Catherine Lea
Author Biography
Catherine Lea is a New Zealand crime and thriller author whose work has been praised for its emotional depth, atmospheric settings, and intricate plotting. She is the author of the DI Nyree Bradshaw series, including The Water’s Dead and Better Left Dead.
Her novels are often compared to the works of Ann Cleeves and Tana French for their blend of procedural detail, flawed but compelling characters, and strong sense of place.
Based in Northland, Catherine draws inspiration from the wild landscapes and close-knit communities of New Zealand’s Far North, bringing authenticity and grit to her stories. She has also written the Elizabeth McClaine thrillers, a series of fast-paced international thrillers published to critical acclaim.
When not writing, she is actively involved in New Zealand’s literary community, co-organising the Northland Writers, Readers, and Poets Festival.
The Deeper the Dead
A double homicide on a private island is the latest case for DI Nyree Bradshaw and her team. The first victim is Amanda McKay, a young woman who recently inherited the island from an absent father whose final cruel blow against his two sons was to leave them out of the will.
The other victim is a handsome, young John Doe with no apparent past and the immediate evidence suggests a romantic relationship between the two.
Both victims died of gunshot wounds and the house has been ransacked.
But as Nyree begins her investigation, a graveyard of long-held town secrets are exposed. One of these is a twenty-year-old cold case of a missing child assumed abducted during a Māori land protest.
If Nyree is to find who murdered Amanda and her visitor, she must dig beneath the lies and follow the evidence to find who’s secrets were dark enough to kill for.
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