8 Standout Aussie Debuts of 2021

What a year for Australian debuts it has been! We have seen some incredible new voices in fiction deliver some cracking debut novels. From short fiction to crime and literary fiction, here are eight of our favourite Aussie debuts from 2021. If you haven’t read them yet, it’s a great place to start building your TBR pile for next year!

We Were Not Men by Campbell Mattinson

Heartbreaking, moving and incredibly powerful, We Were Not Men is a remarkable coming-of-age story, perfect for readers of Boy Swallows Universe and Bridge of Clay. Told in sparse vignettes, the novel follows twin brothers Jon and Eden as they endure tragedy, love, and heartache.

Buy a copy of We Were Not Men here.

Those Hamilton Sisters by Averil Kenny

Those Hamilton Sisters is a warm, irresistible story of love, family, secrets and finding your place in the world. The setting is captivating and the three sisters are brilliant protagonists. Take me to Far North Queensland, please!

Buy a copy of Those Hamilton Sisters here.

Happy Hour by Jacquie Byron

Elizabeth Strout meets Marian Keyes in Happy Hour, a wonderful, joyful, funny debut novel from Australian author Jacquie Byron. Franny is a bold and flawed protagonist who is struggling with the loss of her husband, Frank, and coping the only way she knows how – G&T’s and Netflix!

Buy a copy of Happy Hour here.

The Covered Wife by Lisa Emanuel

The Covered Wife is an unusual and gripping debut, that takes us from a seemingly perfect marriage deep into a closed Orthodox Jewish community and asks: ‘where would you draw the line?’ Set in Sydney and the Blue Mountains, this novel is filled with secrets that will leave you thinking about its characters long after you’ve finished the book.

Buy a copy of The Covered Wife here.

Catch Us the Foxes by Nicola West

In Nicola West’s intriguing psychological thriller, the twists come hard and fast, building to a shocking – and completely unexpected – finale. It’s a deliciously dark and twisted debut, perfect for fans of Twin Peaks and The Dry.

Buy a copy of Catch Us the Foxes here.

The River Mouth by Karen Herbert

The River Mouth is a gripping debut novel from Karen Herbert, exploring secrets between children and parents, and a murder that reopens the wounds of a remote Pilbara town. Rife with small-town intrigue, Herbert explores how this manifests itself in rumours, suspicion and heartbreak.

Buy a copy of The River Mouth here.

Permafrost by S.J. Norman

Permafrost is the evocative and enchanting short fiction debut by S.J. Norman, whose short stories are as dark as they are illuminating. The stories explore Norman’s intersecting identities as Indigenous, queer, and gender non-conforming.

Buy a copy of Permafrost here.

The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman by Julietta Henderson

Described as Little Miss Sunshine meets Wonder meets A Man Called Ove, The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman by Julietta Henderson is an inspiring, feel-good novel about a small boy with a big heart, a woman who would do anything for her son and a journey that will change their lives. This stunning debut will make you laugh and cry.

Buy a copy of The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman here.