Absent From the Circus

Wellington has been home to British thriller writer Neil Cross for the past eight years since he moved away from the wearying “circus” of the UK and a 24 Booker nomination for his novel Always the Sun. Creator of cop show Luther, the Guardian’s Euan Ferguson writes: “[Cross] lives with his New Zealand wife and two children in a barefoot idyll. When he’s not redoing Hollywood scripts. Or writing Luther, the last series of which was watched by 7 million, won sterling reviews, is becoming cult viewing in America and could soon be a movie. Or bringing out his first Luther book. There are worse ways to hit 42.” Cross has also worked on television show Spooks. For his 21 thriller Captured, Cross has been named as a finalist for the 211 Ngaio Marsh Award. Winners will be announced on 21 August.