Some catching up - March Newsletter went out yesterday and you can read it here (new releases / upcoming ones - lots of book mentions!)
tinyl.co/4Sj1
Also the currently reading / fortnightly update on the site:
tinyl.io/BoNl
#BookSky
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#CrimeFiction
#AusCrime
#YeahNoir
Reaper by Vanda Symon #Reaper @vandasymon.bsky.social @orendabooks.bsky.social #BookReview #YeahNoir
randomthingsthroughmyletterbox.blogspot.com/2026/03/reap...
Today's #review is of Black Velvet and Vengeance by Deborah Challinor
www.austcrimefiction.org/review/black...
#BookSky
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#CrimeFiction
#AusCrime
#YeahNoir
It's Friday so time for a #currentlyreading post:
tinyl.co/4RNN
and, because again a lot of upcoming releases - the last fortnight:
tinyl.io/BoNl
#BookSky
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#CrimeFiction
#AusCrime
#YeahNoir
Friday's #currentlyreading and the Last Fortnight on AustCrime all combined into one post because there's (again) a lot of new / upcoming releases being listed:
www.austcrimefiction.org/last-fortnig...
#BookSky
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#CrimeFiction
#AusCrime
#YeahNoir
Last Friday's #CurrentlyReading didn't get posted because I was meandering with dogs instead but it's there now. And it's a bit long.
www.austcrimefiction.org/posts/friday...
Turns out a week off is not enough time to catch up ...
#BookSky
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#CrimeFiction
#AusCrime
#YeahNoir
#itsfriday #currentlyreading
www.austcrimefiction.org/posts/friday...
#BookSky
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#CrimeFiction
#AusCrime
#yeahnoir
End of February Newsletter went out last night in two parts - link to the 2nd in the first:
www.austcrimefiction.org/simplenews-n...
It's a list of what's happening, new and upcoming releases, some acquisitions, and ... well lots and lots of books.
#BookSky
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#CrimeFiction
#AusCrime
#YeahNoir
End of February Newsletter went out last night in two parts - link to the 2nd in the first:
www.austcrimefiction.org/simplenews-n...
It's a list of what's happening, new and upcoming releases, some acquisitions, and ... well lots and lots of books.
#BookSky
⚡📚
#CrimeFiction
#AusCrime
#YeahNoir
The image of the book cover for Dirt Trap by Michael Burge which includes the quotes 'a fearless reckoning. R.W.R. McDonald, author of The Nancys' and 'classic rural noir but with diverse characters ... what a breath of fresh air. Gabrielle Chan, author of Rusted Off'. The image is red sundrenched silos, with shaded dark lines and bottom third. They stand against a blue sky. There's the image of somebody standing on top of the closest silo, again, his image picked out in red so the whole cover conveys a feeling of heat.
The image of the book cover for The Gambler by J.P. Pomare includes the tagline 'A Vince Reid PI Thriller" and a series of quotes (in praise of 17 Years Later). The image has the figure of a man running up a road which is glowing with lights, and edged with yellowing, red and green foliage.
Two reviews highlighted today:
Dirt Trap by Michael Burge: tinyl.co/4MKb @newtownbooks.bsky.social
and
The Gambler by J.P. Pomare tinyl.co/4MKc
Both very different, connected by their small town setting. Both well worth reading
#BookSky
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#CrimeFiction
#AusCrime
#YeahNoir
The last fortnight on AustCrime was a bit of a busy one - there's a lot of new books uploaded and a quite a few new reviews:
www.austcrimefiction.org/last-fortnig...
#BookSky
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#CrimeFiction
#AusCrime
#YeahNoir
It's Friday and I'm #currently reading with a pile of books underneath
It's Friday and I'm #currentlyreading
www.austcrimefiction.org/posts/friday...
#BookSky ⚡📚💙
#CrimeFiction
#AusCrime
#YeahNoir
Been beavering away getting a list of all the books submitted to the 2026 Ngaio Marsh Awards up on the site.
You can read it (and maybe read along) here tinyl.co/4L0T or on Hardcover.app at tinyl.co/4L0U
#BookSky ⚡📚💙
#CrimeFiction
#YeahNoir
Quite a few recent releases - new and upcoming have been added to AustCrime in the last few days:
tinyl.io/BoNl
The Last Fortnight listing shows them for ease of access.
(Along with a number of recent reviews).
#BookSky ⚡📚💙
#CrimeFiction
#AusCrime
#YeahNoir
The irregular AustCrimeFiction newsletter is out and about - two parts, the first has a link to the second.
tinyl.co/4I3I
Contains a summary of reviews and a list of recent additions to MtTBR
#BookSky ⚡📚💙
#CrimeFiction
#AusCrime
#YeahNoir
The image of the book cover for Franz Josef by Alan Carter includes the tagline 'A Detective Nick Chester Novel' and the quote 'Trademark Alan Carter: Appealing characters, convincing police work and bursts of action, with an overlay of international tensions ripped from the headlines. Garry Disher'. The image is looking across a rugged, red tinged mountain range with a cloudy sky above, rent with large cracks / fissures across it.
Another from the Xmas / NY period - 3rd novel in this excellent #yeahnoir series:
Franz Josef, Alan Carter tinyl.co/4D2M
... a police procedural that uses sense of place and great characters as it's starting point ... '
#BookSky ⚡📚💙
#CrimeFiction
#AusCrime
Latest AustCrime newsletter is on it's way to subscribers.
Also available here: www.austcrimefiction.org/simplenews-n...
Lots of upcoming releases, as well as older books now listed on the site.
#BookSky ⚡📚💙
#CrimeFiction
#AusCrime
#YeahNoir
The book cover for Death of a Diplomat by B.M. Allsopp includes the tagline 'Fiji Islands Mysteries 6'. The image is of a still bay with a sailing ship in full sail heading away from the viewer towards a village on the other side, bathed in bright sunlight. The bottom of the image has beautiful bright pink / purple flowers across it framing the bottom of the view, with a red brown cloudy sky above, and a single seagull flying overhead.
Today's #review is the 6th Fiji Islands Mystery novel - Death of a Diplomat by B.M. Allsopp tinyl.co/432m
Perfect excuse to start this engaging series back a few books to get a flavour for who all these people are.
#BookSky ⚡📚💙
#CrimeFiction
#AusCrime
#YeahNoir
The book cover for A House Built on Sand by Tina Shaw has a "sticker" on it 'Winner Michael Gifkins Prize' and the quote 'A beautiful story, this tangled yarn of dementia and love - harrowing, haunting and tender. Michelle Elvy, author of The Other Side of Better' This image is a painting looking down towards a pale green sea washing over yellow and pink tinged sand.
The image of the book cover for Ōkiwi Brown by Cristina Sanders includes the tagline 'From the bestselling author of Mrs Jewell And the Wreck of the General Grant'. The image is a dark beige background with a series of black "cutouts" around it including a noose, saw, pen, male figure, dog, bird, building / house, whale tail, and a bottle.
The book cover for The Mires by Tina Makereti has the quotes 'a work of art. Laura Jean McKay', 'A truly magnificent novel. Shankari Chandran' and 'poignant, earnest and lyrical, this story will settle in your bones. Maxine Beneba Clarke' The image has a maroon background with an "inset" in the shape of a face with hair flowing behind. The inset is coloured by water, with a kingfisher type bird flying downwards, a small lizard in its beak. There are reeds and the feeling of movement in the water.
Some #YeahNoir Reviews today:
A House Built on Sand, Tina Shaw: tinyl.co/3zHG
Ōkiwi Brown, Cristina Sanders: tinyl.co/3zHH
The Mires, Tina Makereti: tinyl.co/3zHJ
Different, yet there's something about the threads in all of these that resonates.
#BookSky ⚡📚💙
#CrimeFiction
The image of the book cover for Softly Calls the Devil by Chris Blake includes the quotes 'World-class crime fiction. Craig Sisterson' and 'A cracking crime tale. JP Pomare'. The image is of a wide blue green river, with small rapids, in a deep rocky gorge with wild bush atop the cliffs.
Today's review is the excellent Softly Calls the Devil by Chris Blake (who has hidden form in writing excellent novels)
tinyl.co/3xNh
Told in a brisk, no nonsense tone that is richly interlaced with laconic humour & compelling observation, this delivers.
#BookSky ⚡📚💙
#CrimeFiction
#YeahNoir
Selfie holding up the New Zealand Listener magazine in print
A full page from the New Zealand Listener magazine showing three mystery novel reviews
New Zealand Listener review of Fright on Stage Right by G. B. Ralph. Far lighter in tone than Sigurdardottir’s latest, but equally page-turning, is Palmerston North author GB Ralph’s fourth in his charming cosy series set in fictional Milverton, Manawatū. Popular in the US, Ralph’s tales star Wellington city slicker and marketing man Addison Harper, who finds himself in Milverton dealing with a creaking house inherited from a relative, as well as an anxiety-inducing romantic entanglement with police Sergeant Jake Murphy. In this, Addison has made the move to Milverton more permanent, as he’s about to begin a new job promoting the town to tourists. Just before he starts, there’s a date night with Jake, front row at a local Halloween variety show packed with spooky fun, ghoulish drag queens and audience participation. Addison is dragged on stage with the mayor to judge the contestants, only to witness a very sudden, very unscripted death. À la The Brokenwood Mysteries, Ralph creates an intriguing Kiwi mystery laced with plenty of grin-inducing elements among the dark deeds; there’s a lovely tone and a fun group of characters to keep readers engaged. Looking forward to more in the series.
A "charming cosy series" and "an intriguing Kiwi mystery laced with plenty of grin-inducing elements among the dark deeds" according to Craig Sisterson's review in this week's edition of The NZ Listener 🕵️
#Mystery #BookReview #YeahNoir 🌈📚🇳🇿📚💙🔎💀📚👀📚🌎 🌈✒️
The image of the book cover for Pacific Heights by S.R. White including the tagline 'The International Bestseller' and the quote 'S.R. white is the real deal. Chris Hammer'. The image is a view looking slightly up towards a multistorey building with lights on in a number of the windows. The sky above is big, and very dark blue / cloudy. There are palm trees standing either side of the building.
The image of the book cover for Softly Calls the Devil by Chris Blake includes the quotes 'World-class crime fiction. Craig Sisterson' and 'A cracking crime tale. JP Pomare'. The image is of a wide blue green river, with small rapids, in a deep rocky gorge with wild bush atop the cliffs.
This week's reading updates start out with:
#Review Pacific Heights by S.R. White (an author I'm badly behind with) tinyl.co/3sWM
and
#AmReading Softly Calls the Devil by Chris Blake. At least I'm not too far behind with this one tinyl.co/3sWK
#BookSky ⚡📚💙
#CrimeFiction
#AusCrime
#YeahNoir
Bookshop display table featuring new books
What's that on the ✨NEW✨ book table? 👀
The wonderful team at Bruce McKenzie Booksellers have placed The Milverton Mysteries in such excellent company as The Bookshop Detectives, @charitynorman.bsky.social, @dvbishop.com, and many more!
🌈📚🇳🇿📚💙🔎💀📚👀📚🌎 #Mystery #NewZealand #YeahNoir
Pics from last night's Ngaio Marsh Awards and Murderous Mystery with the Court Jesters. www.flickr.com/photos/chris...
#WORDChch #YeahNoir #Pukapuka ^DR
Check out our lists of Ngaio Marsh Awards winners & finalists: my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/ngaio-marsh-...
The image of the book cover for The Birthmark Murders by Janus Lucky has the tagline 'Death is a Cabaret, Old Chum'. The cover is a darkened background and flat surface on which a dark red leather bound book is sitting upright, the golden edges of the pages on display with the front of the book having a golden border in the red, a circle motif at the top and ML in the centre in large gold lettering. There is blood dropping from the side of the book to form a pool, it's originating from what could be a bullet hole.
The image of the book cover for The White Feather Murders by Laraine Stephens includes the tagline 'a Reggie de Costa Mystery'. The background is lots of slightly indistinct white feathers, with a bottle of ink, with a couple of splatters over the top of it. There's a quill dipped in the dark ink, which has a white shaft, white outer vanes leading up to pale brown colouring at the inner vane to the top.
Couple of reviews of very different offerings today:
The Birthmark Murders by Janus Lucky tinyl.co/3jWB First novel, dry & darkly humorous.
The White Feather Murders by Laraine Stephens tinyl.co/3jWE historical setting, full of dash, speed & flair.
#BookSky ⚡📚💙
#CrimeFiction
#AusCrime
#YeahNoir
The image of the book cover for The Deeper the Dead by Catherine Lea with the taglines 'The Deeper the Secrets, the Deadlier their Keepers.' and 'A DI Nyree Bradshaw Novel'. The image is looking down a wooden jetty over water with small waves across is, glowing yellow reflecting the yellow, cloudy sky above. There are hints of oranges and yellows in the cloud cover - it's dawn or dusk.
The book cover for The Night She Fell by Eileen Merriman includes the quotes 'Enthralling, clever and pacy, a deliciously evil exploration of narcissism. Rose Carlyle Bestselling Author of The Girl in the Mirror. The image is of a double story building in shadow / low light. One window, on the top corner is lit, and there is the figure of a woman standing in it.
Today a couple of reviews are from the #yeahnoir piles. Very different:
The Deeper the Dead, Catherine Lea tinyl.co/3ec4
and
The Night She Fell, Eileen Merriman
Police procedural and a psychological teenage angst about control and exploitation.
#BookSky ⚡📚💙
#CrimeFiction
Last fortnight on AustCrime:
www.austcrimefiction.org/last-fortnig...
Worth Mentioning: Black Silk & Buried Secrets, Innocent Guilt, Five Found Dead and you may notice some acquisitions from writers who pulled out of the Bendigo Writers Festival
#BookSky ⚡📚💙
#CrimeFiction
#AusCrime
#YeahNoir
Oh the discussions that went on about this a long time ago on the bird site, when a genius came up with #yeahnoir for NZ based works. I don't think we ever settled on anything for here but I must admit to being a user of Rural Noir on my site. Not catchy but says what it is I guess
Brilliant phrasing by @ronnisalt.bsky.social
#YeahNoir
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