Gillian Flynn was tired of murder mysteries that portrayed women as little more than hapless victims killed by their husbands. Her feelings inspired her to write Gone Girl, a thriller about a missing woman that quickly became one of the most popular novels of 2012.
Marian Keyes has long since been once of my favourite chick-lit authors. In this novel, she takes a different path by focusing on the very serious disease of depression while mixing in a bit of a humorous thriller – the first and last time you’ll hear me use that line.
In a bucolic English summer at the end of the 1960s, a young girl witnesses a shocking crime. Fifty years later, she sets out to find out the truth, uncovering layers of mystery and deception. Moving from London during the Blitz to the present day, this is classic Kate Morton: a compulsively-readable, entrancing mystery with a long held secret to be uncovered at its heart.
Step into Limehouse Wharf, the new, uber-luxury apartment building in Canary Wharf where celebrities who have had ‘work’ done can hole up until they have healed and which is about to see its most glamorous and scandalous Christmas yet…
Makeup queen and L’Oreal makeup artist Rae Morris has released her latest book titled Quick Looks: Beautiful Makeup In Minutes. In Quick Looks, Rae reveals all the tricks and trade secrets she’s learnt over her highly successful career, all teamed with stunning photography by Steven Chee.
Following the 2007 release of the final Harry Potter book comes the first ‘grown-up’ novel from the storyteller like no other, author J.K Rowling. The Casual Vacancy puts a spell on readers with its vividness, memorable characters and truly emotional payoff.
If the name Grace Coddington is familiar, you’ve probably seen documentary film The September Issue about Vogue magazine’s Editor in Chief Anna Wintour. Now the passionate, flame-haired doyenne of fashion is starring in her own vehicle, an engaging memoir titled Grace, co-written with Michael Roberts.
Be careful what you wish for… All that glitters isn’t necessarily gold! Set against the backdrop of Los Angeles’ show business culture, with an insider’s ear, Jennifer Weiner’s new novel
‘Dear Sir/Ma’am, Please find enclosed this Amber Amulet. That must sound unusual to a citizen, but you will have to trust me on this count because the science is too detailed for me to outline here. All you need to know is that the Amber Amulet will eliminate your unhappiness by counteracting it with Positive Energy. This should see you straight. Fear not, you’re in safe hands now. Take care. The Masked Avenger.‘
“What if the fairy-tale prince wanted to live happily ever after… with you?” You should already know that I’m a huge, big, gigantic fan of Jodi Picoult. I would do anything for her, include read a story that she ‘co-wrote’ with her daughter Samantha Van Leer: Between the Lines.
“Everything is finished… I have nothing but you. Remember that.” Our resident book reviewer has finally found the motivation to finish the classic novel, Anna Karenina – all to review for Refinery – and because the movie version is being released in January next year, starring Keira Knightly and Jude Law.
![[0109] Bella and Zoe](http://refinerymagazine.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/ZoeHeader-320x191.jpg "[0109] Bella and Zoe")
“She fanned her face and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around her body before walking quietly back into her hot, sweaty room. The dark floorboards creaked noisily under her feet and her breath seemed louder than usual, everything seemed exaggerated, partly because of the hangover and partly because there was a handsome stranger in her bed who she had the task of kicking out.”
Amazing Face may not be Zoe Foster’s latest book but if you haven’t invested in this beauty book, you need to – immediately! Amazing Face: clever beauty tricks, should-own products and spectacularly useful how-to-do-its is the kind of book you need to read with pen and paper on hand and trust me when I say, you won’t be able to put it down.
Street style wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for Scott Schuman, better known as the man behind photo blog, The Sartorialist. Scott is synonymous with street style and his latest tome, Closer, is a published work of beautiful images of the men and women who have caught his attention.
‘More cut-throat than The Apprentice, more glamourous than The Devil Wears Prada, more sizzling than Fifty Shades of Grey, discover how far you’d go to climb the greasy pole to the top…’
“Upon moving from New York to Los Angeles in 2004, I thought I confidently had LA-style figured out as being one of two things: tight and short or beachy and casual. And while some of my expectations were met, the variations on style that started to emerge and become wholly apparent to me were striking and actually a bit awe-inspiring.”