Mākaro Press

17/12/2025

Cause for celebration in the Mākaro today to see EMPATHY by Bryan Walpert, Author coming in at #2 in the The Spinoff readers' choice vote for best books – #2 for best fiction and #2 for best book overall, each time behind Catherine Chidgey's THE BOOK OF GUILT.

Tracy Farr's WONDERLAND is in at #7 for the fiction, published by our sister press The Cuba Press. More celebrations!

Both books are at all good bookstores, especially at Unity Books Wellington, Unity Books Auckland and The Women's Bookshop - New Zealand, who have supported the launches of these books into the world and may even have some signed copies!

The results of our reader survey of the best books, and best covers, of the year.

10/12/2025

Empathy by Bryan Walpert, Author — a great summer read indeed.

☀️BRILLIANT SUMMER READS # 1 EMPATHY by Bryan Walpert Marketing executive Alison Morris bets her reputation on a project to sell empathy in a perfume bottle. Her husband, Jim, is inspired to try a similar thing in a game he’s developing - sinking all their money into EmPath, where people progress by learning to understand one another without direct communication. All at once Alison’s fragrance develops dangerous effects and Jim’s game falters in the market, then the chemist working on the perfume project vanishes. His son, David, seems to be the only one looking for him. A widower with two children, David is a man of routine who just wants to get on with his life, but his love for his father takes him into a murky world where empathy can be bought and sold and can lead to murder. 🇳🇿

08/12/2025

Becky Manawatu will be at Buller District Libraries, Westport, Tuesday 9 December, 5–7pm to sign books and talk books and wish you a Merry Christmas! The Keri Hulme Award winner would love to see you. Bring your own copies for Becky to sign or buy a copy while you’re there.

20/11/2025

Kataraina by Becky Manawatu is one of 69 books nominated by 80 libraries from 36 countries for the prestigious Dublin Literary Award! And Kataraina is one of four Aotearoa titles — the other three are Delirious by Damien Wilkins, The Mires by Tina Makereti and 1985 by Dominic Hoey.

Brilliant news. Congrats to everyone.

Honouring excellence in world literature since 1996. Presented annually, the Award is one of the most significant literature prizes inthe world, worth €100,000 for a single work of fiction in original English ortranslated into English.

28/10/2025

“The book has all the elements you expect in a crime thriller, from small-time crooks to corporate secrets, intrigue, drama and violence. The carefully constructed plot is pulled skintight by a highly skilled writer who knows exactly how to treat the reader to a fun ride. Yet, Walpert has also done something different here, taking us on a highly entertaining and perceptive deep dive into the nature of love and human connection. Empathy is a superb thriller from one of our best.” — reviewer Anna Scaife at Kete Books, on Empathy by Bryan Walpert, Author.

Thanks Anna and Kete.

Ockham finalist author Bryan Walpert is back with EMPATHY, his tenth novel. Anna Scaife investigates. ...

22/10/2025

Only Bryan Walpert, Author could pull off a contemplative novel that is also a 'scared witless' thriller. EMPATHY is at all good bookstores now.

Thanks to Academy of New Zealand Literature and reviewer Guy Somerset for an excellent and insightful review.

A 'contemplative novel' – and a 'scared witless' thriller

20/10/2025

Becky Manawatu has won the Keri Hulme Award with her mahi and her perseverence as a writer, and her novel Kataraina, sister to Auē.

If you haven’t read it yet, Kataraina is at all good bookstores and in libraries, or buy from thecubapress.nz/shop/kataraina/

Thank you to the Keri Hulme whānau and the Māori Literature Trust for their support of this prize, and the MLT and Kararaina Pene for these photos of Becky at the Pikihuia Awards ceremony in Rotorua.

19/10/2025

That Becky Manawatu – such a winner! In one week she is awarded two prizes named for leading Aotearoa kaituhi – Frank Sargeson and now Keri Hulme. Thank you Claire Mabey, books editor of The Spinoff, for another excellent report.

One week, two prestigious awards – an acclaimed writer becomes even more acclaimed.

19/10/2025

Unbelievable!! Becky Manawatu wins the Keri Hulme Award 2025!!! Bursting with pride e kare. Bursting with pride.

Huge thanks to Māori Literature Trust and the Keri Hulme whānau.

WINNER: Keri Hulme Award🏆

Becky Manawatu
Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Māmoe, Waitaha for Kataraina

Becky Manawatu is a West Coast author and journalist. She was born in Nelson and grew up in Waimangaroa, living now in Westport with her family. Her debut novel, Auē, won Aotearoa’s leading fiction prizes and became one of the country’s all-time fiction bestsellers, published overseas in English and multiple translations. The sequel, Kataraina, was longlisted for the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize in 2025. Manawatu was awarded the 2021 Robert Burns Fellowship and longlisted for the 2018 Commonwealth Writers Prize.

The Pikihuia Awards are made possible through the generous support of our partners and sponsors: Creative New Zealand, Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori, KUPU Māori Writers Festival, Huia Publishers and The Keri Hulme Whānau.

Show our Keri Hulme Award winner some aroha in the comments and on your stories e te whānau!

18/10/2025

Empathy in a bottle! Bryan Walpert, Author is interviewed for M2 magazine about his new novel Empathy. Interviewer Jamie Trower does a great job digging in to what makes Bryan’s fiction tick and what’s at the heart of Empathy. There’s a lot to do with smell here … including Jamie’s own addiction to the smell of books. A lively and fascinating read.

Stepping into the tiny nook of High Street’s Unity Books Auckland in early October this year, I was greeted with one of my favourite smells in the world. Books. Stacks of them. Glorious, beautiful, stunning books. Floor-to-ceiling cream-coloured shelves displaying thousands of these divine morsels...

18/10/2025

Empathy by Bryan Walpert, Author is number one at Unity Books Auckland! And great to see Bryan’s former Massey University colleague Ingrid Horrocks is number one at Unity Books Wellington. They launched the same day.

Brand new Aotearoa fiction, and flowers.

18/10/2025

Becky Manawatu’s winning story for the $15,000 Sargeson Prize - Short Story Competition.