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

On July 31, 2026July 31, 2026 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.

Red Star Rebels by Amie Kaufman

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

The Writers Retreat by Victoria Brownlee

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 July 30, 2026 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

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.

The Yacht by Kayte Nunn

On July 29, 2026 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

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.

WWW Wednesday – 22 July 2026

On July 25, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

WWW Wednesday is a weekly post hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

The Bone Docs by Matthew Scura (ebook)

I was the mood for something fun this week, so I decided to start reading the entertaining thriller The Bone Docs by Matthew Scura. A unique survival thriller that sees two rival groups of dentists and chiropractors come to blows while trapped on a desert island, The Bone Docs has a very fun plot idea that really caught my attention. I’ve made a bit of progress with The Bone Docs so far, and I can’t wait to see where Scura takes this great story.

Soulsmith by Will Wight (Audiobook)

After really loving the first book in Will Wight’s Cradle series, I instantly jumped onto the second book, Soulsmith. An intriguing sequel that takes the protagonist away from his home valley into a world of insanely powerful people, Soulsmith is an outstanding read, and I’m very curious about how everything is going to unfold. An excellent second entry in a fantasy series I’m probably going to read a lot of in the coming year.

What did you recently finish reading?

The Detective Matthew Reilly (Trade Paperback)

I ended up reading the awesome 2025 novel, The Detective by Matthew Reilly this week. A compelling crime fiction novel from one of Australia’s top authors, The Detective ended up being a particularly addictive read, that I finished off in no time at all. An exceptional novel that I am hoping to review soon, The Detective is so damn good, and I can’t wait to check out the sequel, King’s Ransom, later this year.

Unsouled by Will Wight (Audiobook)

An excellent read that I enjoyed so much, I am already reading the sequel.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Bad Neighbours by Joanna Jenkins

I’ve got a few books on my to-read list at the moment, but I think I’ll probably dive into the new Joanna Jenkins novel, Bad Neighbours next. The follow-up to Jenkins’ previous books, How to Kill a Client and The Bluff, Bad Neighbours will follow the author’s recurring protagonist as she investigates a murder in her elite apartment complex. I’ve deeply enjoyed Jenkins’ first two books, and I have no doubt that Bad Neighbours will be a top book of 2026

That’s it for this week; check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.

Waiting on Wednesday – Choppy Water by Jack Heath

On July 25, 2026 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. 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.

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.

Top Ten Tuesday – Top New-to-Me Authors That I read in the First Half of 2026

On July 23, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn 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 required participants to pick ten books that live in my head rent-free, and one I might come back to later, I’m instead going to continue my recent trend of discussing books from the first half of the year and highlight my favourite new-to-me authors That I read in the first half of 2026.

Each year I am lucky enough to read a great number of awesome novels, and this often includes books written by authors whose work I was previously unfamiliar with. 2026 is so far proving to be a great example of this as there were an incredible collection of amazing novels written by authors who were completely new to me. This included some debuting authors, as well as more established writers whose work I only got around to reading this year. Many of these new-to-me authors produced some truly exceptional novels, including one or two which I consider to be some of the best books released in 2026 so far and I really feel the need to highlight them here.

To appear on this list, the book had to be one I read this year and be written by an author who I was unfamiliar with before 2026. If I had not read anything from this author before last year or if their book was a debut, it was eligible to appear here. After some hard work I was able to whittle this down to a manageable top ten list, with my usual generous honourable mentions section. I am really surprised at some of the impressive and enjoyable authors I had to exclude from this list, but I think the below entry really highlights the best new-to-me authors I have enjoyed so far in 2026.

Honourable Mentions:

Kayte Nunn – The Yacht

Kayte Nunn excels with The Yacht, an excellent novel with drama and intrigue on a luxury yacht.

Kate Horan – On the Edge

I read my first Kate Horan novel this year with On the Edge, a deeply compelling Australian crime fiction novel with some great twists behind it.

Leodora Darlington – The Exes

Leodora Darlington had an intriguing debut this year, The Exes, which follows a troubled protagonist and her many difficult relationships.

Mercedes Mercier – The Couples Retreat

I also enjoyed a great book from Mercedes Mercier with The Couple’s Retreat, another fantastic Australian crime fiction novel that examines multiple toxic relationships on the picturesque Kangaroo Island.

Top Ten Tuesday:

Cameron Sullivan – The Red Winter

The first new author I want to highlight is debuting Australian writer, Cameron Sulivan, who presented one of the best books of 2026 so far, The Red Winter. Cleverly bringing together some unique fantasy elements with several periods of French history, The Red Winter was a riveting and highly entertaining novel that I couldn’t stop reading. Easily one of the top debuts of 2026, The Red Winter was so damn good and I am very excited to read more from Sullivan in the future, especially if he decides to write some sequels to this incredible first novel.

Christopher Buehlman – The Blacktongue Thief

After years of having him on my mind, I finally got the chance to read something from acclaimed fantasy author Christopher Buehlamn with his most famous fantasy novel, The Blacktongue Thief. An elaborate and brutal dark fantasy novel, The Blacktongue Thief lived up to all the hype around it, and I ended up powering through its clever adventure story filled with some great characters. I had such an incredible time with my first experience of reading Buehlman’s writing that I intend to read two more books from the author this year, the prequel novel The Daughter’s War and the upcoming sequel The Thrice-Bound Fool, both of which are bound to be extremely awesome.

Nicholas Timms – The Lineup

Another impressive debut Australian author from the first half of 2026 was surfer turned writer Nicholas Timms. Timms has already shown themself to be a rising crime fiction star by writing one of the more Australian novels of the year, The Lineup. Following a traumatised former surfer who returned home to solve a murder he witnessed through a webcam, The Lineup was a captivating and powerful read that I had a wonderful time with. Timms really showcased his ability to write damaged characters in this novel, while the underling surfing elements of The Lineup gave it a unique flavour. Timm’s really impressed me with this debut, and I look forward to reading more from him in the future.

Jennifer Pearson – Drop Dead Famous

Another great new crime fiction author I must rave about is Jennifer Pearson, whose debut young adult thriller, Drop Dead Famous, had one of the best mysteries of 2026 so far. Setting two compelling protagonists on a jarring and moving investigation that unlocks all their respective family’s darkest secrets, Drop Dead Famous had me hooked very early one and I just couldn’t get over how complex and layered the underlying mystery was. I came away really respecting Pearson as an author and I look forward to reading the promised sequel to Drop Dead Famous when it comes out next year.

Callum Davis –Warhammer 40,000: Chem Dog

Fans of this blog know I’m a massive Warhammer fiction fan, and one of the many things I really love about the franchise’s internal publisher, The Black Library, is the way in which they find and cultivate great new authors each year. In 2026 this includes Callum Davis, who presented a particularly exciting entry in the Warhammer 40,000 canon, Chem Dog. Following a trouble commissar as he leads members of a notorious penal legion on a suicide mission, Chem Dog was an excellent first outing from Davis, who really captured the dark nature of the franchise. Loading in some great action with various entertaining characters, Chem Dog showcased Davis’ writing potential, and I hope we see more Warhammer books from him in the future.

Douglas Preston and Alethia Preston – Paradox

The next entry on this list is a little different as Douglas Preston is an author I’ve read a few times before. However, this was the first time I’ve read something written by both Preston and his daughter Alethia Preston, who has made her debut here with Paradox. The sequel to Douglas Preston’s previous novel, Extinction, Paradox was another compelling and over-the-top thriller, that saw the returning protagonists investigate a series of murders seemingly connected to both aliens and radical elements of the Catholic church. I found it quite interesting to read something from this new father/daughter team and the two of them produced a highly entertaining and dark novel that was a lot of fun to get through.

Shailee Thompson – How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates

One of the more exciting and memorable debut authors of 2026 so far is Australian author Shailee Thompson, who provided an exciting and distinctive read with How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates. An exciting novel that served as a compelling hybrid of the slasher and romantic-comedy genres, How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates was an amazing first novel from Thompson, and one that is really worth checking out.

Christopher Cantwell – Star Trek: Red Shirts

I had an amazing time reading my first comic from rising author Christopher Cantwell this year, with Star Trek: Red Shirts. Part of a new generation of Star Trek comics, Red Shirts was a particularly dark take on the classic trop of the doomed Starfleet security officer, and I loved the fun, if brutal, story that Cantwell effectively pulled together in this short miniseries. Filled with some excellent twists and compelling thoughts about life as a short-lived red shirt, Red Shirts was an excellent comic, and I fully intend to grab more comics written by Cantwell in the future.

M. K. Oliver – A Sociopath’s Guide to a Successful Marriage

While I’ve had fun with many new authors this year, I think that the 2026 debut author with the funniest book of the year is M. K. Oliver, who wrote the hilarious thriller A Sociopath’s Guide to a Successful Marriage. Following a driven sociopath who must balance a trouble homelife and great personal ambitions with murder, dark secrets and the machinations of selfish high-society ladies, A Sociopath’s Guide to a Successful Marriage was an extremely funny read that I couldn’t put down. Oliver perfectly blended thrills, twists and entertaining insights from a murderous protagonist you somehow keep rooting for, and the result was something very special. An outstanding first outing from Oliver, and I’m already excited for the sequel coming out next year.

David Annandale – Warhammer 40,000: Apostle

The final new-to-me author I want to highlight on this list is David Annandale. Annandale is a well-known author to Warhammer 40,000 fiction fans, having written several intriguing novels from the franchise. However, until a few months ago I had never had the chance to read one of his books, until his latest entry, Apostle, came out. A fascinating and dark read about opposing religions in the chaotic Warhammer 40,000 universe, Apostle was a great showcase of Annadale’s style, and I’ll be keen to read more of his Warhammer novels going forward. An excellent final new author to highlight on this list.

Well, that’s the end of this latest Top Ten list. I think it turned out rather well and it encapsulates some of the best new authors I have checked out so far in 2026. I look forward to reading more books from these authors in the future and I have no doubt they will produce additional epic and incredible reads. It will be interesting to see what other great new-to-me authors I will get to experience in the rest of 2026, and I am sure there are going to be some exceptional new books from them.

How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates by Shailee Thompson

On July 22, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Horror, Thriller2 Comments

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

Series: Standalone

Length: 378 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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.

WWW Wednesday – 15 July 2026

On July 18, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

WWW Wednesday is a weekly post hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

Every Time She Wakes by Petronella McGovern (Trade Paperback)

An intriguing Australian novel that sees a women attempt to change her fate when she finds herself continuously thrown back in time after multiple dark tragedies. I’m enjoying this book and I’m hoping to finish it off soon.

Unsouled by Will Wight (Audiobook)

I’ve just started listening to the compelling fantasy novel, Unsouled by Will Wight. The first book in the intriguing Cradle series, Unsouled has been on my to-read list for a while, mainly because everyone always talks so highly about the Cradle books. I’m so far enjoying this first book, which is setting up both the protagonist’s narrative and the large universe the series is set in, and I’m very curious to see where this series goes. I’m hoping to get through Unsouled this week, and this seems like a great start to a cool new series for me.

What did you recently finish reading?

Red Empire by Jonathan Maberry (Audiobook)

I managed to finish off the incredible audiobook, Red Empire this week. The latest Rogue Team International novel by Jonathan Maberry, Red Empire was so damn good, combining intense action with some great historical universe developments around a key character. I am hoping to have a review for Red Empire up soon, and this book comes highly recommended.

The Lineup by Nicholas Timms (Trade Paperback)

An outstanding Australian debut, that follows a former surfer who has to returned to the sport that traumatized him to solve a murder. A particularly impressive read and a great first outing from a cool new author.

What do you think you’ll read next?

The Detective Matthew Reilly

The next book I’m hoping to read is the 2025 novel, The Detective by Matthew Reilly. A compelling crime fiction novel from one of Australia’s top authors, The Detective has been on my to-read list for a while. I’m planning to prioritize reading The Detective now as Reilly has a sequel coming out later this year that I’m keen to check out.

That’s it for this week; check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.

Waiting on Wednesday – Settle Down by Jeremy Robinson

On July 18, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn Science Fiction, 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 latest Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight one of the more awesome sounding science fiction novels coming out in the second half of 2026 with Settle Down by Jeremy Robinson.

2026 has proven to be a particularly impressive year for author Jeremy Robinson, whose unique and over-the-top science fiction novels always entertain with they great mixture of action, horror and intriguing science fiction elements. I’ve already had an exceptional time with Robinson’s first 2026 release, 30Seven, which ended up being one of my favourite books and audiobooks from the first half of the year. However, we still have so much more to get through, as not only do I still have to read the recently released novel Parallax, but Robinson also has the fantastic upcoming book Settle Down coming out.

Of the two, Settle Down has definitely caught my attention more, and it is one of my most anticipated releases coming out in the second half of 2026. Set for release in late August 2026, Settle Down has an outstanding sounding plot idea behind it, which looks set to present a unique turn on a classic alien invasion story.

Plot Synopsis:

When Clayton survives a plane crash, he figures the worst is over―but he’s wrong―in this sci-fi genre mashup from the author of the Infinite Timeline series.

Stranded on a thirty-acre island with a handful of art students, a grieving widow, and a growing pile of corpses, Prof. Clayton Reed is forced into a role he never wanted: leader. Food is scarce. Water is scarcer. And trust? Practically extinct. When one of the survivors kills in self-defence, the fragile alliance fractures and a subset of the group flees in a dinghy to take its chances in shark-infested waters, leaving Clayton and six others behind.

But soon the night sky turns blue. Strange lights pulse across the horizon and strings of star-like objects pass by overhead. Something big is happening to the rest of the world, and the professor and his companions are sure it isn’t normal.

Rescued by a drifting luxury yacht loaded with food, weapons, and a fortune in cocaine, the survivors trade one nightmare for another. Earth is under attack, massive beams of light shooting down from space to the surface. As they sail toward home, not knowing whether it still exists, one thing becomes clear: Those looking at Earth with hungry eyes have noticed them . . .

New York Times–bestselling author Jeremy Robinson delivers a razor-sharp, character-driven survival thriller meets postapocalyptic alien invasion story that flips the genre upside down, inside out, and back again.

Wow, now that is a very awesome plot. I have to admit at the start of 2026 I never imagined that one of my most anticipated upcoming reads would be a science fiction thriller following plane-crash survivors on a desert island who are forced to contend with an alien invasion, although I should have known that Robinson would have come up with something this fantastically crazy. This entire book sounds so damn good, and Settle Down is exactly the sort of over-the-top read that I know I love on so many levels. I am excited to see how this excellent narrative unfolds, and you have to imagine it’s going to feature a lot of deaths, moving character interactions, and so many moments of insane action and intense science fiction horror.

Based on how much I have enjoyed some of Jeremy Robinson’s previous wacky adventure novels (such as The Dark, Mind Bullet, Artifact and Point Nemo), I already know that Settle Down is going to be an exceptional and highly addictive read, and I am so excited to check it out. While I was likely to read Settle Down based on my fandom of Robinson, the above synopsis is one of the most intriguing novel plots I have ever seen, and I love every single part of it. I have no doubt that this will be a true highlight of the second half of 2026, and I fully intend to listen to Settle Down on audiobook, especially with one of my favourite narrators, R. C. Bray, bringing all the insanity to life.

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

On July 15, 2026July 18, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, ListLeave a comment

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 required participants to list books from authors they are unfamiliar with. While this is an interesting idea, and one I might come back to later, I’m instead going to continue my recent trend of discussing books from the first half of the year and highlight my favourite audiobooks from the first half of 2026. This is a continuation of my Top Ten list from a couple of weeks ago that featured my favourite overall novels from the first half of 2026.

I have a great deal of love for the audiobook format, and it is one of the main ways that I tend to check out books. I have long been a major fan of audiobooks, and it is amazing the various ways in which listening to a book can enhance your enjoyment. An excellent audiobook can really bring you into the story, and I find that listening to a book enhances the amount of detail that you can take in. In addition, other features, such as captivating voices, music and sound effects can really make an audiobook something special, and there some great examples of the format I have enjoyed throughout my life. This year alone I have listened to a ton of outstanding audiobooks, includes some of my favourite books from early 2026. Because I love this format so much, I thought I would take this opportunity to highlight my favourite audiobooks from the first half of the year.

To pull this list off I had a look at all the 2026 releases that I listened to on audiobook to figure out my favourites. It turns out that I have already gone through quite a few this year so there was a large collection of potential additions to this list, which I was eventually able to whittle it down to the best ten audiobooks. There is a bit of a crossover with my previous Favourite Books from the First Half of 2026 list, but I think there are enough new additions to make this list worthwhile. I made sure to feature only the very best audiobooks on this list, and, in addition to the quality of the baseline novel, I also looked at audiobook production and narration. This includes whether the audiobook has outstanding narration or uses music and sound effects to enhance the plot. Keeping these criteria in mind, I came up with the following strong Top Ten List and associated Honourable Mentions, and all the audiobooks listed below were exceptional listens that come very highly recommended by this blog.

Honourable Mentions:

Jigsaw, written by Jonathan Kellerman and narrated by John Rubinstein

A captivating addition to Jonathan Kellerman’s long-running Alex Delaware series. John Rubinstein does an amazing job bringing Kellerman’s characters to life throughout this excellent mystery.

Warhammer 40,000: Chem Dog, written by Callum Davis and narrated by Richard Reed

Callum Davis provides an excellent debut to the Warhammer franchise, with Chem Dog. A very fun read that comes across perfectly on audiobook, especially with talented narrator Richard Reed on board.

The Right to Remain, written by James Grippando and narrated by Jonathan Davis

James Grippando continues his fantastic Jack Swyteck legal thriller series this year with the very clever The Right to Remain. I had an outstanding time listening to The Right to Remain on audiobook, especially with Jonathan Davis (one of the best Star Wars narrators) reading it out.

Warhammer 40,000: Ghost Legion, written by Mike Brooks and narrated by Alex Lanipekun

Another great Warhammer 40,000 audiobook from earlier this year. Ghost Legion was a fantastic sequel to Brooks’ previous novel Harrowmaster, with a new narrator reading it out.

Top Ten List:

A Parade of Horribles, written by Matt Dinniman and narrated by Jeff Hays

Let’s start this list off with one of the more outrageous, epic and highly entertaining audiobooks of 2026, A Parade of Horribles. The eighth book in Matt Dinniman’s deeply impressive Dungeon Crawler Carl series, A Parade of Horribles is an outstanding and hilarious new entry in the series, which sees the surviving protagonists forced to compete in a series of deadly, whacky races as they continue to traverse the dungeon. Not only was this a particularly awesome book by itself, but it also had an exceptional audiobook version. Now, if you know anything about the Dungeon Crawler Carl series then you know that the audiobooks are the best format to enjoy the stories in thanks to the excessive range of entertaining and distinctive voices from narrator Jeff Hays. Hays has so much fun providing all the awesome voices in A Parade of Horribles and his brilliant take on the characters and crazy events was just perfect. While, as an Australian I have ‘thoughts’ about the accent he gave to some giant kangaroos, the rest of the voices he came up with were so damn good, with an unhinged AI and a certain talking cat being impressive highlights. Also, there are some exceptional musical chapters and other inclusions in this audiobook, which make A Parade of Horribles worth listening just on their own. Honestly, A Parade of Horribles’ audiobook was on a whole other level, and if you haven’t started listening to Dungeon Crawler Carl, you are missing out!

Warhammer 40,000: Ghazghkull Thraka: Warlord of Warlords, written by Denny Flowers and narrated by Harry Myers

I doubt anyone familiar with my blog is going to be too surprised that there are going to be a lot of Warhammer 40,000 audiobooks on this list. I have a lot of love of Warhammer fiction, and the audiobook formats are always the best way to enjoy these epic and entertaining novels. As such, one of the big entries on this list is the outstanding 2026 audiobook Ghazghkull Thraka: Warlord of Warlords. The latest novel from Denny Flowers, Warlord of Warlords was an addictive and awesome read that focused on the entertaining ork faction and their legendary new leader. Filled with humour, over-the-top action and some very interesting dives into ork lore, Warlord of Warlords was a great book on its own, but his was further enhanced by the excellent audiobook version. Much of this is down to the narration of Harry Myers, who frankly portrays the orks better than anyone else in the current stable of Warhammer audiobook narrators. His booming, laddish voice for the orks was just golden, and listening to a whole bevy of orks fight and scheme made for such an outstanding audiobook. A wonderful listen guaranteed to get a chuckle out of any Warhammer fan.

Twelve Months, written by Jim Butcher and narrated by James Marsters

When pulling together a list of the best audiobooks of 2026, there is no way I can exclude Twelve Months by Jim Butcher. The long-anticipated 18^th entry in Butcher’s Dresden Files series, Twelve Months showcases the dark fallout from the epic novel Battle Ground, with a particular focus on the mental trauma of the series protagonist. Twelve Months was one of Butcher’s most impressive reads, and it’s unsurprising that the audiobook version was also quite exceptional. Not only does Twelve Months’ emotional narrative become even more impactful when read out, but this audiobook also sees the return of the legendary James Marsters as narrator. Marsters, who has narrated all the Dresden Files books, has long figured out the best way to portray all the great characters in this series, and his work in Twelve Months was impeccable and captivating. I especially love how Marsters handled narrating the anguish and despair of the point-of-view protagonist, and this was one of his best audiobook performances. A standout audiobook from a series with so many amazing listens.

Red Empire, written by Jonathan Maberry and narrated by Ray Porter

It’s a rare year when one of Jonathan Maberry’s outstanding novels doesn’t appear on my regular lists of best audiobooks. This is because Maberry’s over-the-top books are so perfectly crazy and the awesome action and fantastic characters really come across when read out, especially with the very talented recurring narrator Ray Porter on the job. Maberry’s latest novel, Red Empire, was a particularly epic audiobook, which not only featured an excellent story, but because it has some of Porter’s best narration. I only just finished Red Empire today, and it is one of my favourites from his current Rogue Team International series, especially with some cool revelations about some key characters and some powerful tragedies loaded into the plot. An exceptional novel with an even more impressive audiobook.

Pretenders to the Throne of God, written by Adrian Tchaikovsky and narrated by David Thorpe

One of the more compelling and thought-provoking fantasy audiobooks of 2026 was Pretenders to the Throne of God by the always impressive Adrian Tchaikovsky. The fourth book in Tchaikovksy’s incredible Tyrant Philosophers series (City of Last Chances, House of Open Wounds and Days of Shattered Faith), Pretenders to the Throne of God told the complex tale of personal struggles, humorous brushes with authority and alternating motivations, all set to the background of a besieged fantasy city. A highly addictive read, loaded with moving character arcs and elaborate fantasy elements, Pretenders to the Throne of God was so damn good as both a novel, and an audiobook. Narrator David Thorpe expertly captures Tchaikovsky’s witty tone with his voice work, and I loved how he perfectly voiced all the unique characters, bringing their complex struggles to life. This was such an amazing audiobook, and I cannot recommend this series enough.

Warhammer 40,000: Hive, written by Dan Abnett and narrated by Toby Longworth

While some of the Warhammer 40,000 audiobooks of 2026 are great because they are fun and funny, this next entry, Hive, was particularly amazing because it dove into the grimdark roots of the universe. One of the longest and most complex Warhammer audiobooks, Hive was an exceptional read by one of the franchises best authors, Dan Abnett, that dove into conspiracies, rebellions and plant-ending plots in one of the franchises’ gigantic hive cities. A sprawling novel that wove multiple unique character arcs into one gripping narrative, Hive was so damn good, and I was deeply impressed with how amazing it came out in the audiobook format. The always amazing Toby Longworth, who has narrating most of Abnett’s many Warhammer books, did another incredible job in Hive, voicing the entire massive (and I do mean massive) cast, on his own. Not only does each character get their own voice, but Longworth perfectly captured the distinctive slang, language and accents of the hive city, enhancing the setting and allowing you to really envision the city and its trouble inhabitants. I was absolutely enthralled with this wonderful audiobook, and Hive is Warhammer fiction at it’s very best.

The Hard Line, written by Mark Greaney and narrated by Jay Snyder

One of the best spy thrillers of 2026 for me so far is The Hard Line by Mark Greaney. An excellent addition to Greaney’s long-running Gray Man series, The Hard Line was particularly awesome, loaded with some excellent action, intrigue and interesting character moments. I made sure to listen to The Hard Line on audiobook, which once again features narrator Jay Snyder. Snyder always does an outstanding job bringing Greaney’s espionage vision to life, and his narration adds to the tension of the plot, especially when describing the action scenes from multiple angles. I really loved how easy it is to absorb and become addicted to Greaney’s great stories on this format, and The Hard Line is a must-listen for all audiobook fans looking for an exciting and clever thriller.

30Seven, written by Jeremy Robinson and narrated by Scott Brick

Jeremy Robinson is an author who often appears on my best audiobook lists, and I love his complex and intense reads. In 2026 Robinson once again makes an appearance, especially with his unique and dark standalone science fiction thriller, 30Seven. An entertaining and disturbing novel that sets a serial killer loose amid an alien abduction narrative, 30Seven was a great book, whose unique narrative perfectly came across on audiobook. What was interesting with 30Seven is that it featured Robinson’s first collaboration with iconic audiobook narrator Scott Brick. Brick clearly has fun taking a break from his usual thriller work, and he provides an entertaining and haunting narration to this gripping read. I loved how well Brick enhanced this audiobook with his voice work, especially in scenes told from the killer’s perspective. A particularly fun audiobook, it will be interesting to see how some of Robinson’s other audiobooks this year (Parallax and the upcoming Settle Down) stand up to it.

Warhammer 40,000: Da Freebooterz Code, written by Justin Woolley and narrated by Harry Myers

The final Warhammer 40,000 audiobook I’m going to feature on this list, is the comedic goldmine that is Da Freebooterz Code. The second Warhammer novel by Justin Woolley, Da Freebooterz Code follows the alternating views of a bold ork pirate captain and a slowly unravelling rogue trader, as they engage in a brutal space war. One of the funniest Warhammer books I have read, Da Freebooterz Code was an incredible read, that gets even better on audiobook. Harry Myers, the only narrator to appear on this list twice, does another awesome job with Da Freebooterz Code, and once again loved his take on the orks. I particularly loved how, rather than just reusing the same ork voices he had in Warlord of Warlords, Myers went out of his way to make the orks in Da Freebooterz Code sound more ‘piratey’, which was just brilliant. Another exceptional Warhammer 40,000 audiobook.

Operation Bounce House, written by Matt Dinniman and narrated by Travis Baldree

Matt Dinniman is having an exceptional 2026, with two particularly awesome reads. His second for this list, Operation Bounce House, was a clever and heartfelt standalone science fiction novel, that saw a peaceful colony world invaded by destructive mechs remotely piloted by bloodthirsty Earth gamers. A very interesting and moving read from Dinniman, which is also further enhanced by an excellent audiobook version, this time narrated by Travis Baldree. Baldree, a narrator who fans of Dungeon Crawler Carl would be familiar with thanks to his work in The Eye of the Bedlam Bride, does an incredible job at bringing Operation Bounce House to life with his voice work. I really liked the personal and emotionally charged take Baldree had for this audiobook, and it resulted in one of the more moving audiobooks of 2026. A fantastic and powerful final audiobook entry for this list.

Well, that’s the end of this latest list. As you can see, there have been some very good audiobooks out in the first half of 2026. It will be interesting to see which books make the cut later in the year, especially as I currently have several major 2026 audiobooks currently sitting on my phone, waiting to be listened to. While I get to that, make sure to let me know what your favourite audiobooks of 2026 so far are in the comments below.