Books Tagged With author - australian

Word Count: Click here to reveal144000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Information not available

Summary: Halloran pulled the sheet down to the man’s waist. What I saw made me take a deep breath: the man’s throat was cut so deeply his head looked like it had almost been severed. “If you tell me this man was found in the public toilet behind the grandstand of Coogee Oval opposite where I live, I might just need a chair,” I said.   Clyde Smith’s quiet, happy life, in love for the first time, working as a private detective and journalist, is suddenly thrown into disarray by the appearance, after a three year hiatus, of a body bearing the distinctive hallmarks of a string of murders he hadn’t been able to solve when working in homicide. Forced to cooperate with the new detective sergeant who’d taken his place in the local cop shop, Clyde has to not only deal with the enormous chip on the young man’s shoulder, but also with a complex case that involves kidnapping, the re-emergence of the Silent Cop Killer, the historical abuse of young men and boys in orphanages across the State, and a ghost from the past who is out for revenge. Will Clyde and the new DS be able to find the killer before he finds them? Or will they be his final prize, the last victims in his string of grisly murders? Perhaps only the local psychic, owner of a Romany religious statue, the Gilded Madonna, can provide the clue that might ultimately solve the puzzle, but which will also lead Clyde and DS Dioli into mortal danger.

Word Count: Click here to reveal16059 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealLesbian (Click here to hide)

Summary: A seer claimed Lirya would never know the touch of a man. She never expected to find true love. The goddess Lirya expected a life of solitude when she moved to the wilderness, settling in a cavern beneath the great Kulanji mountain. Content with her life there, Lirya didn't pay much attention to what she might be missing, until Naji entered her life. A being born of magic, the crane shifter barely escaped the hunters alive. When Lirya finds her hiding out in the cavern, the goddess is surprised, and offers to treat Naji's wound. It's the beginning of a beautiful friendship that might lead to more, as Lirya realises that love can take many forms. The Goddess and the Crane is a romantic lesbian and interracial paranormal romance novella of around 16,000 words, and the first book in the Sapphic Legends series. Please note: This story appeared in Beating Hearts: A LGBTQIA+ Paranormal Romance & Urban Fantasy Anthology.  

Word Count: Click here to reveal138000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: “I swear to God it was Willoughby. My brother stood not two feet away from me, called me Lina to my face, and pulled Harley into his arms, saying he was sorry, sobbing, and calling him his boy.”   An apparition in Sydney’s fruit and vegetable market leaves the mother of one of Clyde’s best friends believing that her brother, hanged for murder twenty-four years beforehand, has somehow risen from the grave and confronted her. She is adamant that the visitation was real and visits Clyde asking him to investigate the mass murder her brother was supposed to have committed. She believes he was either set up or was covering for someone else’s crime. Could this vision have been a folie à deux, a delusional vision shared by both mother or son? As Clyde investigates, clues lead him to one of Australia’s most famous silent screen actors, a man who, together with his murdered father, becomes intrinsically linked to the mass murder, known as The Killing at Candal Creek. Wheels within wheels, lies, extortion, and coverups lead Clyde to a bloody confrontation on a deserted beach in the tropics. This time, it’s not only his own life at risk but also that of one of his most valued and closest friends.

Word Count: Click here to reveal115000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Warrambool In Gamilaraay, the language of the Kamilaroi peoples of north-western New South Wales, it's the word for The Milky Way. It's also the name of Peter Dixon's homestead and sheep station, situated in the lee of the Liverpool Ranges. In 1947, Peter returns from war, his parents and younger brother dead, the property de-stocked and his older brother, Ron, having emptied out the family bank account and nowhere to be found. The House With a Thousand Stairs is the story of a young man, scarred both on the inside and the outside, trying to re-establish what once was a prosperous and thriving sheep station with the help of his neighbours and his childhood friend, Frank Hunter, the local Indigenous policeman. Enveloped by the world of Indigenous spirituality, the Kamilaroi system of animal guides and totems, Peter and Frank discover the true nature of their predestined friendship, one defined by the stars, the ancestral spirits, and Baiame, the Creator God and Sky Father of The Dreaming. Maliyan bandaarr, maliyan biliirr.

Word Count: Click here to reveal52000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: What happens when a man with his heart in the clouds falls for one whose feet are firmly stuck to the ground? Pilot Nick Galanos is on a mission to visit the fifty countries his mother couldn’t before she died. But the closer he gets to his goal, the more he worries that he won’t have anything to show for it but stamps in a crowded passport. On a rare visit back home, he meets a hot electrician with a killer set of dimples. Suddenly a future of shared adventures seems possible. Except for one thing… Lyall Turner’s big brother died in a plane crash. He’s been afraid of flying most of his life, but there’s no shortage of destinations in Australia that don’t require a boarding pass. But then he meets Nick and suddenly his ‘no biggie’ phobia stands squarely in the way of a beautiful future together. Now he has to decide whether he’s going to let his fear or his heart take the lead. And will Nick stay grounded while he decides?

Word Count: Information not available

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Stanley is almost fifty. He hates his job, has an overbearing mother, and is in a failed relationship. Then he meets Asher, the man of his dreams, literally in his dreams. Asher is young, captivating, and confident about his future – everything Stanley is not. So, Asher gives Stan a gift. The chance to be an extra five years younger each time they meet. Some of their adventures are whimsical. A few are challenging. Others are totally surreal. All are designed to bring Stan closer to the moment his joyful childhood turned to tears. But when they fall in love, Stan knows he can’t live in Asher’s dreamworld. Yet Stan is haunted by Asher’s invitation to “Slip into eternal sleep.” *FIRST PLACE in the LGBTQIA+ category of the Reviewer's Choice Award at the Paranormal Romance Guild *WINNER in the Fantasy category at the 2001 Gay Scribe Awards *HONOURABLE MENTION at the Rainbow Awards in the Fantasy category

Word Count: Click here to reveal85,000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealBisexual, Gay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Reylan’s last assignment for The Arcadia Trust brought a rebellious human servant under his roof, and a volatile werewolf lover named Jorgas into his bed, leaving the self-reliant Blood Shade—known to the outside world as vampires—in no hurry to risk his immortality for them again. But when a new terror starts disappearing humans from a bad part of town, Reylan must do everything in his power to keep Sydney’s supernatural factions from the brink of war. Having an ambitious, meddlesome human in the mix is only going to make things worse…especially when that human is Jorgas’s father. Reylan will need all his determination and cunning to keep the peace under his roof, between the night’s power brokers, and in his lover’s troubled heart.

Word Count: Click here to reveal135000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: “Please donate generously to Mrs. Roosevelt’s charity. Every penny raised from this series of concerts along the eastern coast of the United States will help with the resettlement and care of child refugees from war-torn continental Europe.” Over dinner with J Edgar Hoover in Washington, Tommy Haupner is shocked to learn that his forgotten and empty Swiss bank account has been topped up regularly with staggering sums of money … deposits that originate in Nazi Germany. Could this bank account have something to do with anonymous letters posted to him at home in London, their contents a single blank slip of paper on which are written two words: NAZI GOLD? When he returns to Britain, he soon discovers that not only is his own life in danger but also those of his nearest and dearest who become pawns in a savage game of revenge.

Word Count: Click here to reveal21000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: The Australian bush. A Christmas with friends. A chance to mend a broken heart. Steve Hayes is spending Christmas break away with a group of friends. He's determined to put his two-timing ex-boyfriend in the past and enjoy his week away. Steve is equally terrified and happily surprised to find that Corey Oh, the guy he’s been admiring from afar, has been invited along too. But Steve knows there's no way someone as wonderful as Corey, who could have any man he wanted, would be interested in him. Can a misadventure with a Christmas pudding help Steve's dreams come true? Note: This is a re-release. The original story has been re-edited and expanded by the addition of a 5k word epilogue.

Word Count: Click here to reveal85000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Three Historical Gay Romances about men willing to defy societal barriers and duty for their second chance. His Captain: A wounded hero... A mysterious healer... A secret enemy hell-bent on their destruction... An Award-Winning Gay Regency Romance: Florian's Garden: Two young gay men find romance in a Regency garden. What's not to Love?!?! Florian's Yuletide Wish: Florian hides his true desires behind a mask of propriety - except with Everett. Their secret love is the center of his world. But the little world he’s built is about to turn upside-down. Stephanie Lake & Jules Radcliffe invite you into a world filled with captivating characters, unexpected perils, and irresistible settings. If you are a fan of lush historical tales, then the Regency Lord’s boxed set is your perfect companion. Buy now and get ready to dive into a series of unforgettable adventures.

Word Count: Click here to reveal140000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Two years after finishing his tour of duty in the Occupational Forces in Japan, Damson O'Reilly arrives in Siena, Italy. Sight-unseen at a local auction, he buys an abandoned Tuscan farmhouse in which he aims to write, paint, and start a new life. The house, passed over at auction, becomes an impulse buy when it's put up for a final time. He's prepared for a semi-ruin, happy to turn his hand to renovating the house - however, what he's totally unprepared for are three dead bodies, one of which he stumbles over when he arrives at La Mensola, the name of his isolated farmhouse on the road between Siena and Montepulciano. Against the backdrop of a series of grisly murders, The Road to Montepulciano is the story of a young man, still suffering the scars of war, who, despite betrayal of trust and surrounded by a complex web of lies, finds friendship, love and the warmth of community.

Word Count: Click here to reveal128000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: As bombs rain down over London during the Blitz, Major Tommy Haupner negotiates the rubble-filled streets of Bloomsbury on his way to perform at a socialite party. The explosive event of the evening is not his virtuosic violin playing, but the 'almost-blond' American who not only insults him, but then steals his heart. The Seventh of December follows a few months in the lives of two Intelligence agents in the early part of World War Two. Set against the backdrop of war-torn occupied Europe, Tommy and his American lover, Henry Reiter, forge a committed relationship that is intertwined with intrigues that threaten the integrity of the British Royal Family and the stability of a Nation at war. Neither bombs nor bullets manage to break the bond that these men form in their struggle against Nazism and the powers of evil.

Word Count: Click here to reveal48,000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: A reluctant alpha. A deadly disease. An undeniable bond that could unite—or destroy—the packs. When a fatal shifter disorder threatens the East Territory pack, reluctant Alpha Zander Kingston defies his father to seek help from Marrok Blain, a shifter from a rival pack. But what begins as a desperate alliance turns into something far more dangerous when Zander and Marrok discover they’re fated mates. With inter-pack tensions rising and their bond risking everything, they must work together to stop the disease—or lose not only their packs but each other. Enemies by nature. Fated by destiny. Their love must survive the ultimate test.

Word Count: Click here to reveal65000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealAce, Lesbian, Polyamorous (Click here to hide)

Summary: Rose is a modern-day succubus, kidnapped by vampires while trying to track down her missing mother, Ella. That life-changing experience sets her on a path to trouble, danger, heroics and helping others, while the Succubus Moon approaches. Paranormal beings come into full power at certain pre-destined times, but the fabled Succubus Moon is said to have wrought madness, destruction and chaos on an unprecedented scale. Rose hasn’t seen one in her lifetime, but she’s about to – and she’s afraid of losing control of herself. The last thing she wants is to harm those she loves, especially Lisa. Rose's girlfriend Lisa is a kitchen witch and trainee chef. She leads a sedate life, except where it relates to her coven and Rose, of course. Her asexuality wouldn’t seem to complement Rose’s succubus nature, but they’ve found love, and a deep and lasting happiness together. The problem is dark forces are gathering, with threats to themselves, Lisa’s coven and the people of Bellasford. They must fight to keep their happy life intact, protect each other and save who they can because trouble is coming. Reader Note: This collection contains three novella-length F/F fantasy romance books (around 65,000 words total): Darkling Rose, Seeking Witches and Rising Moon. It features sapphic love (the steamy and sweet kind) and adult language. It also has the potential triggers of kidnapping and violence. This collection features two women who will fight for their friends, each other and to make the world a better place.

Word Count: Click here to reveal40000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Fated mates. Forced proximity. A love worth risking everything for. Grady Summerville has accepted his fate—until Max Steele’s blood offers him a second chance at life. As Grady’s strength returns, so does his heart’s vulnerability, and he finds himself falling for the reluctant wolf who saved him. Forced to leave his pack, Max never expected to develop feelings for Grady. But as tensions between their packs rise, Max must choose: loyalty to his Alpha or the mate who’s stolen his heart. Love demands sacrifice—but will their bond be worth the cost?

Word Count: Information not available

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Grady Summerville is facing a slow and agonizing death, but has come to terms with his disease and doesn’t fear dying. However, fate has other ideas, presenting him with a future thanks to Max Steele. Grady owes his very life to Max, and as his health improves, finds himself falling head over heels with his savior. Max Steele has been forced to leave his pack and everyone he knows to move to the West Territory to be a blood donor for Grady. He knows it’s the right thing to do, but it doesn’t mean he has to like it. As tensions escalate between the two packs, Max finds his loyalty tested and is torn between following his alpha, or following his heart. If Max doesn’t make the sacrifice then it will be Grady making the ultimate sacrifice and paying with his life. #MMParanormal #Shifters

Word Count: Click here to reveal126000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: 'Your ridiculous Art. It’s as twisty as you are, and that’s saying something.' Kit Whitely has been exploited his entire life for his unique magical specialty, opening doors and locks. He's finally safe…until bounty hunter Alexander Locke arrests him for the use of illicit Art. But Alex is a man of divided loyalties and he intends to use Kit for illicit purposes of his own. How much trouble could one pissant little thief give him, anyway?

Word Count: Information not available

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: He can hold lightning in his hand, but will love slip through his fingers? Jude Sullivan has one more chance to prove he isn’t a danger to the paranormal community. If he fails, he’ll be stripped of his magic, a painful process to make a witch human. As a test, the Coven sends him to Mercy South, Colorado, to stop a creature that’s been mutilating cows and scaring the locals. Jude hates cows and small towns. The Coven should’ve sent a nature witch. Rob Mackenzie is the local mechanic and bear shifter. If the locals knew his secret, they’d run him out of town. He wants someone to really know him and not be afraid. With several chewed-up cows and some other weird happenings, he’s wondering if he’s no longer the strangest creature in Mercy. After meeting Mack, Jude thinks he’s found the cause of the trouble. But the trouble is only just getting started when Mack realizes he’s Jude’s fated mate. As the cow-mutilating creature starts hunting in town, Mack and Jude will have to quit fighting their attraction and each other, to stop the creature from killing again. For readers who love fated mates, bear shifters and small town gay romance.

Word Count: Click here to reveal62000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: Following rules is for pussy cats. And since I’m a wolf, not a chance in hell I’ll toe the line. Well, not when my boss is a prick and he gives me bullshit assignments. When I stumble upon an undercover operation, one that becomes deeply personal and impossible to walk away from, I do something that leaves my head spinning. I follow the rules. Joining an elite squad in the SICB, I work with a unit that has me questioning everything I thought I knew about working in a team. They’re tight-knit, work under the radar, and kick arse on a daily basis. There’s just one problem. The team leader, my new boss, needs my help, which also means he becomes my housemate. Mesmerizing, confident, and with the greenest eyes that make my head spin, Liam “Thatch” Thatcher is a newly changed wolf shifter who immediately draws my respect. It’s a dangerous combination. Bonded by memories and blood, together we have to navigate the blood farm operation that has wider reaches than we could ever imagine. And when it comes to matters of the heart, to win, I need to risk it all. Even if it goes against every one of my instincts. Thicker Than Water is the first book in a gay urban fantasy romance series. Between the pages, you’ll find high-octane action, snarky vampires and shifters, and steamy scenes to make you swoon.

Word Count: Click here to reveal60000 (Click here to hide)

Character Identities: Click here to revealGay (Click here to hide)

Summary: When a young teacher connects with the principal of his school, work and ex issues, the possibility of happiness, and a chocolate Labrador called Penny means they have a lot to think over. Newly appointed teacher, Jasper Taylor, can't believe his luck. After a year, he's found a job with the possibility of a permanent contract, which finally allows him to put his teaching degree to good use. After meeting the silver-haired principal of the school, Jasper discovers his new position offers an additional temptation. He knows he should retreat, but who said avoiding attraction was easy, especially when the man he's crushing on seems too good to be true? Well-respected and focused on his career, Austin Harrison is at the top of his game. He's turned a struggling school around, has finally put up boundaries with his demanding ex, and may just have secured full custody of his chocolate Lab, Penny. The appointment of the new English teacher, Jasper, threatens to unsettle the stability he's been working towards. Austin's attraction is immediate, heady, and oh so complicated. But does complicated mean he has to walk away? Join Jasper and Austin in Becca Seymour’s low-angst, feel-good LGBTQ series, True-Blue Book 4. In the small town of Kirkby, there are busybodies, dogs who cause chaos, families who have the “best” of timing, and where good men have the opportunity to find their perfect match.