The Hiding Places
By Catherine Robertson (Vintage)
A fair amount of reader buy-in is required for Wellington writer Catherine Robertson's fourth novel. You have to be prepared to believe the main character, April Turner, has decided to deprive herself of all life's pleasure after the death of her small son. She won't even eat a scone. You also have to be prepared to accept April being bequeathed a large, crumbling English country house called Empyrean and that circumstances conspire to trap her there to ready it for sale. Manage that and you'll be rewarded by a charming read about the house and its owners past and present. Robertson writes evocatively about the English countryside and there is balance to be found in the colourful Sunny, Lady Day, who livens up this story wonderfully. A rich, warm-hearted tale about a broken woman and a derelict house being restored to life.
Unofficial Dr Who the Big Book of Lists
By Cameron K McEwan (Race Point)
Surely the ultimate book of trivia about the British TV series, this Dr Who compendium has been put together by Cameron K McEwan - aka the Blogtor - who has been dedicating a blog to the show since 2008 and is bursting at the seams with pop culture. It is packed full of lists that cover the arcane, the geeky and even the royal - the Blogtor finds 12 moments in Who history that have involved the Queen, who is said to be a fan of the show. There are funny quotes from Daleks ("My vision is impaired. I cannot see"), things to watch out for when viewing the 50th anniversary special, in-jokes, lists of catchphrases and things you never knew, and quizzes. I found it strangely compelling and I don't think I've watched Dr Who since Peter Davison was the main man.
Spice I Am
By Sujet Saenkham
Sydney chef Sujet Saenkham shares the secrets of his Thai family's home-style meals in his first cookbook. There are dishes here you'll recognise from your local takeaway menu - a green curry and a pad thai, for instance - but these are versions that use freshly made pastes and get that important balance of sweet, sour and salty exactly right. There are pungent, light dishes like the Chicken Curry with Pumpkin and Dill that hails from northeast Thailand and has a Lao influence. There's fancy stuff like the Roasted Duck Red Curry with Eggplant, Tomato and Pineapple that is served in a hollowed-out coconut shell. There are hot and spicy soups for winter and lots of stir-fries and rice dishes that, once the ingredients are assembled, will make fast and flavourful weeknight dinners. You'll need to stock up on stuff such as galangal, fish sauce, tamarind and kaffir lime leaves but most of the vital elements of Thai cooking are, thankfully, available these days.
The Anxiety Toolkit
By Dr Alice Boyes (Piatkus)
A hugely practical self-help book for anyone troubled by anxiety. Boyes trained as a psychologist in New Zealand but is now living in the United States. She has lived with anxiety since childhood and this gives her a very realistic perspective on the problem. With a blend of quizzes, thought experiments and clearly communicated information, she helps the anxiety-prone reader identify the common traps they may be falling into and shares strategies and techniques to manage the problem. Her approach is friendly and down to earth - no psychobabble here - and the book is ideal not just for those suffering from anxiety disorders such as panic attacks but anyone who wants to control worried, obsessive or perfectionist thinking.
Rich Man Road
By Ann Glamuzina (Eunoia Publishing)
This first novel from a New Zealand lawyer-turned-writer is a fine example of local publishing. A group of writers have got together to establish Eunoia Publishing and are producing beautiful books. Rich Man Road is Richmond Rd in Auckland's Grey Lynn. This novel follows, chapter by chapter, the alternating stories of two women who live on it: the elderly Olga, now dying of cancer, who was a refugee from Dalmatia in 1944; and young Pualele, who arrives from Samoa as part of an "illegal" family adoption in 1978. The two stories are strong and engaging. The World War II escape to El Shatt refugee camp in Egypt is brought to life especially vividly. The portrayal of a vulnerable 9-year-old girl, whose beloved mother is back in Samoa, struggling to understand what is expected of her in New Zealand at the time of the dawn raids, is utterly convincing and very moving. These two women come from different cultures but they understand about loss, guilt and the relationship between mothers and daughters. The connection between them is brought to a resolution at the very end of the novel in a most satisfying and rewarding way.
