This mystery is set in a small town in New Zealand. Main character Lorraine is a middle aged woman who works as a file clerk in the police station. When children in her small town start going missing, she can’t help but worry, especially when it becomes personal to her family, and is enlisted due to her local knowledge by an out of town detective who has come to help with the investigation.

This was a quick and compelling mystery, with twists I did not see coming. However, for this US reader, this very New Zealand book was a bit hard to read between the Maori words, NZ slang, and other local knowledge that it felt like the book expected you to know, which took me out of the story sometimes because I had to google a lot. So although I really enjoyed it and couldn’t put it down, I’m giving it 3.75 stars just for the slightly difficult reading experience.

Beautifully written, suspenseful, and moving. This is a great work of suspense written with a lot of heart.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC, I LOVED IT, it is a well-written, addictive, originally fresh story.

"Paper Cage" by Tom Baragwanath is an engaging debut which weaves a gritty and suspenseful narrative set against the backdrop of a small New Zealand town.

The novel is a masterful blend of social commentary and thriller, delving deep into the tensions between the white and Māori populations, the pervasive influence of street gangs, and the devastating impact of drug addiction on families.

The story centers around Lorraine Henry, a file clerk at the local police station, who becomes an unlikely investigator when children start disappearing from the town of Masterton. The disappearance of a child named Precious Kīngi sets off a chain of events which yanks Lorraine out of her routine life and drops her into the center of a harrowing search. Her personal connection to the case, when her nephew Bradley goes missing, adds a poignant and emotional layer to the narrative.

Baragwanath's portrayal of Lorraine is rich and nuanced, presenting her as a complex character whose mundane life of work and casual drinks with her neighbor belies a fierce determination and a heart full of care for her family. The author does not shy away from the harsh realities of life in Masterton, painting a vivid picture of the town's struggles with race, class, and crime.

The novel's pacing is deliberate, allowing readers to fully immerse themselves in the atmospheric setting and the intricacies of the community's dynamics.

The mystery at the heart of "Paper Cage" allows readers to piece together the clues alongside Lorraine. The inclusion of Māori words and cultural references enriches the story, providing authenticity and depth.

In "Paper Cage," Baragwanath has crafted a narrative that is both thrilling and thought-provoking, a book that not only entertains but also invites reflection on the societal issues it portrays. It's a remarkable first novel that promises great things from this new voice in crime fiction.

Very enjoyable book set in New Zealand.
Lorraine works in the records room in the basement of the police station. When two local Maori children go missing, a detective is sent from Wellington to help the town find the children. He involves Lorraine in the investigation due to her connections with the Maori families in the area. Lorraine was married to a Maori man. When her nephew also disappears, Lorraine and the detective set out to find out what is happening with fatal consequences.
The setting and the description of life as a white, Maori or mixed race family in NZ was very interesting. The writing style was also very good. Will definitely read other books by this author.

Lorraine Henry is concerned when two Māori children go missing and the police department doesn't seem to be putting any effort into finding them and would rather blame the parents for the disappearances. With the lack of information, Lorraine is worried about her niece Sheena and her young nephew Bradley and tries to keep an eye on them. However, when Bradley is the next child to go missing, Lorraine is determined to find out who is behind it and reunite the children with their families. Lorraine gets help from a detective from another town and together they figure out where and why the children were taken. Overall, a suspenseful story that highlights the tension between the Māori and white communities. Readers who like a detailed setting will enjoy this one.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Knopf for providing me with an advance e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review. Look for it now in your local and online bookstores and libraries.

firstly, i’d like to thank netgalley and knopf doubleday publishing group for providing me with an ebook arc in exchange for my honest opinions and review.

paper cage is a thrilling, gripping, and thought provoking mystery based in new zealand. it follows the story of the faithful narrator, lorraine henry as she changes from the person she once was as a police station records clerk who simply kept her head down to a fierce protector and rescuer who would do anything for her family, even if it means uncovering the darker parts of her small, tight-knit town of masterton.

despite lorraine henry’s occupation at the masterton police station, she tends to keep to herself and mind her business– sitting at her desk and her computer, remembering information, sorting files, and keeping up on organization. her life, although a little dreary and mundane, is uneventful, tranquil, and most importantly, secure. that is, until, tragic news rocks the town of masterton and its residence: two māori children have gone missing, precious kīngi and hēmi larkin. lorraine cannot help but pay attention to the news, especially since she has her niece sheena and her nephew bradley to look after.

much to her dismay, it seems as though the cops at the police station she’s employed at are not doing much in terms of finding the children. and in a cruel twist of fate, sheena and lorraine’s very own bradley, is the next child claimed by this unknown abductor. after losing one of her only remaining family members, a now jaded and determined aunty lo teams up with a charming, intelligent justin hayes, a detective specifically sent out from wellington to aid the police station in the cases, to help find the missing children and bring them back to their homes by any means necessary.

i had the pleasure of picking up paper cage before its publication; it was a treat. tom baragwanath has masterfully crafted a riveting plot line filled with twists and turns i would have never expected or anticipated. this small town had some really big secrets and it was fascinating to see the story unravel, carefully adding another piece to the puzzle of it all. this is an impeccable full-length debut.

this book was able to balance both social and cultural issues tastefully (one of the main issues being how racism affects and impacts investigations but also drugs and gangs) and maintain the momentum of an invigoratingly mysterious plot fueled by complex characters. the writing provided a poignant showcase of the relationship between the white and māori communities, accurately depicting the apathy white characters showed when māori children went missing.

i found myself learning a lot about new zealand, their native wildlife, and most importantly the māori people, their culture, and their customs. i left the book feeling more educated about a new part of the world i wasn’t all that familiar with. and although i truly enjoyed paper cage for its plot, learning bits and pieces of the rich history of the location was ultimately the highlight for me.

although paper cage wasn’t a perfect read for me (as it fell short in terms of the kidnapper’s true intentions for the crimes, had an abrupt, somewhat confusing ending, and changed narrators halfway through with no clarification) i still highly, highly recommend this book to any mystery or thriller enthusiasts. i especially recommend this to any readers who enjoyed holly jackson’s a good girl’s guide to murder as the plot and its twists were similar to the series. i cannot wait to read more of the author’s future works and i’m excited to see where he goes from here!

Tension mounts as one-by-one three Maori children go missing from their small community. Told from the perspective of Lorraine, grand aunt of the third child who disappears and a file clerk in the local police station, this first-rate mystery weaves the mystery together with a realistic portrait of the treatment of Maoris in today's New Zealand society, many years after the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi, which guaranteed the Maoris basic rights (and that have been weakened over time and threatened to upend the recent elections). It is hard to believe that this is Baragwanath's debut novel. He writes with the assurance of a seasoned novelist, bring his characters to life, treating the setting as another character, and giving readers a cracking good story. I look forward to reading more from him.

An interesting read. The cultural and social issues were expertly woven in this mystery driven by cultural clashes. While I think the writing isn’t the strongest it’s well worth a read. Good plot development and interesting characters.

An above average mystery that explores missing children and the seemingly indifference of the local authorities. There is an Us and Them mentality in the search and level of concern toward the missing children of the Native peoples. Set in a small town in New Zealand, there is an authenticity to the apathy of the white characters. Conversely, there is a realism in the weary acceptance of that apathy by the community of Maori.
When Lorraine's nephew goes missing, as the Records Clerk of the local police department, she somewhat reluctantly joins forces with an out of town detective in the search through her small town. Drugs, gangs, tough family situations are just some of the situations they come across in a race to find the children.
A nuanced mystery that showcases how investigations are impacted by racism. I highly recommend Paper Cage which has also been nominated for an award as a first novel.

Thank you to Knopf and Netgalley for access to an early e-copy. All opinions are my own.

This prizewinning debut from New Zealand! A community of

How far would you go to keep your family safe?

Lorraine Henry is part of a Māori clan by marriage and keeps her head down in her basement clerk role at the local police. When 2 local kids disappear within weeks, Lorraine gets overly involved and draws the ire of her Chief. But Masterson is a small town and Lorraine has the connections needed to work with the Māori and their assistance is sorely needed. When her own nephew disappears, Lorraine will stop at nothing to find him.

Baragwanath creates an atmospheric mystery thriller while weaving in the social issues imposed upon Māori as well as highlighting the culture of community and care. A fantastic novel! #Knopf #Pantheon #Vintage #Anchor #KnopfPantheonVintageAnchor #papercage #tombaragwanath

This book is thrilling, but I wouldn’t call it a thriller; I would call it a high-stakes mystery, in the vein of Tana French. It broke my heart. It taught me a lot about race and class in New Zealand.

What I loved most about this book is how completely human everyone was. A cop whose hands shake in scary situations. A female narrator who is allowed to have gray hair and who still mourns her long-deceased husband. A frightened mother who struggles with addiction.

Around 3/4 of the way through, the book takes a sudden turn that heightens the stakes even more. I found this part of the novel to be particularly compelling, both because of the high stakes and the questions posed by the characters.

For fans of Tana French and/or Mare of Easttown.

I was able to read Paper Cage by Tom Baragwanath over the weekend. It was an enjoyable read and a good introduction to a new author.

How far would you go to keep your family safe? Lorraine Henry is generally content to keep her head down and get on with her work as a records clerk at the Masterton police station. But when children start going missing in her small town, she can't help but pay attention. After all, she has Bradley, her young nephew, to worry about, and the cops don't seem to be putting much effort into finding the kids. And then the unthinkable happens: Bradley disappears.

Lorraine teams up with a detective and starts a dangerous journey that exposes the good and bad in Masterton.

I felt the characters were developed well and not the typical cookie-cutter type. The dialogue and actions of the characters in this story seem believable.

The plot was good, and the overall outcome was satisfying. I would read more by this author.

#PaperCage #NetGalley @AAKnopf