Now to Love

The Surprising Life Of Constance Spry BY SUE SHEPHARD, MACMILLAN, $56.99. In the early 1900s, enigmatic Englishwoman Constance Spry, a young health lecturer, travelled the Irish countryside in a caravan preaching hygiene and sanitation to poor families. Cheery “Connie” in her elegant attire was as loved by urchin children as she would be feted in […]

ACCUSED BY MARK GIMENEZ, SPHERE, $32.99. A. Scott Feeney is that rare creature: a top-notch lawyer who loves justice and integrity more than money. At home, he’s in dire financial straits, his wife has left him for a golf-pro and he’s raising their daughter and the orphaned daughter of a prostitute he once represented. Yet […]

THE DOG WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD BY ALEXANDER MCCALL SMITH, POLYGON, $39.95. Those who live in Corduroy Mansions or 44 Scotland Street, or any of the residences dreamed up by the quirky Alexander McCall Smith, generally lead normal lives and have instantly recognisable pretensions and problems. This second instalment of the Corduroy Mansions […]

TRIUMPH BY CAROLYN JESSOP WITH LAURA PALMER, PENGUIN, $32.95. Remember those pasty-faced, pinafore-wearing, high-haired women, who came out of the polygamist Yearning For Zion ranch in Texas, after it was raided over allegations of child abuse? Well, Carolyn Jessop was once one of those women. A sixth-generation polygamist, Carolyn realised at the age of 35, […]

THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS BY REBECCA SKLOOT, MACMILLAN, $34.99. Until Henrietta Lacks’ cancerous cells grew like wildfire in test-tubes and petri dishes around the world, scientists had been unable to grow human cells for any length of time. Her sturdy cells led to the development of the polio vaccine, were shot into space […]

CITY OF VEILS BY ZÖE FERRARIS, LITTLE, BROWN, $32.99. Who doesn’t love a forensic pathologist? The challenge is making your crime scene expert different. In City Of Veils, Katya Hijazi is a burqa-wearing police lab technician in Saudi Arabia, solving crime despite the disapproval of the religious establishment and her conservative admirer, Rafiq. When a […]

And Thereby Hangs A Tale BY JEFFREY ARCHER, PAN MACMILLAN, $44.99. And Thereby Hangs A Tale is Jeffrey Archer’s sixth collection of short stories and, this time, he takes the reader on a global journey with stories set in England, Germany, Majorca, Italy and India. One of the greatest strengths of the author’s stories are […]

Oculi, HARDIE GRANT BOOKS, $90 As the digital age creeps into every part of our lives, it’s good to see the power of photography hasn’t waned, especially when collected together in one place, as it is here. This anthology of 250 thought-provoking documentary photographs, from classic portraiture to images of youth culture, urban and bush […]

Next time you want a drink of water, don’t dismiss the good old tap. According to new Canadian research, bottled water holds more bacteria than tap water. The study conducted by a team of 70 scientists from the C-crest Laboratories in Montreal found that bottled water is not as pure as first thought. “Heterotrophic bacteria […]

You might not have a personal stylist, perfect figure or any idea what suits you, but don’t despair. All you need to know is how to make the most of what you’ve got… It may sound extreme but, in the words of those famous style sirens, Trinny and Susannah, what you wear really can change […]

Hollywood’s full of ’em, but can relationships between older women and younger men ever work in the ‘real’ world? Demi Moore, 47, and Ashton Kutcher, 32. Madonna, 51, and Jesus Luz, 23. Mariah Carey, 41, and Nick Cannon, 29. Sam Taylor-Wood, 43, and Aaron Johnson, 19. The list of female celebrities dating considerably younger men […]

Question: Is there an easy way to peel garlic? To remove the skin from a garlic clove easily without having it stick to your fingers, smash each clove with the side of a large, heavy knife. Remove the skin, another solid whack on the clove will crush the garlic sufficiently to be used.

Disgraced Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson has said she is sorry for the cash scandal in which she promised to disclose information about Prince Andrew for $874,000 (£500,000). In exchange for the cash Fergie promised to give an undercover reporter posing as a businessman access to her ex-husband Prince Andrew, who is fourth in line […]

Every day around Australia, thousands of people are bravely battling addiction. This cruel human affliction is not just reserved for ‘hard-core’ drug or alcohol abusers. The reality is that any of us can potentially become addicted to anything. “There are many and varied reasons why someone develops an addiction, and it’s a very complex issue,” […]

Extreme dieting is seen by some as a quick fix to fight the flab. But could you end up losing more than you bargained for? For some people, dieting means cutting down on chocolate and wine, and giving fast food a miss. For others it’s following a healthy eating plan or shaving a few kilojoules […]

Now that pop princess Kylie Minogue has openly admitted to using Botox it seems other celebs are following her lead. Kylie told the UK’s News of the World she has never had cosmetic surgery but has had Botox. “But I don’t anymore, I won’t go near it. I have lines. You can see the lines […]

What are telomeres? They are microscopic DNA sequences at the ends of individual chromosomes and they are essential for healthy cell function. As we get older, our telomeres become shorter, which is a sign of both chronological ageing (your body’s age in years) and biological ageing (your body’s ‘real’ age, which can be less or […]

The Weekly explores the sights, sounds and adventure possibilities of the resort of Rotorua in New Zealand in its travel review feature.

Sandra Bullock’s husband, Jesse James, has spoken for the first time since he and the Oscar-winning actress and new mum broke up, saying his actions have made him “the most hated man in the world”. James, the star of his own television show Monster Garage, opened up in his first interview about his affair with […]

Smiling, sober and glowing with good health, Underbelly actor Matthew Newton looks like a new man after leaving rehab to rebuild his life and his relationship. Jonica Bray reports. The sheepish grin spoke volumes when Matthew Newton surfaced after a month in drug and alcohol rehabilitation – he may be embarrassed, but Matt is also […]

The brave young sailor talks to Jonica Bray exclusively about her relationship with the boy who kept up her spirits during her lonely time at sea. It was a first date like any other teenage couple’s – a trip to the mall, burgers and chips for lunch, and more than a few awkward laughs. But […]

A million-dollar wardrobe, an adult attitude and a diva lifestyle … and she’s only four. Daddy knows his little girl rules the roost but wouldn’t change a thing. She has a wardrobe worth more than most people earn in their lifetime, is used to telling adults what to do, and is rarely challenged about her […]

Angelina Jolie is adopting a little boy from South Africa, according to multiple sources close to the actress. The move will bring the number of children in her rainbow family to seven. The star, who has previously adopted three children – Maddox, 8, from Cambodia, Pax, 6, from Vietnam and daughter Zahara, 5, from Ethiopia […]

The 47-year-old actress is determined to keep her toyboy away from the competition – and it looks like he’s had enough. Jackie Brygel reports. Hollywood’s best-known cougar sharpened her claws last week, fearing a sex kitten was going to tempt away her man. Demi Moore, 47, rushed to the set of her much younger husband […]

She hasn’t had a date in months and her best friend’s dumped her – now Jen’s channelling her anxiety into a dangerous obsession. America’s sweethearts have use-by dates, and 41-year-old Jennifer Aniston has realised her time is up. At least, that’s the word from the Hawaiian set of her latest film, Just Go With It, […]

As Marion Grasby furiously whips up another delicious dish in the MasterChef kitchen, the pretty brunette has clearly got her eye on the prize. But her ultimate life goal isn’t to win the coveted title – it’s to marry her boyfriend of four years. “I’m waiting for him to come home with a ring – […]

Spritely 95-year-old Allan Stewart, who’s swotting for his fourth degree, says an active mind keeps him young, writes Warren Gibbs. When it comes to studying, bookworm Allan Stewart is really in a class of his own. At 95 years of age, Allan is the world’s oldest university student – going back to college 74 years […]

When you have a toddler, your world tends to move at their dawdling pace. Here’s how to keep active when things slow down. It may sound strange, but life can slow down when you have a toddler. Where once you could strap your bub in a pram and stride out for an invigorating walk or […]

The first grapes I fell in love with grew next to a tiny cafe on the shore of Crete: a concrete floor, a goat standing on a chair on a table to reach the grapes over the fence, a small cup of too-sweet coffee and above us the glory of grapes, green leaves and bees […]

We are all bound to lie every once in a while, but new UK research has found that men lie more than women and are less likely to suffer a guilty conscience. The study, commissioned by London’s Science Museum, found the average male tells 1092 lies every year, which is roughly three times a day […]

Despite their genetic blessings most celebrities turn to their own quick-fix diet to get their body red-carpet ready. But do these celebrity detoxes actually work and are they safe? Naomi Campbell recently confessed that she puts her body through three lemon-and-maple syrup detox sessions a year, each lasting 18 days, the New York Times reported. […]

Super-stunning updo hairstyles and neat structured curls added glitz and glamour to 2010’s Cannes International Film Festival red carpet. With her high neckline, actress Evangeline Lilly opted for a simple, yet elegant quiff pulled back into a low bun while model and actress Eva Herzigova glammed-up her up-style with a jewelled headband and outstanding earrings. […]

Speaking on a mobile phone for more than half an hour a day could up your risk of brain cancer by 40 percent, according to a major new study. The 10-year, $25 million Interphone project found cause for concern for so-called “heavy users” but the evidence was inconclusive as to whether normal use increased the […]

Pop princess Kylie Minogue has swapped her figure-hugging hotpants, for a conical bra, a trend she has borrowed from style icon pal Madonna www.metro.co.uk reports. Kylie, 41, was snapped in this Jean Paul Gaultier conical bra, crop-top and high-waisted satin trousers in a photoshoot to promote her new album, Aphrodite. Although we don’t think Madge […]

MasterChef‘s latest eliminated contestant, 29-year-old bar manager Courtney Roulston, talks about how the cooking competition gave her the “kick up the bum” she needed to realise her dream. You applied for the first season of MasterChef. What was it like auditioning again and why do you think you made it further this time? I actually […]

There’s romance in those lovely rolling hills of Tuscany, and it’s there that Letters to Juliet takes us. From the long opening credits, which feature images of loving couples from the renaissance to the present, we know we are in for a loving time. Sophie is an aspiring wide eyed-writer, played by Amanda Seyfried (Mamma […]

More than 10 years ago we were introduced to Carrie Bradshaw and taken into her Manhattan world of fabulous friends, perfect parties and mixed bag of men. The cult series put Manolo Blahniks on the shoe wish list of every woman but also evoked discussions between friends about everything from children to commitment to Cosmopolitans. […]

Catriona Rowntree returns to Getaway this week. But as she tells Clare Rigden, while travelling the world with baby Andrew tucked into her backpack was fabulous, it made filming a little difficult. She’d looked forward to returning to work for months, counting the days until she’d pack her son Andrew in the BabyBjörn and hit […]

John Travolta and wife Kelly Preston are determined to have another child, in the wake of their son Jett’s tragic passing 18 months ago. Amid rumours she is already pregnant, sources close to the couple confirm they have been looking into having a baby, despite Kelly – who is 47 – being well past the […]

Fresh from a six-week break overseas, Kate Ritchie is back in Sydney – and she’s straight into wedding mode. The ex-Home And Away star, who is engaged to rugby league player Stuart Webb, 29, has been tight-lipped about their plans, but it’s understood the wedding will take place this spring. And by the looks of […]

The drama on the hit cooking contest is nothing compared to the contestants’ real-life experiences. Dominic: My drinking problem He admits he cracked under the intense, pressure-cooker atmosphere of MasterChef and lapsed into drinking again, but Dominic Corrigan insists he has his demon well under control. The big-hearted Sydney father of four, who had a […]

Hollie Henderson made a big boob when she spent $140,000 on turning herself into UK glamour model Jordan. Ever since Jordan, aka Katie Price, split with her Aussie husband, singer Peter Andre, last May after three years of marriage, her popularity has slumped – and so has Hollie’s. Now the single mum-of-two is spending thousands […]

Western Australia’s Nicky Freeman may hold the secret to eternal youth, but his mum tells John Parrish the secret to happiness is just as important. He’s a 40-year-old who looks and acts like a 10-year-old, but man-child Nicky Freeman could help unlock the secrets of near-eternal youth. Nicky has a virtually unknown condition that sees […]

The baggy pants and loose-fitted shirts can no longer hide the fact Bec Hewitt is expecting her third baby, writes Dylan Howard.. The first signs were apparent as early as February, when Woman’s Day spotted the normally svelte Bec Hewitt with a telltale bump on a shopping trip with the kids. Hubby Lleyton was sweating […]

The pair have become best mates on the set of their new movie by talking about their star ex-husbands. Heidi Parker reports. Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt had better watch their backs now their former spouses have become best friends. That’s the word from multiple on-set sources, who say the pair have quickly bonded by […]

Sharing a proud moment, TV host Johanna Griggs and her actor ex Gary Sweet bury the pain of their split for the sake of their son. Jonica Bray reports. Laughing together in the Autumn sunshine, TV host Johanna Griggs and her ex-husband Gary Sweet presented a rare united front last week as they watched their […]

As the festival gains momentum each year, we’ve taken a moment to pause and reflect on some of the biggest red carpet moments at Cannes Film Festivals of years past. From Hugh Hefner and his girls to a barely dressed Mila Jovovich, a bikini donned Bridget Bardot to the gorgeous Grace Kelly, these pictures span […]

Last year it was Inglourious Basterds, this year it’s Robin Hood. Each Festival de Cannes has a film that the mainstream media is gagging to see. But each year there is another certainty, and that is that the glittering array of stars who attend will be dressed in their finest. This year Eva Longoria Parker, […]

When I was 14 I turned from a good, if not naÏve, child, and into my parents’ worst nightmare. I think I’ve always been a bit of a loner and although I had friends in primary school, I was never the most popular and looking back I remember feeling different and lonely most of the […]

Read our review of Maggie O’Farrell’s The Hand That First Held Mine then tell us what you think on the form below for a chance to win a copy of the AWW Cooking School cook book and have your critique printed in The Australian Women’s Weekly books pages. Two women born 50 years apart are […]

Thrush is a vaginal infection caused by an excess of candida albicans, a fungal yeast which normally inhabits the intestines. Symptoms include intense burning, itching, and a discharge. Anything which disturbs the normal balance of “good” bacteria in the gut can trigger it, including stress, antibiotics, spermicides, synthetic oestrogens, such as those in the contraceptive […]

The set of Adam Sandler’s new movie Just Go with It has turned into a battle of the bodies between Jennifer Aniston and swimwear model Brooklyn Decker. According to the UK’s Daily Mail, Jen hasn’t taken lightly to the 23-year-old model, who is half Jen’s age, being on set. In fact the usually body-confident actress […]

Question: My family is coming over for a hearty casserole. There will be 12 of us; can I simply triple my famous recipe, which normally serves four? This is one of our most commonly asked questions, and there isn’t a straight yes or no answer. Most households don’t have large pots and pans, so large […]

Rosemount Australia Fashion Week is always a delightful mix of fabulous fashion, statement beauty combined with the who’s who of the Australian fashion and social scene. This year was no different. Lara Bingle made her return from media exile and was seen sitting in the front row at Dion Lee, Ksubi, Camilla and Marc and […]

Greg Norman may be in love – again – but his ex-wives are fuming that he’s flaunting his relationship with a woman who’s been much more than a long-term friend. Dylan Howard has the exclusive inside story. It was the telephone call that exposed Greg Norman’s secret double life. The year was 1995 – 14 […]

Millions viewed the chilling moment when Saurish Verma’s pram rolled under a train. Six months on, Jill Fraser helps celebrate his first birthday. Birthday boy Saurish Verma wobbles around the room excitedly, taking tentative steps towards his pile of new toys and looking up at the brightly coloured balloons in amazement. For his mum Shweta […]

Hoarding, cross-dressing, and a thing for lacy knickers … Stars’ domestic workers come clean about their famous employers’ scandalous secrets. Behind the closed doors of Brangelina’s ritzy chateau, Hollywood’s golden couple secretly live like hobos. “It’s actually pretty disgusting,” a source close to their hired help reveals. “There are always pizza boxes everywhere, food left […]

Barack and Michelle Obama’s marriage is under new scrutiny, amid allegations linking him with a younger woman, reports Matthew Denby. The presidential marriage was rocked by a cheating scandal last week, according to claims published in a US magazine. A devastated Michelle Obama is reportedly distressed by the allegations her husband Barack spent the night […]

It should have been Catherine Zeta-Jones’ moment of glory. But at a New York press luncheon last week to celebrate her Tony Awards nomination for her role in hit musical A Little Night Music, the actress was the centre of attention for all the wrong reasons. The voluptuous star of old was nowhere to be […]

As Prince William and Kate Middleton move closer to announcing their engagement, she is being groomed to inherit Diana’s title as the people’s princess. John Bell reports. Has Prince William finally popped the question? It seemed that way on April 29, when royal watchers were buzzing that William’s girlfriend of more than six years, Kate […]

MasterChef’s Jonathan Daddia is prepared for anything in the kitchen. And when it comes to romance, the aspiring chef is equally well organised. In between shooting scenes for the TV cooking competition, Jonathan crammed in a walk down the aisle that had been thrown into doubt by his success in the kitchen … and a […]

When Gilly Richardson and John Hughes took the big leap into marriage, it was but a simple hop for the couple’s bridesmaid – their pet kangaroo, Zoe. Gilly and John, who tied the knot on their farm in Victoria’s rural Deans Marsh earlier this year, adopted Zoe a year ago after finding her on a […]

Terri refuses to end the feud which has robbed Steve Irwin’s ill dad of his grandkids. Warren Gibbs reports. Lying in his hospital bed after a near-fatal heart attack, Bob Irwin prayed for a get-well visit from his grandkids, Bindi and Robert. Six weeks later, the 70-year-old animal crusader is still waiting to see Steve’s […]

I had an arranged marriage in 2004. It was a marriage where my mum chose my husband for me and I was just expected to turn up for the wedding. My mum had been very hard on me throughout my life and I wanted her to love me – I wanted her approval so badly. […]

If you can swap your car commute for a bike ride to work, you’ll reap a host of health and fitness benefits. According to a study published in Preventive Medicine, a combination walk-and-cycle commute is linked to an 11 percent decrease in risk of heart disease. Research reported in the European Journal of Epidemiology has […]

If you thought Tom Cruise had all the right moves in Risky Business, his wife Katie Holmes may have just outdone him. Last weekend the pair got together on stage where Katie performed an, almost, sexy dance while she sang ‘Whatever Lola Wants’ from the musical Damn Yankees to her 47-year-old husband. Despite his efforts […]

Iron Man stood out from other superhero movies by being one of the funniest and more realistic. This hero had no superpowers, just a super metal suit, and he often fumbled his way to victory. And he didn’t hide his identity, instead revelling in the fact he was a rich, eligible bachelor. And in Iron […]

She is one of the fashion icons of the 20th century and at 51 years of age Madonna has once again taken her look to new heights. The mother of four is also the latest celebrity to pose Photoshop-free in a spread for Interview magazine. For the shoot, photographed by Marcus Piggott, Madonna went back […]

Could this be a match made in celebrity (car crash) heaven? Peter Andre, who only last year ended his turbulent relationship with British glamour model, Katie Price, is reportedly very cosy with Kerry Katona — Brian McFadden’s ex-wife. While Peter, 37, has recently denied claims the pair are in a relationship, Kerry, 29, has told […]

Following his elimination from MasterChef Devon Headland spoke to Woman’s Day about who likes who in the MasterChef house, why he thinks his elimination was unfair and his plans to wed his long-time partner Cat. You’ve said that your friends and family motivated you to come on the show, as did the chance for a […]

In a sea of long flowing dresses on the Logies red carpet stood Claudia Karvan in a short standout black dress. The look was a fashion risk which paid off for the actress who, despite a wardrobe malfunction, landed herself on the best dressed list. She was just one of the stars who rocked the […]

We all know most of the benefits of getting a good night’s sleep, but new European research has found that it not only benefits our everyday health and wellbeing, it can also help us live longer. Research conducted by the University of Warwick and the University of Naples Federico II found poor sleepers who get […]

When the weather changes, so should your beauty routine. Your hair and skin respond differently to cooler temperatures, so with winter coming up, it is important that you adjust your routine accordingly. The harsh winter elements and colder climates have a harmful, drying effect on skin and hair. But by following these simple tips, it’s […]

The multi-talented Natalie Bassingthwaighte hopes to be half the mum her mother and grandmother have been, she tells Lucy Chesterton. Natalie Bassingthwaighte already has many tender memories of Mother’s Day, but this year she has an extra reason to celebrate – she is about to become a mum herself. “It’s almost like my own first […]

Bert and Patti Newton are relieved their troubled son Matthew is finally facing his addiction problems and seeking help – just like Bert did when his world fell apart 40 years ago. Phillip Koch reports. As he battles his demons in a Melbourne clinic, Matthew Newton is not alone. Even in his darkest hour, the […]

If it wasn’t for her devoted mother, Sonia Kruger may never have danced her way to fame and fortune, as Phillip Koch reports. Dancing With The Stars host Sonia Kruger cringes when her mum, Margaret, mentions that she still holds dear a poem her daughter wrote for her when she was just eight years old. […]

In an exclusive interview, the star reveals the secret she kept during the toughest months of her life: she’s become a proud new mum by J.D. Heyman and Alexis Chiu. Sandra Bullock has been the subject of many headlines lately, but today there’s only one newsflash she cares about. “Louis rolled over—twice!” she gushes on […]

Katie Holmes lives a bizarrely regimented life ruled by oddball rituals, and surrounded by Scientologists who report her every move to husband Tom Cruise, according to a former top member of the controversial cult. Author Amy Scobee – whose scathing book, Scientology: Abuse At The Top, has sparked threats of legal action by Tom – […]

Carmen Llywelyn, the ex-wife of My Name Is Earl star Jason Lee, lifts the lid on Scientology and its celebrity members’ secrets. Alan Smith reports. When Nicole Kidman publicly rebuffed former husband Tom Cruise’s Scientology religion, she was labelled a “suppressive person” by the cult and the couple were required to divorce. That’s just one […]

When it comes to “cosmetic surgery gone horribly wrong”, socialite Jocelyn Wildenstein takes the fake cake. The human pincushion, 64, has reportedly spent more than $3.3 million being pulled, nipped and tucked into absurd proportions. “As everyone can see, she’s had too much of everything,” says Sydney cosmetic surgeon Dr Anoop Rastogi. “She’s been pulled […]

Sarah Carmichael stunned fellow contestants and viewers alike with her decision to sacrifice her spot on MasterChef for the sake of her children last week, but even she admits she is blown away by her next surprise revelation – she’s pregnant! Despite making the final 24 by impressing judges with her coconut snapper, Sarah says […]

Molly Conroy first learnt to drive in 1926, when she was 14. Needless to say, things were a little different back then. “When I turned 16, me and my dad just walked up to the local registration office. You just said you wanted a licence, filled out a form, handed over 10 shillings and the […]

My husband – James – and I have been married for nigh on a decade. My Mother In-Law – Jasmine – has had it in for me from day one and her feelings have barely softened in almost a decade. She made it pretty clear not long after meeting me for the first time that […]

She has come a long way from Dawson’s Creek and now actress Katie Holmes has been chosen to play one of the world’s most stylish women: Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. She will star alongside Little Miss Sunshine‘s Greg Kinnear who will play US president John F Kennedy in the television miniseries based on his life to […]

Oscar-winning actress Sandra Bullock has been through some blissful highs and devastating lows this year, but she has been keeping her greatest joy a secret. The star has revealed in an interview with People magazine that she secretly adopted a baby boy in January this year with her husband Jesse James before they split. The […]

It’s a common assumption that chocolate is a positive mood enhancer but a new US research raises the question: Does chocolate stimulate happy feelings or depression? A study published this week in the Archives of Internal Medicine attempted to answer that question. Researchers from the Davis and San Diego campuses of the University of California […]

Beautiful Malice, by Rebecca James, Allen & Unwin, $24.99. Rebecca James has been hailed as the “next J.K. Rowling”, not because her book has anything to do with wizards, but because it was the subject of a frenzied, worldwide bidding war that pushed advances past $1million. Often, things don’t live up to the hype, but […]

Secret Daughter, by Shilpi Somaya Gowda, Morrow , $23.99. A fabulously turbulent family drama set in two great cities, Los Angeles and Mumbai. The two settings are almost characters themselves, the smog, the traffic jams and the teeming, chaotic nature of the East alongside the clipped lawns and somewhat antiseptic, sliced-white-bread nature of the West […]

The Winter of Our Disconnect, by Susan Maushart, Bantam $34.95. The author’s three children didn’t remember a time before email or instant messaging or Google. They didn’t just use the media, they “inhabited” it. And so Maushart embarks upon The Experiment, to live without any of it; pull the plug on the family’s entire armoury […]

Trust, by Kate Veitch, Penguin $32.95. Life can change at any given minute, so watch out. And you may think you know those you love, but you don’t. Not really. Susanna, the central character in this gripping emotional drama, learns this as her life goes into a tailspin. Not even her 20 plus years rock-solid […]

Gran’s Kitchen, by Natalie Oldfield & Dulcie May Booker, Hardie Grant Books, $45. Ninety-five-year-old Dulcie May Booker’s recipes and cooking tips have the wonderful whiff of a bygone era. Dulcie grew up in a rural farming community in Weymouth, Auckland, and started cooking as a child on her family’s coal range, winning prizes for her […]

This Body of Death, by Elizabeth George, Hodder & Stoughton, $32.99. With any long-running series, loss of potency can be a huge issue as characters cease to develop and plots stagnate. But the 16th novel in Elizabeth George’s bestselling series featuring Scotland Yard’s sharp killer catcher DI Lynley is a thrilling exception. The multi-layered stories […]

Solar, by Ian McEwan, Jonathan Cape, $32.95. I’m an McEwan tragic, I admit. So, I thought, if anyone was going to pull off the coup of turning the subject of climate change into a compelling novel, it was surely the master. Rather than lecture, he’s given us a black comedy –a farce, almost – centred […]

Talking About Jane Austen in Baghdad, by Bee Rowlatt and May Witwit, Penguin, $22.95. There’s not a lot of Jane Austen in this true story of an unlikely friendship between a tough-minded Iraqi lecturer on literature and a BBC journalist, but if the title reels in readers, all to the good, because this is a […]

Beatrice and Virgil, by Yann Martel, Text Publishing, $32.95 Beatrice is a donkey, Virgil a howler monkey. They are loyal friends with a taste for philosophy – or at least they were. Now, after an epic journey, they’re no more than stuffed specimens in a taxidermist’s window, where they attract the interest of a successful […]

Reading By Moonlight, by Brenda Walker, Hamish Hamilton, $29.95. One woman’s journey through the books that saved her life. Not changed it, not improved it, but saved it when, out of a bright blue sky, the unimaginable happened and she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Perth-based author Brenda Walker did what she had to do […]

The Last Station, by Jay Parini, Text Publishing, $23.95. Jay Parini’s historical novel on the last days of Russian literary giant Leo Tolstoy is about to be discovered by hordes of film fans. Christopher Plummer and Helen Mirren were nominated for Oscars for their portrayals of Count and Countess Tolstoy, and the flick is sure […]

House Rules, by Jodi Picoult, Allen & Unwin, $32.99. Fans of Jodi Picoult’s work know what to expect. House Rules delivers it all: the shifting perspectives of several narrators, a child with a disability or illness, a court case, and cleverly explored ethical issues. Single mum and agony aunt Emma Hunt has two sons, Jacob […]

The Weed that Strings the Hangman’s Bag, by Alan Bradley, Orion, $49.99. Flavia de Luce is, without question, the most delightful detective ever created. An 11-year-old aristocrat gone wild, with a passion for chemistry, she’s a 1950s’ crime scene investigator who’s not above poisoning her sisters’ chocolates or snooping in the vicar’s study. When a […]

Every Day in Tuscany – Seasons of an Italian Life, by Frances Mayes, Bantam Australia, $34.95. Part travelogue, part cookbook, part memoir, Every Day in Tuscany is all escapism. It’s 20 years since Frances Mayes first fell in love with everything under the Tuscan sun, and she’s still aglow with adoration. This third Tuscan memoir […]