Book Club – this month’s reads
Friday, 14 November 2025 Books+Publishing @booksandpublishing
Looking for your next great group read? Our monthly Book Club rounds up new release titles that are perfect for sparking conversation and perhaps even some debate. From compelling fiction to thought-provoking nonfiction, these are some of the books releasing this month that are worth stocking and recommending to readers.
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Ankami Debra Dank Echo ISBN 9781760687410 RRP $32.99 |
| Why book clubs will love it: “Ankami is a powerful and unflinching exploration of the author’s discovery that members of her family were part of the Stolen Generation. Book club readers will be invited to confront challenging and unpalatable truths about Australia’s recent past, as they listen to Gudanji/Wakaja and Kalkadoon woman Debra Dank speak of its effect on herself and her family – of the lost opportunity to grow up with aunts and uncles, of knowledge not being shared and learned, and of memories not made. Centred on loss, rather than hate, and based on a heartfelt desire that we begin the process of healing by speaking straight about our past, Ankami will provoke profound and important discussion.” – Diana Hill, publisher, Echo | |
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Chosen Family Madeleine Gray Summit Books ISBN 9781761635724 RRP $34.99 |
| Why book clubs will love it: “In the era of social media addiction and an epidemic of loneliness, novels about relationships – friendly, romantic and familial – are vital. But what if a connection is so deep and complex that it resembles all three types? A lost friendship can be as shattering as a romantic breakup, but we don’t often speak about that. Till Chosen Family, that is! Books about friendship are not often described as love stories, but this one is. (Plus, it’s hot as hell and just as funny as Green Dot.) Chosen Family is full of warmth and heart, and connects readers to the characters while keeping them guessing: why are Nell and Eve, former best friends and co-parents, now estranged? Ask anybody about complicated relationships and lost friendships and they will have a story to tell; it’s a universal experience. The novel’s 18-year timespan takes us from high school through university, into careers and motherhood – a truly epic and deeply satisfying read that perfectly encapsulates every stage of those eras. Maddy’s dissection of the ruthless hierarchy of high school is extraordinarily forensic and spookily accurate, but she also brilliantly examines parenthood – how parents relate to each other and to other parents (the horror of the school gate), as well as how they relate to their kids. There is something for every reader to connect to at every stage of life, and plenty of conversations to be had. It’s the perfect book club book.” – Jane Palfreyman, publishing director, S&S | |
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The Detective Matthew Reilly Macmillan ISBN 9781761260773 RRP $44.99 |
| Why book clubs will love it: “The Detective introduces Matthew Reilly’s new charming and unique hero in Sam Speedman, an autistic private detective with a heart of gold. The mystery at the heart of this book grapples with heavy thematic explorations of equality and discrimination, set in the vivid locale of the bayous of the US Deep South. Complete with jaw-dropping twists, this is a deeply satisfying book club read.” – Alex Lloyd, publisher, Macmillan | |
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Dirt Trap Michael Burge MidnightSun ISBN 9781922858689 RRP $34.99 |
| Why book clubs will love it: “Readers will flock to Dirt Trap for its tense exploration of what justice means in modern Australia. A page-turning rural crime novel, this is a journey through the emotional fallout that impacts a whole community when an overdue reckoning arrives. Transformative conversations will spring from Dirt Trap’s big-hearted and empathetic worldview.” – Anna Solding, publisher, MidnightSun | |
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The Funeral Crashers Joanna Nell Hachette ISBN 9780733652868 RRP $32.99 |
| Why book clubs will love it: “From the best-selling author of Mrs Winterbottom Takes a Gap Year, this delightfully heartwarming story of four or more funerals and at least one wedding is a celebration of life and a poignant reminder that you’re never too old for new friends or new love. Full of humour and joy, The Funeral Crashers is the perfect book club read, brimming with important discussion topics around healthy ageing and battling the loneliness epidemic among older Australians.” – Rebecca Saunders, head of fiction, Hachette | |
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The Long Night Christian White Affirm ISBN 9781923046795 RRP $32.95 |
| Why book clubs will love it: “Christian White has always been the Australian king of the twisty thriller, but this book takes his talents to new heights. Book clubs will love chewing over THAT ending!” – Cate Blake, publishing director, Affirm | |
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The Mushroom Tapes Helen Garner, Chloe Hooper & Sarah Krasnostein Text ISBN 9781923058750 RRP $36.99 |
| Why book clubs will love it: “We all know at least something about this trial. Rest assured, this is not a detailed forensic overview of dehydrators and stool consistency! The Mushroom Tapes is a conversation between three of Australia’s most curious and engaging nonfiction authors around some of the larger questions raised by the trial, including women and revenge, faith and community, constraint and isolation, justice and rage. Insightful and fascinating, this book is guaranteed to stir up excellent book club discussion.” – Emily Booth, strategic director, Text | |
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Pilbara Judy Nunn HarperCollins ISBN 9781460768471 RRP $34.99 |
| Why book clubs will love it: “Book clubs will love this drama-packed, thrilling novel about loyalty and survival from the number 1 bestselling author. Full of memorable characters and the stunning landscape of Australia’s remote northwest, readers are transported to a different time and a world where land is stolen and the law is often ignored, all in the name of profit and fortune. Can the Burton family survive in this toughest of places? Pilbara will spark many conversations around legacy, honour, ownership and identity.” – Roberta Ivers, publisher, HarperCollins | |
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The Right Hand Phoebe Saintilan-Stocks Penguin ISBN 9781761355745 RRP $36.99 |
| Why book clubs will love it: “Book clubs after a truly unputdownable nonfiction pick – this one’s for you! In this real-life The West Wing, Phoebe Saintilan-Stocks sits down with the second-most powerful people you’ve never heard of – the chiefs of staff to world leaders like Nelson Mandela, Jacinda Ardern, Kamala Harris, Tony Blair and Julia Gillard. Together, you’ll step inside the rooms where history happened, from fielding calls from Vladimir Putin the morning of 9/11 to being sent home from Balmoral by the Queen. Whether you want to dig into the politics or simply enjoy the extraordinary stories, The Right Hand will spark great conversations about loyalty, friendship and power.” – Georgia Boonen, publicist, PRH | |
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The Rot Evelyn Araluen UQP ISBN 9780702268960 RRP $24.99 |
| Why book clubs will love it: “The Rot is an extraordinary examination of girlhood that makes it a lifetime condition – the gender dynamics, the expectations, we can all remember girlhood – and a universal one in many ways. It’s also about living through this moment in history, as climate disaster looms and the political fabric fractures. I was transformed by reading this book, and it inspired me to learn more and do better. I also, strangely, felt more hopeful after reading this book – that so many of the scholars Araluen cites have thought so deeply about our current malaise, and that we have young First Nations authors like Araluen leading the way. And then there’s love: there is so much in this book about the importance of love as a force for good – love for Country, for connection and for her partner. The last line of the book is, ‘until love kills you you will love’. Hallelujah to that.” – Aviva Tuffield, publisher, UQP | |
Category: Book Club
