Paper Cage

'Expansive in its reach, and stunningly singular in its detail, this literary thriller heralds the arrival of an exciting new voice in New Zealand storytelling.’ * Fiona Sussman * ‘Paper Cage has all the sharp points of a great crime story and all the tragedy of ordinary lives hit hard. I couldn’t put it down.’ * Gigi Fenster, author of A Good Winter * ‘I really enjoyed Paper Cage. Its world feels real and its characters and relationships drew me in. Lorraine Henry is a refreshingly different crime fiction protagonist.’ * Shelley Burr * ‘A compelling mystery and an atmospheric dive into small-town psychology…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.’ * Age * 'Thrilling…Lorraine is a perfect heroine: she’s tough, unflinching and gets the job done…A gritty crime novel that has all the fun literary techniques of a thriller with an added layer of feminist commentary.’ * Danielle Bagnato, Books + Publishing * ‘Aotearoa/New Zealand…has a rich history of crime writing, with huge names such as Ngaio Marsh, Alan Carter and Paul Thomas producing some fabulous reads over the last century. To this stable we can add newcomer Tom Baragwanath.’ * Readings Monthly * ‘A tightly written, slow burning thriller…One senses there’s much more to come from Baragwanath. He’s a fascinating talent and one to watch.’ * Kete * ‘A thrilling, deep dive into community and what it means. Loved this new voice.’ * Great Escape Books * ‘This novel does what great crime fiction does—brings a community, with all of its complexities, to life—and while doing so deals with entrenched and persistent issues of colonialism, sexism and ageing in a way that is both absorbing and thought-provoking.’ * Robert Goodman, Pile by the Bed * ‘Just the kind of dark, disturbing, gritty, and unusual treat thriller lovers are looking for.’ * Kirkus [starred review] * ‘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 * ‘An ambitious mystery that uses the form to make some trenchant statements about contemporary society…All the essential elements of the genre are here and turned to use in exploring the bigger issues.’ * North & South * ‘Cleverly paced, putting Lo and her world at the centre of the action, Paper Cage is a character-driven crime novel with a visceral sense of place and community and a solid plot. Author Baragwanath has incorporated institutional racism, prejudice, social deprivation, and good people just trying to get ahead into a storyline that’s very engaging, without papering over the obvious cracks in the world he is describing.’ * Newtown Review of Books * ‘A stylishly written missing kids mystery, a compelling window on a fractured community, and a cast of characters I was fully invested in. Paper Cage is an impressive debut.' * Emma Styles *