The latest Bridget Williams Book to hit shelves continues the publishers legacy of digging deep into Aotearoa New Zealand, our society and our people. The Valley: Crime and Punishment in a New Zealand City follows three men (one a lawyer) from the Hutt Valley through the criminal justice system — and through hospitals, rehab, boarding houses and welfare offices in addition to courtrooms and prisons.
The book has been described by lawyer Max Harris as “once-in-a-generation contribution to New Zealand writing about justice, class and wider society”, and many other reviewers are joining the important conversation that the text starts.
The valley: Is this the most important new zealand book of 2026?
The Spinoff poses this question in their review, which also includes a sweet summary of the origin of the books while author Asher Emanuel was working as a writer for the outlet. There’s also a special edition of the Gone By Lunchtime podcast included, with Toby Manhire interviewing Asher and worth listening to for the empathy displayed by the author towards his subjects: “A recurring theme in The Valley is that these guys aren’t slipping through cracks — these are chasms”.
“These are people you won’t hear about in the media”
Greg Fleming, for Kete Books, reflects on the role of this book as both truth telling (telling narratives of men who are their worst enemies but deserving of superior support than what the state offers now) and a powerful call for criminal justice reform.
New Zealand Herald’s book of the day
The Valley was deemed New Zealand Herald’s Book of the Day back on 14 May, reviewed (behind a paywall) appropriately by retired district court judge David Harvey. He describes how accurately the book reflects the overworked, under-resourced district court and the difficulties this presents in responding meaningfully to individuals with high needs, but he also raises thoughtful questions on the ethics of writing such a book.
Newsroom book of the week
Also back in May, the book was Newsroom’s ‘Reading Room’ Book of the Week, with a review titled “A beautiful book, a masterpiece even”. This review is the assessment of criminal defence lawyer Fergus Porteous, who again deems it a realistic depiction of “the percussive trundling of low-level court processes” and as showing the justice system “as it is, like a river: once you’re in, you’re in.” Like Harvey, Porteous comes to the task of reviewing with thought provoking questions, this time about the role of the ‘invisible’ narrator.