Book Haul – 10 February 2026

On February 10, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn Book HaulLeave a comment

I’ve had an excellent couple of weeks for books, as I was lucky enough to receive some incredible and amazing new novels from publishers and Netgalley. These novels include some truly awesome new releases, including books that have the potential to be some of my top reads of the year. I cannot wait to dive into them, and I so excited to see how they all turn out.

Antihero by Gregg Hurwitz

Let’s start this Book Haul post off strong with one of my most anticipated books of 2026, Antihero by Gregg Hurwitz. The next entry in Hurwitz’s excellent Orphan X spy thriller series, Antihero will follow on from the tragic conclusion of his previous book, Nemesis, and will follow his highly damaged vigilante protagonist as he takes on an unusual job, get justice without any violence. Sure to be one of the more heartfelt entries in this outstanding series, Antihero has a ton of potential, and I’m hoping to read it very soon.

Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman

The next new book that I want to highlight is the very awesome science fiction novel, Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman. A very fun sounding novel that sees a group of farmers living on an isolated planet attempt to protect their planet from murderous drones piloted by bored gamers on Earth, Operation Bounce House promises to be an extremely entertaining read with a ton of over-the-top content. I have been looking forward to reading Operation Bounce House ever since I became obsessed with the author’s Dungeon Crawler Carl series last year, and I have no doubt this new standalone novel from Dinniman is going to be a particularly epic read.

Dark Sanctuary by Sarah Barrie

One of the book’s I was particularly happy to recently get a copy of was the dark Australian thriller Dark Sanctuary. Written by talented Australian author Sarah Barrie, who previously impressed me with her great Lexi Winter series, Dark Sanctuary promises to be another intense and shocking read, as several desperate protagonists are drawn together. I cannot wait to read this new book from Barrie, and Dark Sanctuary has the potential to be one of the top Australian novels of 2026.

Ironwood by Michael Connelly

I was very lucky to receive an early copy of the upcoming Michael Connelly novel, Ironwood. A sequel to the author’s 2025 novel, Nightshade, Ironwood looks set to continue the compelling crime fiction adventures of a banished cop on the surprisingly crime-ridden Catalina Island, this time with an intriguing plot tied into one of Connelly’s other long-running shared crime fiction series. I have no doubt this will be an incredible novel, and I can’t wait to read it.

Redbelly Crossing by Candice Fox

The awesome Australian fiction of 2026 continues to flow into my bookshelf with the new Candice Fox book, Redbelly Crossing. Set in outback Australia, Redbelly Crossing sees two estranged cop brothers forced to work together to investigate a high-profile murder. However, it soon becomes apparent that only one sibling wants to solve the crime, while the other wants to bury the truth. Sure to be another outback thriller from one of Australia’s best crime-fiction authors, Redbelly Crossing has a ton of potential, and I cannot wait to dive into it.

The Exes by Leodora Darlington

I was very happy to get my hands on one of the more entertaining debuts of 2026 with the awesome new novel, The Exes by Leodora Darlington. A fun and gritty sounding crime fiction read about a woman with a complicated and deadly past when it comes to relationships, The Exes is going to be an awesome read and I look forward to diving into it.

Haze by Sam Elliott

I also received a copy of the cool Australian debut Haze by Sam Elliot, which features a great sounding narrative about a small-town country cop who is forced to try and find a missing child in the middle of a deadly Australian bushfire. I love the sound of this awesome book, and I have a feeling that Haze is going to be one of the strongest Australian debuts of the year.

The Red Winter by Cameron Sullivan

An extremely interesting fantasy debut from another new Australian author. The Red Winter sounds like a particularly gripping read, and I’m curious to check out Cameron Sullivan’s take on a classic tale.

The Couples Retreat by Mercedes Mercie

A complex and compelling sounding Australian thriller with some interesting twists behind it.

The Ascension of Souls by Bronte-Marie Wesson

The final book I recently received was the compelling new fantasy novel, The Ascension of Souls by Bronte-Marie Wesson. The start of a cool new fantasy series, The Ascension of Souls sounds particularly fascinating, and I cannot wait to read it.

Well, that’s the end of this latest Book Haul post. As you can see I have quite a bit of reading to do at the moment thanks to all these awesome books that have come in. Let me know which of the above you are most interested in and make sure to check back in a few weeks to see my reviews of them.

Waiting on Wednesday – The Calamities by Chuck Wendig

On February 7, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn Uncategorized1 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 latest Waiting on Wednesday post, I highlight a very cool upcoming fantasy novel from acclaimed author Chuck Wendig, The Calamities.

While there are a lot of great novels coming out in 2026 from authors that I am familiar with, I also want to try out some new writers, so to that end I’m hoping to check out an upcoming book from science fiction and fantasy author Chuck Wendig. Wendig is a veteran author who has written a ton of compelling and unique novels over the years. Despite having some very cool books to his name, I haven’t had the pleasure of reading anything from Wendig, although his Star Wars Aftermath trilogy has been on my to-read list for a while. However, this is hopefully going to change later this year as Wendig’s next book, The Calamities, has caught my attention.

Set for release in August 2026, The Calamities is an intriguing and compelling upcoming novel that will blend a complex story about family drama and corrupt business, with dark fantasy elements. Set to follow the scion of a family of powerful, half-demon business moguls, who decides to rebel against his father’s control, The Calamities has a great premise behind it which I think has a ton of potential. I really love the sound of this book, and I think it’s going to be an excellent novel to check out in the second half of 2026.

Plot Synopsis:

The heir to one of the world’s most influential families reckons with the demonic secret to their power, in this contemporary dark fantasy that melds occult magic with shocking family drama from the New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Accidents.

Mourning Mayne knows he’ll one day bear the duty of managing his family’s vast empire of wealth and power. But the feckless Mourning has always struggled to accept this legacy, which is one of cruelty, domination, and exploitation… and something even darker.

Because the Maynes are no ordinary family: Hidden in our world are the fiends—half-human, half-demon, and possessed of dark magic born from buying human souls—and the Maynes are one of the oldest and most influential fiendish families.

But when Mourning’s estranged father, the formidable and terrifying Hadrian Mayne, demands that he return to the fold, Mourning has to make a decision whether to accept his legacy and embrace his role in the family, or to forge his own destiny, and with it, change the course of the world.

Because along the way home, he will meet Key, a black-market seller of human souls, and Quinn, an artist who may hold the dark truth behind the fate of the fiends. Alone, they have all struggled with the darkness of their fiendish nature… but together, they might find a path out of the shadows.

WWW Wednesday – 28 January 2026

On January 31, 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:

Dawn of the Firebird by Sarah Mughal Rana (ebook)

I just started reading the intriguing debut fantasy novel, Dawn of the Firebird, which is off to an excellent start. An elaborate fantasy novel with a unique Middle Eastern style, Dawn of the Firebird follows a young woman whose journey to understand magic and her own power is twisted by betrayal, war and the loss of everyone she loves. I have only made a little progress on Dawn of the Firebird, but I am so far enjoying its compelling story, which I think has a ton of potential.

What did you recently finish reading?

Twelve Months by Jim Butcher (Audiobook)

I literally just finished the epic new entry in the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher, Twelve Months, which was so much better than I could have hoped. One of my most anticipated releases of 2026, Twelve Months sees the highly damaged wizard protagonist try to survive the turbulent year following the destructive battle for Chicago, forced to complete multiple quests while also overcoming his grief. I absolutely flew through this audiobook, and I loved every single second I spend with Twelve Months thanks to its complex story and brilliant take on loss and moving forward. One of Jim Butcher’s very best books, and an early contender for best fantasy novel of 2026.

A Sociopath’s Guide to a Successful Marriage by M. K. Oliver (ebook)

I also finished off the fantastic 2026 debut thriller, A Sociopath’s Guide to a Successful Marriage by M. K. Oliver this week. An amazing and hilarious book that follows the titular sociopath as she attempts to maintain her perfect, busy life after brutally killing someone in her house. I had a ton of fun with this novel, and it comes very highly recommended.

Red Star Rebels by Amie Kaufman (ebook)

Finally, I also managed to power through the entertaining young adult novel, Red Star Rebels by Amie Kaufman, which was an awesome and compelling hoot. Featuring two damaged teenage protagonists as they attempt to survive a mercenary attack on Mars, Red Star Rebels was a great young adult novel that will appeal to a wide range of readers.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Warhammer 40,000: Renegades: Harrowmaster by Mike Brooks (Audiobook)

I’ve been having an awesome time with Warhammer 40,000 fiction lately, so I think the next audiobook I’ll check out is the intriguing, villain-focused book Harrowmaster by Mike Brooks, which has been on my to-read list for a while. Following members of the treacherous and deceitful Alpha Legion, Harrowmaster looks set to feature betrayal and machinations which I cannot wait to check out, especially as Brooks has a sequel to Harrowmaster coming out very soon.

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 – The Unknown by Riley Sager

On January 31, 2026January 31, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller, Waiting on WednesdayLeave a comment

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. For this week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight an excellent upcoming thriller with the cool sounding novel, The Unknown by Riley Sager.

Readers of this blog will know that I’m always on the lookout for fun thrillers with interesting or unique twists to them, and one of the more awesome sounding thrillers coming out in 2026 is The Unknown. Written by acclaimed thriller author Riley Sager (a pseudonym of Todd Ritter), The Unknown is set for release in August later this year and has a deeply intriguing narrative about a mysterious island with long buried secrets and a group of actors who are about to experience its horrors for themselves.

Plot Synopsis:

In 1926, five women disappeared from a remote island in Vermont. Now, one hundred years later, it’s happening again.

Struggling actress Marin Keane is shocked when she lands a role in a major motion picture about the unsolved mystery of New Avalon, an island on sprawling Lake Faraday in Vermont. She’s even more surprised when she learns that the role requires a weeklong research trip to that very spot.

Because New Avalon isn’t your ordinary island. A century ago, it was a commune for spiritual mediums-until they all vanished in 1926. The only trace of them was five dresses hanging from the branches of an old oak tree in the middle of the island, one for each missing woman. Some locals say they simply left. Others think they were murdered. But the prevailing opinion, thanks to a diary left behind by one of the vanished, a young woman named Daisy Rue, is that a séance gone wrong conjured something supernatural that took them all one by one.

Not long after arriving, Marin and her castmates, including legendary actress Violet Wright and white-hot director Ronan Peters, begin to realize all is not right with New Avalon. They hear strange noises in the night and notice mysterious symbols left behind by the island’s previous occupants. And after a sudden health emergency leaves Marin, Ronan, and the other actors stranded on the island, the disappearances begin again.

Is it the work of someone trying to derail the movie? Or is the island’s alleged supernatural past catching up with the present? As fear and suspicion mount, Marin turns to Daisy’s diary, hoping it holds the key to figuring out what really happened to the women of New Avalon-and how to keep the island’s terrible history from repeating itself.

I love the sound of this upcoming thriller, and frankly I think it’s going to be a very outstanding read, especially as Sager looks set to combine horror elements with his usual thriller style. I’m getting some The Blair Witch Project vibes from the above plot, and its going to be very interesting to see if the evil stalking the main characters is a mundane evil, or something more supernatural. It will also be quite interesting to see how the secrets of the island’s history come into play with The Unknown’s main story, and you have to imagine that Sager will work in some entertaining connections that are going to be amazing to explore.

Overall, I think that The Unknown is going to be a particularly amazing thriller, and I am extremely keen to get my ands on it later this year. The cool plot above sounds so damn fun, and I cannot wait to see how weird and twisted things get on New Avalon.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Australian Books of 2025

On January 31, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, List1 Comment

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly task that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday participants were supposed to list the top new-to-them authors they read in 2025. However, as this was a topic I did a few weeks ago, I’m instead going to put together an alternate list today. The reason for this is because earlier this week, 26 January, was Australia’s national holiday, Australia Day. While Australia Day is getting controversial due to its historical implications, I like to look beyond that and instead focus on some of the amazing and varied writing talents Australia produces. As such, I once again took this opportunity to highlight some of the top pieces of fiction written by Australian authors in 2025.

Each year, a ton of talented Australian authors produce an impressive and exciting range of fiction from across the genres, many of which I am lucky enough to get copies of from my local publishers. Due to this, I tend to read and review a lot of novels by Australian authors, most of which turn out to be some outstanding reads that I deeply enjoy. As such, for the last few years I have taken to highlighting my favourite pieces of Australian fiction, which is something I really look forward to each Australia Day (check out my 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 lists).

I really love how much awesome Australian fiction there is each year, and this list is the perfect way to highlight some of the best Australian authors. Now 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. To qualify for this list, a novel had to be released in 2025 and be written by an Australian author, which I am defining as anyone born in Australia or who currently lives here (Australia is very good at adopting talented people as our own). This resulted in a long list, and I was eventually able to whittle this novel down to the absolute cream of the crop and came up with a fantastic top ten list (with my typical generous honourable mentions). I really enjoyed how this list turned out, especially as it features novels from a range of different genres, all of which were very awesome Australian books.

Honourable Mentions:

Gunnawah by Ronni Salt

A compelling historical fiction novel and debut from the talented Ronnie Salt that makes great use of its 1970’s, small-town Australian setting.

2 Sisters Murder Investigations by James Patterson and Candice Fox

The fun new novel that one of Australia’s leading thriller authors, Candice Fox, wrote with James Patterson. This one was a great sequel to their previous novel, 2 Sisters Detective Agency, and is well worth a read.

The Bolthole by Peter Papathanasiou

A great, slow-paced Australian crime fiction novel that features a unique Australian setting in the iconic Kangaroo Island.

Vanish by Shelley Burr

A particularly intense and creative crime fiction novel, from a brilliant rising Australian author.

Top Ten Tuesday:

The Strength of the Few by James Islington

I’m starting this Top Ten List off strong with The Strength of the Few by James Islington, a book that appeared on pretty much all my best of 2025 lists, including best book, audiobook and sequels. The deeply impressive sequel to Islington’s The Will of the Many (one of my favourite book, audiobook and Australian fiction novels of 2023), The Strength of the Few continues the epic story of rebellion and magic from the first book, however this time separate versions of the protagonist are simultaneously split across three different parallel words, resulting in an especially elaborate narrative. I deeply enjoyed how this incredible and complex novel came about, and I honestly could not get enough of this impressive novel from one of Australia’s most inventive authors.

Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson

From amazing fantasy to hilarious crime fiction, the second book on this list is the highly amusing and awesome Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson. An outrageous and self-referential novel that once again follows Stevenson’s unlucky protagonist as he gets caught up in another locked-room murder mystery. This time trapped in a bank during an armed robbery, the protagonist needs to discover who amongst a suspicious group of staff and customers, is a deadly killer. A highly clever read from the always entertaining Stevenson, Everyone in this Bank is a Thief was an exceptional read that had me chuckling the entire way through.

The Bluff by Joanna Jenkins

Rising author Joanna Jenkins impressed this year with her second crime fiction novel, The Bluff. A sequel to her debut legal thriller novel, How to Kill a Client, The Bluff was an outstanding novel that took Jenkins’ initial protagonist into a new small-town Australian setting. Featuring a great story that showcased the events that led up to the murder of the town’s local hero, The Bluff was a clever and addictive novel that I really enjoyed reading.

Whisper in the Wind by Luke Arnold

Actor turned author Luke Arnold continued to provide his amazing contributions to the fantasy genre this year with his new Fetch Phillips novel, Whisper in the Wind. Forcing his highly damaged protagonist to investigate a deadly conspiracy amongst a city devastated by the world’s loss of magic, Whisper in the Wind featured an outstanding plot loaded with twists, betrayals and impressive character moments. Easily Arnold’s best novel yet, Whisper in the Wind was so damn good, and there was no way it wasn’t going to be featured on this list.

High Rise by Gabriel Bergmoser

Probably the most intense, action-packed books I read in 2025 was the amazing Australian thriller High Rise by Gabriel Bergmoser. Essentially a reverse version of The Raid set in a Melbourne housing tower, High Rise forced one of Bergmoser’s dangerous protagonists to fight their way through a building of thugs all looking to collect a bounty on his head, while also trying to protect his estranged daughter. A particularly fun and addictive read, High Rise is well worth a read, especially if you are a fan of over-the-top action.

Broke Road by Matthew Spencer

One of the best Australian crime fiction novels of 2025 was the amazing Broke Road by Matthew Spencer. The sequel to Spencer’s debut novel, Black River, Broke Road featured a gritty and particularly intense murder mystery as a damaged detective travels to the Hunter Valley to investigate bloody murder. Featuring an excellent plot and a particularly complex mystery, Broke Road was an exceptional read that I couldn’t turn away from.

The Stolen by Vikki Petratis

One of the more intense and realistic pieces of Australian crime fiction in 2025 was the outstanding novel, The Stolen by Vikki Petratis. Serving as a sequel to Petratis’ hard-hitting first book, The Unbelieved, The Stolen continued to explore a small Victorian town riven by gender conflict and dissent, which only worsens when a baby is kidnapped by its father. An excellent and compelling read, The Stolen was a great sequel and an impressive piece of Australian writing.

Pacific Heights by S. R. White

British expat turned Australian crime fiction author, S. R. White, continued to impress in 2025 with his complex murder mystery Pacific Heights. A spinoff from his main series (which features books like Prisoner, Red Dirt Road and White Ash Ridge), Pacific Heights sees two detectives investigate a complex murder case where a young women is murdered in the middle of several overlooking apartment buildings. However, all the witnesses to the case are telling a different story about how events unfolded, and nothing is truly what it seems. I had an incredible time with this novel and White made full use of this book’s focus on perception and truth to tell and amazing story.

Kill Your Boss by Jack Heath

One of the easiest inclusions on this list was the incredible new novel from Canberra author Jack Heath, Kill Your Boss. Following on from two of Heath’s previous novels, Kill Your Brother and Kill Your Husbands, Kill Your Boss had a very entertaining story behind it, as a police detective attempts to uncover who killed the boss of a small-town library. However, everyone the victim knew had a motive to kill him, and the resulting complex investigation becomes a highly entertaining exploration of who actually succeeded in murdering him. An outstanding novel from one of Australia’s best and most outrageous crime fiction authors.

The Reunion by Bronwyn Rivers

The final book I want to highlight on this list is also one of my favourite 2025 debuts, The Reunion by Bronwyn Rivers. Following a group of friends who reunite years after a tragic event, The Reunion takes an interesting twist when they find themselves trapped in an isolated property in Australia’s Blue Mountains by someone desperate to find out what really happened in the past. This ended up being an amazing first book from Rivers and I cannot wait to see what she writes next.

Well, that is the end of this latest list, and I am really happy that I got a chance to highlight some of the best Australian releases of 2025. The above books represent an outstanding collection of fiction from talented Australian authors, and each of them comes highly recommended by me. I had a lot of fun coming up with this list and I cannot wait to find out what the best Australian books of 2026 are going to be. Until then, stay tuned for more epic reviews and lists, and make sure you let me know who your favourite Australian authors are in the comments below.

Kill Your Boss by Jack Heath

On January 31, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery1 Comment

Publisher: Allen & Unwin Australia (Trade Paperback – 4 November 2025)

Series: Kill Your Brother – Book Three

Length: 368 pages

My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

The most relatable new Australian crime book for all office drones is the awesome and addictive Kill Your Boss by the always impressive Jack Heath, an exceptional read that proves very hard to put down.

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 Hangman series (including Hideout and Headcase).

In recent years, some of Heath’s best work has been some amazing and twisted murder mysteries set in small-town Australia. The series started with Kill Your Brother (one of my favourite Australian novels of 2021), a clever read that saw a damaged protagonist imprisoned and forced to choose between killing her guilty brother or dying alongside him. I had an outstanding time with Kill Your Brother, and I eagerly dove into the loosely connected sequel, Kill Your Husbands. Featuring two of the protagonists from Kill Your Brother as they get drawn into a devastating case involving a series of murders after some ill-advised partner-swapping. I deeply enjoyed this fantastic sequel, and it ended up being one of my favourite Australian books of 2023. Naturally I was very keen when I saw that Heath had a third book in this series coming out in late 2025 with the awesome title of Kill Your Boss. I dove into Kill Your Boss as soon as I could, and it proved to be another great read with a very fun plot behind it.

Plot Synopsis:

What would it take to turn you into a killer?

Detective Sergeant Kiara Lui has just broken up a loud brawl between two blokes in front of the Warrigal Public Library. But just as she’s about to leave the scene, a man inexplicably plummets from the sky and slams into the bike rack right in front of her, dead.

Neville Adams was the head of library services, hated by staff, borrowers, or in fact anybody who had ever met him. Kiara quickly seals the building, trapping everyone who might have pushed him off the roof. She expects to have someone in custody within minutes.

Instead, the investigation becomes the most challenging and dangerous of her career as it spirals outward, ensnaring half the town. It seems that Neville was connected to the disappearance of Emmylou Chisholm – a case that Kiara could never solve, and that has haunted her ever since.

If the killer isn’t found fast, the first two victims won’t be the last . . .

Compelling, propulsive and darkly funny, this is a perfect follow-up to Jack Heath’s bestselling Kill Your Husbands.

Kill Your Boss was a particularly amazing novel from Jack Heath and one of the better pieces of Australian fiction I had the pleasure of reading in 2025. Featuring an extremely compelling crime fiction narrative with some fantastic dark humour behind it, Kill Your Boss was extremely fun to get through, and I had a brilliant time with this latest twisted offering from Heath.

Heath cleverly builds around the fantastic and entertaining concept of a villainous and wildly disliked boss getting murdered. Once again set in the small Australian town of Warrigal, Kill Your Boss has an instantly great opening with the victim, Neville Adams, plummeting to the ground from the library roof, right in front of main police protagonist Detective Sergeant Kiara Lui. Kiara, who previously served as a supporting character in Kill Your Brother and the main investigator of Kill Your Husbands, quickly takes charge of the case, locking down the library and hoping to identify the killer amongst the people trapped inside. However, Kiara soon hits a wall with her investigation when it becomes apparent that everyone in the library, especially Adams’s employees, hated him. With multiple motives and no witnesses, Kiara starts diving into the crime, assisted by rookie cop Ben Higgens.

This first part of Kill Your Boss sets the story up nicely, and you are soon quite hooked on the case, especially as the novel breaks apart to follow either the police or one of the suspects. Thanks to this split, you get a good insight into the compelling investigation, while also examining the combined motives of the potential suspects, each of whom are covering something up, including involvement in an alternate case that the protagonist is familiar with. Heath keeps the story moving quickly and effectively, and there is some additional grim humour as it becomes apparent that multiple characters tried to kill Adams, but only one succeeded. This perfectly leads up to the final third of Kill Your Boss, as all the various motives come to light, and the various suspects are whittled down thanks to some additional gruesome killings before the big conclusion. I think that Heath set up this entire mystery extremely well, and the various red herrings ensured you were guessing right up to the end.

Heath once again manages to pull together a brilliant book that is somehow fun and twisted at the same time. Featuring a series of murders that starts with a very relatable sentiment around bad bosses, Kill Your Boss effectively builds up a complex mystery that has a lot of fantastic layers to it. This mystery is then well supported by the author’s great use of multiple different perspectives, especially as you get invested in all the complex suspects and their lives. This tight and entertaining story hits hard while also presenting the reader with dark humour, especially when it comes to motives for murder, and the result is a particularly addictive book that you can’t turn away from. Heath also successfully endeavours to make Kill Your Boss a particularly open book to all sorts of readers, from those looking for an amusing Australian mystery with a great small-town setting, to those readers already familiar with the author’s wicked humour and aptitude for murder.

While part of a larger series that started with Kill Your Brother, Kill Your Boss is primarily a standalone read, which I honestly think enhances the story, as the various new characters, as well as the existing protagonist, get a lot more prominence without tying the narrative down to previous events. Detective Sergeant Kiara Lui once again works extremely well as the book’s primary investigator, and it was interesting to see her take more of a leading role in this novel. While Kiara was an excellent primary protagonist, as well as a mentor to a new police character, it is the other larger-than-life supporting characters who make Kill Your Boss very impressive. This includes a truly despicable murder victim whom you honestly don’t feel too sympathetic to, especially after the flashbacks. This excellent use of a villainous victim adds some great complexity to the plot, especially when it’s revealed that multiple people tried to kill him simultaneously. This victim is well matched by the various suspects, who serve as supporting perspective characters in the plot. Without giving too much away, each of the suspects in this novel is very entertaining, and the range of complex interactions and grudges they held made for a very entertaining read. I particularly enjoyed the final revelation about why the main killer committed the first murder, which fits the overall entertaining mood of Kill Your Boss perfectly, and was a perfect endcap on these outstanding characters.

Jack Heath continues to showcase why he is one of Australia’s most entertaining crime fiction authors. Featuring a brilliant plot loaded with outrageous revelations and supporting characters, Kill Your Boss was a wonderfully addictive novel from start to finish. Compelling, twisted and just so much fun, Kill Your Boss is a very impressive read, and it was easily one of the top Australian novels of 2025.

Whisper in the Wind by Luke Arnold

On January 31, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Fantasy, Five-Star Books, Murder Mystery1 Comment

Publisher: Orbit (Trade Paperback – 29 April 2025)

Series: Fetch Phillips – Book Four

Length: 381 pages

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Australian author Luke Arnold delivers another incredible fantasy hit with his deeply impressive fourth novel, Whisper in the Wind.

In recent years, one of my favourite fantasy series has been the underrated but always amazing Fetch Phillips Archive. Written by Australian actor Luke Arnold, who has very successfully transferred to a whole new career, the Fetch Phillips series is a clever and memorable urban fantasy series with an amazing, if dark, twist to it. Primarily set around the fantasy metropolis of Sunder City, the Fetch Phillips books showcase the aftermath of a worldwide catastrophe that destroyed all magic and permanently warped the various magical citizens of the city into disfigured mortal beings. Following titular investigator and odd-job man Fetch Phillips, a human partially responsible for the disaster, the books see Fetch attempt to solve unique crimes in the ruined city, while also looking to bring back magic in the face of human technological progress. All three previous books in the series have been very impressive, including The Last Smile in Sunder City (one of my favourite debuts and Australian novels of 2020), Dead Man in a Ditch and One Foot in the Fade (one of my favourite Australian novels of 2022). I have been eagerly awaiting this fourth book for a while, and Whisper in the Wind really did not disappoint.

Plot Synopsis

The fourth instalment of Luke Arnold’s Fetch Phillips series, Whisper in the Wind, takes readers to a very different Sunder City. One where government corruption is rampant and tensions are rising.

Fetch is done being a hero. Once a detective, all he wants now is to run his cafe in peace. Sunder City is still recovering from the sudden and violent end of magic, and if one man can’t solve all its problems, he can at least stop some people going hungry. But when a kid on the run shelters in Fetch’s cafe, and a chain of gruesome murders begins among Sunder’s high and mighty, trouble is brought to Fetch’s door.

There’s a word whispered on the wind, and that word is revolution…

Whisper in the Wind was another exceptional novel from Luke Arnold, who is very clearly getting better as an author with each new book he writes. Bringing his damaged protagonist back into action, Whisper in the Wind was another extremely clever and impressive fantasy crime novel that makes full use of the author’s exceptional imagination and world-building.

I really enjoyed the new story that Arnold came up with for Whisper in the Wind, which, thanks to its great combination of a complex mystery, compelling characters and some ongoing storylines about changes to a former magical land, is probably the author’s best work yet. Arnold starts the story off very effectively by showcasing returning protagonist Fetch Phillips as a changed man, no longer obsessed with trying to return the magic he helped destroy. Managing his friend’s café in peace, Fetch is dragged back into the chaotic life when one of the city’s police officers is murdered after talking to him. Initially trying to stay out of it, Fetch is blackmailed into investigating some additional killings plaguing the city, seemingly caused by acts of magic.

Arnold sets up this early part of the story extremely well, and you are once again dragged into Fetch’s often unsuccessful attempts to make his city a better place. Things get very intense as the story continues, especially as it becomes apparent that the murderer has started targeting the city’s elite who are responsible for handing effective control of Sunder City over to a ruthless corporation that Fetch has long opposed. Caught between various big players, Fetch tries to find the killer and uncover the latest corruption besetting his city from those in charge. There is a great mixture of compelling investigation which dives into some outstanding character arcs and some fantastic action as the protagonist gets closer to his goal. Arnold throws in some amazing and powerful twists as the reader gets towards the end of Whisper in the Wind, and the dark revelations play into the author’s long-term storytelling extremely well. I loved the complex revelation about who the killer was and why they were doing their crime, as well as final big moments of the plot as Fetch shows the reader what kind of hero he really is. Ending the book on a fantastic cliffhanger that brings back some interesting moments from the very first book, the entirety of Whisper in the Wind’s narrative was extremely awesome, and I honestly could not get enough of it.

As I have mentioned above, Luke Anrold has really gotten better as an author since starting the Fetch Phillips series, and I think that Whisper in the Wind showcased how good an author he really is. Perfectly continuing the series from the turbulent conclusion of One Foot in the Fade, Arnold once again paints a compelling picture around a despondent former hero who is only now finding his way again. This book’s mystery is probably one of Arnold’s best, as he presents an excellent conspiracy laden plot that presents as much tragedy as possible. The author also once again expertly utilises his chaotic setting to really enhance his narrative, forcing the protagonist to deal with his past mistakes as well as the pliable nature of people. A lot of the story revolves around a focus on how the wealthy and powerful manipulate the working classes through lies, fear and promises of safety and comfort, which has a certain real-world resonance to it, especially after the last year. Arnold handled these elements extremely well, especially as it provided extra despair to his already damaged protagonist in a particularly relatable way. The result is a particularly powerful read, that provides an exceptional balance of mystery, character growth, and a focus on the author’s unique fantasy elements.

While Whisper in the Wind would likely work well as a standalone novel for new readers, especially as Arnold is able to provide useful in-text recaps of the relevant prior books, this book is probably best read by those who have enjoyed the previous Fetch Phillips novels. The author brings back a lot of ongoing storylines from these books, especially those involving the human corporate takeover and modernisation of a formerly magical city, which is quite fascinating. In addition, reading the other Fetch Phillips books allows readers to get a lot more emotional impact from Whisper in the Wind, especially as you get some much better insights into the protagonist’s growth as well as his ongoing trauma and despair. I personally also loved seeing more of the world that the Fetch Phillips books are set in, especially the changes around the main setting of Sunder City. It has been fascinating to watch Arnold’s continued world-building since the first book, and he has turned this setting into some unique and distinctive. I honestly cannot wait to see what changes come to this world next, and Arnold has some interesting avenues when it comes to continuing his current storylines.

A lot of Whisper in the Wind’s strength, and indeed that of the whole series, lies in the excellent portrayal of the titular protagonist Fetch Phillips. Arnold has done an exceptional job turning Fetch into a highly tragic and repentant figure who was manipulated into betraying the magical races and taking away their power. Fetch’s growth from the first book has been very impressive, especially as he spent much of that time trying to undo the damage he did, before he was worn down by hopelessness and the machinations of the powerful who like the new status quo. This new book sees a somewhat healed Fetch who has managed to find a more peaceful life and has become an impromptu mentor to several younger characters. However, the spectre of his past and his frustrations with the world around him keep coming back to haunt him, and he finds himself in the fight again, although this time in a more thoughtful and less emotional way. I enjoyed the compelling and understandable changes to Fetch’s personality in this novel, playing off his prior failures extremely well, and his genuine attempts to stay out of trouble this time allowed for a refreshing change in narrative focus. Despite his best efforts, Fetch once again has his life unravelled, and his attempts at being a hero backfire on him again. Still, there was some genuine growth here, and I really appreciate the compelling way Arnold explores and enhances this great protagonist as the series continues. Throw in an excellent collection of supporting characters, as well as some wonderfully despicable corporate adversaries, and the cast of this book was extremely awesome, and added a lot to both the story, and the emotional impacts of Whisper in the Wind.

Luke Arnold continues to impress as one of Australia’s more captivating current authors of fantasy fiction. His fourth Fetch Phillips novel, Whisper in the Wind, was so damn good, and I honestly could not get enough of his elaborate and addictive plot, loaded with clever mystery and complex characters, all set in a unique fantasy world. I must give Whisper in the Wind a full five-star review, and this ended up being one of my favourite books of 2025. A highly recommended read, if you are a fantasy fan and you haven’t tried the Fetch Phillips series yet, you are missing out.

Broke Road by Matthew Spencer

On January 28, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Five-Star Books, Murder Mystery, Thriller1 Comment

Publisher: Allen & Unwin (Trade Paperback – 1 July 2025)

Series: Rose Riley – Book Two

Length: 389 pages

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Australian author Matthew Spencer presented one of the best Australian crime fiction reads of 2025 with his outstanding and deeply impressive sequel novel, Broke Road.

Back in 2022, I had the great pleasure of reading the fantastic debut novel of Australian journalist turned author Matthew Spencer, Black River. Featuring a compelling crime fiction narrative about a mysterious series of deaths around the Sydney river system, Black River was a wonderful novel that ended up being one of my favourite debuts of 2022. I had a lot of fun with Spencer’s first book, and I was very curious when I saw that he had a sequel coming out this year, Broke Road. I made sure to grab a copy as soon as I could, and I ended up being blown away by how good this sequel was.

Plot Synopsis:

A late-night phone call is never good news for Homicide Detective Sergeant Rose Riley. This time she’s being sent up to the Hunter Valley, where a woman has been found dead in her home.

Rose grew up further along the valley. She knows that for every vineyard and golf course resort visited by tourists to the ‘wine country’ there are as many dilapidated fibro houses and drug dens, in the shadow of one of the state’s largest prisons.

A media hound points the finger at the husband, angering Rose but capturing the attention of journalist turned true crime author Adam Bowman. His book on the ‘Blue Moon Killer’ made him famous but the case nearly cost Rose her life, and she’s not sure how she feels about seeing him again.

Suspects abound, from the grieving husband to sinister business interests and suspicious locals. But when new evidence connects the crime to an old case, Rose realises they have no time to lose. The murderer is ready to strike again.

Broke Road was an amazing new novel from Matthew Spencer, who really impresses with this second outing, producing a complex and gritty Australian crime fiction narrative that really draws you in. Intense, clever and featuring some likeable characters, Broke Road ended up being an incredible sequel to the author’s first book, and it was one that I deeply enjoyed.

Spencer made some very interesting narrative choices that worked extremely well to tell an elaborate and deeply personal crime fiction story. Set after the climatic events of Black River, the novel initially follows main protagonist, Detective Sergeant Rose Bailey, as she travels to investigate a brutal murder of a married woman with connections to a successful local winery. Transferring this book from the urban streets of Sydney to the iconic Hunter Valley in rural New South Wales, Spencer provides a whole new feel to this sequel, which allows Broke Road to do its own thing. Initially set up as a typical small-town Australian murder mystery, with Rose investigating first the victim’s husband and other members of the nearby town, things take an interesting twist when Black River’s other protagonist, reporter Adam Bowman, arrives in town to investigate the case.

What follows is a complex and deeply captivating mixture of story elements as the protagonists are forced to deal with their complicated feelings towards each other. Simultaneously exploring the traumatic aftermath of the events of Black River while also seeing both main characters investigate the case in their own way, the plot of Broke Road becomes extremely addictive. A lot of this is due to how the author expertly raises the stakes as the plot continues, with the several related murders across the country coming to light, hinting at a deadly and notably chilling predator stalking the Hunter Valley. I really appreciated how the book’s story threads came together, and Spencer throws in various alternative motives, clever red herring and some great personal interactions in the lead-up to the conclusion. The eventual big reveal in Broke Road’s finale was extremely well handled, with an exciting confrontation well mixed with all the author’s clever clues coming together. Spencer ends everything on a great personal note, which ties everything up quite nicely and resulted in particularly outstanding narrative.

I felt that Broke Road was an outstanding novel in many ways, especially as it worked well as both a complex standalone crime novel and as a sequel to Spencer’s first book. While any new reader can easily jump into Broke Road, Spencer works the fallout of Black River’s plot into both the plot and the protagonist’s character arcs, with both main characters still dealing with their trauma and leftover feelings. This allows for a much more emotionally rich narrative, especially when tied into other character elements, such as Rose’s past connections to the area surrounding the murder scene. Spencer cleverly chose to focus more on Rose in this sequel, allowing her to develop more as a character after spending much of the first book in Adam’s shadow.

Spencer also provides a very compelling change of scenery from his previous novel, taking the protagonists and readers into a much more rural setting. Australia’s iconic Hunter Valley worked perfectly as a background to Spencer’s complex mystery, and the beautiful landscape, as well as its interesting mixture of inhabitants, added a lot to Broke Road’s impact and distinctive feel. I also personally felt that Spencer provided a much more well-written novel with this sequel, which showcases his growth from the first book. While the author does maintain his series’ grim tone, especially when it comes to the very disturbing killer, the story in this sequel was a lot sharper and the character arcs managed to hit a little harder. I also think that the author brought all the story elements together a bit more concisely in the finale, allowing for a much more enjoyable journey to the end of the book. All this really highlighted Spencer’s great development as a writer, and it will be interesting to see how he continues to improve going forward.

With some outstanding writing, clever storytelling and many grim murders, Broke Road was an exceptional book from Matthew Spencer, who really showcased his writing ability with this book. An amazing sequel that also stands on its own feet, Broke Road is guaranteed to hook you early, and it was easily one of the best Australian crime fiction novels of 2025.

WWW Wednesday – 21 January 2026

On January 24, 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:

A Sociopath’s Guide to a Successful Marriage by M. K. Oliver (ebook)

I’m still going with the fantastic 2026 debut thriller, A Sociopath’s Guide to a Successful Marriage by M. K. Oliver this week. While I didn’t get as much reading time to enjoy this book as I had hoped, it is still proving to be an amazing book that follows the titular sociopath as she attempts to maintain her perfect, busy life after brutally killing someone in her house. I’m hoping to finish it off in the next couple of days, and I cannot wait to see where the crazy story goes next.

Twelve Months by Jim Butcher (Audiobook)

After years of waiting, we finally have a new entry in the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher, the epic new release, Twelve Months, which I started reading today. One of my most anticipated releases of 2026, Twelve Months sees the highly damaged wizard protagonist try to survive the turbulent year following the destructive battle for Chicago, forced to complete multiple quests while also overcoming his grief. I am already flying through this outstanding novel in its audiobook format, and I am loving every single second I spend reading Twelve Months.

What did you recently finish reading?

Warhammer 40,000: The Last Ditch by Sandy Mitchell (Audiobook)

I ended up quickly finishing off the addictive Ciaphas Cain book, The Last Ditch. The eighth book in Sandy Mitchell’s amazing series, The Last Ditch combined awesome action and excellent humour with great Warhammer elements. Review to follow soon

Warhammer 40,000: The Greater Good by Sandy Mitchell (Audiobook)

I instantly jumped from The Last Ditch to the next book in the series, The Greater Good, which proved to be another incredible Warhammer 40,000 audiobook. A slick and clever read that kept you hooked all the way to the end, The Greater Good was an outstanding novel from one of the very best Warhammer authors.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Red Star Rebels by Amie Kaufman (ebook)

I’m hoping to read the entertaining young adult novel, Red Star Rebels by Amie Kaufman next, which sounds like a ton of high-octane fun.

Dawn of the Firebird by Sarah Mughal Rana (ebook)

I’m also hoping to start the intriguing debut fantasy novel, Dawn of the Firebird, this week. I think this new book has a ton of potential and I can’t wait to get into it.

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.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Debuts of 2025

On January 22, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn List3 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official topic for this week involved listing your Bookish Goals for 2026, which while interesting, is something I don’t think I can contribute to. Instead, for this week I am going to continue listing some of my favourite books of 2025 (make sure to check out my previous lists that highlighted my favourite sequels, audiobooks, pre-2025 novels, new-to-me-authors in 2025 and overall favourite books of 2025), by examining my favourite debuts released in 2025.

2025 was an awesome year for debuts as there were an excellent array of new authors releasing some impressive and entertaining first novels. I always love checking out new authors when they produce their first book or dive into a whole new genre, and I was blown away with some of the debut talent on display this year. As such, I am glad that I can highlight some of the absolute best of these releases in this Top Ten list.

To be eligible for this list, the book had to be a 2025 release that was either the author’s first novel ever, or a novel that was substantially different from an author’s previous work (their debut in the genre). I ended up reading quite a few good debuts in 2025, which allowed me to pull together a full list of 10 books. I am pretty happy with the results, and I feel that this list captures my favourite debuts of the year and highlights them accordingly. So, let us see what made the cut.

Top Ten List:

Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino

The first debut I want to highlight on this list is the very fun crime fiction novel, Best Offer Wins. An impressive debut book from Marsia Kashino, Best Offer Wins follows an obsessed character, who after having her heart broken by the housing market too many times, vows to do whatever she needs to get her dream house. A wonderfully over-the-top and addictive read, Best Offer Wins was an amazing first outing from Kashino and one I had so much fun reading.

Warhammer 40,000: The Remnant Blade by Mike Vincent

Warhammer fiction is always a franchise that has a lot of new authors making their big debut, and this was particularly true in 2025 with some awesome first-time books from talented debuting authors. One of my favourites was The Remnant Blade by Mike Vincent, which was one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 books of last year. Following a small band of terrifying Night Lords Chaos Space Marines as they bring fear and death to all their enemies, The Remnant Blade was an extremely epic novel, and I was very impressed by Mike Vincent, who showed himself to be a new Warhammer author to watch.

Seven Recipes for Revolution by Ryan Rose

One of the more compelling fantasy novels of 2025 was the outstanding debut Seven Recipes for Revolution. A great first outing from Ryan Rose, Seven Recipes for Revolution saw a lowly nobody rise to become an acclaimed and powerful chef in a society based around magical food that grants deadly abilities. Loaded with twists, clever action and a ton of outrageous cookery, Seven Recipes for Revolution was an outstanding read, and I’m already excited to read the sequel coming out later this year.

The Reunion by Bronwyn Rivers

I always love reading some awesome debut Australian fiction, and one of the best examples from last year was The Reunion by Bronwyn Rivers. Set in the Blue Mountains, The Reunion follows a group of former friends who find themselves forced to remember the tragic events the drove them apart years before. A slick and compelling debut that grabs your attention quickly, The Reunion was an excellent crime fiction read that makes full use of its Australian bush setting.

The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson

The next book on this list was one of my favourite novels of 2025, with The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson. A complex and highly addictive novel, The Raven Scholar was Hodgson’s debut in the fantasy genre (having previously written historical crime), and boy was it something special. Set around several skilled competitors as they attempt to win a tournament to become king, The Raven Scholar forced them also contend with murder, betrayal and a deadly conspiracy. An exceptional novel that I just could not put down, The Raven Scholar was an exceptional read, and it was so impressive how well Hodgson adapted to a new and very different genre.

An Ethical Guide to Murder by Jenny Morris

Jenny Morris presented one of the more unique crime fiction debuts of 2025, with the thought-provoking novel An Ethical Guide to Murder. Following a damaged protagonist who develops the ability to transfer life between people, An Ethical Guide to Murder soon goes to a dark place as the protagonist becomes a deadly vigilante. Clever and deeply intense, this was a great debut for an excellent author.

Gunnawah by Ronni Salt

One of the more unique Australian novels of 2025 was the amazing debut from Ronni Salt, Gunnawah. Set in small-town Australian during the turbulent 1970s, Gunnawah tells its own unique story set around the backdrop of historical drug wars and corruption. An excellent novel and an outstanding debut.

Warhammer 40,000: Final Deployment by R. S. Wilt

The other Warhammer 40,000 debut of 2025 that I want to highlight on this list is Final Deployment by R. S. Wilt. Following a small band of elite soldiers as they attempt to stop a planet-wide rebellion, Final Deployment was an exceptional action novel, especially as the protagonists soon find themselves outmatched by three deadly opponents. An ultra-awesome read from start to finish, Final Deployment was so damn good, and I will be grabbing more Warhammer 40,000 novels from Wilt going forward.

Gone Before Goodbye by Harlan Coben and Reese Witherspoon

This next entry on the list features a great thriller that was written by two interesting authors. While leading thriller author Harlan Coben is not a new contributor to the crime fiction genre, it was the first book he wrote with actress Reese Witherspoon. Serving as both the debut novel from this great pair, as well as Reese Witherspoon’s very first book, Gone Before Goodbye was an easy inclusion on this list, especially as it featured a fun and intense thriller narrative. It will be interesting to see if these two write together again, and I personally would also be keen for Witherspoon to write her own solo book.

Of Flame and Fury by Mikayla Bridge

The final book on this list was the excellent young adult fantasy novel, Of Flame and Fury. The debut of Australian author Mikayla Bridge, Of Flame and Fury was a great read, that featured an entertaining enemies-to-lovers narrative set around racing giant phoenixes. Initially appearing to be typical young adult fantasy fare, Bridge produces a very complex narrative in Of Flame and Fury that really impressed me, especially when it comes to the book’s big twist. I ended up having an absolute blast with Of Flame and Fury, and it is a very worthy book to end this list on.

Well, that is the end of this list. As you can, there were some incredible debut novels that came out this year and I had a blast getting through all of them. Each of the above debuts are really worth checking out, and I had an amazing time exploring these talented authors’ first forays into fiction. I am excited to see what these authors produce next, and I have a feeling that quite a few are going to become major names in their genres. I am also excited to see what amazing debuts come out in 2026, and I am currently enjoying my first debut from this year with A Sociopath’s Guide to a Successful Marriage by M. K. Oliver. Make sure to check back this time next year to see what debuts from 2026 are the best from this year.