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Sound and Touch

Sound and Touch March 2025

Library News for This Issue

Welcome to the first edition of Sound and Touch for 2025! This issue is packed with New Zealand’s top 50 literature for your summer reading pleasure. Inside, you’ll also find details on the latest Alexa update, important library news and reminders, book reviews, recommended reads, and a special thanks to our sponsors. Happy reading!

Alexa ABC Update

A major update to our Alexa skill has been launched. You can now access an additional collection of 99,500 DAISY books using the Alexa Skill via Accessible Books Consortium (ABC). This update greatly enhances our library services and provides even more opportunities for members to engage with a wide range of global literature. There is also a new feature called bookshelf. Once downloaded to bookshelf, the ABC books can be read using the same commands as are used for the BLVNZ books. For more information and resources visit our ABC page on the Blind Low Vision website. https://blindlowvision.org.nz/our-services/accessible-library/abc/.(https://tinyurl.com/accessible-Library-abc).

Updates and reminders

The notice in the middle of the Sound and Touch has been taken out. You will be able to make talking book requests by calling our contact centre on 0800 24 33 33 etc. Or if you prefer to order via the printout please call and request the centre piece be mailed out to you.

Did you know?

That you can now write a book review, request a book or search the library catalogue online. All these services can be found on the BLVNZ Library page (https://tinyurl.com/accessible-Library-online). Thank you again for helping us grow.

Email list for News and updates

Do you want to get the latest news and updates about the Blind Low Vision NZ library services? We have set up a new email list where you can receive updates, news and tips and tricks about our library services. We will also include any news about other accessible library services. The email list is open to all; anyone interested can join. Simply send an email to BLVLibrary+subscribe@groups.io to join.

Feedback for Studios

We are always interested to hear about the listening experiences of members using the books and magazines available through our Library service. If you encounter a book that doesn’t function properly, let us know so we can investigate and resolve the issue. This is not about stories with unsatisfactory endings or books with opinions you disagree with—we can’t fix that! This is about books in which the navigation doesn’t work, or chapters won’t play, which we can usually sort out. You are welcome to email us—library@blindlowvision.org.nz—or phone us through the Contact Centre: 0800 24 33 33.

Book reviews from audio producer Simon Lynch

The following book reviews have been written by book producer Simon Lynch and produced by Blind Low Vision NZ.

The Modern Family Survival Guide by Nigel Latta

Another great addition to the library from the pen of renowned New Zealand psychologist/author Nigel Latta, The Modern Family Survival Guide is an invaluable tool for families. With common-sense approach and amusing answers surrounding the complexities of family in today’s world, Latta utilizes the best current research about stepfamilies and traverses the dilemmas and questions that modern family life presents. Topics cover separation and divorce, shared custody, surviving family court, co-parenting when your ex is difficult, grandparents raising grandchildren, adoption issues, gay and lesbian parents, and many more. Throughout this important book, Latta is never dogmatic and keeps the overall tone calm and sensible. With expert narration from Christina Cie, The Modern Family Survival Guide is an important and relevant read for everyone. Published 2013. Book number 142871.

The Seven Sisters by Anthony Sampson

Anthony Sampson’s highly acclaimed non-fiction book The Seven Sisters was published in 1975. Subtitled “The Great Oil Companies and the world they made”, the Seven Sisters chronicles the rise of the seven huge oil companies that dominated the world of oil. The then-recent energy crisis in the West caused a shift towards the Arab and Iranian oil producers. Hailed on publication as an important work, Sampson’s analytics and journalistic research was lauded and The Seven Sisters is unquestionably a captivating and perceptive read. Brilliantly narrated by John Leigh, this is a marvelous non-fiction title that will appeal to those with an interest in geopolitics, and the rise of the oil industry through the lens of the turbulent times when it was first published. Book number 142873.

Book Club suggestions

Are you part of a book club? Dive into these top picks to spark meaningful discussions!

For Fiction Fans: The Axeman’s Carnival by Catherine Chidgey

Tama is just a helpless chick when he is rescued by Marnie, and this is where his story might have ended. “If it keeps me awake,” says Marnie’s husband Rob, a farmer, “I’ll have to wring its neck.” But with Tama come new possibilities for the couple’s future. Tama can speak, and his fame is growing. Winner for Fiction at the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards 2023. Book number 141608.

For Non-Fiction Fans: The New Zealand Wars: Ngā Pakanga o Aotearoa by Vincent O’Malley

The New Zealand Wars were a series of wars fought between the Crown and various groups of Māori between 1845 and 1872. They profoundly shaped the course and direction of the nation’s history and touched many aspects of life in nineteenth century New Zealand, even in regions spared actual fighting. They are an integral part of the New Zealand story that is not always remembered or acknowledged. This book is a highly accessible introduction to the causes, events and consequences of the New Zealand Wars supported by illustrations as well as timelines, graphs and summary tables. Book number 127921.

New Series Recently Added

The Frieda Klein series by Nicci French, a gripping mystery and detective collection, has recently been added to the Blind Low Vision Library. This eight-book series follows Frieda Klein, a London-based psychotherapist in her mid-30s, as she becomes entangled in complex criminal investigations.

The series begins with Blue Monday, where the abduction of five-year-old Matthew Farraday sparks national outrage and a frantic police search. When his face appears in the news, Frieda is deeply unsettled—one of her patients has been sharing disturbing dreams of a hunger for a child, describing a boy who is the exact image of Matthew.

You can find Blue Monday by Nicci French in the library under book number 143021. Below is a list of books and book numbers that completes the series.

  • Book 2 Tuesdays Gone, Book number 143022
  • Book 3 Waiting for Wednesday, Book number 143023
  • Book 4 Thursday’s Children, Book number 143024
  • Book 5 Friday on My Mind, Book number 143025
  • Book 6 Saturday requiem, Book number 143026
  • Book 7 Sunday morning coming down, Book number 143027
  • Book 8 The Day of the Dead, Book number 143028

Many thanks to our generous sponsors

We would like to express our appreciation to the following funders. These funds have helped to make print material accessible to people who are blind or have low vision and without their support, it would not be possible to meet the reading needs of library users.

We would like to thank the following funders for continuing to support the Alexa roll-out:

  • One Foundation
  • Room-Simmonds Charitable Trust
  • Pelorus Trust

Also, we would like to thank the following funders for supporting the addition of talking books to the Blind Low Vision NZ Library:

  • Acorn Charitable Trust
  • Ray Watts Charitable Trust
  • Lake Memorial Charitable Trust
  • Grumitt Sisters Charitable Trust

New DAISY audio

This issue contains DAISY audio books added to the collection since the last issue of Sound and Touch in December 2024.

Adult Non-Fiction

Authors (Biography)

Remainders of the day: more diaries from The Bookshop, Wigtown by Shaun Bythell

The Bookshop in Wigtown is a bookworm’s idyll, with thousands of books across nearly a mile of shelves, a real log fire, and Captain, the bookshop cat. You’d think after twenty years, owner Shaun Bythell would be used to the customers by now. Don’t get him wrong, there are some good ones among the antiquarian porn-hunters, die-hard Arthurians, people who confuse bookshops for libraries and the toddlers just looking for a nice cosy corner in which to wee. He’s sure there are. There must be some good ones, right? Adult content advised. Read by Catriona MacLeod in 11 hours, 10 minutes. Published 2022. RNZFB. Book number 141984.

Chasing the dream by Shaun Wallace

From the age of 12, Shaun Wallace knew he wanted to be a barrister and was determined to make it. Despite one or two setbacks along the way, he finally managed to fulfil his childhood ambition when he was called to the bar in November 1984. He has been a criminal defence advocate now for nearly 34 years, and has worked tirelessly on cases ranging from murder to money laundering to firearms to drug trafficking. Read how Shaun’s passions have helped turn him into the man he is today: staunchly just and fair, ruthless when he needs to be, kind, fun, and a fiercely loyal friend. Read by David Anthony Monteith in 26 hours, 8 minutes. Published 2018. RNIB. Book number 143229.

My friend Anne Frank by Hannah Pick-Goslar

In 1933, Hannah Pick-Goslar and her family fled Nazi Germany to live in Amsterdam, where she soon struck up a friendship with a girl just like her: a precocious, outspoken and fun-loving girl named Anne Frank. As the Nazi occupation of Europe intensified, they were separated without warning. As Hannah puzzled over the fate of her friend, her own family’s fate began to unfold. Read by Alix Dunmore in 9 hours, 28 minutes. Published 2023. Blackstone. Book number 141996.

Stretching the truth: a life in physio by Rick Hoskin

A memoir of Rick Hoskin’s days as a physiotherapist. Read by Paul Barrett in 10 hours, 15 minutes. Published 2024. RNZFB. Book number 142746.

Christianity

Forgiving what you can’t forget: discover how to move on, make peace with painful memories, and create a life that’s beautiful again by Lysa TerKeurst

You deserve to stop suffering because of what other people have done to you. But you may be stuck in a cycle of unresolved pain, playing offenses over and over in your mind. TerKeurst has wrestled through this journey, but she has discovered how to let go of bound-up resentment and overcome the resistance to forgiving people who aren’t willing to make things right. Here she shares therapeutic insight and Bible teaching to help you learn how to move on, disempower the triggers hijacking your emotions, and embrace the two necessary parts of forgiveness. Read by Lysa TerKeurst in 2 hours, 15 minutes. Published 2020. Blackstone. Book number 142034.

Tolkien’s faith: a spiritual biography by Holly Ordway

Tolkien’s Christian Faith is an exploration of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Catholic faith and how it shaped his life and his literary work. How was he formed as a Catholic? What was the nature of his spirituality? Why does this matter for our understanding of his writings? These questions are important because Tolkien’s Christian faith was at the heart of his life and work, yet it is routinely either overlooked or mishandled. Read by Catriona MacLeod in 19 hours, 42 minutes. Published 2023. RNZFB. Book number 142830.

Great Britain

The gilded page: the secret lives of medieval manuscripts by Mary Wellesley

Medieval manuscripts can tell us much about power and art, knowledge and beauty. Many have survived because of an author’s status, part of the reason we have so much of Chaucer’s writing, for example, is because he was a London-based government official first and a poet second. Other works by the less influential have narrowly avoided ruin, like the book of illiterate Margery Kempe, found in a country house closet, the cover nibbled on by mice. Scholar Mary Wellesley recounts the amazing origins of these remarkable manuscripts, surfacing the important roles played by women and ordinary people—the grinders, binders, and scribes—in their creation and survival. Read by Mary Wellesley in 9 hours, 14 minutes. Published 2021. Blackstone. Book number 143156.

Health and Wellbeing

Atomic habits: an easy and proven way to build good habits and break bad ones: tiny changes, remarkable results by James Clear

People think when you want to change your life, you need to think big. But world-renowned habits expert James Clear has discovered another way. He knows that real change comes from the compound effect of hundreds of small decisions; doing two push-ups a day, waking up five minutes early, or holding a single short phone call. He calls them atomic habits. In this ground-breaking book, Clears reveals exactly how these minuscule changes can grow into such life-altering outcomes. Read by Anne Speir in 9 hours, 36 minutes. Published 2018. RNZFB. Book number 143017.

Medical medium: secrets behind chronic and mystery illness and how to finally heal by Anthony William

Anthony William, the Medical Medium, has helped tens of thousands of people heal from ailments that have been misdiagnosed, wrongly treated or have baffled medical communities. He’s accomplished all this by listening to a divine voice that literally speaks into his ear, telling him what is at the root of people’s illness and what they need to do to restore their health. Now, in this revolutionary book, he gives readers access to all that he has learned in over 25 years. Read by Bruce Hopkins in 20 hours, 8 minutes. Published 2021. RNZFB. Book number 142482.

Musicians (Biography)

Hotter than a pepper sprout: A hillbilly poet’s journey from Appalachia to Yale to writing hits for Elvis, Johnny Cash & more by Billy Edd Wheeler

Award-winning songwriter, musician, author, playwright, poet, visual artist, and Appalachian Renaissance man Billy Edd Wheeler is best known for penning Jackson, which was popularized by Johnny Cash and June Carter with their Grammy-winning recording from 1967. In addition to his own albums and singles as a highly regarded singer/songwriter (including the Top 5 hit, Ode to the Little Brown Shack Out Back), Billy Edd has penned numerous songs for artists such as Elvis Presley, Judy Collins, The Kingston Trio, Neil Young, and Kenny Rogers. Wheeler’s memoir is populated by a fascinating cast of characters which he encountered on his journey. Read by Romy Hooper in 9 hours, 23 minutes. Published 2018. RNZFB. Book number 142920.

Nature And Animals

It’s not the dog we’re training by Katie and Dean Shannon, illustrations by Johnny Divine

It’s not the dog we’re training is a captivating and authentic educational book. Katie & Dean Shannon provide education through sharing real-life experiences, all the real raw truth. Their highly successful work with dogs in the community is based on the power of love and empathy and reinforcing the positivity in all life. This book offers easy-to-comprehend solutions to the most common challenges that pet owners and people alike, face. Read by Dominic Lewis in 2 hours, 5 minutes. Published 2024. RNZFB. Book number 143108.

Felix the railway cat by Kate Moore

When Felix arrived at Huddersfield Railway Station as an eight-week-old kitten, no one knew just how important this little ball of fluff would become. Although she has a vital job to do as “Senior Pest Controller”, Felix is much more than just an employee of TransPennine Express. For her colleagues and the station’s commuters, Felix has changed their lives in surprising ways. Read by Christina Cie in 8 hours, 46 minutes. Published 2017. RNZFB. Book number 142360.

Full steam ahead, Felix: Adventures of a famous station cat and her kitten apprentice by Kate Moore

Felix, Senior Pest Controller at Huddersfield station, has been at the heart of a close-knit community since the day she arrived as a kitten. But now, having risen to fame, every-day life at the station has become rather hectic; while reporters and fans clamour for a glimpse of her, Felix and her human co-workers find themselves, and the station, in quite a whirlwind. With the job seemingly too big for one fluffy feline to handle, it seems only sensible to recruit a young apprentice to the team. Read by Christina Cie in 9 hours, 54 minutes. Published 2019. RNZFB. Book number 142361.

NZ and Pacific Non-Fiction

Six dogs and a Volkswagen: The Sir John Davies story by Neal Wallace

As a young man all John Davies wanted was to be a farmer. Sixty years on and the Queenstown businessman has accumulated a portfolio of companies that includes some of New Zealand’s premier tourist attractions. This is his story. An account of how he used vision, acumen and the support of his wife Trish and children Mike and Jacqui, to create the country’s largest, and arguably the most successful, privately-owned tourism business. Read by Paul Barrett in 7 hours, 7 minutes. Published 2021. RNZFB. Book number 142915.

Politically incorrect parenting: Before your kids drive you crazy by Nigel Latta

Why is it so hard to be the parent you thought you would be? Do your kids sometimes make you feel your head is going to explode? Ever yelled at them until you were hoarse? Do you have days when you feel like making a run for the airport? For harassed parents struggling to understand why they end up screaming at their kids and tearing their hair out trying to make them understand that bad behaviour has inevitable consequences, this is the perfect book to help your family make it through the crucial first decade or so and still enjoy each other’s company. Read by Margaret Blay in 7 hours, 35 minutes. Published 2010. RNZFB. Book number 142922.

The modern family survival guide by Nigel Latta

TV presenter, bestselling author and psychologist Nigel Latta gives common-sense and amusing answers to the complex issues surrounding today’s family in its many and varied forms. Utilising both the best current research about stepfamilies and over two decades of clinical experience, Nigel traverses the dilemmas and questions that modern family life presents. Read by Christina Cie in 10 hours, 27 minutes. Published 2013. RNZFB. Book number 142871.

Earlybird: the story of Phil Lightband by Wendy Laurenson

In 1950, Lightband made an epic flight in a single-engine aircraft from England to Sydney with no radio and only a compass and maps to navigate by. The ensuing drama captured World headlines. Read by Madeleine Lynch in 11 hours, 58 minutes. Published 1996. RNZFB. Book number 142829.

Sportspeople (Biography)

View from the second row by Samuel Whitelock

The most capped All Black in history speaks for the record about his storied career, spanning four World Cups, nine Super Rugby finals and 153 appearances in the black jersey. After making his debut for New Zealand in 2010 at the age of 21, Samuel Whitelock was selected for the 2011 Rugby World Cup campaign. He played in all seven matches and emerged victorious in with the nation’s first trophy since 1987. Four years later he played in all seven matches of the 2015 tournament, becoming one of an elite group of players to win back-to-back World Cups. Whitelock was instrumental in the most successful period of All Blacks rugby in the modern era, and in his retirement year he topped off his domestic career with a performance for the ages, and a record run of championships for the Crusaders. Read by Dominic Lewis in 9 hours, 28 minutes. Published 2024. RNZFB. Book number 142833.

Honey: my story of love, loss and victory by Honey Hireme-Smiler with Suzanne McFadden

Honey, Hunz, Honey Bill, Arneta, Aunty, Whaea, Mum, Nan. From “town bully” to multiple world champion, single mum, and pioneering TV commentator—Honey Hireme-Smiler’s astounding life story is built on so many layers. With one of the most impressive resumes in New Zealand sport, Honey is a four-time World Cup winner who wore the silver fern in league, rugby, sevens and nines. She moved freely between codes, was one of the first women to play professional rugby in Aotearoa, and was repeatedly named one of the best in the world, no matter the sport. But for all her victories on the field and now the sideline, there have been personal challenges and loss—from a troubled childhood to heartbreaking tragedies. Candid, harrowing, powerful, uplifting and funny, Honey is a story that will enthral and inspire. Read by Anne Speir and Kayne Peters in 7 hours, 1 minute. Published 2024. RNZFB. Book number 143107.

World History and Travel

Grant by Ron Chernow

Ulysses S. Grant’s life has typically been misunderstood. He is often caricatured as a chronic loser and an inept businessman, or as the triumphant but brutal Union general of the Civil War. But these stereotypes don’t capture the general and president whose fortunes rose and fell with dizzying speed and frequency. Read by John Leigh in 60 hours. Published 2017. RNZFB. Book number 142335.

Adult Fiction

Adventure Stories

Nighthawk by Clive Cussler and Graham Brown

When the most advanced aircraft ever designed vanishes over the South Pacific, NUMA operatives Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala are drawn into a deadly contest to locate the fallen machine. Russia and China covet the radical technology, but the United States worries about a darker problem. They know what others don’t—that the X-37 is carrying a dangerous secret. NUMA files series, book 14. Sequel to: The pharaoh’s secret, 141999. Has sequel: The rising sea, 142001. Read by Jeff Harding in 11 hours, 14 minutes. Published 2018. Ulverscroft. Book number 142000.

Australian Stories

Scrublands by Chris Hammer

Set in a fictional Australian Riverina town at the height of a devastating drought. In an isolated country town brought to its knees by endless drought, a charismatic and dedicated young priest calmly opens fire on his congregation, killing five parishioners before being shot dead himself. A year later, troubled journalist Martin Scarsden arrives in Riversend to write a feature on the anniversary of the tragedy. But the stories he hears from the locals about the priest and incidents leading up to the shooting don’t fit with the accepted version of events his own newspaper reported in an award-winning investigation. Martin can’t ignore his doubts, nor the urgings of some locals to unearth the real reason behind the priest’s deadly rampage. Just as Martin believes he is making headway, a shocking new development rocks the town, which becomes the biggest story in Australia. The media descends on Riversend and Martin is now the one in the spotlight. His reasons for investigating the shooting have suddenly become very personal. Wrestling with his own demons, Martin finds himself risking everything to discover a truth that becomes darker and more complex with every twist. But there are powerful forces determined to stop him, and he has no idea how far they will go to make sure the town’s secrets stay buried. Adult content advised. Martin Scarsden series, book 1. Has sequel: Silver, 142767. Read by Rupert Degas in 13 hours, 18 minutes. Published 2018. VisAbility. Book number 142766.

Cloud street by Tim Winton

From separate catastrophes two rural families flee to the city and find themselves sharing a house where they begin their lives again from scratch. For 20 years they laugh and curse until the roof over their heads becomes home for their hearts as well. Read by Norman Briers in 14 hours, 11 minutes. Published 1991. VisAbility. Book number 142959.

Christian Fiction

Shepherd of the heart by J.L. Dawson

Abigail’s heart has healed and she has found happiness and love again with Andrew. Holding onto each other and their growing family, they persevere through many obstacles in their path, facing their fears, new opportunities and a journey West. When a person from the past threatens to destroy everything they have built, can Andrew shepherd his family through it all? Journeys of the heart series, book 2. Sequel to: Awakening of the heart, 139643. Has sequel: Decisions of the heart, in production. Read by Synthetic speech in 9 hours, 1 minute. Published 2022. RNZFB. Book number 142447.

Crime Fiction

Passions in death by J.D. Robb

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. On a hot August night, Lt. Eve Dallas is called to a downtown club, where a joint bachelorette party full of love, friendship and laughter has taken a darker turn and ended in a crime scene. One of the brides has been garrotted in a private room and lies dead in a pool of blood. The brutal murder scene was just seconds from the packed dance floor, but despite the dozens of people present, useful witnesses prove hard to come by. Someone must know something, but no one is talking. On the surface the two brides had a supportive, tightknit group of friends; but when Eve starts to dig deeper, she discovers that everything may not be quite as it seems. In Death series, book 59. Sequel to: Random in death, on order. Has sequel: Bonded in death, on order. Read by Susan Ericksen in 13 hours, 53 minutes. Published 2024. Ulverscroft. Book number 143203.

Sins of the father by Graham Hurley

A rich old man, Rupert Moncrieff, is beaten to death in the silence of his West Country waterside mansion, his head hooded and his throat cut. His extended family are still living beneath his roof, each with their own room, their own story, their own ghosts, and their own motives for murder. And in this world of darkness and dysfunction are the artefacts and memories of colonial atrocities that are returning to haunt them all. At the heart of the murder investigation is DS Jimmy Suttle who, along with his estranged journalist wife Lizzie, is fighting his own demons after the abduction and death of their young daughter, Grace. But who killed Rupert Moncrieff? And what secrets is the house holding onto that could unravel this whole investigation? Adult content advised. Jimmy Suttle series, book 3. Sequel to: Touching distance, 96600. Has sequel: The order of things, 142528. Read by John Callen in 11 hours, 50 minutes. Published 2014. RNZFB. Book number 142527.

Fantasy

Archangel’s heart by Nalini Singh

One of the most vicious archangels in the world has disappeared. No one knows if Lijuan is dead or has chosen to sleep the long sleep of an immortal. But with her lands falling into chaos under a rising tide of vampiric bloodlust, a mysterious and ancient order of angels known as the Luminata calls the entire cadre together to discuss the fate of her territory. Accompanying her archangelic lover Raphael to the Luminata compound, guild hunter-turned-angel Elena senses that all is not as it seems. Adult content advised. Guild hunter series, book 9. Sequel to: Archangel’s enigma, 139540. Has sequel: Archangel’s viper, 142576. Read by Owen Scott in 14 hours, 9 minutes. Published 2016. RNZFB. Book number 142252.

Hateful things by Terry Goodkind

The House of Rahl would not die out; the lineage of Confessors would not end. Richard and Kahlan are having twins: a boy and a girl. But their birth will also be their death sentence: the magic that grows with them will attract those who are evil, who wish to rampage unrestrained across the world. Is there any way to protect them? Children of D’Hara series, book 2. Sequel to: The scribbly man, 142020. Has sequel: Wasteland, 142022. Read by Synthetic speech in 3 hours, 35 minutes. Published 2019. RNZFB. Book number 142021.

Witch’s oath by Terry Goodkind

Richard, Kahlan, and seven companions, are hunting a warlock in the waterlogged depths of the People’s Palace. It will take all their skills to close on their quarry, but do any of them understand the true power of a Witch’s Oath? Richard knew that there would be no help coming. It was all up to him to stop the threat or Kahlan would die. They all would die. Children of D’Hara series, book 4. Sequel to: Wasteland, 142022. Has sequel: Into darkness, 142024. Read by Synthetic speech in 5 hours, 53 minutes. Published 2020. RNZFB. Book number 142023.

Historical Novels

The Women by Kristin Hannah

“Women can be heroes, too”. When twenty-year-old nursing student, Frances “Frankie” McGrath, hears these unexpected words, it is a revelation. Raised on California’s idyllic Coronado Island and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing, being a good girl. But in 1965 the world is changing, and she suddenly imagines a different path for her life. Read by Wendy Karstens in 17 hours, 3 minutes. Published 2024. RNZFB. Book number 142954.

Precipice by Robert Harris

In London, 26-year-old Venetia Stanley, aristocratic, clever, bored, reckless, is having a love affair with the Prime Minister, H.H. Asquith, a man more than twice her age. He writes to her obsessively, sharing the most sensitive matters of state. As Asquith reluctantly leads the country into war with Germany, a young intelligence officer is assigned to investigate a leak of top secret documents, and suddenly what was a sexual intrigue becomes a matter of national security that will alter the course of political history. Read by Samuel West in 12 hours, 25 minutes. NZ Top 50. Published 2024. Ulverscroft. Book number 143204.

By any other name by Jodi Picoult

In 1581, Emilia Bassano is allowed no voice of her own. But as the Lord Chamberlain’s mistress she has access to the theatre and finds a way to bring her work to the stage secretly. But creating some of the world’s greatest dramatic masterpieces comes at a cost: by paying a man for the use of his name, she will write her own out of history. His name? William Shakespeare. In present day Manhattan, playwright Melina Green has written a new work inspired by the life of her Elizabethan ancestor Emilia Bassano. Although the challenges are different four hundred years later, the playing field is still not level for women in theatre. Adult content advised. Read by Christina Cie in 19 hours, 53 minutes. Published 2024. RNZFB. Book number 142861.

The glassmaker by Tracy Chevalier

In 1486, Orsola Rosso is the eldest daughter in a family of glassblowers in Murano, Italy. As a woman, she is not meant to blow glass, but when her father dies, she teaches herself to make beads in secret, and her work becomes the cornerstone of the Rosso family fortunes. Skipping like a stone through the centuries, we follow Orsola and her family as they live through creative triumph and heartbreaking loss. Adult content advised. Read by Catriona MacLeod in 12 hours, 40 minutes. NZ Top 50. Published 2024. RNZFB. Book number 143032.

The three lives of Alix St. Pierre by Natasha Lester

Alix St. Pierre. An unforgettable name for an unforgettable woman. She grew up surrounded by Hollywood glamor, but, as an orphan, never truly felt part of that world. In 1943, with WWII raging and men headed overseas to fight, she lands a publicity job to recruit women into the workforce. Her skills, persuasion, daring, quick-witted under pressure, catch the attention of the U.S. government and she finds herself with an even bigger assignment: sent to Switzerland as a spy. Soon Alix is on the precipice of something big, very big. But how far can she trust her German informant? After an Allied victory that didn’t come nearly soon enough, Alix moves to Paris, ready to immerse herself in a new position as director of publicity for the yet-to-be-launched House of Dior. In the glamorous halls of the French fashion house, she can nearly forget everything she lost and the dangerous secret she carries. But when a figure from the war reappears and threatens to destroy her future, Alix realizes that only she can right the wrongs of the past, and finally find justice. Read by Barrie Kreinik in 12 hours, 47 minutes. Published 2022. Blackstone. Book number 143158.

Romance

Marry me in Italy by Nicky Pellegrino

Skye has been with Tim forever and the last thing she’s thinking about is saying “I do”. It’s Tim that enters the dream wedding competition, he’s longing to win an all-expenses paid trip to romantic Montenello. An escape to a beautiful Italian hill-town might be just what they need to find love again. Ana definitely isn’t interested in getting married, she doesn’t need a man to make her happy. But when she loses her job on a glossy food magazine, she jumps at the chance of a new life. Read by Jane McDowell in 10 hours, 9 minutes. NZ Top 50. Published 2024. Ulverscroft. Book number 143202.

It starts with us by Colleen Hoover

Lily and her ex-husband, Ryle, have just settled into a civil coparenting rhythm when she suddenly bumps into her first love, Atlas, again. After nearly two years separated, she is elated that for once, time is on their side, and she immediately says yes when Atlas asks her on a date. But her excitement is quickly hampered by the knowledge that, though they are no longer married, Ryle is still very much a part of her life, and Atlas Corrigan is the one man he will hate being in his ex-wife and daughter’s life. It Ends With Us series, book 2. Sequel to: It ends with us, 142375. Read by Wendy Karstens in 9 hours, 42 minutes. NZ Top 50. Published 2022. RNZFB. Book number 142968.

Layla by Colleen Hoover

Leeds expected to spend his life with Layla, but a near-deadly attack leaves her so emotionally scarred that she is not the woman he fell in love with. To reconnect, he takes Layla back to the place they met, but there he encounters the mysterious Willow. Adult content advised. Read by Steven Carpenter in 9 hours, 13 minutes. Published 2020. NLS. Book number 143044.

Ugly love by Colleen Hoover

When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she doesn’t think it’s love at first sight. They wouldn’t even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set-up. He doesn’t want love, she doesn’t have time for love, so that just leaves the sex. Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless, as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her. Never ask about the past. Don’t expect a future. They think they can handle it, but realize almost immediately they can’t handle it at all. Hearts get infiltrated. Promises get broken. Rules get shattered. Love gets ugly. Adult content advised. Read by Romy Hooper in 10 hours, 8 minutes. NZ Top 50. Published 2014. RNZFB. Book number 142969.

Reminders of him by Colleen Hoover

Released from prison, Kenna Rowan returns to the town where it all went wrong, hoping to reunite with her four-year-old daughter. But with everyone against her, she turns to local bar owner Ledger Ward, who, risking everything, secretly helps her make amends. Adult content advised. Read by Jill Fox in 10 hours, 18 minutes. Published 2022. NLS. Book number 143048.

After the party by Lisa Jewell

Discovering that they are drifting apart after eleven years of marriage, Jem and Ralph contemplate changes that they hope will rekindle their relationship, an effort that is complicated by Jem’s feelings that she is losing herself, Ralph’s loss of artistic inspiration, and the needs of their two children. Read by Patience Tomlinson in 12 hours, 56 minutes. Published 2011. VisAbility. Book number 142720.

Mystery and Detective Stories

We solve murders by Richard Osman

Steve Wheeler is enjoying retired life. He does the odd bit of investigation work, but he prefers his familiar habits and routines: the pub quiz, his favourite bench, his cat waiting for him when he comes home. His days of adventure are over: adrenaline is daughter-in-law Amy’s business now. Amy Wheeler thinks adrenaline is good for the soul. As a private security officer, she doesn’t stay still long enough for habits or routines. She’s currently on a remote island keeping world-famous author Rosie D’Antonio alive. Which was meant to be an easy job … Then a dead body, a bag of money and a killer with their sights on Amy have her sending an SOS to the only person she trusts. A breakneck race around the world begins, but can Amy and Steve stay one step ahead of a deadly enemy? Adult content advised. We Solve Murders series, book 1. Read by Catriona MacLeod in 9 hours, 45 minutes. Published 2024. RNZFB. Book number 142940.

Death at the sign of the Rook by Kate Atkinson

Welcome to Rook Hall. The stage is set. The players are ready. By night’s end, a murderer will be revealed. Ex-detective Jackson Brodie is staving off a bad case of midlife malaise when he is called to a sleepy Yorkshire town, and the seemingly tedious matter of a stolen painting. But one theft leads to another, including the disappearance of a valuable Turner from Burton Makepeace, home to Lady Milton and her family. Once a magnificent country house, Burton Makepeace has now partially been converted into a hotel, hosting Murder Mystery weekends. Jackson Brodie series, book 6. Sequel to: Big sky, 141948. Read by Owen Scott in 11 hours, 1 minute. Published 2024. RNZFB. Book number 142941.

Force of nature by Jane Harper

Five women reluctantly pick up their backpacks and start walking along the muddy track. Only four come out the other side. The hike through the rugged landscape is meant to take the office colleagues out of their air-conditioned comfort zone and teach resilience and team building. At least that is what the corporate retreat website advertises. Federal Police Agent Aaron Falk has a particularly keen interest in the whereabouts of the missing bush-walker. Alice Russell is the whistle-blower in his latest case, and Alice knew secrets, about the company she worked for and the people she worked with. Far from the hike encouraging teamwork, the women tell Falk a tale of suspicion, violence and disintegrating trust. And as he delves into the disappearance, it seems some dangers may run far deeper than anyone knew. Read by Steve Shanahan in 8 hours, 58 minutes. Published 2017. VisAbility. Book number 142770.

22 seconds by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

SFPD Sergeant Lindsay Boxer has guns on her mind. There’s buzz of a last-ditch shipment of drugs and weapons crossing the Mexican border ahead of new restrictive gun laws. Before Lindsay can act, her top informant tips her to a case that hits disturbingly close to home. Former cops. Professional hits. All with the same warning scrawled on their bodies: You talk, you die. Now it’s Lindsay’s turn to choose. Women’s Murder Club series, book 22. Sequel to: 21st birthday, 139933. Has sequel: The 23rd midnight, 143163. Read by January Laffoy in 8 hours, 16 minutes. Published 2023. Blackstone. Book number 143162.

Death of a valentine by M.C. Beaton

Amazing news has spread across the Scottish countryside. The most famous of highland bachelors, police sergeant Hamish Macbeth, will be married at last. Everyone in the village of Lochdubh adores Josie McSween, Macbeth’s newest constable and blushing bride-to-be. While locals think Josie is quite a catch, Hamish has a case of prenuptial jitters. After all, if it weren’t for the recent murder of a beautiful woman in a neighboring village, there wouldn’t be a wedding at all. For it was a mysterious Valentine’s Day package, delivered to the victim before her death that initially drew Hamish and Josie together on the investigation. As they work side by side, Hamish and Josie soon discover that the woman’s list of admirers was endless, confirming Hamish’s suspicion that love can be blind, deaf, and deadly. Hamish Macbeth series, book 25. Sequel to: Death of a witch, 141515. Has sequel: Death of a chimney sweep, 143169. Read by Graeme Malcolm in 6 hours, 7 minutes. Published 2010. Blackstone. Book number 143168.

Down the hatch by M.C. Beaton

Nothing could be more relaxing or sedate than a quiet game of bowls on a pristine bowling green bathed in the sunshine of an English summer’s afternoon in the Cotswolds unless there’s a dead body lying on the grass. Agatha Raisin becomes embroiled in a turmoil of jealousy and lies when the tranquility of her local bowls club explodes into a storm of accusation and intrigue and murder. Agatha Raisin series, book 32. Sequel to: Hot to trot, 142008. Has sequel: Devil’s delight, 142010. Read by Janice Finn in 6 hours, 46 minutes. Published 2021. RNZFB. Book number 142009.

Hardcore twenty-four by Janet Evanovich

Headless bodies have started appearing across town in Trenton, New Jersey. At first, it’s just corpses from a funeral home and the morgue that have had the heads removed. Then a homeless man is murdered and dumped behind a church. Stephanie Plum knows that she’s the only one with a prayer of catching this killer. If that’s not enough, Diesel’s back in town. The six-foot-tall, blond-haired hunk accepts no limits, that includes locked doors, closed windows and underwear. Trenton’s hottest cop, Joe Morelli, isn’t pleased at his arrival, nor is Ranger, the high-powered security consultant with his own plans for Stephanie. Jersey’s favourite bounty hunter is stuck in the middle with more questions than answers. Who is behind the startling epidemic of mutilated corpses? And is the enigmatic Diesel’s sudden appearance a coincidence or the cause of recent deadly events? Stephanie Plum series, book 24. Sequel to: Turbo twenty-three, 142765. Has sequel: Look alive twenty-five, not yet in collection. Read by Janice Finn in 7 hours, 5 minutes. Published 2017. RNZFB. Book number 142967.

The job by Janet Evanovich

He’s a charming con man and she’s a dedicated FBI agent, and they’re about to drive each other crazy again! The FBI had one demand when they secretly teamed up Special Agent Kate O’Hare with charming con man Nicolas Fox bring down the world’s most wanted and untouchable felons. This time it’s the brutal leader of a global drug-smuggling empire. The FBI doesn’t know what their target looks like, where he is, or how to find him, but Nick Fox has a few tricks up his sleeve to oust this particular chocolate-loving drug lord. Fox & O’Hare series, book 3. Sequel to: The chase, 141032. Has sequel: The scam, 142705. Read by Janice Finn in 6 hours, 55 minutes. Published 2014. RNZFB. Book number 142763.

The midnight caller by Scott Blade

Jack Widow is in New York City for his birthday. He’s living the good life without a care in the world, until his hotel phone rings at midnight. A woman with a seductive Russian accent speaks, making a desperate plea for her life. She needs help. She claims she’s being held captive by a group of dangerous men. And they’re going to kill her. Without warning, the phone goes dead. Who is she? Is her claim real? Widow must find out. No choice. He’s not the type of guy to do nothing. Adult content advised. Jack Widow series, book 7. Sequel to: Name not given, 142543. Has sequel: Fire watch, 143019. Read by John Callen in 8 hours, 18 minutes. Published 2017. RNZFB. Book number 142544.

Bruno, chief of police by Martin Walker

Ex-soldier Bruno is the only policeman in a sleepy French village. When an elderly North African, who fought in the French army, is found murdered with a swastika carved into his chest, Paris sends a young policewoman to aid Bruno with his investigation. Bruno, Chief of Police series, book 1. Has sequel: The dark vineyard, in production. Read by Paul Barrett in 7 hours, 54 minutes. Published 2010. RNZFB. Book number 143100.

A conspiracy of bones by Kathy Reichs

It’s sweltering in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Temperance Brennan, still recovering from neurosurgery following an aneurysm, is battling nightmares, migraines, and what she thinks might be hallucinations when she receives a series of mysterious text messages, each containing a new picture of a corpse that is missing its face and hands. Immediately, she’s anxious to know who the dead man is, and why the images were sent to her. Adult content advised. Temperance Brennan series, book 19. Sequel to: Speaking in bones, 143059. Has sequel: The bone code, in production. Read by Janice Finn in 12 hours, 18 minutes. Published 2020. RNZFB. Book number 143072.

The stepmother by Sally Rigby and Amanda Ashby

She’ll do anything to protect her family. Libby Curtis never wanted children, until she met Nathan, a gorgeous widower with two young children. Now ten years later she can’t imagine her life without Sam and Sienna—she’d do anything for her precious kids. Anything … So when a missing teenager is found lying on the side of the road, Libby’s first thoughts are for her own kids. Are they safe? Are they home? What Libby doesn’t expect is for her children to be involved in the girl’s disappearance. But when she discovers an item in her stepson’s car linked to the victim Libby’s fears increase. She can’t believe that the sweet boy she’s raised could do something like that. But if not Sam … who? Read by Claire Storey in 8 hours, 42 minutes. Published 2023. Ulverscroft. Book number 143207.

NZ and Pacific Novels

The Sparrow by Tessa Duder

In September 1840, two ships arrive on the shores of the Waitemata Harbour to establish Auckland, the new capital of New Zealand. Among the settlers on board the Platina is young Harry, travelling alone and determined to return to family in England. But the more immediate challenge is finding food and shelter, and hiding the truth about Harry’s real identity and what was left behind in Van Diemen’s Land. Adult content advised. Read by Anne Speir in 9 hours, 20 minutes. Published 2023. RNZFB. Book number 142937.

Girl of shadows by Deborah Challinor

1830: Convict girls Friday Woolfe, Harriet Clarke and Sarah Morgan have been transported to Sydney from London. Sarah has been assigned to jeweller Adam Green, Harriet is a maid for the Barrett family, and Friday is working as a prostitute in a brothel. Each of them is struggling to forget the brutal crime they committed. But their fate is no longer theirs to control. Adult content advised. Convict Girls series, book 2. Sequel to: Behind the sun, 142578. Has sequel: The silk thief, in production. Read by Catriona MacLeod in 13 hours, 54 minutes. Published 2013. RNZFB. Book number 142760.

Dead girl gone by Gareth and Louise Ward

When a mystery parcel arrives at Sherlock Tomes bookshop in small-town Havelock North, New Zealand, husband-and-wife owners Garth and Eloise (and their petrified pooch, Stevie) are drawn into the baffling case of a decades-old missing schoolgirl. Intrigued by the puzzling, bookish clues the two ex-cops are soon tangled in a web of crime, drugs, and floral decapitations, while endeavouring to pull off the international celebrity book launch of the century. The Bookshop Detectives series, book 1. Read by John Leigh in 9 hours, 47 minutes. Published 2024. RNZFB. Book number 142857.

Delirious by Damien Wilkins

It’s time. Mary, an ex cop, and her husband, retired librarian Pete, have decided to move into a retirement village. They aren’t falling apart, but they’re watching each other, Pete with his tachychardia and bad hip, Mary with her ankle and knee. Selling their beloved house should be a clean break, but it’s as if the people they have lost keep returning to ask new things of them. A local detective calls with new information about the case of their son, Will, who was killed in an accident forty years before. Mary finds herself drawn to consider her older sister’s shortened life. Pete is increasingly haunted by memories of his late mother, who developed delirium and never recovered. Read by Wendy Karstens in 10 hours, 26 minutes. Published 2024. RNZFB. Book number 143153.

Thrillers

The housemaid’s secret by Freida McFadden

It’s hard to find an employer who doesn’t ask too many questions about my past. So I thank my lucky stars that the Garricks miraculously give me a job, cleaning their stunning penthouse with views across the city and preparing fancy meals in their shiny kitchen. I can work here for a while, stay quiet until I get what I want. It’s almost perfect. But I still haven’t met Mrs Garrick, or seen inside the guest bedroom. I’m sure I hear her crying. I notice spots of blood around the neck of her white nightgowns when I’m doing laundry. And one day I can’t help but knock on the door. When it gently swings open, what I see inside changes everything. The Housemaid series, book 2. Sequel to: The housemaid, 142715. Has sequel: The housemaid is watching, 143006. Read by Synthetic speech in 7 hours, 17 minutes. Published 2023. RNZFB. Book number 143005.

The housemaid is watching by Freida McFadden

My past is far, far behind us. And I’ll do anything to keep it that way. I used to clean other people’s houses now, I can’t believe this home is actually mine. The charming kitchen, the quiet cul-de-sac, the huge yard where my kids can play. My husband and I saved for years to give our children the life they deserve. Even though I’m wary of our new neighbour Mrs. Lowell, when she invites us over for dinner it’s our chance to make friends. Her maid opens the door wearing a white apron, her hair in a tight bun. I know exactly what it’s like to be in her shoes. But her cold stare gives me chills. The Lowells’ maid isn’t the only strange thing on our street. The Housemaid series, book 3. Sequel to: The housemaid’s secret, 143005. Read by Synthetic speech in 8 hours, 33 minutes. Published 2024. RNZFB. Book number 143006.

This is why we lied by Karin Slaughter

Who killed Mercy McAlpine? Everyone here is a liar, but only one of us is a killer. Welcome to the McAlpine Lodge: a remote mountain getaway, the height of escapist luxury living. Except that everyone here is lying. Lying about their past. Lying to their family. Lying to themselves. Then one night, Mercy McAlpine, until now the good daughter, threatens to expose everybody’s secrets. Just hours later, Mercy is dead. In an area this remote, it’s easy to get away with murder. But Will Trent and Sara Linton, investigator and medical examiner for the GBI, are here on their honeymoon. And now, with the killer poised to strike again, the holiday of a lifetime becomes a race against the clock. Will Trent series, book 12. Sequel to: After that night, not yet in collection. Read by Kathleen Early in 18 hours, 7 minutes. Published 2024. Blackstone. Book number 143159.

The Briar Club by Kate Quinn

Washington, DC, 1950. Everyone keeps to themselves at Briarwood House, a down-at-the-heels, all-female boardinghouse in the heart of the nation’s capital where secrets hide behind white picket fences. But when the lovely, mysterious widow Grace March moves into the attic room, she draws her oddball collection of neighbors into unlikely friendship. Read by Saskia Maarleveld in 15 hours, 4 minutes. NZ Top 50. Published 2024. Blackstone. Book number 143160.

A good girl’s guide to murder by Holly Jackson

Everyone in Fairview knows the story. Pretty and popular high school senior Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself. It was all anyone could talk about. And five years later, Pip sees how the tragedy still haunts her town. But she can’t shake the feeling that there was more to what happened that day. She knew Sal when she was a child, and he was always so kind to her. How could he possibly have been a killer? A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series, book 1. Has sequel: Good girl, bad blood, not yet in collection. Read by Romy Hooper in 12 hours, 44 minutes. NZ Top 50. Published 2019. RNZFB. Book number 142936.

A death in Cornwall by Daniel Silva

Art restorer and legendary spy Gabriel Allon has slipped quietly into London to attend a reception at the Courtauld Gallery celebrating the return of a stolen self-portrait by Vincent van Gogh. But when an old friend from the Devon and Cornwall Police seeks his help with a baffling murder investigation, he finds himself pursuing a powerful and dangerous new adversary. Gabriel Allon series, book 24. Sequel to: The collector, not in collection. NZ top 50. Read by Owen Scott in 10 hours, 54 minutes. Published 2024. RNZFB. Book number 142921.

The bad fire by Quintin Jardine

Nine years ago, divorcee Marcia Brown took her own life. A pillar of the community, she had been accused of theft, and it’s assumed that she was unable to live with the shame. Now her former husband wants the case reopened. Marcia was framed, he says, to prevent her exposing a scandal. He wants justice for Marcia. And Alex Skinner, Solicitor Advocate, and daughter of retired Chief Constable Sir Robert Skinner, has taken on the brief. Bob Skinner series, book 31. Sequel to: Cold case, 142014. Has sequel: The roots of evil, 142016. Read by James Bryce in 12 hours, 24 minutes. Published 2020. Ulverscroft. Book number 142015.

eBraille and Braille Books

This issue contains eBraille and Braille books added to the collection. Adult braille books have an EBraille number as they are embossed upon request. Titles with more than five volumes will only be provided as eBraille. Please contact us to enquire as to whether a particular title is available for embossing.

Abbreviations:

  • UEB: Unified English Braille Code
  • EBraille: Electronic braille books
  • CNIB: (Formerly known as) Canadian National Institute for the Blind
  • f.: Computer file available for embossing

The following braille books are contracted, single-spaced and double sided.

Braille Adult Non Fiction

Authors (Biography)

The ride of her life: the true story of a woman, her horse, and their last-chance journey across America by Elizabeth Letts

The triumphant true story of a woman who rode her horse across America in the 1950s, fulfilling her dying wish to see the Pacific Ocean. The author recounts her adventure, which included crushing storms, celebrity encounters, and harrowing stretches of highways. She had no money and no family, she had just lost her farm, and her doctor had given her only two years to live. But Annie wanted to see the Pacific Ocean before she died. She ignored her doctor’s advice to move into the county charity home. Instead, she bought a cast-off brown gelding named Tarzan, donned men’s dungarees, and headed south in mid-November, hoping to beat the snow. Annie had little idea what to expect beyond her rural crossroads; she didn’t even have a map. But she did have her ex-racehorse, her faithful mutt, and her own unfailing belief that Americans would treat a stranger with kindness. Annie, Tarzan, and her dog, Depeche Toi, rode straight into a world transformed by the rapid construction of modern highways. Between 1954 and 1956, they pushed through blizzards, forded rivers, climbed mountains, and clung to the narrow shoulder as cars whipped by them at terrifying speeds. Annie rode more than four thousand miles, through America’s big cities and small towns. Along the way, she met ordinary people and celebrities—from Andrew Wyeth (who sketched Tarzan) to Art Linkletter and Groucho Marx. She received many offers—a permanent home at a riding stable in New Jersey, a job at a gas station in rural Kentucky, even a marriage proposal from a Wyoming rancher. In a decade when car ownership nearly tripled, when television’s influence was expanding fast, when homeowners began locking their doors, Annie and her four-footed companions inspired an outpouring of neighbourliness in a rapidly changing world. Contracted, 7 files. Published 2021. NLS. EBraille 143064.

General (Biography)

Kelly: the adventurous life of Kelly Tarlton by E.V. Sale

Kelly Tarlton’s exciting life, from early days as a champion spearfisherman and pioneer diver, through shipwreck salvages to the completion of his Underwater World just a few weeks before his death. Published 2010. 7 volumes. Wellington Braille Club. BR991.

Musical History

Into the groove: the story of sound from tin foil to vinyl by Jonathan Scott

In Into the Groove, vinyl collector and music buff Jonathan Scott dissects a mind-blowing feat that we all take for granted today—the domestication of sound. Thomas Edison’s phonograph, the first device that could both record and reproduce sound, represented an important turning point in the story of recorded sound, but it was only the tip of the iceberg, and came after decades of invention, tinkering and experimentation. Scott traces the birth of sound back to the earliest serious attempts in the 1850s, celebrating the ingenuity, rivalries and science of the modulated groove. He examines the first attempts to record and reproduce sounds, the origins of the phonograph, and the development of commercial shellac discs. Then he divulges the fascinating story of the LP record, from the rise of electric recording to the fall of 7-inch vinyl, the competing speed and format wars, and an epilogue that takes the story up to the present-day return of vinyl to vogue. Into the Groove uncovers tales of intrigue and betrayal, court battles and lesser-known names who are often left out of most histories. Discover a new appreciation of the not-so-simple black disc that holds a special place in the history of music and sound. Contracted, 6 files. Published 2023. NLS. EBraille 143063.

New Zealand (Biography)

Wrestling with the angel: a life of Janet Frame by Michael King

Janet Frame, born in 1924, is New Zealand’s most celebrated and least public author. Relying on her diaries, health records, and court transcripts, the author reveals the formative episodes of a life pushed to the limits, one burdened by mental illness and family tragedy. Winner: New Zealand Book Awards, Reader’s Choice, 2001. 15 volumes. Published 2001. RNZFB. BR4534.

New Zealand History

Never a dull moment by Joan MacIntosh

Life on a Southland farm with possum hunting, country dances, neighbours and visitors, bees in the wool, rearing pukeko chicks and children. 3 volumes. Published 1974. Wellington Braille Club. BR572.

The Penguin history of New Zealand by Michael King

This book covers events from New Zealand’s first settlement by humans, to its introduction of democracy and the century that follows. The story of this developing country is inclusive of men, women, Māori and Pakeha. Winner: New Zealand Book Awards, Reader’s Choice, 2004. 9 volumes. Published 2003. RNZFB. BR4525.

Sport

You should’ve been here on Thursday by E.G. Webber

A light-hearted and amusing book about trout fishing and fishermen in New Zealand. 2 volumes. Published 1963. Wellington Braille Club. BR636.

War Memories (Biography)

New Zealanders at war by Michael King

The privations, squalor and horror of war and people’s efforts to respond decently. Coverage is from pre-European tribal warfare, through the New Zealand wars, the Boer War, World Wars I and II, to the Asian conflicts. 4 volumes. Published 1981. RNZFB. BR3889

Braille Adult Fiction

Adult Fiction

Fantasy

The two towers: being the second part of The lord of the rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

In this second volume of The Lord of the Rings, the now-separated companions of the Ring meet Saruman the wizard, cross the Dead Marshes, and prepare for the Great War in which the power of the Ring will be undone. Lord Of The Rings series, book 2. Sequel to: The fellowship of the ring, 143096. Has sequel: The return of the king, 143098. Contracted, 5 files. Published 1976. NLS. EBraille 143097.

 

General Fiction

Waiting for Einstein by Nigel Cox

Four people are on the move and shuffle through their options with one eye on each other and the other on the future. 5 volumes. Published 1984. Auckland Braille Club. BR633.

Historical Novels

Sophie’s choice by William Styron

Would-be writer Stingo moves into a cheap Brooklyn rooming house, where he meets Nathan and his beautiful lover, Sophie, a Polish Holocaust survivor. Stingo falls in love with Sophie and becomes her confidant as she faces the horrors of her past. Adult content advised. Contracted, 7 files. Published 1992. NLS. EBraille 143235.

Mystery And Detective Stories

Black diamond by Martin Walker

Chief of Police Bruno has his hands full with trouble in the truffle trade in St. Denis’s marketplace. After a friend is murdered, things really start heating up. Adult content advised. Bruno, Chief of Police series, book 3. Sequel to: The dark vineyard, 142996. Has sequel: The crowded grave, 142998. Contracted, 4 files. Published 2011. NLS. EBraille 142997.

NZ and Pacific Novels

Tu by Patricia Grace

Tu has returned from the Second World War with a shadow over his war experience with the Maori Battalion in Italy. He is the sole survivor of three brothers who went to war. Tu’s war journal contains the story of what happened to the brothers in the hills of Italy. Now his inquisitive nephew and niece have the journal. They bring Tu face to face with the past and a secret that he does not want to share. 5 volumes. Published 2004. RNZFB. BR4526.

Classical music by Joy Cowley

Delia lives in New York, her sister Bea in New Zealand. Reunited for their father’s funeral they recall their childhood in the fifties and in doing so heal old wounds. 3 volumes. Published 1999. RNZFB. BR2442.

Holy days by Joy Cowley

Brian Collins is remembering a time in his life when he prayed for a miracle and it happened, almost. His memories are of a special holiday in a car with three elderly nuns. An adventure financed in a highly unorthodox manner. The story portrays Catholicism: mysterious, quirky, but ultimately nurturing. 4 volumes. Published 2001. RNZFB. BR4353.

Poetry

A cage of words: poems chosen by Harvey McQueen

An anthology of New Zealand poetry which concentrates mainly on recent work by younger poets, though several old favourites which are no longer readily available are included. 3 volumes. Published 1980. Auckland Braille Club. BR960.

The Penguin book of New Zealand verse edited by Ian Wedde, and Harvey McQueen

An outstanding collection of New Zealand poetry. 12 volumes. Published 1960. Wellington Braille Club. BR235.

Short Stories and Essays

The sky people by Patricia Grace

Ranginui the sky parent is guardian of the sky people, the dispossessed and the unwanted. These stories are about the aspirations of such people to love, to belong, even perhaps to fly. 4 volumes. Published 1995. RNZFB. BR4135.

A glorious morning, comrade by Maurice Gee

A collection touching on many aspects of New Zealand life. New Zealand Book Award winner 1976. 5 volumes. Published 1975. Wellington Braille Club. BR2469.

Thriller

Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter

While Andrea and her mother Laura are at the mall, a horrifying act of violence reveals a completely different side of Laura, who calmly faces down the killer. But now Laura’s secret previous life has been exposed, and nothing will be the same. Adult content advised. Contracted, 6 files. Published 2018. NLS. EBraille 143253.

The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter

Twenty-eight years ago, teen sisters Charlie and Sam Quinn survived a horrific attack that left their mother dead. Now, Charlie practices law like their defence attorney father. Sam, also an attorney, is estranged in New York. A school shooting reunites them. Adult content advised. Contracted, 7 files. Published 2017. EBraille 143254.

Abbreviations

  • BA: Blackstone Audio Inc.
  • BN: DAISY audio Book Number
  • CNIB: (formerly known as) Canadian National Institute for the Blind
  • NLS: National Library Service
  • RNIB: Royal National Institute of Blind People
  • RNZFB/BLVNZ: Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind/Blind Low Vision NZ
  • Ulv: Ulverscroft
  • VAILS: Vision Australia Information and Library Service