The Naturalist

Thom Conroy

A fascinating, moving novel based on the real life of Dr Ernst Dieffenbach: scientist, explorer, revolutionary, outcast. Dieffenbach arrived in New Zealand in 1839 as a naturalist. What he discovered was fascinating, but what his prescient records didn't reveal was his own intriguing story. This compell...

The Purple Swamp Hen and Other Stories

Penelope Lively

Penelope Lively has long captivated readers with her singular blend of wisdom, elegance, and humor. Now, in her first story collection in many years, Lively continues to delight, taking up themes of history, family, and relationships in beautifully rendered settings-from Quintus Pompeius's villa, where ...