Podcasts about whitcoulls

Whistler by Ann Patchett. Daphne Fuller has had three stepfathers, the second of whom vanished from her life when she was nine years old after an accident for which her mother held him responsible. Years later, their chance meeting in a NY museum brings memories, regrets and a determination to make up for lost time. This is a wonderful book about the power of redemption, and families, and of storytelling. Stakes by Noelle McCarthy. Readers who, like me, adored Noelle McCarthy's memoir Grand will love this. It's a remarkably honest, candid and brave account of grappling with life's troubles - shame, trauma and an early influence which provided something to hang onto through her adult years and which manifests itself in both literary and personal ways. She's an extraordinary writer and her book is wonderful. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dissection of a Murder by Jo Murray. Leila Reynolds is a relatively new barrister, married to Julian who's a Kings Counsel. They both work in the same legal chambers and one day she's assigned a case, defending a man who is accused of murdering a local well-respected judge. Things get complicated though when her husband Julian is assigned as the Crown Prosecutor in the case and they're up against each other in court. I read a lot of legal thrillers but this is a terrific example of the genre with twists and turns that keep coming right til the end. It's very good and very entertaining. John of John by Douglas Stuart. Douglas Stuart's first book Shuggie Bain won the Booker Prize in 2022. This new book is about a father and son who live in denial in a small, remote community where they keep secrets from each other and where their lives are lived according to what God and the neighbours might think. There's so much to love in it - the language is extraordinary, the writing exceptional, and it moves between old traditions and the modern world, and between generations, seamlessly. I can't recommend it highly enough. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Five by Ilona Bannister. This is a highly entertaining and cleverly constructed thriller based on the premise that on a suburban train station one morning there are five minutes until the next train, five passengers waiting, and five minutes until one of them dies. The narrative gives the story of each of these people so that you develop a real understanding of them, all the while wondering which of them will be the unlucky one, and it effectively makes the reader become the judge, jury and executioner. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Famesick by Lena Dunham. Lena Dunham became extremely famous in her early 20's as the writer and lead actor in the TV series Girls and has maintained a high profile since. Her memoir is fascinating - she's struggled with debilitating sickness for much of her life and survived addictions, celebrity and a fair amount of public humiliation - all whilst working frenetically, displaying early and rare talent, and she puts it all on the page in this book which I couldn't put down. She's a very talented writer and her own life has given her a remarkable canvas against which to tell her story. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Legendary political journalist and broadcaster Barry Soper joins Nick Mills in the studio for the launch of his new book 'One Last Question, Prime Minister.' Soper takes your calls and Nick's questions about his time with the 12 Prime Ministers he has observed during his career. Hear about his experiences in Parliament, including the 2022 Wellington protest, changes over his career and insight into the leadership of Robert Muldoon, Helen Clark, Jacinda Arden and Chris Hipkins. His book is out now at most retailers including Paper Plus, Whitcoulls and Unity Books. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Three Reasons for Revenge by Dervla McTiernan - a terrific crime thriller set in Melbourne, about Judith Lee, a detective who is drawn into a nasty case that has the police baffled. Alexis Turner walks into the police station to report an assault which Judith recognises as the mirror of an identical assault which was brought to her attention some years prior. Then three people (one of whom is Judith) each receive a beautifully wrapped box with an individually tailored, insidious gift inside which will tear their lives apart. Somehow, these things are connected and Judith embarks on a race against time to stop the perpetrator and save innocent lives. The Valley by Asher Emanuel - the culmination of over two years of field research and hundreds of hours of interviews, this extraordinary book follows three Hutt Valley men through courtrooms, prison, hospital, rehab, boarding houses and welfare offices, two of whom are recidivist offenders, the other being their legal aid lawyer. Told largely in verbatim dialogue, it's a remarkable up-close and personal account bringing the realities of the New Zealand criminal justice system to life through the voices of those who experience it first-hand. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett. She wrote a book called The Help fifteen years ago which was a sensation at the time and subsequently made into a movie. This new one is also set in Mississippi, in 1933, during Prohibition and the Great Depression. Birdie's family are impoverished, so she travels to visit her sister who's married to a man of means in another town, hoping to get some financial support - but when she gets there finds that things are not at all as she'd imagined them to be. She meets another young woman down on her luck and the two of them embark on a high risk money making scheme - a brothel called The Calamity Club, from which they reap very considerable benefits but always under threat of discovery by the authorities. There's a second thread to the story about a young girl named Meg who after being abandoned by her mother is being brought up in the local orphanage, and her life intersects with these women in what are eventually life changing ways. The Wife, The Maid and The Mistress by Ariel Lawhon whose most recent new book was The Frozen River. As with her other writing, this is based on real events - in 1930's NYC, a judge stepped into a taxicab and simply disappeared - he was never heard from again, and it haunted New York society for years. This fictional account tells the story of the judge's wife, the maid who cleaned their apartment and the showgirl who had been his lover, and posits a totally compelling and credible answer to the mystery. With access to some archival material from the times she's done a great job of recreating what might have happened. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke. Natalie Heller Mills drifts into marriage with a real loser, and in a last desperate attempt to help him make something of himself, gets her father in law to fund them onto a remote ranch in Idaho where she raises a brood of kids, embraces a traditional way of life, and sends it all via Instagram to a rapidly increasing audience. The trouble is, Natalie doesn't entirely subscribe to the situation she finds herself in - and when one day she wakes up in the year 1855, in exactly the environment she's been emulating, the things she's been espousing and pretending to live like suddenly become all too real. This is terrifically well done - full of side-eye and quips to the reader amid a situation from which there is no escape. London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe. He's the author who gave us the wonderful Empire of Pain a few years ago. This is about a young man whose fall from the balcony of a high end apartment block beside the Thames was filmed by MI6 cameras across the river. Zac Brettler always wanted more, and passed himself off as the child of a Russian oligarch which ultimately resulted in him getting in with the wrong crowd. Despite the footage, the Metropolitan Police refused to investigate and when Radden Keefe got involved he found a great deal to answer for. This is fascinating, investigative writing of the highest order. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Other Catherine by Lauren Keenan: this is the story of two women bound together through generations of a family, each making their own way in a turbulent world. In 1793, eighteen year old Catherine is sentenced to the colonies and finds herself in the abject misery of the hold of a convict ship sailing to Australia where, despite the horrors and deprivation, she manages to forge enduring bonds with some of the other convicts. Two generations later, another Catherine - known in her native reo as Keita - finds herself and her loved ones caught up in the arrival of sealers and whalers to the shores of Aotearoa, and a profound change to their way of life. History and blood unites these two women, each of whom navigate their way through periods of great change. Murder in Paris '68 by Edward Chisholm. Paris in 1968 was a world of chic, celebrity and glamour alongside a parallel underworld in which the demimonde lived dangerous and darker lives. Alain Delon was a movie star of the era - globally famous, he moved in fashionable circles. When a young man was found dead on a road outside Paris it was initially assumed he was indigent, but his clothes and well manicured fingernails told a different story and he was soon linked to Delon. This is extraordinary narrative nonfiction in which politicians, police, diplomats, gangsters, petty criminals and a raft of famous names became caught up in scandal and corruption. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke. This is set on a remote Scottish island to which seven aspiring authors have been invited, and when they arrive find that the reclusive famous author who lives there has died, and his publisher is desperate to find someone who can write the last chapter of his unfinished manuscript. There is an enormous payday for the successful writer, but as they settle in for the contest the bodies start to pile up and they find that they're writing crime in the middle of a crime scene. Evelyn Clarke, the author of this is actually two people, both of whom are established writers and they've taken the opportunity through this novel to skewer the publishing industry whilst delivering a very Agatha Christie-esque mystery thriller. Other People's Bodies by Megan Nicol Reed. Set in Auckland, this is the story of a group of women who join a gym which is operated by an enigmatic man named Lars, where they discover friendship, shared goals and become drawn more and more into his orbit. As things go on though, something in the dynamic changes and his influence and control of their lives becomes overbearing and somewhat sinister. Lars is married to Priya, in a relationship where the power balance is uneven, and she reaches a point, watching, where she must decide if she should step out of the shadows and intervene, whatever the cost. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Keeper by Tana French, who is one of my all time favourite authors. This is the 3rd in a trilogy which began with The Searcher and then The Hunter but you can read this new one without needing to read the others (although they're so good I would highly recommend it). Cal Hooper, the retired Chicago detective is back, with the village of Ardnakelty in crisis as a young woman is found dead just as a local big shot has plans for the town. Factions are rife, with many residents predicting housing developments, data farms or some other modern atrocity and Cal is caught up in a protest against plans which threaten their rural way of life. This is full of terrific characters, entirely believable themes, and some exceptional turns of phrase. Bonfire of the Murdochs by Gabriel Sherman. It was widely known that Rupert Murdoch favoured his son Lachlan as the heir to his empire, to the point where he attempted to remove Lachlan's three siblings from the trust which had been in place for years, in order to anoint him as the rightful successor - and paid his children a billion dollars each to go quietly, but they rebelled and took the case to court. This is the story of one of the world's wealthiest and most powerful families caught up in lawsuits, betrayals, and revenge. It has been described as being Shakespearian in its tragedy - a family ripped apart by the very man who created their empire. It makes for a fascinating read. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's Not What You Think by Clare Mackintosh. Nadeeka is having a relationship with Jamie but she suspects he's having an affair and one day heads home unexpectedly to try and catch him out. What she finds when she gets there is something else entirely...her house is a crime scene and nothing is as she'd imagined. And then it gets worse as the real story of what had been going on in Jamie's life - and mind - unfolds into a real, current day, this is what the world is like now scenario. This is certainly a book for our times and the twists and turns confirm that Clare Mackintosh writes terrific thrillers, with this one her best yet. Based on a True Story by Sarah Vaughan. Dame Elinor Kingman is one of the UK's most beloved authors, and as she prepares to turn 70, she's organising a huge celebration party at her estate in Cornwell. Her three children will be in attendance, as will many of her friends and the literary world's great and good, along with a TV crew who are filming a documentary on her life. Then, the night before the party, someone sends her an email threatening to expose something they claim to know about her which could destroy her legacy, reputation and family. I've loved Sarah Vaghan's books since Anatomy of a Scandal a few years ago - she's great at writing about secrets that have the potential to derail everything and this one is great. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Truth About Ruby Cooper by Liz Nugent. Liz Nugent is particularly good at writing about dysfunctional families - I first loved Lying in Wait and the more recently, Strange Sally Diamond. In this new one, Ruby and her sister Erin live a sheltered life in Boston, but when Ruby's 16, something awful happens which sends shockwaves through the family and tears them all apart. Ruby builds a new life in Dublin where she spends decades trying to outrun the past, but it's never far away and someday, somehow, there just might be a reckoning. The Secret Society of Librarians by Kate Thompson. Historical fiction, based during WW2 with much of the story being recreated from actual events. It's about a group of librarians from various places in England and Poland, who trained together and became very good friends - in particular, two of them - Joyce in London and Dorotha who's incarcerated in a Polish ghetto, Despite everything which is going on around them, they're determined to keep getting books into the hands of readers as a means of escapism and of comfort. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Look What You Made Me Do by John Lanchester. This book is marvellous - the premise being that every marriage has its own language which is meaningless to anyone listening in. A new Netflix show called Cheating becomes the talk of the town and appears to contain verbatim words and phrases which were unique to Kate and Jack - but Jack has died and Kate's left wondering whether their long and faithful marriage was actually something else entirely. How else could the scriptwriter have possibly known? Kids, Wait till You Hear This! by Liza Minnelli. This is the memoir of the famous Liza with a z……she writes about growing up with her mother, Judy Garland, who was troubled and difficult and of course immensely talented; and about her career which started when she joined Judy on stage as a very young child and progressed to Broadway when still a teenager, and the subsequent remarkable career, addictions and many marriages. It's full of famous names. She's had an extraordinary life, and this is it in her own words. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lake Effect by Cynthia d'Aprix Sweeney. In 1977, just as The Joy of Sex is sweeping through suburbia, neighbours Nina Larkin and Finn Finnegan leave their respective families for a new life together in a seismic betrayal which ripples through their children's lives and has a profound, ongoing impact on them all. Yet family bonds are not easily broken and somehow seem to stretch, bend and accommodate all the chaos and mystery and love which life throws at them. This author writes wonderfully about family dynamics - small stories about everyday people living ordinary lives which in their own way are fascinating. Every Second Counts by Charlotte Glennie. Charlotte Glennie was TVNZ's first Asia correspondent based in Hong Kong from where she lived a frenetic life chasing down major world events, natural disasters, political turmoil and more. This is a compilation of recent world history which humanizes those involved, told with insight and fierce empathy and is a fascinating account of the stories of our times told by someone who was there and witnessed it all first hand. Highly recommended. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Saoirse by Charleen Hurtubuse. Saoirse is a successful artist living in Ireland with a lovely family and skeletons in the closet that she hopes will stay hidden forever. When she becomes the focus of attention after winning a major art award, her carefully constructed life comes under attack as her deception becomes known, and the public gaze sees only the extent of her lies and not the desperate need that drove them. A Far-Flung Life by M.L.Stedman. The MacBride family operate a one million acre sheep station in Western Australia, where one day an accident on the property changes their lives forever and the resulting trauma leads to a terrible secret which could rip them all apart. Set against the vast landscape of WA, amidst extreme isolation, all they have is one another and a fierce determination to protect their way of life. This book is wonderful. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kin by Tayari Jones - who was the author of a wonderful book called An American Marriage a few years ago, which I loved. In this new one, Vernice and Annie are both motherless, close as sisters, growing up in small town Louisiana during the Jim Crow years. Their lives take them in different directions - Vernice to Atlanta and college, whilst Annie heads to Memphis in constant search of the mother who abandoned her. It's stunningly written, about two Black women navigating the prejudice, misogyny and cruelty of that era and whose bond with each other stands the test of time and distance. Surviving White Island by Kelsey Waghorn. Kelsey was a tour guide on Whakaari White Island and was caught up in the devastating eruption there in 2019, which changed her life forever. This is her account of what happened - the aftermath, injuries, recovery and sheer grit required to get through each day, in a memoir which is both brave and inspirational from a young woman whose future changed in an unimaginable instant. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Antihero by Gregg Hurwitz. This is the latest in the series of thrillers about Evan Smoak, otherwise known as Orphan X - who was trained by the Government from childhood in the art of black ops but has since left the scheme and now uses his skills and talents to do good. He goes by the name of The Nowhere Man and when people in distress call on him he goes to their aid, his only stipulation being that they must pass on his contact number to someone else who needs his help - and in this latest outing, his help is indeed very badly needed. These books are great fun - a combination of Evan's superhuman fighting skills, luxury tastes, digital whizz sidekick, and a willing suspension of disbelief. Strangers by Belle Burden. Belle Burden is American royalty - she's a descendant of Cornelius Vanderbilt and her grandmother was the legendary Babe Paley. She thought she was happily married to a hedge fund guy and when Covid hit New York City the family relocated to their country estate where he promised to look after them during the pandemic - then one week in she received a phone message from someone to say that her husband was having an affair with this man's wife and her world fell apart. Her husband walked out, saying he didn't want anything to do with her or their kids and largely stuck to his words. This is a meditation on betrayal, on being blindsided by the loss of her marriage, and on how badly some super rich men will behave given half a chance. Clearly money wasn't an issue for the author either, but to have the rug pulled out from under her during such uncertain times and then to write about it with such grace and clarity makes for a very good read. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spies and other Gods by James Wolff. This spy thriller is set apart from others by being narrated by a kind of collective voice of MI5 - it's the spies watching the spies. Sir William Rentoul, head of the service, takes great umbrage when an anonymous whistle-blower lays a complaint and a smart young parliamentary researcher is brought in to investigate. MI5 are particularly adept at ensuring she makes no progress, but she becomes a part of something much, much bigger, and which also gets Sir William back into the field after years driving an MI5 desk, with predictable results. The Dead Speak by Thomas Coyle. The author learned the science and art of forensics with the Metropolitan police in the UK, before eventually moving to New Zealand, after which he became involved in victim identification after the Boxing Day tsunami, and the Christchurch earthquake in 2011. It's a fascinating account about the training involved, and the painstaking processes which forensic investigators follow in the course of their critical work. It's an easy read although as he says, not for the faint of heart, with a good dose of black humour. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Sisterhood Rules by Kathy Lette, who must be one of the funniest women in the world. It's about twin sisters who have been estranged for five years, ever since Verity stole Isabel's husband - but they come together to take their mother in hand when they discover that she's taken up with a much younger man and is having a fabulous time, running through the money which might otherwise be their inheritance. It's full of jokes, puns and Kathy's trademark wit but she's making a serious point - that the bonds between women are what keep us all sane, and that we need to have one another's backs. Seed by Elizabeth Easther, who is a New Zealand journalist, book reviewer, playwright and author. This is also about the bonds between women - in this case between four women, each of whom is struggling with conception or pregnancy and the various modern ways by which those things might happen - fertility treatments, dating apps, autonomy over decisions affecting their own bodies and the impacts of these things with the people in their lives. It will speak very strongly to readers of a certain age - specifically, women who find themselves in the midst of those years, and it feels very true, and very real. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meet The Newmans by Jennifer Niven. Del and Dinah Newman and their two sons have been the stars of a reality TV series about their family life for two decades, but in 1964 it feels as though the world is changing and America is falling out of love with them. Their on-screen lives portray a perfect family, but in reality their world is imploding and they all have secrets they're hiding from one another. As the show limps towards its final episode, Dinah hires a young woman to help write the perfect ending, but it turns out they have diametrically opposed views as to what that should look like. This is a real slice of ‘60s life - nostalgic, still relevant, and very entertaining. The Winner by David Baldacci. This was first published back in 1979 and has been reissued and is as good as it ever was. LuAnn Tyler is a young, 20 year old mother, with a life which promises nothing when she's contacted by someone who tells her that he can rig the national lottery and she can win $100m. There are strings attached of course, but the opportunity is too good to turn down and afterwards she leaves the US for a decade, enjoying her newfound wealth. Ten years on though, its time to come home but an enterprising journalist working on a story about the lottery tracks her down and the FBI are on her trail. Baldacci writes terrific thrillers and this is no exception. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Workhorse by Caroline Palmer. This is set in a Vogue magazine-like environment, where Clodagh (Clo) Harmon is trying to make her way up the ladder, but struggles because she doesn't have the pedigree, monied background and social confidence of her colleagues - she's a workhorse, not a showhorse. It's been compared in a lot of places to a combination of The Devil Wears Prada and The Talented Mister Ripley - as Clo makes more and more bad decisions and is prepared to do almost anything to get ahead. Not My Type by E.Jean Carroll. This is the woman who sued Donald Trump for sexual assault in the changing room of a New York department store, and then went on to sue him for defamation. It's the story of the trials, from her point of view - the clothes she wore to make certain statements, her observations of the defendant and his lawyers, the way the court cases evolved –-all told in an acerbic, witty, hilarious, insightful and incredibly entertaining way. She's 82 now and hasn't received a cent of the two settlements which she was awarded but she's retained her dignity, her sense of humour and an ability to write a brilliant account of what and how it happened. I was riveted. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Heir Apparent by Rebecca Armitage - I touched on this one in the fiction round up at the end of last year but given time constraints with a number of books in that piece, it really warrants a bit more attention. Lexi Villiers is a trainee doctor in Tasmania when she's suddenly summarily summonsed back to London by her grandmother the Queen, after her father and twin brother are killed in a skiing accident - meaning she's now next in line for the throne. It's fun, entertaining fiction based on the monarchy about which the author clearly knows quite a lot and followers of The Crown will love it. The Uncool by Cameron Crowe - This is a memoir by a legendary rock and roll journalist. Back in the 70's, Cameron Crowe began writing about bands and music, and was published by Rolling Stone magazine at the age of just fourteen. He really lived the dream - spending time with, and writing about Led Zeppelin, The Eagles, Joni Mitchell, The Rolling Stones and many many more. He went on to write the screenplay for the autobiographical movies Fast Times at Ridgemont High and then Almost Famous (which he also directed). This was an era we'll never see again, and it's wonderful nostalgia about a glorious time in music and a young man who took full advantage of it. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy. This is by the author of the Booker Prize winning The God of Small Things - about her life growing up in India, the forces that shaped her, and particularly her very difficult relationship with her mother, Mary, who is always referred to in the book as Mrs Roy. Mrs Roy was a formidable force of nature and in trying to make sense of the dynamic between them, and to find her own way in the world, Arundhati has written a deeply moving, entertaining and profound memoir. How to Say Babylon by Safiya Sinclair. The author grew up in Jamaica where her father was a radical Rastafarian and was paranoid about keeping his daughters away from the secular world which they referred to as Babylon. Safiya's childhood was often brutal, peripatetic and poor but she had the soul of a poet and the dream to eventually become one. It's an extraordinary and deeply moving memoir – how one young woman eventually found the courage to stand up to her father and became the woman she never thought she could be. Anyone who read Educated and loved it will love this. The Breath of the Gods by Simon Winchester: A remarkable exploration of our atmosphere, and the role played in our lives by wind – which can be both benign and malevolent. It's a fascinating story told through history, literature, science, poetry and engineering – and includes a piece on our own Wahine disaster. Simon Winchester has an ability to make the everyday and apparently mundane, extraordinary. The Hollows Boys by Peta Carey. The story of the three Hollows brothers Gary, Mark and Kim, who were pivotal in the helicopter deer recovery era in Fjordland in the 1970s which was a dangerous and unregulated time. Gary Hollows died (as did many others) and the pain of that is still felt keenly today, more than 40 years on. The work they did against the backdrop of such a beautiful part of the country is jaw dropping, with high deer tallies helping keep that population down (and thereby protecting the environment), lots of money sloshing around and amazing stories of real derring do by a group of extraordinarily brave and reckless men who lived by their own rules. Mana by Tame Iti. The deeply personal account of the life of one of our greatest rebels and radicals who grew up being forbidden to speak te reo and became one of its biggest advocates (amongst many other causes). He's lived much of his life in the public eye, going from bad boy status to that of a national treasure and the journey is well documented in this beautiful and thoughtful book. It's a lovely production and includes lots of photographs, including some of his own artwork. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Exit Strategy by Lee Child and Andrew Child. Jack Reacher is back - this time in Baltimore, where he inadvertently gets himself caught up in corrupt goings on at the local Port. He walks into a coffee shop, and someone brushes against him - only later does he realise that a note was slipped into his pocket at that moment, from someone asking for help and requesting a late night rendezvous. The note was clearly intended for someone else but Jack heads along to the meeting anyway, just to see what's going on. This is classic Reacher - he's about to dispense a lot of vigilante justice and stand up for the good guys, before he gets onto another Greyhound bus and heads off for who knows where. Good Things Come and Go by Josie Shapiro. Josie is an Auckland writer whose first book I loved - Everything is Beautiful and Everything Hurts. This is her second, and it's equally good - about Penny and Riggs living in LA where things have gone terribly wrong for them, and the chance for Penny to come back to Auckland and hold a solo art exhibition is too good to ignore. They head back to Waiheke Island (and into the midst of complicated family dynamics) and reconnect with an old friend who's down on his luck. The rekindling of that childhood friendship brings serious undercurrents, with long held secrets to be reckoned with. Josie is a terrific writer and I hope will be bringing us books for years to come. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Detective by Matthew Reilly: Matt Reilly is well known for the thrillers he's been writing for many years now, but this one is quite a departure. It's based in the American South and is the story of many women going missing over a period of 150 years, starting back in 1877….and the investigators looking for them all also disappeared. It's set in the nexus of Louisiana and Texas, where a quirky private detective gets the bit between his teeth and is determined to get to the bottom of it, and it has all the hallmarks of the area – wealthy family dynasties, racism, bayous and alligators and high stakes adventure. The Breath of the Gods by Simon Winchester. A remarkable exploration of our atmosphere, and the role played in our lives by wind – which can be both benign and malevolent. It's a fascinating story told through history, literature, science, poetry and engineering – and includes a piece on our own Wahine disaster. Simon Winchester has an ability to make the everyday and apparently mundane, extraordinary. It's a wonderful book. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whitcoulls is being accused of censorship and moral panic - because it's hiding a literary journal with risqué content. Copies of Folly Journal have been pulled off Whitcoulls shelves around the country and are now only offered when customers ask for it. Editor and Founder of Folly Journal Emily Broadmore told Heather duPlessis-Allan that Whitcoulls hasn't explained specifically why their books have been removed from stores. 'We have no idea. We've just been told that it's offensive, but we can't figure it out.' LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday, 14 November 2025, we have officially missed our climate goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. So why are we sending a massive delegation to the talkfest that is Cop30? Labour's Deborah Russell tells Heather why the trip to Brazil is important. One of the outcomes of the damning McSkimming IPCA report has been the establishment of an Inspector General for the police. But would this have changed anything? Retirement Commissioner Jane Wrightson wants to take Government Kiwisaver contributions from the rich to pay the poor. Whitcoulls is being accused of censorship for pulling a raunchy literary journal off its shelves. Folly Journal editor Emily Broadmore speaks to Heather about the publication. The Sports Huddle debates whether being selected as a bench player is just as prestigious as being picked for the starting XV. And will Heather buy a Lotto ticket this week? Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Founder and editor-in-chief of Folly, Emily Makere Broadmore, joins Emile Donovan.

The Widow by John Grisham. Simon Latch is a small time, small town lawyer in Virginia, whose marriage is falling apart, his gambling is out of control, and his legal practice is on the verge of going under. Then an elderly widow arrives on his doorstep, to say that her husband left her millions of dollars in shares, which she wants to keep out of the hands of her estranged stepsons and as she no longer trusts the lawyer who drafted her current will, she wants Simon to help her. He thinks this is the golden ticket that could turn his life around….until she dies in a car crash and he finds himself accused of murder. It's terrific Grisham - less courtroom drama than some of his earlier novels but plenty of intrigue nonetheless. Gone Before Goodbye by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben. These two have collaborated on a novel about a highly skilled surgeon who has been disgraced and can no longer practice, and whose husband has been murdered in the war zone where they used to work together. She's approached by a former colleague to take a job with an oligarch who requires complete anonymity and confidentiality and in return will re-establish her credentials, and pay handsomely for her service. The story moves from war zones and refugee camps, and America to Russia and Dubai where there are wheels within wheels, no one can be trusted, and the tension ratchets up as hidden truths are exposed and the secrets of this underworld are brought to light. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth. An elderly man is found dead by his neighbour, 81-year-old Elsie. No one suspects foul play - until they discover that in the 1950's, Elsie's name was Mabel, and she was the youngest person in Australian history to be convicted of murder – at which point the media circus arrives on her doorstep and the police take an interest, and she decides it might finally be time to tell her story. It's a charming read with genuine human interest. Perspective by Shaun Johnson. He is of course the rugby league legend who has had a remarkable career on the field, and who is very interesting off it. The sheer grit and determination – to say nothing of the skills required – are extraordinary, but this is also the story of a man who ultimately felt that he was being judged on 80 minutes of football a week, and on little else and has also had to fight hard to maintain his perspective. I'm not a rugby league expert but I'm fascinated by the discipline and the pressure that he put himself under, and what it takes to survive it. It's a really good read. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai. Sonia and Sunny live, study and work in America, but their families back home in India worry about the loneliness they feel in a strange country and try to bring them together. They do eventually connect, but relationships in their new world are not straightforward and there are a lot of things to navigate including finding the place where they belong - plus class, race, history, and the complicated bonds that link one generation to the next. This is huge, epic and outstanding. Last Rites by Ozzy Osbourne. Ozzy's memoir, for which the last chapter was handed in just days before he died. He tells the story of an extraordinary life...someone who began his stage career as something of a pariah for outrageous behaviour, and ended up selling more than 100 million albums and becoming a beloved son of Birmingham, and the world. This is unfiltered rock ‘n roll. What a life! LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gravity Let Me Go by Trent Dalton. Noah Cork should be on top of the world. His new true crime book is a bestseller, but strange things happening around him are deeply unsettling. As a major storm threatens Brisbane he's caught up in one of his own, failing to see what's right under his nose in this brilliant story about murder and marriage and one man desperate to do the best by his family, with no idea how to go about it. Boleyn Traitor by Philippa Gregory. Jane Boleyn was the sister of Anne Boleyn and a senior lady in waiting to five of Henry V111's wives. The book is written from her perspective, about their lives in his court. The story of these women as they lived through a volatile and dangerous period in service of a petulant and unreliable king is compassionate, insightful and utterly riveting, and bears some comparisons with modern days. I adored it. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Culpability by Bruce Holsinger. When a self driving car crashes, a family's lives are thrown into chaos. In the aftermath, questions are raised about responsibility for the accident and where the ethical line between human culpability and the technology is drawn. The people in this family are all keeping secrets from one another, and as these are thrown into the spotlight this book just gets more and more compelling. I couldn't put it down. Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy. She won the Booker Prize in 1997 with The God of Small Things which was fiction – this new one is a memoir, about her life, and specifically about her relationship with her mother who was a singular, difficult woman who is referred to throughout the book as Mrs Roy. They had a challenging relationship – Arundhati said her mother was her shelter and her storm – and there are loads of fascinating and entertaining stories and anecdotes in the book. It's a terrific memoir. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Clown Town by Mick Herron. This is the latest novel in his Slow Horses series, about Jackson Lamb and the cast of MI5 misfits and rejects that he manages in Slough House. They are brilliant books and this one is no exception. There are several seasons of an Apple TV series based on the books which is wonderful television, but as always, the books are even better. Highly recommended for anyone who likes spy stories, and eccentric, interesting and deeply flawed characters. Fly, Wild Swans by Jung Chang. In 1991, Jung Chang's memoir about three generations of women in her family in China was on everyone's reading list - and it was wonderful. This is a follow up, updating things since the impact that success had on her life, change in China and its place in the world over the years and what's happened to her during that period - it's really a personal and global memoir, and much of it is a love letter to her mother. Her books are all banned in China, but luckily we have them here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fulfillment by Lee Cole. Two half brothers lead very different lives. When they converge on their mother's home in rural Kentucky, the rivalry between them intensifies with potentially terrifying consequences. This is a story about class, privilege, family, brotherhood and ordinary people living ordinary, messy lives - and what it takes to find fulfilment. All the Way to the River by Elizabeth Gilbert - who is of course the author of the bestselling Eat, Pray, Love. This is another deeply personal story, about her relationship with Rayya Elias - which was one of co-dependence, serious addictions and a spiral of self destruction. Rayya was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and after her death Elizabeth shone a spotlight on their affair and managed to recover through a determined adherence to a 12 step programme. It's a really brave book, harrowing at times and ultimately fascinating. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Buckeye by Patrick Ryan. This is set in a small Ohio town at the very end of WW2 when two people become caught up in victory celebrations and have a brief romantic encounter, which results in complications which haunt them down through generations. As secrets are exposed some people find that things are not what they had seemed, and that the world they thought they knew was in fact a lie. I loved this book. Saving Elli by Doug Gold. In Nazi occupied Amsterdam, near Anne Frank's house, another Jewish girl was hidden. Her name was Elli. Her father was executed at Mauthausen concentration camp and her mother fled for her life. To save Elli, Resistance couple Frits and Jo Hakkens risked everything, concealing her in a secret space above the ceiling. With shrewd cunning and unflinching courage, they outwitted the Gestapo, survived relentless searches and faced betrayal from those they once trusted. This is an extraordinary story which has a New Zealand connection. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Cut Throat Trial by S.J Fleet. I assume that the author's name is a pseudonym as they've published previous books under the moniker of The Secret Barrister – I believe they're a practising lawyer who in those books delivered some witty and interesting commentary on the state of the UK justice system. This novel is set in a courtroom, where three teenagers are on trial for the murder of an elderly man. I didn't know this until I read the book, but a cut throat trial is where there are more than one defendant and they each try to blame the others. The three boys each have their own lawyer, and there is of course a prosecutor, a jury and an arrogant and entitled judge so it's a pretty full court. The story unfolds beautifully as the evidence is laid before the jury, but what might seem straightforward becomes less so, and after their verdict is delivered things are not necessarily what they seem. I really loved it. The Vanishing Place by Zoe Rankin. It's set on the West Coast of the South Island, where a young girl walks out of the bush one day into a very small town where local people realise that they've seen her before – many years ago. She has the same face as another girl who lived there 20 years before and the local policeman makes the connection, works out who she is and then secrets start to unravel. I believe this is the first book by a local author and it's twisty, thrilling and gripping. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Summer Island by Kristin Hannah: Kristin Hannah is the author of several extremely popular books, including The Nightingale and The Women. They're historical fiction, but this one is contemporary - about a broken mother and daughter relationship. Nora Bridge is a nationally syndicated talk show host who dispenses moral and spiritual advice to her legion of listeners, and whose daughter Ruby is a wannabe stand up comedienne, using her mother as the butt of a lot of her jokes. When Nora is publicly shamed and the two of them are thrown together, family secrets emerge which bring about a reconciliation, and a show of courage that neither knew they had. The Surrogate Mother by Freida McFadden: Abby is desperate for a baby but has been unable to conceive, so when Monica, her new work assistant, offers to act as a surrogate she and her husband are thrilled. Things, though, don't go quite as they'd planned - Abby becomes increasingly sure that Monica's up to no good, but who can she tell and who will listen? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Girl with the Suitcase by Lesley Pearse. Mary and Elizabeth meet in London during WW2, and soon after find themselves in an air raid shelter where they're hit by a bomb, and Elizabeth dies. The hospital staff mistake their identities and give her possessions to Mary, which offers her the chance for total reinvention and a whole new life. This is classic Lesley Pearse - a strong female lead, with tragedy and heartbreak in her past who finds a way to rise above it and make something of herself. Her books are always highly entertaining, and very thoughtful. No, I Don't Get Danger Money by Lisette Reymer. Lisette spent three years as Newshub's European correspondent, a stint which coincided with the delayed Japanese Olympics (on the way to Europe), the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the death of the Queen, and many more history making events. It really is a front seat look into the life she lead through those years - moving frantically between countries, travelling with suitcases of heavy protective gear and wads of cash, surviving on adrenaline and very little sleep, and managing the on camera demands of time zone differences. You really feel as though you're there with her and it's a great insight into a job which often looks as though it must be glamorous but was often anything but. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson. This has a hugely implausible premise. Jet Mason is attacked in her kitchen one evening, after which her doctors tell her she'll be dead by an aneurysm in seven days, so she decides to spend the week hunting down her murderer. It took me a little while to get into the rhythm - the black humour, sarcasm, farce, twisted family relationships, and roving suspicion of everyone she knows who might be the killer. But once I did, I adored it. Red Star Down by D.B.John. From the author of Star of the North, this is a thriller at the nexus between North Korea, Russia and Washington which takes in actual events in real life - such as the poisoning of one of North Korea's Kim family at Kuala Lumpur airport, or a real estate mogul becoming President of the United States - all woven into a brilliantly compelling story about three disparate individuals who find themselves right at the heart of all these goings on. I simply couldn't put it down. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Stars are A Million Glittering Worlds by Gina Butson. This is the first novel from a New Zealand writer, about a young woman who leaves home after a tragedy and travels the world for a year, running away from the hurt and running towards something she's not quite sure of. Her travels take her to Asia, then Central America where, in Guatemala, she befriends two people who have significant impacts on her life, each in a different way; and though she often thinks about going home she only makes it as far as Tasmania, with so much in her life that's hard to face up to. Polkinghorne by Steve Braunias. From one of our finest writers this is the definitive book on the trial of the century – Philip Polkinghorne, being accused of the murder of his wife Pauline. Much has already been written about it – and of course there's the TV documentary which many people may have seen- but for anyone who has the slightest bit of interest in the case, this book is a must read. It's thorough, insightful, critical and compassionate, and the last chapter in particular is extraordinary. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewell. She's a terrific writer of domestic thrillers, and this is about Nina who's mourning the death of her husband, Paddy, after he fell under a train. A year on she receives a gift and a note in the mail from a man who knew Paddy and is sending condolences – which develop into an ongoing relationship, but Nina's daughter is deeply suspicious of this newcomer and starts digging around. Meanwhile, Martha lives in a nearby town where she runs a florist shop and has a baby, and a husband who travels extensively for work and spends long periods of time away from home. As these characters all connect, things turn explosive. We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter. She's best known for the series she wrote with the characters Sara Linton and Will Trent, but this is the start of a brand new series set in a small town in the state of Georgia where there are secrets and lies a plenty. Emmy Clifton is the Deputy Sheriff who starts an investigation when two teenage girls disappear from a 4th of July fireworks display. Karin Slaughter writes great thrillers – there's plenty of misdirection and twists and turns, all while reminding us that even small towns can house a lot of darkness.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Isola by Allegra Goodman. In the 16th century, Marguerite is born into great wealth but after being orphaned at the age of three a guardian, Roberval, is appointed, who over several years steals her entire fortune. Destitute, her only option is to rely on him for everything and when he takes her on an expedition to sea she falls in love with his servant. Incandescent with rage, Roberval abandons them on a remote, inhospitable island where they're left to fight for survival. Based on actual historical events, this is extraordinary. The Monster of Harrods by Alison Kervin. Turns out that Mohamed al Fayed was a monster and presided over a reign of terror during his ownership of Harrods. Scores of women were offended against and this offending was known by the Metropolitan Police, who colluded with him, and by parliamentarians and the Royal family - but no one ever acted and he went to his grave without justice being done. This is a very dark history of an amazing department store that many of us have loved for a long time. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb. He's beloved by loads of readers, especially for his brilliant book I Know this Much is True. This new one is, to a large degree, informed by the years he spent teaching creative writing to incarcerated women in a Connecticut prison. It's the story of a man whose life is in a downward spiral. Corby Ledbetter is out of work and self medicating when he causes a devastating accident which upends both his entire life, and that of his family and sends him to prison. Isolated and fearful, he's desperate for a way back, and for redemption, which neither he nor his family might be prepared to give. Baddest Man by Mark Kriegel. Mike Tyson was boxing's youngest ever heavyweight champion, and this is the story of the first 22 years of his life. I'm no fan of the sport but I'm fascinated by boxers – years ago I read Tyson's autobiography, Undisputed Truth and loved it. This book gives his origin story – the author's written a terrific account of the forces which shaped Tyson and what made him into the extraordinary athlete he became – but also into the baddest man. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Beautiful Family by Jennifer Trevelyan: In 1987, 10 year old Alix and her family are at the beach for the great New Zealand summer, but everything feels a little off - her teenage sister's desperate to run with the in-crowd, her mother's wildly distracted and her father is adrift. Alix befriends another holidaymaker, and they hunt for signs of a girl who went missing years ago, while a creepy neighbour watches everything they do. This hums with foreboding against the sun and sea. It's magnetic. A Dim Prognosis by Ivor Popovich - The author has been a doctor in New Zealand hospitals for the last ten years and describes a system which is itself on life support. It's not just about the under funding and the bureaucracy of our health care, but he also covers the very toxic atmosphere that a lot of the young doctors work in, with senior doctors protecting their patch and demeaning or humiliating the newcomers; and the disparities between public and private healthcare and how so many of these senior doctors do extremely well from working across both, while patients and other health care workers suffer. It's required reading for anyone with an interest in our hospitals and how they work - and how they don't. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid, who is well known for terrific books like The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, and Daisy Jones and The Six. In 1980, Joan Goodwin becomes one of the first women scientists accepted by NASA for the space shuttle programme where she's part of a close team who work and play together. Vanessa Ford is a brilliant, practical aeronautical engineer and they discover possibilities in their friendship they never knew existed - so when Vanessa's mission goes badly wrong and Joan, in charge of astronaut communications is responsible for bringing her safely back to earth, the tension and emotion is off the chart. As were mine. Inside the Wire by Rhonda Hapi – Smith. Rhonda spent almost 20 years as a prison officer in a number of men's prisons around the country. She's a tough, physically strong woman - she also worked on the Riot Squad - with a hefty dose of compassion who always understood that in order to get the best out of the people in her care she needed to build relationships but take no nonsense. The book is an insight into life inside the prison walls, both for the incarcerated men and for the staff, and it comes from a career of which she is justifiably proud. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Names by Florence Knapp. Cora is married to Gordon, a highly respected doctor, but what goes on in their own home is something entirely different. When she has a baby son she heads off to register his birth, with instructions from Gordon that she's to name the baby after him - but her nine year old daughter has another idea, and Cora has her own preference. The story then splits into three different lines, in each of which the baby boy is given one of these three names and we follow his life until he's 35 years old - and each of the named scenarios shows the impact of a name on a person's life. It's very cleverly done and there's been a lot of international buzz about it. The Salt Path by Raynor Winn. This is currently screening at cinemas - the film is based on this book which was originally published in 2018 and has been reissued. It's the true story of Raynor and her husband known as Moth, who in their 50's lose absolutely everything and find themselves homeless and destitute - with Moth also suffering a debilitating illness. In the absence of any other options they decide to walk - more than 600 miles on the UK's South West Coast Path, from Sommerset to Dorset via Devon and Cornwall. It's an extraordinary story of real courage and endurance, and finding themselves in the process. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club by Martha Hall Kelly. She's a terrific writer of historical fiction (my favourite of hers is The Lilac Girls) – this time set on Martha's Vineyard in two timelines – present day, when a young woman grieving the death of her mother arrives on the island and discovers things about her mother she never knew; while back during WW2 two sisters are trying to hold it all together as the US army arrives and everything changes for the local inhabitants. Like her other books this is based on real events – this time from the author's own family history. Ocean by David Attenborough and Colin Butfield. There is also a movie of this title playing in cinemas at the moment. Looking back over the course of David Attenborough's lifespan (he's just turned 99) this is a look at eight unique ocean habitats – through coral reefs, mangroves, Oceanic Islands and more. It's an extraordinary insight into what lies beneath the water, and how much it's at risk – although Attenborough does say that while our oceans are fragile they also have an extraordinary capacity to repair themselves which is encouraging. It includes lots of amazing photos. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Air by John Boyne. This is the fourth book in a series about the four elements of matter (the preceding titles are Water Earth and Fire), where he takes each element and writes a story around it. This time the novel is set while the protagonists are on a flight, 30,000 feet up in the air, on a trip towards a woman who isn't expecting them. It's story of a father and a son on a moving journey to mend their troubled lives. I love John Boyne and read everything he writes. John and Paul by Ian Leslie. You think you've heard it all before about Paul and John – but this new biography is amazing. It has the music at its heart – the story of two lonely kids both of whom had suffered great grief in their early lives and who formed a really strong bond – and as the author says, when they couldn't talk about a thing they sang it and even after breaking up maintained a musical dialogue at a distance, in songs full of recrimination, regret, and affection. It's full of remarkable insight. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong. This is the story of Hai, a Vietnamese immigrant to America where he lives in the town of East Gladness, Connecticut where, at the most difficult moment of his life he's befriended by Grazina, an 82 year old Lithuanian widow. They become each other's support person, an unlikely pairing but each of them living lives so far away from the promised American Dream. It's a masterly portrait of life for the underdog, from a world that the author clearly knows well. His previous book, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous, was widely applauded and positively reviewed. The Warrior by Christopher Clarey. The subject of this book is Rafa Nadal, with a terrific and very familiar image of him on the cover. The author wrote a previous book called The Master, about Roger Federer, and has covered tennis for many years, having unprecedented access to these top players. It covers Rafa's life from the time he first held a racquet, all the way through to his decision to retire and everything that happened in between. Perfect for followers of tennis, and fans of Nadal. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.