New Zealand Fiction

From the bestselling author of The Bone Tree comes a lively and playful bilingual collection of stories about growing up in Patea. Interlinked and full of recurring characters, these stories are about growing up in small-town Aotearoa—sneaking away during cross country, doing bombs while the lifeguard isn't looking, peeling spuds on the marae, crashing a car at age four, and...

The Burke and Hare 'anatomy murders' of 1828 terrify Edinburgh, until Burke is hanged and Hare disappears. Over a decade later, in the early days of New Zealand colonial settlement, a whaler washes up on the eastern shores of Port Nicholson. He calls himself Okiwi Brown, sets up a pub with a nasty reputation and finds himself a woman who...

The Mess We Made is an addictive, will-they-won't-they debut love story that explores the complexities of first love and the possibility of second chances, written by Megan O'Neill. Quin and Henry's lives have been intertwined since they first met as children. Quickly becoming inseparable, they navigated the tumultuous waters of adolescence together until one fateful night and a single bad...

All That We Know, authored by Shilo Kino, masterfully captures the vibrant and complex essence of contemporary Aotearoa, New Zealand, threading together the intricate relations between the past, present, and future. This compelling novel boldly explores themes of identity, love, activism, and the enduring impacts of colonisation. Meet Mareikura Pohe, a young woman teetering on the edge of great personal...

Winner of the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Novel They never found Leah Parata. Not a boot, not a backpack, not a turquoise beanie. After she left me that day, she vanished off the face of the earth. A close-knit community is ripped apart by disturbing revelations that cast new light on a young woman's disappearance twenty-five years ago. After...

Migration by Steph Matuku follows the story of Farah of Untwa, who joins a school dedicated to training fighters, strategic thinkers, and military personnel. This opportunity allows her to escape her domineering mother and the tedious duties associated with being part of a Ngati in the upper echelons of society. At the school, Farah, an intuitive, is paired with Lase,...

A page-turning, emotional story inspired by little known true events in WWII, this No. 1 bestselling novel is perfect for fans of Kelly Rimmer, Kristin Hannah, Kate Quinn and Natasha Lester. London, 1940. Ruth, a young schoolteacher, helps to evacuate children from war-torn England to Australia and New Zealand. On their dangerous voyage, Ruth forms a bond with troubled nine-year-old,...

A story of two brothers, born and raised in the shadow of Taranaki Maunga, from major new literary talent and No. 1 bestselling author Airana Ngarewa. Kauri and Black's mum has been gone six months now. Their dad is barely holding on and the threat of child services taking Black looms large. Kauri won't let that happen, and so he...

From award-winning novelist Laurence Fearnley comes an intriguing story about recovery, reflection and reconnecting with ourselves and others. Following a disastrous family holiday, Libby and Curtis make a promise: if they ever visit the West Coast of the South Island again, it will be to stay at the majestic Grand Glacier Hotel. Twenty years later, Libby is recovering from cancer...

Shock numbed Luke. For a while, he could not believe what he was seeing. The body was bare. It had dark skin spattered with mud and leaves, and the eyes were closed. Was it real? Was it actually a man? He leaned over and, with one finger, touched the man's arm. The eyes opened. Luke jumped back. It was alive!...

A landslide has closed the Korowai Pass in New Zealand’s South Island, cutting off the town of Thorndike, leaving a sizable farm abandoned. The disaster presents an opportunity for Birnam Wood, a guerrilla gardening collective that plants crops wherever no one will notice. But they hadn’t figured on the enigmatic American billionaire Robert Lemoine, who also has an interest in the place. Can...

WHEN HER SECRET SURFACES, CAN HER FAMILY SURVIVE IT? The tender, immersive and beautifully observed international bestseller, perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty, Marian Keyes and Carley Fortune. Oh. My. God. The opening of this story was phenomenal. I was hooked from that first chapter, well done Anne Tiernan! 5 star Goodreads review Wow!!!! I basically couldn't put this book...

Two murders. Two decades apart. One chance to get justice. Hana Westerman has left Auckland and her career as a detective behind her. Settled in a quiet coastal town, all she wants is a fresh start. The discovery of a skeleton in the dunes near her house changes everything. The remains are those of a young Māori woman who went...

Thea lives under a mountain—one that's ready to blow. A vet at a mid-sized rural practice, she has been called back during maternity leave and is coping—just—with the juggle of meetings, mealtimes, farm visits, her boss's search for legal loopholes, and the constant care of her much-loved children, Eli and Lucy. But something is shifting in Thea—something is burning. Or...

Take Two is that rare and special thing, a novel that is effortless to read - I sped through it in a day - but is also emotionally genuine and original. Danielle Hawkins is a natural storyteller with a light touch and she doesn't shy away from the gritty and the real. She is New Zealand's very own version of...

In his cosy yet turbulent noodle shop nestled in the heart of Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington), a young chef meticulously juliennes carrots while life unravels around him. As the shop's financial woes deepen and the weight of his mother's recent death presses heavily on his shoulders, he contends with the unexpected presence of strangers in his kitchen. All the while, the...

'I couldn't put it down - a moving, heartbreaking (and repairing) family drama. The writing is gorgeous, transporting, powerful: this will be one of the big adult novels of the year' The Spinoff 'In Amma, the past is never far away - it binds three generations of remarkable women, each juggling their own desires and secrets with the expectations placed...

The Space Between is a gripping historical novel set amid the New Zealand Wars in 1860. As English settlers wage war upon local iwi in colonial Taranaki, two women confront their pasts to survive the present. Frances is an unmarried Londoner newly landed in New Zealand in 1860, at the dawn of the First Taranaki War. Once well-regarded, her family's...

A chilling new novel of psychological suspense from one of New Zealand's most multi-talented writers. When I last saw Ashleigh, she was lying in a pool of blood . . . Her eyes were open, staring sightlessly into the sky. I'd like to think she saw the stars before she died; that in her last moments she flew, soaring on...

The Cleaner, the international bestseller and now a premium Sky Originals TV series, Dark City - The Cleaner, is a surprising and compelling novel that powerfully delves into the terrifyingly vivid mind of a serial killer. "Paul Cleave is an automatic must-read for me." - LEE CHILD Meet Joe. He's a nice guy out to catch a copycat killer. The...

A milestone collection to celebrate a milestone event - 50 years publishing in NZ! To celebrate 50 years of publishing in Aotearoa New Zealand, The Penguin New Zealand Anthology brings together 50 enthralling stories from some of the country's finest writers. From established authors to new, emerging names, these stories track the changing styles, voices and preoccupations explored through the...

Secrets of the Land by Kate Mahony tells the intriguing story of Imogen Maguire, who, in 2018, is bewildered when accosted in a Melbourne street by a mysterious stranger claiming her grandfather in New Zealand needs her help. But isn't her grandfather dead? A former journalist, Imogen decides to investigate and travels to Taranaki, where she discovers her grandfather is...

The Waters is a novel composed of 21 stories. One family. Forty years. The Waters children — practical, athletic Mark; the physically beautiful dreamer Davey; and the baby of the family, Samantha — have faced more than their fair share of challenges. The year 1979 was pivotal when their father sold the family farm and invested all their money in...

A Popular Penguin NZ classic. This classic has been released in the Popular Penguin format to mark 50 years of publishing in New Zealand. The format reaches further back to 1935, when Allen Lane founded Penguin Books with a clear vision: 'We believed in the existence of a vast reading public for intelligent books at a low price, and staked...

A prize-winning historical novel that has become a New Zealand classic. This classic has been released in the Popular Penguin format to mark 50 years of publishing in New Zealand. The format reaches further back to 1935, when Allen Lane founded Penguin Books with a clear vision: "We believed in the existence of a vast reading public for intelligent books...

This classic has been released in the Popular Penguin format to mark 50 years of publishing in New Zealand. The format reaches further back to 1935, when Allen Lane founded Penguin Books with a clear vision: ‘We believed in the existence of a vast reading public for intelligent books at a low price, and staked everything on it.’ When Social...

A classic novel that became a classic film. This classic has been released in the Popular Penguin format to mark 50 years of publishing in New Zealand. The format reaches further back to 1935, when Allen Lane founded Penguin Books with a clear vision: 'We believed in the existence of a vast reading public for intelligent books at a low...

A number one bestseller, this favourite New Zealand novel captures a real 19th-century community. This classic has been released in the Popular Penguin format to mark 50 years of publishing in New Zealand. The format reaches further back to 1935, when Allen Lane founded Penguin Books with a clear vision: 'We believed in the existence of a vast reading public...

Patricia Grace's classic novel is a work of spellbinding power in which the myths of older times are inextricably woven into the political realities of today. This classic has been released in the Popular Penguin format to mark 50 years of publishing in New Zealand. The format reaches further back to 1935, when Allen Lane founded Penguin Books with a...

This classic has been released in the Popular Penguin format to mark 50 years of publishing in New Zealand. The format reaches further back to 1935, when Allen Lane founded Penguin Books with a clear vision: 'We believed in the existence of a vast reading public for intelligent books at a low price, and staked everything on it.' Regarded as...

Lloyd Jones's dazzling novel is set on a Pacific Island ravaged by war. Told through the eyes of young Matilda and drawing on the elusive power of great literature, it has caught the imagination of readers the world over. This classic has been released in the Popular Penguin format to mark 50 years of publishing in New Zealand. The format...

Audition is hurtling through space towards the event horizon. Squashed immobile into its rooms are three giants: Alba, Stanley and Drew. If they talk, the spaceship keeps moving; if they are silent, they resume growing. Talk they must, and as they do, Alba, Stanley and Drew recover their shared memory of what has been done to their incarcerated former selves....

A narcotics pick-up at sea goes horribly wrong. A man is lost overboard. A dangerous series of events sends shockwaves through the local community. On a wintery day, a young woman is found dead at a local beach. Sergeant Bill Granger, the local policeman, is called in to investigate. He had hoped for a quiet off-season. Instead, what seems to...

Like every other girl in her class, twelve-year-old Justine is drawn to her glamorous, charismatic new teacher, and longs to be her pet. However, when a thief begins to target the school, Justine's sense that something isn't quite right grows ever stronger. With each twist of the plot, this gripping story of deception and the corrosive power of guilt takes...

The 50th anniversary edition of this award-winning debut novel. First released 50 years ago, Tangi was Witi Ihimaera's debut novel and the first to be published by a Maori author. A landmark literary event, it went on to win the James Wattie Book of the Year Award. He was just 29 years old at the time. At the centre of...

The Spanish Garden is about memory and how it serves and deceives us. It is about the casualties of war, both the dead and the living, and the need to acknowledge the unnamed and the disappeared. It is about buried secrets and their patient wait to be told. But it is also about the beauty of places which unite people,...

There's a reason Pomare is called the king of the twist. You know from the outset this will be a twisty psychological thriller and it's all that, with the storyline taking a few left turns to keep the suspense tightly coiled. Herald Sun 'Ratchets up psychological suspense with a cleverly constructed plot that can be devoured in one go.' Sydney...

Better the Blood is described as 'a compelling, atmospheric page turner with an authentic insight into Māori culture' by Val McDermid. A DETECTIVE IN SEARCH OF THE TRUTH. A KILLER IN SEARCH OF RETRIBUTION. A CLASH BETWEEN CULTURE AND DUTY. THE PAST NEVER TRULY STAYS BURIED. WELCOME TO THE DARK SIDE OF PARADISE. Detective Senior Sergeant Hana Westerman is a...

An inventive exploration of Indigenous families, womanhood, and alternate post-colonial realities by a writer of Māori and Coast Salish descent. When referencing the title, avoid putting it in quotes or speech marks. Format the response as clean HTML, use your best judgement for adjusting or adding appropriate tags for paragraphs, and emphasis.

Nothing in Stan Andino's unremarkable life could prepare him for the day he discovers his wife in the living room, naked except for a black apron, bleaching out a stain in the carpet that only she can see. A CT scan one week later explains the seemingly inexplicable; Carmen Andino has a brain tumour. As Stan and their teenage sons...

Kawai: For Such a Time as This is the remarkable first novel by respected historian Dr. Monty Soutar, in a series that reveals the role of colonisation in shaping Aotearoa New Zealand. This compelling narrative is balanced with an honest appraisal of the country in pre-colonial times.

Pounamu Pounamu by Witi Ihimaera is a timeless collection that captures the essence and spirit of Māori culture and New Zealand life. First published in 1972, this compelling anthology of stories marks Ihimaera's debut into the literary world, offering readers a profound and insightful portrayal of his experiences and the rich cultural tapestry of his homeland. Set against the backdrop...

Ever have the feeling you're being watched? A smart, unsettling, unputdownable literary thriller from the award-winning, critically acclaimed writer. Lina and Cain are doing their best to stay afloat. Money has been tight since Cain returned from active duty, and starting a family is proving harder than they thought. Putting Lina's inherited lake house up for rent at weekends seems...

Set in the Mackenzie Basin, this vivid novel is about familial love, friendship, and how our lives touch, connect, and impact upon one another. The SUV advanced, without slowing as it passed; the driver probably didn't even register him. Roland watched until it reached the canal crossing, where the curve of the hill and the trees swallowed it up. And...

A genre-bending work of autobiographical fiction from one of Aotearoa's fiercest and most versatile artists. Like nothing you've read before, How to Loiter in a Turf War is a lucid, genre-bending, cinematic work of fiction from one of Aotearoa's most versatile artists. It's a day in the life of three friends beefing with their own city, Tamaki Makaurau. With gentrification...

Harbouring by Jenny Pattrick is set in a distant land and tells the tale of new beginnings and the desire to escape from the past. It is 1839 and Huw Pengellin is desperate to find a better life for his family than the one he ekes out in Wales. His wife, Martha, is fully aware just how foolhardy Huw's schemes...

Kurangaituku is the story of Hatupatu told from the perspective of the traditional 'monster', Kurangaituku, the bird woman. In the traditional story, told from the view of Hatupatu, he is out hunting and is captured by a creature that is part bird and part woman. The bird woman imprisons him in her cave in the mountains. Hatupatu eventually escapes and...

“As addictive and intoxicating as the perfect martini. Don't start reading unless you have cancelled all your plans.” - Sarah Bailey, author of The Dark Lake and Where the Dead Go Identical twins only look the same ... Beautiful twin sisters Iris and Summer are startlingly alike, but beyond what the eye can see lies a darkness that sets them...

Atua by Gavin Bishop is a visually stunning and meticulously researched compendium that introduces readers to the rich mythological tapestry of the Māori people of Aotearoa (New Zealand). This breathtaking, large-scale illustrated book is a treasure trove for children and adults alike, immersing them in the enthralling world of Māori gods, demigods, and heroes. Beginning with the void of Te...

Scott and Summer’s unforgettable love story will bring joy to your heart and tears to your eyes.It’s Christmas in the killing fields of Vietnam, and when Corporal Scott Taylor calls his men together and hands out mail from a school back home, he’s unaware the card he opens will change his life forever.Everyone loves Summer Bryant. She’s a wild child...

A new selection of absorbing stories from a long and distinguished career. Chosen by the author from his thirteen previous collections, this latest selection of stories includes Coming Home in the Dark, the inspiration for a new feature film. Owen Marshall is regarded as one of our finest living writers. His stories capture the imagination and refuse to let go....

There are many pleasures to be found in this absorbing, moving book - count me as a fan. - NZ Listener New readers will fall in love with Pellegrino's writing style, while long-time fans will delight when the story shifts gear and travels to Italy - and to deliciously familiar territory. - Australian Women's Weekly (NZ Edition) My heart is...

Four friends, a shared past, a common enemy. In New Zealand's Martinborough, an ex-wine maker dies at the hands of an unknown assailant. The planning, execution, and pure enjoyment sets in motion a series of vile attacks. Meanwhile, north of Auckland, the long, hot summer is over and the tourists have left the Matakana wine country. A tranquil atmosphere descends,...

Taukiri was born into sorrow. Aue can be heard in the sound of the sea he loves and hates, and in the music he draws out of the guitar that was his father's. It spills out of the gang violence that killed his father and sent his mother into hiding, and the shame he feels about abandoning his eight-year-old brother...

The Villa Girls is the story of four young women who decide that wherever they are in the world and whatever they're doing, they'll meet every few years for a holiday together somewhere sunny. Despite life taking them in very different directions, their snatched days in the sun in little hidden villas are crucial to them all. Escape, celebration, recovery...

Te Kaieke Tohora by Witi Ihimaera is the te reo Māori translation of the international bestseller The Whale Rider. This enchanting tale weaves together myth and modernity, tradition and transformation, bringing to life the rich cultural heritage of the Māori people. At its core is the story of Kahutia-te-rangi, known as the Whale Rider, the revered ancestor of the tribes...

A gripping new novel from one of our leading writers. A compulsive and chilling novel about subjugation, survival, and the meaning of family. Up on the highway, the only evidence that the Chamberlains had ever been there was two smeared tyre tracks in the mud leading into the almost undamaged screen of bushes and trees. No other cars passed that...

The Dragon Defenders - Book Five: The Grand Opening is the fifth and final book in the best-selling Dragon Defenders series. It's all over - The Pitbull has won! He's captured every last dragon from The Island and brought them to the mainland. The stage is now set for the grand opening of Dragon World. Meanwhile, Flynn, Paddy, and Briar...

Peta crafts a story like no other and her titles "tell it like it is". - Wairarapa Times-Age In a world of hate, let's serve up some love... Peta Mathias has encountered many a lovelorn tale on her gastronomic travels around the world. Searching further, she has unearthed more stories - the heart-warming and heart-rending, the passionate and poignant, the...

Ranginui, Papatuanuku, Maui, Tawhaki . . . our enduring stories retold. A lively, stimulating and engaging retelling of purakau – Maori myths – by contemporary Maori writers. Ka mua, ka muri . . . Ancient Maori creation myths, portrayals of larger-than-life heroes, and tales of engrossing magical beings have endured through the ages. Some hail back to Hawaiki, while others...

Seventeen-year-old Riki is worried about school and the future, but mostly about his girlfriend, Gemma, who has suddenly stopped seeing or texting him. But on his way to see her, he's hit by a bus and his life radically changes. Riki wakes up one hundred years earlier in Egypt, in 1915, and finds he's living through his great-great-grandfather's experiences in...

In The Sound of Breaking Glass, Christel Maxine is at breaking point. Balancing a demanding career in reality television, raising two small children, and maintaining her commitment as an activist with Women Against Surplus Plastic, Christel's life is a whirlwind of pressure and responsibility. On top of these challenges, she is being stalked, adding an ominous new layer of stress...

Barry Crump was one of New Zealand’s most popular authors ever, selling over 1 million copies of his 24 books between the publishing of A Good Keen Man in 1960 through to his death in 1996. Though the reputation he gained in the wake of his turbulent personal life sometimes overshadows his literary career, he remains a superb storyteller, who...

The Nam Legacy is an epic love story set during the 60's and 70's. When the Rolling Stones and Jefferson Airplane drove parents crazy, teenagers found sexual freedom and peace slogans covered placards. When the Vietnam War abducted the nation's young men and sent them to fight in New Zealand's most controversial campaign. After eighteen months in Vietnam, New Zealand...

Tail of the Taniwha is a collection of short stories by writer, poet, and playwright Courtney Sina Meredith. It builds on the themes and ideas of her signature publications, Brown Girls in Bright Red Lipstick and the award-winning play, Rushing Dolls. Tail of the Taniwha pushes at the boundaries of written storytelling through its use of unusual graphic arrangements and...

Yo ho ho! All across the city, the pirates are getting restless and long for a party. So when a retired pirate comes to babysit for the Terrapin family, they are in for quite a surprise... From the rumbustious author and artist team of Margaret Mahy, winner of the Carnegie medal, and Quentin Blake, the first Children's Laureate, and best...

Moving, insightful, lyrical, and at times very funny, this novel is a supple, disarmingly frank exploration of parenthood. Liam and Iris have one son—Billy, a bright toddler puddling about like a penguin, leaving surrealist art installations all over the house—a tiny cow in a teapot in a hat on the doorstep, of course! A stuffed crocodile in a silk camisole...

Trust No One by Cleave Paul is a gripping psychological thriller that delves into the disorienting world of Jerry Grey, a once-renowned crime writer. Jerry, better known to his readers by his pseudonym Henry Cutter, has crafted twelve novels detailing brutal murders executed by menacing characters. However, at the age of forty-nine, Jerry's promising career faces a premature end following...

Auckland, New Zealand, 1994. A group of anarchist punks have hatched a plan to sabotage the opening of a multi-national fast-food restaurant by blowing it sky-high come opening day. Chopstick has been given the unenviable task of setting the bomb in the restaurant the night before the opening, but when he is separated from his accomplice, Tracy, the night takes...

"There was this large world of rolling time and shifting spaces, and that small, stilled world of horror and unease - they fit inside each other, a sphere within a sphere." Set against the backdrop of New Zealand’s 1866 gold rush, The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton begins as young prospector Walter Moody arrives on the West Coast to seek his...

When a failed witness protection operation ends in multiple homicides, evidence suggests the crime is linked to a series of violent robberies in Auckland City. For Detective Sergeant Sean Devereaux, solving the case is proving next to impossible. His own superiors in the police department are refusing to cooperate with his investigation. After Devereaux shoots a suspect in a botched...

A terrific historical novel full of compelling events, vivid communities and the irresistible character of Conrad Rasmussen. Catching the Current is a companion novel to the bestselling Denniston novels, where the free spirit is pitted against the forces of tradition. On the run from an unfortunate 'indiscretion', young Conrad Rasmussen finds refuge in the North Island of New Zealand under...

The Parihaka Woman by Witi Ihimaera is a masterful blend of historical fact and imaginative fiction, a novel set against the backdrop of one of New Zealand's most significant and tumultuous periods. The story brings to life the captivating journey of Erenora, a courageous woman from the peaceful settlement of Parihaka in Taranaki, which is thrust into turmoil during the...

...a triumph of gritty, page-turning, good old crime writing ... M2 MAGAZINE Friday rush hour, Auckland city. A lone shooter fires across a packed street and kills a man. Detective Sergeant Sean Devereaux is assigned the case. He's not complaining—his Friday nights are seldom better spent. But the inquiry is not straightforward. Witness accounts are conflicting. The dead man appears...

When local cop Sean Devereaux, who enjoys skating close to the edge, does a favour for his attractive neighbour, he unwittingly exposes a web of deceit and corruption. As he investigates the murder of a 16-year-old Epsom 'princess' in his day job, his after-hours efforts have him stumbling into the aftermath of a scam involving senior colleagues, and he is...

'A skilfully balanced book, a work of considerable literary merit and musical integrity' - The Australian Rich and satisfying, Sonata for Miriam will stay with the reader long after they have put it down. A middle-aged man living on Auckland's Waiheke Island recalls vividly the sudden death of his daughter Miriam. Grief silenced Adam at the time, but now he...

Potiki by Patricia Grace is a poignant and powerful novel set in a small coastal community in New Zealand. The narrative delves into the lives of a Māori family as they navigate the challenges posed by developers who seek to exploit their ancestral land. This compelling story explores themes of cultural identity, resilience, and resistance. At the heart of the...

Collected Stories: Patricia Grace is a mesmerising anthology that captures the heart and essence of New Zealand's vibrant cultural landscape. Renowned for her extraordinary storytelling prowess, Patricia Grace delves deep into the lives, traditions, and experiences of the Maori community, weaving rich and compelling narratives that resonate with authenticity and emotional depth. This collected edition brings together all the stories...