Paper Cage

A child goes missing in a small town.

Then another. And suddenly everyone’s holding their own kids a little tighter.

Lorraine doesn’t have kids, but she has a dearly loved nephew. And she knows the police don’t have any idea about this case, because she works for them. She’s the records clerk: she sits out back among the piles of paper making connections, remembering things, working things out that the actual cops don’t want to hear about. Until the new detective, Hayes, arrives from Wellington, and realises Lo’s the only person there with answers to any of his questions.

Which is just as well—because the clock is running down for the children of the town.

Both a nail-biting thriller and a beautifully written portrait of a community, Paper Cage is the prize-winning debut from young New Zealand novelist Tom Baragwanath.

‘Magnetic...This beautifully constructed plot has already won awards, and it is easy to see why with a protagonist who is impossible not to root for...breathtakingly compelling.’ Daily Mail

‘A compelling mystery and an atmospheric dive into small-town psychology…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.’ Age/SMH

‘Aotearoa/New Zealand…has a rich history of crime writing, with huge names such as Ngaio Marsh, Alan Carter and Paul Thomas producing some fabulous reads over the last century. To this stable we can add newcomer Tom Baragwanath.’ Readings Monthly

'Thrilling…Lorraine is a perfect heroine: she’s tough, unflinching and gets the job done…A gritty crime novel that has all the fun literary techniques of a thriller with an added layer of feminist commentary.’ Danielle Bagnato, Books+Publishing