Is Paul Cleave too dark for New Zealand bookstores?

It was great to see 2011 Ngaio Marsh Award winner Paul Cleave get some good coverage in yesterday's Herald on Sunday (see right). Cleave was interviewed by acclaimed author Nicky Pellegrino, who edits the books pages for the Herald on Sunday, and he was quite upfront about how he feels overlooked in New Zealand, despite his international success.

I think it's good to see an author speaking his mind, rather than just being politic with his comments - New Zealand is a very small market, so sometimes I think people don't address issues because they're worried about making waves - they're worried about putting certain people off-side. The New Zealand books industry is filled with fantastic, enthusiastic, passionate people, but there are plenty of things that could be done better, and if no-one talks about them, nothing will change.

In his interview with Pellegrino, which you can read in full online (click here), Cleave mentions how frustrated he is that he sells hundreds of thousands of novels in Europe, and yet his books can be hard to find in many bookstores in his home country. He has been told by one bookstore that a reason might be that his books are "too dark" - which is interesting because I know that bookstore chain stocks plenty of novels by Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Mo Hayder, Stuart MacBride, Karin Slaughter, Val McDermid, and many other authors who go to some very dark places. But maybe because they are international 'big names', that 'rule' doesn't apply to them?

Personally, I think bookstores in New Zealand should be proud to stock Cleave's books - he's a Kiwi writer doing great things on an international stage, who largely gets good and great reviews from readers and critics alike (although as he notes in Pellegrino's article, readers do tend to 'love or hate' his writing) - we should be supporting Cleave and other writers like him, rather than shunning his work because it doesn't fit into some narrow idea of what local fiction should be. If indeed that was a real reason given, rather than just an excuse from a staff member at that particular large chain, which has had plenty of problems in the past few years.

I would point out that I have seen (or heard about) good stock levels of Cleave's Christchurch-set thrillers in other bookstores in New Zealand, such as the excellent Unity Books in Auckland, Penny's Bookstore in Hamilton, Page & Blackmore in Nelson, and even the Borders store on Queen Street, Auckland. UBS Canterbury also had plenty of stock at the Setting the Stage for Murder event last weekend. And of course Kiwi readers can readily purchase Cleave's books online from places such as Fishpond and Mighty Ape.

What do you think? Are Cleave's books too dark for New Zealand bookstores, even though they are gobbled up by European readers? Should we - bookstores, festivals etc - be more supportive of our quality local writers, regardless of what they write? Should authors speak out about issues in the book industry, or just keep writing? I'd love to get your opinions on some of these issues

Writer slays competition: Christchurch's Paul Cleave featured in today's The Press newspaper

There is a nice story about Kiwi crime writer Paul Cleave winning the 2011 Ngaio Marsh Award in today's issue of The Press, the South Island's biggest newspaper. It's great to see some hometown media support for and celebration of Cleave's achievement (and a nice big pic of Cleave with the Award too), as the internationally bestselling author has been a little overlooked here in New Zealand by many in the books world; for example bookstores and event organisers, etc, in the past - despite his tremendous (and growing) overseas success.

It's been quite a year for Cleave - in recent months he has largely been based in Europe, and has also travelled to North America; meeting agents, editors, publishers, film companies and others as his writing career goes from strength to strength.

Cleave's books have now been signed up for publication in 19 countries (the most recent being Spain, Korea, and Bulgaria), and have been translated into more than a dozen languages. He has secured high spots on bestseller lists in France, Germany, and Turkey. Over the next year he will be appearing at books festivals in several countries, and recently and in the next few months he's had (or will have) further books come out in Italy, Brazil, the United States, France, Turkey, Taiwan, and Germany.

In short, Cleave is becoming a bona fide international crime writing star - and hopefully more and more of his compatriots will begin to catch on too. As Kiwis, we're often proud (deservedly so) of the achievements of our sportspeople, film makers, musicians, and others on the world stage - despite the fact they come from a small country at the end of the world - but we've been a little less vocal about the quality and success of our writers. Hopefully that will continue to change in future, perhaps led by the likes of Cleave.

You can read the full news story from The Press here.

Have you read BLOOD MEN, the Ngaio Marsh Award winning novel, or any of Paul Cleave's other dark thrillers? Were you at yesterday's event (or wish you were)? Do you think New Zealand should be prouder and more supportive of its writers, including its crime writers? Comments welcome.

And the winner is...

The winner of the 2011 Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel is BLOOD MEN by Paul Cleave. The award was presented at the end of the fantastic "Setting the Stage for Murder" event in Christchurch on Sunday afternoon (I apologise for the delayed post - I had no Internet access the past 36 hours). It was a truly terrific event, with a great crowd first enthralled by Tess Gerritsen and John Hart (a session chaired by Ngaio Marsh Award judge Graham Beattie), then the four Ngaio Marsh Award finalists: Cleave, Paddy Richardson, Neil Cross, and Alix Bosco (Greg McGee).

Here are some of the judges' comments about BLOOD MEN:

• "Cleave is an original, a writer with his own distinctive voice"


• "Incredibly well written ... Excellent pace & black humour. It has stayed with me for ages"


• Cleave tells a gruesomely gripping story in clean, sharp prose, with authentically laconic dialogue and flashes of very dark humour. The twists and turns of the fast-moving plot are often surprising but never illogical. This is world-class writing."


• "Cleave's prose crackles with energy. He gets you deep inside the head of a troubled man, and takes you on a great ride, story-wise, with plenty of twists in plot and character to keep you on your toes."


• "This thriller moves at a furious pace. Paints a detailed, dystopian picture of Christchurch which I hope is not accurate."

More details, and photos from the event, to follow. You can read a short news story from The Press about Cleave's win (from today's paper) here, and also more from the Christchurch City Libraries Blog here.

So, who's going to win then?

With the 2011 Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel about to be presented this weekend, I thought it was time to ask you - my knowledgeable Crime Watch readers, which of the books you think might win the Award in its second year.

We have four truly terrific finalists this year, that represent quite a diverse range of styles, settings, and storytelling. Each is a very good read in its own way, although readers will each have their own favourites, based on their own preferences, of course. But who will win? Who will the judges - international and New Zealand crime fiction experts - prefer?

Here's my summarised take on what's good and great about each of the four finalists (listed alphabetically), as shared with the Herald on Sunday last weekend:

Blood Men by Paul Cleave (Random House)
Cleave's prose crackles with energy in this dark tale told from the skewed viewpoint of Edward, an accountant trying to track those responsible for shattering his family. Cleave gets you deep inside the head of a troubled man, and takes you on a great ride story-wise, with plenty of twists in plot and character to keep you on your toes.

Captured by Neil Cross (Simon & Schuster)
Cross vividly takes readers into some uneasy places as dying Kenny seeks to set right past mistakes, discovering that an old friend is missing, her husband suspected but free. It's a page-turner with terse prose powering a pacy story that touches on wider themes like justice, the importance we sometimes place on fleeting events, memory and reality, and concerns about what legacy each of us may leave behind.

Hunting Blind by Paddy Richardson (Penguin)
Richardson's tale of a woman who is trying to uncover what really happened to her sister years ago expertly melds family drama and psychological suspense. Highlights of this novel include the evocation of the South Island scenery, a lingering sense of unease, and the way Richardson delves into the complexity of human relationships and the aftermath of high-profile tragedy; uncovering the very real and ongoing effects after the media circus leaves.

Slaughter Falls by Alix Bosco (Penguin)
Anna Markunas is an intriguing heroine - middle-aged and multi-layered - who finds herself investigating a puzzling death from a Queensland holiday. There's plenty of the tension (personal and plot) and vivid action-packed moments that readers (and judges) enjoyed in Cut & Run, but Bosco has amped up the personal, character-based parts of the story, and developed Markunas further as a series character.

The judging panel praised all of these crime novels highly - they really are a great representation of quality contemporary Kiwi crime writing. The judges praised BLOOD MEN as “a gruesomely gripping story” told “in clean, sharp prose, with authentically laconic dialogue and flashes of very dark humour”; said CAPTURED was “fascinating”, with “amazing twists and turns” and a “main character who was drawn so well”; rated HUNTING BLIND highly for its “sense of downright creepiness” and “some fascinatingly complex characters”; and were impressed by “the depth and complexity” and “well-executed plot unfolding at a good pace” in SLAUGHTER FALLS.

Each of the four novels would be a worthy and deserving winner. And each has been listed as a 'favourite' by various crime fiction readers I know. I really don't think the judges can go wrong, no matter which of these books ends up winning the Ngaio Marsh Award this year. But I'd really love to read what you think about the finalists, which ones you've read, and which one(s) you like best. Please share your thoughts.

Who do you think will or should win the 2011 Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel?

Crime Pays: the Herald on Sunday takes a look at the 2011 Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel

Yesterday (NZT) there was an article on the 2011 Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel in the Herald on Sunday, one of New Zealand's major weekend newspapers. I was interviewed by HOS Books Editor and acclaimed author Nicky Pellegrino about New Zealand crime fiction, and the four finalists for this year's award.

I spoke to Nicky about the growth of the Award in its second year, the quality of this year's longlist, and then gave my own perspectives on what makes each of the four finalists a cracking crime fiction read.

You can read the article in full online here.

It's great to see local crime fiction getting this sort of coverage in our major media. Hopefully there will be plenty of stories about the winner too, after they're announced at the "Setting the Stage for Murder" event in Christchurch next weekend (buy tickets here).

Who do you think will win the 2011 Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel? Who would you like to see win (if that's a different answer)? What New Zealand crime novels have you really enjoyed?

Ngaio Marsh Award finalists announced

THE FINALISTS for the 2011 Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel, which will be presented as part of the upcoming Christchurch Arts Festival, have now been announced today.

The award, now in its second year, is made annually for the best crime, mystery, or thriller novel written by a New Zealand citizen or resident. Its namesake, Dame Ngaio Marsh, is renowned worldwide as one of the four iconic “Queens of Crime” of the Golden Age of Detective Fiction. The award was established last year with the blessing of Dame Ngaio’s closest living relatives.

Over the past two months an expert panel consisting of seven local and international judges has been considering the best examples of locally written crime and thriller fiction published in New Zealand during 2010. The judges are now pleased to announce that the finalists are:

• BLOOD MEN by Paul Cleave (Random House);
• CAPTURED by Neil Cross (Simon & Schuster);
• HUNTING BLIND by Paddy Richardson (Penguin); and
• SLAUGHTER FALLS by Alix Bosco (Penguin).

The judges praised BLOOD MEN as “a gruesomely gripping story” told “in clean, sharp prose, with authentically laconic dialogue and flashes of very dark humour”; said CAPTURED was “fascinating”, with “amazing twists and turns” and a “main character who was drawn so well”; rated HUNTING BLIND highly for its “sense of downright creepiness” and “some fascinatingly complex characters”; and were impressed by “the depth and complexity” and “well-executed plot unfolding at a good pace” in SLAUGHTER FALLS.

This year’s winner of the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel will be announced at a ceremony at the conclusion of the “Setting the Stage for Murder” event at the TelstraClear Club in North Hagley Park on the afternoon of Sunday 21 August 2011. New York Times bestselling international crime writers Tess Gerritsen and John Hart will also be appearing at the event. The winner will receive a distinctive handcrafted trophy designed and created by New Zealand sculptor and Unitec art lecturer Gina Ferguson, a set of Ngaio Marsh novels courtesy of HarperCollins, and a cheque for $1,000 provided by the Christchurch Writers Festival Trust.

“The four finalists are a great representation of both the quality and depth of contemporary Kiwi-written crime fiction,” said Judging Convenor Craig Sisterson. “It was a particularly tough decision for the panel this year, as judges were impressed by each of the books on the longlist, and there was a real diversity of storytelling, settings, and styles. There were some very good local crime novels published in 2010 that haven’t become finalists, but that’s a good sign of the growing strength of our own indigenous interpretation of a genre that’s popular around the world.”

Like Dame Ngaio in her heyday, local crime writers are now showing that they can stand shoulder-to-shoulder, quality-wise, with their more well-known international contemporaries, said Sisterson. “We should be proud of our best crime writers, and support and celebrate their success, just like we are justifiably proud of other New Zealanders who achieve great things in their chosen field.”

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For more information, please contact:
Craig Sisterson, Judging Convenor: craigsisterson@hotmail.com

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?

Crime Fiction Alphabet: B is for BLOOD BOND, BOLD BLOOD, and BLOOD MEN (and belated)

As I noted recently my fellow Anzac and book blogger Kerrie at Mysteries in Paradise has brought back her great series where each week crime fiction bloggers from around the world write about a notable crime fiction novel or author (first name or surname) starting with a particular letter of the alphabet, all linking to each other.

You can read the 27 posts from my 2010 effort (I did two posts for one letter), here. Last year I included 11 posts relating to New Zealand crime writers or crime novels. Not a bad strike-rate.

As I said recently, I've decided that I am going to do my best (it may be quite tricky) to publish a New Zealand crime and thriller fiction-related post for every letter. Quite a challenge, perhaps. I may feature some New Zealand authors that were included last year, but I will create new posts and use them in a different way this time around, I've decided.

B could be for Belated, in my case, as I'm a few days late on my second week's post. I've been mulling over which of many options to use, and have in the end decided to combine them into a B-extravaganza, a five-B line-up of Kiwi crime: B-ing my reviews of the recent-ish Kiwi crime and thriller novels BLOOD BOND, BOLD BLOOD, and BLOOD MEN. So here we go.


Blood Bond
by Michael Green (Arrow/Random House, September 2009)
The second instalment in computer consultant, professional speaker, and keen yachtsman Michael Green’s ‘Blood Line’ trilogy, BLOOD BOND continues the story of two branches of the Chatfield family (one based in England, the other in New Zealand) who appear to be the only survivors in the aftermath of a fatal global pandemic.

BLOOD BOND begins with some of the New Zealand branch having rescued several British family members from the repressive medieval-style regime established by Nigel, a tyrannical patriarch, at Haver Hall near Kent, England. The fleeing group sails back to the Southern Hemisphere, facing unexpected dangers and fracturing relationships at stopovers in South Africa and Australia as they search for supplies, and other survivors.

Meanwhile the family remaining in England battle to survive Nigel and his sons’ wrath at the escape, before planning a coup – but would a new ‘democratic’ regime be any better than Nigel’s dictatorial one, or would self-interest and retribution lead to political short-cuts, power-plays and eventual savagery?

Although it’s the second in a trilogy, BLOOD BOND is a thrilling and enjoyable read even for those that haven’t read Blood Line (the first in the series, published in 2008). I quickly picked up the ‘back-story’, and increasingly found the pages whirring as Green intercut between the events unfolding at Haver Hall, and those on the yacht Archangel.

One of the best things about the novel, apart from the exciting events, is the way in which Green raises questions, in amongst the twisting plotline, about how humans interact with each other, especially when under tremendous pressure. When everything is stripped away, what would we do when it comes to protecting our family? How interested in the good of the group would even the most community-minded amongst us, really be?

Green, who lives on his yacht Raconteur in Gulf Harbour, has written the series to help raise funds for LifeLine, the telephone counseling charity. Regardless of the great cause, it’s a book many thriller fans would enjoy, and should consider buying.


Bold Blood
by Lindy Kelly (HarperCollins, 2009)
Horse-loving journalist, poet and children’s author Lindy Kelly adopts the old adage, ‘write what you know’, with her crime debut BOLD BLOOD, parlaying her youthful experience as an international eventing rider into a suspense tale set amongst the stables, saddles and sorrels of the New Zealand equestrian world.

Dr Caitlin Summerfield is happily living a hectic Wellington lifestyle, accessorised with overseas travel and a rich boyfriend. Her rural Nelson childhood has been left far behind, along with her emotionally abusive mother.

A fall and a phone call destroy Caitlin’s reverie, and she takes the bunny-hop flight across Cook Strait to return ‘home’. Playing caretaker at her comatose mother’s horse farm, helped by rugged neighbour Dom and multi-pierced teenage groom Kasey, Caitlin scratches beneath the surface of high-tech horse trailers and well-fed thoroughbreds to discover looming financial ruin, and a shot at a million-dollar breeding contract. A contract someone is willing to do anything for. Even kill.

Having published more than 100 short stories, sixteen children’s books, 36 poems, and had her writing feature on National Radio and performed on stage, Kelly told me she had one goal for her first adult thriller. “I wanted to write the sort of book that I like to curl up with for sheer pleasure… something with excitement and adventure, likable strong characters… a few mysteries, a bit of romance, humour, and passion.”

Overall she succeeds, spinning an engaging tale that carries the reader along. She strikes a nice balance - peppering local references, without over-seasoning in any contrived attempt to foist ‘Kiwi-ness’ onto a universal story. Populating a plot of assaults, arsons, horse theft and murder with a diverse cast, Kelly impresses most with her rich portrait of life in the eventing world, along with the way the horses aren’t mere props; but full-blown characters with personalities in their own right.

Although there is the occasional plot misstep, BOLD BLOOD is a good debut – a must read for horse-lovers, and an enjoyable read for anyone.


Blood Men
By Paul Cleave (Random House, 2010)
Christchurch novelist Paul Cleave doesn’t write boring stories, that’s for sure. His taut tales told through the eyes of deeply troubled ‘heroes’ have broken the mould when it comes to local crime and thriller writing, becoming huge international bestsellers in continental Europe. His debut The Cleaner was the biggest-selling crime/thriller novel for Amazon Germany in 2007, and on its release last year the German translation of this third thriller, Cemetery Lake, jumped straight to the number two spot overall, just behind Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol, and ahead of the Stieg Larsson trilogy.


Down this way, we’ve been a little slower on the uptake, but with the release of BLOOD MEN, Cleave’s fourth dark thriller, local readers have another chance to find out why the young man from Christchurch is being read and praised by the likes of Lee Child, John Connolly, Tess Gerritsen, Mark Billingham, and other international heavyweights, and why he will soon be launched in the key US market, a rare feat for a New Zealand writer.

In BLOOD MEN, Edward Hunter is a happily married family man with a great life, but a very dark past; he’s the son of a notorious serial killer who’s been in prison for 20 years, and will never be coming out. The son of a man of blood. When tragedy strikes his family, Edward suddenly needs the help of the man he’s spent his entire life distancing himself from, and trying to prove he’s nothing like. But as things spiral out of control, Edward begins to hear his own dark inner voice, and begins to fear he’s destined to become a man of blood, just like his father.

In terms of writing, Cleave’s prose crackles with freshness and energy. Sporadic moments of brutal violence may be too much for some who prefer mysteries of the Christie-esque ‘cosy’ style, but those who can handle grittier crime will uncover a top-notch tale. Cleave masterfully mixes compelling characters, sly humour, a taut plotline with enough tension and twists to keep the pages whirring, and a well-evoked, if somewhat malevolent, version of Christchurch.

With BLOOD MEN, Cleave shows he not only stacks up with, but in fact betters, many of the big-name international crime and thriller bestsellers that Kiwi readers buy in droves. Perhaps it’s time we better recognised the budding star in our own midst.

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These three reviews are edited versions of reviews first published in NZLawyer magazine, and are republished here with permission.

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What do you think of my B post for the Crime Fiction Alphabet? Of my goal of only having New Zealand-related posts? Have you read any of these three Kiwi crime/thriller novels? Comments welcome.

Herald on Sunday: Top Fiction Reads of 2010 (includes plenty of crime fiction)

What were the year’s top fiction titles? Some of the country’s most voracious readers make their choice.

Nicky Pellegrino is a best-selling author and the Herald on Sunday’s book editor (pictured)
I’ve read loads of great books over the course of this year but for me there are three stand outs:

The Long Song by Andrea Levy is a novel about the trials and tribulations of a woman on a Jamaican slave plantation. It doesn’t sound like an instant winner but this was my most loved book of the year. It’s a story that’s both powerful and playful. Narrated by the salty, sassy Miss July, a house girl serving a vain and idle mistress, it’s spirited, shocking and entertaining. Levy has brought to life a period in time barely recorded by historians and written about it in a vivid and original style.

Private Life by Jane Smiley is an excruciating portrayal of marriage, spanning the late 1800s to the Second World War. This is the story of an unexceptional woman whose family consider it a great piece of luck when she finds a husband rather late in life. When he turns out to be a crackpot and a loser she finds herself, not only stuck with him, but cast in the role of his chief supporter. Brilliant writing, under-stated and disturbing. Another book that ought to be relentlessly dark but is instead utterly seductive.

Trespass by Rose Tremain is set in the harsh landscape of the Cevennes in the South Of France and is a story about people crippled by their pasts. Audrun Lunel lives in an ugly bungalow on the fringes of her brother’s crumbling, family property. Anthony Verey decides to escape there and begin a new life far from his failures. When the new world collides with the old, tragedy is inevitable. Tremain’s writing is an exercise in restraint, taut and poised.

Vanda Symon is a Dunedin crime writer and regular reviewer on Jim Mora’s Afternoons on Radio New Zealand.
The three books I’ve chosen as my best reads of 2010 are all crime fiction, and more specifically, New Zealand crime fiction. Before you say, oh, but you only read crime fiction, not true – I read all sorts of fiction, but these three stood out for me for different reasons.

Hunting Blind by Paddy Richardson, is what I’d describe as a psychological literary thriller. It starts with every family’s worst nightmare – a little girl going missing during a picnic at Lake Wanaka. Seventeen years later the whole thing is reopened for Stephanie, the little girl’s sister, when one of her patients tells of a similar story. She has no choice but to pursue her past.

The Crime of Huey Dunstan by James McNeish is a completely different kind of novel and offers a unique protagonist, as Ches is nearing 70, and is blind. He is reminiscing about a court case he appeared in as an expert witness nearly twenty years earlier. The case of Huey Dunstan got under his skin, consumed him. Dunstan was accused of brutally murdering a man in cold blood, bludgeoning him to death. Yet when psychologist Ches met Huey he found it hard to equate the polite, honest young man with this murder. There is no doubt that he did it, but why? Ches looks into the young man's past, and two areas of difficult territory, buried memory and provocation. It’s a thought-provoking read.

Surrender by Donna Malane is a ripper yarn – a fast-paced and compelling story and a lead character who I sometimes loved, sometimes hated, but either way was entranced with. Diane Rowe is a missing persons expert and a hard woman. A year or two earlier her young sister was murdered and when the man she thought, but couldn’t prove, killed Nikki turns up dead, Diane has to get to the bottom of it. Diane is abrasive and stroppy and provides lots of short pithy one-liners. She’s also good at getting into serious trouble, and this book pulls no punches.

Craig Sisterson is a blogger who writes about thrillers on goldenglobenominees.blogspot.com/

I’ve read several very good crime and thriller novels this year, but here are three that stand out, raise the bar, and I think deserve much more attention.

The Glass Rainbow is the latest Louisiana-set masterpiece from the sublime James Lee Burke. Septuagenarian detective Dave Robicheaux, a series of brutal killings, his daughter entangled with a degenerate old-money family, longtime pal Clete under suspicion for murder, hired mercenaries, hovering evil, looming mortality, and more. Layered and lush: intricate plotting, compelling characters, philosophical insights, and lyrical prose. Superlative.

Kiwi writer Paul Cleave’s fantastic Blood Men further underlines his world-class talent for scary thrillers that mix depth and darkness. It’s told from the skewed viewpoint of Edward, an accountant losing the plot and worried that he hears the same monstrous ‘voice’ as his serial killer father. Cleave’s writing crackles with energy. The pages whir, but there’s also plenty of sly humour and thought-provoking themes beneath the blood.

Blue Heaven won Wyoming writer CJ Box the prestigious Edgar Award in 2009, but he wasn’t published here until this year. An absorbing tale of frightened children on the run after witnessing four corrupt policemen gun down a man in rural North Idaho. Something of a crime fiction and classic Western love-child, this is a gripping, intelligent thriller with complex characters, a beautifully-evoked setting, and a ferocious conclusion.

Graham Beattie writes about books on the popular beattiesbookblog.blogspot.com and regularly reviews for Radio New Zealand.

The Confession by John Grisham. I include this title because I literally couldn’t put it down once I started reading. It’s something of a departure for Grisham in that it tells the story of two men one of whom was wrongfully convicted nine years before for murder and the other the worthless guy who actually committed the crime. There are four days to go before the execution, the guilty low-life guy has learned he has a brain tumour and facing his imminent death has decided to make a clean breast of the murder. But is it too late? Vintage Grisham whom I suspect may be in the anti-death penalty lobby, the book says much about the risk of wrongful convictions. I was hooked.

Freedom by Jonathan Franzen. This is a big book, almost 600 pages, with a myriad of characters. It is probably fair to call it an epic. It’s Franzen’s first novel since the much-acclaimed The Corrections nine years ago and has been keenly awaited by many, including me. I was not disappointed. It’s a generational family saga featuring the rather likeable Patty and Walter Berglund a baby boomer, financially secure, left leaning couple who live in the Midwest with successful children and whose marriage is running out of steam. It covers from the 1970’s through to the present day with an emphasis on 2004. A book in which you can get lost and that in the end I found most satisfying.

Hand Me Down World by Lloyd Jones. Another author with a serious act to follow after the huge international success of his Man Booker shortlisted Mister Pip. I found this quite spellbinding. A North African woman becomes pregnant while working in a Tunisian hotel and shortly after the birth the baby boy is stolen and taken to Germany by the father.

The book is about the woman’s journey to find him. It leads her across the Mediterranean and through various countries to Berlin, and is told first by the myriad of characters she meets along the way -some generous, others exploitative - and then by herself.

This is a haunting, sometimes heartbreaking, story of a mother’s love. It will be a long time before I forget Jones’ wonderfully crafted character.

Dame Fiona Kidman is a leading contemporary novelist, short story writer and poet.
I’ve read many wonderful books this year but as I’m one of three international judges for the Commonwealth Fiction Prize, I have to reserve comment for the moment as to my favourite New Zealand titles.

One New Zealand publication that didn’t qualify for inclusion, is Parisian writer Pierre Furlan’s The Collector’s Dream, translated from French by Jean Anderson. It’s an absorbing and quirky father and son story based on Invercargill born genius and inventor, Franklin Bodmin. Bodmin became an American entrepreneur, and Will, who follows him, is equally driven in his own way. Bodmin Senior invented, among other things, crinkled hairpins and the first modern carburetor. Furlan got the idea of writing the book when he was a Randell Cottage Writers’ Fellow in Wellington.

One of my great reading discoveries of the year was Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout. The 13 linked stories, about an aged, often graceless, but warm-hearted school teacher read like a novel and reveal not just one small new England town and its people, but what makes the human heart tick. This complex, emotional read won the Pulitzer Prize.

The title of Maggie O’Farrell’s new novel The Hand That First Held Mine didn’t appeal, but once started it was a straight-through read. A young London couple have their first baby and things don’t go well from the start, as Elina suffers post natal depression. But as it clears, her partner Ted falls prey to a much greater malaise, triggered by the baby’s birth. There is a mystery about Ted’s identity, which reads like a thriller.

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This article was first published in the Books section of the 26 December 2010 issue of the Herald on Sunday, and is reprinted here on Crime Watch with the kind permission of Herald on Sunday Books Editor Nicky Pellegrino.

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Great to see some crime and thriller fiction get a mention, especially the New Zealand books - and not just from me, but other reviewers and authors as well. Have you read any of the titles (crime fiction or otherwise) mentioned? What do you think of the recommendations? What were your favourite books of 2010?

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.

Christchurch's Dark Prince of the Pen: My feature article on Paul Cleave in Latitude magazine

christchurch’s dark prince of the pen

words: craig sisterson
images: supplied

Internationally, his dark thrillers have made him the most popular Kiwi crime writer since Ngaio Marsh, but here at home he’s still somewhat unknown. Paul Cleave talks about life on and off the page

You have to be a touch careful around Christchurch crime writer Paul Cleave. Not because he shares any of the violent or (self)destructive tendencies of the memorable characters packing the pages of his international bestsellers. But because he has a tendency to, well, ‘take the piss’. Mainly of himself.

Like his compelling tales, which on the surface seem pretty serious - dark thrillers sprinkled with a fair bit of carnage - with Cleave there’s often a fair bit of sly humour and self-deprecation going on underneath; easy to miss if you’re not paying full attention. Relaxing in his suburban home, the soft-spoken author admits he was “pretty hard on Christchurch” in Blood Men, his recently-released fourth novel that has seen him snapped up by a giant international publisher for a US launch in July - a rare achievement for a Kiwi author. July will be a big month for Cleave, as he’s also appearing at a prestigious crime writing festival in England, rubbing shoulders with the biggest names in the business. Overseas, his gritty and well-written thrillers have seen him touted as “the New Zealand Ian Rankin”.

The story in Blood Men centres on accountant Edward Hunter, a happily-married family man with a great life but a dark past; he’s the son of a notorious serial killer who’s been in Christchurch Prison for 20 years and will never be coming out. The son of a man of blood. When tragedy strikes, Edward suddenly needs the help of a man he’s spent all his life trying to distance himself from, and as things spiral out of control Edward starts wondering whether deep down he might be a man of blood, too.

Cleave doesn’t write boring stories, that’s for sure; Blood Men crackles with freshness and energy. Like his previous international bestsellers (he’s particularly popular in Germany, where his debut The Cleaner was the #1 bestselling crime novel on Amazon.de in 2007), sporadic moments of violence may be too much for those who exclusively read mysteries of the old-fashioned Agatha Christie style. But Cleave masterfully mixes compelling characters, sly humour, and taut plotlines with enough tension and twists to keep pages whirring. His earlier books have even made the annual The Listener 100 Best Books List; a rarity for a crime writer, let alone a Kiwi one. It takes a talented writer to have readers stifling chuckles moments after wanting to huddle under their covers, but the laidback local has the rare touch; weaving laughs amongst the darkness. “I always try for some humour,” he says. “Sometimes it will be really subtle, but I definitely aim for humour. It’s taken me a long time to develop that style, because I started writing novels when I was nineteen… it took me ten years to write and develop and get [published].”

Another trademark of Cleave’s writing is his well-evoked, if sometimes malevolent and sinister, version of his hometown. Readers and reviewers could be mistaken into thinking Cleave doesn’t think much of the Garden City, given he portrays Christchurch as an unpredictable place, full of murder, mystery and mayhem. But the 35-year old laughs that off, saying away from his writing desk, he enjoys living here. “I really like Christchurch... kind of,” he says, playfully dead-panning the last words. “I don’t see it in the dark way I write about it. I take everything bad I've learned about Christchurch and I exaggerate it for the books to create an atmosphere more suitable for a crime novel. It’s not what I think of it, but my characters see it that way. Plus it’s a more entertaining angle to write.”

Perhaps surprisingly, given his fictionalised Christchurch is such a strength, originally Cleave wasn’t going to set his stories locally. “When I first started writing, I just made up… some kind of generic US city,” he recalls. He was learning his trade, churning out unpublished horror manuscripts in his early 20s (that he says will remain firmly ensconced in the bottom drawer, never to see the light of day), having always been fascinated with what scares us. Then two things changed; he made the switch from horror to dark crime, realising that “horror [fiction] isn’t really horror... the scariest stuff in the world is true stuff, stuff that’s real, like serial killers.” And he read advice from one of his favourite authors, Dean Koontz, about writing what you know. “I started setting things in Christchurch, and it just changed everything. You know how things look; you know the feel of the city and how long it takes a character to get somewhere. It was just the best thing I ever did.”

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His earlier books have even made the annual The Listener 100 Best Books List; a rarity for a crime writer, let alone a New Zealand one.

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Away from the page, Cleave likes spending time with friends and family, and enjoys getting active with his mates at the parks, beaches, and golf courses of Canterbury. He used to enjoy “aggressively” hitting some of the great local mountain bike trails, until a couple of serious crashes put paid to that (he still has a few scars). Now he goes for the odd low-key ride with mates, as well trying to enjoy golf. “I just love doing stuff, being athletic,” he says, before confessing with a laugh that he hasn’t always been that way, having grown up “small and geeky and underweight and just a bit of a nerd” through his years at Papanui High. “I like to frustrate myself on a golf course and see if I can go around without throwing my clubs into the trees or breaking them all in half,” he says. “I figure if I can use up all my swear words on the golf course, then there won't be any left for my writing.” Cleave is also a big fan of Frisbee. “Frisbee is the coolest thing in the world and we'd all be better off if we made time for it,” he says, giving his serious face. “It bonds people. I've seen it happen. I once played Frisbee in Egypt by a beach with a guy from Slovakia and a guy from Austria and I'd never met them before and for those ten minutes we were all best friends. Imagine how well peace talks would go if Presidents were tossing Frisbee's back and forth - 'Hey good catch, Barack' - 'Hey, cheers, great throw.'”

Once again, I’m not sure if he’s serious or joking. Probably both; after all, he has a pretty valid point - something important to say, even if I imagine I can see a mischievous glint in his eye.

Just like his writing.

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This feature article was first published in the Winter 2010 issue of Latitude, Canterbury's own lifestyle magazine, and is reprinted here with the kind permission of Latitude Editor Joanne Taylor.