Paper Cage

A novel

By: Tom Baragwanath

Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld, Natalie Beran

This prizewinning debut from New Zealand novelist Tom Baragwanath is both a nail-biting thrill-ride and a beautifully written, acutely observed portrait of a community.

How far would you go to keep your family safe?

Lorraine Henry is generally content to keep her head down and get on with her work as a records clerk at the Masterton police station. But when children start going missing in her small town, Lo can't help but pay attention. After all, she has Bradley, her young nephew, to worry about, and the cops don't seem to be putting much effort into finding the kids. And then the unthinkable happens: Bradley disappears. Distraught but determined, Lorraine vows to bring him home no matter what. And, together with a detective from Wellington, she embarks on a dangerous mission, one that will illuminate all the good and all the bad in Masterton.

Critic reviews

Finalist for the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best First Novel
Shortlisted for the Ned Kelly Award for Best International Crime Fiction

"Tom Baragwanath, who makes his debut with Paper Cage, goes bone-deep with his portrayal of Lorraine Henry, a childless widow who works as a file clerk at the police department in Masterton, New Zealand, where sheep and the drug trade drive the economy. . . . Tenderness and violence are always intersecting in Paper Cage; people do bad things out of what they perceive as love. It feels as if Baragwanath has distilled a lifetime of observations into this book, and his images linger in the mind. . . . In this haunting, finely wrought book, Baragwanath illuminates the extraordinary strength of an ordinary woman."
—Air Mail

“Baragwanath's debut is both social novel and thriller, spinning the tensions between the white and Māori populations, the chokehold of street gangs, and the toll of drug addiction on young families into a suspenseful crime drama. . . . Just the kind of dark, disturbing, gritty, and unusual treat thriller lovers are looking for.”
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Baragwanath’s deliciously tense debut paints an evocative portrait of a New Zealand community at risk. . . . Baragwanath powerfully highlights the racist treatment of New Zealand’s Indigenous people without sacrificing pace or intrigue, and the complicated bonds between Lorraine and the rest of her family add weight and dimension to the narrative. In weaving together a lived-in portrait of small-town New Zealand with a truly crackling mystery, Baragwanath proves himself a writer to watch.”
—Publishers Weekly

“This gritty debut novel is part thriller and part compelling analysis of the social tensions in a small New Zealand town. . . . New Zealander Baragwanath, who grew up in Masterton, brings the town and surrounding countryside to vivid life as he simultaneously and steadily ratchets up the suspense. . . . His keen understanding of the impacts of class and race on the actions of his characters and his compassionate attitude towards their weaknesses give the novel a remarkable depth.”
—Booklist

“Tom Baragwanath has mastered the craft of literary crime: this is well-paced and vividly written detective fiction with a Chandleresque grittiness to its depiction of a community in crisis.”
—The Sydney Morning Herald

“A perfectly pitched and plotted cracker of a debut. . . . The author's observations are as clear-eyed and intelligent as his endearingly down-to-earth [protagonist] Lorraine.”
—New Zealand Listener

“A compelling crime thriller.”
—Canberra Times

“Tightly written. . . . [Baragwanath] is a fascinating talent and one to watch.”
—Kete

good story, except for the reader

the story was interesting. but I was very distracted because the reader/performer sounded like she was whispering the whole time and I found that very irritating all the way through.

A vivid tapestry of New Zealand life

I liked the superb cohesion of the narrative and the powerful storytelling richly defined characters and a clear picture of the social fabric.

A brilliant writer whose next book will likely exceed this one

…JV

predictable

I found this story predictable and a bit drawn out and tedious. Some of the inner monologues were repetitive and the detective's actions were not realistic.