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Nick Chester #1
Marlborough Man
Nick Chester is working as a sergeant for the Havelock police in the Marlborough Sound, at the top of New Zealand's South Island. If the river isn't flooded and the land hasn't slipped, it's paradise. Unless you are also hiding from a ruthless man with a grudge, in which case, remote beauty has its own kind of danger. In the last couple of weeks, two locals have vanished. Their bodies are found, but the Pied Piper is still at large.Marlborough Man is a gripping story about the hunter and the hunted, and about what happens when evil takes hold in a small town.
393 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2017
29 people are currently reading
487 people want to read
About the author
Alan Carter
10 books91 followersAlan Carter is an award-winning crime author and sometimes television documentary director. His Cato Kwong series – Prime Cut, Getting Warmer and Bad Seed – has been published in the UK, France, Germany and Spain. His latest novel, Marlborough Man, is set in New Zealand. Alan was born in Sunderland, UK and immigrated to Australia in 1991. These days he divides his time between his house near the beach in Fremantle and a hobby farm up a remote valley in New Zealand. In his spare time he follows a black line up and down the local swimming pool. Alan Carter has won the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel (2018) and the Ned Kelly Award for Best First Fiction (2011).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
August 7, 2018
“Marlborough Man” by Alan Carter is defiantly NOT about that ‘smoking’ man from “The X Files”. Marlborough is one of the regions of New Zealand, located in the northeast of the South Island. Today Marlborough is a well-known wine producing region. If a category for the book is needed than police-procedural would be a place to begin.
Nick is an English policeman now relocated to New Zealand by witness protection along with his wife and their autistic son. Nick is the target of English gangsters he had infiltrated undercover. Now, he is a sergeant on the local NZ police force mostly breaking up bar fights and enforcing the traffic laws, until the child murders begin. Nick is assisted by Latifa, a Māori woman, who helps Nick with the understanding of local culture while doing their policing.
The book is dark and disturbing. It took me a few chapters to become accustomed to it’s strange rhythms of not only the local speech but of the dichotomy of what sounds like beautiful terrain mixed with violence, prejudice, and unusual local customs. A word of caution, this book will not appeal to everyone. However, if exploring unfamiliar lands and different ways of life appeals to the reader, than this book is worth the effort.
The plotting is tight and moves at a brisk pace, alternating between flashbacks to England in contrast to the urban NZ locale. There are issues with logging and the deforestation of the terrain by greedy corporations, peppered throughout with a bit of Mr. Carters sly humor.
I have not read any of Mr. Carters previous books. “Marlborough Man” has been nominated for this years (2018) Ngaio Marsh Award for ‘Best Crime Novel’, the award was established in 2010 and promotes and celebrates excellence in crime, mystery and thriller writing by New Zealand authors. After reading this book I am compelled to explore more offerings by New Zealand authors.
Nick is an English policeman now relocated to New Zealand by witness protection along with his wife and their autistic son. Nick is the target of English gangsters he had infiltrated undercover. Now, he is a sergeant on the local NZ police force mostly breaking up bar fights and enforcing the traffic laws, until the child murders begin. Nick is assisted by Latifa, a Māori woman, who helps Nick with the understanding of local culture while doing their policing.
The book is dark and disturbing. It took me a few chapters to become accustomed to it’s strange rhythms of not only the local speech but of the dichotomy of what sounds like beautiful terrain mixed with violence, prejudice, and unusual local customs. A word of caution, this book will not appeal to everyone. However, if exploring unfamiliar lands and different ways of life appeals to the reader, than this book is worth the effort.
The plotting is tight and moves at a brisk pace, alternating between flashbacks to England in contrast to the urban NZ locale. There are issues with logging and the deforestation of the terrain by greedy corporations, peppered throughout with a bit of Mr. Carters sly humor.
I have not read any of Mr. Carters previous books. “Marlborough Man” has been nominated for this years (2018) Ngaio Marsh Award for ‘Best Crime Novel’, the award was established in 2010 and promotes and celebrates excellence in crime, mystery and thriller writing by New Zealand authors. After reading this book I am compelled to explore more offerings by New Zealand authors.
February 19, 2018
Marlborough Man is set in rural New Zealand and focuses on Sergeant Nick Chester, one of only two police officers in town. As we discover, Nick is in a kind of witness protection program after his part in bringing down a serious crime figure in the UK. Someone is out there hunting him down but this turns out to be only one of the stories told in the book.
While Nick is being hunted he also becomes the hunter, after a series of small boys from the area are abducted, abused and murdered. The search for the culprit makes this a perfect book for any fan of police procedurals, although the country setting allows for some bending of the rules and also makes for a better story!
The setting is actually one of the best things about the book and it introduces some great characters. The best one is probably Nick's offsider, Latifa, who understands the local people through and through, and frequently helps Nick avoid making mistakes. There is of course the expected local made rich by logging and some of the pros and cons of this contraversial issue are tossed around by various parties.
I enjoyed the book and made myself a promise to revisit New Zealand some day soon:)
While Nick is being hunted he also becomes the hunter, after a series of small boys from the area are abducted, abused and murdered. The search for the culprit makes this a perfect book for any fan of police procedurals, although the country setting allows for some bending of the rules and also makes for a better story!
The setting is actually one of the best things about the book and it introduces some great characters. The best one is probably Nick's offsider, Latifa, who understands the local people through and through, and frequently helps Nick avoid making mistakes. There is of course the expected local made rich by logging and some of the pros and cons of this contraversial issue are tossed around by various parties.
I enjoyed the book and made myself a promise to revisit New Zealand some day soon:)
February 25, 2018
Nick Chester is a man in hiding. After a long undercover operation where he helped to put away a major crime lord in the UK, he has changed his name and with his wife Vanessa and son Paul moved to work at a small town police station in the Marlborough Sound region of New Zealand. Life is generally peaceful there, with the worst crimes being speeding and stealing food. However, some young boys have been abducted and murdered and Nick has to find the sexual predator in their midst. His investigations are further complicated when one of the criminal gang Nick helped to expose has found where he and his family are hiding.
I enjoyed the setting of this novel in the beautiful NZ wilderness and the influence of Maori culture on the town and policing practices. There were some interesting Maori characters involved - Nick's police partner Latifa, the two dodgy Maori guys who rent a shack on Nick's property, Denzel the local youthful larrikin and his Uncle Walter who tries to keep the extended family in check. Environmental concerns about excessive logging stripping the landscape is also an issue raised by the novel in the form of the local millionaire, McCormack who doesn't care that his logging business is damaging his neighbours properties. As well as the rape and murder of young boys (fortunately not described in detail), there are also several violent deaths as the murderer tries to cover his tracks so this novel won't be for everyone. There is also a lot of humour to lighten the atmosphere and a nail biting conclusion.
I enjoyed the setting of this novel in the beautiful NZ wilderness and the influence of Maori culture on the town and policing practices. There were some interesting Maori characters involved - Nick's police partner Latifa, the two dodgy Maori guys who rent a shack on Nick's property, Denzel the local youthful larrikin and his Uncle Walter who tries to keep the extended family in check. Environmental concerns about excessive logging stripping the landscape is also an issue raised by the novel in the form of the local millionaire, McCormack who doesn't care that his logging business is damaging his neighbours properties. As well as the rape and murder of young boys (fortunately not described in detail), there are also several violent deaths as the murderer tries to cover his tracks so this novel won't be for everyone. There is also a lot of humour to lighten the atmosphere and a nail biting conclusion.
July 8, 2020
”What are you thinking?”
“I’m not thinking anything. Maybe in the coming month you’ll have sorted this thing out. Or you’ll be dead. Either way, we’ll cross that bridge.”
Nick Chester is a man waiting for his past to catchup with him. A policeman, he’s had to move, along with his wife and son from the UK to the “Land of The Long White Cloud” (aka New Zealand) after an undercover operation that he was involved in went belly up.
Both professionally and personally, Nick has a lot of baggage. He’s slightly flawed, a bit world weary, but values both his job and family with an earnest passion. His doggedness and fatalist attitude is what I liked about him.
Nick is investigating the disappearance of several local boys, while at the same time he is being tracked down by the criminal fraternity in the UK that necessitated his change of identity. He is both the hunter and the hunted.
”My guts are churning and I wonder, too late, whether it’s all a huge mistake. And the thing is, it’s only the beginning.”
Nick lives in a rural area, in a tiny town by the name of Havelock. There is divide in the community regarding the logging of the pine forests, which is being handled with glee by business magnate Richard McCormack. Do his money and business interests hide something darker?
Set in the Marlborough region of N.Z, I love how Alan Carter has captured the lush scenic beauty of the countryside and its’ easy going locals, while retaining the underlying unease of the heinous crimes being investigated. The dichotomy between the two is subtle but there, bubbling under the surface.
This book has several sub-plots that tie neatly together. The interaction between the characters and their agendas makes for interesting reading. The inclusion of Maori sayings is fascinating and adds to the realness of the characters, the idea of utu (payback) is particularly chilling.
While most of the story is gritty and deals with abhorrent crimes, there are many moments of humour. The N.Z lingo, with Nick (a Geordie) & the N.Z locals not understanding each other’s accents. Steve & Gary, Nick’s “housemates” (who are staying with Nick after his wife and son have been moved to a safe house) gave me a chuckle with their mannerisms and things they said. There is also a very funny scene of a youth shoplifting a roast chicken down his trousers. Sure does give a new meaning to the term “hot takeaway”**.
Minus one star for how feral cats are handled.
This is a solid read with a good storyline and realistic characters. I’d definitely love to see Alan Carter continue with the character of Nick Chester, as this would be a series I’d follow.
Congrats to Alan Carter on winning the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime book 2018. This is awarded for excellence in New Zealand crime, mystery, and thriller writing. Well deserved. Thanks for the letting me know Karl!
Shout out to GR friend Karl for his intriguing review, which piqued my interest.
Karl’s fab review can be read here https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
** From an interview with Alan Carter, it seems that stealing hot food was indeed the crime du jour amongst youths for a time (can you believe!). From ”Good Reading” magazine / June 2017.
October 3, 2022
Ngaio Marsh Awards for Best Crime Novel (2018)
Sergeant Nick Chester has made a new home in a small town in the Marlborough Sounds at the top of New Zealand's stunning South Island. He has escaped the UK after an undercover operation made him the target of a vicious gang hellbent on revenge. He knows its only a matter of time before they find him. In the meantime his sleepy town is shocked when a missing boy's horribly tortured body is found. Soon fears for another missing boy has the community on edge and fingers pointing. I really enjoyed reading another book set in my country. The characters were well developed and I connected quickly to the distinctly kiwi feel of the novel. I know the character was from the UK but gosh it grated hearing such bad pronunciation of Te Reo Māori. I knew pretty quickly that I would want to read book 2 so had that lined up ready to go. A great crime thriller and I look forward to reading more from this author.
CW:
Sergeant Nick Chester has made a new home in a small town in the Marlborough Sounds at the top of New Zealand's stunning South Island. He has escaped the UK after an undercover operation made him the target of a vicious gang hellbent on revenge. He knows its only a matter of time before they find him. In the meantime his sleepy town is shocked when a missing boy's horribly tortured body is found. Soon fears for another missing boy has the community on edge and fingers pointing. I really enjoyed reading another book set in my country. The characters were well developed and I connected quickly to the distinctly kiwi feel of the novel. I know the character was from the UK but gosh it grated hearing such bad pronunciation of Te Reo Māori. I knew pretty quickly that I would want to read book 2 so had that lined up ready to go. A great crime thriller and I look forward to reading more from this author.
CW:
February 15, 2018
Sergeant Nick Chester was in witness protection of a sort after events in England - but he was always looking over his shoulder. His wife Vanessa and son Paulie were by his side - Vanessa not so happy about circumstances, Paulie happy anywhere his family was.
New Zealand's south island housed Marlborough Sound which was where Nick was located. The latest case they were following was the disappearance of young boys and their mutilated bodies when they were found. The press called the killer the Pied Piper - Nick and the Havelock police team were desperate to find the perpetrator, but Nick's own problems kept getting in the way.
Would they find the killer? And would Nick have to face his past, one way or the other?
Marlborough Man by Aussie author Alan Carter is a crime/police procedural which seemed to drag a little and it took me awhile to get into. Nick Chester wasn't a particularly likeable character, and the level of violence - dead bodies everywhere - along with the language was high. It was enough to keep me interested though - and I know the ratings are quite high, so I'm obviously in the minority with this one. Recommended to fans of the genre.
New Zealand's south island housed Marlborough Sound which was where Nick was located. The latest case they were following was the disappearance of young boys and their mutilated bodies when they were found. The press called the killer the Pied Piper - Nick and the Havelock police team were desperate to find the perpetrator, but Nick's own problems kept getting in the way.
Would they find the killer? And would Nick have to face his past, one way or the other?
Marlborough Man by Aussie author Alan Carter is a crime/police procedural which seemed to drag a little and it took me awhile to get into. Nick Chester wasn't a particularly likeable character, and the level of violence - dead bodies everywhere - along with the language was high. It was enough to keep me interested though - and I know the ratings are quite high, so I'm obviously in the minority with this one. Recommended to fans of the genre.
December 4, 2017
4.5 stars. Really enjoyed Marlborough Man, am adding it to my 2017 favourites and will definitely read some of Alan Carter’s earlier works. I don’t think I read a GR review of it so I must have seen this book reviewed somewhere else, perhaps in Saturday’s newspaper.
Nick Chester is a cop living and working in the Marlborough Sounds area in the northern part of NZ’s south island in a town called Havelock. He’s originally from Sunderland, England, but had to leave there as he was working undercover for two years and the results of the operation weren’t particularly successful. Therefore he is essentially on the run and in a witness protection program. There are some brutal crimes involving kids in Havelock and Nick is involved in the investigation but his previous life in England often comes back to bite him on the backside.
There are a lot of laughs in this story, Nick is streetwise with a dry sense of humour and usually always has a sharp, witty observation or comment on crime and criminals, the state of the world, marriage and infidelity, power and influence and a host of other issues. I loved the way other themes were merged in with the crime – the environment and logging, the indigenous Maori culture, wealth and privilege, friendships, grief and loss. It also made me think of planning a trip to the South Island of NZ as it sounds absolutely beautiful.
I was initially thinking the book might be a bit ‘blokey’ but I notice there’s plenty of praise and high ratings from female reviewers. Loved it. Highly recommended.
Nick Chester is a cop living and working in the Marlborough Sounds area in the northern part of NZ’s south island in a town called Havelock. He’s originally from Sunderland, England, but had to leave there as he was working undercover for two years and the results of the operation weren’t particularly successful. Therefore he is essentially on the run and in a witness protection program. There are some brutal crimes involving kids in Havelock and Nick is involved in the investigation but his previous life in England often comes back to bite him on the backside.
There are a lot of laughs in this story, Nick is streetwise with a dry sense of humour and usually always has a sharp, witty observation or comment on crime and criminals, the state of the world, marriage and infidelity, power and influence and a host of other issues. I loved the way other themes were merged in with the crime – the environment and logging, the indigenous Maori culture, wealth and privilege, friendships, grief and loss. It also made me think of planning a trip to the South Island of NZ as it sounds absolutely beautiful.
I was initially thinking the book might be a bit ‘blokey’ but I notice there’s plenty of praise and high ratings from female reviewers. Loved it. Highly recommended.
February 4, 2018
It’s a clear and crisp Saturday, perfect for traffic duty. Before going into work I stop by the DIY place down by the marina. It’s a big list: chicken wire, nails, wood, rope, tarp, chain, guttering, et cetera. Apparently goats are gregarious animals but they don’t like rain or cold and need to be well fenced in. The saying goes that goats spend twenty-three hours a day planning their escape and the last hour executing it. As for chickens, don’t get me started.
Marlborough Man is NZ Police Sergeant Nick Chester – the surname changed as he and wife Vanessa and special needs son Paulie relocate to the relative safety of the land of the long white cloud after he fingered a vicious gangland boss in the north-east of England. Even behind bars the gang boss has some pull and Nick is constantly looking over his shoulder. Police work in the Marlborough area (the northern part of the South Island) is the usual mix of theft, drugs and traffic offences, but now there is a paedophile abducting young boys, raping them before killing them by drowning or strangulation. DI Marianne Keegan flies in from Wellington to head the investigation.
The family live in a picturesque valley of hobby farmers, with plantation pine in the near distance the biggest employer. Two maori (Steve and Gary) arrive with pig dogs in the back of the truck, asking to rent a shack on their property, which Vanessa agrees to as she only has part-time work, while Nick is based out of Havelock, a two officer police station he shares with policewoman Latifa who is studying a law degree part-time in Nelson. Latifa’s Maori connections with the marae bring a troubled teen named Denzel to their attention, and with his guardian “Uncle” Walter, they learn of an abduction, rape and murder of a cousin Prince five years earlier, which the investigating officer at the time dismissed as some sort of pay-back.
Written in first person / present tense, Alan Carter has produced an earthy thriller pitting Nick against an influential businessman and vicious villains, relying on help from the duo of “rough diamonds” renting the shack. The narrative is told from Nick’s perspective but interleaved every so often with the chilling thoughts of the serial killer, always a step ahead of the investigation. As coincidences coalesce and false starts evaporate the story reaches its nerve-wracking conclusion.
A very good read, located in one of my favourite parts of NZ. I look forward to reading more of his work.
Marlborough Man is NZ Police Sergeant Nick Chester – the surname changed as he and wife Vanessa and special needs son Paulie relocate to the relative safety of the land of the long white cloud after he fingered a vicious gangland boss in the north-east of England. Even behind bars the gang boss has some pull and Nick is constantly looking over his shoulder. Police work in the Marlborough area (the northern part of the South Island) is the usual mix of theft, drugs and traffic offences, but now there is a paedophile abducting young boys, raping them before killing them by drowning or strangulation. DI Marianne Keegan flies in from Wellington to head the investigation.
The family live in a picturesque valley of hobby farmers, with plantation pine in the near distance the biggest employer. Two maori (Steve and Gary) arrive with pig dogs in the back of the truck, asking to rent a shack on their property, which Vanessa agrees to as she only has part-time work, while Nick is based out of Havelock, a two officer police station he shares with policewoman Latifa who is studying a law degree part-time in Nelson. Latifa’s Maori connections with the marae bring a troubled teen named Denzel to their attention, and with his guardian “Uncle” Walter, they learn of an abduction, rape and murder of a cousin Prince five years earlier, which the investigating officer at the time dismissed as some sort of pay-back.
Written in first person / present tense, Alan Carter has produced an earthy thriller pitting Nick against an influential businessman and vicious villains, relying on help from the duo of “rough diamonds” renting the shack. The narrative is told from Nick’s perspective but interleaved every so often with the chilling thoughts of the serial killer, always a step ahead of the investigation. As coincidences coalesce and false starts evaporate the story reaches its nerve-wracking conclusion.
A very good read, located in one of my favourite parts of NZ. I look forward to reading more of his work.
May 16, 2017
The Marlborough Man is a tale of two distinct stories linked by events surrounding protagonist Nick Chester, a once undercover cop from England now residing in New Zealand under a form of witness protection. Nick’s the senior ranking officer in the two officer Havelock police force. He’s got a wife and child, and lives on a farm surrounded by picturesque scenery. The Havelock crime element is minimal, generally consisting of bar scuffles, graffiti and the odd theft. That all changes when Nick’s past comes back to haunt him, bringing along with it a dark tide of unrelated criminal activity to his small town posting.
First thing I must mention about this book is that it is exceptionally well written both from plotting and narrative to the well-defined characters - it all works. Marlborough Man feels like a meaty read; there’s a lot to take in as Nick investigates a spate of child murders linked to Havelock’s elite while dealing with a personal vendetta omnipresent yet on the peripheral to what is eventually touted as the Pied Piper case. Author Alan Carter manages to navigate through the darker crime elements of the book by providing momentary light relief with a spattering of humor here and there – be it from Nick’s wife, Nick himself, a couple of Russian assassins, or two unexpected campers on Nicks’ property forming a nice balance to book.
I read Marlborough Man slower than most other books, savoring each word to make sure I took in the atmosphere as the New Zealand backdrop is just as important as the characters themselves. Forming an appreciation of the place-setting goes a long way to understanding Nick and the cast of characters (perhaps not those in England from Nick’s past).
Marlborough Man is a more than a whodunit, it brings with it a baggage bursting with danger and a cast that are instantly relatable. I highly recommend this book – 5 / 5 stars.
First thing I must mention about this book is that it is exceptionally well written both from plotting and narrative to the well-defined characters - it all works. Marlborough Man feels like a meaty read; there’s a lot to take in as Nick investigates a spate of child murders linked to Havelock’s elite while dealing with a personal vendetta omnipresent yet on the peripheral to what is eventually touted as the Pied Piper case. Author Alan Carter manages to navigate through the darker crime elements of the book by providing momentary light relief with a spattering of humor here and there – be it from Nick’s wife, Nick himself, a couple of Russian assassins, or two unexpected campers on Nicks’ property forming a nice balance to book.
I read Marlborough Man slower than most other books, savoring each word to make sure I took in the atmosphere as the New Zealand backdrop is just as important as the characters themselves. Forming an appreciation of the place-setting goes a long way to understanding Nick and the cast of characters (perhaps not those in England from Nick’s past).
Marlborough Man is a more than a whodunit, it brings with it a baggage bursting with danger and a cast that are instantly relatable. I highly recommend this book – 5 / 5 stars.
February 16, 2018
3 stars
This crime/police murder mystery was set in a part of New Zealand that you need to see to appreciate it's natural beauty but the cover of the book shows a small glimpse of it. Because of my love of this area, the Marlborough Sounds, plus being married to a Kiwi I kind of just had to read this book. Like me, the author is obviously a massive fan of this region also. It does however contain some quite gruesome details of child abduction, sexual abuse and murder, not to mention bad language including the offensive C word. I didn't much care for the main character Nick Chester. I'm glad to have read it, but if it's a series then I wouldn't be rushing out to grab book 2.
This crime/police murder mystery was set in a part of New Zealand that you need to see to appreciate it's natural beauty but the cover of the book shows a small glimpse of it. Because of my love of this area, the Marlborough Sounds, plus being married to a Kiwi I kind of just had to read this book. Like me, the author is obviously a massive fan of this region also. It does however contain some quite gruesome details of child abduction, sexual abuse and murder, not to mention bad language including the offensive C word. I didn't much care for the main character Nick Chester. I'm glad to have read it, but if it's a series then I wouldn't be rushing out to grab book 2.
September 18, 2023
I've been wanting to check out this author for a while, and I think this was a good starting point as it delivered more than I expected. Narration by Jerome Pride was pretty good except for one (thankfully very brief) Australian accent that made me laugh.
Police Sergeant Nick Chester and his small family are settling into a new, small life in New Zealand after the end of a lengthy undercover stint in England. They've had to change their surname and leave all their loved ones behind, but they're making the most of it. When two young boys are murdered in the region within a short space of time, connections are made with an earlier tragedy, and suddenly the hunt is on for a serial killer.
Meanwhile, Chester is looking over his shoulder as his former life seems to be catching up with him.
It's a great story and there's a lot going on to maintain interest. An added bonus is the Marlborough Sound setting. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will look out for book #2.
Police Sergeant Nick Chester and his small family are settling into a new, small life in New Zealand after the end of a lengthy undercover stint in England. They've had to change their surname and leave all their loved ones behind, but they're making the most of it. When two young boys are murdered in the region within a short space of time, connections are made with an earlier tragedy, and suddenly the hunt is on for a serial killer.
Meanwhile, Chester is looking over his shoulder as his former life seems to be catching up with him.
It's a great story and there's a lot going on to maintain interest. An added bonus is the Marlborough Sound setting. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will look out for book #2.
May 5, 2020
Marlborough Man is about revenge and murder. After working undercover in England Sergeant Nick Chester with his family was relocated to Marlborough Sounds in New Zealand after he took down a crime lord. Sergeant Nick Chester thought he was going to have a quiet time. However, that was not the case young boys were starting to disappear, and Sergeant Nick Chester pass reared its ugly head. The readers of Marlborough Man will follow the twists and turns to see what happens to Sergeant Nick Chester and his family.
Marlborough Man is the first book of Alan Carter, and I am not sure I will read another book by him. Alan Carter did an excellent job in portraying his characters and interacting them with each other. Marlborough was well written and researched by Alan Carter, but I was unable to engage with the plot or the characters. Marlborough Man for me a little be confusing in what Alan Carter wanted to achieve and at the beginning a little bit slow.
The readers of Marlborough Man will learn about Law Enforcement procedures in England and New Zealand. Also, the readers of Marlborough Man will see the consequences of logging on the New Zealand Countryside.
I did not enjoy this book. However, I will recommend this book.
Marlborough Man is the first book of Alan Carter, and I am not sure I will read another book by him. Alan Carter did an excellent job in portraying his characters and interacting them with each other. Marlborough was well written and researched by Alan Carter, but I was unable to engage with the plot or the characters. Marlborough Man for me a little be confusing in what Alan Carter wanted to achieve and at the beginning a little bit slow.
The readers of Marlborough Man will learn about Law Enforcement procedures in England and New Zealand. Also, the readers of Marlborough Man will see the consequences of logging on the New Zealand Countryside.
I did not enjoy this book. However, I will recommend this book.
June 7, 2017
Alan Carter is the author of the Ned Kelly Award winning Cato Kwong series (PRIME CUT won the Best First Award in 2011), but MARLBOROUGH MAN features a new character - UK born, New Zealand based cop Nick Chester and his family.
Chester's had an "interesting" working life - starting out as an undercover cop in the UK, ending up a country cop in Havelock in rural New Zealand as part of a witness relocation scheme when his undercover work goes decidedly pear-shaped. Even with what would seem to be the impossible task of tracking him, his wife and their young son Paulie down, he's constantly on edge - anybody new could very well have been sent to exact revenge.
You'd also think that the move to rural New Zealand would mean that policing would be limited to the odd drunken skirmish, a lot of traffic tickets, and a bit of low level thieving (it does seem that the local villains are particularly obsessed with meat in various forms). Unfortunately there's been a spate of horrific child murders in these parts and the discovery of a young boy's body close by gives the neighbourhood an internal shaking echoing the constant threat of earthquakes.
There's quite a lot of set up in this novel, working the back-story of Nick's undercover exploits, and the resulting outcomes, into the current day activities. Nick's a great character, but all of the characters in this book are fabulous - especially his cop offsider Latifa Rapata; his two guardian pig-shooters Gary and Steve; Denzel the Maori kid not beyond redemption; Charlie the chicken and alpaca farmer and particularly his wife Vanessa. Each of these characters slots into the action perfectly, seamlessly contributing enough to both the good and bad of a complex story like this.
As the big wigs from the city come to take over the child murder investigation, there's less and less chance of Nick letting go, and as his old life starts to catch up with him, he determined to sort out everything and everybody in his neighbourhood. Including the local logging magnate with whom he openly shares a mutual vendetta. There's lots of strings to the bows in MARLBOROUGH MAN and just when you think they are all going to twang around Chester's neck, somehow he manages to find the right targets, granted at great risk to everything that he values most highly.
There's nary a hitch in MARLBOROUGH MAN. The characters work, the plot is cleverly executed and the sense of place is visceral. There's touches of humour and self-inflicted jeopardy which are perfectly justifiable. There's also personal loss, sadness and guilt. All in all it's so good this reviewer even managed to recover from the death of an alpaca and a pet pig which got a bit too close to home for comfort. Shows what a seriously good writer like Alan Carter can do in an absolute stand out book like MARLBOROUGH MAN.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/revie...
Chester's had an "interesting" working life - starting out as an undercover cop in the UK, ending up a country cop in Havelock in rural New Zealand as part of a witness relocation scheme when his undercover work goes decidedly pear-shaped. Even with what would seem to be the impossible task of tracking him, his wife and their young son Paulie down, he's constantly on edge - anybody new could very well have been sent to exact revenge.
You'd also think that the move to rural New Zealand would mean that policing would be limited to the odd drunken skirmish, a lot of traffic tickets, and a bit of low level thieving (it does seem that the local villains are particularly obsessed with meat in various forms). Unfortunately there's been a spate of horrific child murders in these parts and the discovery of a young boy's body close by gives the neighbourhood an internal shaking echoing the constant threat of earthquakes.
There's quite a lot of set up in this novel, working the back-story of Nick's undercover exploits, and the resulting outcomes, into the current day activities. Nick's a great character, but all of the characters in this book are fabulous - especially his cop offsider Latifa Rapata; his two guardian pig-shooters Gary and Steve; Denzel the Maori kid not beyond redemption; Charlie the chicken and alpaca farmer and particularly his wife Vanessa. Each of these characters slots into the action perfectly, seamlessly contributing enough to both the good and bad of a complex story like this.
As the big wigs from the city come to take over the child murder investigation, there's less and less chance of Nick letting go, and as his old life starts to catch up with him, he determined to sort out everything and everybody in his neighbourhood. Including the local logging magnate with whom he openly shares a mutual vendetta. There's lots of strings to the bows in MARLBOROUGH MAN and just when you think they are all going to twang around Chester's neck, somehow he manages to find the right targets, granted at great risk to everything that he values most highly.
There's nary a hitch in MARLBOROUGH MAN. The characters work, the plot is cleverly executed and the sense of place is visceral. There's touches of humour and self-inflicted jeopardy which are perfectly justifiable. There's also personal loss, sadness and guilt. All in all it's so good this reviewer even managed to recover from the death of an alpaca and a pet pig which got a bit too close to home for comfort. Shows what a seriously good writer like Alan Carter can do in an absolute stand out book like MARLBOROUGH MAN.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/revie...
February 4, 2018
A Police and underworld crime thriller. This is not my usual genre as the television world tends to saturate viewing with this type of story. However the author does provide the reader comprehensive descriptions of the spectacular location in New Zealand, enough for me to Google tourist info of the area, not having seen that part of NZ. Nick undercover cop in the UK is compromised and needs a whole new identity to escape and start a new, ending up in New Zealand. He has a family so there is always that added element and the reader would realise that at sometime their involvement with the “nasty piece of goods” that the main story revolves around would come to pass. All the characters are described beautifully so that the reader is totally immersed into the story, the pig hunters are true to description as is the greenie, the environment destroyer business man. Nick’s boss is a little more forgiving than one would expect from a boss but he is a minor character. Nick is still troubled by the badmen in the UK with the intrigue well drawn out by the author until the conclusion of this event... but is it? The inclusion of New Zealand culture Maori sayings, beliefs and insights are beautifully described and add another dimension to this book.
December 5, 2023
'Marlborough Man' is all about people and place. The place is beautiful in an austere, "I dare you to survive here" kind of way. The people are complicated and sometimes hard to like but always easy to believe in.
'Marlborough Man' is not a Location Thriller, selling local colour in lieu of a plot or an "I wonder what the cunning solution will be?" puzzle, it's a "waiting for the bad thing(s) to happen and see who will survive" kind of thing. There's a constant threat of violence and a strong sense of isolation that combine into a "You'll either take care of this yourself or you won't be around to worry about it" attitude which reflects the New Zealander "number 8 wire" problem-solving mindset. Add in the main character's blunt Geordie cynicism and some local politics and the story feels muscular and sad.
I didn't find 'Marlborough Man' entertaining, it was too hard-edged for that, but I could see why it won the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel in 2018. It's a couple of weeks since I finished the book and it sits in my memory like a brooding landscape painting.
The main character, Nick Chester, is an English policeman from Sunderland who, as part of a Witness Protection program following two years undercover trying to bring down a Geordie gangster, has been assigned as a Sergeant in a sleepy police station at the top New Zealand's South Island.
The plot is driven by two sets of issues: the threat posed to Chester's life when the gangster he informed on is released from prison and the investigation that Chester kicks off into the deaths of boys who, after being missing for a few days have been found dead.
Most of the story is the present-day narrative in New Zealand but we also get flashbacks into Chester's time undercover.
For me, one of the strengths of the book is that Nick Chester is a deeply flawed man whose time undercover has shown him what his worst self looks like. He is a man who has a hard time liking himself but still tries to do the right thing, at least most of the time.
The two threads of the plot, the investigation into the deaths and the threat from the gangster, run mostly parallelt to one another but both place stress on Nick Chester and on his relationships with the people around him. Sometimes that stress is destructive, Sometimes it strengthens allegiances. There's no sugar-coating here just a bleakly plausible account of a man facing mounting problems.
'Marlborough Man' is not a Location Thriller, selling local colour in lieu of a plot or an "I wonder what the cunning solution will be?" puzzle, it's a "waiting for the bad thing(s) to happen and see who will survive" kind of thing. There's a constant threat of violence and a strong sense of isolation that combine into a "You'll either take care of this yourself or you won't be around to worry about it" attitude which reflects the New Zealander "number 8 wire" problem-solving mindset. Add in the main character's blunt Geordie cynicism and some local politics and the story feels muscular and sad.
I didn't find 'Marlborough Man' entertaining, it was too hard-edged for that, but I could see why it won the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel in 2018. It's a couple of weeks since I finished the book and it sits in my memory like a brooding landscape painting.
The main character, Nick Chester, is an English policeman from Sunderland who, as part of a Witness Protection program following two years undercover trying to bring down a Geordie gangster, has been assigned as a Sergeant in a sleepy police station at the top New Zealand's South Island.
The plot is driven by two sets of issues: the threat posed to Chester's life when the gangster he informed on is released from prison and the investigation that Chester kicks off into the deaths of boys who, after being missing for a few days have been found dead.
Most of the story is the present-day narrative in New Zealand but we also get flashbacks into Chester's time undercover.
For me, one of the strengths of the book is that Nick Chester is a deeply flawed man whose time undercover has shown him what his worst self looks like. He is a man who has a hard time liking himself but still tries to do the right thing, at least most of the time.
The two threads of the plot, the investigation into the deaths and the threat from the gangster, run mostly parallelt to one another but both place stress on Nick Chester and on his relationships with the people around him. Sometimes that stress is destructive, Sometimes it strengthens allegiances. There's no sugar-coating here just a bleakly plausible account of a man facing mounting problems.
August 6, 2017
A great setting, with a crime committed in NZ but flashbacks in the UK to his previous police force past. Gritty, disturbing and thrilling. Really enjoyed this one. Has elements of Adrian McKinity. Nick the protagonist is quite a likeable character but does have flaws.
November 4, 2017
this was a great nz book. loved that I didn't guess the villain 😊 highly recommended read!
February 24, 2018
Enjoyed this crime novel set in New Zealand, kept me interested all the way through
March 14, 2018
I liked it enough to give it 4 stars. I did like the writing and love the NZ world as I don't read many set there BUT I do feel the plot was quite as tight as it should be. There was a small part of the book which related to the MC's past in the UK which trouble appeared to have followed him to the present time & setting. However, this strand of the story kinda fizzled out rather quickly and to me, unexpectedly so. It was strange and out of the blue and a mess. I think it should've been edited out if they couldn't tidy it up.
And... I just don't get how Vanessa (MC's wive) forgives him () that quickly?! Argh! Also, it was mentioned earlier on that Paulie (MC's son) is a down syndrome child but I didn't really get that in the rest of the book. Could've been only slightly so, of course, but he felt almost like a normal healthy kid... I'm confused.
I keep laughing when they say, 'yea, nah...' >_<
Oh, and that superfluous ending?
Um, I think an ending where he's enjoying a lovely day with his gorgeous family is all that is needed. What's with the Russians (who only rated 3 pages somewhere in the middle of the book) coming back... *eye roll*
And... I just don't get how Vanessa (MC's wive) forgives him () that quickly?! Argh! Also, it was mentioned earlier on that Paulie (MC's son) is a down syndrome child but I didn't really get that in the rest of the book. Could've been only slightly so, of course, but he felt almost like a normal healthy kid... I'm confused.
I keep laughing when they say, 'yea, nah...' >_<
Oh, and that superfluous ending?
Um, I think an ending where he's enjoying a lovely day with his gorgeous family is all that is needed. What's with the Russians (who only rated 3 pages somewhere in the middle of the book) coming back... *eye roll*
September 5, 2020
Got this on Audible and while initially a little put off by the narrator, I grew to really enjoy it. The book itself is rich in description of NZ, with some brilliant side characters and a lovely humorous streak. One over-arching plot but lots of sub plots to keep you interested. A little weakness in the main cop, he was a little too men-are-crap flawed for my liking, but it didn't detract from a great book.
August 27, 2021
Maybe this was not the best choice for me as an audiobook as I found it a bit hard to follow. The narration was good, there was a lot going on with lots of different characters and I kept getting confused as to what was happening. Not really a criticism of the book so much as my mental state and preoccupation while trying to listen to it in a disjointed way. I enjoyed the setting in the wild New Zealand countryside but neither the atmosphere or the characters were brought to life for me.
May 18, 2021
I really enjoyed the characters in the crime novel. Flawed, likable and clever. The story has lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing as well. Highly recommend.
December 17, 2017
My Crime Fiction book of the year 2017. This is a six out of five stars book!! I'm calling Alan Carter the Ian Rankin of NZ crime fiction. His Cato Kwong series was fun, but this latest novel is truly excellent. It has a fabulous NZ feel to it, in characters, culture, language, driving habits etc; best of all, the beautiful landscape is more than background, it has a complicating impact on the story. Main character Nick is deep, dark, persistent, flawed, immensely likeable and often funny. Lots of other interesting, unusual characters add to your enjoyment. The well-developed plot has a Part 1 and Part 2 to fully unravel the many threads. Terrible crimes do occur but they're not dwelt on in gruesome detail. Hugely entertaining work!!!
October 16, 2017
I don't read a lot of crime, but I did end up enjoying this one. I wasn't particularly invested in any of the characters, even the protagonist was a bit dry- his attitude may have contributed to that though, he wasn't a very sentimental character- so it took me a while to really get into the story. I preferred the local NZ crime aspect to the parts where Nick is himself being hunted by UK crimes bosses from his previous life, though it felt like people were just dropping like flies in the community! I liked Latifa and Nick's partnership the best, and if this did become a series I'd like to explore Latifa a bit more, I think she had a lot of potential to be a really interesting character.
June 6, 2017
Nearly makes you want to be a Kiwi.
Suffers a little from the small town 'summer bay' effect where people are dropping like flies, however it's acceptable in the interest of keeping the story entertaining.
I also guessed the kiddie fiddler early on, but I'm not sure if this was deliberate, or I've just read too many detective novels lately.
All in all it's a worthy departure from Cato's adventures and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Suffers a little from the small town 'summer bay' effect where people are dropping like flies, however it's acceptable in the interest of keeping the story entertaining.
I also guessed the kiddie fiddler early on, but I'm not sure if this was deliberate, or I've just read too many detective novels lately.
All in all it's a worthy departure from Cato's adventures and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
July 24, 2017
An engaging, fast-paced whodunnit. The beautiful setting of Marlborough, New Zealand has been well described.
This is the first novel by the author Alan Carter that I have read & I am keen to read more of his work.
Thank you to the publisher Fremantle Press for the signed copy that I received via a Good Reads competition.
This is the first novel by the author Alan Carter that I have read & I am keen to read more of his work.
Thank you to the publisher Fremantle Press for the signed copy that I received via a Good Reads competition.
October 17, 2017
A gripping crime story. Loved it from start to finish. Will definitely be reading more by this author.
January 16, 2021
One of my favourite changes I've made to my reading recently has been picking up more books based in NZ or written by NZ authors. I have loved every single one so far, and this was a particular standout!
Sergeant Nick Chester is posted to the tiny town of Havelock in the Malborough Sounds, far away from the trouble he is trying to escape back home in the UK. But there is trouble brewing in remote NZ too, with children being taken by "the Pied Piper", and his past catching up with him quicker than he thinks. Flawed but with dogged determination when he puts his mind to things, Nick is intent on getting to the bottom of it all.
I loved how there were two subplots of mystery going on, one unravelling through flashbacks. This added a lot to the tension and pacing, meaning there weren't any slow spots in the book. I thought the Pied Piper investigation was really well done, giving hints while keeping us guessing, and with a good twist or two as well. Carter interspersed the thriller aspects with some humour, making for not just a compelling read but an enjoyable one with a couple of lol moments.
It is based just outside of my hometown of Nelson so I loved being able to picture the places described in the book, it brought it to life in a big way. If you want to really get into the zone while reading it, there are plenty of amazing Malborough wines that it would provide a great excuse to buy and have a glass or two of while reading 😉
Sergeant Nick Chester is posted to the tiny town of Havelock in the Malborough Sounds, far away from the trouble he is trying to escape back home in the UK. But there is trouble brewing in remote NZ too, with children being taken by "the Pied Piper", and his past catching up with him quicker than he thinks. Flawed but with dogged determination when he puts his mind to things, Nick is intent on getting to the bottom of it all.
I loved how there were two subplots of mystery going on, one unravelling through flashbacks. This added a lot to the tension and pacing, meaning there weren't any slow spots in the book. I thought the Pied Piper investigation was really well done, giving hints while keeping us guessing, and with a good twist or two as well. Carter interspersed the thriller aspects with some humour, making for not just a compelling read but an enjoyable one with a couple of lol moments.
It is based just outside of my hometown of Nelson so I loved being able to picture the places described in the book, it brought it to life in a big way. If you want to really get into the zone while reading it, there are plenty of amazing Malborough wines that it would provide a great excuse to buy and have a glass or two of while reading 😉
April 27, 2019
This novel has a chequered history for me. I began reading it on my kindle, then found an audio version which I decided to listen to with my fellow traveller on our weekend journeys. At the end of today I had just an hour left to listen to and so decided to read the final chapters on my kindle.
For some reason I didn't at first really take to Jerome Pride's Geordie narration, but as it proceeded the story took over. By the end I really just wanted to know how the story came together.
Nick Chester is a cop from Sunderland (UK) who was part of an undercover operation to bring down one of the local underworld bosses. He has been sent to New Zealand as part of a protection programme, and for the first half of the novel is waiting for the thugs to catchup with him. When they finally arrive though, and that element of the plot is solved, the local elements of child abductions takes over.
The New Zealand setting and excellent writing gives him the 2018 Ngaio Marsh award.
Also shortlisted for the 2018 Ned Kelly Award.
Good reading.
It reminded me that I really need to read more Alan Carter.
For some reason I didn't at first really take to Jerome Pride's Geordie narration, but as it proceeded the story took over. By the end I really just wanted to know how the story came together.
Nick Chester is a cop from Sunderland (UK) who was part of an undercover operation to bring down one of the local underworld bosses. He has been sent to New Zealand as part of a protection programme, and for the first half of the novel is waiting for the thugs to catchup with him. When they finally arrive though, and that element of the plot is solved, the local elements of child abductions takes over.
The New Zealand setting and excellent writing gives him the 2018 Ngaio Marsh award.
Also shortlisted for the 2018 Ned Kelly Award.
Good reading.
It reminded me that I really need to read more Alan Carter.
September 20, 2020
I must say I quite liked this book. It is a great crime/mystery/thriller for those who may just be starting to read this genre. That is not saying it is in any way boring as it wasn't.
I liked that there were two stories going on in Nick Chester's life, the past, which is still haunting him and the present. Both stories intertwine and go together well to make a very interesting read.
My only complaint was the ending as I found it fell a bit flat compared to the rest of the book.
All in all a great read and I might have to read some more Alan Carter books.
Marlborough Man
I liked that there were two stories going on in Nick Chester's life, the past, which is still haunting him and the present. Both stories intertwine and go together well to make a very interesting read.
My only complaint was the ending as I found it fell a bit flat compared to the rest of the book.
All in all a great read and I might have to read some more Alan Carter books.
Marlborough Man
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