We're delighted to share that Return to Blood by Michael Bennett, narrated by Miriama McDowell, has won the Libro.fm Audiobook of the Year at the 2025 Aotearoa New Zealand Book Industry Awards 🏆

CONGRATULATIONS to author Michael Bennett, novelist & filmmaker for his amazing book Return to Blood which has been shortlisted for the 2025 Ned Kelly Awards – BEST INTERNATIONAL CRIME FICTION Simon & Schuster #michaelbennett #NedKellyAwards #australiancrimewriters

Fabulous to see several cool #yeahnoir authors and #MysteryintheLibrary alumni involved in this month's #WeReadAuckland project with Auckland Libraries across Tāmaki Makaurau. Check here for free event listings: ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/media-centre/2…

RETURN TO BLOOD is on the shortlist for the Australian Crime Writers Association 2025 Ned Kelly Award for Best International Crime Fiction! Congrats to Michael Bennett! 🥳 bit.ly/4oVMWeD

Today we reveal our #2025Ngaios finalists! Congrats to all. A remarkable array of #yeahnoir storytelling and fascinating mix of tales - fictional and real-life - from some superb Kiwi authors. Finalists celebrated & winners announced at special event on Thurs 25 Sept WORD Christchurch

Fab to see Michael Bennett, novelist & filmmaker's 3rd Hana Westerman novel CARVED IN BLOOD getting lotsa love from critics & readers in USA/Canada. "It’s a whodunit, and indeed a terrific one, but Bennett’s books are much more powerfully about race... oh my, are they good" - Winnipeg Free Press #yeahnoir

RETURN TO BLOOD by Michael Bennett, novelist & filmmaker (Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Whakaue): Māori sleuth Hana Westerman has left her role with the police, but the discovery of a skeleton in the sand dunes near her house changes everything. Sequel to #2023Ngaios Best First Novel winner #yeahnoir WORD Christchurch

Michael Bennett, novelist & filmmaker WORD Christchurch Grove Atlantic Katherine Armstrong Simon & Schuster UK SimonSchusterANZ HarperCollins Aotearoa NZ Read NZ Te Pou Muramura Ngā Kete Wānanga o Ōtautahi Pan Macmillan Edinburgh Napier University Jenny Brown Sherryl writes and edits HarperCollins Aus NZ Society of Authors SistersinCrime Aust Charity Norman Allen & Unwin Allen & Unwin Aotearoa NZ Atlantic Books Booksellers Aotearoa Hachette Australia Books Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand Vanda Symon Karen Sullivan 🇺🇦🇨🇦🇬🇧 Seven wonderful #yeahnoir tales; fab reading list for anyone worldwide who loves crime and thrillers. For those near Christchurch, Dame Ngaio's hometown, join us next week for a wonderful WORD Christchurch evening of mystery and revelations on Thurs, 25 Sept: lnkd.in/enG4Cagi

Tick, tick, tick... Like a grandfather clock in an old manor, time is ticking down and it's not long now til we gather our prime suspects in the (Turanga) Library, for our sleuths to reveal whodunnit and whowunnit in #2025Ngaios Marsh Awards!! wordchristchurch.co.nz/programme/the-… WORD Christchurch

Allen & Unwin Aotearoa NZ Gavin Strawhan NZ Society of Authors Ngā Kete Wānanga o Ōtautahi ChristchurchNZ Read NZ Te Pou Muramura WORD Christchurch HarperCollins Aotearoa NZ Allen & Unwin Upstart Press Angus Gillies And for the 16th time, on Thursday we'll be presenting the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Novel. A stunning septet of suspects, who is the real culprit? Lots of clues, a few red herrings, twists and turns... the case of the #2025Ngaios is almost at an end WORD Christchurch The Court Theatre

Past Ngaios Best Non-Fiction and Best First Novel winner Michael Bennett, novelist & filmmaker has been hauled onstage by Ciaran and Brendon to help solve the mystery... or is he a suspect? #2025Ngaios #yeahnoir #CourtJesters WORD Christchurch. Thanks Fiona of Ngā Kete Wānanga o Ōtautahi for the pic!

With imminent announcement of #2025Ngaios winners across all three categories, a final shoutout to our wonderful Best Novel finalists. Superb array of #yeahnoir voices, of varying styles, settings, and stories, but sharing top quality storytelling and writing. A fab reading list.

From the WORD Christchurch event in Dame Ngaio's hometown, our #2025Ngaios winners: Best Novel: RETURN TO BLOOD by Michael Bennett, novelist & filmmaker Best Non-Fiction: THE CREWE MURDERS by Kirsty Johnston & James Hollings Best First Novel: THE DEFIANCE OF FRANCES DICKINSON by Wendy Parkins #yeahnoir

Some more pics from our #2025Ngaios evening. Left: finalists Gavin Strawhan, Stephen Tester and Charity Norman with Best Novel winner Michael Bennett, novelist & filmmaker. Right: modern-day Kiwi Queen of Crime Vanda Symon with Best First Novel winner Wendy Parkins. #yeahnoir WORD Christchurch

"Winners of the [Ngaio Marsh] Awards, which celebrate excellence in crime, thriller, mystery, suspense and true crime writing in Aotearoa New Zealand, were unveiled at Christchurch’s Tūranga library on Thursday evening": thepress.co.nz/culture/360835… #yeahoir WORD Christchurch Kirsty Johnston

Huge congrats to history-maker Michael Bennett, novelist & filmmaker (Ngati Pikiao, Ngati Whakaue) who by winning #2025Ngaios Best Novel for superb RETURN TO BLOOD becomes our 1st Best First Novel winner to later win Best Novel for a new book (and joins Paul Cleave as only 3x Ngaios winners!) #yeahnoir

Congratulations Michael Bennett, Michael Bennett, novelist & filmmaker - Best Novel winner at the 2025 Ngaio Awards for Return to Blood, second in the Hana Westerman series #YeahNoir #AotearoaReads

Leading journo Kirsty Johnston says winning #2025Ngaios feels like validation in the approach she and Massey University's James Hollings chose in reporting on infamous Crewe Murders case; always reminding each other it wasn’t a 'titillating' saga: thepost.co.nz/culture/360836… #yeahnoir

History-makers and historical crimes: 2025 Ngaio Marsh Award winners revealed in Dame Ngaios’ hometown: kiwicrime.blogspot.com/2025/09/histor… #yeahnoir WORD Christchurch

Terrific to see that 3x Ngaios winner Michael Bennett, novelist & filmmaker' outstanding third Hana Westerman novel, out in UK paperback on 15 January, has been selected for Waterstones special October25 pre-order sale. UK readers, nab some superb #yeahnoir for £7.49 or so: waterstones.com/book/carved-in…