Plan your reading in advance with our guide to new books published in Australia in August 2025. Have we missed some best books? Publishers, please send your advance book lists, in any genre, to our editor inbox and we’ll include you next time!
New books: quick links
Fiction: new books
The Golden Sister, Suzanne Do – 29 July
When Honey’s twin sister dies, she’s determined to find out the cause of her death. This debut novel is set in a small fictional NSW coastal town and canvasses the trickiness of family dynamics and the interconnectedness of community. Macmillan.
U Want it Darker: tales of artists in despair, Murray Middleton – 29 July
A short story collection about artists struggling with their egos, facing their failures and redeeming their bad behaviour. Pan Macmillan.
Learned Behaviours, Zeynab Gamieldien – 29 July
How does one’s schooling influence one’s life’s trajectory and consolidate societal advantages or disadvantages? Learned Behaviour explores the intermingling of power and class. Ultimo.
Eva Reddy’s Trip of a Lifetime, Fiona McKenzie Kekic – 29 July
Described as being perfect for readers of Joanna Nell, Marian Keyes and Kathy Lettes, Fiona McKenzie Kekic’s novel is about navigating the curve balls of life. A newly turned 50-year-old, Eva has a trio of problems to contend with: a possibly cheating husband, a younger obnoxious box and her parents who’ve just gone missing from their tour of India. HarperCollins.
Still Water, Tanya Scott – 29 July
A debut crime thriller, with a man trying to reclaim his life in Melbourne after a shady past, but can he manage to do so after stumbling into the criminal he’d worked for as a teenager? Allen & Unwin.
The Slip, Miriam Webster – 29 July
A debut short story collection that’s dark and feral: from Melbourne, regional Victoria and beyond, the tales are sharp and uncanny. Aniko Press.
Opal: A DS Walker Thriller, Patricia Wolf – 29 July
This is the fourth instalment of the the bestselling DS Walker series where he’s on assignment for the Australian Federal Police to take down the leader of an outlaw motorcycle gang. Echo Publishing.
The Leap, Paul Daley – 29 July
Welcome to The Leap, an outback town fuelled by fear, churning with corruption, prejudice and misogyny – and blighted by its inescapable history of frontier violence. Traumatised British diplomat, Benedict Fotheringham-Gaskill arrives on his first Australian mission, a town conspiring against him. Summit/Simon & Schuster.
The Visitor, Rebecca Starford – 29 July
An exploration of intergenerational trauma, dispossession and the ghosts we can’t outrun. The visitor is a take on the Australian Gothic. Allen & Unwin.
ArtsHub: Trauma narratives dominate Australian literary prizes – why?
The Nanny’s Handbook to Magic and Managing Difficult Dukes, Amy Rose Bennett – 29 July
A blend of cosy fantasy, historical romance and humour, as a recently graduated nanny finds her supernatural abilities are little help when it comes to falling for the shy, mysterious inventor who happens to be her employer. Atria Australia/Simon & Schuster.
The Life Experiment, Jess Kitching – 29 July
A poignant, life-affirming love story about two people whose lives are turned upside down when they enter an experiment that predicts when they will die. Simon & Schuster.
Lessons in Love at the Seaside Salon, Sophie Green – 30 July
Sophie Green’s latest book is a cosy and comforting read; Lessons in Love at the Seaside Salon follows four women (from 19-57) on their journeys for love. Hachette.
The Midnight Estate, Kelly Rimmer – 30 July
A gothic epic that spans generations, Kelly Rimmer’s book is about the rambling family estate of Fiona Winslow. Beneath the crumbling plaster are secrets that have been buried for a generation. Hachette.
Arborescence, Rhett Davis – 30 July
What does it mean to grapple with a world where the very definition of humanity is changing? As cities decay and the world becomes greener, Caelyn finds nothing to fear but Bren is not so sure. Hachette.
Crimson Light Polished Wood, Monica Raszewski – 1 August
A novel about the ways we all long for acceptance and how those we might feel most in touch with – including parents, siblings and mentors – can often have different values and views about us. Transit Lounge.
Hailstones Fell Without Rain, Natalia Figueroa Barroso – 5 August
Graciela is a Uruguayan migrant struggling to raise her three daughters in Western Sydney: The novel travels across time and place to tell the story of the story of three women from one working-class family. UQP.
The Stowaway, Mary-Anne O’Connor – 15 August
An epic historical drama set in the 19th century about a stowaway found in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean with his young son. Penguin Random House.
The Farm, Jessica Mansour-Nahra – 26 August
A ghost story that asks confronting questions about women’s bodies, what is expected of them, and who is really in control. When Leila stays at her partner’s farm, the experience is not as recuperative as she’d hope after she experiences strange noises, fleeting visions and intrusive dreams. Hachette.
The Wolf who Cried Boy, Mark Mupotsa-Russell – 26 August
In a story of heroes, villains and the messy reality between them, a world of violence and fear can be unny and streaked with magic. The Wolf Who Cried Boy explores how cycles of violence, misogyny and corruption must be broken if we ever want our children to grow up free. Affirm.
Non-Fiction: new books
News Cowboy, Mike Amor – 29 July
For 18 years Mike Amor was a ‘news cowboy’, a jokey moniker those at Seven Network’s Los Angeles bureau called themselves as they headed off on assignments. This book covers some of his work, from 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina an the earthquake in Haiti, to the mass shootings in Port Arthur. Echo.
Torn: Four Women’s Stories of why they left or why they stayed, Nicole Madigan – 29 July
Nicole Madigan interviews and weaves together the real-life tales of four women from mid 30s to early 70s, who are facing a crisis in their respective relationships and asks them what they are planning to do. Pantera.
Raising Readers (Revised Edition), Megan Daley – 29 July
Fully revised and updated, Raising Readers is a practical guide that contains everything you need to know about childhood literacy, written by teacher librarian Megan Daley. Includes a foreword by Australian Children’s Laureate Sally Rippin. UQP.
The Eagle and the Crow, JM Field – 29 July
JM Field is an Indigenous writer. Written as a series of lyric essays, The Eagle and the Crow offers a poetic explanation of the kinship systems of JM Field’s Gamilaraay clan. It surveys how colonisation attempts to devalue First Nations peoples and the process of cultural recovery. UQP.
Sins of the Filthy Rich: Tales of Wicked Wealth, Peter Coleman – 29 July
From Emperor Commodus to Rupert Murdoch, Count Dracula to Kim Kardashian, Genghis Khan to Gina Rinehart, Sins of the Filthy Rich explores how the mega wealthy have exploited, indulged and misbehaved appallingly throughout history. Affirm.
Raising Resilient Children, Gavin McCormack – 29 July
A seven-step program for parents who are struggling to help their kids navigate today’s complex world, from chool refusal, mental health struggles and social challenges in the playground. Simon & Schuster.
The Causes of War, Geoffrey Blainey – 29 July
Covering international wars from 1700 – and now updated to include Ukraine and Gaza – Blainey demolishes many widely-held theories of why nations fight, arguing that peace is not the ‘natural’ state of international relations and war is not an aberration. Simon & Schuster.
The Snag: a mother, a forest, and wild grief, Tess McWatt – 29 July
As her mother’s dementia advances Tessa McWatt considers griefs personal and political and finds solace in trees. She asks: How do we grieve? And: What can we learn from nature and those whose communities are rooted in nature about how to grieve and how to live. Scribe.
The Gift of Not Belonging: how outsiders thrive in a world of joiners, Rami Kaminski – 29 July
Written by a psychiatrist, this is the first book to explore the distinct personality style of the otrovert – someone who lacks the communal impulse and does not fit in with any social group, regardless of its members – and to reveal all the advantages of being an otrovert and how otroverts contribute to the world. Scribe.
Recipes to remember, Jock Zonfrillo – 29 July
A former judge on MasterChef before his death, this book features some of Jock Zonfrillo’s favourite recipes from some of his mates, including Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsay, Nigella Lawson, Marco Pierre White, Rick Stein, Maggie Beer, Christian Puglisi, Andy Allen, and Jimmy and Jane Barnes. Simon and Schuster.
Bomb Season in Jakarta, Grant Dooley (Affirm) – 29 July
Grant Dooley bear witness to many events in Jakarta including terrorist bomb attacks, plane crashes and tsunamis. Simon & Schuster.
Plain Life: On Thinking, Feeling and Deciding, Antonia Pont – 1 August
What does it mean to live a plain life? Does that mean it’s synonymous with a drab, boring one? Antonia Pont’s book looks at ways in which we can adopt less reactive behaviours. In a world obsessed with productivity, we may not actually need to do more. NewSouth Books.
The Sceptical Botanist: Separating Fact from Fiction, Tim Entwistle – 1 August
Through 50 essays, self-confessed plant punk Tim Entwisle answers questions such as: ‘Do trees talk to one another? Can a plant use up the oxygen in a room while you sleep? What is a native plant and what is a weed? Are some plants truly immortal? NewSouth Books.
The Drone, Peter Shmigel – 1 August
A short story collection about the world’s first full-scale drone war in the Ukraine. Pete Shmigel illuminates the stories of the Ukrainian people – the heroic, the displaced and the everyday. WestWords Books.
History’s Strangest Deaths: a half-arsed history book, Riley Knight – 5 August
From a classical Greek playwright killed by a tortoise dropping out of the sky to an ancient Chinese duke falling into a toilet; from a Viking raider bitten by a severed head to a lawyer shooting himself to prove a legal point. Allen & Unwin.
The Red House: Kumanjayi Walker and Zachary Rolfe: An Australian reckoning, Kate Wild – 26 August
Walkley Award-winning journalist Kate Wild investigates how the fatal police shooting of a young Indigenous man, Kumanjayi Walker, in an isolated desert community, exposes the power of race in Australia. Allen & Unwin.
A Catalogue of Love, Erin Hortle – 26 August
A young woman surfer’s coming of age in Tasmania, where the natural world helps her find herself and navigate grief and trauma. Summit Books/Simon & Schuster.
Poetry: new books
Typewriter Music, David Malouf – 29 July
This poetry collection charters the wonder of everyday encounters and then journeying across the globe, in a flight of music, imagination, history and language. UQP.
Children’s and Young Adult: new books
Mango and Hopscotch, Sophie Cunningham, illustrated by Anil Tortop – 29 July
Inspired by amazing true stories, this is a picture book tale of a kangaroo and her joey being rescued from floodwaters. Recommended for ages 3-6. Allen & Unwin.
Oceanforged 1: The Wicked Ship, Amelia Mellor – 29 July
This is the first instalment of an epic new fantasy adventure series from the bestselling author of The Grandest Bookshop in the World. It’s about 13-year-old Cori, who is fighting for her life in a pirate crew. Recommended for ages 8-11. Affirm.
This Bird: Noticing Our Urban Birds, Holly Parsons, illustrated by Astred Hicks – 1 August
A book celebrating Australian birdlife highlighting its diversity and sharing details about each species: their behaviour and habitats. Recommended for ages 6-12. CSIRO Publishing.
The Giant, Sophie Masson, illustrated by Lorena Carrington – 1 August
A story of memory, inclusion and friendship about a giant who wakes from a deep sleep only to discover that he slept so long no one remembers him. Midnight Sun.
Goorramindi the Crocodile is a picture book that tells the story of Corey, a young boy who finds himself in danger and is saved by the wise freshwater crocodile Goorramindi, a figure of strength, protection and Cultural wisdom based on Quinlan Jaffrey’s own grandfather. Recommended for ages 3-6. Magabala.
Read: Siang Lu, Lauren Foley, Alan Fyfe: when book rejection leads to publishing success
A Gift from the Birds, Caroline Stills – 29 July
Caroline Stills’s debut novel, A Gift from the Birds, is a sensitive, heartfelt story about loss and grief and finding comfort in unexpected places. Recommended for ages 8+. Text Publishing.
The Set-Up Girl, Sasha Vey (Allen & Unwin) – 29 July
A contemporary rom com that stars two best friends: Amalia and Mae. Will their relationship be affected though, when it turns out that they both share the same secret crush? Recommended for ages 12-18.
International: new books
Katatbasis, R F Kuang – 1 August
From the best-selling author of Yellow Face comes R F Kuang’s latest book, and this time she’s taking us to hell! Grad student Alice Law is going to the netherworld to chase her dream of succeeding in the field of analytic magick. HarperCollins.
Mayra, Nicky Gonzales – 29 July
A haunting exploration of female friendship, desire, and memory set against the sultry backdrop of Florida’s swamplands. Scribe.
The Greatest Possible Good, Ben Brooks – 29 July
Arthur Candlewick spends three days in a disused mineshaft with only his son’s drug stash, a book on the concept of ‘effective altruism’ and a bottle of medium-priced Bordeaux for company. When he emerges, he has made the life-changing decision to become a good man. Scriber UK/Simon & Schuster.
The New Age of Sexism, Laura Bates – 29 July
AI is here, bringing a seismic shift in the way our society operates. Might this mean a future reimagined on equitable terms for women and marginalised groups everywhere? Simon & Schuster UK.
Lion Hearts, Dan Jones – 29 July
The conclusion to the Essex Dogs trilogy, this historical drama is set in 1350 after The Black Death has wreaked havoc on Europe. Bloomsbury.
How to survive camping: the man with no shadow, Bonnie Quinn – 29 July
Goat Valley Campground has killed generations of Kate’s family. Passed down through the family the land has become old and it calls to creatures of horror and folklore who make it their home and their hunting ground. Simon & Schuster UK.
Since the World is Ending, Indyana Schneider – 29 July
Set over a blisteringly hot weekend in Vienna where ghosts lurk in every alleyway, Since the World is Ending explores the sacrifices we make and the risks we take when we pour life into our art. Simon & Schuster UK.
People With No Charisma, Jente Posthuma, translated by Sarah Timmer Harvey – 29 July
A darkly humorous novel about multi-generational family dynamics and individuality in Dutch suburbia. Scribe.
Human Nature: Nine ways to feel about our changing planet, Kate Marvel – 29 July
An exploration of climate change that uses nine different emotions to better understand the science, history and future of our evolving planet from scientist Kate Marvel. Scribe.
Hemlock & Silver, T Kingfisher – 26 August
A dark reimagining of Snow White steeped in poison, intrigue and treason by The New York Times best- selling author T Kingfisher. Pan Macmillan.
The Birds Began to Sing, Jeffrey Buchanan – 26 August
New Zealander Jeffrey Buchanan’s novel is set in the harbour city of New Plymouth in the 1960s. When Reggie, the openly gay barman, goes missing, the veneer of respectability that cloaks the town is ripped off. Text Publishing.
