# New Titles and Recommendations June 2026 Source: https://ballaratmi.org.au/new-titles-and-recommendations-june-2026/ ## New Releases ## Rosemary recommends > ##### Mystery ![Book cover of The First Time I Saw Him by Laura Dave](https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/the-first-time-i-saw-him-laura-dave-674x1024.jpg) *Teh First Time I Saw Him | Larua Dave* [Reserve](https://ballaratmi.org.au/reserve-a-library-book/) ##### Mystery ![Their Last Cry book cover by Wendy Dranfield](https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/their-last-cry-wendy-dranfield.jpg) *Their Last Cry | Wendy Dranfield* ##### Mystery ![Book cover for The Girl in the Loch thriller](https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/the-girl-in-the-loch-andrew-james-greig.jpg) *The Girl in the Loch | Andrew James Greig* ##### Mystery ![Book cover of The Rest Is Death by James Oswald](https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/the-rest-is-death-james-oswald-665x1024.jpg) *The Rest Is Death | James Oswald* ##### Mystery ![Holy Island book cover by LJ Ross, DCI Ryan Mystery](https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/holy-island-lj-ross.jpg) *Holy Island | LJ Ross* ##### Mystery ![Watch Them Fall by Marion Todd crime thriller book cover](https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/watch-them-fall.jpg) *Watch Them Fall | Marion Todd* ##### Aust. Mystery ![Dark Sanctuary thriller novel cover by Sarah Barrie](https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/dark-sanctuary-sarah-barrie.jpg) *Dark Sanctuary | Sarah Barrie* ##### Aust. Mystery ![Book cover of The Bookshop of Buried Pasts by Sarah Clutton](https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/the-bookshop-of-buried-paths-sarah-clutton-669x1024.jpg) *The Bookshop of Buried Pasts | Sarah Clutton* ##### Aust. Mystery ![Red Belly Crossing novel cover by Candice Fox](https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/red-belly-crossing-candice-fox.jpg) *Red Belly Corssing | Candice Fox* ##### Aust. Mystery *The Model Murder | Amanda Hampson* ##### Aust. Mystery ![Murder in Paris book cover by Kirsty Manning](https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/murder-in-paris-kirsty-manning.jpg) *Murder in Paris | Kirsty Manning* ##### Aust. Mystery ![The Couples Retreat book cover by Mercedes Mercier](https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/the-couples-retreat-mercedes-mercer.png) *The Couple's Retreat | Mercedes Mercer* ##### Aust. Mystery ![Book cover of Three Reasons for Revenge by Dervla McTiernan](https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/three-reasons-for-revenge-dervla-mctiernan.jpg) *Three Reasons For Revenge | Dervla McTiernan* ##### Aust. Novel/Hist. ![Book cover of The Palace of Lost Virtue](https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/the-palace-of-lost-virtue-anthea-hodgson.jpg) *The Palace of Lost Virtue | Anthea Hodgson* ##### Aust. Novel/Hist. *When Lemons give you life | Anna Johnston* ##### Aust. Novel/Hist. ![Every Wild Soul book cover by Katherine Johnson, Australian Fiction Prize winner](https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/every-wild-soul-katherine-johnson.jpg) *Every Wild Soul | Katherine Johnson* ##### Aust. Novel/Hist. *After the Noise | Kerri Rogan* ##### Historical ![The Storyteller's Secret book cover by Sophie Austin](https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/the-storytellers-secret-sophie-austin.jpg) *The Storytellers Secret | Sophie Austin* ##### Historical ![The Parisian Chapter book cover by Janet Skeslien Charles](https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/the-parisian-chapter-janet-skeslien-charles.jpg) *The Parisian Chapter | Janet Skeslien* ##### Psychological ![Book cover of The Missing Mother by Mali Cornish](https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/the-missing-mother-mali-cornish.jpg) *The Missing Mother | Mali Cornish* ##### Scandinavian ![Can't Run, Can't Hide thriller book cover by Yrsa Sigurdardottir](https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/cant-run-cant-hide-yrsa-siguroardottir.jpg) *Can't Run, Can't Hide | Yrsa Sigurðardóttir* ##### Scandinavian ![Hidden in Lies book cover by Viveca Sten](https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/hidden-in-lies.jpg) *Hidden in Lies | Viveca Sten* ##### Non Fiction ![Sisters Under Fire book cover by Colin Burgess](https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sisters-under-fire-colin-burgess.jpg) *Sisters Under Fire | Colin Burgess* ##### Non Fiction ![Book cover of Look After Your Feet by Rosalie Ham](https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/look-after-your-feet-rosalie-ham.jpg) *Look after your Feet | Rosalie Ham* ##### Non Fiction ![Book cover of Ellen Savage and the Heroes of AHS Centaur](https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/ellen-savage-and-the-heroes-of-ahs-centaur-grantlee-kieza.jpg) *Ellen Savage and the Heroes of AHS Centaur | Grantlee Kieza* ##### Non Fiction ![Book cover of The Titanic Story of Evelyn by Lisa Wilkinson](https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/the-titanic-story-of-evelyn-lisa-wilkinson.jpg) *The Titanic Story of Evelyn | Lisa Wilkinson* #### Rosemary's Newsletter ##### Authors of the Month ![Professional woman in navy pinstripe vest and white shirt](https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/headshot-Anthea-Hodgson-683x1024.jpg) **Anthea Hodgson** Anthea is a country girl from the WA Wheatbelt. She worked as a radio producer in WA, NSW and Queensland before returning to WA, where she lives with her husband and two children. She is the author of *The Drifter, The Cowgirl* and the highly acclaimed 2023 historical novel based on the Bangka Island Massacre, *The War Nurses.* She is co-host of the Rachael Johns Book Club on facebook and the podcast Reading Between Deadlines **Mark Smith** Mark lives on the West Coast of Victoria, where he writes and runs outdoor education programs for young adults. In addition to writing, he is an experienced speaker & facilitator at schools, literary festivals and book launches across the country. **Both Anthea & Mark will be in conversation at the BMI this month. Find out more below.** ![Author Anthea Hodgson with her book The Palace of Lost Virtue](https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sp-promo-talks-anthea-hodgson.jpg) [Get Tickets](https://events.humanitix.com/host/bmiballarat) **Also coming in July…** [![Author Sherryl Clark in conversation event promotional image](https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sp-promo-talks-sherryl-clark.jpg)](https://ballaratmi.org.au/talks/) [![Author Petronella McGovern promoting book event conversation](https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/sp-promo-talks-petronella-mcgovern-v3.jpg)](https://ballaratmi.org.au/talks/) [![Author Phillipa Nefri Clark promotional event poster](https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/sp-promo-talks-v2.jpg)](https://ballaratmi.org.au/talks/) Book of the Month Three Reasons for Revenge Dervla McTiernan **Alexis Turner walks into the police station to report an assault. By the end of the day, she is nowhere to be found.** Soon after she disappears, three identical packages arrive at three very different doors: a respected psychologist’s home, a socialite’s mansion, and a struggling single father’s run-down apartment. Inside, each gift is perfectly tailored to its recipient- and each will tear apart the life of its intended victim. Detective Sergant Judith Lee is smart and experienced, but this is no ordinary case. Someone with intimate knowledge of their targets is orchestrating those attacks. Someone who knows exactly how to hurt each victim where they’re most vulnerable. And she’s convinced that, somehow, it connects back to Alexis Turner. As she races to uncover the connection between three seemingly unrelated people, Judith discovers she’s no longer just investigating the game-she’s being forced to play. Recommeded Reads Sisters Under Fire Colin Burgess **Nursing Sisters Margaret Anderson and Vera Torney of the 2/13 Australian General Hospital felt far from heroic as they evacuated Singapore on the converted cargo ship Empire Star in 1942. After Japanese occupation, every nurse without exception had requested to stay and tend to their wounded patients, but instead were ordered to evacuate as part of a hastily contrived and ultimately perilous escape plan.** She last saw its owner, reclusive artist Dorothea Roe, sixteen years ago, during a tragic summer that changed her life for ever. Now, with partner Josh in tow, it’s a chance for a fresh start. But after discovering an old box with her name on it in Dorothea’s abandoned study, Imogen starts to believe the woman was trying to send her a secret message. And when rumours begin to swirl that Dorothea was murdered, she starts to suspect that this gift might not be the lifeline she thought it was… [You may like, upcoming play - 21 Hearts - find out more](https://ballaratmi.org.au/live-theatre/) The Storytellers Secret Sophie Austin **From the stage of the Penny Farthing Theatre, Ava Adams uses hypnotism to draw long- buried memories from the lost and the lonely. Taught by her late mother, Ava once believed in her gift -until heartbreak shattered her confidence.** Damien Carter is running from disaster when he sees Ava’s face on a faded poster. It feels like he’s been waiting for her all his life. But as dark forces conspire to break them, can they reach beyond the prison of their memories to find redemption together? The Parisian Chapter Janet Skeslien Charles **It’s been five years since Lily Jacobsen and her best friend Mary Louise arrived in Paris from their small town in Montana. Determined to establish themselves as artists, they shared a tiny apartment. But when Mary Louise moves out, Lily feels alone in the city of light and needs a new way to support herself. She lands a job as a programs manager at the American Library in Paris following in the footsteps of Odile, her beloved French** **neighbour in Montana who told her stories of heroic World War 11 librarians when Lily was growing up.** At work, Lily meets an extraordinary cast of characters. In the library’s attic, Lily discovers a box of archives that may be a link to Odile’s own Parisian chapter. **Find out about our Author Talks** [Author Talks](https://ballaratmi.org.au/talks/)