2 this week from Paul
Thomas. Thomas is a UK born author who has for a number of years lived Down
Under.
On various websites he is classed as a New Zealand author. I think as
far as my reading goes, I’ll pigeon-hole him as English.
For a few years he was a journalist at the Sydney Herald and
I always used to go online and read his weekly column. That’s the thing with
me, once I find an author I like, I kind of feel compelled to read every word
they write, if I can.
His three books with came out in the mid-90’s brought him to
my attention initially – Dirty Laundry,
Inside Dope and Guerilla Season. He has published other stuff in-between before
resuming his Maori detective series with Death
on Demand after a 16 year gap.
A further book - Fallout appears sometime this year, if it hasn't already.
Inside Dope won
the Ned Kelly Award in 1996.
Thomas doesn’t
have a website, but there is some more detail on him here, courtesy of the New Zealand Book Council.
Death on Demand
(2012)
Maori cop Tito Ihaka, "unkempt, overweight,
intemperate, unruly, unorthodox and profane ", is a stubborn investigator
with an uncanny instinct for the truth. He hunts a shadowy hit-man who could
have several notches on his belt, including that of an undercover cop. To
complicate matters Ihaka becomes involved with a female suspect who could hold
the key to everything.
Sex Crimes (2003)
The things we do for sex – lie, cheat, scheme, kill…
Paul Thomas’s blackly humourous stories explore the
unpredictable and sometimes fatal consequences that can occur when sex rears
its not – so – ugly head. The author of the ground-breaking series of New Zealand
comic thrillers featuring the Maori Detective Tito Ihaka (Old School tie,
Inside Dope and Guerilla Season) takes us into a world of lust, deceit,
betrayal and elaborate revenge, where nothing is as it seems and even the
best-laid plans never unfold quite according to plan.
Sex Crimes is seven delicious helpings of irony, intrigue
and full-on entertainment from the writer who the celebrated Australian author
Marele Day described as “a master of plot, pace and the killer one-liner.”
He sounds great, Col! And I like the idea of a Maori investigator - interesting innovation. And I love the New Zealand setting! Nice, too, that you're able to get hold of the books of a writer whose journalism you've admired.
ReplyDeleteI used to be the same with Carl Hiaasen, Margot. I'm not sure if he still writes for the Miami Herald or not, but I would always go on-line each weekend and get his skewed take on events. I think I have a few journalists-turned authors on my shelves (tubs ;-) )
DeleteThe Tito Ihaka series definitely sounds good. If I run into them I will try them.
ReplyDeleteI hope you do Tracy. I ought to get back to the series...one of many I have neglected!
DeleteCol, I never hear of these new crop of English writers you keep featuring in your new author/book post such as this one. How do you hear of them?
ReplyDeleteI discovered Thomas back in the 90's. His first 3 Ihaka novels appeared on UK bookshop shelves in the 90's with eye-catching covers, which sucked me in. I have had him on my radar ever since.
DeleteA lot of new recommendations now I get courtesy of Paul D. Brazill and his blog, plus a cache of Goodread friends who are in the writer community and support each other.
Col, I have been meaning to register on Goodreads. I think it is advisable in my circumstances. I don't get around much, book-wise.
DeleteI do like the site and have widened my circle of "internet-book-friends" as a result - plus picked up too many recommendations for interesting books I would like to read.
DeleteVery intriguing, sounds promising. And I do know of and like Marele Day who recommends him. What was his weekly column about?
ReplyDeleteHmm, I don't know of Marele Day myself. I found a 2013 column from him. They were quite similar in tone, dissected something from the recent news.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10884362