New Zealand Crime, Mystery, Suspense and Thriller Writers

This pages contains a regularly updated bibliographical list of New Zealand authors, now and historic, and their novels that could happily sit within the wider crime, mystery, suspense and thriller category. Last updated 27 February 2012.

Bates, David - BENEATH THE CHERRY TREE (2009)

Beckett, Bernard

• JOLT
• NO ALARMS
• DEEP FRIED

Beecham, Rose

• GRAVE SILENCE (2005)
• SLEEP OF REASON (2006)
• PLACE OF EXILE (2007)
• INTRODUCING AMANDA VALENTINE (1992)
• SECOND GUESS (1994)
• FAIR PLAY (1995)
• FATAL MOURNING
• THE GARBAGE DUMP MURDERS (1993)

Benn, Ken - LETHAL DELIVERIES (2010)

Berrow, Norman

• GHOST HOUSE
• THE BISHOP'S SWORD
• DON'T GO OUT AFTER DARK
• THE CLAWS OF THE COUGAR
• THE SMOKERS OF HASHISH
• THE SECRET DANCER
• DON'T JUMP MR BOLAND!
• THE FOOTPRINTS OF SATAN
• THE THREE TIERS OF FANTASY
• THE SPANIARD'S THUMB
• FINGERS FOR RANSOM
• WORDS HAVE WINGS
• THE LADY'S IN DANGER
• THE ELEVENTH PLAGUE
• OIL UNDER THE WINDOW
• ONE THRILLING NIGHT
• IT HOWLS AT NIGHT
• THE TERROR IN THE FOG
• MURDER IN THE MELODY
• THE SINGING ROOM

Bickley, Shauna - DRIFTWOOD (2010)

Billing, Graham - THE ALPHA TRIP (1969)

Billington, Greg - OYSTERCATCHER (2003)

Blakeborough, Peter

• A TWIST OF FATE (2011)
• MURDER AT WAIRERE (2011)

Bohan, Edmund

• THE OPAWA AFFAIR (1996)
• THE DANCING MAN (1997)
• THE MATTER OF PARIHAKA (2000)
• THE IRISH YANKEE (2001)
• A PRESENT FOR THE CZAR (2003)

Bordin, Gian - ULTIMATE DARE (2000)

Bosco, Alix

• CUT & RUN (2009)
• SLAUGHTER FALLS (2010)

Bream, Freda

• ISLAND OF FEAR (1982)
• THE VICAR DONE IT (1983)
• MURDER IN THE MAP ROOM (1983)
• THE VICAR INVESTIGATES (1983)
• A CASE OF ART FAILURE (1984)
• SEALED AND DISPATCHED (1984)
• WITH MURDER IN MIND (1985)
• THE CORPSE ON THE CRUISE (1985)
• THE PROBLEM AT PIHA (1986)
• COFFIN TO LET (1994)
• THE NASTY AFFAIR AT NORFOLK (1995)
• MURDER AT THE MICROPHONE (1995)
• ANYONE CAN MURDER (1997)

Brooking, Wayne - BUCKINBAH WEIR (2011)

Calder, Jason

• THE MAN WHO SHOT ROB MULDOON (1976)
• A WREATH FOR THE SPRINGBOKS (1977)
• THE O'RORKE AFFAIR (1978)
• TARGET MARGARET THATCHER (1981)

Canham, Paul - THE RETURN (1999)

Carson, Selwyn

• PRESCRIPTION FOR DANGER
• PAYDAY IN SAUDI

Catran, Ken

• TALKING TO BLUE
• BLUE MURDER
• SMILING JACK (2010)

Chamberlain, Rhys - EMOTION

Clarke, Neva - BEHIND CLOSED DOORS (1964)

Cleave, Paul

• THE CLEANER
• THE KILLING HOUR
• CEMETERY LAKE (2008)
• BLOOD MEN (2010)
• COLLECTING COOPER (2011)
• THE LAUGHTERHOUSE (2012)

Colley, I.B. - DEATH IN THE DIMNESS (1974)

Colvin, Chris - IN HARM'S WAY

Connor, Cat

• KILLERBYTE
• TERRORBYTE
• EXACERBYTE (2011)
• FLASHBYTE (2012)

Cooper, Barbara - TARGET FOR MALICE (1964)

Crawford, Jim - KILLING TIME (1980)

Crawford, Murray - MYSTERY ON THE WHANGANUI (1994)

Cross, Neil

• MR IN-BETWEEN
• HOLLOWAY FALLS
• NATURAL HISTORY
• ALWAYS THE SUN
• BURIAL (2009)
• CAPTURED (2010)
• LUTHER: THE CALLING (2011)

Curnow, Lesley - THINGS WE CAN'T UNTIE (2009)

Dawber, Carol

• BACKTRACK
• EARTHWORKS
• SOUNDS EASY

Donovan, Don

• THE WASTINGS
• SECOND BITE

Druett, Joan

• MURDER AT THE BRIAN BORU (1992)
• A WATERY GRAVE
• SHARK ISLAND
• RUN AFOUL
• DEADLY SHOALS

Duffy, Stella

• CALENDAR GIRL (1994)
• WAVEWALKER (1996)
• BENEATH THE BLONDE (1997)
• FRESH FLESH (1999)
• MOUTHS OF BABES (2005)

Durney, Peter - THIS SON OF MINE (2010)

Easther, Michael - DEATH OF A HOLY COW (2011)

Eden, Dorothy

• LET US PREY
• THE DEADLY TRAVELLER

Edlin, Nicholas

• THE WIDOW'S DAUGHTER (2010)
• THE BELOW COUNTRY (2011)

Edwards, Denis - MIRAMAR MORNING

Eldred-Grigg, Stevan - BLUE BLOOD (1997)

Else, Barbara - THE CASE OF THE MISSING KITCHEN (2003)

Else, Chris - GITH

Fletcher, Rodney - BETRAYAL OF TRUST (1997)

Flood, Gareth - OIL & CORRUPTION (2011)

Fowler, Dorothy - WHAT REMAINS BEHIND (2009)

Gee, Maurice

• IN MY FATHER'S DEN
• CRIME STORY
• ACCESS ROAD

George, Robert - KENNARD'S WAY (2011)

Giles, Neil - A CASE OF IMMUNITY

Gordon, Gaelyn

• ABOVE SUSPICION
• STRAINED RELATIONS
• DEADLINES 

Grant, Andrew

• HAWKS
• TYLER'S GOLD
• MESQUITE SMOKE DANCE
• DEATH IN THE KINGDOM
• SINGAPORE SLING-SHOT

Grayland, V. Merle

• THE DEAD MEN OF EDEN
• NIGHT OF THE REAPER
• THE GRAVE-DIGGER'S APPRENTICE
• JEST OF DARKNESS

Grimshaw, Charlotte

• PROVOCATION
• GUILT

Green, Maureen

• TANGLED WEB
• SNATCHED

Green, Michael

• BLOOD LINE
• BLOOD BOND (2009)
• BLOOD ROOTS (2011)

Gunson, Dave - WARRIORS IN THE TEMPLE (1992)

Hammond, Matt - MILKSHAKE (2011)

Hansen, Marita A. - BEHIND THE HOOD (2011)

Harris, Wren - THE FALLING OF SHADOWS (2011)

Hughes, Vonnie - LETHAL REFUGE (2011)

Huljich, Paul - BETRAYAL OF LOVE AND FREEDOM (2010)

Hume, Fergus - MYSTERY OF A HANSOM CAB

Jay, Simon

• DEATH OF A SKIN DIVER (1964)
• SLEEPERS CAN KILL (1968)

Jenner, Roy

• ON THE LIP OF A LION
• THE BRINGING DOWN OF THE HAWK (2011)
• TAKEN BY EXPERTS (2011)
• WILD IN HIS SORROW (2011)

Jones, Morgan - TAKEN TO THE CLEANERS

Jutson, Andrea

• SENSELESS
• THE DARKNESS LOOKING BACK

Kelly, Linda - BOLD BLOOD

Laird, PC - THE SHADOW WORLD (2007)

Latta, Nigel - EXECUTION LULLABY

Laws, Michael - DANCING WITH BEELZEBUB

Lawn, Judy

• DAISIES NEVER DIE (2006)
• WATCH OVER ME (2012)

Lay, Graeme - TEMPTATION ISLAND

Lee, John A. - MUSSOLINI'S MILLIONS (1970)

Lewis, Stefen - THE WAIKIKAMUKAU CONSPIRACY

Lewis, Tom

• EYE OF THE KEA (2002)
• BLACK FRIDAY (2004)

Ling, John - THE BLASPHEMER (2011)

Loates, Lyn - BUTTERSCOTCH (2009)

MacDonald, Colin D. - MURDER ON A MUSTER (1997)

MacRae, Justin - A DARK FAITH

Malane, Donna - SURRENDER (2010)

Malley, Steve

• CROSSROAD BLUES (2010)
• POISON DOOR (2011)

Mantell, Laurie

• MURDER IN FANCY DRESS
• A MURDER OR THREE
• MURDER AND CHIPS
• MURDER TO BURN
• MURDER IN VAIN
• MATES

Marriner, Craig - STONEDOGS

Marsh, Dame Ngaio

• A MANY LAY DEAD (1934)
• ENTER A MURDERER (1935)
• THE NURSING HOME MURDER (1935)
• DEATH IN ECSTASY (1936)
• VINTAGE MURDER (1937)
• ARTISTS IN CRIME (1938)
• DEATH IN A WHITE TIE (1938)
• OVERTURE TO DEATH (1939)
• DEATH AT THE BAR (1940)
• SURFEIT OF LAMPREYS (1941)
• DEATH AND THE DANCING FOOTMAN (1942)
• COLOUR SCHEME (1943)
• DIED IN THE WOOL (1945)
• FINAL CURTAIN (1947)
• SWING BROTHER SWING (1949)
• OPENING NIGHT (1951)
• SPINSTERS IN JEOPARDY (1954)
• SCALES OF JUSTICE (1955)
• OFF WITH HIS HEAD (1957)
• SINGING IN THE SHROUDS (1959)
• FALSE SCENT (1960)
• HAND IN GLOVE (1962)
• DEAD WATER (1964)
• DEATH AT THE DOLPHIN (1967)
• CLUTCH OF CONSTABLES (1968)
• WHEN IN ROME (1970)
• TIED UP IN TINSEL (1972)
• BLACK AS HE'S PAINTED (1974)
• LAST DITCH (1977)
• GRAVE MISTAKE (1978)
• PHOTO FINISH (1980)
• LIGHT THICKENS (1982)

Marsh, Jan - BUTTERFLY SOUP

Mason, Jim - THE MOUSE IS DEAD!

McClenaghan, Jack

• MOVING TARGET (1966)
• TRAVELLING MAN (1976)

McCormack, Trish - ASSIGNED TO MURDER (2009)

McGill, David

• THE MONSTRANCE (2003)
• IN EXTREMIS (2004)
• WHAKAARI
• FROM MY COLD DEAD HANDS

McIlvanney, Liam - ALL THE COLOURS OF THE TOWN (2009)

McLean, Jeannie

McLeod, David - CHRIST CLONE (2010)

McNeish, James - THE CRIME OF HUEY DUNSTAN (2010)

Messenger, Elizabeth

• MURDER STALKS THE BAY
• MATERIAL WITNESS
• DIVE DEEP FOR DEATH
• LIGHT ON MURDER
• THE WRONG WAY TO DIE
• A HEAP OF TROUBLE
• YOU WON'T NEED A COAT
• PUBLICITY FOR MURDER
• GOLDEN DAWNS THE SUN
• UNCERTAIN QUEST

Mitchell, William G. - THE SOLOMON LEGACY (2008)

Morcan, James and Lance - THE NINTH ORPHAN (2011)

Morrieson, Ronald Hugh

• THE SCARECROW (1963)
• CAME A HOT FRIDAY (1964)
• PREDICAMENT (1975)
• PALLET ON THE FLOOR (1976)

Moynihan, Isa - THE RASHOMON FACTOR

Muller, C. George - ECHOES IN THE BLUE (2006)

Myers, Daniel - CORPORATE BLUE (2004)

Niles, Chris

• SPIKE IT (1997)
• RUN TIME (1998)
• CROSSING LIVE (1999)
• HELL'S KITCHEN (2001)
• VANISHED (2004)
• GRACE FALCO (2006)

Nixon, Carl - ROCKING HORSE ROAD

Osmond, Andrew - BIG FISH (2009)

Parker, Keith

• THE JOURNALIST (1998)
• DANGEROUS COASTLINES (2003)

Parsons, Julie

• MARY, MARY (1998)
• THE COURTSHIP GIFT (1999)
• EAGER TO PLEASE (2000)
• THE GUILTY (2003)
• THE HOURGLASS (2005)

Peel, Colin D.

• ADAPTED TO STRESS (1972)
• BITTER AUTUMN (1973)
• ONE SWORD LESS (1973)
• ON A STILL NIGHT (1975)
• COLD ROUTE TO FREEDOM (1975)
• FLAMEOUT (1976)
• NIGHTDIVE (1977)
• HELL SEED (1978)
• GLIMPSE OF FOREVER (1980)
• SNOWTRAP (1982)
• FIRESTORM (1984)
• SMOKE FROM ANOTHER FIRE (1985)
• HELL’S ARENA (1990)
• ATOLL (1992)
• COVENANT OF THE POPPIES (1993)
• DARK ARMADA (1995)
• BLOOD OF YOUR SISTERS (1996)
• CHERRY RED AND DANGEROUS (1997)
• EYE OF THE WARRIOR (2000)
• COGAN’S FALCONS (1999)
• WHITE DESERT (2001)
• CHICANE (2003)
• THE ROSENBERG PRINCIPLE (2005)
• THE THIRD WAY (2007)
• THE RYBINSK DECEPTION (2009)

Ponder, Mike - THE WINDSOR CONSPIRACY

Porteous, Andrew - A POLITICAL AFFAIR (2011)

Prebble, Ray - CLICK

Price, Tony

• KICKING OUT (2011)
• MOVING ON (2011)

Pullman, Graham - HEMI'S TRACK (2011)

Rawson, David - THE INCA TAPESTRY

Richards, Mark - AS THROUGH A GLASS

Richardson, Paddy

• A YEAR TO LEARN A WOMAN (2008)
• HUNTING BLIND (2010)
• TRACES OF RED (2011)

Richdale, Ross

• BROKEN SILENCE (2010)
• SHADOWS BEHIND (2011)

Riddell, Mike - MASKS & SHADOWS (2000)

Robitai, Bev

• MURDER IN THE SECOND ROW (2010)
• 22 WAYS TO GET REVENGE (2011)

Ross, Stephen

Sanders, Ben

• THE FALLEN (2010)
• BY ANY MEANS (2011)

Scowen, Greg - THE SPANISH HELMET (2011)

Skinner, Gwen - SECRETS OF THE SYMPHONY

Smith, Clinton - THE FOURTH EYE

Smither, Elizabeth - FIRST BLOOD (1983)

Snow, Simon - DEVIL'S APPLE

Stevens, David - WHITE FOR DANGER

Stokes, Cam - THE DEVILS ARE HERE

Sutherland, Ian - THE KEPLER DEAL

Symon, Vanda

• OVERKILL
• THE RINGMASTER
• CONTAINMENT (2009)
• BOUND (2011)
• THE FACELESS (2012)

Syzmanik, Melinda - THE HALF LIFE OF RYAN DAVIS (2012)

Tarrant, Noeline - DEAD ON NOON (1965)

Taylor, Chad

• SHIRKER (2000)
• ELECTRIC (2003)
• DEPARTURE LOUNGE (2007)

Teague, Loren

• TRUE DECEPTION (2008)
• ULTIMATE BETRAYAL (2009)

Thomas, Paul

• OLD SCHOOL TIE
• INSIDE DOPE
• GUERILLA SEASON
• FINAL CUT
• THE EMPTY BED
• DEATH ON DEMAND (2012)

Turney, Russell - TOUGH JUSTICE

Van Den Berg, Zirk

• NOBODY DIES (2004)
• NO BRAINER (2011)

Vaughan, Roy

• THE MERELEIGH RECORD CLUB TOUR OF NEW ZEALAND (2010)
• THE MERELEIGH RECORD CLUB TOUR OF JAPAN (TBC)

Wall, Michael

• MUSEUM STREET
• THE CASSINO LEGACY
• CARDINAL SINS (2000)
• FRIENDLY FIRE
• THE TEMPTATIONS OF FREDERICK WELD

Walus, Yvonne E

• MURDER @ WORK
• MURDER @ PLAY

West, Joyce and Scott, Mary (co-writers)

• FATAL LADY (1960)
• SUCH NICE PEOPLE (1962)
• MANGROVE MURDER (1963)
• NO RED HERRINGS (1964)
• WHO PUT IT THERE? (1965)

Wood, Lee

• KINGDOM OF LIES (2005)
• KINGDOM OF SILENCE (2009)