Author Archives: alysonebaker

In the Clearing by J.P. Pomare – 2020

Posted on March 23, 2020

You never escape a cult. This chilling thriller is told from two points of view: Amy, a teenage member of a messianic cult, who is instrumental in the abduction of a young girl, and under the thrall of Adrienne, the … Continue reading →

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The Snow Thief by C.J. Carver – 2020

Posted on March 15, 2020

The snow thief is a murder mystery set in Tibet.  It is a book about reincarnation – of people across and throughout their lives, and of communities as they spread, come into conflict and change. Shan Lia Bao, Police Supervisor … Continue reading →

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The Secrets of Strangers by Charity Norman – 2020

Posted on March 12, 2020

People are caught up in a hostage situation in a London café.  At the heart of the crisis are five people, they hear each other’s stories, they form a little community in the centre of the chaos – and the … Continue reading →

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Wife after Wife by Olivia Hayfield – 2020

Posted on March 1, 2020

Harry Rose is a super-rich, super-privileged British businessman.  Having inherited his fast-track rise to his position as head of the Rose Corporation, he has encountered setbacks but has almost always had things his own way, and he has been living … Continue reading →

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Shakti by Rajorshi Chakraborti – 2020

Posted on February 26, 2020

Where do divisive thoughts come from?  Why do extreme nationalism and xenophobia take hold in a community?  Why is misogyny, homophobia and intolerance so rife?  Playing out in Bengal in recent times, Shakti asks us to consider the role the … Continue reading →

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Moonlight Sonata by Eileen Merriman – 2019

Posted on January 10, 2020

Moonlight sonata starts like a typical slice of New Zealand life novel, with a family meeting up for the Christmas/New Year break in a seaside home, with the usual tensions and jealousies. But this book turns into a much more … Continue reading →

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Josephine’s Garden by Stephanie Parkyn – 2019

Posted on December 27, 2019

What does it mean to be a woman in a time of revolution, a time of colonial expansion?  Was Rose de Beauharnais an extraordinary woman or a woman in extraordinary times?  She hailed from exotic Martinique, narrowly survived the reign … Continue reading →

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