The Scornful Moon by Maurice Gee

• Wellington City Libraries, New Zealand
• Christchurch City Libraries, New Zealand
• Auckland City Libraries, New Zealand
  

Wellington, 1935. James Tinling, a former Cabinet Minister, plans a political comeback, although a brash newcomer stands in his way. James has methods of dealing with upstarts, but is handicapped by secrets in his life. Eric Clifton, world-renowned moon scientist, has secrets too. He lives hot-bloodedly and is at war with patrician James.
Sam Holloway, literary man and moralist, records their year - its sexual intrigues and sudden violence and its overturning of political norms. What role does the young poet Owen Moody play, and brothel madam Lily Maxey? There's James's daughter Charlotte too, desperately painting in a garden shed; and Sam with his dozen friends at work on a composite detective novel.
Election day. Labour wins, crushing James's party. His secrets are shockingly revealed.

Maurice Gee is one of New Zealand's best-known writers, for both adults and children. He has won a number of literary awards, including the Wattie Award (twice), the Montana Award, and the New Zealand Fiction Award (four times). He has also won the New Zealand Children's Book of the Year Award and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize in the United Kingdom. Maurice Gee's novels include the three books in the Plumb trilogy, Going West (winner of the Wattie award), Prowlers and Live Bodies (winner of the Montana Award) and Ellie and the Shadow Man. He lives in Wellington with his wife Margareta and they have two daughters and a son.