Happy Birthday Ben Sanders

Today, wunderkind Auckland crime writer Ben Sanders turns the ripe old age of 22, so Happy Birthday Ben! With two quality crime novels already under his belt, and a third on the way in his Sean Devereaux and John Hale series, Sanders (pictured right, with Michael Connelly in Auckland earlier this year)looks to have a very promising crime writing career ahead of him.

To mark Sanders' birthday, I thought I would republish my reviews of each of his first two novels, #1 bestseller THE FALLEN, and sequel BY ANY MEANS. I enjoyed both these books, although of course they're not without flaws, and I'm really looking forward to seeing how Sanders develops as a crime writer over the coming years; he could be part of a new wave of Kiwi crime writers that may put New Zealand squarely on the international map again. You can also read my recent interview with Sanders for the New Zealand Herald here, and his 9mm interview with Crime Watch here. But for now, here are my reviews:

The Fallen by Ben Sanders (HarperCollins, 2010)
A man dazedly regains consciousness, only to find himself handcuffed, feeling like "he's been bathed in something corrosive", and with his head adhered to the carpet by his own clotted blood.

So starts this debut crime thriller from North Shore engineering student and nascent author, Ben Sanders, an adroit barely-20-something being touted as "a major new talent" with a "sophisticated and edgy" writing style.

The Fallen then quickly switches to the first-person narration of street-savvy Auckland police detective Sean Devereaux, a hero who quickly displays some classic crime fiction traits. Devereaux has a tendency to trust his own morals, instincts and judgment more than "the rules" of his superiors; his narration is peppered with pithy comments and observations about the case and the wider world that are tinged with both smart-aleck humour and the occasionally jaded eye of someone who's already seen plenty - "criminal investigation is inherently recession-proof"; but at the core he's someone who cares, even if at times he may not want to.

Devereaux returns early from leave to investigate the brutal slaying of a 16-year-old "Epsom princess", whose bashed body is discovered on the edge of a flowerbed in Albert Park. "I wondered what she could have done to deserve such a fate," reflects Devereaux, "but as always when I asked myself that question, my subconscious churned up the same answer: nothing".

Off the clock Devereaux is busying himself playing white knight for his attractive neighbour - finding out why she's being watched by a mysterious man. As he juggles his official and unofficial duties, the latter with the help of "strong but silent" security specialist John Hale (formerly an investigator with both the army and the New Zealand Police), Devereaux opens the proverbial Pandora's Box. His after-hours activities peel the scab from a scam run by senior colleagues and he and Hale are dropped right into an escalating cycle of kidnapping, murder, and violence.

Sanders writes in a punchy, crisp style, employing short sentences and terse but telling descriptions - rather than languid or overwrought prose - to evoke a strong sense of the various Auckland settings, and his characters' thoughts, actions, and motivations. There is a sleekness to his storytelling that would be impressive for any crime writer, let alone one so young.

He sprinkles musical references throughout; Devereaux, like the author, has a passion for rock, from REM to Neil Young. Sanders has reportedly been enamoured with crime fiction since he was an adolescent, and fellow fans of the genre will be able to spot the influence of varying big-name international bestsellers in aspects of The Fallen. Hale has echoes of Robert Crais' Joe Pike, while Sanders' ability to evoke an essence of Auckland as Devereaux travels the city's streets is almost Connelly-esque.

But just like a new band that has echoes of those that have gone before, the real question isn't whether a newcomer is completely unlike anything else, but whether he or she provides something enjoyable and a little different. More importantly, whether they're any good. With The Fallen, Sanders comes up trumps on that front: Devereaux's first outing is an absorbing debut that also entices with future promise.

The young man from the North Shore has added to the mounting evidence that New Zealand can produce native, compelling crime fiction to match the international offerings readers buy and enjoy in droves.

This review was first published in the 31 July 2010 issue of the New Zealand Herald.

By Any Means by Ben Sanders (HarperCollins, 2011)

Young Aucklander Ben Sanders, who juggles novel writing with his university civil engineering studies, burst onto the local books scene last year with The Fallen, a gritty crime thriller that introduced Detective Sean Devereaux and ex-cop John Hale, and was packed with murder, kidnapping, and police corruption. All set amongst the seamy streets and suburbs of our largest city. Now, 21-year-old Sanders returns, as do Devereaux and Hale, with By Any Means, the follow up to his #1 bestselling debut.

In the first sentence, a bus driver is killed, shot by an unknown gunman on Auckland’s bustling Albert Street during Friday rush hour. Detective Sean Devereaux picks up the case, only to discover wildly conflicting witness accounts then a sense the victim wasn’t the true target. But then, who was? At the same time Devereaux is dealing with a double killing in the affluent suburbs: the wife and daughter of a prominent finance company director. Murder-suicide or double homicide? The police turn their attention to the husband, but Devereaux has doubts. Meanwhile, John Hale is largely unavailable to assist, as he’s witnessed a kidnapping, and finds himself the target of a dogged senior police officer as he tries to do his own private investigations.

Sanders writes in a crisp and punchy style, powering a storyline that can hook you early and keep the pages whirring. He often has a very nice way with words when it comes to pithy descriptions of people and places, using some vivid imagery, although at times some of the travel around Auckland, and the use of musical references, can get a touch too ‘listy’, which could bother some readers. Overall, By Any Means is a solid sophomore effort, and shows that Sanders is no one-hit wonder. I’m certainly looking forward to the next Sean Devereaux and John Hale tale.

This review was first published in the Friday, 26 August 2011 issue of NZLawyer magazine.

Happy Birthday Mr Sanders! I hope to be reviewing many more of your crime novels in the coming years.

Reminder: Meet Kiwi crime writer Ben Sanders in Takapuna tomorrow night

Just a quick reminder that local crime writer Ben Sanders (THE FALLEN, BY ANY MEANS) will be appearing at the Takapuna Library on Auckland's North Shore, tomorrow night. It's great to see support for New Zealand crime writers (as well as visiting international authors) having their own events too, and hopefully a good crowd will come along to support local crime writing.

Sanders (pictured right, with Michael Connelly) is a 21-year-old Aucklander, currently studying engineering at university (college, for American readers), while writing his crime novels at night. Although seemingly young, Sanders has had a passion for crime and thriller novels since he was an adolescent, and started writing his first crime novels while still at high school. He was signed up for publication as a 19-year-old (with his third manuscript, which became a #1 New Zealand Adult Fiction Bestseller, THE FALLEN), and is now working on his third crime novel. You can read more about Sanders and his writing here:

• "From reader to writer", Weekend Herald article, August 2011;
• "Young gun", Sunday Star-Times article, August 2010;
• "9mm: an interview with Ben Sanders", Crime Watch, June 2011;

Now readers have a chance to meet Sanders for themselves, as I will be interviewing him, on stage, at an event at the Takapuna Library tomorrow night. Here's the official spiel:

By Any Means - interview with Ben Sanders

Come along to an exciting interview with Ben Sanders.

Wednesday 7 September 2011 6.30pm
Takapuna Library
6pm: light refreshements served, 6.30pm event starts
Admission: $5 ($2 Friends of the Library)

Come along to an exciting interview as crime fiction expert, Craig Sisterson, grills 21-year-old Ben Sanders about his latest release, By Any Means, and his fascination with crime fiction.

Following the discussion will be a book signing courtesy of Paper Plus, Takapuna.

RSVP: Email Helen Woodhouse (Helen.Woodhouse@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz) or phone (09) 486 8469.

For my own part, I'd just say that if any Crime Watch readers are in the area, it would be great to see you there - the Takapuna Library always hosts great events, and it would be good to get a good crowd for a local crime writer, especially as this would of course encourage this and other venues to do more crime fiction events, including with Kiwi crime writers, in future.

Meet up-and-coming Kiwi crime writer Ben Sanders in Takapuna next week

Earlier this month, 21-year-old Auckland engineering student Ben Sanders (pictured right, between myself and Michael Connelly) released his second crime novel, BY ANY MEANS, which continued his gritty Auckland-set crime series starring Detective Sergeant Sean Devereaux and ex-cop turned private consultant John Hale - a 'brains and brawn' style team (although Devereaux has some brawn too, and Hale plenty of brains to go with his action-first persona).

You can read my recent review of BY ANY MEANS here, and my feature article on Sanders for the Weekend Herald (New Zealand's biggest-circulation newspaper), here.

Now readers have a chance to meet Sanders for themselves, as I will be interviewing him, on stage, at an event at the Takapuna Library next Wednesday, 7 September 2011. The Takapuna Library has built up a strong tradition of hosting great crime fiction events, with visiting international stars John Hart, Michael Robotham, Peter James, Simon Kernick, Tom Rob Smith, Gregg Hurwitz and Linwood Barclay all appearing over the past two years. It's great to see the library now hosting an event featuring one of our rising Kiwi crime fiction stars. Sanders' debut, THE FALLEN, spent several weeks atop the NZ Adult Fiction bestseller list on release last year, and was longlisted for the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel.

Here's the official spiel about next week's event:

By Any Means - interview with Ben Sanders

Come along to an exciting interview with Ben Sanders.

Wednesday 7 September 2011 6.30pm
Takapuna Library
6pm: light refreshements served, 6.30pm event starts
Admission: $5 ($2 Friends of the Library)

Come along to an exciting interview as crime fiction expert, Craig Sisterson, grills 21-year-old Ben Sanders about his latest release, By Any Means, and his fascination with crime fiction.

Following the discussion will be a book signing courtesy of Paper Plus, Takapuna.

RSVP: Email Helen Woodhouse (Helen.Woodhouse@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz) or phone (09) 486 8469.

If you're in the area, it would be great to see you there - the Takapuna Library always hosts great events, and it would be good to get a good crowd for a local crime writer.

Review: BY ANY MEANS by Ben Sanders

By Any Means by Ben Sanders (HarperCollins, 2011)

Reviewed by Craig Sisterson

Young Aucklander Ben Sanders, who juggles novel writing with his university civil engineering studies, burst onto the local books scene last year with The Fallen, a gritty crime thriller that introduced Detective Sean Devereaux and ex-cop John Hale, and was packed with murder, kidnapping, and police corruption. All set amongst the seamy streets and suburbs of our largest city. Now, 21-year-old Sanders returns, as do Devereaux and Hale, with By Any Means, the follow up to his #1 bestselling debut.

In the first sentence, a bus driver is killed, shot by an unknown gunman on Auckland’s bustling Albert Street during Friday rush hour. Detective Sean Devereaux picks up the case, only to discover wildly conflicting witness accounts then a sense the victim wasn’t the true target. But then, who was? At the same time Devereaux is dealing with a double killing in the affluent suburbs: the wife and daughter of a prominent finance company director. Murder-suicide or double homicide? The police turn their attention to the husband, but Devereaux has doubts. Meanwhile, John Hale is largely unavailable to assist, as he’s witnessed a kidnapping, and finds himself the target of a dogged senior police officer as he tries to do his own private investigations.

Sanders writes in a crisp and punchy style, powering a storyline that can hook you early and keep the pages whirring. He often has a very nice way with words when it comes to pithy descriptions of people and places, using some vivid imagery, although at times some of the travel around Auckland, and the use of musical references, can get a touch too ‘listy’, which could bother some readers. Overall, By Any Means is a solid sophomore effort, and shows that Sanders is no one-hit wonder. I’m certainly looking forward to the next Sean Devereaux and John Hale tale.

Ben Sanders will be discussing By Any Means and his writing at the Takapuna Library in Auckland on Wednesday 7 September 2011 at 6.30pm (refreshments from 6pm). RSVP to Helen.Woodhouse@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz or call (09) 486 8469.

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This review was first published in the Friday, 26 August 2011 issue of NZLawyer magazine, and is reprinted here online with permission.

From reader to writer: my feature article on Ben Sanders from the latest Weekend Herald

On Saturday, my latest crime writing-focused feature for the Weekend Herald, New Zealand's biggest-circulation newspaper, was published: an article on 21-year-old Auckland crime writer Ben Sanders, whose debut novel THE FALLEN sat atop the local bestseller charts for several weeks last year. THE FALLEN was also long-listed for the 2011 Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel, so it's been a fairly good start to Sanders' crime writing career (to put it mildly).

This week, Sanders' second crime novel, BY ANY MEANS, was released - a tale that sees Detective Sean Devereaux juggling multiple homicide investigations, including a bus driver gunned down at rush on a busy city street, and the wife and daughter of a prominent businessman, found dead in their suburban home. Meanwhile Devereaux's unconventional buddy, ex-cop John Hale, tries to track down the men who kidnapped a girl from outside a nightclub, right in front of him.

I really enjoyed both THE FALLEN and BY ANY MEANS, and I'm looking forward to seeing Devereaux and Hale, and Sanders' writing, develop further over the coming years. He's started young, and very well, so the sky could be the limit for this engineering student and part-time crime writer.

In our interview we discussed his transition from reading crime to writing crime, choosing to see crime fiction in New Zealand, evoking Auckland, creating his characters, and how he got started so young, amongst other things. You can read now read the full article online at the Herald website, HERE.

Have you read THE FALLEN? Will you read BY ANY MEANS? What do you think of Sanders' crime writing? Is Auckland a good place to set crime fiction? Comments welcome.

A sneak peak at Ben Sanders' upcoming crime novel

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?

9mm: An interview with Ben Sanders

Last week Crime Watch's popular 9mm interview series returned after a short hiatus for its 51st instalment; an interview with forensic anthropologist and bestselling mystery writer Kathy Reichs.

Now that we're back in the swing of things (several 9mm interviews are scheduled for the coming weeks), I thought I should return to my original premise of featuring both high-profile bestsellers and lesser-known authors, and a nice mix of Kiwi and international crime writers.

So today I am pleased to share with you my recent 9mm interview with up-and-coming local crime writer Ben Sanders, a young university student in Auckland who burst onto the antipodean crime writing scene late last year with his debut thriller THE FALLEN, which got some very good reviews and scooped the #1 spot for several weeks on the NZ Adult Fiction bestseller charts last year.

On a local scale, it was a dream start for Sanders, who featured by several of New Zealand's biggest media players (eg the Weekend Herald, the Sunday Star-Times, TVNZ), and mentioned in several others as well. You can watch a short 5mins long clip of Sanders being interviewed by Paul Henry and Pippa Wetzell on Breakfast, the popular TVNZ morning show here. And just this week I had an email from a US reader, who won a copy of THE FALLEN last year on Crime Watch. She said: "THE FALLEN which you very kindly sent to me a few months ago, was a book I couldn't put down. I lent it to a very well-read friend who had the same reaction. She is an English professor in NYC."

In August Sanders' second crime novel, once again featuring Detective Sergeant Sean Devereaux and his former police colleague John Hale, will be released; BY ANY MEANS. I will share more information about that upcoming book with you soon. It will be interesting to see how media, readers, and reviewers, respond to Sanders' sophmore effort - it would be good to see some more Kiwi recurring crime fiction heroes, so hopefully BY ANY MEANS will be as good a read (or even better) than THE FALLEN, which was a very strong debut. But for now Ben Sanders faces down the barrel of 9mm.

9MM: AN INTERVIEW WITH BEN SANDERS

1. Who is your favourite recurring crime fiction hero/detective?
James Lee Burke’s Dave Robicheaux. I love his imperfection: he has his battles with alcohol, he has a history of violence, but despite these tarnishes he’s a moral and relentless guy, and ultimately very intriguing. He’s a great mix of contradictory qualities; he’s a compassionate Catholic, but at the same time has this immense capacity for sudden violence. The books quite often involve some element of his past, so that you have a detailed depiction of the man in the here-and-now, but you also gradually develop a sense of the experiences that got him to where he is.

2. What was the very first book you remember reading and really loving, and why?
I was into Enid Blyton when I was a kid, so the Famous Five and Secret Seven series would have been the first novels I read, but I can’t recall the titles. I can remember reading the first Harry Potter book, not long after it had been published [for all you Harry Potter fans who claim you read the books before they were world famous, I reckon I probably beat you], and loving it. It had all the right ingredients for a great story: good writing, characters you could engage with, and an interesting setting. They’re the sorts of qualities that make for a good read, irrespective of genre.

3. Before your debut crime novel, what else had you written (if anything) unpublished manuscripts, short stories, articles?
I’ve written two unpublished novels. I wrote my first while I was at high school in the sixth-form (16 years old), but I never submitted it for publication. It was a P.I. novel set in L.A. It was swamped with trivial, descriptive detail. It was a good learning curve in that it helped to calibrate my style, pointing out that a lot of what I wrote wasn’t needed. So that effort was a nice self-teaching exercise, but other than that it was a waste of tree. It lives in a shoebox under my bed.

I wrote a second novel the following year; another crime story, this time about an Auckland cop called Sean Devereaux. I submitted it to a publisher but it was rejected. I wrote another novel called THE FALLEN the following year, and retained Devereaux as the lead character. I submitted the novel to a different publisher (HarperCollins NZ), and fortunately it was accepted.

4. Outside of writing, and touring and promotional commitments, what do you really like to do, leisure and activity-wise?
try and have a game of tennis once a week. I can sometimes be persuaded to go for a surf, as long as the sun is shining and the wind is off-shore, and the swell is clean and right-breaking [strict, I know]. I love listening to music and walking my dog. The bulk of my plot development is schemed while dog-walking. At one stage while writing BY ANY MEANS (my new novel due out in August), I hit a story snag that I didn’t know how to fix, and the poor dog was getting four walks a day.

5. What is one thing that visitors to your hometown should do, that isn't in the tourist brochures, or perhaps they wouldn’t initially consider?
Wait for a nice day, and drive up to Long Bay Regional Park and go for a wander up the cliff-top walkway at the southern end. There’s a seat up there which faces north across the park and Long Bay beach, and it’s an ideal place to sit and read a Ben Sanders novel.

6. If your life was a movie, which actor could you see playing you?
Cate Blanchett did a great Bob Dylan, maybe she could do a great Ben Sanders? Otherwise, keeping with the Harry Potter theme, maybe Daniel Radcliffe. He’d have to dye is hair blond.

7. Of your books, which is your favourite, and why?
My second published novel, BY ANY MEANS, comes out early August, and I think it’s definitely my best work so far. There’s more character development, and I think the plot is pacier and more engaging. I’m very proud of THE FALLEN, but I think BY ANY MEANS is a definite step up; it’s tighter, more refined, and I’m excited about the release.

8. What was your initial reaction, and how did you celebrate, when you were first accepted for publication? Or when you first saw your debut story in book form on a bookseller’s shelf?

I was sort of eased into the idea of publication. The first hint I got that my work was any good was a phone call from the Publishing Manager at HarperCollins telling me she’d really enjoyed THE FALLEN. I got an email a week later informing me it had been accepted for publication, and that a contract was coming my way. It was an amazing feeling. It was relief mostly: I’d been writing for four or five years at that point, and if THE FALLEN was rejected, I didn’t know whether I’d have the energy to write a fourth novel. So to have my work accepted for publication, and be told by someone that they actually enjoyed reading it was fantastic. The celebrations were low-key: I had a cup of coffee, listened to Nick Cave’s ‘Let the Bells Ring,’ and then I rang my mum.

9. What is the strangest or most unusual experience you have had at a book signing, author event, or literary festival?
I aven’t been in the writing business long enough to have done any of those things yet. But I suppose the most unusual book-related event was actually at a signing for Michael Connelly when he was in Auckland recently. I started reading Connelly’s work when I was thirteen, and was totally hooked. From the ages of thirteen to fifteen, I slowly devoured his complete back-catalogue. His work has been a major influence on my writing, and it was an unusual feeling (and a privilege) to meet the guy who’d helped inspire me to be a writer.
 
 
Thank you Ben Sanders. We appreciate you taking the time to talk with Crime Watch.
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Have you read THE FALLEN? If so, what did you think? Do you enjoy New Zealand-set crime fiction? Do you think Auckland could be a good crime fiction city, like LA, London, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, New York, Sydney, and many others? Does the fact that we have an author now remembering Harry Potter as his favourite childhood book make you feel old (it sure does for me!)? Comments welcome.

A touch of crime during winter Writers Lounges in Auckland

The Auckland branch of the New Zealand Society of Authors is running free weekly Writers Lounge events during June and July, with an interesting array of authors and people involved in the books industry 'in conversation' each Monday lunchtime at the Auckland Art Gallery toi o Tamakaki, in the central city (near the Auckland central library).

I'm very pleased to say that there is some crime-fiction content coming up this month as well; on Monday 20 June myself and fellow Ngaio Marsh Award judge and book blogger Graham Beattie will be in conversation with Metro magazine editor Simon Wilson about 'The Blogosphere'. And then the following week, on Monday 27 June, the topic is 'Crime Central', featuring Auckland-based crime writers Andrea Jutson (THE DARKNESS LOOKING BACK) and Ben Sanders (#1 bestseller THE FALLEN) in conversation with John Reynolds. Terrific.

It's great to see events such as these being run, and that local crime fiction is getting some further exposure to local readers. The events are held from 12-1pm in the Art Lounge at the Auckland Art Gallery, on the corner of Lorne and Wellesley Streets, and entry is free! So I hope plenty of crime fiction readers in Auckland will head along to both these events, and that readers of all preferences will give several of the fantastic free sessions on offer a go over the winter months. I'll certainly be heading along to more than just my session. Here's the full line-up:

Monday 13 June – Fantastic Worlds
Linda McNab and Russell Kirkpatrick in conversation with Tina Shaw

Monday 20 June – The Blogoshpere
Graham Beattie and Craig Sisterson in conversation with Simon Wilson

Monday 27 June – Crime Central
Andrea Jutson and Ben Sanders in conversation with John Reynolds

Monday 4 July – Food For Thought
Alexa Johnston and Ray McVinnie in conversation with Nicola Legat

Monday 11 July – Travel The Globe
Graeme Lay and Graham Reid in conversation with Yvonne van Dongen

Monday 18 July – Actors Read Their Favourite Authors
Elizabeth McRae and Jennifer Ward-Lealand in conversation with Rae McGregor

Monday 25 July – Publishing Here and Now
Dan Myers and Mary Egan in conversation with Carole Beu

Bouquets to the Auckland branch of the NZSA for organising the events, and for the Auckland Art Gallery and Creative New Zealand for their support. Should be fun! Hope to see some of you there on the day.

Local and international crime featured in the New Zealand Listener's 100 Best Books of 2010

Last year, you might recall, I was a little disappointed at the relative lack of crime, mystery or thriller fiction titles, New Zealand or international, in the annual 100 Best Books list put out by the New Zealand Listener magazine. Especially as there were several very good crime novels that came out, and despite its literary leanings, the Listener had listed crime novels, including New Zealand crime novels, in the past, such as those of Paul Cleave and Vanda Symon.

As I said last year, the New Zealand Listener has long been considered one of our premier magazines. It is a weekly current affairs and entertainment magazine, renowned for having one of the best books sections around. Near the end of each year the Listener has a “100 Best Books of the Year” issue, where its reviewers compile their list of best novels, short stories, poetry, biography, memoir, and other non-fiction (eg history, science, journalism and essays, art, and food and drink) books of the year.

Well, this week the 2010 100 Best Books List has been published (in the issue pictured), and I am very pleased to say that there are several crime fiction titles amongst the 'best books' of the year, according to the reviewing team of the Listener. The crime fiction titles on the list are:

• BLACKLANDS by Belinda Bauer
• BLOOD MEN by Paul Cleave
• THE FALLEN by Ben Sanders
• HUNTING BLIND by Paddy Richardson
• THE REVERSAL by Michael Connelly
• SURRENDER by Donna Malane

Some cracking books there, and hopefully more Kiwi readers might give some of them a go, after reading about them in this week's issue of the Listener. Congratulations to the Kiwi crime writers who made the list.

Have you read any of the crime novels mentioned? If so, what did you think? If not, which ones catch your eye? Thoughts and comments welcome.

Ngaio Marsh Award: watch this space!

Just a heads-up that I will soon be revealing some further exciting news about the inaugural Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel, in terms of the prize that the winner, to be announced next Friday night at the 2010 The Press Christchurch Writers' Festival, will receive.

Things have been happening in the background, and there should be an official announcement very soon, hopefully tomorrow.

It's exciting times down here in New Zealand for crime and thriller writing. I understand that debutant Ben Sanders (THE FALLEN) may have held his spot at #1 on the New Zealand Adult Fiction bestseller list for the fourth week running, and that his novel may be heading for a reprint already, which is quite rare down here in New Zealand.

Paul Thomas's THE IHAKA TRILOGY (a collection of his three acclaimed crime novels from the late 1990s) has also remained in the top 5 bestsellers. So that's great, that Kiwi readers are giving some locally-written crime a go. Hopefully it bodes very well for our growing canon of good and great crime writers overall....

Also on the horizon, as well as the presentation of the inaugural Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel (for books published in 2009), is the release of another Kiwi crime debutant - Donna Malane's NZSA Pindar Publishing Prize-winning novel, SURRENDER. I'm very much looking forward to reading that, soon.

So, things are very much on the up and up, crime writing wise. Long may it continue!

Thoughts and comments welcome.

Dream debut continues for #1 bestseller Ben Sanders

What a month it's been for young North Shore crime writer Ben Sanders.

Over the past few weeks he and his debut novel, THE FALLEN, have been featured by several of New Zealand's biggest media players (eg the Weekend Herald, the Sunday Star-Times, TVNZ), and mentioned in several others as well, and now for the third week in a row THE FALLEN sits atop the New Zealand Adult Fiction bestseller list!

You can watch a short 5mins long clip of Ben Sanders being interviewed by Paul Henry and Pippa Wetzell on Breakfast, the popular TVNZ morning show here. For those of you outside of Australia and New Zealand, I understand a Kindle edition of THE FALLEN is due to be released on Amazon.com in September.

Paul Thomas's IHAKA TRILOGY (Old School Tie, Inside Dope and Guerilla Season) also holds its place at #3 in its third week on the charts. With Alix Bosco's SLAUGHTER FALLS also out now, Donna Malane's SURRENDER coming out in September, and the publicity being generated about New Zealand crime fiction in the lead-up to the presentation of the inaugural Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel, at The Press Christchurch Writers' Festival, in just two weeks' time, hopefully Kiwi readers will continue to give our locally-written crime novels a go.

Have you read THE FALLEN? Are you intending to? Do you think it's a contender for the 2011 Ngaio Marsh Award? What other great Kiwi crime have you read this year? What are your thoughts on the increasing publicity and prominence (relatively speaking) of Kiwi crime fiction lately? Long overdue? A cause for optimism? A false dawn? Thoughts and comments welcome.

Kiwi crime holds #1 bestseller spot!

In further great news for Kiwi crime fiction in general, and young debutant Ben Sanders in particular, THE FALLEN has retained the #1 spot on the New Zealand Adult Fiction bestseller list in its second week of release!

This is great news, and the first time in a long time that I can remember a New Zealand crime novel topping the local bestseller list for two weeks running. Hopefully this is the start of a trend (or further growth of a trend that had already slowly started) of New Zealand readers being a bit more willing to buy and try our local crime and thriller authors.

With all the great things happening, the media starting to talk about Kiwi crime a bit more, and with the upcoming The Press Christchurch Writers' Festival, the inaugural Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel, and some other upcoming articles in major publications (eg The Listener) on Kiwi crime, I really feel something is building here.

In further good news, THE IHAKA TRILOGY by Paul Thomas also rose from #8 on the bestseller list last week, to #3 this week. Hopefully as a bit more publicity comes out about SLAUGHTER FALLS (there has been little if anything yet), which has also recently been released, that may also jump up onto the list. It would be great to have a Kiwi crime trifecta.

You can read my review of THE FALLEN, as published in the Canvas magazine of the Weekend Herald, here. You can read an interview with Sanders by Mark Broatch of the Sunday Star-Times here.


Have you read THE FALLEN? Are you intending to? What are your thoughts on the increasing publicity and prominence (relatively speaking) of Kiwi crime fiction lately? Long overdue? A cause for optimism? A false dawn? Thoughts and comments welcome.

#1 with a bullet: debut crime writer Ben Sanders tops Kiwi bestseller list with THE FALLEN

The hits keep on coming for Kiwi crime fiction, with the most recent NZ Adult Fiction Bestseller list being topped by THE FALLEN by Ben Sanders, a 21-year old debutant Kiwi crime writer! THE FALLEN, which I recently reviewed for the Weekend Herald - see here, jumped straight to the top spot in its first week on the charts, which is fantastic.

That's the second #1 placing for Kiwi crime this year (after Paddy Richardson's HUNTING BLIND likewise topped the charts), and hopefully these sorts of placings and publicity will continue to open up Kiwi readers eyes to the quality of local crime, and start to overcome those horrible reader stats in Mark Broatch's excellent feature article in today's Sunday Star-Times.

Paul Thomas's IHAKA TRILOGY (Old School Tie, Inside Dope & Guerilla Season) also slots in at #8 in its first week on the charts. With Alix Bosco's SLAUGHTER FALLS also out now, and Donna Malane's SURRENDER coming out in September, hopefully Kiwi crime fiction can take a few positions on the charts in the coming weeks.

You can see the latest bestseller list here.

Young writer comes up trumps with local hero: my review of THE FALLEN in NZ's largest newspaper

As I noted previously, the Weekend Herald (New Zealand's biggest newspaper) have now kindly allowed me to republish any articles I have or will write for them, online. So today I am publishing online my review of THE FALLEN by Ben Sanders, a 20-year old debutant Kiwi crime writer, that was in the Books section of the Canvas magazine in this past weekend's edition of the Weekend Herald.

Just before we get to that however, I thought I would share with you that you can watch a short 5mins long clip of Ben Sanders being interviewed by Paul Henry and Pippa Wetzell on Breakfast, the popular TVNZ morning show here.

Personally I thought Sanders did pretty well for his first TV interview, and it's great to see him and his debut book getting attention from the big media outlets - the Weekend Herald, the Sunday Star-Times, and now TVNZ. I also liked the implication of Henry's closing comments - that New Zealanders needed to write more crime fiction. Hear hear!

Now, onto my review of THE FALLEN.

The Fallen
By Ben Sanders
(HarperCollins, RRP $29.99)
Reviewed by Craig Sisterson

A MAN dazedly regains consciousness only to find himself handcuffed, feeling like “he’s been bathed in something corrosive”, and with his head adhered to the carpet by his own clotted blood. So starts this debut crime thriller from North Shore engineering student and nascent author Ben Sanders, an adroit barely-20-something being touted as “a major new talent” with a “sophisticated and edgy” writing style.

The Fallen then switches to the first-person narration of street-savvy Auckland police detective Sean Devereaux, a hero who quickly displays some classic crime fiction traits. Devereaux has a tendency to trust his own morals, instincts and judgment more than “the rules” of his superiors; his narration is peppered with pithy comments and observations about the case and the wider world that are tinged with both smart-aleck humour and the occasionally jaded eye of someone who’s already seen plenty - “criminal investigation is inherently recession-proof”; but at the core he’s someone who cares, even if at times he may not want to.

Devereaux returns early from leave to investigate the brutal slaying of a 16-year-old ‘Epsom princess’, whose bashed body is discovered on the edge of a flowerbed in Albert Park. “I wondered what she could have done to deserve such a fate,” reflects Devereaux, “but as always when I asked myself with that question, my subconscious churned up the same answer: nothing”. Off the clock Devereaux is busying himself playing white knight for his attractive neighbour – finding out why she’s being watched by a mysterious man. As he juggles his official and unofficial duties, the latter with the help of ‘strong but silent’ security specialist John Hale (formerly an investigator with both the army and the NZ Police), Devereaux opens the proverbial Pandora’s Box. His after hours activities peel the scab from a scam run by senior colleagues, and he and Hale are dropped right into an escalating cycle of kidnapping, murder, and violence.

Sanders writes in a punchy, crisp style, employing short sentences and terse but telling descriptions, rather than languid or overwrought prose, to evoke a strong sense of the various Auckland settings, and his characters’ thoughts, actions, and motivations. There is a sleekness to Sanders’ storytelling that would be impressive for any crime writer, let alone one so young. He sprinkles musical references throughout; Devereaux, like the author, has a passion for rock, from REM to Neil Young. Sanders has reportedly been enamoured with crime fiction since he was an adolescent, and fellow fans of the genre will be able to spot the influence of varying big-name international bestsellers in aspects of The Fallen. Hale has echoes of Robert Crais’ Joe Pike, while Sanders’ ability to evoke an essence of Auckland as Devereaux travels the city’s streets is almost Connelly-esque.

But just like a new band that has echoes of those that have gone before, the real question isn’t whether a newcomer is completely unlike anything else, but whether they provide something enjoyable, and a little different. And more importantly, are they any good? With The Fallen, Sanders comes up trumps on that front; Devereaux’s first outing is an absorbing debut that also entices with future promise. The young man from the North Shore has added to the mounting evidence that New Zealand can produce native, compelling crime fiction to match the international offerings Kiwi readers buy in droves.

Craig Sisterson is an Auckland reviewer.

This feature article was first published in the Canvas magazine of the Weekend Herald on Saturday 31 July 2010, and is reprinted here with permission.

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So what do you think of my review? Of the Weekend Herald allowing me to share my past and future features and reviews for them, with you all here on Crime Watch? Do you like the sound of THE FALLEN? What did you think of Sanders' TV interview? Thoughts and comments welcome.

Good feature on debutant Kiwi crime writer Ben Sanders (THE FALLEN) in today's Sunday Star-Times

It's been quite a weekend for young Ben Sanders of the North Shore, as he and his debut crime novel THE FALLEN have been featured in both of arguably the two biggest and most influential weekend newspapers in New Zealand; the Weekend Herald and the Sunday Star-Times.

Following on from my review in the Weekend Herald, today's Sunday Star-Times has a good interview-based feature on Sanders in its books section, written by Books Editor Mark Broatch. You can read the feature here.

I was in Borders Queen Street a couple of hours ago, and they had quite a nice stack of THE FALLEN on one of the display tables (they're currently running a big fiction special, so it was only $22.95 too, which is a great price), so hopefully people will give the new kid on the block a try.

Unfortunately neither Whitcoulls Queen Street or Whitcoulls Downtown had any stock on display yet, but hopefully they will rectify that in the next day or so.

My TWO articles in the Canvas magazine of today's Weekend Herald (New Zealand's biggest newspaper)

It was certainly a nice way to start what is a lovely blue-skied winter weekend here in Auckland, by popping out to the dairy (our term for a convenience store, for those with a puzzled expression on their faces) to pick up the weekend newspaper.

After a bit of a hiatus, I've started writing author features for the Weekend Herald (the weekend edition of the largest-circulation newspaper in New Zealand) again. In fact, I've got several features coming out over the next few weeks. It's great to see crime fiction getting decent coverage in such an important Kiwi newspaper - UK-based Stephen Jewell also regularly writes some great crime fiction author interviews for the Canvas magazine (the glossy lifestyle etc supplement to the Weekend Herald that includes the books section).

I've also started with a bit of a bang. In this weekend's Canvas, I have TWO articles; a large feature on mystery maestro James Lee Burke (pictured above), and a book review of THE FALLEN, the debut thriller from nascent Kiwi crime writer Ben Sanders, a 20-year-old Auckland engineering student, that is released this coming week.

If you're in the northern part of New Zealand, I hope you grab a copy of the Weekend Herald and have a read. Let me know what you think. It was an absolute privilege to interview James Lee Burke, and I only help my feature, "Philosopher of Crime" does the old master justice.

As for those of you outside of the Herald's distribution area, as I noted recently thanks to the generosity of Linda Herrick, the Books Editor for the Herald, I am now able to republish my Canvas magazine articles on Crime Watch (as its a glossy supplement, the articles usually aren't put online by the Herald). As such, I will republish the full James Lee Burke feature "Philosopher of Crime" here later this week. In the meantime, to give you taste, here's a short snippet from my story:

"Burke’s eighteenth and latest Robicheaux novel, The Glass Rainbow (released in New Zealand next week), is ostensibly the reason for our interview, but just like his rich and layered tales themselves, my conversation with Burke ends up being a bit deeper and more philosophical, and laced with history, politics, social commentary, and literary references.

Throughout, the 73-year-old laughs easily and often, almost explosively at times. He is unfailing polite, yet not at all stuffy or formal. He answers the phone with a jovial “Is this New Zealand calling?” then tells me to call him “Jim”. Down-to-earth and humble, his soft-spoken manner and measured cadence belie some strident opinions when it comes to several things he cares deeply about, including the environment, “people of humble origin”, and the purpose and importance of art."

As for my review of Ben Sanders' debut, THE FALLEN, I really enjoyed his first Sean Devereaux tale. Regardless of his age, it's very slick and well-written crime, with some very nice touches throughout. Hopefully readers here will give it a go; I think they'll be pleased if they do.

You can read a synopsis/blurb for THE FALLEN here.

As with the James Lee Burke feature, I will republish my Weekend Herald review of THE FALLEN online here on Crime Watch later this coming week.

In the meantime, here's my concluding comment from the 500+ word review: "The young man from the North Shore has added to the mounting evidence that New Zealand can produce native, compelling crime fiction to match the international offerings readers buy and enjoy in droves".

Come on - did any of you really expect me to write a review of a well-written Kiwi crime novel for the biggest newspaper in the country (who rarely do such longer reviews of crime titles - usually just doing snippet round-ups) without getting in a comment about the state of the genre here in general? I couldn't resist, especially since it's 100 % true.

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So, what do you think of my double-feature, so to speak, in Canvas/The Weekend Herald today? Are you a James Lee Burke fan? Do you like crime writers who layer in more than just fast-moving plot and action? Do you like the sound of THE FALLEN? Is Kiwi crime really on the rise, or am I just deluded? I'd love to read what you think. Please share your thoughts.