Wellington, New Zealand, January 1984
Do Kiwis care about anything other than rugby? Another cancelled gig. Bloody typical. Tommy Trevelian kicked an empty beer bottle down the street on his way home from the tavern. A folk singer in New Zealand was a lost cause. The last time anyone listened to one of his protest songs was back in 1981 during the Springboks tour. But hey, the Springboks were a rugby team, and that got everybody fired up.
Last year it was the British Lions tour. This year the French Rugby tour of New Zealand. They didn’t want folk singers—they wanted cheerleaders and happy jingles. Not an ageing hippy musician still stuck in the sixties.
Tommy was ready to throw it all in when he heard about the inheritance. Uncle Bill. Tommy hadn’t seen the old hermit in years. By all accounts, Bill was a miserable bugger and a right miser. Tommy paused and took a deep breath. What if old Bill was a millionaire and left him his entire fortune? Hardly likely. Not to a nephew he scarcely knew. Tommy kicked another beer bottle into the kerb. It would take a bleeding miracle to turn his life around.
—Threepence on the Carpet Chapter One
THREEPENCE ON THE CARPET
THREEPENCE ON THE CARPET
A Kiwi Musician. London in the swinging sixties. A hippy, free-spirited girlfriend.
How did it all go so wrong?
At just twenty years old, Tommy Trevelian is a spirited young New Zealander on his overseas experience in the United Kingdom. While his passion is music, he’s working as a banker in the City of London in the early 1960s, at the height of the counterculture revolution. Each day, Tommy juggles his dreams of musical stardom with the realities of banking in one of the world’s leading financial centres.
While performing at a seedy tavern, he meets Zoe, a free-spirited flower power groupie and a devoted supporter of the peace movement. Captivated by her passion and inspired by their shared ideals, Tommy wholeheartedly embraces the bohemian lifestyle. He writes protest songs for Ban-the-Bomb demonstrations and marches on the Aldermaston atomic weapons base, using his music to amplify their call for peace and change.
There’s trouble when his employers at the South African-owned bank discover his involvement with the anti-apartheid movement, and he’s deported back to New Zealand—immediately after learning Zoe is pregnant with his child.
Fast forward to the 1980s, and Tommy’s life is in a downward spiral. Kiwis are more interested in sport than folk music, and his attempts to reinvent himself as a singer are disastrous. Just when he feels all hope is lost, a long-lost uncle leaves him an unusual inheritance. How will a battered box of puppets help this ageing hippy regain his soul?
Somewhere on the English coast, you’ll find two wandering souls
Carrying an old accordion and a carpet in a roll
Some puppets in a battered box and the clothes upon their backs
The music man and his only friend tread the costal tracks
His eyes have seen the good times, now they gaze upon the bad
Once top hotels now damp and dismal rooms
He stares across the empty beach and the rolling waves below
But all he sees is an old brown rug
An accordion case and an old tin mug
And a fading picture of a girl he used to know
Carrying an old accordion and a carpet in a roll
Some puppets in a battered box and the clothes upon their backs
The music man and his only friend tread the costal tracks
His eyes have seen the good times, now they gaze upon the bad
Once top hotels now damp and dismal rooms
He stares across the empty beach and the rolling waves below
But all he sees is an old brown rug
An accordion case and an old tin mug
And a fading picture of a girl he used to know
Now and then, long their way, a seaside town they reach
And spread the well worn carpet out upon the beach
The music man on his accordion makes his fingers prance
While his companion leads the puppets in a merry little dance
As the children gather round him and he hears them clap and cheer
Sorrow fills the music man as he sheds a little tear
He remembers sold out concert tours, the money he had made
He remembers when she left him, how it all began to fade
Too soon the dance is over and the children drift away
They each leave threepence on the rug, the entertainer’s pay
Having spent much of my life in Europe and Aotearoa New Zealand, the former as a music teacher and performance musician, I was looking forward to exploring Tommy's narrative. There were so many parallels between his story and my own, so I was fascinated to see what David Whittet had woven with his material. I was not disappointed. So many references were evocative of my own life experiences. I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of London, a city I know well, and the music festivals.
Having attended rallies while in Europe, and joined in some of the protest marches, I was also impressed by the accuracy of the accounts of Tommy's involvement. As in Tommy's story, there were those who disapproved and would do anything to stop the popular voice. This included, but was not restricted to, physical attacks on demonstrators, arrests, and confiscation of personal property. This disapproval could extend to family members and so-called friends who would disown the activist on principle.
Finally, I am impressed by the amount of supporting detail that has been included in Tommy's story. The representations of rest homes, substandard rental properties and boarding houses, homelessness, the mechanics of a recording studio, and the prejudice of entitled people in positions they should never have been elevated to - all are evidence of the amount of research the author has undertaken to ensure that the end result is credible as well as entertaining.
Jo Belgrave, Kiwi Reviews
Read the full 5-Star Review at kiwireviews.nz
Order your signed copy of Threepence on the Carpet, with a personal inscription by the author, or purchase the eBook.
Order your signed copy of Threepence on the Carpet, with a personal inscription by the author, or purchase the eBook.
GANG GIRL
Meet Alicia
A gang leader's daughter … and a woman
determined to take charge of her own destiny
The Gang stole her childhood. She won't let them claim the rest of her life.
West Coast, New Zealand, 1970. Born into the Gang, Alicia longs to escape the misery of her childhood. The only child of a notorious mob leader, her upbringing is harsh. Her father’s protection rackets have decimated the impoverished communities throughout the region.
Alicia seeks refuge at the nearby Roaring Creek waterfalls, where she plays with her cousin Mickey, whose rascally nature conceals his equally brutal childhood. A bitter feud between their parents Reggie and Ronnie—named after the infamous Kray twins— drives their friendship underground, and they bond as ‘blood cousins’ in a secret ceremony.
The women see the clandestine relationship as a means to unite the divided Gang and contrive an arranged marriage between the cousins.
Later, in her early 20s, a chance meeting with a hotshot business executive promises Alicia a new life away from the mob. But can her dream survive Gang retaliation? Now a hardened gangster, Mickey threatens to kill her if she marries someone else.
IndieReader described Gang Girl as ‘a memorable tale filled with drama, conflict and intrigue ... deftly painted characters, multilayered, and unique ... an extraordinary read.’
West Coast, New Zealand, 1970. Born into the Gang, Alicia longs to escape the misery of her childhood. The only child of a notorious mob leader, her upbringing is harsh. Her father’s protection rackets have decimated the impoverished communities throughout the region.
Alicia seeks refuge at the nearby Roaring Creek waterfalls, where she plays with her cousin Mickey, whose rascally nature conceals his equally brutal childhood. A bitter feud between their parents Reggie and Ronnie—named after the infamous Kray twins— drives their friendship underground, and they bond as ‘blood cousins’ in a secret ceremony.
The women see the clandestine relationship as a means to unite the divided Gang and contrive an arranged marriage between the cousins.
Later, in her early 20s, a chance meeting with a hotshot business executive promises Alicia a new life away from the mob. But can her dream survive Gang retaliation? Now a hardened gangster, Mickey threatens to kill her if she marries someone else.
IndieReader described Gang Girl as ‘a memorable tale filled with drama, conflict and intrigue ... deftly painted characters, multilayered, and unique ... an extraordinary read.’
Roaring Creek Reserve, West Coast, New Zealand, 1974
The sharpened blade of the chisel glistened in the early morning sun. Laid out beside it, the ceremonial mallet and the decorative glass jars filled with ink. Alicia watched the women arrange the brutal weapons on the flax-covered table. She heard them joke about ‘instruments of torture’. How could they laugh at something so horrid?
The boys stood in line on the dais in front of the old pavilion, their bodies shaking. Alicia shielded her eyes. She’d witnessed the savage ritual many times before. It hurt as much today as it had the first time her father, Reggie, made her sit through the ordeal.
‘Take your hands away from your eyes,’ Reggie said. ‘You’re the Gang president’s daughter. You’re ten years old. Act your age. Blood and ink! They are sacred to this Gang.’
The sharpened blade of the chisel glistened in the early morning sun. Laid out beside it, the ceremonial mallet and the decorative glass jars filled with ink. Alicia watched the women arrange the brutal weapons on the flax-covered table. She heard them joke about ‘instruments of torture’. How could they laugh at something so horrid?
The boys stood in line on the dais in front of the old pavilion, their bodies shaking. Alicia shielded her eyes. She’d witnessed the savage ritual many times before. It hurt as much today as it had the first time her father, Reggie, made her sit through the ordeal.
‘Take your hands away from your eyes,’ Reggie said. ‘You’re the Gang president’s daughter. You’re ten years old. Act your age. Blood and ink! They are sacred to this Gang.’
—Gang Girl Chapter One
David Whittet’s gripping story of love, betrayal and redemption is set on New Zealand’s spectacular West Coast. Gang Girl will capture the hearts of readers who love books featuring strong women determined to take charge of their own destiny.
Order your signed copy of Gang Girl, with a personal inscription by the author, or purchase the eBook or audiobook.
THE ROAD TO MADHAPUR
THE ROAD TO MADHAPUR
University of Otago Medical School, Dunedin, New Zealand, July 1986
Professor Goulding rapped his cane on my desk. ‘Wake up, Mr Malone!’
I sat up with a jolt.
The professor leant over me. ‘What are the pathological changes in pulmonary tuberculosis?’
Why did he always pick on me? Hands shot up all around me. Was I the only one who didn’t know the answer?
‘This isn’t the first time I’ve caught you drifting.’ Professor Goulding pointed to the screen with his cane. ‘Look at this slide and tell me what you see.’
‘It’s… um … a section of a lung,’ I mumbled. ‘With … er … tuberculosis.’
Professor Goulding snorted. ‘I should have thought that was obvious.’
Everyone laughed. Especially those show-offs in the front row.
Professor Goulding’s eyes drilled into mine. ‘It’s called a granuloma.’ He put another slide up on the screen. ‘Name this structure.’
I hadn’t a clue what it was called and didn’t care either. Modern antibiotics had eliminated tuberculosis, and learning about it in such minute detail wouldn’t prepare us for the challenges of medicine in the outside world.
‘It’s um …’ I dribbled to a standstill. ‘I’m not sure, sir.’
More hands went up.
‘It’s the interlobular vein,’ one student said.
‘Sub-segmental branch,’ another added.
Professor Goulding glared at me through tortoise rimmed glasses that must have been at least as old as he was. ‘You just don’t know your anatomy, Mr Malone. You need to buck your ideas up if you’re to get through your fourth-year exams.’
It was all I could do to stop myself from bolting out of the lecture theatre. Hadn’t Professor Goulding heard about AIDS and the new viruses that threatened the future of humanity?
Professor Goulding rapped his cane on my desk. ‘Wake up, Mr Malone!’
I sat up with a jolt.
The professor leant over me. ‘What are the pathological changes in pulmonary tuberculosis?’
Why did he always pick on me? Hands shot up all around me. Was I the only one who didn’t know the answer?
‘This isn’t the first time I’ve caught you drifting.’ Professor Goulding pointed to the screen with his cane. ‘Look at this slide and tell me what you see.’
‘It’s… um … a section of a lung,’ I mumbled. ‘With … er … tuberculosis.’
Professor Goulding snorted. ‘I should have thought that was obvious.’
Everyone laughed. Especially those show-offs in the front row.
Professor Goulding’s eyes drilled into mine. ‘It’s called a granuloma.’ He put another slide up on the screen. ‘Name this structure.’
I hadn’t a clue what it was called and didn’t care either. Modern antibiotics had eliminated tuberculosis, and learning about it in such minute detail wouldn’t prepare us for the challenges of medicine in the outside world.
‘It’s um …’ I dribbled to a standstill. ‘I’m not sure, sir.’
More hands went up.
‘It’s the interlobular vein,’ one student said.
‘Sub-segmental branch,’ another added.
Professor Goulding glared at me through tortoise rimmed glasses that must have been at least as old as he was. ‘You just don’t know your anatomy, Mr Malone. You need to buck your ideas up if you’re to get through your fourth-year exams.’
It was all I could do to stop myself from bolting out of the lecture theatre. Hadn’t Professor Goulding heard about AIDS and the new viruses that threatened the future of humanity?
—The Road to Madhapur Chapter One
You will never make a doctor. The professor’s harsh words threaten to end Theo Malone’s medical career before he sees his first patient. The idealistic Kiwi is determined to prove the professor wrong—until the death of a child from meningitis during a student assignment in Uganda shatters his confidence.
Australian teenager Elisha is furious when her missionary father announces he’s taking the entire family on his next campaign in India. Anger turns to despair after her mother dies from AIDS following a needlestick injury at a local Indian hospital.
Qualified at last, Theo’s in trouble for trying to take vital medicines into a developing country. Disillusioned, he leaves New Zealand for voluntary work overseas. By chance, the medical agency sends him to India. His feet scarcely touch the ground in Madhapur before his life-saving drugs rescue an Indian girl Elisha has befriended.
Opposition to western medicine and growing political tension threaten Theo’s determination to make a difference in this impoverished community. His forthright approach creates enemies. Will his immunisation campaign force a backlash from the authorities? Can his love for Elisha survive an unspeakable tragedy following a brutal mob attack?
Written by a family doctor, David Whittet’s heart-wrenching novel will captivate lovers of true-to-life medical stories. From rural New Zealand to the plains of India, The Road to Madhapur takes readers on an unforgettable journey through love and grief to redemption and fulfilment.
IndieReader described The Road to Madhapur as ‘a captivating, well-paced narrative following two main characters: Theo Malone, a doctor from New Zealand with a broken spirit sent to India on volunteer work, and Elisha, an Australian teenager who lost her mother in a tragic incident while on a family trip to India. The cultural setting of Madhapur, beautifully evoked with breathtaking imagery and remarkable attention to detail, serves as the perfect backdrop where Theo and Elisha’s paths collide and they find love, meaning and purpose.’
Order your signed copy of The Road to Madhapur, with a personal inscription by the author.
Order your signed copy of The Road to Madhapur, with a personal inscription by the author.
IndieReader described The Road to Madhapur as ‘a captivating, well-paced narrative following two main characters: Theo Malone, a doctor from New Zealand with a broken spirit sent to India on volunteer work, and Elisha, an Australian teenager who lost her mother in a tragic incident while on a family trip to India. The cultural setting of Madhapur, beautifully evoked with breathtaking imagery and remarkable attention to detail, serves as the perfect backdrop where Theo and Elisha’s paths collide and they find love, meaning and purpose.’
Order your signed copy of The Road to Madhapur, with a personal inscription by the author.
GOLIATH AND THE GANG
Book Two in the Gang Girl Series
Aaron was just five years old when they took his mother away.
Twenty-three years later, he’s the CEO of an industry-leading power company and still fighting the Godzone Gorillas—the Gang that kidnapped his mother.
The appearance of a mysterious Māori diviner sparks hope in Aaron’s heart. Can this wise woman help him find his mother?
Driven by ambition and revenge, Aaron’s tumultuous journey is no mere rags-to-riches tale—it’s roller coaster of emotion filled with drama, conflict and intrigue.
David Whittet’s captivating story will take readers on an unforgettable journey that will grip them from the very first page.
Twenty-three years later, he’s the CEO of an industry-leading power company and still fighting the Godzone Gorillas—the Gang that kidnapped his mother.
The appearance of a mysterious Māori diviner sparks hope in Aaron’s heart. Can this wise woman help him find his mother?
Driven by ambition and revenge, Aaron’s tumultuous journey is no mere rags-to-riches tale—it’s roller coaster of emotion filled with drama, conflict and intrigue.
David Whittet’s captivating story will take readers on an unforgettable journey that will grip them from the very first page.
Order your signed copy of Goliath and the Gang, with a personal inscription by the author.
Aaron was just five years old when they took his mother away.
Twenty-three years later, he’s the CEO of an industry-leading power company and still fighting the Godzone Gorillas—the Gang that kidnapped his mother.
The appearance of a mysterious Māori diviner sparks hope in Aaron’s heart. Can this wise woman help him find his mother?
Driven by ambition and revenge, Aaron’s tumultuous journey is no mere rags-to-riches tale—it’s roller coaster of emotion filled with drama, conflict and intrigue.
David Whittet’s captivating story will take readers on an unforgettable journey that will grip them from the very first page.
Order your signed copy of Goliath and the Gang, with a personal inscription by the author.
THE ROAD TO MUMBAI
Bollywood beckons with the promise of fame—but will it bring fulfilment? The Road to Mumbai follows two beloved characters from The Road to Madhapur as they embark on a new chapter in their lives.
When Rajani boards a train bound for Mumbai, she leaves behind her childhood village—along with horrific memories of an unspeakable tragedy. She hopes the move with her husband Zac will bring healing. He’s landed his dream job as assistant director on a Bollywood blockbuster and revels in the film industry’s glittering world.
Their dreams pull them in opposite directions. Rajani struggles to find purpose amid the chaos and deprivation of Mumbai’s seething metropolis. A chance encounter with some streetwise kids leads her to the Dharavi slums, where she befriends Arjun, an HIV-positive orphan. She finds fulfilment by making a documentary about Arjun’s desperate situation, while Zac pursues fame at all costs, shamelessly grovelling to Bollywood’s elite.
When a cholera epidemic back home in Madhapur endangers the lives of her loved ones, Rajani must confront her destiny—one foretold long ago by a revered Hindu priest.
From Mumbai’s bustling streets to the impoverished villages of rural India, The Road to Mumbai takes readers on another unforgettable voyage of love, loss, courage, and resilience. Rajani’s journey is a testament to the power of stories—those we tell, those we live, and those that change the world.
The Road to Mumbai will be in bookshops in late 2026.
When Rajani boards a train bound for Mumbai, she leaves behind her childhood village—along with horrific memories of an unspeakable tragedy. She hopes the move with her husband Zac will bring healing. He’s landed his dream job as assistant director on a Bollywood blockbuster and revels in the film industry’s glittering world.
Their dreams pull them in opposite directions. Rajani struggles to find purpose amid the chaos and deprivation of Mumbai’s seething metropolis. A chance encounter with some streetwise kids leads her to the Dharavi slums, where she befriends Arjun, an HIV-positive orphan. She finds fulfilment by making a documentary about Arjun’s desperate situation, while Zac pursues fame at all costs, shamelessly grovelling to Bollywood’s elite.
When a cholera epidemic back home in Madhapur endangers the lives of her loved ones, Rajani must confront her destiny—one foretold long ago by a revered Hindu priest.
From Mumbai’s bustling streets to the impoverished villages of rural India, The Road to Mumbai takes readers on another unforgettable voyage of love, loss, courage, and resilience. Rajani’s journey is a testament to the power of stories—those we tell, those we live, and those that change the world.
The Road to Mumbai will be in bookshops in late 2026.
GODZONE AND THE GORILLAS
The final book in the Gang Girl trilogy
Will Alicia ever be free? Or will her son Aaron be yet another victim of the Gang?
Can Mickey finally make good?
Will the tyranny of the Godzone Gorillas ever end?
Alicia and Mickey’s struggles in Gang Girl touched many readers and even inspired fan fiction.
Their story will reach a stunning conclusion in Godzone and the Gorillas. Alicia, her son Aaron, and Mickey must unite to defeat the gang that tore them apart.
Godzone and the Gorillas will be in Bookshops early 2027.
Their story will reach a stunning conclusion in Godzone and the Gorillas. Alicia, her son Aaron, and Mickey must unite to defeat the gang that tore them apart.
Godzone and the Gorillas will be in Bookshops early 2027.
Check out David’s book readings and trailers or catch the latest news on his blog.
Sign up to David’s newsletter for exclusive previews, invitation to launch events and advance reader copies.
