We’re excited to be giving away two copies of The Target by Riley Chance to our GrownUps members!
To be in the draw, simply make sure you’re a GrownUps member, signed up to our newsletter, and fill in your details at the bottom of the page.
From a NZ Booklovers Award-shortlisted novelist comes his latest fast-paced thriller, which also offers a window into societal issues.
She was in the wrong place at the wrong time – or was she?
Former US agent Marla Simmons keeps a low profile in a quiet South Island town, waiting, watching, ready for the day her past catches up.
Journalist Grace Marks is chasing the fiery union protests gripping the country ahead of an election – and someone is watching her.
When a bomb rips through a Wellington union office, echoing the unsolved 1984 Trades Hall bombing, Grace is caught in the blast. The official story of a lone extremist doesn’t add up. With surveillance cameras everywhere, identifying the culprit should be easy – yet police and SIS investigations stall.
That leaves Marla with one question: was Grace an innocent bystander — or the intended target?
A tense, politically charged New Zealand thriller.
‘Riley Chance is producing high-quality local thrillers with a strong political thread, touching on significant issues facing New Zealand society in the modern world.’ – Editor Geoff Walker
‘Weeping Angels is a gripping thriller that shines a light on the tough topic of family violence, but in such an engaging way it will have you frantically turning the pages and cheering on the resourceful protagonists. Original and thought-provoking.’ – NZ Booklovers
Author Note:
Fiction has a unique power to carry difficult ideas to a wider audience — just consider the impact of Orwell’s Animal Farm or 1984.
I have always been a firm believer in the trade union movement and its vital role in society. At its core, trade unionism is simple: it seeks to ensure that the wealth created by workers is shared fairly with those who produce it. Yes, it’s a Marxian idea – and a sound one.
I wanted to write a story grounded in union struggle that would engage readers while introducing the 1984 Trades Hall bombing to both new audiences and those who remember it. The novel unfolds against a tense confrontation between government, business, and the trade union movement. It draws on 1984 — the year Wellington’s Trades Hall was bombed, not the novel.
My own history is intertwined with unionism. My grandfather, a wharfie, was arrested during the 1951 Waterfront lockout — a story I explored in my first unpublished novel.
Family legend had it that when a policeman put a man on the picket line in a headlock, my grandfather returned the favour, shouting, “You can’t take that man.” Years later I discovered the truth was less heroic and more human: he was arrested on his way home for illegal gambling on the train and spent the night in Mount Crawford. The real story found its way into The Target.
More recently, I relied on my own union to help resolve a dispute with our employer. Without it, we would have been powerless. Justice, as I explored in Weeping Angels, is not free — it isn’t even cheap.
About the author:
Riley Chance, whose last novel, Weeping Angels, was shortlisted for the NZ Booklovers best fiction book of 2025, is passionate about giving readers fast-paced, page-turning novels that also provide a window into societal issues – surveillance, democracy, family violence, and now, the role of trade unions.
Since being made redundant in 2001, Riley has balanced family life with a career shaped by the realities of precarious work. A seasoned, if unenthusiastic, member of that workforce, he has held a wide range of roles, including computer programmer, IT manager, consultant, project manager, mentor, university lecturer, facilitator, and government panel member. Riley does not regard writing as a job. In the spirit of Karl Marx, he believes a writer must earn a living in order to write, but that the purpose of writing is not to make money.
When headspace allows, Riley reads widely, listens to audiobooks, attempts DIY, hits a small white ball, and follows politics closely. You can sometimes find him in Parliament’s Speakers’ Gallery, quietly astonished by the people entrusted to run the country. It is within the political sphere that society can be changed — for better or worse — and Riley believes fiction can be a catalyst for that change.
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Terms and conditions
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You must be a GrownUps member and subscribed to our newsletter to be eligible to enter.
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The competition closes on 13th May 2026. Winners will be notified via email by 14th May 2026.
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It is your responsibility to provide a correct New Zealand postal address for prize delivery. GrownUps is not responsible for prizes sent to incorrect addresses.
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Winners will be drawn at random by the GrownUps administration team.
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GrownUps employees and their immediate families are not eligible to enter.
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By entering, you agree to GrownUps using your name on social media as a winner of the competition.
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One entry per household.
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The prize is non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash or other items.
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You must reside in New Zealand, as the prize can only be delivered within New Zealand.
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You must be over 50 years of age to enter. Please ensure your membership details are up to date in your dashboard.
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