An exceptional thriller entwined with national and workplace politics, sectarian warfare, and the changing face and influence of the newspaper industry has won University of Otago Professor of Scottish Studies Liam McIlvanney the prestigious Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel.<\/p>\n
Dunedin-based McIlvanney was announced as the winner, for his \u201cfascinating, brilliant, and challenging\u201d novel WHERE THE DEAD MEN GO, before a packed house at the conclusion of the lively Great New Zealand Crime Debate event at the WORD Christchurch Writers & Readers Festival on Saturday 30 August. \u201cIn a year where we had our strongest, deepest, and most diverse long list ever, and four truly fantastic finalists, WHERE THE DEAD MEN GO got the nod for its terrific, page-turning storytelling powered by superb prose, fascinating characters, and an evocative sense of place,\u201d said Judging Convenor Craig Sisterson. \u201cIt\u2019s the kind of book that lingers in your mind beyond the final page.\u201d<\/p>\n
In WHERE THE DEAD MEN GO, Glasgow stands on the precipice: of the Commonwealth Games, a national vote on Scottish independence, and an explosive rekindling of a brutal gangland war. Gerry Conway is a jaded, jobbing journo, the golden child fallen, clinging to the coat-tails of his former prot\u00e9g\u00e9, Martin Moir. When Moir\u2019s body is discovered as a big story breaks, Conway steps into his shoes; a very dangerous place, as gangsters, politicians, and other predators swirl around.<\/p>\n
The judging panel, consisting of crime fiction experts from New Zealand, Australia, and the United States, called WHERE THE DEAD MEN GO \u201ca thought-provoking novel with very real characters and a fascinating, complex plot\u201d. McIlvanney puts a lot into this book: the state of the news media, what it takes to be a good reporter, politics, family life, and even a New Zealand connection, said one judge. \u201cExcellent writing makes it all fit together very nicely indeed.\u201d Conway was described by the judges as \u201can unlikely hero perhaps, as the mainstream media around the world are going down the gurgler\u2026 he keeps digging away like a real reporter should, even when his bosses are less than supportive.\u201d<\/p>\n
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