Dorothy Fowler

Dorothy Fowler is a writer who lives on Waiheke Island, New Zealand. In 2009, she published her first novel, What Remains Behind (Random House, 2009),^[1] an archaeological mystery set in the Kaipara region of New Zealand.

Life

Fowler lives on Waiheke Island, a gulf island in the Auckland harbour.^[2] Prior to becoming a writer, she worked in a variety of jobs including building and boatbuilding, before returning to university as an adult student to study ancient history and archaeology.^[3] While completing her Bachelor of Arts in ancient history and archaeology at the University of Auckland, she needed one more paper to complete her degree, so she picked up a course in creative writing taken by acclaimed writer Witi Ihimaera, famous for writing Whale Rider.^[4]

Writing

Fowler studied for a master's degree in Creative Writing, and was mentored by Witi Ihimaera, and award-winning New Zealand novelist Emily Perkins.^[5] She wrote the manuscript to her debut novel as part of her course assignment, a mystery based on an archeological dig set in Whakapirau.^[6] Fowler has described her taste in fiction as 'classic whodunnits'; Dorothy L. Sayers, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, and she used her recent archaeological research from her first degree to form the basis of the research for her first novel.^[7]

Novels

• 2009: What Remains Behind

Reviews

"This novel contains an attractive mix of mystery, history, and archaeology... Dorothy Fowler has done well with her first book and I look forward to more." Ruth Gardner.^[8]

"Fowler creates a nice sense of authenticity with the small-town setting, filled with the spider-web of shared histories, and secrets past or present, that can be prevalent in a place where everyone knows everyone (or at least presumes they do)... Overall, an enjoyable read and a promising debut from a new voice in New Zealand writing." Craig Sisterson, NZLawyer magazine^[9]

References