Recently arrived fiction from Aotearoa New Zealand
Pātea Boys = Ngāti Pātea by Airana Ngarewa
A fully bilingual collection of interconnected short stories about growing up in the small South Taranaki community of Pātea, from the author of The Bone Tree. Each entry captures life in this place, on the marae, the rangatahi and the kaumātua, with humour and spirit, while never losing sight of realities of poverty and intergenerational trauma. Ngarewa is a Pātea boy himself and it is clear these characters, while fictional, likely exist off the page too.
Better Left Dead by Catherine Lea
New Zealand has a rich thriller writing scene at the moment, and Catherine Lea's Nyree Bradshaw series has attracted praise from around the world. When a local woman, already living on the fringes of society is found garroted, Detective Bradshaw and her team discover an interconnected web of secrets and lies, past grudges and complex relationships. Nyree, a character haunted by personal tragedy, brings a unique perspective to the case. Her determination to uncover the truth is fueled by a desire for justice and a need to redeem herself from past mistakes. For fans of Michael Bennett's Hana Westerman series.
Ōkiwi Brown by Cristina Sanders
Set in the 1830s, in the early days of Colonial New Zealand, a whaler who arrives in Port Nicholson and sets up a pub with a reputation for violence. Calling himself Ōkiwi Brown, he is complex and enigmatic character, whose past is shrouded in mystery and whose actions raise questions about his true nature. Inspired by the Burke and Hare murders in 1820s Edinburgh, and real life events in colonial Wellington, this is a story highlights the violence and exploitation inherent in the process of settlement.
The Secrets They Kept by Jenny Lynch
Helena is only a toddler when her mother dies accidentally. Raised by a seldom present father and strict, God fearing grandmother, Helena's curiosity around her mother is fed by their refusal to talk about her to discoveries as an adult that all is not what it seems. A clever and compelling debut novel.
How to get a Date with the Evil Queen by Marie Cardno
In a world where everyone is either a heroic prince, a princess to be rescued, or a monster to be defeated, Sian and Trillin, her new, monstrous girlfriend just want to spend time together. But when Trillian is cast as a monster to be defeated, the pair must fight back against their assigned roles. A humorous and surprising novella about gender, monsters and multiple dimensions.
The Mess we Made by Megan O'Neill
Quin and Henry were childhood sweethearts, but broke up after a tragic accident. Nine years later, Quin is still stuck in her hometown, working at a local takeaway and barely speaking to her twin brother Josh. Her mother is also suffering from early-onset Alzheimer's, and Quin is worried that she might inherit the same disease. When Henry suddenly returns to town, Quin is thrown off balance, still angry with him for leaving her, but also drawn to him. As they reconnect, Quin begins to realize that she needs to forgive herself for the past and move on with her life. A beautifully written and emotionally charged novel, with complex and believable characters, this the story is both moving and thought-provoking.
Following immediately on from the events at the end of Manawatu's hugely successful and award winning debut Auē, Kataraina is the story of Kat, the aunt who takes in the children Taukiri and Ārama. Intimate yet sprawling, Kataraina's life from birth to the future are supported by lush descriptions of the kūkūwai, the wetlands that are so integral to her whānau and her tīpuna. Manawatu also takes us back over 100 years, to the Māori woman who murders a man on the site of Kat's home, an event that will have repercussions for generations. This is a work of great talent and Manawatu once again shows her storytelling stripes.
Mary, an ex cop, and her husband, retired librarian Pete are semi-reluctantly ready to move to a retirement village. With them come the baggage of fully lived lives, not the least the death of their son Will in a childhood accident 40 years earlier. While packing up their house for sale, a visit from the police throws new light on their son's death, and past trauma comes simmering the surface. Exploring themes of aging, loss, memory and family, this is a profound read.
