{"product_id":"the-mortons-9781761353512","title":"The Mortons","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eA darkly funny, action-packed gothic thriller following a modern-day, old-money crime family with murderous intent. It's The Secret History meets The Sopranos, with a dash of Saltburn!  Meet the Mortons: In this family, murder is currency - and business is booming.   The Mortons are a modern-day, old-money dynasty with impeccable taste, from their exquisitely crafted cocktails to their expertly tailored vintage garments. They are also stone-cold killers.   They, along with the other crime families, send their progeny to Helshire College, where legacy students learn to exercise control over their wealthy peers. Jessica Morton has always excelled at Helshire, secure in her knowledge that she is the prodigy of her generation. Now, having committed her first kill, it should be Jessica's moment, her honor.  But that kill will cut more ways than one - and it will set in motion a series of consequences from which there is no turning back.     Sharp and hypnotic, The Mortons is an epic novel of alliances and power, loyalty and kinship, and the consequences of ruthless ambition.  'Slippery, sinister and so much fun.' Charlotte McConaghy   'Stunningly original and fiendishly good. The Mortons left me reeling. A masterclass in moral ambiguity and shocking twists.' Sarah Pekkanen  'The Mortons is a tour de force: witty, thrilling and deliciously cruel. Enjoy it with a stiff cocktail.' Lev Grossman  'The Mortons is twisty and twisted fun. Truly original.' Tracy Sierra  'The Mortons are the most spectacularly unhinged crime family ever imagined. Their story hurtled along so fast and surprised me so often I was shocked to realize I'd been contemplating and recalibrating my moral compass as I read, but so I had. An absolute delight.'  E. Lockhart  'Lush and darkly funny, The Mortons is a moreish, enveloping crime epic.' Flynn Berry    'Diabolical and delicious, the world of the Mortons - a murderous family dynasty - is as real and tangible as the one we inhabit. So much so that I'm not entirely sure they aren't out there, scheming, culling and blooding their brood, one at a time. Watch your back. Utterly delightful and disturbing.' Julie Clark    'Sinister, shocking, and tantalizingly possible, The Secret History meets Succession in this epic and utterly chilling family saga . . . Call your book club and settle in - you will never be the same after you meet the Mortons.' Hank Phillippi Ryan\u003ch4\u003eDetails\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eISBN13: 9781761353512\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFormat: Paperback \/ softback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNumber of Pages: 464\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEdition: \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePublication Date: 21 Jul 2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePublisher: Penguin Random House Australia\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePublication City, Country: Hawthorn, Australia\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDimensions (cm): 23.4(H)x15.4(L)x3.9(W)577\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWeight (gm): 577\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h4\u003eScott Westerfeld (Author)   Scott Westerfeld is the author of twelve New York Times bestsellers, including the Uglies series, which has sold millions of copies in thirty-five languages. Westerfeld is also known for the Leviathan trilogy, a seminal work in the steampunk genre, published in more than twenty countries.   Westerfeld's book So Yesterday won the Victorian Premier's Award, and his books have also won the Aurealis and Ditmar awards in Australia. He splits his time between Sydney and New York City. The Mortons, written with Justine Larbalestier, is his first adult book in twenty-five years.  Justine Larbalestier (Author)   Justine Larbalestier is the award-winning author of eight critically acclaimed novels for young adults, including My Sister Rosa, which was an Edgar Award Finalist for Best Young Adult Novel. Among others, she edited the anthology Zombies vs. Unicorns alongside Holly Black, and has contributed essays and short fiction to a number of collections. The Mortons is the first jointly-authored adult debut from Justine and Scott.  Adina Verson (Reader)   Adina Verson is a stage and television actress based in Brooklyn, New York. She received her MFA from the Yale School of Drama's acting program. Verson is the narrator of Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls by Anton DiSclafani.\u003ch4\u003eReviews\u003c\/h4\u003e","brand":"Justine Larbalestier","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49180370501849,"sku":"9781761353512","price":34.99,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0502\/9530\/8441\/files\/9781761353512.jpg?v=1788354523","url":"https:\/\/www.arielbooks.com.au\/products\/the-mortons-9781761353512","provider":"Ariel","version":"1.0","type":"link"}