Book Club – this month’s reads
Friday, 15 May 2026 Books+Publishing @booksandpublishing
Looking for your next great group read? Our monthly Book Club rounds up new release titles 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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Childhood Brendan James Murray Picador ISBN: 9781761268304 RRP: $36.99 |
| Why book clubs will love it: “Childhood will start important, nuanced conversations around parenting and schooling, and have book club readers sharing stories from their own childhoods with a fresh sense of wonder and appreciation. This is a beautiful blend of memoir and narrative nonfiction, and Brendan connects with readers through his own experiences as a child, a high school teacher and a new parent. With topical themes of imagination versus technology, school refusal and bullying, and how we can help all children – and especially disadvantaged kids – grow into bigger lives, Childhood is a perfect pick for readers who want to be challenged and uplifted, and find renewed meaning and inspiration in everyday life.” – Belinda Huang, editor, Macmillan | |
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Every Wild Soul Katherine Johnson HarperCollins ISBN: 9781460768303 RRP: $34.99 |
| Why book clubs will love it: “We’re at a moment when ‘cli-fi’ and eco fiction are everywhere, but all too often, it can be grindingly bleak and pessimistic. Every Wild Soul is refreshingly different. It’s a lyrical and compelling tale of secrets, survival and the healing power of nature, an absorbing and evocative exploration of hope, resilience and rewilding. There is so much here for book clubs to discuss: inspiring examples of rewilding and how nature returns; the tension between care and control, preservation and protection; and how far should people go to protect nature and protect who they love – I think book groups will love it.” – Catherine Milne, head of fiction, HarperCollins | |
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A Land Rover Named Lucy Andrew Edwards with Brooke Strahan Big Sky Publishing ISBN: 9781923514607 RRP $34.99 |
| Why book clubs will love it: “A Land Rover Named Lucy is a compelling true story of adventure, resilience and the bonds that form when everything else falls apart. Blending humour with high-stakes travel across continents, Andrew Edwards takes readers on an unforgettable journey from Europe to West Africa in a failing vehicle that becomes a symbol of endurance and hope. Beyond the thrills of breakdowns, border crossings and near misses, the book explores deeper themes of friendship, vulnerability and the search for meaning. Rich with vivid encounters and heartfelt reflection, it invites book clubs to consider what drives people to push beyond their limits – and what they discover about themselves along the way.” – Mika Gonzales, social media and marketing assistant, Big Sky Publishing | |
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Margaret, Are You Leaving? Dianne Yarwood Hachette ISBN: 9780733648069 RRP: $34.99 Book club questions |
| Why book clubs will love it: “An uplifting, heartfelt and wise novel perfect for book club readers about family lost and found from the author of Australian bestseller The Wakes. Inspired by a true story, Margaret, Are You Leaving? follows a woman’s journey to trace her birth mother’s identity, a quest that brings fresh heartbreak but also unexpected joy. Book clubs will love this uncommonly witty and deeply empathetic novel that celebrates the messiness of family and the beauty of life in all its heartache and wonder.” – Rebecca Saunders, head of fiction, Hachette | |
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Peaking: One Hundred and Eleven Days on Two Wheels Saskia Beudel Monash University Publishing ISBN: 9781923192867 RRP: $32.99 Book club notes |
| Why book clubs will love it: “This book weaves together a personal training diary of doubt and physical endurance with a rich cultural history of women’s cycling, drawing connections between Beudel’s own journey and figures like Simone de Beauvoir. It explores themes of aging, physical agency and what it means to ‘peak’ – not just as an athlete, but as a person navigating the complex intersections of memory, gender and the natural world. These layered ideas offer plenty for book clubs to discuss, particularly around how we define achievement, identity and fulfilment at different stages of life.” – Sallie Butler, senior publicist, Monash University Publishing | |
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Phantom Days Angela O’Keefe UQP ISBN: 9780702271151 RRP: $29.99 |
| Why book clubs will love it: “Phantom Days by the ‘master of voice’ Angela O’Keeffe provides an incredibly unique reading experience. Told in part by a book, Phantom Days is a layered, quirky and unforgettable portrait of a complicated era in a young woman’s life. The book, as both a narrative voice and an artefact, asks its reader questions about how stories can know us, shape us and ultimately save us, making it a perfect selection for book clubs. This book is inhalable in one sitting, yet I haven’t stopped thinking about it since I read it.” – Siena Johnstone, marketing and graphic design officer, UQP |
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Postscript: Life, Love and Loss in Australian Letters Various NLA Publishing ISBN: 9781922507747 RRP: $26.99 |
| Why book clubs will love it: “Letters have a unique power as a form of communication – they bridge the distance of place and time, showing the recipient that someone is thinking about them, however tender or important that thought. Postscript brings together these thoughts in the words of Henry Lawson, Jane Austen, Senator Neville Bonner AO, Adela Pankhurst and Morris Gleitzman, and pairs them with contemporary Australians who have penned their own letters inspired by these historically and culturally significant originals. By turns moving, funny and challenging, this is a collection of letters that will engage and enlarge your sense of empathy – and may inspire members of book clubs to pick up the pen themselves.” – Lauren Smith, publisher, NLA Publishing | |
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Silvia Maya Caruso Echo ISBN: 9781786587596 RRP: $34.99 |
| Why book clubs will love it: “Funny, tender and sharply observed, set against a background of the first-generation Australian migrant experience, Silvia will appeal to readers of Lily Brett, Melina Marchetta, Marian Keyes and Mhairi McFarlane, making it a strong choice for book club discussion. Writing with wit and insight, Maya Caruso explores mother–daughter relationships, the courage of reinventing yourself later in life, and the chaos of love, guilt and cultural expectations.” – Diana Hill, publisher, Echo | |
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Sirens Martin McKenzie-Murray Black Inc. ISBN: 9781760642877 RRP: $34.99 |
| Why book clubs will love it: “Sirens contains 3 in-depth portraits of first responders and provides unique insights into extreme professions and the kinds of people who are drawn to them. Themes for book clubs could include the complexity of heroism in contemporary life and how trauma can both inform and inhibit these professions.” – Sophy Williams, publisher and international director, Black Inc. | |
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Yeah the Boys Holden Sheppard Pantera ISBN: 9781923390164 RRP: $32.99 |
| Why book clubs will love it: “Yeah the Boys is a raw, emotionally charged exploration of male friendship, identity and modern masculinity. Set against the backdrop of contemporary Australian life, it follows 3 former rural friends as they reconnect and confront how much they’ve changed – and how much they’ve stayed the same. Holden Sheppard writes with honesty and grit, creating characters who are flawed, vulnerable and deeply human. The novel sparks rich discussions about sexuality, loyalty, shame, and belonging, while also challenging stereotypes about what it means to be a ‘man’ today. It’s the kind of story that lingers long after the final page.” – Scarlett Kaplan, publicist, Hardie Grant | |
Category: Book Club Friday newsletter
