First Tuesday Book Club March 2026, with guest authors!

Dymocks Tooronga has their next meeting of 2026, of the First Tuesday Book Club

Join us for our mini author festival for 2026!

We hope you'll be there for our First Tuesday Book Club meeting for MARCH 2026

Tickets are $40 each and include entry, a welcome drink, and a selection of canapes served prior to the presentation. Plus, a FREE reading copy from our free book selection, as donated to us by our lovely publishers.

The wonderful authors joining us this month:

Kaushik Sridhar

Jeff Steel

Grace Nolan

Gerard Dean

Penny Tangey

Rachel Jayne Cassidy

Mitchell Toy

Kaushik Sridhar - Kidnapped by Hezbollah, Freed by Purpose (autobiographical)

The book begins with an account of a deeply transformative journey to Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq. Kaushik finds himself immersed in the beauty and hardships of the people and places he encounters. The Middle East becomes a crucible for self-reflection, challenging preconceived notions about life, resilience, and purpose.
The journey’s climax unfolds in Lebanon with a harrowing encounter: Kaushik and his wife are taken hostage by Hezbollah. Hours of questioning blur the lines between fear and clarity, stripped of control, they are forced to confront life’s fragility head-on.
After 14 hours of interrogation, they are freed. Kidnapped by Hezbollah is a powerful testament to resilience, reinvention, and the courage to embrace uncertainty. It challenges readers to redefine success and pursue lives of deeper meaning, proving that sometimes, the most unexpected moments shape our greatest transformations.

Dr Kaushik Sridhar is a global sustainability leader, award-winning educator, executive coach, and former professional tennis player. Born in India and raised in Nigeria and the U.S., Kaushik combines academic depth, personal experience, and a global outlook. With a PhD in Sustainability, he has over 20 years’ experience in corporate strategy, ESG, and impact—advising global firms, teaching at top universities, and coaching 500+ individuals in leadership and resilience.

Jeff Steel - Against the Rising Sun (military history)

From Singapore to Nagasaki – An Australian POW’s Incredible Story

Don Graham just wanted to serve. But war had little regard for intention. Serving with the ill-fated Australian 8th Division, he faced the disastrous campaign in Malaya, the retreat to Singapore, and the brutal reality of surrender after the greatest military catastrophe in British Empire history. Captured by the Japanese, he was sent first to the notorious Changi prison camp and then to the infamous Selarang Barracks, where disease, starvation and fear ruled.

Against the Rising Sun is the true story of an Australian soldier’s endurance under the Japanese. Amid unimaginable horror, Don became a lifeline to his fellow POWs, using humour, song and sheer will to keep hope alive – a testament to courage found not in victory, but in survival.

Jeff Steel is a child of World War Two. Shocked at the sight of bombed-out London as a child, he has grappled ever since with the simple but profound question ‘what happened’. His deep interest in the war has led to many heart-rending interviews with those who took part. He has undertaken endless reading. He has visited World War Two sites from Churchill’s War Rooms in London to Pearl Harbour via Dresden and the Burma Railway. His first book ‘No Heil Hitler’ as ghost writer, told the compelling story a young boy’s Odyssey through the horrors of Nazi-occupied Poland. It won the Philpott Prize for a (then) unpublished manuscript.

Grace Nolan - One to Ten and Back Again series (children's nonfiction/stories)

Fun and learning go hand in hand in this engaging series. Perfect for children from birth to seven, these books introduce counting, addition and subtraction through playful rhymes and vibrant illustrations. Young readers will discover 30 native Australian animals while developing early numeracy skills in a joyful, interactive way. Each book includes simple reinforcement activities to extend learning and keep the fun going.

Grace’s love of nature and Australian wildlife have provided the inspiration for the One to Ten and Back Again series. Drawing on her extensive educational background and her enthusiasm for children’s literature, Grace now devotes most of her time to her writing.

Grace Nolan holds a Graduate Diploma of Education in Children’s Literature and a Master of Philosophy. She is an experienced Primary and Secondary teacher and winner of numerous poetry competitions. She was also awarded first prize in an International Song contest for an original composition. Grace was also a script writer, composer and performer as well as being a reviewer for the Children’s Book Council of Australia. Together with her husband, she founded "The Nolan Historical Children's Literature Research Collection" at ACU library Melbourne, which contains around 5,000 books for academic study and research.

Gerard Dean - Wayback (autobiographical)

A long time ago - wayback in the fifties, actually, Lucky the whippet got a new mate to muck around with on the banks of the Wakool River. Me and Lucky headed south to the Wimmera, and it went sideways from then. The odd snake made life interesting, and my so-called schoolmates made it even more interesting. After surviving the droughts and footy and school in Dimboola, I headed west to work in the mines and on the drilling rigs, then back south to work in warships and battle tanks. Met a gorgeous girl - we started a manufacturing company and a family, and now I crack jokes and annoy my kids and so-called mates at work. Down Feerys Road, there are many adventures to be had. You start driving tractors at 5 years old, then do rousabouting in an Australian sheep shearing shed

Penny Tangey - What Rhymes with Murder? (crime fiction)

When exhausted new mother Frida attends Baby Rhyme Time at the local library, she feels a sense of purpose that has been lacking in her anxious, apartment-bound, sleep-deprived life. But at the end of the session a piercing scream is heard, followed by the thump of a body, and the library becomes a crime scene. Before long, Frida finds herself part of an unlikely group of sleuths investigating the murder. Between gossip and cups of magic at their local cafe, they are too busy having fun to realise how close they are to danger.

Only Murders in the Building meets The Thursday Murder Club in this hilarious new take on cosy crime.

Penny is a librarian, mother and former stand-up comedian living in East Melbourne. She’s published a number of children’s books with UQP, one of which, As Fast As I Can (2020), won a Queensland Literary Award and the Readings Children’s Book Prize. Her latest middle-grade book, Music Camp, was published in June 2025. What Rhymes with Murder? is Penny’s first novel for adults.

Rachel Jayne Cassidy - In A Heartbeat (medical non-fiction)

True Stories and Insights from Experts, Survivors, and Frontline Heroes

Author Rachel Jayne Cassidy knows firsthand what it’s like to be on the brink of life and death. After surviving a critical heart attack, she understands the challenges of heart health. Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer worldwide, impacting more than 500,000 Australians. Rachel Jayne emphasises for the lucky survivors that while recovery takes time, it is crucial to learn how to live and thrive after a heart event.

In a Heartbeat delves into the emotional and physical complexities of dealing with heart disease, sharing real-life, emotionally raw stories that provide insight into the impact of this disease. From survivors to everyday heroes who, by a momentary twist of fate have saved a life, to the health professionals who work tirelessly behind the scenes to give seriously ill patients a second chance at life. This combination of insightful stories captures the full spectrum of experiences and provides a comprehensive understanding of heart health.

Mitchell Toy - Midnight Tram series (children's picture books)

When exhausted new mother Frida attends Baby Rhyme Time at the local library, she feels a sense of purpose that has been lacking in her anxious, apartment-bound, sleep-deprived life. But at the end of the session a piercing scream is heard, followed by the thump of a body, and the library becomes a crime scene. Before long, Frida finds herself part of an unlikely group of sleuths investigating the murder. Between gossip and cups of magic at their local cafe, they are too busy having fun to realise how close they are to danger.

Only Murders in the Building meets The Thursday Murder Club in this hilarious new take on cosy crime.

Mitchell Toy grew up in Melbourne. Before becoming a full time artist and illustrator, he was a journalist, cartoonist, court sketch artist, video producer and digital editor for the Herald Sun newspaper for almost ten years. His cartoon, Toy’s Melbourne, ran weekly in the Sunday Herald Sun for more than five years.

Dymocks Tooronga

• Email: tooronga@dymocks.com.au
• Phone: (03) 9045 9845

There will be no door sales, so please secure your tickets early to avoid disappointment. Book with confidence, knowing that a full refund will be provided if we need to postpone or cancel the event for any reason. (Unless the event is cancelled, refund requests are only available until 24 hours before the event. Tickets are not transferable to later dates.)

Sign-in will start 6.15pm, for everyone to be seated by 7pm for the author presentations to start.

We look forward to seeing you at the Rivoli Cinemas.