Libraries and City Museum will be closed ANZAC, Saturday 25 April 2026 and will re-open Tuesday 28 April 2026.

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Family Lies

Summary:

Homicide Detective Kit McKittrick and psychologist Sam Reeves arrive at Mary Sherman's house after she fails to turn up for an arranged meeting with Kit's foster sister Akiko. Three weeks earlier, Akiko received a call from Mary out of the blue claiming she had information about her birth mother. Now, Kit, Sam and Akiko land on her doorstep only to come under fire from an unknown shooter and to discover Mary's dead body inside the house.

Who was Mary to Akiko? What information did she have, and why did she choose now to come forward? If her murder is not a coincidence, Akiko's safety could be at risk.

Kit is determined to find answers for her sister, but every piece of information revealed just leads to more questions, and no one connected to Akiko's story is quite who they seem. And there's a major stumbling block: an injured Kit has been officially taken off the investigation, and ignoring the order could have lasting consequences for her career. But how can she sit back when she, her sister and the people around them are in serious danger?

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It’s Not What You Think

Summary:

YOU THINK YOU KNOW THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE

Nadeeka is certain Jamie is having an affair. She knows the tell-tale signs.

She’s been here before.

YOU THINK YOU KNOW WHO YOU CAN TRUST

When Jamie claims to be at work late, she knows he’s lying. He’s with another woman, and she’s determined to catch him in the act.

YOU THINK YOU KNOW HOW THE STORY ENDS

But when Nadeeka arrives home to confront him, Jamie can't explain himself. The house has become a crime scene…

Jamie is dead.

IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK

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The Dark Heart

Summary:

A DEADLY BOMBINGWhen renowned author Dr. Daniel Solomon is killed in a devastating explosion in York, authorities quickly attribute the attack to Islamic extremists. But as the investigation unfolds, it becomes clear that all is not as it seems.

A DARK CONSPIRACYDS Max Craigie uncovers a chilling connection between a series of brutal murders, each victim linked by a secret that someone is determined to protect.

A DANGEROUS GAMEWith the number of victims growing and an elusive figure known as The Cashier operating in the shadows, Max must navigate a web of corruption and hatred. Can he unravel the truth before more lives are lost?

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The Keeper

Summary:

On a cold night in a remote Irish village, a girl goes missing. Sweet, loving Rachel Holohan was about to be engaged to the son of the local big shot. Instead, she's dead in the river.

In a place like this, her death isn't simple. It comes wrapped in generations-old grudges and power struggles, and it splits the townland in two. Retired Chicago detective Cal Hooper has friends here now and he owes them loyalty, but his fiancee Lena wants nothing to do with Ardnakelty's tangles.

As the feud becomes more vicious, their settled peace starts to crack apart. And when they uncover a scheme that casts a new light on Rachel's death and threatens the whole village, they find themselves in the firing line . . .

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Starside

Summary:

Hundreds of years ago, a brutal war split a land in two. Starside is the realm of magic and immortals – the descendants of the gods, living in a power-rich paradise. Stormside is where mortals fight for scraps of that magic.

Every fifty years, the gates between them open, and fifty challengers are allowed to journey across Starside on a deadly quest for magic that can heal, grant wealth or extend life. Everyone has their reasons for entering, but Aris has only one: vengeance against the gods who killed her family.

Winning one of the fifty spots on the quest won’t be easy. An orphaned blacksmith’s apprentice, Aris doesn’t have the superior weapons of the heirs from the Great Houses. But the greatest swords, ones that contain power, are not inherited or bought – they are claimed, by both sides. And when Aris claims a great sword, it makes her not just a real competitor... but a target.

Countless dangers await on Starside. With a blade most would kill to take, Aris can’t trust anyone. Especially not Harlan Raker, the merciless and mysterious knight who betrayed her years ago – and who may now be the key to her survival.

But Aris is hiding a secret tied to her family’s death. And when it’s revealed, not even the gods will be able to stop what’s coming...

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The Cloud Catcher

Summary:

An elderly woman stands at the edge of a mountain, touching the clouds. As she prepares to fall into the abyss, she reflects on the one great love that defined her life - and the one regret that still haunts her. If only she could live her life all over again ...

Waking in the staff-only area of a plane, 26-year-old Zara Monroe shakes off a strange dream and returns to her duties as a flight attendant. With a troubled past behind her and a heart wide open to possibility, she lives for the adventure of the skies. When a chance meeting in Italy sparks an inexplicable connection with a handsome stranger, her world is forever changed. And when fate brings them back together, Zara instinctively knows their love is meant to be.

As Zara and Jay fall into the kind of deep, soulmate love most only dream of, their bond is tested by the past, by tragedy, and by a future that refuses to follow the rules. And as Zara keeps returning to her mysterious dreams of mountaintops and clouds, she begins to wonder ... can a love written in the stars rewrite the course of a lifetime?

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The Writers Retreat

Summary:

Welcome to The Writers Retreat – a creative haven for writers to hone their plotlines and sharpen their characters while soaking up the Provençal atmosphere. But this year’s retreat offers something different, as real-life blurs with fiction, and suspense isn't contained to the page.

Kat Hale is a bestselling Australian author crumbling under the pressure of writing her second novel. On a whim, she has fled to a writers retreat in the South of France run by internationally acclaimed author Helen Thorne. What Kat hopes will be two blissfully uninterrupted weeks to focus on her writing in anonymity quickly turns into something more sinister, when Kat begins to suspect that Helen isn't quite as perfect as everyone seems to believe.

Will Kat’s drive to uncover the truth about Helen be any match for Helen’s desire to hold onto her career, her reputation and her writing retreat, or is Kat at risk of falling victim to a more dangerous climax?

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Sacrifice

Summary:

Detective Jack leads Scotland Yard's fledgling art fraud unit, its survival hinging on exposing a suspected forgery - a multimillion-dollar Basquiat. When his informant, gallerist Ester Langton, is brutally murdered, Jack's hunt spirals into obsession. Clues point to Adam Border, a reclusive genius hiding in a decayed Sicilian villa haunted by Mafia ties and violent secrets.

As Jack abandons family and duty to pursue him, he's drawn into a world where brilliance and madness collide, masterpieces mask psychosis, and death stalks every shadow. In chasing the truth, Detective Jack Warr must decide which side of the law he's on . . . once and for all.

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Big Little Lies

Summary:

Parents behaving badly...a tragic accident...or murder? What isn't in doubt is that someone is dead.

Madeline is a force to be reckoned with: witty, noisy and passionate. She remembers everything and forgives no one.

Celeste is the kind of beautiful woman who makes the world stop and stare. But perfection is often an illusion.

Jane is a single mum with a mysterious past who carries a sadness beyond her years.

These three women, all with children starting at the same school, are about to tell the little lies that can turn lethal...

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The Ending Writes Itself

Summary:

World-famous author Arthur Fletch is dead. His final novel, the most anticipated book in history, remains unfinished. But the ending won’t write itself.

When six struggling authors are invited to Fletch's private Scottish island and presented with the opportunity of a lifetime, the plot thickens: whoever writes a worthy ending will receive a game-changing book deal and two million dollars.

Why have they been chosen to attend? Who is behind the invitation? And just how far would they go to secure a place on the bestseller list?

They have just seventy-two hours, a typewriter and a blank page. All they have to do is write…

Starting is often the hardest part. But getting to the end could be murder.

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Click

Summary:

Melbourne is gripped by fear after a backpacker's body is found with a cryptic note, and two more women vanish without trace. When photographs begin to arrive in the inboxes of the media and police, it's clear the killer isn't hiding - they are performing.

Journalist Oli Groves, founder of a fledgling digital news site, knows the story could make or break her. Rookie detective Penelope Kibbs, still trying to prove herself, is desperate to stop the violence before more women are lost. But they soon realise the danger runs deeper than one killer - and closer than they want to believe.

City Library

Nature Talk - Ghost Fungi & Sea Sparkles

Thursday, 16 April 2026 | 6:00pm

Price: FREE

Warilla Library

Weaving Workshop

Friday, 24 April 2026 | 10:00am

Price: $5

City Library

Connecting the Dots

Wednesday, 29 April 2026 | 11:00am

Price: FREE

Latest news

Need a quiet space to study?

Want to stay motivated by studying alongside others? It’s time to study smarter, not harder by using our study spaces at Warilla Library.

Explore our digital programs

Did you know your library has a range of online programs, tutorials and resources ready for you to explore any time, day or night? There’s something for everyone in our Digital Programs Hub. Browse the range and learn something new today.

Logging into the Catalogue

These simple steps will get you started;

🖱️ Click on Log in 👤 (located at the top right hand-side of your screen)
💳 Enter your library membership barcode number
🔑 Enter your password (your birthday & month – 4-digits) e.g. if your birthday is 1 July you would enter 0107

As a part of our new system upgrade, your password has been reset. After you’ve first logged in, you can change and update your password if you wish.
 
If you need more help, please contact any of our libraries! 

Latest news

Stocard is moving to the Klarna!

If you haven’t heard the news… Stocard is moving to the Klarna app – so here’s what you need to know!

Dungeon Crawler Carl

The Art of Annemieke Mein

Law & Disorder

Recommended by
Matthew
Digital Librarian

When a regular guy named Carl and his ex-girlfriend’s surprisingly intelligent cat, Princess Donut, are forced to compete for survival, the result is a thrilling and hilarious adventure. This series is a perfect pick for readers who love fast-paced action, clever world-building, and a heavy dose of dark humour.

Dinniman masterfully blends the LitRPG genre with sharp satire, creating a story that is both a loving parody and a standout example of its kind. With its creative monsters, high-stakes challenges, and the unforgettable duo of a cynical man and his regal feline companion, this book offers a unique reading experience.

A must-read for anyone seeking a fun, unpredictable story that breaks all the rules.

Recommended by
Louise
Library Assistant

Annemieke Mein is a Dutch born Australian textile artist who creates incredible artworks out of all sorts of material such as hand spun cotton, silk stockings and emu feathers. This book provides an insight into her personal life and career as an artist, pairing it with some of her gorgeous creations.

As a visual artist and someone who dabbles in textiles, I thoroughly enjoyed looking at how Mein uses their unique skill and free flowing techniques to encapsulate Australian flora and fauna.

I particularly love her wearable art vests and her moth works. Her creations are highly detailed, tactile, and imaginative, highlighting some of the more curious parts of the natural world.

Recommended by
Lisa
Team Leader Library Experience

Delve into high profile and controversial murder cases reviewed by the legendary author of ‘Mindhunter’, John Douglas. Douglas discusses various famous crime cases and describes how he assisted authorities with their investigations using his years of knowledge and experience gained while working within the FBI’s Behavioural Sciences Unit.

If you’re a true crime enthusiast and like to read about why killers do what they do and how police investigations lead to their capture, this book is for you.

Must reads

'Exiles!' by Mason Coile

Recommended by
Michael
Team Leader Library Resources

This was certainly my kind of read! A human crew are sent to prepare the first-ever colony on Mars, but on arrival discover the brand-new base is half-destroyed and the three robots sent to set it up have disturbingly changed – it’s artificial intelligence gone rogue!

The author blends psychological horror and science fiction creating a tense, unnerving story which at times leans more into mood and dread rather than fast-paced action, which works for me!

Exiles is perfect for fans of eerie slow-burn horror.

1,072

New items

54,871

Items borrowed

$1,311,417

Community money saved by borrowing from the library

Most popular

Fiona McIntosh

Blood Pact

Mel Robbins

The Let Them Theory

Secret Link

Shellharbour City Libraries partnered with Warrigal Care to deliver Bee Connected, an intergenerational program aimed at forming meaningful connections between young people and seniors in the community through songs, games, reading, and crafts. 

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with UOW on a range of Paint Shellharbour REaD initiatives. Paint Shellharbour REaD is part of the Paint the Town REaD network, dedicated to promoting early childhood literacy. 

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with The Man Walk to deliver the Tall Tales program. This program aims to make connections with local, social, hobby and information organisations who appeal to male audiences and bring them into our library programs space. 

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Smith Family to promote early childhood literacy through the Paint Shellharbour REaD initiative. Paint Shellharbour REaD organises reading days and kids events throughout the year dedicated to fostering a love of reading. 

QBD

Shellharbour City Libraries have worked with QBD Shellharbour as the preferred bookseller at all of our Author Talk events. 

The Good Things Foundation are a future-focused digital inclusion leaders, advocating, partnering, educating and innovating to ensure no one is left behind in the digital world. The Good Things Foundation have partnered with Shellharbour City Libraries to facilitate Digital Skills sessions from Sptember 2025.

Shellharbour City Libraries collaborates with Paint the Gong REaD in conjunction with the Paint the Town REaD network. This partnership promotes early childhood literacy across the Illawarra through multiple reading events and activities. 

Shellharbour City Libraries has partnered with NSW Health to facilitate Independent Living Skills sessions aimed at teaching foster children health and wellbeing skills, in collaboration with the William Campbell Foundation.

The Multicultural Communities Council Illawarra attends Warilla library to utilise the 2528 community room. This is used for exercise and light physio sessions with senior community members.

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Living Connected to offer drop-in Tech Help sessions to our customers at Warilla, Albion Park and City Libraries. These short one-on-one sessions are designed to assist customers in their digital skills development. 

Shellharbour City Libraries partnered with Legal Aid NSW to bring free community talks across our branches discussing a range of legal topics and how people can access help and resources as a part of the Libraries Law Week celebration.

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Kiama Community College to deliver Tech Savvy Seniors sessions at our libraries. Tech Savvy Seniors is a NSW Government and Telstra partnership coordinated by the State Library of NSW. The program aims to teach seniors digital skills and knowledge.

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Junior Einsteins to deliver Bee Connected, an intergenerational program aimed at forming meaningful connections between young people and seniors in the community through songs, games, reading, and crafts. 

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Judi Sandilands-Cincotta to bring Ollie and Shiko the therapy dogs to a range of children’s and youth programs. These programs aim to promote positive mental health and social connection.

The Sewing Collective is a vibrant and inclusive community hub where sewists of all levels come together to create. The Sewing Collective facilitates several sewing programs at City Library every month.

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with HARS to deliver the Tall Tales program. This program aims to make connections with local social, hobby and information organisations who appeal to male audiences and bring them into our library program space. 

Shellharbour City Libraries organises Sensory Experiences with Greenacres Disability Services at Warilla Library.

Barrmarrany is an Aboriginal family-owned business based in the Illawarra region of the lands of the Dharawal people. They offer programs and workshops to various people and services seeking authentic and unique Indigenous experiences, including educational programs, cultural performances and authentic Indigenous experiences.

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Ed U Play to facilitate programs and activities that bring young people together. These programs support social and emotional wellbeing amongst youth. The libraries support the Girls Only Project which aims to provide young women with knowledge of and access to positive activities in their own communities. Ed U Play are funded by the Communities for Children Program.

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Bunnings to deliver free monthly Craft Workshops at City Library. In these sessions, experts from Bunnings teach our customers a range of crafting skills. These workshops include, Kokedama Balls, Painting Art Canvas and much more!

Afford provides disability services and community connection for people living with disability. Afford in partnership with Shellharbour City Libraries runs monthly craft sessions for disability groups, covering a range of craft themes.

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Barnardos to promote early childhood literacy through the Paint Shellharbour REaD initiative. Paint Shellharbour REaD organises reading days and kids events throughout the year dedicated to fostering a love of reading.

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Aruma Disability Services to deliver Library Links. Library Links is a program that aims to invite disability services groups into their local branches to utilise craft and puzzle kits as well as getting to know our collections. Aruma is the first group at the Warilla branch and comes monthly to utilise space, kits and collections with their joined organisation library card.

Shellharbour City Libraries partnered with Warrigal Care to deliver Bee Connected, an intergenerational program aimed at forming meaningful connections between young people and seniors in the community through songs, games, reading and crafts. 

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with the William Campbell Foundation to deliver the Independent Living Skills Program. This program involves teaching foster children integral health and wellbeing skills and knowledge. Additionally, the City Library hosts WCF’s fortnightly Homework Club.

Sydney Writers Festival

Every year, Shellharbour City Libraries partners with the Sydney Writers Festival to deliver author panel livestreams and local events as part of the festival’s Live and Local programming. 

Paint the town read

Shellharbour City Libraries leads Paint Shellharbour REaD, which is part of the Paint the Town REaD network. This initiative aims to promote early childhood literacy by connecting local early childhood education stakeholders and providers and collaborating with them to deliver reading events and activities. 

Little Zaks Bee connected

Shellharbour City Libraries partnered with Little Zaks Academy to deliver Bee Connected, an intergenerational program aimed at forming meaningful connections between young people and seniors in the community through songs, games, reading and crafts. 

Frasers Property

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Frasers Property Australia to deliver Toddler Tales, a weekly childhood reading program, at The Waterfront Shell Cove. The libraries have also partnered with Frasers Property Australia to deliver a term of Tech Savvy Seniors at Shell Cove.

Frasers Property

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Frasers Property Australia to deliver Toddler Tales, a weekly childhood reading program, at The Waterfront Shell Cove. The libraries have also partnered with Frasers Property Australia to deliver a term of Tech Savvy Seniors at Shell Cove.

Paint Shellharbour REaD

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Big Fat Smile to deliver Transition to School programs to prepare pre-schoolers for their move into primary school. Big Fat Smile is also a part of the Paint Shellharbour REaD initiative, which organises events that promote early childhood literacy.