The Luminaries

The Luminaries is set in 1866, where Walter Moody arrives to seek his fortune on the New Zealand goldfields. Upon his arrival, he encounters a tense gathering of twelve local men who are meeting in secret to discuss a series of unsolved crimes.

• A wealthy man has vanished.
• A whore has tried to end her life.
• An enormous fortune has been discovered in the home of a luckless drunk.

Moody becomes embroiled in a complex mystery that weaves together fates and fortunes as intricately as the night sky. The Luminaries is an extraordinary piece of fiction, offering:

• Rich narrative and linguistic pleasures
• A fiendishly clever and original structuring device

Written in pitch-perfect historical register, it vividly evokes a mid-19th century world filled with shipping, banking, and the gold rush boom and bust. Additionally, it serves as both a ghost story and a gripping mystery. This thrilling achievement will affirm for critics and readers alike that Catton is one of the brightest stars in international writing.