Paper Cage

(Paperback)

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Description

Winner of the 2021 Michael Gifkins Prize, this thrilling debut unravels a series of mysterious child abductions in a small New Zealand town. A child goes missing in a small town. Then another. And suddenly everyone's holding their own kids a little tighter. Lorraine doesn't have kids, but she has a dearly loved nephew. And she knows the police don't have any idea about this case, because she works for them. She's the records clerk- she sits out back among the piles of paper making connections, remembering things, working things out that the actual cops don't want to hear about. Until the new detective, Hayes, arrives from Wellington, and realises Lo's the only person there with answers to any of his questions. Which is just as well-because the clock is running down for the children of the town. Both a nail-biting thriller and a beautifully written portrait of a community, Paper Cage is the prize-winning debut from young New Zealand novelist Tom Baragwanath.

Reviews

'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 couldnt 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 *
'ThrillingLorraine is a perfect heroine: shes tough, unflinching and gets the job doneA 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 Zealandhas 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 thrillerOne senses theres much more to come from Baragwanath. Hes 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 doesbrings a community, with all of its complexities, to lifeand 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 *
A compelling mystery and an atmospheric dive into small-town psychologyTom 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 *
A perfectly pitched and plotted cracker of a debutThe authors 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 societyAll the essential elements of the genre are here and turned to use in exploring the bigger issues. * North & South *

Author Bio

Tom Baragwanath is a writer originally from Masterton, New Zealand, currently living in Paris. His short fiction has been widely published. He completed an MA in Creative Writing at Kent University in 2020.