Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published Feb 2024
320 pages
Genre: Thrillers
Publication Information
This prizewinning debut from New Zealand novelist Tom Baragwanath is both a nail-biting thrill-ride and a beautifully written, acutely observed portrait of a community
How far would you go to keep your family safe?
Lorraine Henry is generally content to keep her head down and get on with her work as a records clerk at the Masterton police station. But when children start going missing in her small town, Lo can't help but pay attention. After all, she has Bradley, her young nephew, to worry about, and the cops don't seem to be putting much effort into finding the kids. And then the unthinkable happens: Bradley disappears. Distraught but determined, Lorraine vows to bring him home no matter what. And, together with a detective from Wellington, she embarks on a dangerous mission, one that will illuminate all the good and all the bad in Masterton.
"Baragwanath's debut is both social novel and thriller, spinning the tensions between the white and Māori populations, the chokehold of street gangs, and the toll of drug addiction on young families into a suspenseful crime drama... . Just the kind of dark, disturbing, gritty, and unusual treat thriller lovers are looking for."
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Baragwanath's deliciously tense debut paints an evocative portrait of a New Zealand community at risk...In weaving together a lived-in portrait of small-town New Zealand with a truly crackling mystery, Baragwanath proves himself a writer to watch." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Tom Baragwanath has mastered the craft of literary crime: this is well-paced and vividly written detective fiction with a Chandleresque grittiness to its depiction of a community in crisis."
—The Sydney Morning Herald
"A perfectly pitched and plotted cracker of a debut... . The author's observations are as clear-eyed and intelligent as his endearingly down-to-earth [protagonist] Lorraine."
—New Zealand Listener
"A compelling crime thriller."
—Canberra Times
"Tightly written... . [Baragwanath] is a fascinating talent and one to watch."
—Kete
This information about Paper Cage was first featured
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Tom Baragwanath is originally from Masterton, New Zealand, and now lives in Paris. His short fiction has been widely published. Between pastries, he's working on his next novel.
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