A friend of a friend
in Oz is writing something academic about indigenous crime fiction – both the
authors and the cops in the novels – and has asked for information about Maori
writers/cops. On my list I have Alan Duff as crime writer – I’d classify One Night Out Stealing as a crime novel,
and maybe the whole Once Were Warriors
sequence – and also the Maori cops in Paul Thomas and Gaelyn Gordon.
Paddy Richardson tells me that Valerie
Grayland, a writer from the 60s I had never heard of, had a detective called
Hoani Mata. So, probably Maori.
Does anyone know of any other Maori writers or
police characters who fit the bill? There is no reward offered apart from the
eternal gratitude of my friend’s friend.
How about Detective Tito Ihaka, in Paul Thomas's excellent 1994 novel Old School Tie? I think he also cropped up in two subsequent Thomas novels, but I can't recall the titles.
ReplyDeleteWhoops, sorry - I just read your post more carefully and see you did mention Paul Thomas. Gulp.
ReplyDeleteThat's OK, Karl. Ihaka also features in Paul's most recent novel which was a bestseller in 2012, but I can't recall the title just now - and I edited it. What will we be like when we get old?
ReplyDeleteWould Colour Scheme by Ngaio Marsh in any way, shape or form fit the bill?
ReplyDeleteAnd I expect the Australian side of things will include the Boney books by Arthurd Upfield. A television series was made in the 1970s with the title role played by James Laurenson (born Marton, New Zealand) and a lot of tanning lotion!
Thanks Sandra, I'll pass that on. I've had a clarifiction that he's really looking for Maori cime novelists, and I don't think there are any. Kelly Ana Morey has a murder on one of hers - and apart from Alan Duff that's all I can think of.
ReplyDelete