Latest from Books

Peter Wells: Missionary position
Writer Peter Wells explains the process of working with Auckland artist Gavin Hurley to create the cover for his new biography of the controversial historical figure William Colenso

Fiction Addiction: Q&A with Alex Miller
Alex Miller was watching the squirrels from a bench in London's Holland Park when he first heard the opening words to his latest novel.

Fiction Addiction: Introducing Rangatira
Some of New Zealand’s leading fiction writers have been trawling the history books for inspiration lately.

Anthony Horowitz: From boy spy to classic sleuth
Prolific young adult author and television screenplay writer Anthony Horowitz talks to Stephen Jewell about penning the next escapades of the world’s most famous detective.

Book lover: Ian Rankin
Best-selling crime writer Ian Rankin is the author of The Impossible Dead (Orion, $37.99).

Hayley Tanner: Deft take on love's magic
Tapestry of dark and light are skilfully woven, writes Nicky Pellegrino.

Fiction Addiction: Introducing Autumn Laing
As protagonists go, Autumn Laing and I did not get off to a great start.

Book club: A leaf out of their book
Take advice from the experts and read up on what you can do to save money, in your wardrobe, your home and your pantry.

Fiction Addiction: Five hot new novels
A stack of promising new novels has thudded onto the Fiction Addiction desk.

Book Reviews: A view of life through a quirky lens
Reading Airini Beautrais' new collection, Western Line, fills me with joy - through what words can do and through the avenues poetry makes available.

In defence of chick lit
Suzanne McFadden talks to Kiwi romance queen Michelle Holman about issues and critics.

Travel book: A Fan's Guide To World Rugby
This guide has information about the main grounds and teams in the top 18 rugby-playing nations.

Southern Lakes among Lonely Planet's top regions for 2012
Queenstown and Southern Lakes has been named one of Lonely Planet's top 10 regions to visit next year.

JK Rowling wanted Ron Weasley dead
JK Rowling has admitted she once wanted to kill off Harry Potter's best friend Ron Weasley out of "sheer spite".

Helen Humphreys: A love affair with the past
This 19th century romantic triangle comes to life, writes Nicky Pellegrino.

Book lover: Tasmina Perry
British novelist Tasmina Perry is the author of Private Lives (Headline, $34.99).

Dysfunction: All in the family
Martina Cole’s crime novels explore the extremes of relationship dysfunction. She talks to Stephen Jewell about her fascination with the darker, and tougher, side of human nature.

Shaped by reading material
Viva's Zoe Walker explores how characters described in fiction have influenced her through the years.

Book Review: Bird North And Other Stories
The blurb on the back of Breton Dukes’ debut short-story collection, Bird North And Other Stories, adds him to an esteemed line of New Zealand exponents of the genre: Frank Sargeson, Maurice Duggan and Owen Marshall.

Book Review: The Emperor Of Lies
Reading this very long book is deep immersion in the horrors of the Holocaust, and after a prolonged session readers may have to lift themselves from a state of depression about the human condition.