2011 Ngaio Marsh Award - the longlist

A pretty terrific line-up for the longlist there; eight very good crime/thriller novels. I know the seven-member international judging panel is going to be having all sorts of fun trying to work out which books should be finalists and which book should win the 2011 Ngaio Marsh Award, to be presented on 21 August in Christchurch. The finalists will be revealed in early August.

The decision was tough last year between three great finalists, but this year I think there is even more depth on the longlist, and the decision may be even tougher. The eight longlisted titles include a diverse range of protagonists, settings, and styles - from psychological examinations of minds askew, to pulse-pounding thrillers, to police procedurals, to international spy thrillers. Amateur sleuths, government agents, detectives, family members of victims - all starring in tales covering the length and breadth of New Zealand, as well as parts of Australia, Southeast Asia, and Britain.

So, who are your favourites?

My Herald on Sunday Reviews: A WATERY GRAVE, DEATH IN THE KINGDOM, and THE CRIME OF HUEY DUNSTAN

This year I've been asked to provide a monthly crime fiction round-up for the Herald on Sunday, one of New Zealand's most well-read newspapers. It's terrific to see some of New Zealand's larger media (big newspapers, magazines, TV shows etc) starting to include a little bit more crime fiction in their review pages. I'm very pleased to be able to contribute in my small way as well.

My third 'column' was published yesterday, Sunday 27 March 2011, in the 'Detours' lifestyle supplement to the newspaper (see right), and now I can share it here with you. Each month I pick 2-3 books that I have read recently (usually new or recent releases, but not always), and talk a little about them. Due to space constraints I don't have a lot of words to play with, but I'll be doing my best to highlight some good and great crime fiction, that could be enjoyable for some of the Herald on Sunday readers to try, as best I can. So here is yesterday's column:

Crime Picks

Book blogger Craig Sisterson reveals his top picks from his recent reading

Since it's New Zealand Book Month edition, I'm looking at crime-centred novels from three terrific local authors that are well worth a read.

A Watery Grave By Joan Druett (Allen & Unwin, $30.99)

It’s 1838 and part-Maori Wiki Coffin is scheduled to embark with the US Exploring Expedition from Virginia when he’s mistakenly arrested for murder before being tasked with surreptitiously investigating the expedition, on the high seas, to find the real killer. Druett marvellously combines mystery and history in a unique crime novel setting. Wiki is a terrific and engaging lead, the book is drenched in maritime colour and detail, and the murder mystery itself twists to a satisfying end.

Death in the Kingdom

By Andrew Grant (Monsoon, $32.95)

A British secret agent is back in Thailand for the first time since he killed a top underworld boss’s son, ordered by his government to recover a small black box from the bottom of the ocean. But as his friends are beheaded one by one and he’s pursued by the CIA, he realises maybe he can’t trust his own handlers either, forcing him to turn go underground. Canterbury author Grant creates a terrific narrative drive, a nice sense of Southeast Asian setting, and memorable characters; a world-class spy thriller with layers and depth.

The Crime of Huey Dunstan

By James McNeish (Vintage, $36.99)

Blind psychologist Professor ‘Ches’ Chesney recounts a court case from years past where he was called in as an expert witness by the defence counsel of a young man accused of murder. There’s no doubt Huey battered an older man to death, but why? Did he really lose control, flashback to a suppressed, disturbing event from his childhood? Should he be guilty of manslaughter rather than murder, in the circumstances? McNeish takes readers on an intriguing ride, touching on thought-provoking issues of law and justice and humanity, as we discover what really happened to Huey.

Craig Sisterson was one of the judges of the inaugural Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel last year. He blogs about crime and thriller fiction at http://goldenglobenominees.blogspot.com/

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This column was first published in the Sunday 27 March 2011 issue of the Herald on Sunday, and is reprinted here with permission.

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What do you think of my mini-reviews? Of having such a regular column in one of New Zealand's major newspapers? Have you read (or do you intend to) any of these titles? What are some of the upcoming titles I should definitely include in future columns? Comments welcome.

Currently Reading: SLAUGHTER FALLS by Alix Bosco

After reading quite a few international titles recently, I've turned my attention back home to locally-based writers in the past few days. Over the weekend I read DEATH IN THE KINGDOM by Andrew Grant. I really enjoyed it (review will follow soon), and was very tempted to immediately go onto the next in the Daniel Swann series, SINGAPORE SLING SHOT - which looks equally enthralling - when Alix Bosco's upcoming SLAUGHTER FALLS arrived on my desk.

I couldn't resist starting this upcoming book immediately, so right now I'm reading the second in Bosco's Anna Markunas series. As I've noted before here on Crime Watch, Alix Bosco is a pseudonym for a "successful writer in other media", reportedly based in Auckland.

In SLAUGHTER FALLS, "when Anna Markunas comes to Brisbane to watch a rugby test, two members of her tour party die sudden, violent deaths. Anna tries to track down the elusive family of one man, but each discovery about his past leads her further into the dark world of Queensland's corrupt underbelly. Soon Anna is running for her life – she has discovered the secrets of those who will stop at nothing to silence her."

I enjoyed Bosco's debut, CUT & RUN, last year. You can read my review here.

I've been in touch with Bosco's publicist, and hope to be able to bring you an interview with her soon. She hasn't really done any/many media interviews yet (wanting to keep her privacy behind the pseudonym), but I'm hoping she'll agree to an email interview, to be published on Crime Watch. So keep an eye out for that potential exclusive.

Did you read CUT & RUN? Are you looking forward to giving SLAUGHTER FALLS a go? What do you think of Bosco's Kiwi-set crime thrillers? Thoughts and comments welcome.