The TV One evening news showed the shocking sight of the Christchurch building engulfed in flames. The Riccarton Road heritage structure had been abandoned since the earthquake, but it was really abandoned long before that, in my view. I had visited some years ago to see what had become of [...]

Hi Folks I have finally got an order from Unity Books for my new book Death of an Agent, with an email glitch not helping. Without Unity and VicBooks Pipitea, I would not be spying my spy novel in any bookshop. Whitcoulls and Paper Plus are silent as the grave. [...]

A friend emailed me a few weeks ago that Bill Yocum had died while looking after a Nelson house, aged 72. The house was in good hands. Bill described himself as a mendicant carpenter. I live with Bill’s works and he was a wondrous wood worker. Really, he had the [...]

Peter Fraser’s top hat is held aloft at the end of the book launch of Death of an Agent last 8 May at Vic Books Pipitea. My cousin Dinah Priestley, pictured behind me, brought the hat along to celebrate the occasion. She inherited the hat from the prime minister’s granddaughter [...]

Winston Peters said capitalism has failed too many New Zealanders and addressed the problem by backing a coalition led by Labour with NZ First and the Greens aiming to restore Peter Fraser’s governing ambition to improve the physical and cultural conditions of all New Zealanders. The well-being budget is a [...]

Vic Books Pipitea and Silver Owl Press invite you to Hugh Rennie QC launching David McGill’s spy story Vic Books Pipitea, Rutherford House, Lambton Quay/Bunny St, Wednesday, 8 May, 6pm. Most of the story takes place in and around Victoria University in Easter 1965, when students organised the [...]