Böcker av Nick Spill

Nick Spill's "The Sense of Blood Ink: Nine Stories About Love" is a mesmerizing collection that delves into the heart of human relationships in a post-pandemic world. The titular novella follows Zacharias Hideman, a successful but isolated fantasy author, whose life is turned upside down by the arrival of Alexandrina, a young woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to the heroine of his novels. Their passionate affair leads to a startling revelation that will challenge everything they thought they knew about love, family, and identity. Surrounding this central story are eight additional tales that showcase Spill's versatility as a storyteller. From the bittersweet memories of "Amanda, Goya, St. Francis, Joni Mitchell, and Ma Bell" to the playful literary musings of "Mel Comes to the Mountain or Chekhov and Mayonnaise," each story offers a unique perspective on love and human connection. Spill's characters navigate the complexities of relationships against backdrops ranging from Cold War espionage to New Zealand's art scene. With a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of the human heart, Spill crafts stories that are at once intimate and universal. "The Sense of Blood Ink" is a poignant exploration of love in all its forms - romantic, familial, forbidden, and everything in between. This collection serves as a testament to the enduring power of human connection, even in the face of isolation and adversity, making it a must-read for anyone who has ever loved, lost, or longed for understanding in an increasingly complex world.

The final episode of The Jaded Kiwi Trilogy is an interwoven twisted tale of spying, policing, art curating, and the marijuana growing underworld, all set in an authentic mid-1970's backdrop. Prepare for high tension, breathless action, and to truly root for the good guys (and even the not-so-good guys). Barbara Turner in The Jaded Widow, is New Zealand's most diabolical villain ever created as she plots her revenge on the Chinese sinsemilla growing family who killed her husband. Alexander Newman, art curator and part time spy, infiltrates a massive pot network under the guise of promoting his Maori art exhibition. Caught cheating with a lusty librarian, Alexander promises to investigate a massage parlor for Dr Mel Johnson whom he is in love with.Meanwhile, Inspector Grimble closes in on Barbara Turner's schemes, the Chinese harvested crop and Wiremu Wilson's large marijuana network.Alexander has to decide how far he will go to expose the massage parlor, reclaim the heart of Dr. Mel and come face to face with the dangerous Barbara Turner and her psychotic brother. Prepare for a manic climax.

Alexander, the curator, is sent to Auckland to escort Captain James Cook to the Auckland Art Gallery. On opening night, the priceless portrait is stolen. Alexander has to find the painting to save his career but he also has to deal with a Soviet spy whom he has been clandestinely photographing. He meets Dr. Mel Johnson who proves irresistible to him when he is invited to her female-only martial arts school. A Maori Land Rights group led by Wiremu Wilson claims to have kidnapped Captain Cook and is holding the painting ransom for lands that were seized before and after the Treaty of Waitangi, and Wiremu has the authorities in a panic. To further complicate Alexander's stay in Auckland he has to deal with Dr. Mel's boyfriend, and his missing scientific notebooks that are wanted by the FBI and the KGB, as well as intrigue between the Security Service and the New Zealand police. Alexander has to come to terms with being a spy, betraying his friends and deciding how far he will go in his new government job. He struggles to discover who he has become and what he has lost. Set in 1976, The Jaded Spy is the middle story of the Jaded trilogy and is a window into a vibrant changing New Zealand, with the growing Maori Land Rights movement, student riots, the Soviet spy scandal and a political party that will do anything to stay in power and destroy its enemies.