New Zealand crime fiction

Reaper by Vanda Symon

25 March, 2026

New Zealand author Vanda Symon is known primarily for her Sam Shephard books but began a new series in 2022 with Faceless, featuring Max Grimes. Reaper is the followup to that novel about the former policeman who now lives on the streets of Auckland. This…

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The Nancys and the Case of the Missing Necklace by RWR McDonald

By DeathBecomesHer

26 November, 2025

If your love for crime fiction began at an early age, it’s a fair bet that it started with the likes of The Famous Five, The Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew. The same applies to Tippy Chan, the 11-year-old heroine of RWR McDonald’s award winning…

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Interview: Rosy Fenwicke

By crimefictionlover

6 June, 2025

“If not now, when?” This is the question that buzzed in the head of Rosy Fenwicke when she retired from medicine and started her first novel. After conquering that challenge with Hot Flush – about a midlife woman who develops superpowers and solves crimes –…

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Carved in Blood by Michael Bennett

By Sharon Richardson

22 April, 2025

Carved in Blood is the third book in the Hana Westerman series by Kiwi screenwriter Michael Bennett. As with Better the Blood and Return to Blood, the novel explores the Māori experience and culture in present day New Zealand through crime fiction as Westerman is…

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Under southern skies: 13 fresh, exciting antipodean crime writers to try

By crimefictionlover

17 June, 2024

Today we’re joined by Craig Sisterson, CWA Daggers judge and editor of Dark Deeds Down Under 2, a fascinating new anthology of Australian and New Zealand crime and thriller stories. Craig’s HRF Keating Award-shortlisted guidebook, Southern Cross Crime, shone a light on the treasure trove of modern…

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Dark Deeds Down Under 2 edited by Craig Sisterson

By Sonja van der Westhuizen

14 May, 2024

In rugby, Australia and New Zealand are sworn enemies. Off the pitch, they have more in common than they care to admit, whether it’s their shared landscapes, culture, troubled histories or love of the great outdoors. When it comes to crime fiction tastes are similar…

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Return to Blood by Michael Bennett

By Sonja van der Westhuizen

7 May, 2024

In his debut novel, Better the Blood, New Zealand crime author Michael Bennett explored the wounds and after effects of colonialism and picked up the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best First Novel. In this sequel, Hana Westerman, a Māori detective in the Auckland Crime Investigation…

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The Gone: Kiwi/Irish crime show comes to BBC Four

By crimefictionlover

11 March, 2024

While the Irish broadcaster RTÉ may not have the resources of the BBC or HBO, it has canny knack for collaborating with producers in other countries to jointly invest in high-quality crime shows. Hidden Assets was surprisingly good, given the unlikely linkup between an Irish…

Crime Fiction Lover

Reaper by Vanda Symon

The Nancys and the Case of the Missing Necklace by RWR McDonald

Interview: Rosy Fenwicke

Carved in Blood by Michael Bennett

Under southern skies: 13 fresh, exciting antipodean crime writers to try

Dark Deeds Down Under 2 edited by Craig Sisterson

Return to Blood by Michael Bennett

The Gone: Kiwi/Irish crime show comes to BBC Four

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