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There’s fresh blood aplenty and the usual suspects were nowhere to be found as the 2017 Ngaio Marsh Awards finalists were named on Monday.

Now in their eighth year, the Ngaio Marsh Awards celebrate the best New Zealand crime, mystery, and thriller writing; fiction and non-fiction.

The international judging panels (thirteen authors, critics, and editors from five countries) praised the inventiveness and freshness of the stories the Kiwi writers were producing.

If you like good crime, mystery, and thriller books, there are lots of great choices here (with judges comments in quote marks).

BEST CRIME NOVEL

Pancake Money by Finn Bell: Detectives Bobby Ress and Pollo Latu are put to the test when someone starts martyring Dunedin priests in the most medieval of ways. "A brutal page-turner with compelling characters that takes a deep-dive into the psychological and a captivating examination of urban and countryside life."

Spare Me the Truth by C.J. Carver: a man suffering memory loss, a grieving daughter, and disgraced cop all have their lives upturned as they’re plunged into a global conspiracy: “Intriguing characters, twists that keep you guessing, and at heart a complex tale of betrayal and deception � a brilliant page-turner."

Red Herring by Jonothan Cullinane: private eye Johnny Molloy and reporter Caitlin O’Carolan get entangled in deadly agendas and union politics as the 1951 waterfront dispute rages: "Cullinane’s characters fizz and sparkle in this historical thriller whose cracking dialogue and ceaseless pace make it feel utterly current."

Marshall's Law by Ben Sanders: After his witness protection handler is kidnapped, ex-NYPD undercover cop Marshall Grade decides that offense is the best form of defense, infiltrating his old haunts for answers: "Some of the tautest writing and nastiest characters around, an adrenalin-charged tale where no-one emerges unscathed."

The Last Time We Spoke by Fiona Sussman: a survivor and a perpetrator of a brutal home invasion seek to come to terms with their altered lives after the news cycle moves on: “Lyrically and sensitively written, a harrowing yet touching story that stays with you; this is brave and sophisticated storytelling.�

BEST FIRST NOVEL

Dead Lemons by Finn Bell: a wheelchair-bound man contemplating suicide or recovery in Riverton is obsessively drawn into a dangerous search for a father and daughter who went missing years before: "A wonderful new voice in crime writing delivers a tense, compelling tale centred on an original, genuine, and vulnerable character."

Red Herring by Jonothan Cullinane: remarkably similar to book of the same name in the Best Crime Novel category!: "A very impressive debut that sucks you into the story and politics of the time with laconic description and dialogue".

The Ice Shroud by Gordon Ell: Detective Sergeant Malcolm Buchan, the new head of CIB in the Southern Lakes, faces moral and professional challenges when the body of a woman he recognises is pulled from an icy canyon: "An intriguing plot with solid character development in a well-drawn setting; a great local debut."

The Student Body by Simon Wyatt: Newly promoted Detective Sergeant Nick Knight grapples with personal demons while trying to solve the puzzling murder of a teenage girl at a school camp in the Waitakeres: “A well-executed, tense police procedural delivering a solid sense of modern New Zealand.�

Days are Like Grass by Sue Younger): paediatrician Claire Bowerman ran from a shadow of kidnap and murder, but her past is uncorked when she hits the headlines after a family refuses medical treatment for their sick kid: "A really impressive and enjoyable debut, a strong character-driven story".

BEST NON FICTION

In Dark Places: The Confessions of Teina Pora and an Ex-Cop's Fight for Justice by Michael Bennett: the astonishing tale of how teenage car thief Teina Pora spent decades in prison for the brutal murder of Susan Burdett, and the remarkable fight to free him: “A scintillating, expertly balanced account of one of the most grievous miscarriages of justice in New Zealand history".

The Scene of the Crime by Steve Braunias: a penetrating look into the brutal and banal realities of the criminal justice system, told via twelve tales: "Braunias� unique way of finding dark humour in tragic circumstances gave a new perspective to crimes that have been written about incessantly by others".

Double-edged Sword: The Simonne Butler Story by Simonne Butler with Andra Jenkin: a stark look behind the scenes at the prelude and aftermath of Antoine Dixon’s notorious ‘samurai sword� attack: "A shocking, moving, but ultimately uplifting account of a woman who endured so much yet came through it with her spirit remarkably intact".

The Many Deaths of Mary Dobie: Murder, Politics and Revenge in Nineteenth-Century New Zealand by David Murray Hastings: a whodunit turned whydunnit illustrating the social and political tensions of 1880s New Zealand after a young woman is found near Opunake with her throat slit: "A highly impressive historical tale which balances industrious research with terrific storytelling".

Blockbuster! Fergus Hume and The Mystery of a Hansom Cab by Lucy Sussex: the story behind how Otago Boys High old boy and wannabe playwright Fergus Hume irked Conan Doyle and wrote the bestselling crime novel of the nineteenth century: "Very enjoyable, a richly detailed, highly readable account of the world and work of Fergus Hume".

The winners will be named at a WORD Christchurch event on 28 October.