Shortlist

Over summer 2007-08 we encouraged you to take a break with a great Victorian book! Based on reader feedback about what makes a great summer read, we chose 20 recently published Victorian books to get your holiday reading started. The list included novels, short stories and non-fiction titles set in Victoria or by Victorian authors.

We invited you to read as many of the books as you could and, importantly, vote for your favourite book (and be in the running to win fantastic prizes). Many of our shortlisted authors were guest bloggers on our Summer Read blog, and you were invited to chat with them online and share your recommendations and reading experiences with other readers.

Our summer reading program has now ended, but you can still:

• Discover the top five favourite Summer Read books, as voted for by members of the public
• Select a title to read a synopsis of the book and a brief author biography - and perhaps add it to your list of 'must read' books.

Company A wonderful satire of corporate culture. If you like The Office this novel is for you.

Ron McCoy’s Sea of Diamonds Passion for the Australian coastline and mixed blessings of development.

The Lost Dog Mystery and romance moving between current-day Australia and mid-20th-century India.

Chain of Evidence The latest DI Challis Peninsula crime novel.

The Beginner’s Guide to Winning the Nobel Prize An inspiring account by Nobel prize winner Peter Doherty.

Broken Some things can never be fixed once they are broken.

Delinquent Angel Born secretly and adopted into a high-profile Victorian family.

Well Done, Those Men Experiences of life before, during and after the Vietnam War.

In My Skin Memoir of an educated, everyday girl arriving in the world of drugs and prostitution.

Diamond Dove Humorous narrative juxtaposed against a murder mystery in Central Australia’s Indigenous communities.

Dark Roots A collection of award-winning short stories.

Spiral Road Secrets unfold during a visit to a dying father in Bangladesh.

The Unexpected Elements of Love A story about balancing career and multi-generational family life.

Cricket Kings Set in the western suburbs, this story is about much more than cricket.

Landscape of Farewell Everything changes when a feisty young Australian Aboriginal academic attends a lecture in Germany.

Dodging the Bull Strongly written, socially aware short stories set in Australia and abroad.

Patriot Act A must-read for fans of the political thriller.

El Dorado A unique verse novel telling the story of a serial child-killer stalking the streets of Melbourne.

Unpolished Gem A warm family memoir of immigration and coming of age in multicultural Footscray.

Hoi Polloi A humorous autobiography about growing up in a New Zealand pub.