The weather is one of those things we all talk about: we care if it’s good, we are even more interested if it’s bad. Anglers, gardeners, sportspeople and parents, no matter who we are, we are interested in what the weather is doing now and even more interested in what it will be doing in […]
Taking a look at Mother Nature Read Post »
If you are looking for a one-off Jo Nesbo novel to kick off your addiction, Headhunters is a good place to start. Released late in 2011, this is the story of Roger Brown, a short man with great hair and even better instincts. Roger is a headhunter for a top recruitment agency. He has a
Perfectly disturbing tale of double life Read Post »
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 with a dodgy car crash and then the abduction of a
Thriller loses the plot at finish Read Post »
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 young and old who turn up at Anzac Day services around the country. From small beginnings as a light horse troop of volunteers in 1864, the
Proud spirit of the Otago Mounted Rifles Read Post »
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 daughter to support? And what if you have a crippling
Untidy but compelling characters Read Post »
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 World War I. The next day, Sullivan began putting them together in a
Box of letters leads to story of town’s war experience Read Post »
Deborah Challinor’s best-selling Children of War trilogy has been re-released with new covers to appeal to a new generation of readers. The dramatic family saga has all the ingredients that will appeal to those who love the sweeping drama novels that combine powerful characters with powerful history. The first book in the trilogy tells the
Dramatic family saga re-released Read Post »
The description on the back cover of this book says “New Zealand’s high country farmers are a special breed” and I reckon you would be hard- pressed to find one as special as Iris Scott. In 1992, life was turned upside down for Iris when her husband died: she was left a widow with three
Inspiring high country battler Read Post »
This is the sequel to New Zealander Helen Brown’s lovely bestseller Cleo, which told the story of the death of Helen’s young son Sam and how the arrival of a small kitten into the Brown household helped a grieving family move on. Cleo was a book that simply captured the hearts of readers around the
The cat that captured a heart Read Post »
With programmes such as Bones and CSI, we all feel familiar with the inner workings of the forensic side of police investigations, but the real thing is somewhat different. Expert Witness is an insight into the work of a real forensic scientist and, unlike the television versions, these don’t involve wearing high heels and fancy
Behind the scenes with a real forensic scientist Read Post »
