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LIT
What would you do if someone you knew came back from the dead?
Gin is an architect on the brink. LIT, the Auckland-based practice she shares with her girlfriend, Clary, has been precarious since their third partner - Clary's ex, Billy -disappeared, presumed dead.
Now, several years later, LIT's financial problems and Gin's personal debts are snowballing. Clary - emotionally fragile since the disappearance - is growing increasingly remote and elusive. When Gin begins to be haunted by glimpses of Billy, she blames stress and guilt. But could he be back, threatening to expose the past?
Trapped in a web of secrecy and betrayal, Gin's downward spiral gathers force as she begins to suspect her paranoia hides an even more shocking truth - one that will send her whole life up in flames.
This stunning debut literary-suspense novel from award-winning writer Anna Woods explores the insidious charm of those who gaslight us, and examines the blurry line between love and control.
Gin is an architect on the brink. LIT, the Auckland-based practice she shares with her girlfriend, Clary, has been precarious since their third partner - Clary's ex, Billy -disappeared, presumed dead.
Now, several years later, LIT's financial problems and Gin's personal debts are snowballing. Clary - emotionally fragile since the disappearance - is growing increasingly remote and elusive. When Gin begins to be haunted by glimpses of Billy, she blames stress and guilt. But could he be back, threatening to expose the past?
Trapped in a web of secrecy and betrayal, Gin's downward spiral gathers force as she begins to suspect her paranoia hides an even more shocking truth - one that will send her whole life up in flames.
This stunning debut literary-suspense novel from award-winning writer Anna Woods explores the insidious charm of those who gaslight us, and examines the blurry line between love and control.
330 pages, Paperback
First published June 2, 2026
About the author
Anna Woods
1 book6 followersAnna Woods is an award-winning writer from Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland, whose short fiction has been published in a range of journals and anthologies.
The recipient of various awards, residencies and mentorships, she has won the Sargeson Prize and been shortlisted for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize.
LIT is her first novel.
The recipient of various awards, residencies and mentorships, she has won the Sargeson Prize and been shortlisted for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize.
LIT is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
May 17, 2026
An extremely slow and frustrating read that I really did struggle with.the premise had me intrigued but the execution was lacking. Told in first person we hear the story from Gin, an anxious and nervous woman with big secrets. It was a book that just couldn’t bring myself to get too excited about once I started it, as much as I wanted to really enjoy it.
Set in Auckland, Gin is an architect in business with her girlfriend Clary. The 3rd partner Billy is missing, presumed dead. He is also Clary’s ex partner. Is Billy dead, is Gin going mad when she starts to see him everywhere she goes? what happened that night?
For me there was a lot of build up to a disappointing ending. The characters were all so hard to care about, especially Clary who was truly awful, especially to Gin. The other thing that put me off was the amount of technical details about the architectural side of the story. It was too much and went over my head, taking me out of the story.
If you enjoy a slow burn, unlikeable character focus story told in first person then this may be the book for you. Unfortunately it didn’t work for me.
Thank you to Echo Publishing and Good Reading Magazine for sending me a copy to read early. Publishes on June 2nd.
Set in Auckland, Gin is an architect in business with her girlfriend Clary. The 3rd partner Billy is missing, presumed dead. He is also Clary’s ex partner. Is Billy dead, is Gin going mad when she starts to see him everywhere she goes? what happened that night?
For me there was a lot of build up to a disappointing ending. The characters were all so hard to care about, especially Clary who was truly awful, especially to Gin. The other thing that put me off was the amount of technical details about the architectural side of the story. It was too much and went over my head, taking me out of the story.
If you enjoy a slow burn, unlikeable character focus story told in first person then this may be the book for you. Unfortunately it didn’t work for me.
Thank you to Echo Publishing and Good Reading Magazine for sending me a copy to read early. Publishes on June 2nd.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
LIT begins with a deceptively simple premise: an architecture firm, three founding partners, and the secrets lurking around every corner.
Virginia "Gin" Ishak is our guide through this complex corporate world. Described as a woman “on the brink,” Gin is constantly measuring herself against her partner, Clary, and their missing third business partner, Billy. It's a layered setup, and Woods clearly has a sharp understanding of how guilt, desire, and class conflict can calcify into something almost ~architectural~.
What I found the most compelling about this book was the depth of Woods’ prose. Woods writes with a startling, almost unsettling precision. A line like "There was a violence to it, I suppose — the way it can feel with a vulnerable pet; loving it so much you want to smash its bones" lands eerily between tenderness and violence.
The novel is less assured when it comes to plot momentum. The slow unravelling of what happened to LIT is deliberately paced, and it can leave the narrative feeling somewhat adrift in its middle sections. Similarly, Gin's inner monologue is inherently restrictive, so many of the supporting characters, including Clary, occasionally feel more like projections than fully realized people. Readers who come for mystery and momentum may find themselves wanting more traction.
That said, LIT is a book that rewards your patience. For fellow readers drawn to literary fiction that prioritizes atmosphere, voice, and explorations of self-doubt, Woods is definitely a writer worth watching.
Thank you to Echo Publishing and Good Read Magazine for the Advanced Reader's Copy!
Virginia "Gin" Ishak is our guide through this complex corporate world. Described as a woman “on the brink,” Gin is constantly measuring herself against her partner, Clary, and their missing third business partner, Billy. It's a layered setup, and Woods clearly has a sharp understanding of how guilt, desire, and class conflict can calcify into something almost ~architectural~.
What I found the most compelling about this book was the depth of Woods’ prose. Woods writes with a startling, almost unsettling precision. A line like "There was a violence to it, I suppose — the way it can feel with a vulnerable pet; loving it so much you want to smash its bones" lands eerily between tenderness and violence.
The novel is less assured when it comes to plot momentum. The slow unravelling of what happened to LIT is deliberately paced, and it can leave the narrative feeling somewhat adrift in its middle sections. Similarly, Gin's inner monologue is inherently restrictive, so many of the supporting characters, including Clary, occasionally feel more like projections than fully realized people. Readers who come for mystery and momentum may find themselves wanting more traction.
That said, LIT is a book that rewards your patience. For fellow readers drawn to literary fiction that prioritizes atmosphere, voice, and explorations of self-doubt, Woods is definitely a writer worth watching.
Thank you to Echo Publishing and Good Read Magazine for the Advanced Reader's Copy!
June 11, 2026
Big thanks to Echo Publishing for sending us a copy to read and review.
Well that was a frustrating read but I’m wondering if the author made it that way……
Debut author Anna Woods book Lit is a story that will be discussed just maybe not in the most positive way.
Lit is an architecture firm founded by three friends that’s on the verge of coming to an end.
Gin is picking up the pieces after her partner Billy is presumed dead and her other partner Clary is dealing with her mental health from the fallout.
But the pressure is mounting up.
Gin knows more than she is saying and a reporter is fishing for information.
And could she be seeing Billy or is it the stress.
Is the shocking truth about to be revealed…….
Set in New Zealand, it has a catchy premise but doesn’t seem to develop.
It felt like it didn’t go anywhere and was very leisurely without anything really to grab you.
I found the characters and plot annoyingly lax.
The ending was unresolved and just a little bit disappointing.
A book you may want to read and make up your own mind.
Well that was a frustrating read but I’m wondering if the author made it that way……
Debut author Anna Woods book Lit is a story that will be discussed just maybe not in the most positive way.
Lit is an architecture firm founded by three friends that’s on the verge of coming to an end.
Gin is picking up the pieces after her partner Billy is presumed dead and her other partner Clary is dealing with her mental health from the fallout.
But the pressure is mounting up.
Gin knows more than she is saying and a reporter is fishing for information.
And could she be seeing Billy or is it the stress.
Is the shocking truth about to be revealed…….
Set in New Zealand, it has a catchy premise but doesn’t seem to develop.
It felt like it didn’t go anywhere and was very leisurely without anything really to grab you.
I found the characters and plot annoyingly lax.
The ending was unresolved and just a little bit disappointing.
A book you may want to read and make up your own mind.
May 8, 2026
Lit by Anna Woods was a slow burn for me and I almost put it aside several times in the first half. I found the way Wood hints at past happenings without offering explanation until late in the novel frustrating, but I guess it also kept me reading. Ultimately though I was kinda disappointed that the supposedly dire event that set things off here felt a little anticlimactic. I was also disappointed in the ending, but purely from a social justice or 'what's right' perspective.
Virginia (Gin) is our narrator. We learn she's besotted with her girlfriend Clary who she believes is too good for her, and paranoid about Clary's own obsession with previous boyfriend, Billy. In fact she describes herself as a 'consolation prize'. The threesome met at University, with Clary and Billy from wealthy families...and different values to Gin at times. The threesome ran LIT (an architecture firm) until Billy's disappearance three years earlier.
Gin is initially vague about what happened when talking about Billy so it takes some time to confirm whether he's dead (and why they think that) or just missing.
This is written in first person but Gin dips into second person prose, as if she’s confiding in us. It worked and I became invested. She also however frustrated the hell out of me, making bad decision after bad decision.
3.5 stars
Read my review here: https://www.debbish.com/books-literat...
Virginia (Gin) is our narrator. We learn she's besotted with her girlfriend Clary who she believes is too good for her, and paranoid about Clary's own obsession with previous boyfriend, Billy. In fact she describes herself as a 'consolation prize'. The threesome met at University, with Clary and Billy from wealthy families...and different values to Gin at times. The threesome ran LIT (an architecture firm) until Billy's disappearance three years earlier.
Gin is initially vague about what happened when talking about Billy so it takes some time to confirm whether he's dead (and why they think that) or just missing.
This is written in first person but Gin dips into second person prose, as if she’s confiding in us. It worked and I became invested. She also however frustrated the hell out of me, making bad decision after bad decision.
3.5 stars
Read my review here: https://www.debbish.com/books-literat...
May 15, 2026
I found this book discomforting to read which I imagine was the author's intent. Our point of view character, Gin, is in a constant state of stress and worry as soon as the book start and it only escalates as the story continues. I won't be reading it again as just thinking about it makes me start to stress for her again.
A lot of the stress comes from the unknown event that Gin is constantly thinking about that made her business partner (and her current girlfriend's ex-boyfriend) disappear mysteriously. As there aren’t many details about the disappearance revealed initially, there’s this gnawing unease present throughout the first half of the book. Alas, once the reasons are revealed, it’s not as satisfying or dramatic as it could have been.
The characters all frustrated me (again, I believe this was intentional) and they continually dig themselves in deeper holes and fail to make obvious choices. This made me want to yell at them several times. I think I could have sympathised with Gin better had she not been mostly the architect of her own downfall (just realised that was a pun!)
A tense, disturbing read that it took me a while to recover from.
A lot of the stress comes from the unknown event that Gin is constantly thinking about that made her business partner (and her current girlfriend's ex-boyfriend) disappear mysteriously. As there aren’t many details about the disappearance revealed initially, there’s this gnawing unease present throughout the first half of the book. Alas, once the reasons are revealed, it’s not as satisfying or dramatic as it could have been.
The characters all frustrated me (again, I believe this was intentional) and they continually dig themselves in deeper holes and fail to make obvious choices. This made me want to yell at them several times. I think I could have sympathised with Gin better had she not been mostly the architect of her own downfall (just realised that was a pun!)
A tense, disturbing read that it took me a while to recover from.
August 3, 2026
Not for me. Was soooo slow and I did not like Gin or Clary at all!! Did appreciate the NZ setting, and the ending was actually pretty good but I really struggled to get through this to be honest. There’s no doubt Anna has a way with words though, but I just think literary thrillers aren’t my cup of tea.
May 19, 2026
There is no doubt that Anna Woods is a talented writer.
Her Auckland-based scene building for the thriller LIT was evocative. Her development of a cast of troubled and morally grey characters was intriguing. The gradual build up of suspense across the novel’s narrative was creatively written.
The main characters are purposely untrustworthy - Architect Gin, her Architect girlfriend and business partner Clarissa (Clary), their Architect business partner and Clary’s ex boyfriend Billy, Clary’s wealthy parents Therese and Antony, and investigative journalist April.
Gin’s narrative compels us to continuously question whether she is a naively loyal victim, a complicit opportunist and unreliable narrator, or something in between. Woods has done a commendable job in this regard, because even though the narrative is slow and frustrating at times, I still wanted to know the truth, not just Gin’s perception of it.
That said, it felt like a failure to launch effectively, a literary parallel of the fortunes of the young architecture firm, LIT, on which the novel is centred.
Despite the evolving intrigue in the story, the ending felt anti-climactic and unresolved. LIT tempts the reader to expect a “Gone Girl” type twist, but we are ultimately left wanting more.
Thank you Good Reading Magazine and Echo Publishing for the opportunity to be an ARC reader of this book. It was interesting to read something from a new author and set in Auckland, New Zealand.
Her Auckland-based scene building for the thriller LIT was evocative. Her development of a cast of troubled and morally grey characters was intriguing. The gradual build up of suspense across the novel’s narrative was creatively written.
The main characters are purposely untrustworthy - Architect Gin, her Architect girlfriend and business partner Clarissa (Clary), their Architect business partner and Clary’s ex boyfriend Billy, Clary’s wealthy parents Therese and Antony, and investigative journalist April.
Gin’s narrative compels us to continuously question whether she is a naively loyal victim, a complicit opportunist and unreliable narrator, or something in between. Woods has done a commendable job in this regard, because even though the narrative is slow and frustrating at times, I still wanted to know the truth, not just Gin’s perception of it.
That said, it felt like a failure to launch effectively, a literary parallel of the fortunes of the young architecture firm, LIT, on which the novel is centred.
Despite the evolving intrigue in the story, the ending felt anti-climactic and unresolved. LIT tempts the reader to expect a “Gone Girl” type twist, but we are ultimately left wanting more.
Thank you Good Reading Magazine and Echo Publishing for the opportunity to be an ARC reader of this book. It was interesting to read something from a new author and set in Auckland, New Zealand.
July 10, 2026
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Thank you Echo Publishing for this book in exchange for an honest review
LIT is a tense psychological thriller that leans heavily into paranoia, secrets, and the uncomfortable feeling that something in your life feels ‘off’ and you can’t figure out why. Set in the gorgeous architecture of Auckland, we get introduced to Gin who life is quietly unravelling after the disappearance of her partner Clary’s former lover, Billy.
Building to the suspense and level of unease, you see Gin go through everything: strained relationships, financial pressure, emotional withdrawal and you begin to get this creeping suspicion that Gin’s perception of reality might not be as reliable as you originally thought.
I have to say that LIT sits more in the mid-range for me, as the pacing and clarity is very slow. It’s deliberately slow, which suits the psychological tone, but there are stretches where the tension feels more atmospheric than building on the story.
That said, LIT absolutely lands the ending. When things finally start to tighten and the truth begins to surface, the payoff is there if you are willing to put the time in. It’s the kind of book that doesn’t rush to impress you; it demands that you put the time in to earn that final twist!
Bookstagram
Thank you Echo Publishing for this book in exchange for an honest review
LIT is a tense psychological thriller that leans heavily into paranoia, secrets, and the uncomfortable feeling that something in your life feels ‘off’ and you can’t figure out why. Set in the gorgeous architecture of Auckland, we get introduced to Gin who life is quietly unravelling after the disappearance of her partner Clary’s former lover, Billy.
Building to the suspense and level of unease, you see Gin go through everything: strained relationships, financial pressure, emotional withdrawal and you begin to get this creeping suspicion that Gin’s perception of reality might not be as reliable as you originally thought.
I have to say that LIT sits more in the mid-range for me, as the pacing and clarity is very slow. It’s deliberately slow, which suits the psychological tone, but there are stretches where the tension feels more atmospheric than building on the story.
That said, LIT absolutely lands the ending. When things finally start to tighten and the truth begins to surface, the payoff is there if you are willing to put the time in. It’s the kind of book that doesn’t rush to impress you; it demands that you put the time in to earn that final twist!
Review of advance copy
LIT is a psychological thriller set in a failing architectural practice in Auckland. Clary, Billy and the main protagonist, Virginia (Gin) were business partners until Billy disappeared three years ago, and everything has been falling apart ever since.
Gin is deep in crisis and trying to hide it. Now she owes money everywhere, her relationship with Clary is failing and she thinks Billy is stalking her – even though he was supposed to be dead. The tension increases as events close in around Gin. Clary is increasingly distant, debt collectors are circling, Billy won’t go away and now an investigative journalist is digging.
While I appreciate the premise, unsettling language choices and frequent similes are jarring – ‘touching her knee, smooth and cool as a refrigerator egg’. Unfortunately, the characters are so awful that by the end I did not care about Gin’s life choices, Clary’s fragility and narcissism, or Billy’s rich-boy issues.
The setting in Auckland is vivid and I enjoyed the descriptions of Gin and Clary’s very bougie life and the inner workings of an architecture practice. LIT is a debut, and the plot pulled me along to find out what really happened at LIT three years ago.
Thank you Good Reading Magazine and Echo Publishing for sending me an ARC. Opinions are my own.
Gin is deep in crisis and trying to hide it. Now she owes money everywhere, her relationship with Clary is failing and she thinks Billy is stalking her – even though he was supposed to be dead. The tension increases as events close in around Gin. Clary is increasingly distant, debt collectors are circling, Billy won’t go away and now an investigative journalist is digging.
While I appreciate the premise, unsettling language choices and frequent similes are jarring – ‘touching her knee, smooth and cool as a refrigerator egg’. Unfortunately, the characters are so awful that by the end I did not care about Gin’s life choices, Clary’s fragility and narcissism, or Billy’s rich-boy issues.
The setting in Auckland is vivid and I enjoyed the descriptions of Gin and Clary’s very bougie life and the inner workings of an architecture practice. LIT is a debut, and the plot pulled me along to find out what really happened at LIT three years ago.
Thank you Good Reading Magazine and Echo Publishing for sending me an ARC. Opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy
It was an a-okay read and I did struggle with it. I don’t like the characters and the stress that’s being put into the story which makes me want stop reading it. Hey, if the story does get into you maybe it’s a good book for people who prefers this kind of content. Thank you Good Reading Magazine and Echo Publishing for the ARC.
July 5, 2026
A brilliant literary suspense thriller. Every sentence is a masterpiece - eloquent, descriptive, and polished. Love Gin’s voice, and the careful revealing throughout made me want to keep reading it every night. Anna is a gifted New Zealand writer and one I’ll be keeping an eye on - want her next book out already!
July 6, 2026
LIT. is a sophisticated, literary psychological thriller. The author expertly builds tension with beautiful prose and a killer twist. The perfect read for fans of Daphne du Maurier and Patricia Highsmith.
July 9, 2026
LIT is a highly sophisticated thriller, pulsing with paranoia and suspense, its claustrophobic tension tightening with every page. Anna Woods’ debut is the ultimate slow burn – elegant, compulsive and haunting.
July 14, 2026
LIT by Anna Woods is a slow-burn psychological thriller that gives the reader so many opportunities to judge who the villains are in a world where almost everyone has strong villain genes. I love an unreliable narrator because as a reader, you never know which way they will go.
June 17, 2026
Sadly this book was well overcooked. The plot is a good one but so much of the story is either too Hollywood or stereotypical in its delivery.
July 6, 2026
An elegant, unsettling psychological suspense novel about class, greed and the insidious nature of coercive control. Beautifully written, brilliantly crafted. I wolfed it down!
July 23, 2026
LIT isn’t a slow burn so much as a very long fuse attached to a damp firework. After all that waiting, the big reveal amounts to little more than a faint pop.
July 27, 2026
Grand Designs meets Gone Girl.
June 17, 2026
I mean.....yeah!
July 27, 2026
This book has taken me awhile to finish, but I’m so glad it has. There are so many lines in this story I’ve marked. The phrases are rich and stunning, intriguing and captivating! The story is a slow burn mystery that, when I have to set it down (because life), I can’t wait to return to it to find more layers uncovered and twisty thoughts shared. What an exercise for the mind (and an inspiration for a writer to read). Really loved it and will have this one turning circles in my head for a while—the writing was that good!
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews