Devil's Apple

In all good thrillers, the hunters inevitably become the hunted - and Devil's Apple doesn't disappoint. For good measure there is also a dash of steamy sex, providing both relief from the building suspense and adding an element of danger to the protagonists' predicament. Simon Snow is a very nice writer. The passages describing the unique beauty of the bush, that provides both a backdrop and a frame to the mystery that unfurls, make for pleasing prose. Yet he doesn't make the same mistake as many authors of paying too much attention to the words and not enough to the plot. It's a gripping story, and he tells it well.

Megan Nicol, TVNZ Entertainment

Snow combines authentic, rough West Coast dialogue . . . with sensitive observations of people and descriptions of the landscape. He seems to have at least some sympathy for all his characters, whether they are rednecks or hippies. In this, his first novel, he has set himself a difficult task. It’s quite a balancing act, juggling the different elements of the book, but he never drops a ball. Warmly recommended.

Bernard Carpinter, NZ Books