Duncan's back and the mysteries are piling up faster than empty bags of Dragon Delights!It's the Annual Unusual Circus Conference, and Duncan and the rest of Zin's troupe are in attendance. On the outskirts, of course, because Zin says it's cheaper that way.Duncan - dragon detective and omelet aficionado - is thrilled to be there, not only because it's his first time attending the overly commercial event but also because he's getting a chance to spend time with the lovely Viola.Only trouble is, Viola appears to prefer spending her time with a rather handsome dragon Duncan's never seen before. A situation that becomes even more worrisome when Viola turns up missing.But before Duncan (along with his fellow amateur sleuths Boris and Cordelia) can sift through the clues and rescue Viola from the dragon-napping clutches of Mr Handsome, they find themselves contending with...A satyr who's become obsessed with styling...

Here are the best short fiction stories, short non-fiction pieces and poetry from the Pikihuia Awards for Māori writers 2023 as judged by Emma Espiner, Carol Hirschfeld, Maiki Sherman, Mike Ross, Hēmi Kelly and Robert Sullivan. This competition, run by the Māori Literature Trust and Huia Publishers, is held every two years to promote Māori writers and their work. This year, the awards sought short non-fiction and poetry, along with short fiction, from writers in te reo Māori and English. The competition attracts entries each year from writers of all ages and those who are starting out to seasoned authors. This collection of finalists' work celebrates Māori writing, introduces new talent and gives an opportunity for Māori writers to shine.

A murder in the science lab shatters a woman’s quiet and ordered life when she decides she must solve the crime herself in this entertaining and uplifting mystery.Plenty of people consider Margaret Finch odd. Six-feet-tall and big-boned, she lives alone in a small cabin in the woods, drives a 20-year-old truck, and schedules her life so precisely you can tell the time and day of the week by the chore she is doing and what she is wearing.  But the same attributes that cause her to be labeled eccentric—an obsessive attention to detail and the ability to organize almost anything—make her invaluable in her job as Research Assistant II to a talented and charismatic botanist.It's those very same qualities, however, that also turn Margaret into a target after a surprising death shakes the small university where she works. Even as authorities claim the death appears to be from natural causes, Margaret fears it might be something more: a murder born of...

In the shadowed corners of West Sound, a lethal concoction of drugs claims its victims with ruthless efficiency—four lives extinguished in as many days.Detective Jefferson Hughes follows the deadly trail. What starts as a seemingly routine case tied to the city's homeless population takes an ominous turn when a lifeless body surfaces in a wealthy golf course community.Meanwhile, middle school teacher MJ Brooks senses a troubling change in one of her students. When the girl vanishes without a trace, MJ embarks on a personal crusade to uncover the truth. Soon her investigation intertwines with Hughes' pursuit, revealing a web of deception and danger.In a reluctant alliance, Hughes and MJ find their paths converging once more. However, as the urgency to solve the mystery escalates, so does the magnetic pull between them, binding their fates in ways neither anticipated.As the stakes rise in Book Two of the...

In Eldoria, the dwarf Khaldor lives a peaceful life in the shadow of the Iron Spire – far away from adventure. One day, he encounters the mysterious Bheldram, the god of the dwarves. Bheldram entrusts Khaldor with a task of great importance: to save Eldoria with the help of the country's last sorceress. While Khaldor and his friends embark on a dangerous mission, the army of the merciless Trez'gath invades to subjugate the land. In the fight for the country's freedom, Khaldor must defeat the darkness and decide the fate of an entire world. Will Khaldor be up to the task? Is there still hope for Eldoria?