From the bestselling author of Mallawindy and the Woody Creek series "Dettman ... is brilliant at depicting the seemingly inconsequential murmurs of small-town life" Sun-Herald For forty-four years Stella Templeton has been a dutiful daughter and a good citizen, living in Maidenville, population 2,800 where nothing happens. Until one hot summer afternoon. An ugly act has lifted the respectable skirts of Maidenville and mystery starts to surround the daughter of the local minister. Then the disappearance of a sixteen-year-old boy adds to the neighbourhood confusion. Does something rotten lurk behind the neatly trimmed hedges and white picket fences that divide this sleepy town? No-one comes close to knowing the dreadful truth-but after forty-four years of doing the right thing, Stella Templeton is starting to blossom... "Dettman writes compulsively readable stories" The Age Fans of Rosalie Ham's The Dressmaker will love Joy Dettman.

A stunning debut novel set in post-revolutionary Iran that gives voice to the men, women, and children who won a war only to find their livesNand those of their descendantsNimperiled by its aftermath.

A midsummer's morning. Rhonda Smith is on her way to work. She sees a jacaranda tree and sits under it. As she waits for her bus here, she thinks about her relationship with her husband Sam and former lover Chris. Thoughts simply stream into her mind. Her musings take her back to a convoluted journey of a life of struggles, aspirations, hopes and dreams.She is torn between the two worlds. The only way to resolve this is to deal with it. But to what end?

Ann Burton was born on a river bank the night her father tried to burn their house down. Six years later her sister Liza disappears while they are staying at their uncle's property. What Ann sees that day robs her of her memory and her speech. Ann escapes her anguished childhood, finding love and a new life away from Mallawindy. But there is no escape from the Burton family and its dark secrets. Ann must return to Mallawindy and confront the past if she is ever to be free.

“Wonderful stories and in-depth information you will normally never find in books about trees.” Piet Oudolf, Landscape Designer and creator of the planting design for New York’s High Line “Entwining fascinating facts about 100 trees with inspiring stories of their importance to ancient civilizations, trade, religious and pagan beliefs, wellbeing and medicinal uses over the ages, this delightful and well-researched book provokes curiosity on every page.” Dr. Alexandra Wagstaffe, Eden Project Learning The Story of Trees takes the reader on a visual journey from some of the earliest known tree species on our planet to the latest fruit cultivars. The chosen trees have all had a profound effect on the planet and humankind. Starting with the Ginkgo biloba, fossils of which date back 270 million years, we learn about how trees came to be integral to the development of our species, and how specific trees have become important religious, political, and cultural symbols. With beautiful illustrations by Thibaud Herem and fascinating botanical facts and figures, this book will appeal to tree lovers from all over the world. “Within these pages, we hope to inform and inspire those who already have a love of trees, as well as those who otherwise may have taken them for granted. The Story of Treesis our story, but also that of our ancestors. It is about our relationship with some of the world’s most important trees, both on a local scale and globally. With so many trees to choose from, we have endeavored to feature those that have been, and in most cases continue to be, of cultural and practical value to humankind.” -From the Introduction of The Story of Trees

The second sensational instalment in Joy Dettman's epic new Woody Creek series Pearl in a Cage ended in May 1939 when, just fifteen years old, Jenny Morrison fled Woody Creek for a new life in Melbourne. She left behind a dysfunctional family, a town of small-minded gossips and, most tragically, a newborn baby - the product of a vicious rape. Mustering all her strength, she resolved to put her past behind her, reclaim her identity and pursue her dream of becoming a famous singer... Yet just months later she is back - wiser and with an expensive new wardrobe - but with a second child growing in her belly. Cruelly labelled the "town slut", she finds refuge in Gertrude, her kind-hearted, dependable granny and Woody Creek's indomitable midwife, and settles into a routine in the ever-expanding household. Exactly how Vern Cooper - the one man Gertrude truly loves - fits into this family of misfits is something that Gertrude will have to grapple with. Jenny thrives and, daring once again to dream, leaves Woody Creek for a second time and moves to Sydney, where at last it seems that the beautiful young songstress may find happiness... But can the past ever truly be buried? And will Jenny Morrison ever fulfil her destiny? Spanning a momentous wartime decade and dramatising rural Australia's complex and mysterious heart, Thorn on the Rose confirms Joy Dettman's place as one of our most gifted - and underrated - storytellers.

From the bestselling author of Mallawindy and the Woody Creek series "an intriguing read that transcends genre and could be the genesis of a great Australian movie" Weekend Australian Early one Sunday, the town of Molliston wakes to the news that a young bride is dead. The year is 1929. The Great War with Germany has been fought and won, but at an immense cost to the small community. Death is too familiar here. So many sons were lost. So many daughters would never be wives; so many grandchildren would never be born. Racial hatred is like a bushfire in the belly of some. And the dead girl is found only yards from the property of old Joe Reichenberg, a German. Tom Thompson, the local cop, lost his two sons in Gallipoli. He believes he has come to terms with his bereavement - until that Sunday. Slowly, the true face of Molliston is exposed. By midnight, a full moon is offering its light - and a glimmer of hope. "Dettman writes compulsively readable stories" The Age Fans of Rosalie Ham's The Dressmaker will love Joy Dettman.

Jacaranda is a genus of forty-nine flowering plants which were once native to the Americas but now has a cosmopolitan distribution. Its literal meaning is "aroma" or "fragrance". Besides being one of the favourite flowers of the person the author dedicated this book to, the author wants to illustrate why he chose this name for this work of poetry. In his own words, "There are an additional two reasons behind the nomenclature. Jacaranda's perfume, you see, their aroma is not too heavy, with just a slight tinge of sweetness. That's what Nature is often in its true self. It's fallen leaves narrate an earthly honey smell, it's the little jest that Earth plays on you, which makes you smile and look forward for the coming days". Asked for the second reason, the author quipped "I want to look forward for the coming months, my 50th book, one more that the current bouquet Jacaranda has to offer", as he smiled. This work of poetry is differentiated into three sections, namely redrawn, reunion, and reading the diary. The poems blend the influences of the old masters from the Victorian era, the era of English-Language modernism and also certain musical forms of vocal deliveries which are often over a backing beat. Redrawn consists of poems on a diverse variety of themes, which were written in a wide span of time. reunion encompasses the poetic interpretation of the author when he had a reunion with his friends from school, to them he dedicated those poems. Finally, reading the diary is the poetic reincarnation of the author's diary from the year 2007, which he covers meticulously for a month. Along with the pertinent date for each poem, every day's entry in the diary also get an unique name of their own. Hope you enjoy the read!

Five friends are feeling bored on a hot sticky day. Just when they think theyll never find anything fun to place, a simple gust of wind changes everything Jacaranda Magic is a unique rhyming picture book that celebrates imaginative play and highlights the value of boredom and nature in inspiring creativity.