THE GROOVE BOOK REPORT

So, here's the premise: There are two murders, decades apart.  Two bodies, skeletons, barely bones, found in the sand dunes.  In a similar place.  Ex-cop Hana Westerman has left her job in Tāmaki Makaurau and moved back to her whenua, remote Tāta Bay, somewhere south of the big smoke, leaving her career and detective duties behind her.  She's now settled into a quieter lifestyle.  Until... This is Bennett’s brilliant sequel to his debut in the genre, 'Better the Blood'.  It's a series that follows Hana Westerman, an ambitious detective who, in the last book, 'Better The Blood'  cornered a serial killer but had suffered traumatic events during the investigation that led her to resign and move back to  the West Coast of the North Island, in part to be near her ageing father. Along the way she brings her daughter, Addison and her bestie, PLUS ONE, who is non-binary.  In a scene similar to the opening of the TV show 'Broadchurch' Addison dis...

  The Beth's are set to headline WOMAD 2025 along with Nitin Sawney, The Veils &  NZ Trio, Black Comet, and Queen Omega Following the success of its incredible first lineup in September,  WOMAD Aotearoa  has unveiled 13 new acts for the 2025 festival.   This lineup transcends geographical and musical boundaries, bringing together artists from Aotearoa to Scotland, Brazil to Palestine, Cuba to Niger,   blending traditional and contemporary sounds and   ranging from classical to electronic and desert rock to folk .  WOMAD Aotearoa  once again brings together art and music, celebrating the world’s diverse cultures over three memorable days of excitement, discovery, joy, and unity.  Joining the 2025 festival lineup are trailblazers of the Shamstep music movement,  47Soul  from Palestine/Jordan; Cuba's  Ana Carla Maza,  who brings her soulful cello and emotive songwriting, seamlessly merging classical training wit...

A fascinating insight in the amazing ways animals use their senses to survive in the natural world. This wonderfully illustrated book is for 8 to 12 year age group. I feel that sometimes kids books talk down to their readers, or assume topics are too complicated and heavy for them. Or maybe gross, technical or maybe even a bit dry.   Barraud doesn't think that way at all.  He mixes questions, diagrams, illustrations and ponderings, speaking directly to the reader (or in the case when read alound, the listener).   This is about exloring the ways animals, birds and fish use ther superpowers - sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch and other sensory abilities to understand and nivigate their worlds.   Along thee way we discover some amazing facts.  Did you know butterflies can taste with their feet?  Does that mean they get their big toes stuck in their icecream cones? Did yoou know that a bumblebee can 'see' a flower's ultraviolet colours?  O...

Image: Fane Flaws Quirky treasures for adults and children alike await with the digital re-release of legendary art project  THE UNDERWATERMELON MAN AND OTHER UNREASONABLE RHYMES. But first, we are treated to a rereleased recording  of ‘ The Hide & Seeky Bird ’, featuring late great Aotearoa comedian  John Clarke !  The cherished collection of songs is set to be digitally released for the first time this November, 25 years from its original CD release which features some of Aotearoa’s finest musicians and entertainers including  Neil Finn ,  Tim Finn ,  Chris Knox ,  Bic and Boh Runga, Dave Dobbyn ,  Jenny Morris, Don McGlashan  and many more.  Now, as a tribute to its creator NZ artist  Fane Flaws ,  who passed away in 2021,  THE UNDERWATERMELON MAN AND OTHER UNREASONABLE RHYMES  will be released for the first time via all streaming services worldwide.  What started as a series of illustrations and rhym...