MONKEY BUSINESS
Kathryn Ledson
Penguin,A $29.99


M Mag
Bookshop by Thuy On
Cover: Monkey Business by Kathryn Ledson, Penguin
Pub date: Jan 12, 2014Aside from Phryne Fisher and Stephanie Plum, there's a dearth of female undercover agents and bounty hunters, even hapless accidental ones, so it's refreshing to find one in the form of Erica Jewell, who works for a secret agency that tries to combat terrorism in Australia. The second in the series, Monkey Business features Erica determined to find out what happened to her part-time lover (and a fellow team member of the clandestine organisation), who is missing in action in the war-ravaged jungle island of Saint Sebastian. A variation of chick lit, this is crime fiction lite, seasoned with a generous dollop of romance.

UNSUNG SPORTING HEROES
Edited by Craig Norenbergs
ABC Books, A$29.99




<p></p>It's all too easy to obsess over those who've won gold, kicked the winning goals or performed various feats of athleticism, but this book celebrates those who are hidden behind the limelight, who nonetheless deserve as many accolades as the decorated few. It's a good reminder that behind every elite player is a team of unsung heroes who've made it all possible.



CALL ME SASHA
Geena Leigh
Allen&Unwin, A$29.99

The circumstances of Geena Leigh's early life were dire: broken family unit, sexually and emotionally abusive father and homelessness at 15. It comes as little surprise then, that she is lured into the sex industry as a form of validation. The book explores her experiences as a stripper and prostitute for numerous venues and her inevitable turn to drugs and alcohol as coping mechanisms. It's all very candid and you won't find any happy hookers here. But there's a happy ending; Leigh does eventually overcome her addictions and manages to leave the oldest profession behind her.