November 2013

■ REVIEW: Last to Die
Rizzoli and Isles tackle school menace

Mysteries & thrillers

In the latest installment in the Rizolli and Isles thriller series, three children are brought together by seemingly random and extreme acts of violence. Orphaned, the children are taken in as students of a boarding school for emotionally traumatised children in a remote area of Maine. However, forensic pathologise Maura Islas suspects the Evensong School […]

■ REVIEW: Last to Die
Rizzoli and Isles tackle school menace Read Post »

■ REVIEW: The Jewels of Paradise
Intrigue rates with the best Brunetti novels

Mysteries & thrillers

I haven’t read all of Donna Leon’s books but have managed to make my way through half a dozen of the series featuring Venetian police commissioner Guido Brunetti and have found them a little hit and miss: all were well-written but for me, the storylines ranged from gripping to dull. This latest book is a

■ REVIEW: The Jewels of Paradise
Intrigue rates with the best Brunetti novels Read Post »

■ REVIEW: The Owl that Fell from the Sky
Behind the scenes at museums

General non-fiction, NZ books

Museums are interesting places and it is the natural history collections that are often the most interesting. Author Brian Gill has taken on the task of telling the stories of 15 intriguing objects in New Zealand museums: how they got there, why they are of interest and their impact. He has done a fantastic job,

■ REVIEW: The Owl that Fell from the Sky
Behind the scenes at museums Read Post »

■ REVIEW: Josephine off the Rails
Otago tale brings local star to the fore

Younger readers

Dunedin-based children’s author Diane Miller has used the Josephine, the 21-tonne steam locomotive that has been on display at the Otago Settlers Museum for years, as the inspiration for this story. Josephine gets to realise a long-held fantasy, and escapes her museum display. She Heads off down the tracks in the hops of helping a

■ REVIEW: Josephine off the Rails
Otago tale brings local star to the fore Read Post »

■ REVIEW: Moa: The Life and Death of New Zealand's Legendary Bird
Bringing the moa to life

NZ books

There has been much written about our long-extinct moa but this book by Dunedin-based writer, domentary film-maker and photographer Quinn Berentson manages to be both comprehensive and accessible. These unusual birds developed in isolation millions of years ago but became extinct fairly quickly after the arrival of the Maori (hope you are listening Gareth Morgan,

■ REVIEW: Moa: The Life and Death of New Zealand's Legendary Bird
Bringing the moa to life Read Post »

■ REVIEW: Collins Pocket Guide to New Zealand Minibeasts
Leggy ones identified

Advice, guides & self-help, NZ books

I’m a fan of most four, six and even some eight-legged critters so it’s nice to have a book that is so packed with information on the little creepy crawlies lurking in our fair land. This guide covers more than 120 species of what the authors call “minibeasts”, from earthworms and leeches to springtails and

■ REVIEW: Collins Pocket Guide to New Zealand Minibeasts
Leggy ones identified Read Post »

■ REVIEWS: Hang in there Bozo | Take Your Last Breath
Ruby Redfort: heroine extraordinaire

Younger readers

Ruby Redfort is the heroine of a series of books by Lauren Child: a secret agent, detective, thirteen-year-old kid. And now a survival expert. Subtitled “The Ruby Redfort Emergency Survival Guide for Some Tricky Predicaments”, this book is packed with helpful hints and tips to deal with all manner of, well, tricky predicaments. There’s everything

■ REVIEWS: Hang in there Bozo | Take Your Last Breath
Ruby Redfort: heroine extraordinaire Read Post »

Scroll to Top