Capital Crimes - Karori Mystery in the Library
Schedule
Thu, 26 Mar, 2026 at 08:00 am
UTC+13:00Location
Karori Library, 247 Karori Road, Wellington | Wellington, WG
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Are you a fan of great storytelling? The Ngaio Marsh Awards, in association with Wellington City Libraries, invites booklovers to a fascinating and fun evening of criminally good conversation featuring five terrific Kiwi writers.Two-time Ngaio Marsh Awards winner Jennifer Lane chairs past Ngaios finalist Helen Vivienne Fletcher, 2025 Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Non-Fiction winner James Hollings, Verb Festival founder and author Claire Mabey, and acclaimed local cosy mystery writer Rodney Strong in a thrilling conversation about how they craft memorable characters and page-turning storylines, and infuse their tales with deep insights into people and society.
WHEN: Thursday 26 March 2026
WHERE: Karori Library, 247 Karori Road, Wellington
WHEN: 6pm
This is a free event.
Helen is a playwright, poet, writing teacher & children's author. She's been shortlisted for the Joy Cowley Award, and was named Outstanding Young Playwright at the Wellington Theatre Awards. Her terrific YA novel BROKEN SILENCE was a finalist for the Ngaio Marsh for Best First Novel, and Helen was also a contributor to pioneering ANZ crime and thriller anthology DARK DEEDS DOWN UNDER. Her latest YA mystery is THE RETREAT.
James is Associate Professor of Journalism at Massey University, Wellington. With award-winning investigative journalist Kirsty Johnston he co-wrote THE CREWE MURDERS, a reexamination of Aotearoa's most infamous cold case: the murder of Harvey and Jeannette Crewe in their Pukekawa farmhouse in 1970, and subsequent wrongful conviction and pardon of Arthur Allan Thomas and royal commission into police corruption. That book won the 2025 Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Non-Fiction.
Jennifer is a Wellington short story writer and novelist who was born in rural Australia but has now spent more of her life in Aotearoa. Her debut ALL OUR SECRETS won a Ngaio Marsh Award for Best First Novel, and Jennifer also contributed to crime and thriller anthology DARK DEEDS DOWN UNDER 2. Her novel MIRACLE won the 2024 Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Kids/YA.
Claire is a children's writer and the books editor for The Spinoff. She is the founder of literary festival Verb Wellington. In 2020 Mabey received a Ghost Light Award at the Wellington Theatre Awards, and has been described as "a force of nature in the Wellington arts community". Her middle-grade novel THE RAVEN'S EYE RUNAWAYS won Best First Book at the 2025 NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, among other accolades. The sequel will be published in April 2026.
Rodney is a Porirua author who left his day job in 2016 to follow his lifelong dream of being a writer. He has since published more than fifteen books for children and adults, including five Ghostly Hitchhiker mysteries, and seven Silvermoon Retirement Village mysteries starring 98 year old retired con artist Alice Atkinson. His first Nicolette Briggs mystery, THREE DOGS, TWO MURDERS, AND A CAT was recently shortlisted for the NZ Booklovers Awards.
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Where is it happening?
Karori Library, 247 Karori Road, Wellington, New ZealandEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
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