“King of Tartan Noir” Ian Rankin’s long-running Inspector Rebus books are rooted in the streets of Edinburgh, but read eagerly across countries, cultures and languages.

Chris Whitaker’s crime epics including All the Colours of the Darkuse vast American landscapes, yet readers may be surprised to learn Chris is British and largely discovered the US through its literature.

Meanwhile, Irish crime writer Dervla McTiernan continues to set much of her work in her native Ireland, despite having called Australia home for the last 15 years.

Our very own Michael Bennett (Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Whakaue) – whose Māori detective-led Hana Westerman series is set in Aotearoa but has enjoyed a strong international reception – chats to our globe-spanning panel about how place and culture are reflected in their books; the universal appeal of crime writing to appeal beyond borders and the art of conveying place, even from thousands of miles away.

Supported by Culture Ireland.

Also at Auckland Writers Festival

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Last updated: 17 March 2025