Book description
"Kirstyn McDermott's prose is darkly magical, insidious and insistent. Once her words get under your skin, they are there to stay." -Angela Slatter, author of All the Murmuring Bones and The Path of Thorns
Hard Places collects the very best of Kirstyn McDermott's short fiction written over the past twenty…
Why read it?
1 author picked Hard Places as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
Kirstyn is another stalwart of the Australian scene whom I have always admired, and this recent collection of her stellar short work is so overdue it’s almost insulting.
Like the best of our number, she delves deep into the heart of her characters to present tales that never feel rote or disengaged, and her tales have teeth in the most unexpected places.
Her weirdness is never dispassionate, her horror never tame, and she returns from the darkness with gifts of many hues.
These are modern fairy tales for the grimy backstreets and dimly lit suburban kitchens down here at the…
From Matthew's list on Australian short story collections with real bite.
If you love Hard Places...
Aggressor
It is April 1st, 2038. Day 60 of China's blockade of the rebel island of Taiwan.
The US government has agreed to provide Taiwan with a weapons system so advanced that it can disrupt the balance of power in the region. But what pilot would be crazy enough to run…
Want books like Hard Places?
Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like Hard Places.
Share your top 3 reads of 2025!
And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.
1,276
readers submitted
so far, will you?
📚 If you like Hard Places, you might also like...
My Book Boyfriend
Lily loves her community garden. Rupert wants to bulldoze it. When feelings grow, will they blossom or turn to rubble?
"It literally had everything! - Bookworm Characters - Humor - Banter - Swoon-worthy lines." - Book Reviewer.
Everyday Medical Miracles
Frontiers of Women from the healthcare perspective. A compilation of 60 true short stories written by an extensive array of healthcare providers, physicians, and advanced practice providers.
All designed to give you, the reader, a glimpse into the day-to-day activities of all of us who provide your health care. Come…
