Category: General fiction

This fairytale’s not for children

The Mijo Tree, by Janet Frame (Penguin, RRP $25): This is an odd little tale. Published posthumously, the manuscript gathered dust in the Hocken Library archive for many years. Illustrated to great – and somewhat dark effect – The Mijo…

Confusing but interesting tale

The Silver Gaucho, by Jackie Ballantyne (The Doby Press): This is an almost local novel with part of the story set in Dunedin and Central Otago. It follows the adventures of Lockie Steele as she travels to Argentina in search…

Author brews up a good read

The Tea Chest, by Josephine Moon (Allen & Unwin, RRP $37) Kate Fullerton is the co-owner of The Tea Chest in Brisbane – a boutique tea store that focuses on creating perfect blends. When an opportunity comes up for Kate to…

Birthright, by T K Roxborogh (Penguin, RRP $35): Birthright is the third book in the Banquo’s Son trilogy. Fleance, the son in question, is now king of Scotland. He is married and his wife, Rachael, is pregnant with an heir.…

Unhappy wife meets gardener

I Take You by Nikki Gemmell (HarperCollins, RRP $33) Australian author Nikki Gemmell has a great handle on delivering well-written erotica. A co-worker introduced her work to me last year, lending me With My Body and then, shortly after, The…