Do you enjoy page-turning reads from terrific storytellers? Are you swept away by captivating characters, twisting storylines, and tales full of crime, mystery, and thrills, whether fictional or factual?
The Ngaio Marsh Awards, in association with Auckland Libraries, invites booklovers to a fascinating evening of criminally good conversation featuring five talented Auckland storytellers.
Ngaio Marsh Awards judge Stephanie Jones will chair two-time Ngaio Marsh Awards winner Michael Bennett (Ngati Pikiao, Ngati Whakaue), #1 NZ bestselling spy biographer Jude Dobson, debut Auckland thriller writer Alistair B Hayward, and double Ngaios finalist Simon Lendrum for a lively discussion about the art and craft of telling compelling stories, fictional or factual.
WHEN: Thursday, 29 May 2025
WHERE: Mt Roskill Library, 546 Mount Albert Road
WHEN: 6.30pm
This is a free event. Refreshments provided.
Michael is an award-winning filmmaker and novelist (Ngati Pikiao, Ngati Whakaue) who has Ngaio Marsh Awards for both nonfiction and fiction - for IN DARK PLACES, detailing the story of Teina Pora, and BETTER THE BLOOD, the first Hana Westerman mystery. He is co-writer of Irish-NZ crime drama The Gone, and his crime novels have been translated into several languages, won the Beltie Prize in the USA, and been shortlisted for the Acorn Prize for Fiction and awards on four continents. His latest Hana Westerman crime thriller is CARVED IN BLOOD.
Jude is an award-winning historical documentary producer, writer, and TV personality who has been researching, writing, producing and directing WWI and WWII content for several years. She won the New York Radio Awards Bronze Award in 2023 in the historical documentary category, for an Anzac Day audio documentary about WWII aviators telling their stories. In bestselling memoir THE LAST SECRET AGENT, Jude helped remarkable wartime spy Pippa Latour share her story.
Alistair is a fresh new voice in #yeahnoir, and author of "gleefully graphic, gripping, and disturbing" serial killer thrillers. In real life, however, he's very nice indeed. When not exploring the beautiful outdoors and plotting the terrible things that will befall his characters, he's a big fan of death metal, 70s paperbacks, 80s slasher films and the stories of Stephen King, Bret Easton Ellis, Bryce Courtney and James Patterson. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand with his family. His debut novel is THE GAMES WE PLAY.
Simon grew up in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in the North of England, gradually moving south after leaving school. He went to Cambridge first, then London. In 2004 he took a bigger leap and moved to Auckland, the place he now calls home. Simon has had a successful career in advertising, including being CEO of the Commercial Communications Council. His debut novel THE SLOW ROLL was a double finalist for the Ngaio Marsh Awards.
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