Welcome to the newsletter of David (D. V.) Bishop, author of the Cesare Aldo historical thrillers set in Renaissance Italy. This time I’ve wonderful news to share, and a personalised signed hardback copy of A DIVINE FURY to be won.
Ritual wins a Ngaio
The third Cesare Aldo novel RITUAL OF FIRE has won the 2024 Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Novel, a prize that celebrates excellence in New Zealand crime, mystery, and thriller writing.
The award was announced at the WORD Festival in Christchurch on Wednesday 28th August, along with the Ngaio Marsh Awards for Best Debut Award - Dice by Claire Bayliss – and for Best Kids-YA Book, which went to Miracle by Jennifer Lane.
‘I’m stoked, chuffed and delighted to win this award,’ says D. V. Bishop. ‘The books on the longlist were amazing, including one by a past Booker Prize winner, so to make the final seven was brilliant. But to win the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Novel? Incredible. Honestly, I am still pinching myself.’
D. V. Bishop made a video appearance at the awards event in Christchurch, where news that he had won a Ngaio left him speechless - well, almost. ‘I didn’t expect to win, so I was almost babbling when I found out!’ (You can watch him babbling here.)
RITUAL OF FIRE was chosen by an international judging panel of experts. The other six finalists were: Dice by Claire Bayliss, The Caretaker by Gabriel Bergmoser, Pet by Catherine Chidgey, Devil’s Breath by Jill Johnson, Going Zero by Anthony McCarten, and Expectant by Vanda Symon.
This was the first time a Cesare Aldo novel has won a Ngaio Marsh Award, following on from longlistings for City of Vengeance in 2022 and The Darkest Sin in 2023. You can read more about the 2024 Ngaio Marsh awards here.
Competition time
To celebrate winning the Ngaio Marsh , I’m running a competition for subscribers to this free newsletter based in the UK. [Apologies to those outside the UK, but sending signed books had proven incredible problematic – and expensive.]
I will send a signed, personalised first edition hardback copy of A DIVINE FURY to a randomly chosen subscriber of this newsletter. Two runners-up will each get a signed, personalised paperback of the book which won the Ngaio, RITUAL OF FIRE.
I’ll draw the winners on Monday 2nd September 2024 and announce their names in next week’s newsletter. Until then, happy reading!
If you’ve been forwarded this newsletter by a friend, feel free to subscribe - you might win a prize! But if you no longer wish to receive it, click unsubscribe at the bottom of the page.
Congratulations David but I’m not surprised it’s wonderful, evocative reading, immersing one in Florence.
Big congratulations, David! Your Ngaio well-deserved. And I’ve already bought a copy of A Divine Fury.