Last
year Craig Sisterson, organizer of the Ngaio Marsh Awards, invited me to
participate in a clever approach to publicizing the Awards. Bloggers from around
the world would write posts about the books and authors up for the Awards in
the month leading up to the announcement of the winners. Each day there would
be a post on the Facebook page for the Awards - https://www.facebook.com/NgaioMarshAward/
I
was glad to be one of the bloggers and read an interesting first novel, Ice Shroud by Gordon Ell.
A
few days ago Craig was in contact again. This year I am reading and reviewing Marlborough Man by Alan Carter. My post
will be up on my blog and the Awards Facebook page on August 19.
I am
in the midst of the book and finding it absorbing.
It
is certainly a book that is a distinctly New Zealand story. As an example there
was a scene in the book which sent a shiver up my spine. In an effort to get a
couple to start answering questions pig’s blood is poured on them and they are
threatened with an eel. It is not just an ordinary eel:
Deep in New Zealand’s
lakes and along its meandering rivers, lives a monster. The New Zealand longfin
eel is the largest freshwater eel on earth. They grow to two metres in length
and weigh up to forty kilos. They have leathery skin, embedded with hundreds of
tiny scales and monster.
I would
have told the interrogator anything he wanted to hear from me.
There
is lots of fine crime fiction being written in New Zealand.
The shortlists
for this year’s Awards:
Best First Novel
The Floating Basin by Carolyn Hawes
Broken Silence by Helen Vivienne
Fletcher (HVF Publishing)
All Our Secrets by Jennifer Lane
(Rose Mira Books)
The Sound of Her Voice by Nathan Blackell
(Mary Egan Publishing)
Nothing Bad Happens Here by Nikki
Crutchley (Oak House Press)
Best
Crime Novel
Marlborough Man by Alan Carter
(Fremantle Press)
See You in September by Charity Norman
(Allen & Unwin)
Tess by Kirsten McDougall (Victoria
University Press)
The Sound of Her Voice by Nathan Blackell
(Mary Egan Publishing)
A Killer Harvest by Paul Cleave
(Upstart Press)
The Hidden Room by Stella Duffy
(Virago)
The
winners will be announced at WORD Christchurch (August 29 – September 2)
There really are some fine entries into this year's competition, Bill. I'm glad you've had the chance to read at least one of them. I hope you'll enjoy the rest of Marlborough Man.
ReplyDeleteMargot: Thanks for the comment.I know you have come to love New Zealand crime fiction.
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