Lightning Antipodean Bundle

As well as publishing home-grown fiction, the Lightning imprint brings stellar writing from Australia and New Zealand to UK readers. One of the books in this brilliant-value bundle won Australia’s biggest book prize; the other three were all listed for major prizes in Australia and New Zealand.

The Antipodeans, Greg McGee’s three-generation saga about Kiwi prisoners-of-war in Italy, spent a year in the New Zealand bestseller charts and was longlisted for that country’s main literary prize.

Like a Venetian Captain Corelli’s Mandolin.... you won’t want to put it down’ Simon Edge

‘Finding out how the past has shaped and informed the present gives this enthralling book the tautness of a thriller ... Remarkable’ New Zealand Listener

The Imaginary Lives of James Poneke by Tina Makereti is an unforgettable work of historical fiction about a young Māori orphan who agrees to become a living exhibit in Victorian London; it was also longlisted for New Zealand’s main literary prize.

‘A historical love letter to London, a coming-of-age story, a love story… do yourself a favour, read it’ Stella Duffy

An Isolated Incident is a crime novel with a difference by Emily Maguire, in which ‘whodunnit’ is the least interesting question; it was shortlisted for Australia’s equivalent of the Booker Prize as well as its main women’s and crime-writing prizes.

‘Superb writing and sense of place. Totally credible voices. Read her!’ Ann Cleeves

‘Hugely chilling and evocative’ Sydney Morning Herald

Their Brilliant Careers, by Scottish-born Ryan O’Neill, is a collection of spoof biographies of supposed Australian literary giants, fitting together to form an ingenious shadow plot; it won Australia’s most lucrative literary prize. 

‘It’s glorious. So funny and clever and entertaining’ Marian Keyes

‘Blackly hilarious and structurally audacious’ The Spectator 

Four paperback novels

RRP £35.96