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Ryan Bradley #1
When the Deep, Dark Bush Swallows You Whole
‘She wasn’t the first and she wouldn’t be the last; swallowed into the deep, dark recesses of the King Country bush, never to be seen again.’
It’s January 1983. During his university summer break, Ryan Bradley returns to the remote town of Nashville in New Zealand’s rugged King Country.
It’s a bittersweet he’s working long, punishing hours as a woolpresser, he needs to sell his late mother’s house, and he’s increasingly feeling like an outcast in his childhood town.
But mostly he’s haunted by memories of Sanna Sovernen, a Finnish backpacker and his secret lover, who worked with him in the shearing shed the summer before - then vanished without trace.
Now Sanna’s sister Emilia has arrived from Finland, determined to get answers - and as he’s the workmate who reported Sanna missing, she wants Ryan’s help. Because Emilia knows her sister was not the first female traveller in the area to disappear . . .
'The stunning King Country landscape and scenery imbue the story with a real atmospheric sense of place. Fans of Chris Hammer, J P Pomare and Alan Carter will enjoy this gripping debut.' Books + Publishing
‘A deftly wrought novel, compelling and complex. I loved it.’ MARGARET HICKEY
'A gripping murder mystery set in 1980s small-town New Zealand, capturing the stifling atmosphere of a commun
ity steeped in secrets. With relentless suspense and a rich cast of characters, this impressive debut keeps the reader guessing to the very end.' ROSE CARLYLE
It’s January 1983. During his university summer break, Ryan Bradley returns to the remote town of Nashville in New Zealand’s rugged King Country.
It’s a bittersweet he’s working long, punishing hours as a woolpresser, he needs to sell his late mother’s house, and he’s increasingly feeling like an outcast in his childhood town.
But mostly he’s haunted by memories of Sanna Sovernen, a Finnish backpacker and his secret lover, who worked with him in the shearing shed the summer before - then vanished without trace.
Now Sanna’s sister Emilia has arrived from Finland, determined to get answers - and as he’s the workmate who reported Sanna missing, she wants Ryan’s help. Because Emilia knows her sister was not the first female traveller in the area to disappear . . .
'The stunning King Country landscape and scenery imbue the story with a real atmospheric sense of place. Fans of Chris Hammer, J P Pomare and Alan Carter will enjoy this gripping debut.' Books + Publishing
‘A deftly wrought novel, compelling and complex. I loved it.’ MARGARET HICKEY
'A gripping murder mystery set in 1980s small-town New Zealand, capturing the stifling atmosphere of a commun
ity steeped in secrets. With relentless suspense and a rich cast of characters, this impressive debut keeps the reader guessing to the very end.' ROSE CARLYLE
398 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 4, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
March 7, 2026
EXCERPT: Emilia suffered the detective and his watery, lukewarm tea out of necessity. Courtesy too; he was, after all, polite and clearly not a buffoon. He was just as her father had described him, after his trip to Nashville in the days immediately after Sanna's disappearance.
Emilia felt shame for not having travelled to New Zealand with her father. He'd insisted that she remain home and try to focus on her business clients. With her mother's aversion to air travel, and the hysterical state she was in, it felt like a sound decision to stay and keep watch. As it turned out, Emilia was all over the place at work; emotional. unproductive and testy. She should have been with her father.
But that was then. A year later, she was determined to do everything she could, either find out what happened, or to help the police find out. Then she'd be able to return home, face her parents, and tell them honestly that everything that could have been done for Sanna, they had done.
There was a detachment and smugness to Detective Harten that didn't sit well. She sensed his casual indifference to incoming matters and the glacial pace at which the wheels of justice turned. If he was the man leading the investigation into Sanna's disappearance, it was no surprise that they were no closer to finding her today than they were a year ago.
No closer? Who was she kidding; at least back then they were looking for her. Now, it was: 'Show me a body and then I'll try harder to find who did it.' This was her sister they were talking about. Bright, sparkling, precious Sanna. Who deserved so much more than a missing persons file in some country police station, in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of a country on the other side of the world.
ABOUT 'WHEN THE DEEP DARK BUSH SWALLOWS YOU WHOLE': ‘She wasn’t the first and she wouldn’t be the last; swallowed into the deep, dark recesses of the King Country bush, never to be seen again.’
It’s January 1983. During his university summer break, Ryan Bradley returns to the remote town of Nashville in New Zealand’s rugged King Country.
It’s a bittersweet he’s working long, punishing hours as a woolpresser, he needs to sell his late mother’s house, and he’s increasingly feeling like an outcast in his childhood town.
But mostly he’s haunted by memories of Sanna Sovernen, a Finnish backpacker and his secret lover, who worked with him in the shearing shed the summer before - then vanished without trace.
Now Sanna’s sister Emilia has arrived from Finland, determined to get answers - and as he’s the workmate who reported Sanna missing, she wants Ryan’s help. Because Emilia knows her sister was not the first female traveller in the area to disappear . . .
MY THOUGHTS: Set in the 1980s in a small rural town in the central North Island of New Zealand, When the Deep Dark Bush Swallows You Whole by Geoff Parkes is both atmospheric and suspenseful. Parkes has deftly captured the insular setting and the prevalent attitudes of the era in which the novel is set.
I found myself totally immersed in the lives of the multiple characters around whom the story is set and told via their points of view over two timelines - 1981 when Sanna goes missing, and 1983 when her sister Emilia arrives.
Parkes characterisation is superb. He has captured the people of rural New Zealand, the police, the farmers, the contractors, the business people, the workers, and pinned them to the paper. He has picked up on the distance and resentment that going away to university and having a life outside the town creates between old friends and used it to great advantage. Parkes knows his people.
He has created an absorbing mystery that had me looking closely first at one character, then another, with suspicion. No one escaped my scrutiny.
The bite-sized chapters make for easy and quick reading and the story flows seamlessly between the timelines. Most of the characters aren't at all likeable - be prepared for that and the misogynistic attitudes from the men. Standard fare for that era in that setting.
This was a brilliant debut effort from an author I'll be watching closely in future.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
#WhentheDeepDarkBushSwallowsYouWhole @WaitomoDistrictLibrary
MEET THE AUTHOR: Born and raised in rural New Zealand, I now call Melbourne home. I'd always considered school to be little more than a place to eat lunch and play sport, but recalling those rare moments of focus in the classroom, I remain indebted to an English teacher who encouraged me to write and write often.
Now, in a working life which has encompassed the full gamut, from the shearing shed to an abattoir floor, in small business, to executive management at a global Fortune 500 company, and being at the ground floor of an exciting dental tech start-up, I am fortunate enough to be able to pursue a writing career. (Source geoffparkes.com)
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
Emilia felt shame for not having travelled to New Zealand with her father. He'd insisted that she remain home and try to focus on her business clients. With her mother's aversion to air travel, and the hysterical state she was in, it felt like a sound decision to stay and keep watch. As it turned out, Emilia was all over the place at work; emotional. unproductive and testy. She should have been with her father.
But that was then. A year later, she was determined to do everything she could, either find out what happened, or to help the police find out. Then she'd be able to return home, face her parents, and tell them honestly that everything that could have been done for Sanna, they had done.
There was a detachment and smugness to Detective Harten that didn't sit well. She sensed his casual indifference to incoming matters and the glacial pace at which the wheels of justice turned. If he was the man leading the investigation into Sanna's disappearance, it was no surprise that they were no closer to finding her today than they were a year ago.
No closer? Who was she kidding; at least back then they were looking for her. Now, it was: 'Show me a body and then I'll try harder to find who did it.' This was her sister they were talking about. Bright, sparkling, precious Sanna. Who deserved so much more than a missing persons file in some country police station, in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of a country on the other side of the world.
ABOUT 'WHEN THE DEEP DARK BUSH SWALLOWS YOU WHOLE': ‘She wasn’t the first and she wouldn’t be the last; swallowed into the deep, dark recesses of the King Country bush, never to be seen again.’
It’s January 1983. During his university summer break, Ryan Bradley returns to the remote town of Nashville in New Zealand’s rugged King Country.
It’s a bittersweet he’s working long, punishing hours as a woolpresser, he needs to sell his late mother’s house, and he’s increasingly feeling like an outcast in his childhood town.
But mostly he’s haunted by memories of Sanna Sovernen, a Finnish backpacker and his secret lover, who worked with him in the shearing shed the summer before - then vanished without trace.
Now Sanna’s sister Emilia has arrived from Finland, determined to get answers - and as he’s the workmate who reported Sanna missing, she wants Ryan’s help. Because Emilia knows her sister was not the first female traveller in the area to disappear . . .
MY THOUGHTS: Set in the 1980s in a small rural town in the central North Island of New Zealand, When the Deep Dark Bush Swallows You Whole by Geoff Parkes is both atmospheric and suspenseful. Parkes has deftly captured the insular setting and the prevalent attitudes of the era in which the novel is set.
I found myself totally immersed in the lives of the multiple characters around whom the story is set and told via their points of view over two timelines - 1981 when Sanna goes missing, and 1983 when her sister Emilia arrives.
Parkes characterisation is superb. He has captured the people of rural New Zealand, the police, the farmers, the contractors, the business people, the workers, and pinned them to the paper. He has picked up on the distance and resentment that going away to university and having a life outside the town creates between old friends and used it to great advantage. Parkes knows his people.
He has created an absorbing mystery that had me looking closely first at one character, then another, with suspicion. No one escaped my scrutiny.
The bite-sized chapters make for easy and quick reading and the story flows seamlessly between the timelines. Most of the characters aren't at all likeable - be prepared for that and the misogynistic attitudes from the men. Standard fare for that era in that setting.
This was a brilliant debut effort from an author I'll be watching closely in future.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
#WhentheDeepDarkBushSwallowsYouWhole @WaitomoDistrictLibrary
MEET THE AUTHOR: Born and raised in rural New Zealand, I now call Melbourne home. I'd always considered school to be little more than a place to eat lunch and play sport, but recalling those rare moments of focus in the classroom, I remain indebted to an English teacher who encouraged me to write and write often.
Now, in a working life which has encompassed the full gamut, from the shearing shed to an abattoir floor, in small business, to executive management at a global Fortune 500 company, and being at the ground floor of an exciting dental tech start-up, I am fortunate enough to be able to pursue a writing career. (Source geoffparkes.com)
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
February 27, 2025
I was interested in this book as I don’t think I’ve ever read a thriller that was set in New Zealand and the descriptions were so detailed that the setting was very vivid, but sadly I agree with another reviewer that called this ‘a blokey read’. Unfortunately,, the male characters in this book were mostly abusers and vile misogynists, and I just couldn’t connect with any of the characters. It was hectic to juggle so many points of view as well. For me, it’s tough to really enjoy a book when I don’t like anyone in it. 3 stars.
January 1, 2026
A tense and thrilling mystery, set in a small sheep shearing community in the North Island of New Zealand, during the 1980's.
There is plenty to learn about shearing, bailing wool and the dynamics within a shearing gang through this story. The dual-timeline offers plenty of possible suspects, which kept me guessing right to the end.
The accent of the narrator, Michael Whalley adds to the authenticity of the characters and the storyline.
Most of the male characters have no redeeming qualities, and do not treat women well. While this might be indicative of the attitudes towards women at the time, it makes for difficult reading at times.
I enjoyed the New Zealand setting and the interesting storyline, including the unexpected twists.
3.5 stars
January 14, 2025
horrendously mediocre. The plot was extremely slow and many chapters felt like a whole lot of nothing. I'm not sure it's ever so serious that it's necessary to have a TWELVE perspective book. Sure, not all of those POVs were regularly rotating, and some only appeared a few times, but what the hell, lol.
Having multiple POVs also requires that each character is distinct and has a different voice but the problem with this book is almost every character is exactly the same. There are three women pov's, two of which (the sisters) could be the same person - the rest are men who at worst are disgusting perverts who assault women and at best raging misogynists. The men all being disgusting creeps felt like an attempt at red herrings but it was honestly just uncomfortable and never really muddied the waters because the killer was the only one with an actual motive.
It felt like such a missed opportunity with the other missing women not being a bigger part of the story, I mean I understand the point that police are quick to dismiss stuff and assign it to a mysterious boogie man from out of town but it would have been more interesting.
Ryan's sudden change of heart to actually tell the truth was pretty abrupt and I sort of hated that Emila didn't freak the fuck at him and run to the cops to tell them he admitted he had lied.
Having multiple POVs also requires that each character is distinct and has a different voice but the problem with this book is almost every character is exactly the same. There are three women pov's, two of which (the sisters) could be the same person - the rest are men who at worst are disgusting perverts who assault women and at best raging misogynists. The men all being disgusting creeps felt like an attempt at red herrings but it was honestly just uncomfortable and never really muddied the waters because the killer was the only one with an actual motive.
It felt like such a missed opportunity with the other missing women not being a bigger part of the story, I mean I understand the point that police are quick to dismiss stuff and assign it to a mysterious boogie man from out of town but it would have been more interesting.
Ryan's sudden change of heart to actually tell the truth was pretty abrupt and I sort of hated that Emila didn't freak the fuck at him and run to the cops to tell them he admitted he had lied.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 13, 2025
Once it got to solving the murder I enjoyed it but up until then it was a lot of awful people mistreating women and abusing power and getting away with it.
The characters are varied and well written. The setting is probably accurate but it was uncomfortable even for a crime novel.
The characters are varied and well written. The setting is probably accurate but it was uncomfortable even for a crime novel.
May 16, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
When the Deep Dark Bush Swallows You Whole is a lyrical, multi-layered novel set in 1980s New Zealand, weaving together 12 distinct points of view. Geoff Parkes captures the raw beauty and isolation of the bush with poetic prose, offering a haunting look at identity, place, and memory. While the shifting perspectives create an interesting and ambitious structure, the frequent jumps can be disorienting and make it harder to emotionally invest in each character. Still, the storyline is compelling and the sense of atmosphere lingers long after the final page.
When the Deep Dark Bush Swallows You Whole is a lyrical, multi-layered novel set in 1980s New Zealand, weaving together 12 distinct points of view. Geoff Parkes captures the raw beauty and isolation of the bush with poetic prose, offering a haunting look at identity, place, and memory. While the shifting perspectives create an interesting and ambitious structure, the frequent jumps can be disorienting and make it harder to emotionally invest in each character. Still, the storyline is compelling and the sense of atmosphere lingers long after the final page.
February 16, 2025
This is a blokey read, a whodunit set in a small town in the heart of the King Country in the the North Island of NZ. Despite this it doesn't have a strong sense of place except for a few references to Mt Ruapehu and the density of the bush.
Most of the women are supports or victims with a focus on the relationships between the male protagonists and their inner conflicts and resentments. The 1980s setting allows for dated attitudes to women and a much bonding over pints of beer at the pub.
"Her... thick-set shoulders and a cavernous cleavage... Ryan was sure he would be able to park the wheels of his bike. "
Most of the women are supports or victims with a focus on the relationships between the male protagonists and their inner conflicts and resentments. The 1980s setting allows for dated attitudes to women and a much bonding over pints of beer at the pub.
"Her... thick-set shoulders and a cavernous cleavage... Ryan was sure he would be able to park the wheels of his bike. "
May 2, 2025
sound thriller
May 14, 2025
this was such a good read based in New Zealand around a small shearing town .. the whole done it kept guessing and all the little surprises along the way great read finished like there maybe a book 2
May 1, 2026
Great read..
Small town NZ murder a mystery up until the end
A bit funny , a bit dark
Reminders of the early 80’s: Bread and butter pudding, Waikato green ( beer) , Prince Tui Teka, Kingswood’s to name a few.
Several dodgy candidates / suspects throughout the book.
Very good first novel Geoff Parkes
Small town NZ murder a mystery up until the end
A bit funny , a bit dark
Reminders of the early 80’s: Bread and butter pudding, Waikato green ( beer) , Prince Tui Teka, Kingswood’s to name a few.
Several dodgy candidates / suspects throughout the book.
Very good first novel Geoff Parkes
February 4, 2025
Former New Zealander (now Australian) Geoff Parks’ debut crime novel When the Deep Dark Bush Swallows You Whole takes readers back to small town New Zealand in 1983. Like much recent historical rural crime fiction, it takes many of its cues from the attitudes and culture of the day, which only forty years later, feel like another world.
Emilia Sovernen comes from Finland to the small New Zealand town of Nashville to try and find out what happened to her sister Sanna. Sanna had been in town helping with the shearing and had gone missing the year before. The police never found Sanna and suspect that her disappearance may be connected to a long string of similar disappearances over a number of years across rural New Zealand. Emilia is not so sure and believes that the police did not look closely enough at the townsfolk and tries to get Ryan Bradley, one of the shearers who knew Sanna, to help her. As Emilia’s investigation progresses, Parks takes readers back to the year before and the lead up to Sanna’s disappearance, on the way potentially implicating a wide range of locals who were either obsessed with or annoyed with the beautiful but brash traveller.
When the Deep Dark Bush Swallows You Whole is essentially an exploration of all of the different types of toxic and abusive masculinity at play in rural New Zealand in the 1980s. Pretty much every male character is a suspect as they all are… well, suspect. Neville, who rents out his shed to the shearers, and Carl, the head of the shearing gang, both spy on Sanna. Bull, one of the shearers, is both dangerous and hypocritically religious. Ryan’s estranged friend Phillip and his even weirder friend Slurps try to hit on her. Meanwhile Phillip’s father Jack is trying to control his life and is keeping secrets of his own. Even Ryan, who had a legitimate, mutual relationship with Sanna, keeps that information from Emilia.
When the Deep Dark Bush Swallows You Whole effectively evokes small town New Zealand in the 1980s. But it is also a little over-written. Parks relies on too many different points-of-view which dilutes the story-telling and somewhat undermines the resolution of the mystery. As a result, while it is a promising debut, When the Deep Dark Bush Swallows You Whole does not do quite enough to stand out from the growing sub-sub-genre of southern cross historical rural crime fiction.
Emilia Sovernen comes from Finland to the small New Zealand town of Nashville to try and find out what happened to her sister Sanna. Sanna had been in town helping with the shearing and had gone missing the year before. The police never found Sanna and suspect that her disappearance may be connected to a long string of similar disappearances over a number of years across rural New Zealand. Emilia is not so sure and believes that the police did not look closely enough at the townsfolk and tries to get Ryan Bradley, one of the shearers who knew Sanna, to help her. As Emilia’s investigation progresses, Parks takes readers back to the year before and the lead up to Sanna’s disappearance, on the way potentially implicating a wide range of locals who were either obsessed with or annoyed with the beautiful but brash traveller.
When the Deep Dark Bush Swallows You Whole is essentially an exploration of all of the different types of toxic and abusive masculinity at play in rural New Zealand in the 1980s. Pretty much every male character is a suspect as they all are… well, suspect. Neville, who rents out his shed to the shearers, and Carl, the head of the shearing gang, both spy on Sanna. Bull, one of the shearers, is both dangerous and hypocritically religious. Ryan’s estranged friend Phillip and his even weirder friend Slurps try to hit on her. Meanwhile Phillip’s father Jack is trying to control his life and is keeping secrets of his own. Even Ryan, who had a legitimate, mutual relationship with Sanna, keeps that information from Emilia.
When the Deep Dark Bush Swallows You Whole effectively evokes small town New Zealand in the 1980s. But it is also a little over-written. Parks relies on too many different points-of-view which dilutes the story-telling and somewhat undermines the resolution of the mystery. As a result, while it is a promising debut, When the Deep Dark Bush Swallows You Whole does not do quite enough to stand out from the growing sub-sub-genre of southern cross historical rural crime fiction.
February 18, 2026
Listened to this on audiobook and loved the narrator. The setting is atmospheric and moody. It was a great read and a page turner (or audio turner if that works) and I wasn’t sure who did what until late into the book. Definitely recommended.
January 18, 2026
I read about this publication in a recent reading book guide and thought I would try yet another new author based on the profile and preview provided.
It proved to be a wise decision- the writing was fast paced and the narrative characterised by several possibilities in terms of who was responsible for the disappearance of a Finnish tourist whose fate has never been resolved. The small town traits of characters central to the storyline were highly credible and added to the novel’s sustained interest and engagement.
I look forward to the next by this author entitled ‘The First Law of The Bush’- set in the 1990s in a similar NZ location with protagonist Ryan Bradley called upon to solve the mystery that has unfolded.
It proved to be a wise decision- the writing was fast paced and the narrative characterised by several possibilities in terms of who was responsible for the disappearance of a Finnish tourist whose fate has never been resolved. The small town traits of characters central to the storyline were highly credible and added to the novel’s sustained interest and engagement.
I look forward to the next by this author entitled ‘The First Law of The Bush’- set in the 1990s in a similar NZ location with protagonist Ryan Bradley called upon to solve the mystery that has unfolded.
February 8, 2026
This debut fiction novel from someone who obviously knows Kiwi stuff is a cracking read. In 1983, Ryan returns to the small town he’d grown up in, to work on the shearing teams; however the return is tinged with sadness, as the Finnish backpacker with whom he’d been in a relationship, had disappeared, and the investigation came to naught. Meeting many characters, the big fish, and the weirdos, the story seamlessly moves between Sanna’s life in Nashville (not *that* one), and the people she encounters, and then a year later, when her sister Emilia arrives to find out what really happened.
Increasingly fast-paced, this is a very NZ story, and a great read for any psychological/domestic drama fans, even if you do have to google Selwyn Toogood, and Choysa.
Increasingly fast-paced, this is a very NZ story, and a great read for any psychological/domestic drama fans, even if you do have to google Selwyn Toogood, and Choysa.
February 8, 2026
I read this in record time, helped along by short chapters and plenty of half pages. The pacing felt quick, though largely because the prose is very functional. There’s no poetry here, no lingering turns of phrase, just clean, direct writing that keeps the plot moving.
The mystery itself is structured to make almost everyone a suspect, which does create a steady sense of doubt. In theory that should heighten tension, but in practice it felt a little clunky. The “whodunnit” is resolved neatly enough, yet I never felt fully immersed or emotionally invested.
It’s not a terrible read. just not a memorable one. I didn’t find myself underlining passages or noting down insights, which for me is always telling.
The mystery itself is structured to make almost everyone a suspect, which does create a steady sense of doubt. In theory that should heighten tension, but in practice it felt a little clunky. The “whodunnit” is resolved neatly enough, yet I never felt fully immersed or emotionally invested.
It’s not a terrible read. just not a memorable one. I didn’t find myself underlining passages or noting down insights, which for me is always telling.
March 30, 2025
Some truly loathsome characters, who have deep seeded hatred at heart, and the brunt of their frustration taken out on pure innocence...
Well written; I believe the author hit the mark for me. I hate the male roles, hate their excuses for their behavior, hate that women & children altimetry pay the price, all too real... (*#$*)
Well written; I believe the author hit the mark for me. I hate the male roles, hate their excuses for their behavior, hate that women & children altimetry pay the price, all too real... (*#$*)
September 15, 2025
Good thriller. Loved the rural NZ setting and multiple POV’s.
June 1, 2025
2.5 ⭐️
June 24, 2025
I loved this book! Couldn't put it down. Loved all the small town context. Thanks for the recommendation Cherie!
November 1, 2025
4.5
Book Club read, smashed it out in two days.
Loved all the kiwi-ism’s but I suspect lots of non-kiwis are saying huh??? at a lot of references so it felt like some great inside jokes for me.
Too many awful men who all should have been scrutinised closer but I guess that was small town 80’s. Workingman’s Club every night, driving home drunk, police turning a blind eye, not closely scrutinising their own … a sad reflection on that time.
But I loved the main characters - the sisters from Finland and Ryan who was one of few to “escape” the town but he wasn’t treated well because of it, yet always drawn back.
Drama, plot twists and a who dunnit - I did really enjoy it.
Book Club read, smashed it out in two days.
Loved all the kiwi-ism’s but I suspect lots of non-kiwis are saying huh??? at a lot of references so it felt like some great inside jokes for me.
Too many awful men who all should have been scrutinised closer but I guess that was small town 80’s. Workingman’s Club every night, driving home drunk, police turning a blind eye, not closely scrutinising their own … a sad reflection on that time.
But I loved the main characters - the sisters from Finland and Ryan who was one of few to “escape” the town but he wasn’t treated well because of it, yet always drawn back.
Drama, plot twists and a who dunnit - I did really enjoy it.
March 1, 2025
Oh my gaaaawwwwwd this book was painfully long and boring. No exciting parts whatsoever.
This book annoyed me. I usually take a day or two to read a novel, but this book took me 6 days because I spent more time avoiding it than actually spending the time to read it. I won’t be reading any more of Geoff Parkes books.
This book was such a struggle. This book was book of the month at my local book store, staring front and centre where customers could see it, so I thought why not give it a go.
Was absolutely a waste of my time.
Only thing it was good for was putting me to sleep at night.
This book annoyed me. I usually take a day or two to read a novel, but this book took me 6 days because I spent more time avoiding it than actually spending the time to read it. I won’t be reading any more of Geoff Parkes books.
This book was such a struggle. This book was book of the month at my local book store, staring front and centre where customers could see it, so I thought why not give it a go.
Was absolutely a waste of my time.
Only thing it was good for was putting me to sleep at night.
July 3, 2025
I really enjoyed this book - couldn’t put it down. I’ve seen other reviewers commenting on the nature of some of the characters in the book - but you have to remember it is set in the early 80’s in a very male dominated industry where there will always be some odd characters. The story was woven together so well - leading you on a journey and leaving you wondering who the culprit was. Lots of intrigue. It has some very ‘kiwi” language in it which I wonder if some readers will struggle with - but hopefully people will get the gist of the language. Highly recommend!
January 17, 2026
"'When the deep, dark bush swallows you whole.' It means your time on this earth is done and there's nothing anyone can do about it." How hard would it have been to include the year we're talking about in the chapter headings when a book is jumping in time and perspective? It's an annoying omission in this Kiwi thriller set in small town New Zealand, where the men are vile and the women are doormats. All it takes is a sassy Finnish lass thrown into the mix and violence is pretty much inevitable. As a woman, I don't subscribe to the books premise that nothing can be done about it. We need to stop accepting outdated forms of masculinity in rural setting, just as we don't accept them in cities.
"You buy a ticket to support the club. Support the town. It doesn't matter whether you need it or not." The town, Nashville, closes ranks around its residents, making the lead protagonist, Ryan, feel like an outsider when he attempts to solve the crime. It's an ugly little place: "And fewer people means that out little society has become more insular. People look sideways at each other, you know what it's like." The only people the town accepts as capable of the crime reflect other biases, like homosexuality: "People like that, they're all fucked up. You never know what's going on in their mind" and then it's just because they'd rather they left. I did like the use of one of the Finnish characters to show how out of date this thinking is: "Yes, this was a small town. But nobody in Helsinki would ever say such things."
With all the men in this book pretty ugly – even Ryan moves to save his career before the woman he made pregnant – as a female reader I found it a bit hard to like. The descriptive writing needs a bit of work too: "He had all the qualities of a cockroach; unlikable and continually rubbing folk up the wrong way, but tenacious and durable enough to withstand a nuclear holocaust. I also found the excuses for and threats of sexual violence repulsive and reinforcing of poor behaviour: "He felt no shame. He was a good boss and what he was doing was harmless and victimless." There's also outdated language about domestic violence: "And don't discount what they call battered wife syndrome." Maybe as a woman I am just the wrong audience for a book about men who use living in a small town to justify endorsing and covering up their violence and unacceptable behaviour.
"You buy a ticket to support the club. Support the town. It doesn't matter whether you need it or not." The town, Nashville, closes ranks around its residents, making the lead protagonist, Ryan, feel like an outsider when he attempts to solve the crime. It's an ugly little place: "And fewer people means that out little society has become more insular. People look sideways at each other, you know what it's like." The only people the town accepts as capable of the crime reflect other biases, like homosexuality: "People like that, they're all fucked up. You never know what's going on in their mind" and then it's just because they'd rather they left. I did like the use of one of the Finnish characters to show how out of date this thinking is: "Yes, this was a small town. But nobody in Helsinki would ever say such things."
With all the men in this book pretty ugly – even Ryan moves to save his career before the woman he made pregnant – as a female reader I found it a bit hard to like. The descriptive writing needs a bit of work too: "He had all the qualities of a cockroach; unlikable and continually rubbing folk up the wrong way, but tenacious and durable enough to withstand a nuclear holocaust. I also found the excuses for and threats of sexual violence repulsive and reinforcing of poor behaviour: "He felt no shame. He was a good boss and what he was doing was harmless and victimless." There's also outdated language about domestic violence: "And don't discount what they call battered wife syndrome." Maybe as a woman I am just the wrong audience for a book about men who use living in a small town to justify endorsing and covering up their violence and unacceptable behaviour.
March 31, 2026
A lot of this book resonated with me. I'm a very similar age to Ryan (while we get the points of view of 12 different characters, his dominates), have a similar rural background (I didn't do as much wool pressing as him, but did some, and a huge amount of haymaking, which involves a group of guys with a similar dynamic), my parents moved to the King Country (I'd say if Nashville (named in honour of the Nash family) is based on a town there, it's Taumarunui, where mum lived for a while) and I even went to the same law school as him. I did notice a few glitches which distracted me for a bit (there was no Postie + until the 1990s, for example) but not too badly.
The blurb on the back says it's a "gripping murder mystery", which is a bit of a spoiler as we don't even know for sure until the end there is a murder. The book is certainly not about solving it: most of it is set in the period leading up to Sanna's murder. It starts with Emilia's arrival in town (in 1983) a year after Finnish backpacker Sanna goes missing, determined to uncover the truth. The local cops haven't found a body and cannot believe a local would be responsible, but may not have looked very closely at them. Emilia is determined that they do, which means they are even less likely to. Ryan comes on board to help, but ultimately the murderer reveals himself - I was not at all surprised when I found out who it was, had him as my main suspect.
Most of the guys in town raised virulent red flags - so many of them could have been the murderer. Even Ryan has his secrets and motives (but the fact he features in a subsequent novel is an important clue). He's back for the Uni holidays, and works in the same shearing gang along with Sanna. Does he still fit here: most think he doesn't, think that he thinks he's better than them. He insists he's a local (my resolution of this problem was provided by my parents - they moved at the same time I went to University).
There are complaints by reviewers about this being blokey and misogynistic - which probably means it's hit its mark. It's centred on a male dominated workplace (shearing sheds), along with the local pub and Workingman's Club. It rings pretty true in how it depicts these places (which were not places I liked very much). But it should be noted that there are some strong female characters and when the murderer does come out into the open, it's a woman who saves the day, and finds an inner strength to do so.
The blurb on the back says it's a "gripping murder mystery", which is a bit of a spoiler as we don't even know for sure until the end there is a murder. The book is certainly not about solving it: most of it is set in the period leading up to Sanna's murder. It starts with Emilia's arrival in town (in 1983) a year after Finnish backpacker Sanna goes missing, determined to uncover the truth. The local cops haven't found a body and cannot believe a local would be responsible, but may not have looked very closely at them. Emilia is determined that they do, which means they are even less likely to. Ryan comes on board to help, but ultimately the murderer reveals himself - I was not at all surprised when I found out who it was, had him as my main suspect.
Most of the guys in town raised virulent red flags - so many of them could have been the murderer. Even Ryan has his secrets and motives (but the fact he features in a subsequent novel is an important clue). He's back for the Uni holidays, and works in the same shearing gang along with Sanna. Does he still fit here: most think he doesn't, think that he thinks he's better than them. He insists he's a local (my resolution of this problem was provided by my parents - they moved at the same time I went to University).
There are complaints by reviewers about this being blokey and misogynistic - which probably means it's hit its mark. It's centred on a male dominated workplace (shearing sheds), along with the local pub and Workingman's Club. It rings pretty true in how it depicts these places (which were not places I liked very much). But it should be noted that there are some strong female characters and when the murderer does come out into the open, it's a woman who saves the day, and finds an inner strength to do so.
February 5, 2025
WHEN THE DEEP DARK BUSH SWALLOWS YOU WHOLE by Geoff Parkes is published by Penguin Random House Australia in February 2025
Review by Lorraine Parker
It is January 1983 in Nashville, a town in ‘King Country’, New Zealand.
Emelia has just arrived from Finland to search for answers as to what really happened to her sister, Sanna. Approximately one year ago, Sanna mysteriously disappeared without trace after the last shearing session finished. Sanna’s visa had soon to expire. Sanna loved the challenge of work and the interaction of the shearing crew as well as appreciating the experience of life in the rugged country of New Zealand.
Ryan has returned to Nashville from his University Course (to become a lawyer) to join the shearing team, possibly rekindle friendships and to finally put his family home for sale. The disappearance of Sanna, after the previous shearing season had hit him hard. They had a very special liaison which they both chose to keep hidden. Sanna was not the first to go missing and disappear without trace. The bush ‘swallowing’ them?
Author, Parkes swaps from character to character, rather quickly at times. I personally found this disconcerting. However, the time frame from 1981 to 1983 kept me in an intriguing, spell binding, attentive state of mind. As I got to know, little by little the machinations of each personality I became more spell bound and engulfed. Parents, friends, sheep station owners, shearing crew, police, business owners and “leaders’ of standing in Nashville are all involved. Some exuding more suspicion than others.
An intricate story that my few words will hopefully inspire you to read.
Parkes prose is outstanding and the structure of the thrilling mystery exceptional.
‘When the Deep Dark Bush Swallows You Whole’ would make a great book for group discussion. I give it a rating of 5 out of 5. A must read. Almost living history, convincing and so knowledgeable as the author did live in King Country growing up.
Review by Lorraine Parker
It is January 1983 in Nashville, a town in ‘King Country’, New Zealand.
Emelia has just arrived from Finland to search for answers as to what really happened to her sister, Sanna. Approximately one year ago, Sanna mysteriously disappeared without trace after the last shearing session finished. Sanna’s visa had soon to expire. Sanna loved the challenge of work and the interaction of the shearing crew as well as appreciating the experience of life in the rugged country of New Zealand.
Ryan has returned to Nashville from his University Course (to become a lawyer) to join the shearing team, possibly rekindle friendships and to finally put his family home for sale. The disappearance of Sanna, after the previous shearing season had hit him hard. They had a very special liaison which they both chose to keep hidden. Sanna was not the first to go missing and disappear without trace. The bush ‘swallowing’ them?
Author, Parkes swaps from character to character, rather quickly at times. I personally found this disconcerting. However, the time frame from 1981 to 1983 kept me in an intriguing, spell binding, attentive state of mind. As I got to know, little by little the machinations of each personality I became more spell bound and engulfed. Parents, friends, sheep station owners, shearing crew, police, business owners and “leaders’ of standing in Nashville are all involved. Some exuding more suspicion than others.
An intricate story that my few words will hopefully inspire you to read.
Parkes prose is outstanding and the structure of the thrilling mystery exceptional.
‘When the Deep Dark Bush Swallows You Whole’ would make a great book for group discussion. I give it a rating of 5 out of 5. A must read. Almost living history, convincing and so knowledgeable as the author did live in King Country growing up.
April 8, 2026
I thought this would be more focused on the woman who comes to town to find out what happened to her sister, my fault for not reading the blurb correctly. It was very much focussed on Ryan the protagonist and the assorted arseholes that inhabit Nashville, New Zealand. The men were, without exception, perverted misogynists or aggressive bullies. None had any more emotional maturity than a toilet seat. Including Ryan. Only a year ago a woman he was in a romantic relationship with disappeared, and he seems to have not thought much about her since. He returns to town from uni to try once again to sell his mother’s house, and only seems to think about Sanna when her sister shows up asking questions. He’s not upset? No grief? No guilt that he couldn’t find her? Though he does spend a lot of time concerned that people in town don’t seem to like him anymore. I suppose all the men being awful was to keep the reader guessing as to the culprit, but the female characters aren’t developed at all either, they exist solely to be victims of men, or objects of desire of men. Sanna is nothing more to Ryan than a sex partner. Emilia is just a pest to the police, because she - SHOCK - wants to know what happened to her loved one. Janet is a mute victim. The men who profess to love Becky ridicule her behind her back. Both Ryan and Phillip use her when it suits them though they clearly loathe her for daring to want someone to love her. I know this was set in the 80s and so I wouldn’t expect enlightenment or modern attitudes, however all the men were so vile. Not even one of them half decent enough to be aware of the cruelty of their own misogyny, let alone speaking out against it. I wanted them all to walk into the bush and be swallowed whole.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2025
Summer, 1982 in the small town of Nashville, King Country. A shearing gang is working its way through the local farms, working from dawn til dusk, then drinking the night away at the local pub. Sanna is a Finnish rousey, working to pay for her travels, and Ryan is a local boy back from studying law at uni for the summer. And to tidy up his mother's house after her death. When Sanna vanishes after a violent pub brawl at the end of the shearing season, the local cops put it down to another 'backpacker' murder, similar to the murder of a hitchhiker the summer before and the investigation goes nowhere.
A year later Sanna's sister Emilia has arrived from Finland to find out what happened to her sister. Emilia's arrival will disturb the dust that has settled over Nashville and dig out some dark secrets hidden there.
Parkes has crafted a tightly wound crime novel that captures rural New Zealand in the 1980s as well as a very believable crime. The entire shearing gang seem to be suspects - Bull the violent wannabe preacher, Carl, the gang boss, Neville the perv farmer determined to ditch his brain damaged wife for the a life in the Philippines. Then there's Ryan's old friend Phil, son of Jack Nash, town real estate agent and community leader who is determined to have his son follow in his footsteps no matter the cost. Even Ryan has his secrets. Combined with incompetent cops and vast swathes of wilderness, will Emilia ever learn the fate of her sister?
I enjoyed this page turning read and will definitely look out for more books from this author.
A year later Sanna's sister Emilia has arrived from Finland to find out what happened to her sister. Emilia's arrival will disturb the dust that has settled over Nashville and dig out some dark secrets hidden there.
Parkes has crafted a tightly wound crime novel that captures rural New Zealand in the 1980s as well as a very believable crime. The entire shearing gang seem to be suspects - Bull the violent wannabe preacher, Carl, the gang boss, Neville the perv farmer determined to ditch his brain damaged wife for the a life in the Philippines. Then there's Ryan's old friend Phil, son of Jack Nash, town real estate agent and community leader who is determined to have his son follow in his footsteps no matter the cost. Even Ryan has his secrets. Combined with incompetent cops and vast swathes of wilderness, will Emilia ever learn the fate of her sister?
I enjoyed this page turning read and will definitely look out for more books from this author.
February 3, 2026
I discovered this book via the Listener’s review of the follow up book. Describing a NZ thriller sub-genre as “Yeah, Noir” was too much to ignore!
I thoroughly enjoyed it and rattled along at a great pace. I can’t remember the last time I read a book in 2 days. I also loved the NZ’dness (?) of it. References to Arrowroot biscuits, Orange chocolate chip ice cream and Tomato sauce bottles shaped like a tomato. A few of, so many things, that made it so I uniquely Kiwi.
Only issues:
- probably too many characters who were one dimensional and seemingly needing to tick a trope box. Could have slightly less characters and given them more depth.
- (related point) didn’t really need so many of the men to be so dodgy. We have serious issues in this regard, but this seemed OTT. For example it would have been easy to have taken a different approach with Carl.
- main character Ryan seemed to veer between docile ‘victim’ to ‘all action man’. His clear connection and relationship with Senna appeared to create no credible response or action after her disappearance. That didn’t feel true considering how well the relationship was written. And then he was suddenly Ethan Hunt: at the bar fight protecting the vulnerable and then in the denouement.
But these are merely quibbles. Enjoyed it a lot.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and rattled along at a great pace. I can’t remember the last time I read a book in 2 days. I also loved the NZ’dness (?) of it. References to Arrowroot biscuits, Orange chocolate chip ice cream and Tomato sauce bottles shaped like a tomato. A few of, so many things, that made it so I uniquely Kiwi.
Only issues:
- probably too many characters who were one dimensional and seemingly needing to tick a trope box. Could have slightly less characters and given them more depth.
- (related point) didn’t really need so many of the men to be so dodgy. We have serious issues in this regard, but this seemed OTT. For example it would have been easy to have taken a different approach with Carl.
- main character Ryan seemed to veer between docile ‘victim’ to ‘all action man’. His clear connection and relationship with Senna appeared to create no credible response or action after her disappearance. That didn’t feel true considering how well the relationship was written. And then he was suddenly Ethan Hunt: at the bar fight protecting the vulnerable and then in the denouement.
But these are merely quibbles. Enjoyed it a lot.
January 16, 2026
4 🌟 Rating from Me
This gripping story follows Sanna, a young Finnish backpacker working with a shearing team in rural New Zealand. Through her eyes, we’re immersed in the tight-knit world of shearers and small-town life, where she forms a relationship with fellow team member, Ryan.
And then… Sanna disappears.
As the story unfolds through multiple points of view, we meet the locals who make up this small community — realistic, flawed characters - not all of them likeable, each carrying their own secrets.
A year later, Sanna’s sister, Emilia, arrives from Finland, frustrated by a police investigation that has gone nowhere. Determined to find some answers to her sister’s disappearance, she begins digging around with Ryan’s initial reluctance to help.
The pacing is perfect, holding your attention as secrets start to unfold, and you try to piece together what happened, why, and who is responsible. This is very much 'what happens in a small country town stays in a small country town' kind of story.
At times, dark and unsettling, yet consistently gripping, this book explores themes of abuse, violence, and moral corruption, making it a tense and thought-provoking read.
This gripping story follows Sanna, a young Finnish backpacker working with a shearing team in rural New Zealand. Through her eyes, we’re immersed in the tight-knit world of shearers and small-town life, where she forms a relationship with fellow team member, Ryan.
And then… Sanna disappears.
As the story unfolds through multiple points of view, we meet the locals who make up this small community — realistic, flawed characters - not all of them likeable, each carrying their own secrets.
A year later, Sanna’s sister, Emilia, arrives from Finland, frustrated by a police investigation that has gone nowhere. Determined to find some answers to her sister’s disappearance, she begins digging around with Ryan’s initial reluctance to help.
The pacing is perfect, holding your attention as secrets start to unfold, and you try to piece together what happened, why, and who is responsible. This is very much 'what happens in a small country town stays in a small country town' kind of story.
At times, dark and unsettling, yet consistently gripping, this book explores themes of abuse, violence, and moral corruption, making it a tense and thought-provoking read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 9, 2025
A great story with recognisable characters. Ryan, the small-town boy who goes away to university and returns for summer work, Phillip, the small-town boy who doesn't leave and feeds an inferiority complex, and those who don't quite 'fit' into the community, but are tolerated - and how easy it is to wonder if they are the killer of young girls who have gone missing in the local area.
Ryan has a summer romance with a backpacker from Finland who is working with the shearing gang and one day, she goes missing. A year after, her sister turns up wanting answers and she turns to Ryan to help her. Small town life, the sport, the hunting, the importance of the local pub and the yearly arrival of shearing gangs of the 1980's -are the fabric around which the author has built a compelling and tense story.
I probably learned more than I may ever need to know about shearing and bailing wool, but the relevance of all that detail did become clear towards the end.
A great read
Ryan has a summer romance with a backpacker from Finland who is working with the shearing gang and one day, she goes missing. A year after, her sister turns up wanting answers and she turns to Ryan to help her. Small town life, the sport, the hunting, the importance of the local pub and the yearly arrival of shearing gangs of the 1980's -are the fabric around which the author has built a compelling and tense story.
I probably learned more than I may ever need to know about shearing and bailing wool, but the relevance of all that detail did become clear towards the end.
A great read
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