Michael Bennett is an acclaimed New Zealand screen writer and director who’s debut novel Better The Blood has already sold for translation rights in six countries. It’s a nail biting crime thriller that is also a Trojan horse for complex, difficult themes.

Hi there I’m your host Jenny Wheeler and in Binge Reading this week Michael talks about his debut novel, a serial killer investigation led by a tenacious Maori detective Hana Westerman which reveals a darker side to Kiwi paradise and highlights the truth that the past never truly stays buried.

Our free book giveaway is appropriately Crime Mystery and Suspense for September. You’ll find the details of how to enter, plus the shownotes for this episode on the joys of binge reading.com.

MYSTERY GIVEAWAY DOWNLOAD

Michael is on Binge Reading on Patreon Getting To Know you Five Quickfire questions so if you want to know some of his little secrets, become a supporter of the show for the cost of less than a cup of coffee a month

Our monthly new feature Encore is live for Patreon supporters this week – a chat with best selling author Martin Walker about the latest book is his international mystery series starring French police chief Bruno To Kill a Troubadour.  Martin on Encore will be preview on Patreon for two weeks before being posted  general release.

binge reading on patreon

If you particularly enjoy this episode, but can’t commit to on going sponsorship, why not show me the love by  and support the show by buying me a cup of coffee at

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/jennywheelX

buy me a coffee

Links in the episode

Investigator Tim McKinnel: http://www.zavest.co.nz/aboutus/directors.asp

Bishop  Frederick Augustus Bennett: https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/3b29/bennett-frederick-augustus

Teina Pora:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teina_Pora

In Dark Places: (the non fiction book about the Pora case: https://www.womensbookshop.co.nz/p/true-crime-in-dark-places-the-confessions-of-teina-pora-and-an-ex-cop-s-fight-for-justice--2#:

In Dark Places, the documentary film: https://www.facebook.com/TVOneNZ/videos/1880106578748247/

Matariki film: https://www.nzfilm.co.nz/films/matariki

Paula Penfold: https://www.penguin.co.nz/authors/michael-bennett

Eugene Bingham: https://www.stuff.co.nz/authors/eugene-bingham

Leon Narby: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0621274/

Whina the movie: https://www.nzfilm.co.nz/films/whina

Taika Waititi: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0169806/

Quentin Tarantino: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000233/

ImagiNATIVE: https://imaginenative.org/

Script to screen:  https://script-to-screen.co.nz/

S.A. Cosby: Blacktop Wasteland   https://www.amazon.com/Blacktop-Wasteland-Novel-Shawn-Cosby/dp/1250252687

Razorblade Tears: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250252708/razorbladetears

Val McDermid: https://www.valmcdermid.com/

David Heska Wanbli Weiden: Winter Counts:  amazon.com/Winter-Counts-David-Wanbli-Weiden/dp/0062968947#:

Where to find Michael online:

https://www.nzonscreen.com/profile/michael-bennett

https://www.penguin.co.nz/authors/michael-bennett

That’s it for the house keeping

Introducing Michael Bennett thriller author

Jenny Wheeler: Hello there, Michael, and welcome to the show. It's great to have you with us.

Michael Bennett, Kiwi thriller author

Michael Bennett: Tena koe, Jenny, thank you very much for having me. I'm very pleased to be here.

Jenny Wheeler: It's fun to have another Kiwi author on the show, and one with such a fascinating book. This is your debut novel, and often we don't take debut novels because we say we are The Joys of Binge Reading, so we like to have multiple books so if people like the author then they can go and read their back list.

We have made an exception here today, or I have, because number one, it's a fascinating book, but also you are an experienced screenplay writer and you have also written a highly pr...