Month: February 2014

Downstairs at the Bennett’s

Longbourn, by Jo Baker (Random House, RRP $38): Undoubtedly, one of the most beloved literary pieces is Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Everyone knows the story of the Bennett family; their lives, their loves and their dramas. However, the story…

Cute and under threat

Dolphins Down Under: Understanding the New Zealand Dolphin By Liz Slooten and Steve Dawson (Otago University Press, RRP $30) Found only in New Zealand’s waters, Hector’s dolphins are both cute and fascinating. They are also – as the publisher points out…

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.…

Solid read for young Kiwis

Phantom of Terawhiti By Des Hunt (HarperCollins, RRP $20) I was excited to read the latest Des Hunt offering and was not disappointed. Set on the southwest coast near Wellington, it’s an adventure to do with a shipwreck, the strange…

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…

Great storytelling here

Night Film, by  Marisha Pessl (Hutchinson, RRP $38): Night Film is one of those books that the internet book world has been discussing for some time, particularly the many book podcasts I listen to. All conversations and teasers surrounding the…