All three books in Sue Parritt's 'The Reluctant Doorkeeper Trilogy', a series of dystopian science fiction novels set in Australia, now in one volume! 28 Days: In futuristic Melbourne, Emma Cartwright has only 28 days to find work before being forced to accept any job assigned by the government. With the Employment Positions Portal down and her options dwindling, Emma turns to the underground group Citizens’ Voice for help. But when her son Jack is arrested, Emma must act quickly to save him before time runs out. Next Step: Trainee Doorkeeper Emma Cartwright returns to the Productive Citizen's Bureau to discover the real purpose of the PCB. With her son Jack's future uncertain and her new partner Cal under surveillance, Emma struggles to maintain her role as a diligent employee while expanding her double agent role. As she navigates personal and professional challenges, Emma must confront the harsh realities of a repressive society. Exposure: In the year 2101, Emma, a trainee doorkeeper, faces personal and professional challenges as she suspects her lover's sister-in-law is behind his arrest and her superior's increasingly brutal assignments. As Emma navigates her desire for political transformation while maintaining her facade, the question remains whether she can survive in Melbourne's threatening Productive Citizens Bureau.

Melbourne, February 2100. Emma Cartwright has 28 days left to find work, otherwise she must report to the Productive Citizens Bureau and accept any vacancy, regardless of location, pay or conditions. Her situation becomes even more grave when the Employment Positions Portal is disabled and the government refuses to extend her unemployment period. At 70, Emma could opt for voluntary euthanasia, but she has her student son Jack to support. After a chance meeting with the eccentric Cal Ritchie, founder of the clandestine group Citizens’ Voice and supporter of those fleeing repressive laws to live in bush camps, Emma is determined to escape her life of compliance. When her son Jack is suddenly arrested, Emma finds herself running out of time and options, and has to take drastic measures. But can she save her son?

Melbourne, March 2100. Against her better judgment, Trainee Doorkeeper Emma Cartwright returns to the Productive Citizen’s Bureau. Emma's son Jack is on bail, pending his trial on charges of organising an illegal demonstration. Her new man, Cal, is under surveillance, and Emma struggles to maintain her role as a diligent employee. Concerned for her son, Emma learns that the trial judge has a reputation for harsh sentencing. Summoned to the Chief Allocations Officer’s office, Emma fears her mission to discover the real purpose of the PCB has been compromised before it even began. Instead, she learns confidential information about her colleague Harie and is recruited for intelligence duties, enabling her to expand her double agent role. But does Emma have enough strength to deal with both her personal problems and the challenges at the Productive Citizen's Bureau? Find out in Next Step, the second novel in Sue Parritt's series of dystopian novels set in early 22nd century Australia.

As Melbourne celebrates New Year 2101, trainee doorkeeper, Emma, 71, lies sleepless and alone. Her lover Cal is trapped in a prison cell for illegal importation of foodstuffs, forcing a postponement of their planned partnership ceremony. Emma suspects that Cal’s sister-in-law Sonya is behind his arrest. An early promotion to fully-trained doorkeeper provides her with opportunities to dig deeper into the case, but sinister discoveries soon take precedence when Emma’s scheming superior, Colin Theobald, endorses one brutal assignment after another. Caught between her desire to work covertly for political transformation while maintaining the façade of a diligent doorkeeper and undertaking “unofficial duties” for Colin Theobald, how long can Emma last in the threatening atmosphere of Melbourne City Productive Citizens Bureau?

A collection of three dystopian sci-fi series starter novels by Sue Parritt, G.A. Franks & L.E. Fitzpatrick, now available in one volume! 28 Days: In futuristic Melbourne, Emma Cartwright is racing against the clock to find employment before being forced into one by the government. With the Employment Positions Portal disabled and her unemployment period expiring, Emma is desperate. A chance encounter with the enigmatic Cal Ritchie sparks a determination within Emma to break free from a life of conformity. But when her son Jack is unexpectedly arrested, Emma's choices dwindle, forcing her to take drastic measures. Will she be able to save her son in a race against time and oppressive laws? Maelstorm: A hundred years from now, everything you know will be gone. Young orphan Gideon Rayne yearns to join Kaoteck Industries as one of their Constables. After Gideon is granted an extraordinary suit of advanced armor, he is put on a collision course with forces darker than he never knew existed. G.A. Franks's 'Maelstorm' immerses you in the tumultuous world of 2120, as Gideon embarks on a thrilling journey through the chaotic New Britain. The Running Game: In the midst of a war-torn London, a dangerous game is set to unfold. Rachel, an ordinary doctor harboring a hidden power as a Reacher, finds herself hunted by both the government and criminal underworld. Charlie and John, renowned for their audacity, are drowning in sorrow until they stumble upon a job involving a fellow Reacher. James, a cunning conman, joins the fray seeking his own vendetta. Together, they navigate a treacherous path, but can Rachel defy the odds and save herself with the aid of her unpredictable allies?

Australia, 1992. The lives of long-time friends, Delia and Liz, are shattered by the tragic deaths of their partners on New Year's Eve. As Delia faces widowhood, Liz struggles with the isolation of being a lesbian in conservative Brisbane. With grief weighing on them heavily, both women must navigate personal loss and the negative intrusion of family. Clinging to one another, their friendship becomes a lifeline, as the two find themselves pushed to the brink. But will their bond be strong enough to survive the secrets, financial ruin and emotional storms of a year like no other? Sue Parritt's THE YEAR OF LIVING RAINBOW is a poignant drama about friendship, love and resilience in the face of an unforgiving world.

“A readable and up-to-date introduction to a most fascinating culture” from a world-renowned Sumerian scholar (American Journal of Archaeology). The Sumerians, the pragmatic and gifted people who preceded the Semites in the land first known as Sumer and later as Babylonia, created what was probably the first high civilization in the history of man, spanning the fifth to the second millenniums B.C. This book is an unparalleled compendium of what is known about them. Professor Kramer communicates his enthusiasm for his subject as he outlines the history of the Sumerian civilization and describes their cities, religion, literature, education, scientific achievements, social structure, and psychology. Finally, he considers the legacy of Sumer to the ancient and modern world. “An uncontested authority on the civilization of Sumer, Professor Kramer writes with grace and urbanity.” —Library Journal

This authoritative catalogue of the Corcoran Gallery of Art's renowned collection of pre-1945 American paintings will greatly enhance scholarly and public understanding of one of the finest and most important collections of historic American art in the world. Composed of more than 600 objects dating from 1740 to 1945.

Celebrated Ecuadorian author Gabriela Alemán's first work to appear in English: a noir, feminist eco-thriller in which venally corrupt politicians and greedy land speculators finally get their just comeuppance! "In the squalid settlement of Poso Wells, women have been regularly disappearing, but the authorities have shown little interest. When the leading presidential candidate comes to town, he and his entourage are electrocuted in a macabre accident witnessed by a throng of astonished spectators. The sole survivor—next in line for the presidency—inexplicably disappears from sight. Gustavo Varas, a principled journalist, picks up the trail, which leads him into a violent, lawless underworld. Bella Altamirano, a fearless local, is on her own crusade to pierce the settlement's code of silence, ignoring repeated death threats. It turns out that the disappearance of the candidate and those of the women are intimately connected, and not just to a local crime wave, but to a multinational magnate's plan to plunder the country's cloud forest preserve. Praise for Poso Wells: "The story is a condemnation not only of the corrupt businessmen and the criminal gangs that rule Poso Wells but also of the violence against women that plagues Latin America's real slums."—The New Yorker "One part Thomas Pynchon, one part Gabriel García Marquez, and one part Raymond Chandler, Alemán’s novel contains mystery, horror, humor, absurdity, and political commentary … A concoction of political thriller and absurdist literary mystery that never fails to entertain."—Kirkus Reviews "A wild, successful satire of Ecuadorian politics and supernatural encounters. … Alemán’s singular voice keeps the ride fresh and satisfying."—Publishers Weekly "Poso Wells is ironic, audacious, and fierce. But what is it, exactly? A satire? A scifi novel? A political detective yarn? Or the purest reality of contemporary Latin America. It's unclassifiable—as all great books are."—Samanta Schweblin, author of Fever Dream "Poso Wells is brilliant, audacious, doubtlessly playful and at the same time so dark and bitter. A truly unforgettable book."—Alejandro Zambra, author of Multiple Choice

The provocative Booker Prize winning novel from Nobel laureate, J.M. Coetzee "Compulsively readable... A novel that not only works its spell but makes it impossible for us to lay it aside once we've finished reading it." —The New Yorker At fifty-two, Professor David Lurie is divorced, filled with desire, but lacking in passion. When an affair with a student leaves him jobless, shunned by friends, and ridiculed by his ex-wife, he retreats to his daughter Lucy's smallholding. David's visit becomes an extended stay as he attempts to find meaning in his one remaining relationship. Instead, an incident of unimaginable terror and violence forces father and daughter to confront their strained relationship and the equallity complicated racial complexities of the new South Africa. 2024 marks the 25th Anniversary of the publication of Disgrace