The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.

AUCKLAND

1 Better the Blood by Michael Bennett (Simon & Schuster, $27)

Aotearoa writer Michael Bennett’s 2023 crime novel boosted his profile overseas with the likes of Val McDermid blurbing it. Curious to see it back up on top this week (and unseating the former prime minister’s memoir!).

2 Wonderland by Tracy Farr (Cuba Press, $38)

Wellington novelist Tracy Farr cracks Auckland’s bestseller list! Here’s the blurb:

“Te Motu Kairangi Miramar Peninsula, Wellington 1912. Doctor Matti Loverock spends her days and nights bringing babies into the world, which means her daughters – seven-year-old triplets Ada, Oona and Hanna – have grown up at Wonderland, the once-thriving amusement park owned by their father, Charlie. Then a grieving woman arrives to stay from the other side of the world, in pain and incognito, fleeing scandal. She ignites the triplets’ curiosity and brings work for Matti, diverting them all from what is really happening at Wonderland. In a bold reimagining, Marie Curie – famous for her work on radioactivity – comes to Aotearoa and discovers both solace and wonder.”

3 Polkinghorne: Inside the Trial of the Century by Steve Braunias (Allen & Unwin, $38) 

Australian might be obsessed with the mushroom lady, but we’re still hung up on Polk.

4 A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda Ardern (Penguin, $60)

Unseated!

6 Tackling the Hens by Mary McCallum (Cuba Press, $25)

Another Wellingtonian! Local hero Mary McCallum’s poetry is witty, sharp and warm.

7 Strange Pictures by Uketsu (Pushkin Press, $37)

The latest blockbuster to come out of Japan – a chilling murder mystery that readers can’t put down.

8 Butter by Asako Yuzuki (4th Estate, $35)

The book that paved the way for Strange Pictures, above.

9 The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb (Simon & Schuster, $40)

What is the river waiting for?

10 1985 by Dominic Hoey (Penguin, $38) 

The Spinoff’s Lyric Waiwiri-Smith and Claire Mabey had a chat about how much they liked this novel, and why. Here’s a snippet:

“I [Lyric] love the love for Grey Lynn that runs through the book as well. He writes about that suburb with so much care, like you know Obi has haunted every street corner and still wholeheartedly believes this is the only place on Earth that feels like home. I can smell the vinegar factory and mildew on the pages.

I kind of wonder whether these characters and their shameless habits might be a bit garish for a reader who wants to read some kind of underdog story, where Obi does find the treasure and suddenly everything is fixed, or dad gets his shit together and publishes his poems. But, like Grey Lynn, some things mostly just stay the same forever.”

WELLINGTON

1 A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda Ardern (Penguin, $60)

2 A Voice for the Silenced by Harry Walker ($35)

A powerful collection of writing by incarcerated people.

3 Mātauranga Māori by Hirini Moko Mead (Huia, $45)

An essential book for anyone keen to understand what mātauranga means and how it operates.

4 Stone & Sky #10 Rivers Of London by Ben Aaronvitch (Orion Books, $38)

A brand new novel in the bestselling detective series.

5 The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey (Te Herenga Waka University Press, $38)

A propulsive novel that asks major questions about our very souls – a guaranteed great read.

6 Tūmahi Māori: A Pathway to Understanding Māori Verbs by Hone Waengarangi Morris (Massey University Press, $45)

Grammar! A new essential resource for te reo Māori learners.

7 The Safe Keep by Yael van der Wouden (Penguin, $26)

Wonderful historical novel about how houses hold histories, and people, too.

8 James by Percival Everett (Picador, $38) 

This retelling of Huckleberry Finn is one of the biggest novels of the decade.

9 No, I Don’t Get Danger Money: Confessions of an Accidental War Correspondent by Lisette Reymer (Allen & Unwin, $38)

Absolutely thrilling memoir from Aotearoa’s Lisette Reymer. You can get a whiff of it by reading Reymer’s edition of My Life in TV right here on The Spinoff.

10 Oceans Between Us: Pacific Peoples and Racism in Aotearoa edited by Sereana Naepi (Auckland University Press, $40)

“Through ten essays rooted in the va – the relational space of story, dialogue and environment – each chapter builds on the next, weaving together lived experiences and sharp insights.Oceans Between Us is both a testimony and a call to action. It documents the struggles of Pacific peoples and envisions a world beyond now. A rallying cry for justice, a demand for equity and a catalyst for change, this book is not about survival alone – it’ s about thriving.”