We loved hosting Benjamin Stevenson last night in Launceston and cannot recommend EVERYONE THIS CHRISTMAS HAS A SECRET enough. Enjoy the count-down to Christmas with a grown-up advent calendar.., 24 chapters that each hold a clue for you solve a murder by Christmas. Join Ernest Cunningham (the most reliable of narrators) who promises no hidden clues in this fair-play mystery of six suspects, seven secret santa gifts and the discovery of the true meaning of Christmas. Limited signed copies available in-store and we have it on good authority they're the perfect sized hardback to fit in your stocking!

After the success of the first "Faeries of Tasmania" book, Lady Plummage has once again delved into the faery archives to curate another batch of her favorite interviews. Readers of Book One have recognised the mysterious chocolatier, Edith S Brown, and have come forward with more evidence from diary entries and historical papers, some of which you will find in this book. All has helped Lady Plummage understand Edith's mysterious life in Hobart. Illustrator Terry Whidborne will be joining us in-store on Sat 30 November for more details https://www.facebook.com/events/1227418291626689

Need a night out this WED 20 NOVEMBER - grab a last minute ticket to join us for a festive chat with Benjamin Stevenson and his new holiday release EVERYBODY THIS CHRISTMAS HAS A SECRET. "With that in mind, this whole thing's best treated as an advent calendar. Twenty-four chapters hold twenty-four clues and various bits and bobs that help [me] solve the case... twenty-three clues and a killer, because the best chocolate's always behind door number twenty-four." Tickets - Scan QR code or visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1058462169325207

In Hot Mess, book 19 of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series from 1 international bestselling author Jeff Kinney, Greg Heffley is in for a particularly awkward summer with his whole family. The pressure is building for Greg Heffley, who discovers that when you mix heaps of family, a tiny beach house, and sweltering heat, it’s a recipe for disaster. Speaking of recipes—the secret ingredients behind Gramma’s famous meatballs have been closely guarded for years. Can Greg unpack all of his family’s mysteries before their vacation is over? Or will he just stir the pot? This sidesplittingly relatable summer story is the funniest Wimpy Kid book yet! #newrelease #newbook #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #diaryofawimpykidhotmess #diaryofawimpykid #jeffkinney #readmorebooks

A sweeping, captivating, inspiring WWII story from the No.1 bestselling author of The Girl from London. In 1942, a group of young women arrive in Cairo, Egypt. The Tuis, named after the beautiful New Zealand songbird, are the first women from their country to serve overseas. They are to provide respite and a touch of home to weary soldiers returning from the front line. Addy joined the Tuis for the adventure. Vivacious and outgoing, she is the life of the party, with an unforgettable voice. Margot is quiet and withdrawn, grieving the young husband she lost to the war. Despite their differences, the girls become fast friends. When the Tuis are relocated to Italy to set up clubs in grand venues in Florence, Bari and Rome, Addy and Margot are enchanted by the culture - from the stunning sights to the whirlwind of concerts and parties. But despite the exhilarating and romantic nature of being abroad in the company of soldiers, dark shadows loom. And as their illusion of peace is shattered with news of a devastating attack, Margot and Addy will find their endurance pushed to the limit, as they discover the true meaning of courage, sacrifice and sisterhood amidst the brutal reality of WWII. #newrelease #newbook #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks #oliviaspooner #thesongbirdsofflorence #book #books

Benjamin Stevenson returns with a Christmas addition to his bestselling Ernest Cunningham mysteries. Unwrap all the Christmas staples: presents, family, an impossible murder or two, and a deadly advent calendar of clues. If Knives Out and The Thursday Murder Club kissed under the mistletoe... My name’s Ernest Cunningham. I used to be a fan of reading Golden Age murder mysteries, until I found myself with a haphazard career getting stuck in the middle of real-life ones. I’d hoped, this Christmas, that any self-respecting murderer would kick their feet up and take it easy over the holidays. I was wrong. So here I am, backstage at the show of world-famous magician Rylan Blaze, whose benefactor has just been murdered. My suspects are all professional tricksters: masters of the art of misdirection. THE MAGICIAN THE ASSISTANT THE EXECUTIVE THE HYPNOTIST THE TWIN THE COUNSELLOR THE STAGEHAND My clues are even more abstract: A suspect covered in blood, without a memory of how it got there; A murder committed without setting foot inside the room where it happens; And an advent calendar. Because, you know, it's Christmas. If I can see through the illusions, I know I can solve it. After all, a good murder is just like a magic trick, isn’t it? #newrelease #newbook #everyonethischristmashasecret #benjaminstevenson #aussieauthor #australianauthor #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

A joyful celebration of the sports, ceremony and fun of the Games from the team that brought you Cricket, I Just Love it! What a glorious day for the Backyard Games! Who will be champions, household names? I jump on my bike and round up my mates. We visualise glory, think of the greats. Create all the fun and drama of the Games in your own backyard – your imagination is the only limit! Exuberantly written and illustrated, The Backyard Games is a celebration of summer and sport from the creators of Cricket, I Just Love It! #newbook #newrelease #thebackyardgames #tomjellett #alisternicholson #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Over 90 rediscovered and revived Australian classics - thrifty, no-waste recipes from a time that honoured seasonal, locally grown ingredients and truly understood the value of food as comfort. Nostalgic, yes, but completely relevant to today's kitchens. Chef and bestselling cookbook author Ross Dobson has a hobby: scouring old journals, newspapers and books for Australia's 'forgotten' recipes. While his research has revealed some shockers not worth repeating, he has come across many more worthy dishes that are missing from the repertoire of modern-day cooks. In The Lost Recipes he sets about righting this culinary injustice by presenting a selection of bygone gems, savoury and sweet, dating from the Victorian era through to the 1950s - all of them rescued, researched, tested and updated by Ross. Threaded throughout are handy tips (celery leaves dried in the oven and then ground with salt make a seasoning with endless uses - especially good on roasted potatoes) and insights into old-fashioned cooking techniques and ingredients deserving of revival. Among these once-forgotten recipes you will find: - mushroom ketchup (1886) - hot slaugh (1876) - olive & anchovy salad (1921) - devilled whitebait (1938) - Sunday Chinese chicken (1949) - brisket with macaroni (1915) - golden billy bread (1925) - pumpkin brownies (1939) - cream lilies (1954) - green tomato & pineapple jam (1933) #newrelease #newbook #cookbook #thelostrecipes #rossdobson #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

A look back at the Doctor’s adventures from the one who witnessed them all – his incredible Ship – from best-selling author Steve Cole. ‘Did you ever wonder why I chose you all those years ago? I wanted to see the universe, so I stole a Time Lord and I ran away...’ The Doctor has a unique bond with their TARDIS. They’ve always loved the ‘old girl’ for the way she’s gone looking for trouble anywhere in the universe. The Doctor says they stole the TARDIS from Gallifrey. The TARDIS disagrees… she stole them. She hasn’t always taken them where they want to go, but she’s made sure to take them where they needed to be. For the TARDIS is far more than just a time machine crossed with a spaceship. Her life reflects the Doctor’s life – a shared wanderlust and longing to explore. Now you can revisit the Doctor’s adventures as seen through the eyes – or the flashing rooftop light, at least – of the TARDIS. From the time the Doctor stole her from Gallifrey to her latest adventures with the Fifteenth Doctor, the TARDIS reflects wittily on her epic, incredible history – past, present and future! #newrelease #newbook #itardis #doctorwho #drwho #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

With a trip for every week of the year, Day Trip Tasmania takes you to mountains, waterfalls, swimming holes, beaches, forests, coastlines, snow trails, urban parks, Aboriginal sites, rivers, canyons, cliffs, historic architecture, ruins and more. Each adventure includes a map, directions, trip highlights and facilities. Accessible from the major cities, these walks are for everyone – not just serious hikers. Explore Tasmania’s unique identity – from its lush, primordial forests, stunning mountain peaks and windswept beaches to its fascinating convict history and curious, endemic wildlife. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a local, Day Trip Tasmania invites you to step outside and discover the enriching depths of Tasmania’s ancient naturescapes. #newrelease #newbook #daytriptasmania #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #tasmania #tassie #tasmanian #readmorebooks

A compendium of crapulous concepts from absinthe to zorbing! From the tiniest nanoparticle to the vast span of the Large Hadron Collider, humans have invented many remarkable things. But not every idea is a winner - just ask 'Friday' singer Rebecca Black. This wonderfully eclectic yet uniformly awful compendium traverses millennia of dreadful concepts, from homeopathy to hacky sacks, from Esperanto to Elmo and from athleisure to the Apple Vision Pro, demonstrating that alongside the magnificent march of human progress are many examples of failure, farce and outright fraud - many of which are far more hilarious than intended. The Dictionary of Terrible Ideas reminds us that no matter how high we may soar, humans are as unreliable as a Bluetooth connection, as irritating as a self-checkout machine, and as prone to making poor decisions as Kanye West - all of which feature inside the turducken of terribleness that is this book. #newrelease #newbook #thedictionaryofterribleideas #dominicknight #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

If you liked The Grandest Bookshop in the World or The Book of Wondrous Possibilities, you’ll love this fantasy adventure story where books have power, cats are more than they seem, and the library is the most dangerous place in the city... Oliver Wormwood is sure his new job in the library will be boring. Until he learns that books hold great power – and danger. By the end of his first day, Oliver has witnessed a death, been frozen by a book, met a perplexing number of cats, and fought off a horde of terrifying creatures. With only a mysterious girl called Agatha to show him the ropes, Oliver needs to learn fast . . . if he wants to live longer than the 112 assistant librarians before him. #newrelease #newbook #stuartwilson #the113thassistantlibrarian #book #books #kidsbook #childrensbook #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

#ginachick #wearethestars #launcestontasmania Simon & Schuster Australia

Last night we howled like wolves and joined together as a community to launch ‘We Are The Stars’ by Gina Chick. More than a memoir, Gina gives us her true-self sharing the highs and lows of her amazing life all in her own beautiful authentic voice. You’ll laugh and you’ll probably cry but more importantly you’ll find yourself and realise that “we are all connected ye and I”. Thanks to Tatler Lane for their amazing space, food and drinks. Simon and Schuster for including us on the tour and most importantly Gina for sharing herself. Signed copies available in-store at Petrarch’s Bookshop.

Spring in Paris … the perfect time to turn over a new leaf In the heart of a city blooming with flowers, three women face life-changing challenges. Driven by grief over the sudden death of her mother, Corinne, Sydneysider Emma Taylor has taken refuge with her Parisian grandmother, Mattie, in her house with its secret garden. Determined to unlock the mysteries of Corinne’s past, Emma’s only clue is an enigmatic photograph. Celebrated garden designer Charlotte Marigny believed she had a happy marriage, until her husband, Tom, inexplicably started to withdraw from her. Needing time to think about the future, she has fled their home in London for her native Paris. Meanwhile, widowed Parisian florist Arielle Lunel had finally managed to get her life together, after her husband’s death and the discovery of his crippling debts three years earlier changed everything for her and their young twins. Now, her world is again turned upside down when her controlling parents-in-law arrive with a disturbing proposal... Drawn together by loss and the romantic gardens of Paris, the paths of the three women begin to intersect as they develop an unexpected friendship that will transform their lives. From the author of The Paris Cooking School comes a captivating story of loss and love, romance and revelations – and the pleasures of a secret Paris garden. #newrelease #newbook #asecretgardeninparis #sophiebeaumont #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

A frank and open memoir from beloved Blue Wiggle and national treasure Anthony Field. Music is brain food and emotional sustenance for little ones. It's audible beauty. Want to give something special to your kids? Surround them with beauty and inspiration. Out of the Blue is an utterly compelling memoir that begins with Anthony's childhood and delves into the creation of his first band, the Cockroaches, with two of his brothers while still a teenager. Anthony's university studies in early-childhood education led him to form the extraordinary children's music outfit the Wiggles with fellow students and a former bandmate. Over the years, the Wiggles have experienced incredible successes, unexpected failures and exciting reinventions. Anthony speaks honestly of his struggles with chronic pain and depression, which have at times almost forced him out of his beloved role as the Blue Wiggle. His thoughts on shaping a safe and imaginative place for our children, nurturing the creativity of others in the band, and on music, originality, entrepreneurship and much more make fascinating reading. In a rollicking account of more than 40 years on the road, he discusses the glory and challenges of his unique fame, and the occasions when he has come perilously close to personal and business disaster. Sports enthusiast, father of three and inspiration to millions, Anthony Field is truly a remarkable Australian. #newrelease #newbook #anthonyfield #outoftheblue #thewiggles #anthonywiggle #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Captivating, memorable and deeply funny, Thunderhead is a heart-squeezing and hopeful illustrated middle grade novel about music, disability, friendship and fandom - beautifully told with humour, art and joy. Perfect for fans of Wonder and Lenny's Book of Everything. When I listen to music it speaks to me, fills up my soul until I'm bursting with the rainbow-sprinkled, breathless, blush-red joy of being ALIVE. Meet Thunderhead: awkward, music-obsessed and a magnet for bad luck. Their favourite things in life are listening to records and hanging out with their best (and only) friend Moonflower. But Thunderhead has a big secret. And when Moonflower moves schools, they're faced with the reality of surviving the wilderness of high school alone. Make new friends? NOTHANKYOUVERYMUCH. As two big life events approach, Thunderhead posts playlists and heartfelt diary entries as an outlet to try to make sense of their changing world, to try to calm the storm brewing in their brain and to try to find the courage to unfurl their heart. Drawing on Sophie Beer's own experience of hearing loss, this indelible illustrated middle grade novel about music, disability, friendship and fandom is immediately engaging, utterly authentic and entirely unputdownable. #newbook #books #newrelease #book #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks #thunderhead #sophiebeer

A heartbreaking and life-affirming novel about small towns and second chances - from the international bestselling author of Four Letters of Love. Doctor Jack Troy was born and raised in the little town of Faha, but his responsibilities for the sick and his care for the dying mean he has always been set apart from his community. A visit from the doctor is always a sign of bad things to come. His youngest daughter, Ronnie, has grown up in her father's shadow, and remains there, having missed her chance at real love – and passed up an offer of marriage from an unsuitable man. But in the advent season of 1962, as the town readies itself for Christmas, Ronnie and Doctor Troy's lives are turned upside down when a baby is left in their care. As the winter passes, father and daughter's lives, the understanding of their family, and their role in their community are changed forever. #newrelease #newbook #timeofthechild #niallwilliams #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

The prequel to The Dressmaker is here! It's 1914 and Molly Dunnage wants to see change: at home, at work and in underwear. Her burgeoning corsetry business is starting to take off, thanks to some high-profile supporters. She's marching with Melbourne's suffragists for better conditions for women everywhere. And her family - her eccentric, confounding, adored father and aunt - are turning their minds to country retirement. But as the clouds of war gather and an ominous figure starts skulking in the shadows of her life, Molly's dreams begin to falter. Then, when true love drops out of the sky and into her arms, her hopes for her life and the world are entirely upended. With the dark humour, richly detailed settings and vividly drawn characters we've come to expect from Rosalie Ham, this prequel to the international bestseller The Dressmaker is an unforgettable story of hopes lost, love found - and corsets loosened. #newrelease #newbook #molly #rosalieham #thedressmaker #prequel #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

A new extended collection from Jim Haynes about the true essence of Australia—our yarns and stories, from every walk of life The Big Book of Australian Yarns is master storyteller Jim Haynes' comprehensive collection of factual and fascinating stories and humour. The yarns range from the poignant to the hilarious, from the ridiculously Australian to the unexplained and spooky. There are heroic and inspiring characters, as well as larrikins and crooks, and everyday humorous events told with a refreshing understatement that vividly evokes a vanishing Australia. There are tall stories from the bush, yarns from our colourful colonial past and more modern times, railway stories, sporting legends and many other things you never knew about our amazing history and the people who made it — men and women whose astonishing lives and achievements created the Aussie spirit. The result of decades of research into popular culture and history from all parts of the country, unearthing little-known facts and tales long-buried, The Big Book of Australian Yarns will have you smiling for days and spinning yarns to all your mates. #newrelease #newbook #jimhayes #thebigbookofaustralianyarns #book #books #aussie #australian #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Australia's leading film critic reviews (almost) every Australian feature film from 1990 to 2020. Australia's best-loved film critic David Stratton reviews (almost) every feature film from the past three decades in the ultimate guide to modern Australian cinema. From The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert to The Dry, from The Big Steal to The Drover's Wife, he tells us why they're worth watching, and reveals fascinating behind-the-scenes details. There is something for everyone: road movies and coming-of-age movies; comedies and love stories; rural noir and gritty urban movies; flourishing First Nations cinema; horror, zombies and science fiction; movies for families and for children; international co-productions, and much more. He's seen them all, and he knows every director, producer and actor. Australia at the Movies is the indispensable companion for every cinema lover: it's where you'll find your next favourite movie. #newrelease #newbook #davidstratton #australiaatthemovies #book #books #aussie #australian #petrarchs #bookshop #aussiecinema #australiancinema #readmorebooks

In the far future, humans, believing they are the target of an alien threat, have transformed the Solar System into a single, integrated, defensive fortress - a fortress built around ancient sacred geometries. And people must find a way to live their lives within that fortress... When Rab was a baby, his mother made a decision which would change his life. She feared he would be sent to work in the hellish mines of Mercury, to eke out his life until he was worn out, all in the name of maintaning the defense of the Solar Sytem. But when her desperate attempt to flee with her 2 year old failed, she took a desperate step to save him. She cut off his hand. Decades later, Rab has been spared the physical hardships he can no longer endure, and is now based on the Mask, the all-encompassing structure which hides the Solar Sytem from alien eyes. And it is during his watch that a spaceship arrives, one which has travelled for a hundred years from a long-forgotten colony planet. If they pierce the Mask, everything humanity has created will be left open to the alien threat. But this strange ship, bearing an offshoot of the species, may bring something else with them. Hope. #newrelease #newbook #fantasy #scifi #sciencefiction #book #books #stephenbaxter #fortresssol #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Discover the exhilarating story of Glenn Maxwell, the daring batsman and all-round Australian cricket maestro. During the 2023 Cricket World Cup in India, Glenn Maxwell played the most audacious, improbable innings in the history of one-day cricket. Yet less than a year earlier he had been in hospital with a shattered leg, unsure whether he would ever be able to play again. This is the story of that year, from devastation to triumph; twelve months of frustration on the road to recovery, as well as jubilation when Glenn became a father. It’s also an exploration of his life before – the moments and decisions that informed this defining year. For over a decade, Maxwell has batted with a style that is deeply creative and at times crazy-brave, while bearing the criticism of those who find his style more exasperating than exciting. At the same time, he has become a vital bowler and one of the world’s best fielders. However, his career has also been dogged by depression and self-doubt. Now, one of cricket’s great entertainers tells his story in his own words. The Showman offers a captivating exploration of an enigmatic talent, whose name is synonymous with the thrill of the game. #newrelease #newbook #petrarchs #bookshop #cricket #glennmaxwell #theshowman #sport #sportsbook #sportingbio #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

The brand-new children's book from Bill Bryson - all about the amazing English language. Every day, you do something incredible, and I bet you barely ever think about it: you speak. Ever wondered why the English language turned out how it did? Why do we have so many different words for just one thing? And why are so many words spelt the same but sound different? In this beautifully illustrated journey through word and rhyme - and even a few jokes - Bill Bryson will teach you how the English language came to be (clue: lots of invasions) and what makes it a rich and beautiful thing (lots of Shakespeare). Get ready... because the story of the English language is an EXTRAORDINARY one. #newrelease #newbook #areallyshorthistoryofwords #billbryson #book #books #kidsbook #childrensbook #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Packed with hard-won wisdoms and gentle truths, this is Miranda’s honest exploration of the lessons she has learned on her journey from illness to recovery. Hello to you, I am with news. I have a new book. Basically, I have had an unexpectedly difficult decade – there have been surprising joys, but also challenging lows. I shall be honest about those, because what I discovered in the difficult times were my, what I call, treasures. Practical tools, values, ways, answers researched from some great scientists, neuroscientists, therapists, sociologists (all the ‘ists’) out there, that have led to a sense of freedom, joy, peace and physical recovery I never would have thought possible. If you fancy having a read, then I hope my story might help your story. Rest assured there are funny stories along the way. Oh, and I couldn’t possibly say if there is a love story in it... (There is - shush) Exciting. #newrelease #newbook #mirandahart #ihaventbeenentirelyhonestwithyou #book #books #memoir #autobiography #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

A superb YA fantasy set in the near future, full of secrets, high stakes, peril, deceptions and dreamwalkers, from the internationally acclaimed and bestselling author of the Obernewtyn Chronicles and The Gathering. Will slipped on the left glove and twitched a finger to establish a link to the kite tronics. A shiver of electric energy ran through his hands as they synched to his nerves through the gloves. Will lives with his father in a future domed Canberra where citizens are safe from extreme weather events, dangerous solar radiation and civil unrest. He does not question his carefully controlled existence until the recurrence of an old nightmare propels him on a dangerous quest. Gradually Will discovers his dreams hold cryptic clues that lead him into a shadowy alternate dimension. Here he must grapple with dark forces that operate in both worlds, with the help of his best friend Ender, her brilliant but difficult twin sister Magda, and a mysterious gift from his uncle. Comes the Night is a thrilling new novel from the internationally bestselling author of the Obernewtyn Chronicles. #newrelease #newbook #comesthenight #isobellecarmody #ya #youngadult #yafantasy #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Intricate threads from the past and the present bind together a yellow silk dress, lost gold and a missing grandmother in a twisty historical mystery from the bestselling author of The Talented Mrs Greenway. Maitland, 1889 When nineteen-year-old Constance Montague wakes one Wednesday she expects the day to unfold like any other. Breakfast with her grandmother Nell and her mother Faith, a meeting in Maitland with the ladies of the Benevolent Society, perhaps a gentle stroll along the banks of the Hunter River. But this Wednesday is different. Nell has vanished. Concerned, Connie determines to track Nell down and follows a lead to Old Government House in Parramatta, now a guest house. There, to her astonishment she finds her grandmother holding court. When Nell introduces her as her companion to a varied cast of colourful guests, including a frail but observant old lady, a travelling salesmen, a bearded lothario, a clever articled clerk, a lively seamstress and an enigmatic housekeeper who is connected with Nell's past, Connie begins to realise that her grandmother is not who she seems. Nell is looking for something and following a thread stitched long ago, a thread that leads from some missing gold, to a damask dress and the attic of Government House. As the story unravels so do the secrets of the past, secrets that surface into the present to threaten not just Nell, but Connie too. #newrelease #newbook #thegoldenthread #teacooper #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks #aussieauthor #australianauthor

A collection of the 100 best travel experiences around the globe for the curious and intrepid. The Intrepid List is a collection of more than 100 unique and enthralling travel experiences from around the globe. But this isn't a bucket list book. This book is for the intrepid travellers – the explorers, thrillseekers, foodies and festivalgoers – those that have a curiosity about the people and places that make up this amazing planet. This guidebook will inspire you to discover new destinations or see the classics from a different perspective, beyond the glossy brochures and Instagram posts. These experiences will help you get under the skin of a place, to learn from locals who can help you discover the authentic, the eccentric, the rare and the astonishing. All done with an eye to sustainability, to celebrate the planet and protect its unique environments. It's not just about the destination, but how you get there and who you meet along the way. This book guarantees you'll have that all bundled into one exciting package. With over 30 years of trips under their belt, Intrepid Travel are the best guides to take you wherever you wish to go. #newrelease #newbook #book #books #theintrepidlist #travel #travelbook #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

A powerful literary page-turner about two young people in a race against time to reach a monumental solar eclipse, from famed Australian novelist Inga Simpson. We haven't always lived like this...' Fin grew up by an observatory, learning about telescopes and planets, inspired by the passions of her parents, then leaders in their fields of astrophotography and astronomy. Those days are long over. Now Fin, her mother, Dianella, and a band of outliers live deep off the grid, always on amber alert and always ready to run. In the outside world, things are not good: extinctions and a loss of diversity threaten what's left of the environment. With a new disaster looming, Fin finds herself thrust into an unlikely partnership with a stranger who has appeared in their camp - one of a new breed of evolved humans, the Incompletes, who are widely distrusted. But the pair will need to work together during a dangerous journey if they are to play their part in an audacious plan to help restore the natural world - and humankind. The Thinning is both an exquisitely written novel of nature and urgent thriller by the bestselling and acclaimed author of Willowman and The Last Woman in the World. #newrelease #newbook #thethinning #ingasimpson #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #aussieauthor #australianauthor #readmorebooks

Summer 1944: the SAS were charged with the most crucial D-Day missions, taking on the might of the Nazi Reich deep behind enemy lines. Facing Hitler's fearsome Panzer divisions with little more than raw courage and their nimble Willys jeeps, it would take maverick thinking and unconventional warfare to survive and overcome. Hunted at every turn, Blair 'Paddy' Mayne's SAS would face a bitter and bloody struggle to topple the enemy. Drawing on never-before-seen archive material, bestselling military historian Damien Lewis brings to life the incredible efforts of the SAS as they dared all to bring the war to its close. #newrelease #newbook #sasdaggersdrawn #damienlewis #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks #sas

Sometimes dreams come true - but so do nightmares ... An electrifying, dark and twisty new thriller from the bestselling author of The Sunday Girl, The Strangers We Know and The Next Girl Things have not been going well for Zoe Ann Weiss. Once a young novelist full of promise, now she has a failed debut under her belt, a mountain of debt, a dead-end job, and an agent who's about to drop her if she doesn't write something new and brilliant soon. Worst of all, she's blocked. Can't-write-a-word blocked. But all that changes one night when she runs into her old flame, Zach Hamilton. It's like no time has passed at all. They start casually dating, and Zach makes her feel like anything is possible. Like the stars have finally realigned themselves in her favour. Best of all, her writer's block has disappeared. The only issue is Zach isn't just some hot guy with a dream anymore. Now he's a movie star with billboards and PR people and fans and paparazzi ... and even though they're dating in secret, Zoe soon finds herself splashed all over the press. Now everyone seems to know her name. But the problem with everyone knowing your name is that everyone knows your name ... including the stalker who's obsessed with Zach. The stalker who's re-enacting violent, creepy plot twists from Zoe's first novel, exactly how she wrote them - except now, she's the victim. #newrelease #newbook #thecloseup #pipdrysdale #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

A gripping tale of compassion, imposture, trickery and surprising alliances set against the backdrop of The Bloody Assizes, from the bestselling author of The Last Hours and The Swift and the Harrier. The much-anticipated sequel to The Swift and The Harrier. England, 1685. Decades after the end of the civil war, the country is once again divided when Charles II's illegitimate son, the Protestant Duke of Monmouth, arrives in Dorset to incite rebellion against his Catholic uncle. Armed only with pitchforks, Monmouth's army is quickly defeated by King James II's superior forces and charged with high treason. Those found guilty will be hanged, drawn and quartered. As Dorset braces for carnage, Lady Jayne Harrier and her enigmatic son, assisted by the reclusive daughter of a local magistrate, contrive ways to save men from the gallows. Compelling and powerful, The Players is a story of guile, deceit and compassion during the dark days of The Bloody Assizes. Secrets are kept and surprising friendships formed in a dangerous gamble to thwart a brutal king's thirst for vengeance... #newrelease #newbook #theplayers #theswiftandtheharrier #minettewalters #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Matthew Reilly's blockbuster novel Hover Car Racer explodes off the page as a thrilling new graphic novel, brilliantly illustrated by John Hanna. Never give up. Never say die. Meet Jason Chaser, hover car racer. He's won himself a place at the International Race School, where racers either make it on to the Pro Circuit - or they crash and burn. But he's an outsider. He's younger than the other racers. His car, the Argonaut, is older. And on top of that, someone doesn't want him to succeed at the School and will do anything to stop him. Now Jason Chaser isn't just fighting for his place on the starting line, he's racing for his life. #newrelease #newbook #matthewreilly #hovercarracer #graphicnovel #hovercarracergraphicnovel #book #johnhanna #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

The modernist RSL club, the Art Deco cinema, the stilted Queenslander or the elaborate Edwardian. The iconography of Australia’s regional towns is familiar to many of us, whether we live, work and play in these places, or just journey through. A distinctive Australian architecture has developed, less glamourous or coherent than the grand public buildings in the capital cities, but no less classic or important to our sense of identity. The images in this book are a snapshot of the Australian town, from Warrnambool to Broome, captured by the National Library of Australia’s photographers in the 1990s. Each building is a reflection of the local climate, history, landscape and people, and yet there are commonalities. When we make a pitstop at a town on our summer pilgrimage to the coast or to visit relatives, recognise the surf lifesaving club, the public pool, a milkbar because we know the architectural language. These are our towers and spires. An Australian town might contain more or fewer Victorian, Edwardian, Federation, Colonial, Italianate, Modernist, Contemporary and Art Deco buildings. Its suburbs might have been built in a gold rush fervour in the 1850s or have sprawled in the 1960s or big blocks and old homes replaced with blocks of flats in the 1980s. But the design mishmash that so upset Robin Boyd in the 1960s today can move us and make us feel at home. Here is the Great Australian Beauty of our towns, in all its nostalgic, iconic, recognisable glory. #newrelease #newbook #australian #aussie #ourstreets #regionaltowns #timross #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

We always have the best night when Christian White comes to town. It was a insightful but vague chat about THE LEDGE as this is one of those books with a page turning need-to-read that leads you straight into a twist you'll never guess. Christian White has truly earnt the title of the MASTER OF MISDIRECTION. Trust our booksellers here at @petrarchs Bookshop, THE LEDGE is one of our favourite Australian crime reads this Christmas season and is recommended by booksellers Sonja, Kathryn and Andy. Big thanks to Launceston Library @librariestasmania for hosting us and @affirmpress for including us on the tour. LIMITED signed copies available in-store of THE LEDGE.

Celebrate Christmas with Ernest Cunningham... he'd hoped, this Christmas, that any self-respecting murderer would kick their feet up and take it easy over the holidays. He was wrong. So join us and solve this festive murder mystery... If you can see through the illusions, I know you can solve it. Tickets 👇 https://www.trybooking.com/CVAIJ

Acclaimed author, Zanni Louise and illustrator Judy Watson have created "an Australian Winnie-the-Pooh" with a collection of warm and whimsical stories in a beautifully produced hardback edition. Hazel is nine years old, as long as her bunk bed and as kind as a marshmallow. She and her friends - Odette, a pademelon, Walter the wombat, Tiny, a honey possum and Poky – an echidna who changes colour depending on Hazel’s mood – live together in a treehouse in the bush. Every day brings new adventures, sometimes mistakes ... and always, always, imagination and friendship. Acclaimed author, Zanni Louise and illustrator Judy Watson have created an Australian 'Winnie-the-Pooh' in this delightful, whimsical celebration of childhood. #newrelease #newbook #hazelstreehouse #zannilouise #book #books #kidsbook #childrensbook #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

You would do anything to protect your child. Even if she’s a monster? Rebecca Carter and her daughter Monica, nicknamed Moonflower, travel the American West alone and isolated. Wherever they go, bodies are left behind. Special Agent Marc Donner of the FBI has been tracking a serial killer for the best part of two years. A murderer who kills only men. All of them with their throats opened, their bodies bled out and their spinal cords severed. The killer leaves no trace, no clues – only a trail of corpses. After all this time, Donner has gleaned only a handful of facts from the few witnesses and snippets of CCTV footage available. He’s hunting a middle-aged woman who drives a van with blacked-out windows and false plates. Often, she poses as a child online to lure in her prey. But it’s never been enough to track her down – until now. And so begins a cat-and-mouse game between Donner and his prey, Rebecca and Moonflower. But who is the actual hunter – and who is the actual prey? Perhaps Moonflower isn’t the child that her mother claims she is. Perhaps she’s something else – and as Donner puts everything on the line to capture them, perhaps he isn’t prepared to face what is really out there... Blood Like Mine is the thrilling and terrifying story of a mother’s love, a daughter’s devotion, a man’s obsession – and the darkness that lives within us all. #newrelease #newbook #thriller #crimethriller #crimefiction #thrillerfiction #stuartneville #bloodlikemine #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Australia's Test Cricket Captain in conversation with remarkable leaders and achievers - from Julia Gillard to Dennis Lillee. When Pat Cummins unexpectedly became Australia's 47th Test captain at age 28, he inherited a team with a long and storied history, but also one on the cusp of reinvention. It was the beginning of a personal leadership journey for him, a unique moment of challenge and pressure that would see him become a seasoned captain and, in his private life, become a father and husband but also lose his mother to cancer. Inspiring, revealing and deeply personal, Tested is an exploration of the remarkable place where challenge, crisis and opportunity meet, and how it's only in the moments when we are tested that we discover what we are made of. From a charity leader to Australia's first female prime minister, a Test cricket great to a ground-breaking scientist, an Indigenous leader to a bestselling author and podcaster, Pat interviews eleven extraordinary people whose stories of challenge, adversity, perseverance and resilience - navigating moments of crisis and doubt, seizing once-in-a-lifetime opportunities and giving back - have inspired him. Tested is a book of insight and hard-earned wisdom about how the power of resolve to make decisions, big and small, and see them through, is at the heart of all our stories. #newrelease #newbook #tested #patcummins #leadership #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

A brand-new visual odyssey from Accidentally Wes Anderson, authorised by the legendary filmmaker, taking readers on stunning adventures to every continent and sharing oddly moving human tales along the way. AWA is back with a new book full of incredible real photos that look plucked from the world of Wes Anderson - sharing dozens of idiosyncratic stories that make each place unique. You'll venture to Antarctica through the Drake Passage, make a stop in lesser-known Jincumbilly, Australia (where there are more platypuses than people), travel the backroads of Vermont, and drop into one of the oddest umbrella shops of London. But no matter where or how the adventure unfolds, it's nothing without the people who make it memorable. Here, we share the stories of communities and characters who come to life as vividly as the photos themselves. You'll meet the father of American skydiving, who created the officially sanctioned centre of the world - a Californian town with a population of two. You'll visit the 'post office at the end of the world' in Tierra del Fuego - and meet the mustachioed letter carrier who, in his free time, runs an anarchist island micronation called Redonda. And you'll travel to a town in the Arctic Circle where cats are not allowed, humans cannot be buried, and a primary attraction is a doomsday vault containing the recipe for the Oreo cookie. Thank you for exploring! #newrelease #newbook #book #books #accidentallywesanderson #accidentallywesandersonadventures #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

"Christmas was coming. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself covered in several feet of snow." So begins Chapter 12 of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the story of Harry Potter's magical first Christmas at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. From the wonder of the Great Hall decked with sparkling, decorated fir trees to cosy evenings by the fire in the Gryffindor common room and the joy of opening presents on Christmas morning, it's a school holiday filled with warmth, friendship, treats and magical surprises that Harry will never forget. With text drawn directly from J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and luminous artwork by Ziyi Gao, this favourite moment, showing Harry's very first Christmas amongst friends, is now fully illustrated for the whole family to enjoy. Sure to be treasured by Harry Potter fans of all ages, it's the perfect gift to put under the tree or read together at Christmas - the beginning of an enchanting new festive tradition. #newrelease #newbook #christmasathogwarts #harrypotter #christmasbook #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Heartwarming and inspirational, Marigold Mind Laundry will remind you there is always a reason to feel positive. We will wash away your pain and iron away any creases in your heart. Overnight, in the village of Marigold on top of a hill, old Jieun has conjured up a magical Mind Laundry, where she cleanses painful experiences from her customer's hearts, transferring them into stains on a T-shirt and transforming them into dazzling red petals. We meet five of Jieun's customers to her laundry: a frustrated young filmmaker; a tortured social-media influencer; a distraught mother who has discovered her husband’s other family; a young woman two-timed by her lover, and Yeonghui, a victim of bullying, who works as a delivery man to escape his pain in routine. After washing away their pain and ironing out their creases, Jieun discovers an astonishing revelation about memory, pain and moving on. As we laugh, wonder and grow with the vivid characters in this book, MARIGOLD MIND LAUNDRY shows how we too can tap into the positivity and magic that lies in us all. Which bad memories would you like to wash away? #newrelease #newbook #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks #marigoldmindlaundry #jungeunyun #fiction

Revealing his fight against a diagnosis of 'incurable' brain cancer, this is the remarkable story of 2024 co–Australian of the Year Richard Scolyer. A dedicated doctor. A devastating diagnosis. A chance for a medical revolution. Skin cancer is this country's most common cancer, and melanoma the deadliest form of it. Richard, together with his colleagues at Melanoma Institute Australia, has dedicated years to groundbreaking research and succeeded in transforming even the most advanced forms of melanoma into a largely curable disease, bringing hope and healing to many. Then in 2023, at the peak of his life, Richard was diagnosed with brain cancer. As an internationally respected leading clinician and researcher, Richard was never going to accept the status quo—a medical approach unchanged in nearly two decades and an expectation of little more than a year to live. He instead chose to undertake world-first experimental treatment based on melanoma science. His brave decision could shorten his life or save it—the only certainty is that it will advance scientific understanding and ultimately help save the lives of others. #newrelease #newbook #brainstorm #richardscolyer #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #autobiography #readmorebooks

Step into the kitchen with wildly popular baker Brooke Bellamy, owner of Brooki Bakehouse (and Tassie legend!), and discover how to create the most delectable sweet treats for every craving and occasion. Since growing up baking with her mum in Tasmania, Brooke’s journey to becoming a bakery owner has spanned continents: from patisserie classes in Paris and visiting Swiss chocolate factories, to hunting down the ultimate cookies in New York City and seeking out cardamom buns in snowy Copenhagen. Now, she inspires millions of followers with her day-in-the-life videos from her Brisbane bakery, selling out daily to the queues of fans waiting in line for their Brooki fix. Brooke’s insatiable sweet tooth and passion for creating the very best bakes have driven her through it all, to here: her first cookbook. BAKE WITH BROOKI has everything – those chunky cookies that have gained a cult following (of course!) plus brownies, cupcakes, traybakes, macarons, cheesecakes, layer cakes and more. They’re all beautifully photographed and come with Brooke’s top tips for success every time, no matter your skill level. These are the tried-and-true recipes behind the bakes that have made Brooki Bakehouse famous, plus the brand-new personal favourites that Brooke loves to make at home for friends and family (or a late-night sweet moment). You’ll find cherry-topped Red Velvet Cupcakes, a deliciously rich and surprisingly easy Biscoff Cheesecake, a perfectly balanced Caramel Slice and Sticky Date Puddings to wow your guests. Baking is better when you BAKE WITH BROOKI! #newrelease #newbook #cookbook #brookebellamy #bakewithbrooki #brookisbakehouse #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

The long-awaited memoir of the legendary actor, for readers of Keith Richards’ LIFE and Bruce Springsteen’s BORN TO RUN. To the wider world, Al Pacino exploded onto the scene like a supernova. He landed his first leading role, in The Panic in Needle Park, in 1971, and by 1975, he had starred in four movies—The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, Serpico, and Dog Day Afternoon—that were not just successes but landmarks in the history of film. Those performances became legendary and changed his life forever. Not since Marlon Brando and James Dean in the late 1950s had an actor landed in the culture with such force. But Pacino was in his mid thirties by then, and had already lived several lives. A fixture of avant-garde theater in New York, he had led a bohemian existence, working odd jobs to support his craft. He was raised by a fiercely loving but mentally unwell mother and her parents after his father left them when he was young, but in a real sense he was raised by the streets of the South Bronx, and by the troop of buccaneering young friends he ran with, whose spirits never left him. After a teacher recognized his acting promise and pushed him toward New York’s fabled High School of Performing Arts, the die was cast. In good times and bad, in poverty and in wealth and in poverty again, through pain and joy, acting was his lifeline, its community his tribe. Sonny Boy is the memoir of a man who has nothing left to fear and nothing left to hide. All the great roles, the essential collaborations, and the important relationships are given their full due, as is the vexed marriage between creativity and commerce at the highest levels. The book’s golden thread, however, is the spirit of love and purpose. Love can fail you, and you can be defeated in your ambitions—the same lights that shine bright can also dim. But Al Pacino was lucky enough to fall deeply in love with a craft before he had the foggiest idea of any of its earthly rewards, and he never fell out of love. That has made all the difference. #newrelease #newbook #sonnyboy #alpacino #memoir #book #books #autobiography #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

The powerful new thriller from the No.1 bestselling author, Paula Hawkins. When a small bone at the centre of a famous sculpture is revealed to be human, three people become intimately connected by the secrets and lies that put it there. Set on a Scottish tidal island connected to the mainland for just a few hours each day, and home to only one inhabitant, The Blue Hour asks questions of ambition, power, art and perception. #newrelease #newbook #book #paulahawkins #thebluehour #thrillerfiction #crimefiction #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

A gripping new novel set in the universe of John le Carré's most iconic spy, George Smiley, written by acclaimed novelist Nick Harkaway. It is spring in 1963 and George Smiley has left the Circus. With the wreckage of the West's spy war with the Soviets strewn across Europe, he has eyes only on a more peaceful life. And indeed, with his marriage more secure than ever, there is a rumour in Whitehall – unconfirmed and a little scandalous – that George Smiley might almost be happy. But Control has other plans. A Russian agent has defected in the most unusual of circumstances, and the man he was sent to kill in London is nowhere to be found. Smiley reluctantly agrees to one last simple task: interview Susanna, a Hungarian émigré and employee of the missing man, and sniff out a lead. But in his absence the shadows of Moscow have lengthened. Smiley will soon find himself entangled in a perilous mystery that will define the battles to come, and strike at the heart of his greatest enemy… Set in the missing decade between two iconic instalments in the George Smiley saga, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Nick Harkaway's Karla's Choice is an extraordinary, thrilling return to the world of spy fiction's greatest writer, John le Carré. #newrelease #newbook #crimefiction #johnlecarre #nickharkaway #karlaschoice #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #crimethriller #readmorebooks

An icon. A household name. One of our best-loved actors. Noni Hazlehurst is finally telling a story of her own. A fourth-generation performer, Noni Hazlehurst has storytelling in her blood. She has graced our screens, stages and airwaves for fifty years - and won our hearts and respect in the process. She's had a remarkably diverse career. From presenting Play School for more than two decades, acting in films such as June Again, Ladies in Black, Candy, Little Fish and Monkey Grip, and ten years hosting and writing for Better Homes and Gardens to playing lead roles in series like A Place to Call Home, Nancy Wake and The Shiralee, recently presenting the SBS documentary series Every Family Has a Secret, and of course her numerous theatre roles, including her award-winning one-woman play Mother, Noni continues to display her incredible versatility, range and incisive ability to get to the core of a character and script. Noni is more than an actor, though. She is also a director, writer, teacher and public speaker, and her time on Play School has led to decades of committed advocacy for children. Offscreen, she has served on several film and television industry boards and acted as a patron and ambassador for numerous children's welfare organisations. Brave, open and unafraid to be vulnerable, Noni is in many ways an ordinary woman - a single mother of two boys, and a freelance worker, she knows about the challenges of constant juggling and being stretched to the limit. Yet she is also an extraordinary woman and a trailblazer - she was only the second woman to be inducted into the Logie Hall of Fame in thirty-two years. And despite opportunities to live and work overseas, she ultimately chose to pursue her career in Australia. This is no ordinary memoir. Noni Hazlehurst is funny, fierce, thoughtful and clear-eyed about the world. Her story is full, rich, lively, opinionated - and a testament to her grit, willpower and talent. She has always been committed to telling Australian stories - and this memoir is an impressive addition to her remarkable opus. #newrelease #newbook #petrarchs #bookshop #nonihazlehurst #droppingthemask #book #books #readmorebooks

We're so happy that local author Sally Wilson dropped in to say hi! Her new kids' book 'Have You Ever Stopped to Think' is set to be the first in a series, and is an adventure for the young and young at heart into the wild of our own vulnerabilities and strengths, this beautiful, playful poetry embraces the imaginative, messy, and magnificent journey-the shared experiences that unite us all. This book offers an interactive blend of words, art, wit, theatre and music into whimsical wordplay, fostering a sense of connection and engagement. This unique, rhyming, fun-filled story not only invites readers to voice the lines aloud but also offers a beautiful blend of full-colour art and recorded music. Each volume, beautifully illustrated by Sally, comes with a QR code linking to recorded music. This allows readers to read or sing along with the verses produced by Wilson, with the musical collaboration of Dr. Mark Kruger. 'Have You Ever Stopped To Think' is not just a book; it's an innovative experience that fosters moments of shared delight among parents and children, friends, and teachers alike. Whether you read it quietly before bed or perform it as theatrically as your heart desires, this is storytelling entertainment at its finest. Themes of friendship, overcoming fear and accepting the differences we all have is woven into beautiful prose. #newrelease #newbook #petrarchs #bookshop #sallywilson #haveyoueverstoppedtothink #localauthor #visitingauthor #readmorebooks

In the heart of Tasmania lies the Tarkine wilderness, or Takayna, where nature reigns supreme. The air is rich with the scent of earth, and towering myrtle and sassafras trees form a green canopy above deep rivers that carve through stone and soil. Tree ferns catch the light like delicate green hands, while the Southern Ocean crashes against the rugged coast. Takayna hums with life: platypuses splash in hidden streams, devils growl among dunes, owls' wings flap quietly, and birdsong echoes through rainforest. Takayna is deeply connected to an ancient world, carrying the stories of its First Peoples, who have revered its beauty and power for generations. Their presence is evident in sacred sites and ancient markers, speaking to those who pause to listen. This place endures largely due to its remoteness and Tasmania's isolation. However, Takayna's wild beauty is under threat and urgently needs protection despite decades of public campaigning. #newrelease #newbook #takanya #tarkine #takanyatarkine #australiangeographic #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks #tasmania #tasmanian

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An awe-inspiring deep-dive into the treasures found on the sea floor and what they reveal about our past. A shipwreck is a time capsule. When a maritime archaeologist picks up an item from the seabed, there is a direct connection with history. The last time the object was touched could have been centuries before; now, it’s starting a new life. The millions of vessels that lie under the sea tell the human history of the world. Mensun Bound is the renowned marine archaeologist who was the Director of Exploration on the team that discovered Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance. With journalist Mark Frary, Bound uses the many treasures he has discovered, from Nazi eagles to cannonballs, to write a maritime history of the world from 3000 BC. Interwoven throughout with beautiful photographs, Wonders in the Deep is a riveting story of human ambition, defeat and ingenuity. #newrelease #newbook #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #wondersofthedeep #mensunbound #markfrary #readmorebooks

BLOODTHIRSTY UNICORNS. UNLIKELY HEROES. A DEADLY CURSE. The epic adventure continues. Don’t miss the unputdownable new book for fans of Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Eragon and Impossible Creatures. As Skandar and his friends begin their fourth year at the Eyrie, the Island’s unicorns are struck by a terrible curse that threatens to change everything. Between a Commodore determined to eliminate the spirit element for good, and a sister hellbent on revenge, nowhere is safe for Skandar. As more and more unicorns are affected by the curse, the clock is ticking for Skandar and his quartet, who find themselves literally racing for their lives. Can they stop the curse in its tracks before the Island is lost forever? Get ready for unlikely heroes, elemental magic, sky battles, ancient secrets and ferocious unicorns in this highly anticipated adventure that will keep you reading after lights out! #newrelease #newbook #skandarandtheskeletoncurse #afsteadman #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

For the child in all of us, a timeless illustrated story about connection and compromise brought to life with imagination, from the acclaimed author of Born a Crime. “But sooner or later your mother will find us,” Walter said, looking back at the house. “She always does.” The boy’s eyes lit up again. He had an idea. “Then this time we need to go where we’ve never gone before,” he said. “Into the uncut grass!” In the tradition of The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse comes a gorgeously illustrated fable about a young child’s journey into the world beyond the shadow of home, a magical landscape where he discovers the secrets of sharing, connection, and finding peace with the people we love. Infused with the author’s signature wit and imagination, in collaboration with visionary artist Sabina Hahn, it’s a tale for readers of all ages—to be read aloud or read alone. #newrelease #newbook #throughtheuncutgrass #trevornoah #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

We are so excited that our Tassie legend Jennifer Cossin's new book is out in the world! 🎉 Explore over 140 of the world's most extraordinary animals in this beautifully illustrated book from CBCA award-winning author-illustrator Jennifer Cossins. Did you know the immortal jellyfish has the longest lifespan of any creature on Earth? Or that the dung beetle is the strongest animal for its body size? Get ready to explore the record-holders of the animal kingdom, from the animals that can dive the deepest in the ocean to those that can fly the highest in the sky. Perfect for readers aged 7+ who love learning about the world around them. #newrelease #newbook #extremeanimalfacts #kidsbook #childrensbook #jennifercossins #redparka #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Celebrate Christmas with Ernest Cunningham... he'd hoped, this Christmas, that any self-respecting murderer would kick their feet up and take it easy over the holidays. He was wrong. So join us and solve this festive murder mystery... If you can see through the illusions, I know you can solve it. Tickets 👇 https://www.trybooking.com/CVAIJ

An unmissable collection of three How to Train Your Dragon stories, featuring new and exclusive short story When the Windwalker Changed! Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third is a smallish Viking with a longish name. The Hairy Hooligan tribe think he's totally useless, but Hiccup is brave enough to face his destiny, with the help of one tiny dragon. This collection features three stories about Hiccup at different times in his life, including one BRAND-NEW tale: 1. Hiccup's dragon Toothless gives his best tips on training a human in HOW TO TRAIN YOUR VIKING 2. A deadly sea dragon stalks the Isle of Berk in THE DAY OF THE DREADER 3. And the BRAND-NEW WHEN THE WINDWALKER CHANGED, packed with action, adventure and grand reveals! Fully illustrated with Cressida Cowell's artwork, this deluxe paperback is a perfect gift for all fans of the global phenomenon How to Train Your Dragon. #newrelease #newbook #petrarchs #bookshop #petrarchsbookshop #cressidacowell #howtotrainyourdragon #book #books #readmorebooks

A propulsive tour through a fantastical London, where history and myth collide, murder stalks the streets and the mundane becomes very magical indeed… The year is 1949, the city London. Amidst the smog of the capital is Dennis Knuckleyard, a hapless eighteen-year-old employed by a second-hand bookshop. One day, on an errand to acquire books for sale, Dennis discovers a novel that simply does not exist. It is a fictitious book, a figment from another novel. Yet it is physically there in his hands. How? Dennis has stumbled on a book from the Great When, a magical version of London beyond time and space, where reality blurs with fiction and concepts such as Crime and Poetry are incarnated as wondrous, terrible beings. But this other, magical London must remain a secret: if Dennis cannot find a way to return this book to where it belongs, he risks bizarre and disastrous repercussions, such as his body being turned inside out (or worse). So begins a journey delving deep into the city's occult underbelly and tarrying with an eccentric cast of sorcerers, gangsters, and murderers – some from legend, some all too real, and all with plans of their own. Soon Dennis finds himself at the centre of an explosive series of events that may alter and endanger both Londons forever. Thrilling, lyrical and sparkling with dark humour, The Great When is the first book in a new series by Sunday Times-bestseller and icon, Alan Moore. #newrelease #newbook #thegreatwhen #alanmoore #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

In this stunning novel, Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award–winning author Louise Erdrich tells a story of love, natural forces, spiritual yearnings, and the tragic impact of uncontrollable circumstances on ordinary people’s lives. History is a flood. The mighty red... In Argus, North Dakota, a collection of people revolve around a fraught wedding. Human time, deep time, Red River time, the half-life of herbicides and pesticides, and the elegance of time represented in fracking core samples from unimaginable depths, is set against the speed of climate change, the depletion of natural resources, and the sudden economic meltdown of 2008-2009. How much does a dress cost? A used car? A package of cinnamon rolls? Can you see the shape of your soul in the everchanging clouds? Your personal salvation in the giant expanse of sky? These are the questions the people of the Red River Valley of the North wrestle with every day. The Mighty Red is a novel of tender humor, disturbance, and hallucinatory mourning. It is about on-the-job pains and immeasurable satisfactions, a turbulent landscape, and eating the native weeds growing in your backyard. It is about ordinary people who dream, grow up, fall in love, struggle, endure tragedy, carry bitter secrets; men and women both complicated and contradictory, flawed and decent, lonely and hopeful. It is about a starkly beautiful prairie community whose members must cope with devastating consequences as powerful forces upend them. As with every book this great modern master writes, The Mighty Red is about our tattered bond with the earth, and about love in all of its absurdity and splendor. A new novel by Louise Erdrich is a major literary event; gorgeous and heartrending, The Mighty Red is a triumph. #newrelease #newbook #louiseerdrich #themightyred #book #fiction #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Nobel laureate and advisor to the White House, Sal Giordano, is found dead in the middle of an abandoned theme park. When Virginia's chief medical examiner Dr Kay Scarpetta is alerted about the case, she's warned that the victim is someone she knows. When she hears who it is, she's devastated. While teaching in Rome for a summer during the early days of her career, she met Giordano. What began as an intense love affair evolved into a life-long friendship, and now he's suddenly and bizarrely dead. Scarpetta's Secret Service investigator niece Lucy says that it appears he was dropped out of an unidentified flying craft, his skin red from some type of radiation. When Scarpetta does the autopsy, she finds yet another inexplicable surprise. While it becomes increasingly suspicious that otherworldly forces could be responsible for Giordano's death, she detects the presence of a more likely earthbound explanation that, in her mind, is far more evil. #newrelease #newbook #patriciacornwell #identityunknown #book #scarpetta #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

'I hadn’t been very comfortable with fame, but I didn’t know what to do with myself after I was famous. On the surface, I was just hugely relieved to be shot of the whole thing. I felt like I’d been let off the hook . . . But underneath that, I was pretty miserable.' When 'Never Gonna Give You Up’ propelled Rick Astley into the pop stratosphere, it changed his life forever. Nothing could have prepared the young, unassuming boy from Lancashire for what was in store for him. This is Rick's story – in his own words. At just nineteen, Rick agreed to sign with legendary music producer Pete Waterman – under the wings of music powerhouse Stock Aitken Waterman. Unpredictable, outlandish adventures followed, giving him a peek into the mechanics of the music industry – all of which would eventually take Rick from the shadows of local bands to international stardom. From platinum-selling albums to worldwide tours, the world was at Rick’s feet. And then, suddenly, at what seemed like the height of fame, it wasn’t. At twenty-seven, Rick retired himself from the industry that had brought him much success and financial stability. Behind the hits and the glitz and glamour was a young man coming to terms with his new-found fame, the realities of life in the pop-music machine and the pressures of life on the road, not to mention reconciling with his childhood spent between his divorced parents in a volatile family dynamic. Time out of the industry offered Rick room for much-needed reflection and therapy – and unknowingly helped to set the stage for his triumphant return to music. Balancing nostalgia, fresh perspectives and introspection, with a good dose of northern humour, Never is an intimate look at the man behind the hits – and is a portrait of truth, artistic evolution and the astounding power of contentment. #newrelease #newbook #rickastley #never #rickrolled #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

From the number one bestselling author Catherine Doyle comes the most fiery enemies-to-lovers romantasy of the year. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Leigh Bardugo and Stephanie Garber. In the dark underbelly of a beautiful city, two rival assassins are pitted against each other in a deadly game of revenge, where the most dangerous mistake of all is falling in love… In Fantome, a kingdom of cobbled streets, flickering lamplight, beautiful buildings, and secret catacombs, Shade-magic is a scarce and deadly commodity controlled by two enemy the Cloaks and the Daggers – the thieves and the assassins. On the night of her mother’s murder, 17-year-old Seraphine runs for her life. Seeking sanctuary with the Cloaks, Sera’s heart is set on revenge. But are her secret abilities a match for the dark-haired boy whose quicksilver eyes follow her around the city? Nothing can prepare Sera for the moment she finally comes face-to-face with Ransom, heir to the Order of Daggers. And Ransom is shocked to discover that this unassuming farmgirl wields a strange and blazing magic he has never seen before… Among rumours of monsters stalking the streets and the rival guilds grappling for control of Fantome’s underworld, Sera and Ransom are drawn together by something more than just magic and must face a deadly choice - forgiveness or vengeance? Kiss or kill? Dagger or Flame? #newrelease #newbook #ya #youngadult #romantasy #thedaggerandtheflame #catherinedoyle #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

From the bestselling creator of Down the Road, Little Bee comes a beautiful exploration of the dinosaurs that roamed the land now called Australia. Millions of years before you and me, living in wetlands and by the sea, lurking in lakes and green forest floors, Australia was home to DINOSAURS! Journey back in time to the Cretaceous period and meet the dinosaurs that roamed Australia millions of years ago. #newrelease #newbook #kidsbook #whendinosaursroamedaustralia #sarahjanelightfoot #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Nothing better than hearing a books origin story and meeting an author... Check out who's coming to Launceston. @petrarchs

Live large, do tough stuff and give back. FIRE UP! shares some of the lessons I’ve learned from the first twenty-five years of my life, from growing up in the bush to running across Australia. This is what fires me up every single day. I’m aware I’m just one person among billions, many of whom are far wiser than I am. While this is what works for me, by no means am I suggesting it’s some sort of guaranteed formula for success. You may read something that sparks a fire in your belly (as it does in mine), but ultimately it comes down to you having a red-hot crack. I hope that, among these insights and stories, you’ll find some words of inspiration that encourage you to chase your dreams and give you the self-belief to back yourself along the way. #newrelease #newbook #neddbrockman #fireup #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #petrarchsbookshop #readmorebooks

Did someone say cheese? Yes, please!Some Brie? Mais oui! Ooh la la, how fancy! Don't forget the smelly ones: There are quite a few! Stilton, Limburger and Stinking Bishop, too. Cheese tastes delicious, but do you know that cheese names are also fun to say? Grab yourself a cracker and get stuck into this rhyming feast. It's enough to make anyone hungry for CHEESE! The bestselling team is back with a love letter to another favourite food: the perfect accompaniment to PASTA! is, of course, CHEESE! #newrelease #newbook #kidsbook #childrensbook #cheese #cheesebook #felicearena #beatricecerocchi #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Can you solve the mystery before the greatest detective of all time? Sherlock Holmes and his faithful friend, Dr John Watson, have been hired by actor George Reynolds. George wants them to find out why the audience who comes to see him perform every night are the same people, only wearing disguises. Is something sinister going on and, if so, what? Meanwhile, Holmes’ archenemy, Professor James Moriarty is having problems of his own. Implicated in the murder of a gang leader, Moriarty and his second, Moran, must go on the run from the police in order to find out who is behind the set-up. But their investigation puts them in the way of Holmes and Watson and it’s not long before all four realise that they are being targeted by the same person. With lives on the line, not just their own, they must form an uneasy alliance in order to unmask the true villain. With clues leading them to a hotel in Switzerland and a conspiracy far greater than any of them expected, who can be trusted and will any of them survive? #newrelease #newbook #sherlockholmes #holmesandmoriarty #garethrubin #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Once upon a time, a young girl ventured into a dark forest, looking for a cure for her much-loved elder sister ... A touching, tender and lyrical fable about what we do for the ones we love, and the beauty and mystery of being alive in a world in which we are part of everything, and everything is part of us. As a terrible pandemic rages through the country, a young girl, Teo, leaves her small village and sets off into the forest, in search of a cure for her sister who is infected with the pox. Her father Merdocai has surrendered himself to the evil Marquis to be experimented upon for the Greater Good; and with her mother long-dead, all Teo has to keep her going is the love of her sister, her father and her friend Rodrigo, a stuttering poet. As Teo ventures deeper into the forest, she encounters creatures and teachers who hold the answers to all the questions she has about who she is, and where she has come from. Meanwhile, out in the depths of the ocean, a whale is returning to the place he was born, to exhale his last breath. While Teo does not know this, he too holds secrets that belong to Teo's story. The Whale's Last Song is a tender, sweet and wise fable, on what we are prepared to do for those we love; a celebration of the beauty and mystery of being alive in a world in which we are part of everything, and everything is part of us; and a love song to the natural world. It is The Alchemist meets The Princess Bride meets The Little Prince. It is a little gem. #newrelease #newbook #book #books #thewhaleslastsong #joannefedler #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Your future is not guaranteed. And isn’t that freeing? If you found out you had less time to live than the average bear, how might you spend it? That’s a question comedian Michelle Brasier has been asking herself since her dad died of cancer, then her brother, and she was told there’s a high chance she’ll get it too. She’s only young (oh my god so young, and such great skin) but she has been through a lot and it’s taught her to live each day like it’s her last – because it just might be. From teenage fumblings in the back of a car in Wagga Wagga (teen pregnancy capital of Australia), to performing with Aunty Donna and her own sell-out comedy shows, Michelle invites you into the highs (seeing Jason Momoa drinking a Guinness next to a classic car in SoHo) and the lows (getting dumped three quarters of the way through Pirates of the Caribbean). It’s an examination of the tiny things and the big things – how much it hurts to be a woman and a person, and how funny it is to try and get into shapewear and how funerals are silly. It’s self help for those of us who hate self help. A bit of a laugh and a bit of a cry. Balance. Yoga in the morning, whisky in the evening. Heartbreaking and hilarious, My Brother’s Ashes are in a Sandwich Bag moves between grief and joy, reminding us that life’s too short to be taken seriously. #newrelease #newbook #michellebrasier #mybrothersashesareinasandwichbag #book #books #autobiography #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

From comedy legend Eric Idle, the fascinating inside story of bringing Monty Python and the Holy Grail to Broadway as the unlikely theatrical hit Spamalot. On March 17, 2005, Spamalot debuted on Broadway to rapturous reviews for its star-studded creative team, including creators Eric Idle and John du Prez, director Mike Nichols, and stars Hank Azaria, David Hyde Pierce, Sara Ramirez, Tim Curry, and more. But long before the show was the toast of Broadway and the winner of three Tony Awards, it was an idea threatening to fizzle out before it could find its way into existence. Now, in The Spamalot Diaries, Eric Idle shares original journal entries and raw email exchanges—all featuring his whip-smart wit—that reveal the sometimes bumpy, always entertaining path to the show’s unforgettable run. In the months leading up to that opening night, financial anxieties were high with a low-ceiling budget and expectations that it would take two years to break even. Collaborative disputes put decades-long friendships to the test. And the endless process of rewriting was a task as passionate as it was painstaking. Still, there’s nothing Idle would change about that year. Except for the broken ankle. He could do without the broken ankle. Chronicling every minor mishap and triumph along the way, as well as the creative tension that drove the show to new heights, The Spamalot Diaries is an unforgettable look behind the curtain of a beloved musical and inside the wickedly entertaining mind of one of our most treasured comic performers. #newrelease #newbook #thespamalotdiaries #ericidle #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Discover the incredible features and characteristics of some of the natural world's most fascinating extinct and critically endangered animals in the latest gorgeously illustrated hardcover encyclopaedia from award-winning author and illustrator Sami Bayly. Pore over beautifully detailed illustrations of some of the most fascinating extinct and critically endangered animals in the natural world. Discover how these species fit into the history of the animal kingdom and why they have become extinct or are under threat. Featuring facts and astonishing illustrations about sixty amazing animals, including the Western black rhino, thylacine, dodo, South Island giant moa and Tapanuli orangutan, as well as megafauna such as the giant wombat-like diprotodon and the crocodile-like Quinkana. Plus creatures with mysterious origins like Delcourt's giant gecko. Children and adults alike will wonder at the contribution these animals have made to the natural world while being reminded of the importance of wildlife conservation. #newrelease #newbook #samibayley #book #books #theencyclopaediaofextinctanimals #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

London, 2024. Frankie Howe has lived a long life, her small flat is crammed full of art, furniture - and memories. Damian, her young carer, listens as she gradually tells him parts of her story - a story that takes us into a progressive, daring world of New York artists on the brink of fame, aspiring writers and larger-than-life characters. Always just on the periphery, looking on, young Frankie is never quite sure enough of herself to take centre stage. But the outsider holds certain advantages, sees things others don't, can influence without drawing attention. And when the map has been lost, it's anyone's guess where you may end up, or the accidental choices you find you have made. Frankie discovers that life is not always the one we hope for, or the one others expect of us. Travelling from post-war Ireland to the dazzling art scene of 1960s New York by way of London, Frankie is an immersive, decade-sweeping novel about love, bravery and what it means to live a significant life You should be the main character in your own life, but Frankie never was. A story that takes us into a progressive, daring world of New York artists on the brink of fame, aspiring writers and larger-than-life characters. Frankie is an immersive, decade-sweeping novel about love, bravery and what it means to live a significant life. #newrelease #newbook #fiction #frankie #grahamnorton #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

The new book from Jimmy Barnes, the award-winning author of the number-one bestsellers Working Class Boy, Working Class Man and Killing Time. From larger-than-life adventures to vivid and poignant tales of the imagination, Highways & Byways is a collection of thirty stories taking readers on an enthralling tour (complete with the odd detour) through the raucous, well-lived life of one of this country's most successful and beloved artists. Told with Jimmy's signature verve and flair, and richly coloured by his distinctive voice and wit, Highways & Byways sees him sharing a 1970s Texas stage with a dream line-up of US musicians; flirting with disaster in a Hawaiian high-rise; discovering a life-changing mix tape; unearthing shattering family secrets in Glasgow; encountering charismatic and not-so-endearing superstars, ghosts of the recent and distant past, superfan traffic cops and shady salesmen; and confronting his own mortality - while pondering the more amusing effects of hospital medication. Charming, personal and poignant, Highways & Byways is a collection that celebrates Jimmy's Scottish heritage, family, friends, music and the adventure of a grand life. #newrelease #newbook #jimmybarnes #highwaysandbyways #autobiography #memoir #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

From the bestselling author of The Frozen River comes an enthralling historical mystery that unravels the extraordinary twists and turns in Anna Anderson’s fifty-year battle to be recognised as Anastasia Romanov. Is she the Russian grand duchess or the thief of another woman’s legacy? Countless others have rendered their verdict. Now it is your turn. Russia, 1918: Under direct orders from Vladimir Lenin, Bolshevik secret police herd Anastasia Romanov, along with the entire imperial family, into a damp basement in Siberia, where they face a merciless firing squad. None survive. At least that is what the executioners have always claimed. Germany, 1920: A young woman bearing an uncanny resemblance to Anastasia Romanov is pulled shivering and senseless from a canal. Refusing to explain her presence in the freezing water or even acknowledge her rescuers, Anna Anderson is taken to the hospital where an examination reveals that her body is riddled with countless horrific scars. When she finally does speak, this frightened, mysterious young woman claims to be the Russian grand duchess. As rumours begin to circulate that the youngest Romanov daughter survived the massacre, old enemies and new threats awaken. I Was Anastasia unravels the thrilling mystery around Anna Anderson in a tale that is every bit as moving and momentous as it is harrowing and twisted. #newrelease #newbook #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks #book #books #iwasanastasia #ariellawhon #romanovs

Venice. 1704. In this city of glittering splendour, desperation and destitution are never far away. At the Ospedale della Pietà, abandoned orphan girls are posted every through a tiny gap in the wall every day. Eight-year-old Anna Maria is just one of the three hundred girls growing up within the Pietà's walls – but she already knows she is different. Obsessive and gifted, she is on a mission to become Venice’s greatest violinist and composer, and in her remarkable world of colour and sound, it seems like nothing with stop her. But the odds are stacked against an orphan girl – so when the maestro selects her as his star pupil, Anna Maria knows she must do everything in power to please this difficult, brilliant man. But as Anna Maria’s star rises, threatening to eclipse that of her mentor, the dream she has so single-mindedly pursued is thrown into peril… From the jewelled palaces of Venice to its mud-licked canals, this is a story of one woman’s irrepressible ambition and rise to the top, of loss and triumph, and of who we choose to remember and leave behind on the path to success. #newrelease #newbook #theinstrumentalist #harrietconstable #book #fiction #historicalfiction #newfiction #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

From million-copy bestselling author David Walliams comes his first ever murder mystery – with thrills, spills and laughs galore. Dilly loves a good murder. Not a REAL murder. A made-up murder. One you would find in a murder-mystery novel. Sherlock Holmes is her favourite detective. She even named her dog Watson after his faithful companion, and trained him to sniff out clues and follow trails. So far, Dilly and Watson haven’t cracked many cases – beyond lost cats, or missing biscuits that turned out to have been eaten all along. But now the detective duo find themselves on a luxury ocean liner bound for London. A thousand passengers. A thousand miles of ocean around them. It's the perfect place for a murder… Or two. Or three. Or four. Or MORE! #newrelease #newbook #kidsbook #supersleuth #davidwalliams #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

From Number One bestselling author Sophie Kinsella, an unforgettable story – by turns heartbreaking and life-affirming – of a renowned novelist facing a devastating diagnosis and learning to live and love anew. Eve is a successful novelist who wakes up one day in a hospital bed with no memory of how she got there. Her husband, never far from her side, explains that she has had an operation to remove the large, malignant tumour growing in her brain. As Eve learns to walk, talk, and write again — and as she wrestles with her diagnosis, and how and when to explain it to her beloved children — she begins to recall what’s most important to her: long walks with her husband’s hand clasped firmly around her own, family game nights and always buying that dress when she sees it. Recounted in brief anecdotes, each one is an attempt to answer the type of impossible questions recognizable to anyone navigating the labyrinth of grief. This extraordinary novella is a celebration of life, shot through with warmth and humour – it will both break your heart and put it back together again. #newrelease #newbook #whatdoesitfeellike #sophiekinsella #book #novella #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

With infectious enthusiasm, the internationally bestselling creator of Press Here and Mix it Up! invites readers of all ages to join in the fun and endless creative possibilities of dots, lines and scribbles. Step by step, Tullet uses dots, lines and scribbles to open up a whole world of drawing. Is it a flower? A bird? A rocket? A car? Anything is possible! All you need is a magic hand, some colours on a palette, and off you go! A liberating and exhilarating tour de force from the internationally bestselling creator of Press Here and Mix it Up. #newrelease #newbook #kidsbook #childrensbook #picturebook #dotscribblego #hervetullet #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #petrarchsbookshop #readmorebooks

A powerful and perceptive novel from two-time Miles Franklin Award winner Alex Miller. It's 1975, and at the threshold of his writing career Andy McPherson is navigating how to be fully present both for his partner, Jo, and their young daughter. When forced to take a part-time teaching job Andy meets Lang Tzu, a charismatic and intriguing man. Andy is drawn deeper into a dangerous relationship when Lang asks him to prove his friendship by brokering a risky deal for a much-desired piece of art. Andy finally consents despite Jo's opposition. In the process, Andy is in fact negotiating his own deal with himself as an artist and is compelled to face up to the conflict between his conception of art as a creative gift and the realities of the art market. Powerful and perceptive, Miller's profound and intimate depiction of Jo and her partnership with Andy, and his poignant portrait of Lang's troubled genius, form the beating heart of this beautiful novel. #newrelease #newbook #alexmiller #thedeal #book #books #newfiction #fiction #australianfiction #aussiefiction #petrarchs #bookshop #petrarchsbookshop #readmorebooks

Dinners for every night of the week from Australia's favourite cook! Australia's favourite home cook, Nagi Maehashi, is back to solve the perennial problem of what's for dinner tonight ... and every night. Following on from her record-breaking first cookbook, Dinner, Nagi brings us Tonight with more than 150 brand-new foolproof, flavour-packed recipes, 800 variations on those recipes and 3000 possible combinations that match formulas (including the world-famous Charlie sauce) with different ingredients. There are crave-worthy crowd-pleasers - try slow-baked Italian meatballs in a rich tomato sauce with bubbling melted cheese or fall-apart Asian chicken cooked in a sticky-sweet soy glaze. Some dinners can be cooked in 20 minutes, and others can be made using only pantry staples. For high-impact guest-impressing, turn to Sunday suppers - the Vietnamese pulled pork is a festival of flavour - while the sweet chapter delivers on the promise of maximum decadence. With a stunning photo and link to a how-to video for each recipe - and plenty of guest appearances from Australia's most loved golden retriever, Dozer! - this is a book for every Australian kitchen, for every level of cooking ability, for every budget, for every set of taste buds, and for every single night of the week. #newrelease #newbook #nagimaehashi #recipetineats #recipetineatstonight #cookbook #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

A Natural History of Dragons is a complete guide to dragons from around the world, from ancient lore and superstitions to their anatomy, behaviour and lifecycles. Featuring a gold-foil-embossed cloth cover, a ribbon marker and sprayed gold edges, this lavishly illustrated volume details the secret lives of dragons making it the perfect gift for all fantasy enthusiasts. Dragons have been the misunderstood subject of folklore for generations . . . but are these stories just legends or is there any truth to these majestic creatures’ fiery reputations? Presented as a handbook from the late 1800s written for the students of the Academie Solomonar: the only school for dragon-riders, this beautiful volume sets out to reveal the hidden world of dragons. Within these pages you will meet mysterious and majestic dragons from around the globe, read about ancient lore and superstitions, learn about their life cycle, anatomy, habits and habitats, and discover the secrets behind dragon flight. This exquisitely illustrated album, that delves deep into the world of dragons, will delight all true-believers and fantasy enthusiasts. Following on from A Natural History of Fairies, A Natural History of Magick, A Natural History of Mermaids, and A Natural History of Magical Beasts, this vintage guide is part of the Folklore Field Guides series: a charming collection of beautifully illustrated compendiums on topics of lore and legend. Fascinating facts are accompanied by breathtaking illustrations, all presented in an engaging narrative form. #newrelease #newbook #anaturalhistoryofdragons #emilyhawkins #jessicaroux #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

New Julia Donaldson is here! 😍 Join a plucky little penguin on the journey of a lifetime. Jonty is a young gentoo penguin who longs to find his true home at the South Pole. One night, he sneaks out of the zoo and sets off on an amazing adventure, all the way to Antarctica (with an accidental detour via the North Pole.) It’s an incredible journey, full of drama, excitement, new friends and spectacular landscape. Children will love cheering Jonty on his way in this captivating story of bravery, friendship, and finding your place in the world. #newrelease #newbook #jontygentoo #juliadonaldson #axelscheffler #book #books #kidsbook #childrensbook #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Thank you to the Tamar Valley Writers Festival 2024 for having us as your bookseller. Thank you to all of the very talented authors who came and shared their words, without you we would have no books. We have had an amazing time and know everyone who attended will have a refreshed reading pile. @tamarvalleywritersfestival

An imaginative and audacious historical novel from the best-selling author of Love Objects and An Isolated Incident. The motherless child of an English priest living in ninth-century Mainz, Agnes is a wild and brilliant girl with a deep, visceral love of God. At eighteen, to avoid a future as a wife or nun, Agnes enlists the help of a lovesick Benedictine monk to disguise herself as a man and devote her life to the study she is denied as a woman. So begins the life of John the Englishman: a matchless scholar and scribe of the revered Fulda monastery, then a charismatic heretic in an Athens commune and, by her middle years, a celebrated teacher in Rome. There, Agnes (as John) dazzles the Church hierarchy with her knowledge and wisdom and finds herself at the heart of political intrigue in a city where gossip is a powerful—and deadly—currency. And when the only person who knows her identity arrives in Rome, she will risk everything to once again feel what it is to be known—and loved. #newrelease #newbook #rapture #emilymaguire #book #fiction #newfiction #historicalfiction #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

You may have heard it said: 'You don't win friends with salad.' Well, I'm here to tell you that you do! When you cart a kaleidoscopic container-load to a friend's barbecue; when you plonk a bowl of zippy greens down alongside grand mains to cut through and cleanse the palate; when you toss pantry ingredients together for lazy bowl-food on the couch. Times have changed and salads have had a glow-up. This book is your guide to making every day a salad day, and every meal a moment to get your veg on. For warmer days, there are salads designed to refresh and replenish. For cooler days, there are salads that will sustain, nourish and ground. Salad for Days is both a seasonal reference guide and a daily roster to boost your repertoire, packed with inspiration (come through, Cauliflower tabouli with lemony tahini and pomegranate) as well as food that comforts (hellooo, Honeyed butternut risoni salad with marinated feta). It also includes an indispensable 'what to make when' list for using up particular veg, as well as a huge dressings inspo index to return to time and again. With this book, you'll have salad for days … and days … and days … #newrelease #newbook #cookbook #recipebook #aliceinframes #alicezaslavsky #book #books #petrarchs #saladfordays #bookshop #readmorebooks

The @tamarvalleywritersfestival continues today at UTAS Inveresk with more bookish sessions including this FREE kids session with @liantannerbooks at 11am.

A lost heiress must infiltrate an arcane society and live with the vampire she suspects killed her family and kidnapped her sister in this dangerously romantic and highly anticipated dark academia debut. A lost heiress must infiltrate an arcane society and live with the vampire she suspects killed her family and kidnapped her sister in this dangerously romantic dark academia debut. Orphan Kidan Adane is the heiress to a fallen House of humans bound to vampiric creatures known as draniacs. As a human, it is her responsibility to study and nurture the relationships between draniacs and humans at Uxlay University. But when her sister is kidnapped and Kidan suspects that her own house draniac, the enigmatic Susenyos, is to blame, she heads down a violent path towards vengeance, willing to hurt anyone who stands in her way. #newrelease #newbook #immortaldark #tigestgirma #ya #yafiction #youngadult #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #petrarchsbookshop #readmorebooks

Love Your Bookshop Day 2024 #lybd2024 Tamar Valley Writers Festival 2024 #tvwf2024 Tasmanian Poetry Festival 2024.

It's 1895, Melbourne is in crisis, and Pearl and Vally Cole's father has suggested the unthinkable: it might be time to close the grandest bookshop in the world. When a ghostly visitor offers Pearl magic that could save her home, she seizes her chance. But her new friend is not what he seems, and the unstoppable magic in the palm of her hand comes at a terrible cost. Vally can see just one way to save Pearl before she is lost forever. He must call upon the sinister magician who nearly destroyed the Cole family two years ago. But the Obscurosmith only performs the impossible for a price … Reunite with old friends, solve fiendish puzzles, and find five lost treasures from across the globe in this sweeping adventure that concludes the story of The Grandest Bookshop in the World. #newrelease #newbook #thelostbookofmagic #ameliamellor #book #books #kidsbook #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

A glacier up on a mountain grew tired of the same boring view. He wanted excitement; he wanted some fun, he wanted to see something new... From the incomparable Shaun Micallef comes this warming new picture-book adventure about enjoying life’s moments ... before they’re gone. #newrelease #newbook #kidsbook #theimpatientglacier #shaunmicallef #rebelchallenger #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Haunting true crime stories of the supernatural and paranormal. The most haunted home that world-famous ghost hunter Lorraine Warren ever stepped foot in was a three-bedroom brick home in suburban Sydney. Forget the horrors of Amityville and delve into Australia's most haunted places! Australian Ghost Stories is a spine-tingling collection of true crime tales that will leave you feeling haunted long after you've turned the last page. From the ghostly apparitions that haunt historic landmarks to diabolical presences in everyday suburban houses, these are stories of ordinary Australians and their encounters with the unexplainable. This thrilling blend of true crime and supernatural encounters will leave you questioning everything you know about this world ... and the next. #newrelease #newbook #australianghoststories #ghoststories #jamesphelps #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Longyearbyen, 2110: Far to the North, buried deep in the mountains, is a massive vault filled with seeds from every corner of the Earth. Tommy grows up in the brutal landscape of Spitzbergen alongside his two brothers, for whom he would do anything, and his grandmother, the seed keeper of the vault. Life just to the South of the North Pole is demanding, but their tiny community has found its shape. It has been many years since they cut off contact with other countries, and in their isolation, they live in harmony with nature. When Longyearbyen is hit by a disaster, Tommy, his brothers, and his grandmother are among the few survivors. Six lonely people in a deserted landscape, in possession of a treasure the world thought forever lost. At the same time, in a place far, far away, Tao subsists on the memories of her son Wei-Wen, whom she lost twelve years ago. Every day is the same; she is numb with sadness. And she is starving, like the rest of her people, trapped on a barren, impoverished land where countless species have disappeared. But everything changes the day Tao is asked to lead an expedition to the North. The destination is Spitzbergen and its legendary seeds. From acclaimed Norwegian author Maja Lunde, The Dream of a Tree is a chilling and gripping tale about our responsibility to this planet, both as a species and as individuals. Past, present and future are woven together, and the novel poses questions that our age is striving to answer: How did homo sapiens become the species that changed everything? Do we deserve to be masters of nature? And are we, too, an endangered species? #newrelease #newbook #thedreamofatree #majalunde #newfiction #translatedfiction #fiction #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

DUSK by Robbie Arnott has arrived in-store at Petrarch’s Bookshop and we cannot wait to share it with you.

Welcome to the hectic world of beauty and business in this highly relatable novel following a talented hair stylist turned entrepreneur juggling family dramas, workplace near-catastrophes and relationship crises. Things will calm down soon…right? Hair stylist Kit Cooper is at the top of her game. She does the shows in Milan and Paris, tends to pop stars and celebrities, and has styled enough campaigns and magazine covers to last a lifetime. But Kit is ambitious. Restless. She can't help asking: what's next? One day, frustrated she can't find the perfect product for a look, she wonders ... could she make it herself? THINGS WILL CALM DOWN SOON takes Kit from idea to founder of a highly successful hair-care company. Amid spreadsheets, influencers, product launches and a parade of potential investors, Kit is juggling an eager young team, needy family members, a charismatic but unreliable romantic partner, single parenting and far too many school WhatsApp messages. She is certain - positive - things will calm down soon, because how can life possibly keep going at this pace? #newrelease #newbook #petrarchs #bookshop #zoefosterblake #thingswillcalmdownsoon #aussieauthor #australianauthor #book #books #readmorebooks

THE HUNGER GAMES as you've never seen it before — in a remarkable illustrated edition. Even at the age of sixteen, Katniss Everdeen knows it takes hard work, keen observation, and inner fortitude to survive in the world. Her home, District 12, is under the merciless rule of the Capitol, continually forced to pay after losing a long-ago civil war in the nation of Panem. One of the ways the Capitol keeps control is its annual Hunger Games, a televised fight to the death featuring two young tributes from each of Panem's twelve districts. This gruesome battle is meant to send home a chilling message: Rebellion will always be punished. When Katniss finds herself within the Hunger Games arena, she knows the odds aren't in her favor. Any wrong move will end her life — and even the right moves come with a cost. But if she can survive, there is a chance the districts may survive as well... The Hunger Games has enthralled millions of readers in its examination of the price of war, human nature, and the powerful force of both love and resistance. Now it appears for the first time in a deluxe illustrated edition, with spellbinding art from internationally acclaimed artist Nico Delort. 📸 Waterstones #newrelease #newbook #thehungergames #thehungergamesillustrated #suzannecollins #nicodelort #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

In the fifth book in the sensational Before the Coffee Gets Cold series, the mysterious cafe where customers arrive hoping to travel in time welcomes four new guests: - The father who could not allow his daughter to get married - A woman who couldn't give Valentine's Day chocolates to her loved one - A boy who wants to show his smile to his divorced parents - A wife holding a child with no name... They must follow the cafe's strict rules, however, and come back to the present before their coffee goes cold. In another moving and heartwarming tale from Toshikazu Kawaguchi, our new visitors wish to go back into their past to move on their present, finding closure and comfort so they can embark on a beautiful future. #newrelease #newbook #newfiction #fiction #beforethecoffeegetscold #beforeweforgetkindness #toshikazukawaguchi #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #petrarchsbookshop #readmorebooks

From the podcast legends who brought you The Rest is History comes The Rest is History Returns! This time Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook bring you an alphabetical miscellany, taking on some of history's best and most bizarre moments. Charge forth against the traitors of the American Revolution, journey through Baghdad to discover the origins of the Arabian Nights and head to Sicily to witness the first face-off between Carthage and Rome. Along the way you'll find the answers to questions like: - Who was Jesus's wife? - What would it have been like to live-tweet through the eruption of Vesuvius? - Why did the Romans inspire so much American science fiction? - Which Mitford sister tried to seduce her girlish crush, Adolf Hitler? - Who are history's top 10 monkeys? - Was Henry V's great-grandfather, Edward III, the biggest 'lad' in British history? But that's not all – this book also includes puzzles and a pub quiz. So dust off your tricorne hat, grab your lasso and get ready for a rollicking rollercoaster through the past... #newrelease #newbook #nonfiction #newnonfiction #history #historybook #therestishiustory #therestishistoryreturns #tomholland #dominicsandbrook #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #petrarchsbookshop #readmorebooks

To mark GWR's 70th birthday, we're throwing a party, starting off with a feast of retro features in the opening chapter that look back over our last seven decades. Of course, we're also highlighting the very best of record breaking from the past 12 months! This new edition - fully revised and updated with 1,000-plus images - salutes our milestone while continuing the annual tradition of serving up thousands of awesome facts and feats for the whole family to enjoy. GWR are celebrating our landmark year by bestowing platinum grade ICON status on a select group of record breakers - including Taylor Swift and LeBron James - who epitomize what it means to be a Guinness World Records title holder. Poster-style Flashback features within each chapter explore the history of one key record category. We also speculate about the ultimate limits of record-breaking - for instance, will we ever see a sub-3-second Rubik's Cube solve? Look out for our Dear GWR... features throughout the book. We've delved into our archives to find some never-before-seen record applications that didn't quite make the cut. It's our affectionate tribute to human inventiveness - and the evergreen fascination with securing a hallowed GWR certificate! #newrelease #newbook #guinnessworldrecords #guinnessworldrecords2025 #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #petrarchsbookshop #readmorebooks

"This is an absolute delight in its delivery and its content. I loved it so much." - Book seller Kathryn There's a madman dog beside me, and the hounds of memory ahead of us. It's love and beasts and wild mistakes, and regret, but never to change things... What happens when the Zusaks open their family home to three big, wild, pound-hardened dogs - Reuben, a wolf at your door with a hacksaw; Archer, blond, beautiful, deadly; and the rancorously smiling Frosty, who walks like a rolling thunderstorm? The answer can only be chaos: there are street fights, park fights, public shamings, property trashing, bodily injuries, stomach pumping, purest comedy, shocking tragedy, and carnage that needs to be seen to be believed ... not to mention the odd police visit at some ungodly hour of the morning. There is a reckoning of shortcomings and failure, a strengthening of will, but most important of all, an explosion of love - and the joy and recognition of family. From one of the world's great storytellers comes a tender, motley and exquisitely written memoir about the human need for both connection and disorder; a love letter to the animals who bring hilarity and beauty - but also the visceral truth of the natural world - straight to our doors and into our lives, and change us forever. #newrelease #newbook #threewilddogsandthetruth #markuszusak #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

The heart-stopping new historical adventure from the bestselling author of The Sugar Palace. Botanical artist Jane Saville is devastated when her manipulative mother banishes her to the countryside to protect someone else’s honour. Isolated far from home, she is forced to live an impoverished, secretive life to save the family from public shame. Guy Attwood is heir to a fortune, but prefers his quiet passion for rare-apple hunting on behalf of Royal Kew Gardens to building the family’s business empire. He sets out to find a critically endangered apple species that he dreams of gifting and re-naming for his friend, the soon-to-be coronated George V. When the paths of these people from two very different worlds collide, Jane begins to hope for a different future, but their new friendship is shattered by jealousy, misunderstanding, duty and treachery. A young boy will inspire Jane to defy the powers working against her and prove she is no woman to be outcast. Set in the picturesque English countryside, in a forgotten orchard and beneath the ancient spire of Salisbury Cathedral, this is a heart-wrenching story about a woman who finds that in her darkest hour she can harness her greatest strength. #newrelease #newbook #newfiction #fiction #thefallenwoman #fionamcintosh #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks