Riley Chance – författare

'No one will invest in a business focused on family violence – it's the opposite of sexy.'Lauren Brown, owner of Weeping Angels, smiled. 'Maybe to men.'Business is booming for Weeping Angels – an agency that helps victims of family violence obtain protection orders. Lauren, who ambitiously wants to fix the justice system, contacts journalist Grace ('Ace') Marks to increase pressure on the government. A woman who obsessively guards her privacy and her past, Lauren knows she will need to step out of the shadows where she has lived her entire life.When Lauren disappears after visiting a friend, and the police list her as 'just another' missing person, a mystified Grace investigates. But who is Lauren? Is that her real name? What sinister forces are at work in her disappearance? And why can't the police find out where she lives?Grace, determined to discover what's happened to Lauren, has a problem – where to start. Short listed for NZ Booklovers Fiction Book of the year 2025."e;… a gripping thriller … Original and thought-provoking."e; NZ Booklovers Judging Panel"e;An intriguing thriller that also gives readers a realistic insight into the devastating problem of family violence in Aotearoa New Zealand."e; Women's Refuge"e;Weeping Angels shines with its originality and depth. One of the most important New Zealand novels of the year"e; ReadNZ

She was in the wrong place at the wrong time - or was she?Former US agent Marla Simmons is hiding in a quiet South Island town, hoping her past never finds her.With an election looming, journalist Grace Marks is covering the escalating union protests – and someone is tracking her.When a bomb rips through the Wellington union offices, echoing the unsolved 1984 Trades Hall blast, Grace is caught in the explosion. The official line that it is the work of a lone extremist doesn't add up. With security cameras everywhere, identifying the culprit should be easy, but the police and SIS investigations stall.Marla must decide: was Grace in the wrong place at the wrong time – or was she the target?A gripping New Zealand thriller. Someone planned this explosion. The question is why.

Populist political parties are increasing their influence across the world. It couldn't happen in New Zealand, could it?Journalist Grace Marks is investigating two unrelated stories – New Zealand's alt-right, and the emergence of a new organisation, ProtectNZ. When she finds 'dead man's hand' stuck to her front door with a knife, it's obvious she's ruffling some feathers.Hiding in New Zealand after a mission went sour, former US agent Marla Simmons learns Grace is in danger and wants to help, but finding out who's orchestrating the threats won't be easy.The two stories collide as Grace and Marla's investigations deepen. When a body is found, the question is not only who killed them and why, but who was the victim?As the ProtectNZ juggernaut steamrolls towards the election, Grace and Marla race to expose those pulling the strings. The voting public need to know the truth. "e;Investigative journalist Grace Marks and former US agent Marla Simmons join forces in The Democracy Game, a thought-provoking political thriller with just the right blend of action, unforgettable characters, and a riveting plot that examines a multitude of societal issues."e; NZBooklovers