By Bryce Courtenay

"The Potato Factory" is a novel written by Bryce Courtenay, an Australian author. It was published in 1995 and is the first book in a trilogy, followed by "Tommo & Hawk" and "Solomon's Song".

The novel is set in the mid-19th century and follows the life of Ikey Solomon, a notorious London criminal who is arrested and transported to Australia. There, he becomes involved in the potato trade, opening a factory to process and export potatoes to England.

The story also focuses on the relationship between Ikey and his wife, Hannah, who remains in London and eventually joins him in Australia. It explores the themes of survival, redemption, and the struggle for power and control.

Penguin Random House. 1995. 696p.

By Jock Serong

"Preservation" is a historical fiction novel by Australian author Jock Serong, first published in 2018. The novel is based on the true story of the wreck of the Sydney Cove, a British merchant ship that was carrying a cargo of spirits and supplies from Calcutta to the fledgling colony of Sydney in 1797.

The novel tells the story of the survivors of the wreck, who find themselves stranded on the coast of present-day Victoria, Australia. The group includes the ship's captain, a pair of American sailors, an Irish convict, and a group of Chinese traders. They are forced to endure hunger, thirst, and the harsh Australian wilderness as they try to make their way back to civilization.

The novel is a vivid and atmospheric portrayal of early colonial life in Australia, and is notable for its detailed research and historical accuracy. Serong draws on a range of historical sources to create a nuanced and complex picture of the social, political, and economic forces at play in colonial Australia, as well as the experiences of the different groups of people who were involved in the colony's development.

Melbourne Aust. Text Publishing. 2018. 364.p

By Daphne du Maurier

"Rebecca" is a novel by British author Daphne du Maurier, first published in 1938. The novel is a gothic romance and psychological thriller that tells the story of an unnamed young woman who marries a wealthy widower, Maxim de Winter, and moves into his estate, Manderley.

The new Mrs. de Winter soon realizes that the shadow of Maxim's first wife, Rebecca, who died in mysterious circumstances, still looms large over the house and its inhabitants. She feels like an outsider in her own home and is haunted by the memory of Rebecca, who was beautiful, charismatic, and seemingly perfect. As she tries to uncover the truth about Rebecca's death, the new Mrs. de Winter becomes entangled in a web of deceit, jealousy, and danger.

The novel is known for its vivid descriptions of the English countryside, its atmospheric portrayal of Manderley, and its exploration of themes such as love, identity, jealousy, and the nature of truth. It has been adapted into several films, stage productions, and a television series, and is considered one of du Maurier's most popular and enduring works.

London. Gollancz. 1936. 283p.

By Stephen Crane

"The Red Badge of Courage" is a novel by American author Stephen Crane, first published in 1895. The story is set during the American Civil War and follows the experiences of a young soldier named Henry Fleming.

At the beginning of the novel, Henry is eager to enlist in the Union Army and fight in the war, believing that it will be a grand adventure. However, as he experiences the realities of battle and witnesses the horrors of war, his idealism begins to crumble and he becomes consumed by fear and doubt.

Throughout the novel, Henry struggles with feelings of cowardice and shame, as he witnesses other soldiers being wounded and killed in battle. However, he eventually finds the courage to face his fears and fight alongside his comrades.

The novel is known for its vivid portrayal of the psychological effects of war on soldiers, as well as its realistic depiction of the chaos and brutality of battle. It also explores themes of courage, honor, and the nature of heroism.

Mineola. NY. Dover Thrift Editions. 1990. 101p.

By Richard North Patterson

Richard North Patterson is the author of "The Spire" published in 2009. It is a legal thriller about a prominent San Francisco cathedral, its charismatic priest, and the secrets and scandals that threaten to tear the church apart. The story centers on a young female lawyer named Abby Chandlis, who is tasked with defending the church against a lawsuit brought by a former choirboy who alleges that he was sexually abused by a priest. As Abby delves deeper into the case, she uncovers a web of corruption, cover-ups, and betrayals that threatens to destroy the church and the people associated with it. The novel explores themes such as faith, justice, and the abuse of power, and is a thought-provoking and gripping read for fans of legal thrillers.

NY. Macmillan. 2009. 377p.

By John Updike

"Terrorist" is a novel by John Updike, published in 2006. The book tells the story of a young Muslim-American named Ahmad Ashmawy Mulloy, who becomes radicalized and plots a terrorist attack in the United States.

The novel explores themes of religion, identity, and extremism, and provides a nuanced portrayal of the motivations and beliefs that drive individuals to engage in acts of terrorism.

"Terrorist" received mixed reviews upon its release, with some critics praising Updike's exploration of complex themes and his ability to create nuanced and sympathetic characters, while others criticized the book for being overly didactic and preachy.

NY. Alfred A. Knopf. 2006. 318p.

By Mario Puzo

"The Godfather" is a novel written by Mario Puzo and published in 1969. The book tells the story of the Corleone family, a powerful mafia family based in New York City, and their involvement in organized crime during the mid-20th century.

The novel is notable for its detailed portrayal of the inner workings of the mafia, as well as its exploration of themes such as power, loyalty, and family. The central character of the novel is Don Vito Corleone, the patriarch of the Corleone family, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest characters in American literature.

"The Godfather" was a commercial and critical success, and has been adapted into numerous films, television series, and video games. The book is widely regarded as one of the greatest works of fiction of the 20th century, and its influence on popular culture and the portrayal of organized crime in media is still felt today.

Greenwich. Conn. Fawcett, 1969. 439p.

By Denis Lehane

London. Transworld Publishers. 2008. 702p.

"The Given Day" is a historical novel by American author Dennis Lehane, published in 2008. The book is set in Boston in the years following World War I, and tells the story of two families from different backgrounds whose lives become intertwined in the tumultuous years of the early 20th century.

The novel explores themes of race, class, and politics, and features a cast of characters that includes police officers, labor organizers, politicians, and ordinary citizens. At the heart of the story are two men, one black and one white, who find themselves drawn into the same struggle for justice and equality in a city that is deeply divided by race and class.

"The Given Day" is notable for its vivid and immersive depiction of Boston during a period of significant social and political change. Lehane's meticulous research and attention to historical detail help to bring the city to life, and his skill as a storyteller keeps the reader engaged throughout the book's sprawling narrative.

By Hjorth and Rosenfeldt. Trans. Marlaine Delargy.

London. Penguin Arrow Books. 2014. 458p.

"The Silent Girl" is actually a crime thriller novel by Swedish authors Michael Hjorth and Hans Rosenfeldt, originally published in Swedish in 2011 and translated into English by Marlaine Delargy.

The novel follows the investigation of a brutal murder in Stockholm, Sweden, and the subsequent discovery of a string of similar killings. The detective in charge of the case, Sebastian Bergman, is a troubled and emotionally complex character who is forced to confront his own demons as he races against time to catch the killer.

"The Silent Girl" is the fourth novel in Hjorth and Rosenfeldt's Sebastian Bergman series. The book has been praised for its well-crafted plot, nuanced characterization, and atmospheric setting. The authors' background in screenwriting is evident in the book's cinematic pacing and tension, which keep the reader engaged from start to finish.

By John Le Carre

Sydney. Holder Headline. 1995. 405p.

"Our Game" is a novel by John le Carré, published in 1995. The book follows the story of a retired British spy named Tim Cranmer, who is pulled back into the world of espionage when his former lover, Emma, and his former colleague, Larry Pettifer, reemerge in his life.

The novel is set in the aftermath of the Cold War and explores the changing landscape of international politics and espionage. As Tim tries to navigate his relationships with Emma and Larry, he becomes embroiled in a web of conspiracy and betrayal that threatens to upend his life and career.

Through its intricate plot and nuanced characterization, "Our Game" offers a complex portrait of the world of espionage and the personal and political costs of the spy game. The novel also touches on themes of loyalty, trust, and the shifting alliances of the post-Cold War era.

By Ken Follett

NY. Signet. 1990. 1,020p.

"The Pillars of the Earth" is a historical novel by British author Ken Follett, published in 1989. Set in 12th-century England, the novel follows the story of the building of a cathedral in the fictional town of Kingsbridge.

The novel weaves together the lives of several characters, including the master builder Tom, the noblewoman Aliena, and the monk Prior Philip, as they work to realize their vision of building a great cathedral. Along the way, they must confront numerous challenges, including political strife, personal vendettas, and the technical difficulties of constructing a building of such magnitude.

Through its sweeping scope and vivid characterization, "The Pillars of the Earth" offers a richly detailed portrait of medieval life and society. The novel explores themes of power, faith, and love, and it illuminates the complex interplay between religion, politics, and economics in medieval Europe.

By Patrick Radden Keefe

London. Harper Collins. 2018. 521p.

Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland" is a nonfiction book by American journalist Patrick Radden Keefe, published in 2019. The book tells the story of the conflict in Northern Ireland, known as "The Troubles", through the lens of one particular crime – the disappearance of a young mother of 10 named Jean McConville.

Keefe uses McConville's disappearance as a focal point to explore the complex and violent history of Northern Ireland, the rise of the Provisional IRA, and the role of secret paramilitary groups like the Irish Republican Army and British Army's Military Reaction Force. He also examines the legacy of the conflict, including the ongoing search for McConville's remains and the Good Friday Agreement, which brought an end to much of the violence in Northern Ireland.

Through extensive research and interviews with those involved, Keefe creates a gripping and detailed narrative that delves into the lives of those caught up in the conflict, including McConville's family and the IRA operatives responsible for her disappearance. He also explores the ways in which memory and trauma continue to shape the lives of those affected by the conflict.

By Anthony Burgess

From the cover. A CLOCKWORK ORANGE_-Anthony Burgess' most famous novel-is a book of stunning force, the most cogent and terrifying vision of the future since George Orwell's 1984. Adrift in the impersonal, iron-gray society of the superstate, the novel's main character, 15-year-old Alex, leads his gang of teen-age rockers in all-night orgies of random violence and destruction. Told in a slang as electric as the events described, this is Alex's storyo f rapes and stompings and rumbles with the police, of prison life and the frightful "Ludovico Technique" by which Alex is "recon ditioned" into a model citizen, and of his subsequent adventures as a mindless pawn in the cynical hands of the authorities. "A brilliant novel . . . a tour de force in nastiness, an inventive primer in total violence, a savage satire o n t h edistortions o fthe single and collective minds."-New York Times.

NY. W.W. Norton. 1962. 184p.

By Eleanor Catton

New York Little Brown. 2013. 834p.

The novel begins with the arrival of Walter Moody, a young Scottish lawyer, in Hokitika, where he stumbles upon a meeting of 12 local men. Each of these men has a different story to tell about a recent series of events involving theft, deception, and possible murder. As the novel progresses, their stories become increasingly entangled, and Moody finds himself drawn into the intricate web of secrets and lies that surround them.

Catton uses a range of narrative techniques, including astrology and multiple points of view, to create a complex and layered narrative. The novel also explores a range of themes, including class, race, gender, and the pursuit of wealth and power in a frontier society.

By Richard Flanagan

Kif Kehlmann, a young, penniless writer, thinks he’s finally caught a break when he’s offered $10,000 to ghostwrite the memoir of Siegfried “Ziggy” Heidl, the notorious con man and corporate criminal. Ziggy is about to go to trial for defrauding banks for $700 million; they have six weeks to write the book.
 
But Ziggy swiftly proves almost impossible to work with: evasive, contradictory, and easily distracted by his still-running “business concerns”—which Kif worries may involve hiring hitmen from their shared office. Worse, Kif finds himself being pulled into an odd, hypnotic, and ever-closer orbit of all things Ziggy. As the deadline draws near, Kif becomes increasingly unsure if he is ghostwriting a memoir, or if Ziggy is rewriting him—his life, his future, and the very nature of the truth.
 
By turns comic, compelling, and finally chilling, First Person is a haunting look at an age where fact is indistinguishable from fiction, and freedom is traded for a false idea of progress.

London. Penguin, 2017, 392p.

By Salman Rushdie

A mixture of science fiction and folktale, past and future, primitive and present-day . . . Thunderous and touching. After drinking an elixir that bestows immortality upon him, a young Indian named Flapping Eagle spends the next seven hundred years sailing the seas with the blessing–and ultimately the burden–of living forever. Eventually, weary of the sameness of life, he journeys to the mountainous Calf Island to regain his mortality. There he meets other immortals obsessed with their own stasis and sets out to scale the island’s peak, from which the mysterious and corrosive Grimus Effect emits. Through a series of thrilling quests and encounters, Flapping Eagle comes face-to-face with the island’s creator and unwinds the mysteries of his own humanity. Salman Rushdie’s celebrated debut novel remains as powerful and as haunting as when it was first published more than thirty years ago. A book to be read twice . . . [Grimus] is literate, it is fun, it is meaningful, and perhaps most important, it pushes the boundaries of the form outward.

London. Vintage. 1975. 253p.

By Paula Hawkins

An addictive novel of psychological suspense from the author of #1 New York Times bestseller and global phenomenon The Girl on the Train and A Slow Fire Burning.

“Hawkins is at the forefront of a group of female authors . . who have reinvigorated the literary suspense novel by tapping a rich vein of psychological menace and social unease… there’s a certain solace to a dark escape, in the promise of submerged truths coming to light.” —Vogue

A single mother turns up dead at the bottom of the river that runs through town. Earlier in the summer, a vulnerable teenage girl met the same fate. They are not the first women lost to these dark waters, but their deaths disturb the river and its history, dredging up secrets long submerged.
 
Left behind is a lonely fifteen-year-old girl. Parentless and friendless, she now finds herself in the care of her mother's sister, a fearful stranger who has been dragged back to the place she deliberately ran from—a place to which she vowed she'd never return.
 
With the same propulsive writing and acute understanding of human instincts that captivated millions of readers around the world in her explosive debut thriller, The Girl on the Train, Paula Hawkins delivers an urgent, twisting, deeply satisfying read that hinges on the deceptiveness of emotion and memory, as well as the devastating ways that the past can reach a long arm into the present.

London. Transworld. Penguin. 2017. 357p.

By Daphne Du Maurier

From Amazon: This "highly personalized adventure, ultra-romantic" story from the author of Rebecca tells the tale of a woman looking for adventure, only to find it in the arms a rebellious criminal (New York Times). Bored and restless in London's Restoration Court, Lady Dona escapes into the British countryside with her restlessness and thirst for adventure as her only guides. Eventually Dona lands in remote Navron, looking for peace of mind in its solitary woods and hidden creeks. She finds the passion her spirit craves in the love of a daring French pirate who is being hunted by all of Cornwall. Together, they embark upon a quest rife with danger and glory, one which bestows upon Dona the ultimate choice: sacrifice her lover to certain death or risk her own life to save him.

U.K. Gollancz. 1941. 208p.

By Robert Barnard

“The perfect gem, one you wouldn’t change
a word of Los Angeles Times

Professor Belville-Smith had bored university au­diences in England with the same lecture for fifty years. Now he was crossing the Australian continent, doing precisely the same. Never before had the reaction been so extreme, however; for shortly after an undistin­guished appearance at Drummondale University, the doddering old professor is found brutally murdered. As Police Inspector Royle (who had never actually had to solve a crime before) probes the possible motives of the motley crew of academics who drink their way through the dreary days at Drummondale and as he investigates the bizarre behavior of some worthy lo­cals, a hilarious, highly satirical portrait of life down under emerges!’ —St. Louis PbstHDispatch.

London Collins. 1977. 190p.

By Daphne Du Maurier.

Many of Daphne dimario's novels are set in Cornwall probably because she had made her home in the area and her writing seems to have absorbed so much of the atmosphere of that land of mystery and dark deeds. From Chapter 1: “It was a cold grey day in late November. The weather had changed overnight, when a backing wind brought a granite sky and a mizzling rain with it, and although it was now only a little after two o’clock in the afternoon the pallor of a winter evening seemed to have closed upon the hills, cloaking them in mist. It would be dark by four. The air was clammy cold, and for all the tightly closed windows it penetrated the interior of the coach. The leather seats felt damp to the hands, and there must have been a small crack in the roof, because now and again little drips of rain fell softly through, smudging the leather and leaving a dark-blue stain like a splodge of ink. The wind came in gusts, at times shaking the coach as it travelled round the bend of the road, and in the exposed places on the high ground it blew with such force that the whole body of the coach trembled and swayed, rocking between the high wheels like a drunken man….”

U.K. Gollancz. 1936.189p.