Japanese life is steeped in traditions, here four interconnected characters tell of how a different life can be lived in ‘The Shut Ins’ by Katherine Brabon.

An Australian doctor learns of the secrets, friendships and loves of a wealth of characters living around her square. ‘The Night Letter’ by Denise Leith –set in Afghanistan. Along with lions and tigers, will he find what his is looking for in Emily Bitto’s novel ‘Wild Abandon’. A young man runs from Melbourne into the excess of capitalism in New York and contrast of rural Ohio. Emily Spurr has written about isolation Splinter the dog and love in ‘A Million Things’. 10 year old Rae and next door neighbour Lettie have secrets and houses but not homes. Alison Gibbs, ‘Repentance’ is a town in northern NSW set in 1970’s, the divided community is deciding whether it will be known for logging or rainforest tourism. Hannah Kent’s ‘Devotion’ in part tells how devout Lutherans emigrated to South Australia but more so about two young woman who find friendship and committed love that follows them beyond the grave. Melissa Manning has created resilient characters who live in small communities of southern Tasmania in the linked stories of ‘Smokehouse”. In these days of social media, significant hurt can come if your sex life or hoarding habit becomes public knowledge as it does in ‘Love Objects’ by Emily Maguire. ‘The Silent Listener’ by Lyn Yeowart is so much more than just a crime novel. Can one person be a model citizen as well as a feared monster? After 20 years a small rural community hasn’t solved the disappearance of a young girl. ‘Published or Not’ podcasts available at /Publishedornotįamily stories set in other times and other places Jan Goldsmith and David McLean chat with authors each Thursday at 11.30am. ‘Published or Not’ live to air and streaming Thursday at 11.30am

Something Blue by Fiona Starr