Kia ora e hoa! I'm blessed with amazing teams at my overseas publishers, helping me bring Māori storytelling to the world. Look at these covers they've created alongside my daughter Mahina, a Māori artist, for UK and US hardcovers for book 3 in my Hana Westerman series #yeahnoir

Terrific to see that 3x Ngaios winner @MBennettBooks' outstanding third Hana Westerman novel, out in UK paperback on 15 January, has been selected for @Waterstones special October25 pre-order sale. UK readers, nab some superb #yeahnoir for £7.49 or so: https://t.co/nQ2r3kxm69

History-makers and historical crimes: 2025 Ngaio Marsh Award winners revealed in Dame Ngaios’ hometown: https://t.co/sj6BT27vW6 #yeahnoir @WORDChCh

Leading journo @kirsty_johnston says winning #2025Ngaios feels like validation in the approach she and @MasseyUni's James Hollings chose in reporting on infamous Crewe Murders case; always reminding each other it wasn’t a 'titillating' saga: https://t.co/lcoXoAkV4G #yeahnoir

Congratulations Michael Bennett, @MBennettBooks - Best Novel winner at the 2025 Ngaio Awards for Return to Blood, second in the Hana Westerman series #YeahNoir #AotearoaReads

Huge congrats to history-maker @MBennettBooks (Ngati Pikiao, Ngati Whakaue) who by winning #2025Ngaios Best Novel for superb RETURN TO BLOOD becomes our 1st Best First Novel winner to later win Best Novel for a new book (and joins Paul Cleave as only 3x Ngaios winners!) #yeahnoir

"Winners of the [Ngaio Marsh] Awards, which celebrate excellence in crime, thriller, mystery, suspense and true crime writing in Aotearoa New Zealand, were unveiled at Christchurch’s Tūranga library on Thursday evening": https://t.co/5Di1zevbYM #yeahoir @WORDChCh @kirsty_johnston

Some more pics from our #2025Ngaios evening. Left: finalists Gavin Strawhan, Stephen Tester and @CharityNorman1 with Best Novel winner @MBennettBooks. Right: modern-day Kiwi Queen of Crime @vandasymon with Best First Novel winner Wendy Parkins. #yeahnoir @WORDChCh

From the @WORDChCh event in Dame Ngaio's hometown, our #2025Ngaios winners: Best Novel: RETURN TO BLOOD by @MBennettBooks Best Non-Fiction: THE CREWE MURDERS by @kirsty_johnston & James Hollings Best First Novel: THE DEFIANCE OF FRANCES DICKINSON by Wendy Parkins #yeahnoir

With imminent announcement of #2025Ngaios winners across all three categories, a final shoutout to our wonderful Best Novel finalists. Superb array of #yeahnoir voices, of varying styles, settings, and stories, but sharing top quality storytelling and writing. A fab reading list.

Past Ngaios Best Non-Fiction and Best First Novel winner @MBennettBooks has been hauled onstage by Ciaran and Brendon to help solve the mystery... or is he a suspect? #2025Ngaios #yeahnoir #CourtJesters @WORDChCh. Thanks Fiona of @ChristchurchLib for the pic!

RETURN TO BLOOD is on the shortlist for the @auscrimewriters 2025 Ned Kelly Award for Best International Crime Fiction! Congrats to Michael Bennett! 🥳 https://t.co/yl2dCNDiIj

@AllenAndUnwinNZ @WriterGavin @NZSocAuthors @ChristchurchLib @Christchurch_NZ @tepoumuramura @WORDChCh @HarperNZ @AllenAndUnwin @upstartpressnz @AngusGillies And for the 16th time, on Thursday we'll be presenting the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Novel. A stunning septet of suspects, who is the real culprit? Lots of clues, a few red herrings, twists and turns... the case of the #2025Ngaios is almost at an end @WORDChCh @courttheatre

Tick, tick, tick... Like a grandfather clock in an old manor, time is ticking down and it's not long now til we gather our prime suspects in the (Turanga) Library, for our sleuths to reveal whodunnit and whowunnit in #2025Ngaios Marsh Awards!! https://t.co/rc9nEabV88 @WORDChCh

RETURN TO BLOOD by @MBennettBooks (Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Whakaue): Māori sleuth Hana Westerman has left her role with the police, but the discovery of a skeleton in the sand dunes near her house changes everything. Sequel to #2023Ngaios Best First Novel winner #yeahnoir @WORDChCh

@MBennettBooks @WORDChCh @groveatlantic @katherinecrime @simonschusterUK @SimonSchusterAU @HarperNZ @tepoumuramura @ChristchurchLib @panmacmillan @EdinburghNapier @agentjenny @sherrylwriter @HarperCollinsAU @NZSocAuthors @SistersinCrimeA @CharityNorman1 @AllenAndUnwin @AllenAndUnwinNZ @AtlanticBooks @BooksellersNZ @HachetteAus @HachetteNZ @vandasymon @OrendaBooks Seven wonderful #yeahnoir tales; fab reading list for anyone worldwide who loves crime and thrillers. For those near Christchurch, Dame Ngaio's hometown, join us next week for a wonderful @WORDChCh evening of mystery and revelations on Thurs, 25 Sept: https://t.co/GBkRFCjAFG

Today we reveal our #2025Ngaios finalists! Congrats to all. A remarkable array of #yeahnoir storytelling and fascinating mix of tales - fictional and real-life - from some superb Kiwi authors. Finalists celebrated & winners announced at special event on Thurs 25 Sept @WORDChCh

Fab to see @MBennettBooks's 3rd Hana Westerman novel CARVED IN BLOOD getting lotsa love from critics & readers in USA/Canada. "It’s a whodunit, and indeed a terrific one, but Bennett’s books are much more powerfully about race... oh my, are they good" - @WinnipegNews #yeahnoir

Fabulous to see several cool #yeahnoir authors and #MysteryintheLibrary alumni involved in this month's #WeReadAuckland project with @Auckland_Libs across Tāmaki Makaurau. Check here for free event listings: https://t.co/6m5VPeGaEQ

We're delighted to share that Return to Blood by Michael Bennett, narrated by Miriama McDowell, has won the https://t.co/kVMrO2xPUv Audiobook of the Year at the 2025 Aotearoa New Zealand Book Industry Awards 🏆

CONGRATULATIONS to author @MBennettBooks for his amazing book Return to Blood which has been shortlisted for the 2025 Ned Kelly Awards – BEST INTERNATIONAL CRIME FICTION @simonschuster #michaelbennett #NedKellyAwards #australiancrimewriters