-in-command Blak Skad, a surprisingly clever ork who has realised the danger of being in command of a group of freebooterz.  Blak Skad spends much of the book attempting to manipulate Horntoof into commanding the ship the way he wants, and his complex relationship with his new kaptin results in several fantastic moments of tense hilarity.

While the ork characters were a lot of fun, the protagonist who was a surprising highlight of Da Freebooterz Code was the human rogue trader Lord Captain Antoinette von Hume.  A proud and experienced captain defined by her extensive family legacy, von Hume’s whole storyline revolves around her experiencing failure and defeat for the first time in her life.  Mentally unravelling and hearing the judgemental voices of her ancestors, von Hume descends into a dark spiral driven by her desire for revenge.  The focus on von Hume’s overwhelming obsession to destroy Horntoof, no matter the cost, was a brilliant dramatic foil to Da Freebooterz Code’s usual comedy, and I loved seeing her storyline get darker and darker.  Throw in several of von Hume’s loyal family/crewmembers, who get caught up in her dangerous story, and a corrupt space station governor who serves as a snivelling secondary antagonist and the human characters do a wonderful job stacking up in a book primarily focused on orks.

I ended up listening to Da Freebooterz Code on audiobook, which is easily the best format to enjoy any Warhammer novel.  Warhammer 40,000 audiobooks always do such a good job of bringing the craziness of the story and setting to life, and Da Freebooterz Code was a particularly impressive example of this, with the book’s fantastic humour and over-the-top elements being effectively showcased.  A lot of credit for this awesomeness goes to narrator Harry Myers, who, thanks to his great voice and British accent, perfectly portrays ork characters.  I have loved Myers’s portrayal of orks in previous audiobooks like Da Red Gobbo Collection, Warboss and Da Big Dakka by Mike Brooks and Grotsnik Da Mad Dok by Denny Flowers, but his voice work in Da Freebooterz Code is some of his best.  Myers goes all out with the orks in Da Freebooterz Code, with some outrageous and original voices that completely fit Woolley’s narrative scenario.  The orks in Da Freebooterz Code, especially the main character, are given some over-the-top pirate-themed accents, that blend well with the loud booming ork tones Myers usually utilises.  This helps to make Da Freebooterz Code audiobook really stand out, and many of the jokes are so much funnier when read out by someone voicing a laddish alien pirate.  Myers’s human voices, in comparison, are a little more subdued, but this helps to showcase the differences between the professional human rogue trader and the ramshackle orks.  However, Myers does cut loose in some scenes where the human protagonist loses it, and the result is extremely powerful.  All this exceptional voice work makes for a brilliant audiobook listen, and I ended up powering through Da Freebooterz Code’s near 10-hour runtime extremely quickly.  Easily one of the best audiobooks from the first half of 2026, Da Freebooterz Code was a damn good listen, and I cannot recommend this format enough.

Justin Woolley shines in his second Warhammer 40,000 novel, Da Freebooterz Code, which once again combines hilarious ork characters with a dramatic human story to create an amazing story.  An incredible novel I couldn’t get stop listening to, Da Freebooterz Code was one of the best Warhammer novels of 2026 and you are guaranteed to have an incredible time reading it.

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The Yacht by Kayte Nunn

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Thriller1 Comment

Publisher: Harper Collins (Trade Paperback – 26 May 2026)

Series: Standalone 

Length: 336 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Australian author Kayte Nunn presents a captivating tale of family drama, classism, intrigue and revenge, all aboard a luxurious mega-yacht, with her wonderful new novel, The Yacht.

Plot Synopsis:

A man on the edge.

A woman hell-bent on revenge.

A cheating husband.

A desperate wife.

A property empire on the brink of collapse.

A family at loggerheads.

A predator hiding in plain sight.

Who will sink and who will swim?

Three generations of a billionaire family are taking their new superyacht on its maiden voyage. But when the yacht sinks, each of them has a different part to play, in this addictive, twist-filled thriller.

Kayte Nunn is a veteran author who has written several intriguing novels in recent years across the genres.  Her more recent work has seen her dive into crime fiction waters, which includes her 2025 release, The Palazzo, and her new book, The Yacht.  The Yacht, which was the first of Nunn’s books I’ve had the chance to read, was an excellent and entertaining thriller that sees dramatic revenge thrown against the inhabitants of luxury yacht.

I really enjoyed the compelling plot that Nunn threw together for The Yacht, which follows several complex characters on an interconnected and intense tale.  This includes various members of the infamous Thyssen family, who have arrived at their father’s new luxury superyacht Ambition as it sails off the coast of Spain.  Each member of this family has their own drama, including a dislike of the family’s greedy lifestyle, a cheating husband, and fear of the family’s controlling patriarch.  In addition, you also follow Piper, the Ambition’s new deckhand, who has her own agenda.  Thanks to some hints of the future, it becomes clear that you are following these characters, as well as a police detective from the port the yacht is moored at, as they head towards the Ambition’s destruction and are witnessing the events that caused it.

Nunn does an excellent job setting up the story for The Yacht and you are quickly caught up in personal storylines of the various protagonists.  Nunn blends these multiple character-driven narratives together into a captivating, combined narrative, and the overlapping drama and multiple secrets really intensify each protagonist’s concerns, as well as the growing apprehension of events to come.  Nunn also gradually reveals multiple additional secrets, such as hidden criminal activities aboard the Ambition and Piper’s true motivations, while even more threats lurk in the shadows.  All this leads up to the big final sequence, where the long-awaited shipwreck occurs, and every character is thrown into turmoil.  You’ll honestly power through the last third of the book as you try to determine who is going to survive and who will get justice, and you’ll mostly come away satisfied with the well-orchestrated conclusion.

I felt The Yacht was a well-written standalone thriller which made perfect use of its larger-than-life characters and fantastic class-focused drama.  Nunn was clearly aiming for a mixture of Below Decks and Succession in this novel, and I think for the most part she succeeded.  The dysfunction dynamics of the various Thyssen family members played off against Piper’s outsider view of events extremely well, and I loved the alternating drama.  The resulting storylines around each character were personal and powerful, while the differing view of other perspective protagonists added some interesting insights that readers will lap up.  While Nunn could have probably left this book as a pure drama tale, playing off the dysfunction of the main family, the inclusion of more traditional thriller elements resulted in a fast-paced read with some real stakes, especially with Piper’s plot of getting justice and revenge and the hidden exploits of other key characters.  Further tension was added by some interesting in-universe social media messages at the end of several chapters, as well as one set of perspective chapters set in the future, which hints at coming calamity and help to set up expectations for the reader.  Nunn ensured the final reveals and the big conclusion of The Yacht mostly lived up to the hype, although these final chapters did feel a little rushed.  There was also something a little unsatisfying with some characters’ fates, but this didn’t take me out of the story too much.

Overall, The Yacht was an impressive and addictive read and it was one I was glad I got the chance to check out.  Kayte Nunn created an excellent standalone for this book that combines some class-focused drama with an intense thriller plot.  The Yacht ended up being a great read that will appeal to wide range of readers, and I’ll be curious to read more from Nunn in the future.

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Waiting on Wednesday – Choppy Water by Jack Heath

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery, Waiting on Wednesday1 Comment

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  In this week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight an incredible and unique upcoming murder mystery from one of my favourite Australian authors with Choppy Water by Jack Heath.

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There are a lot of talented and entertaining Australian authors writing outstanding novels these days, but one of my favourites due to his consistently clever and entertaining reads is the wonderful Jack Heath. Hailing from my home city of Canberra, Heath has been entertaining Australian readers for years with his interesting combination of complex works.  I am a massive fan of his amazing crime fiction novels, which includes his spectacularly over-the-top international Hangman series (including Hideout and Headcase).

Heath has also written some brilliant and twisted murder mysteries that make great use of an Australian setting.  This includes the impactful and addictive, Kill Your Brother (one of my favourite Australian novels of 2021), the outrageous and memorable Kill Your Husbands (one of my favourite Australian books of 2023), and the very relatable Kill Your Boss (one of my favourite Australian novels of 2025).  All these fantastic Australian novels from Heath are both clever and quite fun, and I really enjoy some the unique scenarios that the author comes up with.  Due to this, I’m always keeping an eye out for Heath’s next intriguing read, and it looks like he will be delivering something special for crime fiction fans later this year.

This next book from Heath is the standalone novel, Choppy Water, which will take the readers on an entertaining ride, while also diving into the familiar chaos of the Covid period from a very different perspective.  Set for release in November 2026, Choppy Water has a great plot behind it that is going to make for an outstanding read.

Plot Synopsis:

Death on the Nile meets Die Hard in this new ‘locked room’ mystery by the King of Twists, Jack Heath.

A woman’s body is found in a laundry cart aboard the Silver Lady cruise ship. Management says it was a freak accident and her death is quickly covered up, so as not to spoil the voyage for the passengers.

Cesar Cain doesn’t want to get involved. He boarded the Silver Lady to disappear. If the cops find him, he’s in a cell. If the Hell’s Hounds catch him, he’s in a grave.

But it’s March 2020, and the borders are slamming shut. Cesar soon discovers that the woman wasn’t the first victim – and with the ship suddenly quarantined and unable to dock anywhere, she won’t be the last …

I love this fun sounding plot for Choppy Water, which looks to combine Heath’s love of unique scenarios with some homages to classic whodunnit storytelling.  A reluctant protagonist investigating a murder aboard a quarantined cruise ship has a lot of potential, and it’s going to be very interesting to see how this entire plot comes together.  Based on my previous experiences with Jack Heath and his very entertaining reads, I foresee that Choppy Water will end up being one of the top Australian books of 2026 and I cannot wait to check it out.

How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates by Shailee Thompson

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Horror, Thriller3 Comments

Publisher: Simon & Schuster (ebook – 3 February 2026)

Series: Standalone 

Length: 378 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Australian author Shailee Thompson presents one of the more distinctive and entertaining debuts of 2026, with the addictive horror romance hybrid novel, How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates.

Plot Synopsis:

A hilarious, swoony and downright terrifying horror romance in which a cinephile gets caught in the middle of a murder spree at a speed-dating event and must use her encyclopedic knowledge of the rom-com and horror genres to make it as a real-life Final Girl.

When cinephile Jamie Prescott attends a speed-dating event, she expects to meet some mediocre men and have a laugh – she doesn’t expect one of her dates to have his throat slit at her table during a blackout. When the lights come back on, there are more bodies on the floor and the doors are locked.

Armed with makeshift weapons and her extensive knowledge of what not to do in a slasher, Jamie must figure out how to make it out of the building alive. But as the night progresses, she begins to suspect the killer is committing the slayings to woo one of the daters. Whatever happened to roses and perfume?

And why can’t Jamie stay focused on the important thing here, which is obviously not getting murdered, instead of being distracted by a few hot guys? Especially if one of those hot guys happens to be the bad guy…

Oops.

Laugh-out-loud funny and hide-under-your-bed scary, How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates puts the killer in killer love story.

I’m always on the lookout for unique and out-there crime fiction reads, and with its slasher parody narrative How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates had everything I look for in a novel.  Combining a thrilling narrative with some amusing takes on two very different genres, How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates was an excellent first novel from Thompson that is guaranteed to hook you like a serial killer.

Thompson provides a very fast-paced narrative for How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates, which works to bring you in quickly and allow you to enjoy the fun of her entertaining story.  This book nearly immediately drags you into the action after an effective introduction to the protagonist and point-of-view character, Jamie, before providing readers with an extended speed-dating sequence. This sequence is fun on several levels, as it not only provides details about much of the supporting cast, including early hints and red herrings, but it also introduces some of the potential romance options for the protagonist.  After a sudden yet brutal series of killings, the protagonist and several other speed daters are trapped in the venue, desperately trying to find a way out.  Thompson builds up some excellent tension in this first half of the novel, especially with the labyrinthine setting and the clashing personalities, even before the masked killer makes their first official appearance.

Despite the protagonist following certain rules to survive a horror film, the group starts to get separated and hunted by the killer, who is given the moniker Heart Eyes.  However, things only get worse when Jamie begins to understand that Heart Eyes is killing to specifically woo her as a messed-up courting ritual.  This amplifies up the plot, with Jamie both attempting to sacrifice herself while also getting closer to some of the men she is trapped with in some entertaining, if a little inappropriate, romance sequences.  In typical slasher fashion, the supporting cast of the novel are slowly whittled down, with revelations muddying who is responsible for the crime.  All of this leads up to the big final confrontation, where Jamie attempts to become the final girl anyway that she can.  Without giving too much away, I think the lead-up and execution of the big finale was done well, as Thompson provides a great deal of desperation and intensity, although the result is never in doubt.  I will say that I figured out the big twists and identity of the killer early on, although much of this was because of the various film homages I was familiar with.  Still, readers come away from this story very satisfied, and it was the thrilling, campy narrative you expect it to be going in.

How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates is an exciting and tense read that cleverly brings two very different genres together.  Filled with a range of big personalities, the story is well told from protagonist Jamie Prescott’s perspective, and I loved the intrigue, terror and mistrust that emerges as the plot continues.  Thanks to the protagonist’s joint love of romcoms and horror films, as well as the presence of several suspiciously perfect men, How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates quickly starts to feel like a fun mixture of the two genres.  Thompson uses this genre mixture to great effect to increase both the entertainment value and the intensity of the plot, especially when it becomes clear that the killer is attempting to romance Jamie from afar.  The resulting carnage is very over the top, which becomes even creepier once you realise how everyone is dying due to a killer’s twisted sense of love.  Of the two genres, I think that the slasher elements of the book were stronger, and I really must highlight the claustrophobic setting, the various hidden clues about events to come, as well as the growing guilt and fear of the characters.  The romcom elements of How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates were also pretty good, if a little forced at times, but it did help to lighten the plot.  The result was quite gripping, and I felt that this was a book that will appeal to fans of both genres, as well as anyone looking for something entertaining and unique.

One of the very fun highlights of How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates was the references that Thompson made to classic and iconic horror and romcom films throughout the book.  Much of this was in character, with the cinephile protagonist talking about her favourite films and revisiting famous slasher movies to predict how the killer will attack them next.  It was very entertaining to see a character with some meta-knowledge of horror tropes try to survive their own slasher experience, although it was frustrating to watch all the characters ignore or forget the very simple rules the character (and the author) brings up multiple times.  Still, that gave How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates a bit more of an authentic horror flair, and readers can have a good think about how they would act in a slasher film if they knew all the potential survival rules.

In addition to the references the protagonist deliberately makes there are also a lot more subtle homages that Thompson slides into the book, including in her character’s names.  For example, the protagonist is named for two classic final girls, while another character was named for two major horror directors.  The author loaded in a lot of other quotes and homages throughout the book, and while I’m personally not a mega fan of either genre, I felt I got most of these references.  This allows fans of both genres, and films in general, to have a lot of fun as they try to pick out the easter eggs.  Indeed, those readers with an in-depth knowledge of one of these genres can also unlock a teaser about how the plot unfolds if you really dive into the meta-inclusions, and I personally still got a chuckle about how Thompson did this.  It was a shame that Thompson named her killer Heart Eyes, as it kept making me think of the 2025 film of the same name, which had some similar story beats.  I’m not sure if this was a deep cut from Thompson or an unavoidable coincidence, but you couldn’t help but make some comparisons.  However, this didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the novel, and I felt that overall the references in How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates were never too overwhelming, and even someone who has never watched a film can still appreciate the story without getting lost or confused.  A very fun inclusion to an exciting and entertaining read.

Shailee Thompson bursts into the fiction scene with the bloody and highly compelling debut, How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates, which ended up being a very fun read.  Fast-paced, exciting and featuring some great movie references, How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates was an outstanding novel, and I’ll be very curious to see what this Australian author writes next.

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The Red Winter by Cameron Sullivan

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Fantasy, Five-Star Books, Historical Fiction, LGBT+1 Comment

Publisher: Tor (Trade Paperback– 24 February 2026)

Series: Standalone/Book One

Length: 535 pages

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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Australian author Cameron Sullivan delivers one of the best and most compelling debuts of 2026, with the historical fantasy epic, The Red Winter, a truly impressive read that you won’t be able to put down.

Plot Synopsis:

A devastating love story.
A bewitching twist on history.
A blood-drenched hunt for purpose, power, and redemption.

In 1785, Professor Sebastian Grave receives the news he fears most: the Beast of Gévaudan has returned, and the French countryside runs red in its wake.

Sebastian knows the Beast. Twenty years ago, it nearly cost him his life to bring the monster down. Now, he has been recalled to the hunt by Antoine Avenel d’Ocerne, an estranged lover who shares a dark history with the Beast and a terrible secret with Sebastian. With the help of his indwelling demon, Sarmodel – who takes payment in living hearts – Sebastian must return to Gévaudan for a final reckoning, while the Beast is poised to plunge the continent into war.

In this dark retelling of the hunt for the Beast of Gévaudan, Cameron Sullivan tears the heart out of history. He lifts the veil on the hidden world behind our own and reimagines the story of Europe, from Imperial Rome to Saint Jehanne d’Arc and the first flickers of the French Revolution.

Wow, want an outstanding and incredible debut.  I must admit that when I first received The Red Winter, having very little prior knowledge of what it was about, I didn’t know what to expect.  Still, I decided to give it a chance, and found myself quickly enthralled by Cameron Sullivan’s brilliant storytelling, excellent humour, and use of multiple intriguing periods of French history.  One of the best books I have so far read in 2026, The Red Winter gets a full five-star rating from me, and I loved it so damn much.

I loved the unique and layered story that Sullivan came up with for The Red Winter, which thrust readers through several different periods of French history in a slightly alternate world filled with demons, angels and spiritual power.  Told primarily from the perspective of Professor Sebastian Grave, an immortal sorcerer with a demonic spirit bound to him, the book serves as a personal chronicle of several connected past adventures in France.  Starting with a storyline set in 1785, the book sees Professor Grave encounter Jacques Avenel d’Ocerne, the son of his former lover Antoine d’Ocerne, who requests Grave return with him to the Gévaudan region of France to fulfil a contract he holds with his father.  Setting off on this new journey, the reader soon starts following Grave’s previous adventure in Gévaudan in 1766, when Grave first encounters Antoine and finds himself drawn into the hunt for the infamous Beast of Gévaudan, a monster terrorising the area and killing many locals.  The story also features an interesting third storyline set out as an Addendum to the main narrative.  This Addendum takes place throughout the early 14th century and is also told in the form a chronicle, this one primarily written by Grave’s succubus servant Livia, who attempts to uncover a valuable artifact in war-torn France, dragging her employer into further danger and carnage.

Without giving too much away, Sullivan masterfully binds these storylines together, as he simultaneously follows the events of all three time periods.  Most of the focus is on the two 18th century storylines, with the consequences of Grave’s attempts to hunt the beast in 1766 coming back to bite him when the same monster returns in 1785, with even greater savagery.  At the same time, the Addendum narrative contains even more chaos, which sees Grave first unknowing encounter with the Beast, and establishes much of this creature’s history and motivations, as well as Grave’s long-time obsession with obtaining its power.

Each of these different plotlines provides the reader with something different, including a great tragic romance narrative in the 1766 adventures, covered over with dark unexplained events from real-life history.  This blends well with the more entertaining misadventures showcased in the Addendum, and the darker storyline in 1785, as Grave and other character are forced to relive all their past mistakes and uncover how the Beast survived.  I honestly grew quite attached to all three of the different plot threads, as each contains a brilliant and compelling narrative that stands on its own.  However, it’s the way that Sullivan weaves a larger, more complete narrative from them, that is the real highlight of The Red Winter, and which raised this entire book to a five-star epic.  Each storyline perfectly flows into the other, and learning revelations from one has great impacts on your understanding of the others.  Sullivan also captures the regret and anger of the protagonist (and other characters), in each progressive timeframe, and I loved seeing the true impacts of past decisions and bad decisions haunt people years down the line.  I really cannot emphasise just how impactful, addictive and well-put-together this incredible narrative was, and you are guaranteed to come away from it deeply entranced.

While the epic storyline of The Red Winter was very awesome in its own right, Sullivan’s moving writing style added an extra impressive kick to it that constantly kept the reader coming back for more.  I’ve already mentioned a few times the different time periods, separate narrative threads and even an alternate narrator, and these effective writing tools were each used to great effect.  However, I really need to emphasise the way that each of them had their own unique feeling of tragedy, anger and personal regrets, especially thanks to the different experiences of the protagonist, that ensured they all stood out.  The difference in tone between these three simultaneous plotlines produces a truly vibrant and emotionally charged novel, and I loved how each storyline got dark in their own way, while still having some moments of levity.

While there are some tonal differences, each plotline has some excellent and consistent humour behind it.  Much of this humour is driven by the interaction between Grave and his internal spirit, Sarmodel, as well as the selfish and cynical antics of Livia in the 14th century plotline.  Sullivan also makes great use of various entertaining footnotes, which not only provide further context for this fantasy version of the world, but also add some additional comedy outside the flow of the main story.  This humour blends well with the darker elements of The Red Winter, and the contrast and occasional lighter tone makes this book even easier to read and enjoy.  Indeed, Sullivan’s entire writing style in The Red Winter was very inviting and easy going at times, and I was quite impressed with how effortlessly he conveyed a lot of complicated bits of real-life history and his own personal lore to the reader.  There was never a part of The Red Winter that got bogged down in extensive occult discussion or deep dives into history, and Sullivan’s writing keeps the reader hooked all the way from start to finish.

One of the big highlights of The Red Winter for me was Sullivan’s clever use of French history, which also tied into a wider world of magic and religious truth that only the protagonist and his associates are aware of.  As with most successful urban fantasy series, Sullivan ensures that the setting of The Red Winter is very similar to the real-world in terms of history and society, but with hidden magic just beneath the surface and only visible to a few.  The author works these elements cleverly into the story, with the protagonist explaining to the reader the realities of magic and the divine, both in text and through the aforementioned footnotes.  These descriptions and explanations work into the main narrative well, and you soon understand the implications of what the protagonist is experiencing or doing, as well as the dark consequences of everything that he does.  While much of the magic in this book is more subtle than some other fantasy reads, it is still quite impactful, and its clever design and inclusion of battling angels, demons and other godlike beings really upped the stakes at times.

On top of the fantasy elements, Sullivan does an excellent job showcasing three different periods of French history, especially based around the Gévaudan region of France.  This includes the post-Hundred-Years War period in the 14th century, the early waning days of the French monarch in 1766, and the angry start of the French revolution around 1785.  Each of these are explored masterfully, and not only does this help to give each separate plotline its own unique identity, but Sullivan gives some interesting mystical or spiritual origin to some certain historical events.  However, the historical element I liked the most was the compelling dive into the mysterious occurrence of the Beast of Gévaudan.  A heavily documented series of creature attacks in Gévaudan in the 1760s, the story of the Beast of Gévaudan wasn’t something I was too familiar with before getting this book, but boy am I interested in it now.  While Sullivan does put his own spin on the origins of these events, he did capture much of the actual recorded history of the Beast of Gévaudan attacks, with several historical figures appearing as supporting characters.  I found this to be deeply fascinating, and it served as a very interesting centre to much of the story, primarily the near half of the book set in 1766.  I cannot emphasise just how fascinating Sullivan’s dive and use of this curious event was to the plot of The Red Winter, and I really must congratulate him for finding and using such a fitting piece of historical weirdness.

Finally, I need to mention some of the great characters featured throughout The Red Winter.  Sullivan utilises a rich cast, combining immortals and magical beings, with normal humans caught up in their crossfire.  The obvious focus is on main protagonist and point-of-view character Professor Sebastian Grave, a seemingly immortal being who has already lived for over a thousand years at this point in the story.  An entertaining figure, bowed by his experiences yet still retaining the ability to fall in love and make mistakes, Grave was an interesting conduit for the reader to explore this dark tale, and I loved his unique and often cynical take on events, often written with some unfortunate hindsight.  While you don’t get a lot of character development from Grave due to his immortal status, there is still some moving moments with this character, especially when more tragedy comes his way, and he is forced to deal with old mistakes and failings.  The way that Sullivan simultaneously showcases Grave’s passionate romance with Antoine in 1766, and the distain Antoine holds for him in 1785, added some great drama to the plot, and you really become intrigued by what led to these events.  This doomed romance and the history behind it drive much of Grave’s later story, and it was compelling to see how much regret he holds and how it continues to impact him.

Aside from Grave, there are several other great characters of note in The Red Winter, many of whom steal the show in their own way.  This includes the demonic spirit Sarmodel, a mysterious being that has lodged itself into Grave’s soul, giving him immortality and much of his power.  Thanks to their connection, which is nearly another romance, Sarmodel serves as a background voice to Grave’s actions.  I loved the constant bickering back and forth between Grave and Sarmodel (like a very old married couple), and it honestly added a lot of humour and internal discord to the novel.  Sarmodel’s needs also serve as a great motivator for this protagonist duo, with Sarmodel constantly driving Grave to find sources of life and magic to feed him, and it was interesting to see how that impacted their adventures.  The use of the d’Ocerne father and son duo was also an excellent character use in The Red Winter, primarily because of their relationships with Grave, but also because of how their separate mistakes and secrets impact each other and bring greater tragedy to the plot.  Throw in a disobedient succubus assistant, controlled by her own vices, various interesting historical luminaries and even the Archangel Michael who is working his own angle in events, and the cast of The Red Winter was impressive, and helped move the story in some awesome directions.

Thanks to his obvious talent, impressive ability and fantastic imagination, Cameron Sullivan’s debut novel, The Red Winter, was an exceptional read, and I honestly still can’t get over how much I loved it.  A particularly clever, moving and addictive novel, The Red Winter was an absolute pleasure to read, and I loved every single second I spent with it.  I honestly hope that Sullivan revisits his main characters again in the future, as there is so much potential for further adventures across history.  Until then, The Red Winter remains one of the most impressive recent debuts I’ve had the pleasure of reading, and indeed it was one of the very best books I read in the first half of 2026.

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Waiting on Wednesday – Shot by Shelley Burr

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery, Waiting on WednesdayLeave a comment

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  For this latest Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight an outstanding upcoming piece of Australian crime fiction with Shot by Shelley Burr.

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For the last few years, one of my favourite authors of Australian crime fiction has been the very impressive Shelley Burr.  A rising and talented writer who experiments with new styles and writing ideas with each novel, Burr appeared on the scene back in 2022 with her debut novel, Wake.  An excellent and addictive outback mystery about a historical disappearance, Wake was an outstanding novel, which served as the first book of her Lane Holland series.  Followed up by the amazing novels, Ripper (also released as Murder Town), and last year’s release Vanish, each book in this series told its own unique and narrative, while also further exploring the complex life of its recurring protagonist.  I had an incredible time with these books, and I’ve been keen to see what Burr would write next, especially as she seemed to wrap up her first series with Vanish.

It looks like Australian crime fiction fans don’t have long to wait until they’re lucky enough to get another Shelley Burr novel, as the author has an interesting new release coming out in October.  This new book, Shot, will tell a distinctive new tale of murder, regret and hidden secrets, as a new investigative protagonist dives into the past to uncover the truth behind an infamous killing.

Set to follow a disgraced true-crime vlogger (Burr likes her damaged protagonists), as she does a feature on a double killing that occurred in the middle of a livestream, Shot sounds extremely intriguing, and I love the cool and unique elements to its proposed plot.  Sure to bring the drama and dive into modern audience’s obsessions with glamourous streaming families and famous murders, Shot has a ton of potential, especially if Burr weaves her typical storytelling magic.  Based on how good Burr’s previous novels were, Shot is now one of my most anticipated crime fiction novels coming out in the second half of 2026, and I have no doubt that this will be a top piece of Australian fiction.

Plot Synopsis:

A murder is witnessed by thousands, but who pulled the trigger?

Dahlia and Duncan Crews are rich, famous, glamorous – they share their lifestyle and picture-perfect family with hundreds of thousands of online subscribers. The Crews have it all – until they don’t. Shot dead in the middle of a livestream, the couple’s teenage daughter, Karma, is the sole survivor. And the prime suspect.

Years later, disgraced true-crime vlogger Jennifer Benedetta is hired to film a cold-case documentary on the unsolved Crews family murders. It’s the chance she needs to salvage her reputation, but there’s a catch: prove Karma Crews innocent. But something – or someone – is lurking just off camera, and the closer Jennifer gets to the truth, the further she is from safety.

Who is watching? And how far will they go to remain unseen?