Katherine Collette's much-anticipated and hilarious follow-up to The Helpline, the debut Aussie novel that charmed the world.

Frances quite honestly isn't that excited about the SpeechMakers annual national conference and public-speaking competition. What she's excited about (relatively speaking) is that this year there's a major prize. Frances has a few small problems and forty thousand dollars would go a long way to sorting them out.

Keith is Frances's probably-ex-mentor, it's hard to tell since she's not talking to him, and he disapproves of the prize money. He thinks SpeechMakers should be about self-improvement, not self-enrichment. He wants to win the competition, though. He thinks it might help the situation with his wife Linda.

Neil doesn't care about the competition at all but Judy, his mother and coach, does, so.

And Rebecca…

Actually, what the hell is Rebecca doing here? Rebecca belongs to Frances's past, not her present. And certainly not her (hopefully) less-disastrous future.

Katherine Collette, author of the hilarious The Helpline, returns with another sharply observed comedy of manners and a cast of loveable underachievers, headed for self-improvement despite themselves.

‘A book centred around a collection of endearing but socially challenged misfits who need to let go of their less-than-perfect pasts in order to take control of their lives. Inspired by the author's real-life experiences in Toastmasters, The Competition tells an amusing tale of ambition, friendship and redemption, with just a touch of romance. It will appeal to fans of heartfelt books with quirky characters such as those by Graeme Simsion and Toni Jordan.' Books+Publishing

‘Colette's writing is funny, propulsive and smart. She continues the compelling comedic flair of her debut, The Helpline, which also saw a complicated, “oddball” heroine portrayed in a nuanced, sensitive manner. She has been involved heavily in Toastmasters in the past – this real-life experience comes through in her storytelling – and as a reader, her evocative depictions of the cut-throat world of competitive speech-making is delightfully welcome at a time when indoor gatherings still seem like a fantasy.' Jessie Tu, Sydney Morning Herald

‘Katherine Collette is back in fine form with The Competition, proving (in case anyone was in any doubt) that she is a skilled master of the light-hearted comedy – drawing you in, keeping you laughing, compelling you to feel emotionally invested in this quirky cast of characters…This is one I'd happily press into the hands of everyone who came into the shop, so go grab your towel, head down to the beach, and settle in with a new favourite book.' Readings

‘I definitely recommend it as a perfect balm for these weird times. It was a lot of fun to get drawn into the world of SpeechMakers. As with Collette's first novel The Helpline, this has a cast of eccentric oddballs and insight into the inner workings of an organisation I hadn't previously given much thought.' Kay Kerr, Overshare

‘Warm, very funny.' Fairfieldbooks