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In August, Vision Australia Library Members enjoyed a variety of fiction and non-fiction books.

The month’s 10 most downloaded reads contains an array of genres, including mysteries, thrillers, travel, biographies and more!

Head to the Vision Australia Library to borrow one of August's top reads or fond out how to become a member today!

August’s top 10!

Long Road to Mercy by David Baldacci

Atlee Pine is an FBI Agent haunted by the abduction of her twin 30 years ago.

Stationed in South West Arizona and tasked with protecting the Grand Canyon, a case forces Atlee to confront a new threat… And an old nightmare.

Investigating a dead mule and its missing rider, Atlee is only just beginning to make sense of the crime when she is abruptly pulled off the case. To continue her investigation against orders would risk her career, but to let it go could pose a threat to US democracy.

The Silent Listener by Lyn Yeowart

In 1960, Joy Henderson lives in constant fear of her abusive father. Despite his treatment, Joy returns decades later to nurse him on his deathbed. Unexpectedly, her sister, Ruth, has also returned to their childhood home, and she’s urging revenge.

Then one day, after her father confesses to a terrible crime, Joy finds him dead – With a belt tied tight around his neck.

As Senior Constable Alex Shepherd investigates George Henderson’s murder, he’s plagued by memories of the Summer of 1960, and the unsolved disappearance of 9 year old Wendy Boscombe.

As facts about the Henderson family are unsurfaced, Shepherd suspects that Joy is pulling him into a web of lies, and that Wendy Boscombe’s disappearance holds the answers to all of his questions.

The Speed Chronicles by Joseph Mattson

Rarely has speed been written about. It’s impacted the work and the lives of countless authors, but it’s also intimidating in a way opioids, cocaine, and marijuana are not. The silence, though, has finally been broken.

The Speed Chronicles is an anthology of works by some of today’s most respected authors. Alongside the element of crime and bleary-eyed tweakers are stories of narratives of average people, of heart-wrenching sorrow and even some accounts of unbelievable joy.

Girl, 11 by Amy Suiter Clarke

Elle Castillo hosts a popular podcast that investigates cold cases of missing and abducted children. After four successful seasons of solving cases, Elle takes on her greatest challenge yet: The Countdown Killer.

20 years ago, TCK terrorised the Twin Cities by abducting and ritualistically murdering three girls over seven days, each a year younger than the last. After he took his 11 year old victim, however, the pattern – and the murders - abruptly stopped. Law enforcement and media concluded that TCK was dead. Elle disagreed.

As Elle follows up on a tip from one of her listeners, only to discover their dead body, Elle feels responsible. Her guilt is only compounded when soon after, another girl is abducted. It seems, instead of discovering the identity of the Countdown Killer, Elle has only incited new murders.

Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts

Shantaram is the story of a convicted bank robber and drug addict who escapes prison and flees to India. In Bombay, he set up a free health clinic in the slums, acted in Bollywood movies, and worked for the local mafia as a smuggler, forger, and counterfitter. The novel was inspired by the author’s own experiences, who was once one of Australia’s most wanted men.

Hello, Shadowlands By Patrick Winn

Investigative Journalist Patrick Winn spent two years exploring the road less travelled – the darker parts of South East Asia – where people are still governed by local tyrants, Western conglomerates, and old US foreign policy misdeeds. From Thailand to Vietnam, the clash between old-world codes and the demands of the 21st Century is abundant, as are these communities’ many and varied connections to the West. Amongst crime syndicates and rebel hideouts are the locals determined to survive and thrive, no matter what it takes.

Mad Travelers by Dave Seminara

In their pursuit to visit every corner of the globe, a  group of ambitious travellers are fooled by a young ,brilliant con artist. Instead of visiting some of the most dangerous and remote places in the world, they’re taken for a wild ride. As a group of country collectors experience the sharp reminder of the inherent risks in travel, their story considers the fundamental question: Why are some people driven by wanderlust, while others are content to stay home?  

Blind Man’s Bluff by James Tate Hill

James spent years pretending that he wasn’t blind. He displayed paperback novels he read as audio books, memorised travel routes, feigned eye contact with others. By 30, his elaborate ruse had gotten him a failing marriage, a stalled writing career, and a growing fear of the world beyond his apartment. With his life crumbling, he wondered if there was a better way.

Jacinda Ardern by Carl A Harte and Supriya Vani

This book explores the influences that have shaped Jacinda Ardern. Carl A Harte and Supriya Vani visit the places and meet the people who helped the daughter of a small-town policeman become a staunch social democrat, and a leader admired for her compassion and courage.  

 If I Am Missing or Dead by Janine Latus

In 2002, Amy Latus disappeared. Taped to the inside of her drawer was a note she left behind: “If I am gone or dead, question Ron.”

Ron was Amy’s boyfriend. He’s now in prison for her murder.

Since childhood, Amy and her sister, Janine, had experienced abuse. As adults, it resulted in a cycle of violent, toxic relationships. With Amy’s help, Janine escaped.

Amy did not.

Now, Janine is sharing Amy’s story so her sister’s death wasn’t in vain.

All these and more are available from the Vision Australia Library. Call 1300 654 656 or email [email protected] to find our how you can become a Vision Australia Library member today!