There’s something about September that seems like a fresh beginning. The days are growing longer, gardens are returning to colour, and the warmer weather offers plenty of opportunities to find a sunny spot for a few hours of reading. Right on cue, September is delivering an exciting line-up of new releases from both debut writers and some of our favourite Australian authors.
This month’s new releases offer something for readers of all ages and interests. There is sweeping historical fiction, gripping crime and eagerly awaited fantasy. Younger readers can look forward to new adventures, while there are new non-fiction options on personal and social subjects.
Whether you are ready to disappear into another world, unravel a mystery, share a new story with a young reader or discover a book that challenges the way you think, these new Australian releases offer plenty of reasons to refresh your reading list this spring.
Table of Contents
Fiction
The Extraordinary Florence Stoker
In 1978, Florence Blacombe marries rising theatre impresario Bram Stoker and quickly becomes a favourite of London’s literary and artistic circles. Beautiful, intelligent, and socially gifted, she appears to have an enviable life despite her mysterious, broken engagement to Oscar Wilde. Away from the glittering salons, however, Florence faces a troubled marriage, a closely guarded secret and frightening visions of a fanged creature.
Mixing historical fiction with gothic suspense, Karen Brooks reimagines the story of a remarkable woman who refused to be overshadowed by her husband or his most terrifying creation in The Extraordinary Florence Stoker.
Release date: 1 September 2026
The German Ward
France, 1915. An English nurse and a German doctor, held as a prisoner of war, begin a passionate relationship behind the lines of the First World War. Their love is urgent, forbidden and seemingly destined to disappear from history, except for a series of intimate drawings created by an Australian artist. More than a century later, a woman discovers the drawings and becomes intent on uncovering the lovers’ identities and learning what happened to them.
Pip Williams expands the world of The Dictionary of Lost Words and The Bookbinder of Jericho with The German Ward, a moving story of desire, hope, and human relationships set against one of the darkest periods in history.
Release date: 29 September 2026
Scion
In a period when the super-rich can live forever, contract killing has become legal and necessary. One genetically gifted assassin has built a career eliminating “lifers”, taking on each carefully planned assignment to keep his mountain of debt under control. His latest job, however, is very different. Instead of carrying out an assassination, he must protect a scientist from becoming someone else’s target.
Darkly funny and fast-paced, James Islington’s latest novel, Scion, is a gripping science-fiction thriller about immortality, inequality and a killer who suddenly finds himself in the crosshairs.
Release date: 1 September 2026
Tell Me Something True
After serving twelve years in prison, Arlo Hackett returns to Yulara, a former gold rush town where anger runs deep and forgiveness is in short supply. The last time he was home, his brother Luke was accused of a terrible crime, leaving Arlo condemned by association and haunted by those he could not save. His return stirs up old hatred, violence and painful memories, but every attempt to drive him away simply strengthens his determination to uncover what really happened.
Blending mystery, romance and a coming-of-age story, Tell Me Something True is an emotional Australian epic about guilt, loyalty and the devastating power of long-buried secrets from award-winning author Michael Robotham.
Release date: 28 September 2026
The Reckoning
When two convicted rapists walk free on appeal, the town of Deception Bay is divided. The men receive a hero’s welcome at an Australia Day cricket match, but before lunch is over, dozens of people fall mysteriously ill, including the newly released pair. As emergency services struggle to cope, Detective Antigone Pollard and her partner Wozza must determine whether it was an accident or an act of revenge. When Antigone’s mother disappears while responding to the crisis, the investigation becomes a race against time.
The third Antigone Pollard novel, Vikki Petraitis’ The Reckoning, is a gripping story of failed justice, institutional neglect and the consequences of taking matters into your own hands.
Release date: 1 September 2026
Blood and Amber
Blood and Amber is the fourth book in D.E. King’s In All Jest series, an epic fantasy series that is set across Dharatan, the Stepping Isles, and Enderk. Karpenmor is closer than ever to achieving his ambitions, but reclaiming an ancient city is only the beginning of his plans for Dharatan. As more powerful amulets emerge and the imprisoned goddess Yantrnaya grows stronger, dangerous forces start to close in. Packed with divine power, hidden notices and increasingly difficult choices, this epic fantasy explores just how much Karpenmore is prepared to sacrifice in the pursuit of victory.
Release date: 1 September 2026
Non-Fiction
Hell Days: Into the Inferno of Hormonal Mood Disorder
In 2018, acclaimed novelist Laura Elizabeth Woollett found herself planning her own death, only for her period to arrive and her emotional equilibrium to return. After years of dismissing these monthly changes, she was diagnosed with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Pregnancy later offered a reprieve, but left her wondering whether it would last. Combining personal experience with interviews, case studies, medical research and explorations of history and true crime, Hell Days brings together the voices of people living with PMDD and the professionals working to understand it.
Honest and deeply researched, it examines the precarious reality of a potentially life-threatening disorder and the difficult treatments available to those affected.
Release date: 1 September 2026
Children’s books
Otis Ottley and the School in the Sky
Otis Ottley is an ordinary boy living beneath the extraordinary Manor School for Magic, an island that hovers above his town. While plenty of children dream of learning spells there, Otis has a more personal reason for wanting to reach it: he needs magical help to remember something important. Determined to enter the school despite the odds, Otis is prepared to break more than a few rules along the way.
Funny, heartfelt, and filled with magic, Will Kostaki’s latest middle-grade adventure is an entertaining story about determination and the extraordinary found in everyday life.
Release date: 1 September 2026
Weirdest Ever (WeirDo 27)
Weir’s parents are joining him on a school skiing trip, but there is one small problem: the Do family has never been to the snow before. Rugged up and ready for adventure, they must find a way to survive the ski slopes, with plenty of mishaps and giggles along the way.
Weirdest Ever is the 27th book in Anh Do’s much-loved WeirdDo series and combines accessible storytelling, playful illustrations and relatable family and school experiences. The series has become a favourite with younger readers who enjoy fast-paced stories packed with humour.
Release date: 1 September 2026
Find More Aussie Authors You’ll Love
If you’ve enjoyed exploring these new releases, there’s plenty more to discover. Our site is home to a growing collection of Australian authors across every genre. Take a look around, find your next read, and support our incredible writers.