FICTION
1 The Bookstore Detectives: Dead Girl Gone by Gareth Ward and Louise Ward (Penguin Random House, $38)
2 Home truths by Charity Norman (Allen & Unwin, $36.99)
Crime novel about a woman who is on trial for attempted murder; the author, a former lawyer, knows her way around the courtroom and, with her eighth novel, also has a real talent for plotting. Recommended.
3 Everything we know by Shilo Kino (Hachette, $37.99)
4 The chaos we have created by Megan O’Neill (Hachette, $37.99)
5 At the Grand Glacier Hotel by Laurence Fearnley (Penguin Random House, $37)
6 The girls in the Red House sing by Tracey Slaughter (Te Herenga Waka University
Press, $30)
New collection of poems from the Waikato author, including her epic ode to adultery in the dark, sad, brightly lit motel rooms of New Zealand, Blessings for Her.
7 Amma by Saraid de Silva (Hachette, $37.99)
8 Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton (Te Herenga Waka University Press, $28)
9 Kāwai by Monty Soutar (David Bateman, $39.99)
10 Bird Child and Other Stories by Patricia Grace (Penguin Random House, $37)
NON-FICTION
1 View from the second row by Samuel Whitelock (HarperCollins, $49.99)
Father’s Day is just around the corner; perfect for the dad in your life who likes boring but easy to understand rugby memories.
2 Soldier J by Jamie Pennell (HarperCollins, $39.99)
Father’s Day is just around the corner; perfect for the dad in your life who loves thrilling and downright murderous SAS memoirs.
3 Sam the Trapman by Sam Gibson (Allen & Unwin, $45)
Father’s Day is just around the corner; perfect for the dad in your life who loves memories of New Zealand Bushmen.
4 The road to Chatto Creek by Matt Chisholm (Allen & Unwin, $45)
Father’s Day is approaching; perfect for the dad in your life who likes memoirs about guys who give up city life to work on the farm. A free copy is available in this week’s prize draw. A very charming excerpt appeared in ReadingRoom this week; it’s about good bastards helping other good bastards on the farm because that’s the code of good bastards. To enter the competition, tell a story about a selfless, neighborly act by a good bastard you know – in the country, suburbs or city, anywhere really; it just has to describe something someone did for someone else out of the goodness of their heart; oh, and of course the good bastard can’t be a man – and email it to [email protected] with the subject line in capital letters GOOD BASTARDS I EVER KNEW. The registration deadline is Sunday, August 18, at midnight.
5 The last secret agent by Pippa Latour & Jude Dobson (Allen & Unwin, $37.99)
6 The life of Dai by Dai Henwood and Jaquie Brown (HarperCollins, $39.99)
7 A life without punishment by Matt Heath (Allen & Unwin, $37.99)
Father’s Day is approaching; perfect for the dad in your life who needs help finding meaning and peace. I’ll be mentoring Matt at a special Father’s Day breakfast event next weekend in Christchurch at the WORD literary festival, where I’ll also be mentoring Talia Marshall on her new book. Whaea Blueand Philip Matthews from The press will guide me to my new book, The survivors. Tickets for this and other WORD events are now available.
8 She is not your rehab by Matt Brown and Sarah Brown (Penguin Random House, $35)
9 Unmasking monsters by Chook Henwood (Allen & Unwin, $37.99)
Father’s Day is upon us; perfect for the dad in your life who enjoys memoirs by former detectives. Last week’s competition offered a free copy. Readers were asked to tell a story about good police work. There weren’t that many responses. This may or may not be a comment on the low regard for good police work. Among the entries was a 700-word eulogy from Warren that I didn’t really understand, and three barely less wordy anecdotes from Neil. But the very best entry was pithy.
Penny in the Catlins wrote: “I work for an emergency service. We work with the police from time to time on a variety of situations. This could be a death, a car accident or a mental health issue. I have always experienced our team on the ground showing empathy, kindness and patience, particularly towards those with mental illness, which can be challenging. We appreciate what they do to support us in our work.”
A worthy winner. Cheers to Penny; a free copy of Unmasking monsters by Chook Henwood belongs to her.
10 Become Tangata Tiriti by Avril Bell (Auckland University Press, $29.99)
