Ngaio Marsh Awards 2023 shortlists announced

The shortlists for this year’s Ngaio Marsh Awards for New Zealand crime, mystery or thriller writing have been announced.

The titles shortlisted in each category are:

Best nonfiction finalists

• The Devil You Know: Encounters in forensic psychiatry (Gwen Adshead & Eileen Horne, S&S)
• The Fix: The story of one of New Zealand’s biggest swindles (Scott Bainbridge, David Bateman)
• Missing Persons (Steve Braunias, HarperCollins)
• Downfall: The destruction of Charles Mackay (Paul Diamond, Massey University)
• A New Dawn (Emeli Sione, Mila’s Books)

Best first novel

• Paper Cage (Tom Baragwanath, Text)
• Better the Blood (Michael Bennett, S&S)
• Surveillance (Riley Chance, CP Books)
• The Slow Roll (Simon Lendrum, Upstart)
• One Heart One Spade (Alistair Luke, self-published)
• Too Far From Antibes (Bede Scott, PRH SEA)

Best novel finalists

• Better the Blood (Michael Bennett, S&S)
• The Slow Roll (Simon Lendrum, Upstart)
• Remember Me (Charity Norman, A&U)
• Blood Matters (Renée, The Cuba Press)
• Exit .45 (Ben Sanders, A&U)
• The Doctor’s Wife (Fiona Sussman, Bateman)
• Blue Hotel (Chad Taylor, Brio).

The winners are due to be announced at Christchurch WORD writers festival, which runs from 23–27 August.

Category: Awards Local news