Archive for December, 2012

Thriller loses the plot at finish

December 24, 2012
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Thriller loses the plot at finish

She’s Never Coming Back, by Hans Koppel (Sphere, RRP $25): This book by established Swedish author Petter Lidbeck, writing under the pseudonym Hans Koppel, kicked off with a real sense of purpose and drama, with a murder popping up right at the beginning to grab my attention. The story then continued to build tension...

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Proud spirit of the Otago Mounted Rifles

December 23, 2012
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Proud spirit of the Otago Mounted Rifles

The Troopers’ Tale: The History of the Otago Mounted Rifles, edited by Don Mackay, foreword by Lieutenant General Rhys Jones (Turnbull Ross Publishing RRP $70): There has been something of a resurgence of interest in the military history of our proud little nation in recent years, often highlighted by the increasing numbers of Kiwis...

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Untidy but compelling characters

December 16, 2012
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Untidy but compelling characters

Hanging Hill, by Mo Hayder (Bantam Press, RRP $40): This is the story of two sisters who on the surface are polar opposites but have one thing in common: they would do whatever it took to help their children. So what do you do if you find yourself divorced and broke, with a teenage...

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Box of letters leads to story of town’s war experience

December 2, 2012
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Box of letters leads to story of town’s war experience

Patearoa at War, by Jim Sullivan (Rock and Pillar Press, RRP $34): Like so many of the best Kiwi projects, this book started out as a friendly chat at the pub. Patearoa locals Beryl and Alan Reid told author Jim Sullivan they had a box of letters written by soldiers to Alan’s aunts during...

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