The short list has been announced for the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards with 16 books making the final cut.
That's been whittled down from a longlist of 44 books, chosen from a record 191 entries - up 20 percent on last year.
The categories include fiction, poetry, illustrated non-fiction and general non-fiction, with organisers praising a line-up rich in tales of tension, distrust and revenge.
Many of the books also reflect current debates about identity and our place in the world.
Ockham Book Awards spokesperson Jenna Todd spoke to Guyon Espiner.
