"Gruesomely gripping story" wins NZ crime writing award
Paul Cleave's Blood Men has been judged the best crime thriller published by a New Zealander in 2010.
Christchurch is not only Cleave's hometown, but also the site of his triumph, the awards ceremony having been held there.
It was a moment to savor. A bestselling author overseas, Cleave has gone mostly unnoticed in his homeland. He has sold 600,000 books in 19 countries, but only a few in New Zealand.
In 2007 his debut, The Cleaner, was the crime bestseller on Amazon Germany. A French producer is currently seeking to make it a big budget film.
The judges priased Blood Men as "a gruesomely gripping story told in clean, sharp prose, with authentically laconic dialogue and flashes of dark humour."
The three other finalists were Neil Cross (Captured), Paddy Richardson (Hunting Blind) and Alix Bosco (aka Greg McGee) (Slaughter Falls).
The appearance of the last-named contender must have raised a stir, as the identity of "Alix Bosco" -- the invisible winner of last year's contest -- has been a mystery.
Please note my blog, dated 10 November 2010, in which I passed on a whisper from that perceptive rodent, Spymouse, that Alix Bosco was none other than Greg McGee.
A rumor that he apparently denied. See next post.
Can you blame me for wearing a very broad grin?
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