I’ve been reading

Below are some of the books I’ve been reading.
For an in-depth review of each book, please click on the cover image.

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The Book of Guilt

Catherine Chidgey

A gripping and darkly dystopian novel set in an ‘alternative’ 1970s Britain, in which triplet boys being raised in a tightly regulated government home form part of a sinister post-World-War-II initiative.

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Lessons on Living

Nigel Latta
‘Lessons On Living’ was released the day well-loved and respected psychologist and social commentator Nigel Latta died from cancer. Written in his final months, it distils a simple code for living well and navigating life’s vicissitudes. A book written with the clarity and honesty of someone facing down their own death. A book written with love.

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Patea Boys

Airana Ngarewa
A wonderful collection of short stories about growing up in small town New Zealand. Honest, immersive, humorous, and affecting.

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Surplus Women

Michelle Duff
Based around themes introduced in the title story, this short-story anthology artfully explores the lives of women 100 years ago, in present day, and speculatively in the future. A powerful read.

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See How They Fall

Rachel Paris
In this pacy whodunnit, Rachel Paris introduces us the wealthy Turner dynasty – a powerful family, with some members willing to do whatever it takes to keep its darkest secrets hidden . . . even if that means poisoning a child. As Mei, the detective, and Skye (a Turner by marriage) try to get to the truth, Paris takes the reader on a tense ride full of twists and turns.

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Carved in Blood

Michael Bennett
This third book in the Hana Westerman series sees the Māori detective temporarily return to Auckland CIB to help investigate a brutal bottle-shop burglary – the case complicated by her close family ties to one of the victims.
With a compelling narrative and rich New Zealand backdrop, ‘Carved in Blood’ makes for another page-turning thriller by Michael Bennett.

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