A Century of New Zealand Crime Novels

Kia ora everyone. I hope you're all having a great day, wherever in the world you're reading this from. I'm still in the process of overhauling Crime Watch - which has been going for six years now and racked up 1.2 million views with almost 1,800 posts including 250 reviews, 140 9mm interviews, and many, many news and events items. I'm looking to streamline some things, as well as having a regular publishing cycle (reviews, interviews, op-ed pieces), and giving the site a fresher look that is a bit more functional and modern.

Today though, I just want to pause to note a milestone: we've now racked up 100 reviews of New Zealand crime, mystery, and thriller titles here on Crime Watch. So thank you to everyone involved - readers, authors, publishers, and guest reviewers. Back when I started this blog in 2009, many people thought there wasn't much to talk about when it came to New Zealand crime writing. I think we've disproved that.

If you take a peek at this bibliographic list I've been building (click here), you'll see that there are still many, many more New Zealand books that we can review in future. So if you're keen to provide a review, please do get in touch with me. I may even be able to send you some NZ ebooks or print books to review.

Here's an alphabetical-by-author list of our New Zealand crime reviewing journey so far:

GOLDEN SERPENT by Mark Abernethy

BENEATH THE CHERRY TREE by David Bates
GRAVE SILENCE by Rose Beecham
SLEEP OF REASON by Rose Beecham
INSIDE THE BLACK HORSE by Ray Berard
DRIFTWOOD by Shauna Bickley
LIES OF THE DEAD by Shauna Bickley
CUT & RUN by Alix Bosco
SLAUGHTER FALLS by Alix Bosco

THE LUMINARIES by Eleanor Catton 
MADE TO KILL by Adam Christopher
THE CLEANER by Paul Cleave
CEMETERY LAKE by Paul Cleave 
BLOOD MEN by Paul Cleave
COLLECTING COOPER by Paul Cleave
THE LAUGHTERHOUSE by Paul Cleave
JOE VICTIM by Paul Cleave
FIVE MINUTES ALONE by Paul Cleave
TRUST NO ONE by Paul Cleave
RUNNING TOWARDS DANGER by Tina Clough
KILLERBYTE by Cat Connor
MURDER & MATCHMAKING by Debbie Cowens
BURIAL by Neil Cross
CAPTURED by Neil Cross
LUTHER: THE CALLING by Neil Cross

THE FIXER by John Daniell
A WATERY GRAVE by Joan Druett 
THE BECKONING ICE by Joan Druett
FREDERICK’S COAT by Alan Duff

FURT BENT FROM ALDAHEIT by Jack Eden
THE PETTICOAT MEN by Barbara Ewing

WHAT REMAINS BEHIND by Dorothy Fowler

ACCESS ROAD by Maurice Gee 
BLOOD BOND by Michael Green
STARLIGHT PENINSULA by Charlotte Grimshaw

MILKSHAKE by Matt Hammond
BEHIND THE HOOD by Marita A. Hansen
SKELETAL by Katherine Hayton
BREATHE AND RELEASE by Katherine Hayton
A HISTORY OF CRIME: THE SOUTHERN DOUBLE-CROSS by Dinah Holman

THE DARKNESS LOOKING BACK by Andrea Jutson

MOUNT EVEREST MURDER MYSTERY By Sam Karbunckle
BOLD BLOOD by Lindy Kelly

EXECUTION LULLABY by Nigel Latta

THEY CALL ME ALEXANDRA GASTON by TA MacLagan
SURRENDER by Donna Malane
MY BROTHER’S KEEPER by Donna Malane
A MURDER OR THREE by Laurie Mantell
A MAN LAY DEAD by Ngaio Marsh
TIED UP IN TINSEL by Ngaio Marsh
VINTAGE MURDER by Ngaio Marsh
THE NURSING HOME MURDER by Ngaio Marsh
DEATH AND THE DANCING FOOTMAN by Ngaio Marsh
DEATH IN A WHITE TIE by Ngaio Marsh
OVERTURE TO DEATH by Ngaio Marsh
COLOUR SCHEME by Ngaio Marsh
GRAVE MISTAKE by Ngaio Marsh
PHOTO FINISH by Ngaio Marsh
DIED IN THE WOOL by Ngaio Marsh
LIGHT THICKENS by Ngaio Marsh
ASSIGNED TO MURDER by Trish McCormack
ALL THE COLOURS OF THE TOWN by Liam McIlvanney
WHERE THE DEAD MEN GO by Liam McIlvanney
THE CRIME OF HUEY DUNSTAN by James McNeish
TRILEMMA by Jenny Mortimer

ON A SMALL ISLAND by Grant Nicol
THE MISTAKE by Grant Nicol

A POLITICAL AFFAIR by Andrew Porteous

A YEAR TO LEARN A WOMAN by Paddy Richardson
HUNTING BLIND by Paddy Richardson
TRACES OF RED by Paddy Richardson
CROSS FINGERS by Paddy Richardson
SWIMMING IN THE DARK by Paddy Richardson
MURDER IN THE SECOND ROW by Bev Robitai
THE DEVIL’S WIRE by Deborah Rogers
THE MURDER OF CHOW YAT by Joan Rosier-Jones
THE FIELD OF BLACKBIRDS by Thomas Ryan

THE FALLEN by Ben Sanders
BY ANY MEANS by Ben Sanders
ONLY THE DEAD by Ben Sanders
AMERICAN BLOOD by Ben Sanders
SOMETHING IS ROTTEN by Adam Sarafis
DOLLY DOLL: LOVE IN THE BACKBLOCKS by Leo Schulz
THE CHILDREN’S POND by Tina Shaw
LEAVE HER HANGING by Harry St John
WHITE FOR DANGER by David Stevens
A MADRAS MIASMA by Brian Stoddart
THE PALLAMPUR PREDICAMENT by Brian Stoddart
OVERKILL by Vanda Symon
THE RINGMASTER by Vanda Symon
CONTAINMENT by Vanda Symon
BOUND by Vanda Symon
THE FACELESS by Vanda Symon
BLOOD, WINE & CHOCOLATE by Julie Thomas
DEATH ON DEMAND by Paul Thomas
FALLOUT by Paul Thomas

NOBODY DIES by Zirk van den Berg
THE MERELEIGH RECORD CLUB TOUR OF NEW ZEALAND by Roy Vaughan

FRIENDLY FIRE by Michael Wall
TWISTER by Jane Woodham

If you would like to submit a review of a New Zealand crime, mystery, or thriller novel to Crime Watch, or would be interested in receiving a book to read and review, please contact me at craigsisterson[at]hotmail[dot]com.