Hey, everyone. Welcome to the show. Great to
be here. Imagine stepping into a land of immense
beauty where the promise and a fresh start is
constantly shadowed by echoes of the past and
the raw, untamed nature of a nation just finding
its feet. Mm -hmm. That's really the heart of
it, isn't it? This tension. It is. And that's
the compelling world we're diving into today
thanks to Wendy M. Wilson's Not the Faintest
Trace. Yeah. What strikes you right away is how
Wilson puts that hope, you know, the settlers
hope right up against the challenges of actually
building a life in 19th century New Zealand.
Exactly. It's this historical mystery, but it's
got adventure, a bit of romance woven in there,
too. Right. Right from the start. And, you know,
this deep dive actually comes as a special request.
Our friend Lucas Fiedler on YouTube suggested
it. So, Lucas, thanks so much for the great suggestion.
Yeah. Good one, Lucas. Within like the first
few pages, you're not just getting a mystery
plot. You're dropped right into this historical
fiction setting that explores, well, the human
condition against this fascinating backdrop.
It really draws you in. It does. And hey, if
you're enjoying this kind of deep dive, please
do hit that like button and subscribe. It really
helps us share these talks with more people.
Definitely helps. And it's, you know, a really
smart way to write using the mystery hook to
get into these deeper themes about. People adapting
to a totally new world. And the cultural interactions
or lack thereof sometimes. Oh, absolutely. The
complexities there. So our source today is not
the faintest trace. It's the first book in the
Sergeant Frank Hardy Mysteries series. We've
put an Amazon link in the description if you
want to check it out. And it really sets up the
main players. It does. It introduces Sergeant
Frank Hardy, former Imperial soldier, now with
the armed constabulary, and Mete Jensen, this
really resilient. young Danish immigrant. And
their lives just get tangled up together as they
navigate this changing New Zealand, caught up
in all these events. Yeah. What Wilson does so
well, I think, is use their personal stories
to hint at these bigger things, you know, cultural
clashes, that basic human need to belong somewhere.
And just how strong people can be when things
get tough, really tough. Right. So for this deep
dive, we're looking at excerpts from the first
edition. Our mission, really, is to unpack the
foundations of the story, the key relationships,
the historical context. Yeah, the cultural stuff
that really shapes everything. Exactly. And the
events that kind of kick it all off. Okay, let's
start maybe by unpacking the central figures
and the world they're in. Sounds good. The whole
series basically follows Sergeant Frank Hardy
and Mette Jensen, right? Trying to find their
place in this 19th century New Zealand. Yeah,
it's more than just crime solving. It's about
their lives, their journeys in this developing
country. Definitely. And Hardy, he's carrying
some weight from his past. Yeah. Former Imperial
Army Sergeant, then armed constabulary. And involved
in chasing Ha Ha before. That's clearly marked
him. Yeah, you get that sense. Do you think that
background makes him more understanding of the
settler's fears or maybe less so compared to
someone without that baggage? That's a good question.
Maybe both. Like, he gets the danger because
he's seen conflict. But maybe he also sees it's
not so black and white. Because he was part of
it. More nuanced, maybe. Yeah, possibly. And
then there's Mete Jensen, young woman, came all
the way from Scandinavia. With her sister Maren
and brother -in -law Peter Sorensen. And Wilson
gives us these lovely little details, you know,
connecting her back to Denmark. Her apron, memories.
That longing for sugar. It sounds so simple,
but it says a lot. It really does. It grounds
her, shows what she's lost, but also highlights
the difference in this new place. Yeah. The hardships
makes her feel very real. Yeah, relatable. And
where are they living? It's this little clearing,
right? Near a sawmill carved out of the bush.
And the bush itself feels huge, kind of threatening.
Yeah, the settlers see it that way, whispers
of trolls. And the very real fear of ha -ha.
And then there's a town, Palmerston, nearby,
but still feels a bit distant from their clearing.
That contrast works so well. The small, exposed
clearing against the massive sort of unknown
bush creates vulnerability instantly. Yeah, highlights
that pioneer struggle and that fear of the ha
-ha is always simmering under the surface. Which,
you know, wasn't unfounded historically. The
conflict was real. So Metzir's fear, when it
comes up, it's rooted in something genuine for
the time. Okay, so this is where things really
start moving. These early encounters ramp up
the tension. Mete has this... Pretty intense
moment in the bush. By the piglet. Yeah, she
kills a wild piglet for food shows. She's tough,
resourceful. But then, bam, she runs into a Maori
man and a Hera. With the facial moco. And instantly,
her fear just spikes. Ha ha. That scene just
lays bare the cultural divide, doesn't it? Her
instant leap to danger because of the moco. It
shows the prejudice, the lack of understanding.
Yeah, fear and, well, bad information doing their
work. Definitely. And then, almost right after,
she bumps into Sergeant Frank Hardy in the same
bush. Talk about timing. And she's still spooked.
So she actually mistakes him for the memory man
at first. Oh, wow. Awkward. Totally. Leading
to this moment of, like, relief. but also major
embarrassment when it gets sorted out. And we
get a little peek at Frank's first impression
of her in all this chaos. And that first impression
matters, right, for how their relationship develops.
He sees her scared, yes, but also capable. She
just killed a pig. Right. Even when she's vulnerable,
there's that strength. Sets the stage for, you
know, respect maybe and something more later.
Yeah, definitely. And this whole sequence just
hammers home the settler's anxiety, the misconceptions
about. Maury people. Especially the ha -ha fear.
Marin voices it. The kids have stories about
trolls. Which is probably their way of processing
the adult's fear. Probably. And you contrast
all that with Frank, whose view seems, well,
more grounded, more informed, maybe from his
past. Exactly. His history lets him see past
the simple, fear -based stories some of the newer
settlers are telling. He gets the complexity
a bit more. So now this background of uncertainty,
it gets another layer. A real mystery kicks in
that pulls Frank and Matt together. The missing
boys. Yeah, two young Scandinavian guys, Paul
Nissen and Jens Lund. The ya -ya. They vanished
after crossing the river near their cousin Nude's
tent. And right away, there are theories flying
around. Drowned, or taken by Ha -Ha, caps right
back into those existing fears. Shows the different
dangers they fell surrounded by. And Frank gets
pulled into the search, asked by the relatives,
Neeson and Sorenson. Which leads them to Nude,
the cousin. And that meeting with Nude is interesting.
He's really cagey about admitting he gave the
boys alcohol. Yeah, that hesitation is a big
clue, isn't it? It points towards maybe an accident
fueled by drink, human error, not necessarily
something more sinister. Or maybe something he
feels guilty about, wants to hide. Possibly.
Adds that layer of potential cover -up. And then
the search turns up something grim. Paul's body
is found in the river. Identified by his watch
and shirt. Confirmed drowning. But Jens is still
missing. So, partial answers, but still this
hanging question mark keeps attention high. Who
knows what happened to Jens? Exactly. Now, alongside
this mystery, Wilson keeps exploring these cultural
interactions. The misunderstandings. Like the
visit to the Pepiopa. Right. Frank and Mete go
there looking for info on the boys. And Frank's
ability to speak Maori. his knowledge of customs,
it's crucial here. It totally changes the dynamic.
Instead of suspicion, they actually get a welcoming
reception, largely because Frank knows how to
approach them respectfully. They meet Moana,
the chief's wife, and others, and it's surprisingly
warm. A real contrast to the fear Mette felt
earlier. And there's that lovely bit of cultural
exchange. Mette learns about the earth oven cooking.
And she gets a Morere name, Heinromati, summer
maid. Because of her hair. That's such a powerful
moment. It's not just friendly, it's like a symbol
of potential connection, pushing back against
the fear. Yeah, it signifies acceptance, bridging
that gap. Shows what's possible with open interaction.
But then, the tension snaps right back. Anahira
shows up again. Performing the Kamadehaka. And
Met's fear instantly returns. It really highlights
the gap, the settlers seeing a war dance, not
understanding the Hakka's real significance.
And Frank's reaction is key there. He's armed,
it's tense, but he doesn't shoot. He holds back.
Shows his growing understanding, maybe? Respect?
Even when it looks threatening from a settler
viewpoint. Definitely. It underlines that theme
of overcoming prejudice with knowledge. Okay,
so the narrative then shifts a bit, introduces
a threat from, well... Within the settler community
itself. Gottlieb Carlson. Yeah, this road worker.
He meets Mette at the Monrad's dance, dances
with her, and then develops this creepy obsession.
It's a different kind of danger. Not the unknown
bush or the other culture, but something unpleasant
right there among them shows the social complexities.
And it escalates fast. He doesn't just make her
uncomfortable. He attacks her at her home. Which
leads to Frank stepping in. Yeah, physical fight
between Carlson and Frank. Frank defending Mette.
really cements Carlson as the villain here and
raises the stakes personally for Frank and Matt.
And the stakes get really high later. Carlson
ambushes them in the Manawatu Gorge, of all places.
Super treacherous spot. Oh, that scene is intense.
He tries to force them off a cliff. It's pure
survival mode. And the resolution, Frank uses
a tomahawk. In self -defense, yeah. Strikes Carlson,
who falls into the river. It's incredibly dramatic.
You can just picture the terror trapped there.
It's a huge turning point. Forces them to rely
on each other completely. Shows their grit under
pressure. And the irony of Frank using a tomahawk,
given the settlers' fear of them. Right. And
then later, a body is found in the river. Carlson's.
But initially, they think it might be one of
the missing boys. More confusion, more uncertainty.
Just layers upon layers of unease in the community.
Mistaken identity. loss. It really paints a picture.
So amidst all this danger and mystery, you really
see this bond forming between Frank and Matt.
Definitely. Sharing these intense experiences,
the search, the pause visit, the ambush. It pushes
them together. You see moments where they support
each other. Hints of deeper feelings starting.
It makes sense, doesn't it? Facing danger like
that, vulnerability, it can forge powerful connections,
even between people from different worlds. And
you see their courage, their resilience. qualities
that would draw people together. And Mete, she
really grows, doesn't she? From killing that
piglet early on to facing Carlson down. Yeah,
she starts as this young immigrant in a scary
new place, but she finds this incredible strength,
adapts, fights back. Well, Frank's dealing with
his own stuff too. His past, maybe unresolved
things about his brother we learn more about.
And these obvious growing feelings for Mete.
He's wrestling with it all. Adds depth to him.
His soldier past, maybe some trauma, mixing with
these new emotions, his role here. How does the
past affect new relationships? And then there's
that really moving part with Marin, Mette's sister,
the difficult childbirth. And she has twin boys.
And she names them Paul and Jens after the missing
young men. Wow. It's heavy, but also hopeful.
Like honoring the lost, but looking forward to
rebirth, maybe. Yeah, a powerful symbol. Now,
shifting gears slightly, Wilson also weaves in
the bigger picture, the politics, the society
of the time. Just touches, but important ones,
like government policies on Maori land, the settlers
arriving. Sir Julius Vogel gets a mention. Right.
It grounds the personal stories in that larger
historical context. Colonization, changing land,
cultural friction. It's all there in the background.
We also see the armed constabulary's role. The
social divides. Attitudes towards Maori, immigrants,
even Chinese workers are hinted at. And the practical
stuff, like building roads through the 70 -mile
bush, shows the physical transformation happening.
Paints a picture of a nation really under construction,
with all the associated tensions. Exactly. Okay,
let's loop back to Anahera, the Maori man Mette
first feared. Yeah, he becomes much more complex
as we learn more. Turns out his actions aren't
random, they're driven by revenge. for past wrongs,
terrible injustices. Specifically, a chief being
killed violently, women and children mistreated
by colonial forces. It makes him not necessarily
justified, but understandable. driven by grief
and history, a reminder that the past isn't past.
Absolutely. He's not just a scary native. He's
a person reacting to deep historical wounds,
highlights the consequences of those conflicts.
And we hear about a specific horrific incident,
a Corporal Adams desecrating the chief's head.
Which seems to be the catalyst for Anahira's
specific rage. It's brutal. And it explains the
depth of his need for retribution. And his attacks
are targeted. He goes after Frank, but also Captain
Porter. Another former soldier involved in that
past conflict. Shows how interconnected it all
is. Past actions echoing down, endangering people
in the present. Yeah, the past is never really
buried. So Ennegar's arc, at least in these early
parts, ends with his capture at the Papua Pah.
And the implication is he's headed for prison
in Whanganui. Which resolves the immediate threat
he posed. But maybe not the underlying issues
his story represents. This historical injustice,
the conflict that remains. Okay, so wrapping
up this deep dive into the start of Not the Faintest
Trace, we've met Frank and met... seen their
world take shape in 19th century New Zealand.
Explored those initial encounters, the community
tensions, the mystery of the missing boys. And
Wilson weaves it all together so well. The mystery
plot with the history, the cultural context.
Gives you a real feel for the challenges and
I guess the opportunities of that colonial life.
And we've seen the start of Frank and Met's relationship
blooming amidst all the chaos. Yeah. And those
key themes really stand out. Cultural understanding
versus misunderstanding, the realities of life
for settlers in Mori, and just that human resilience,
finding your way when things are tough. It really
makes you think about that period, the human
stories within it. So maybe a few things for
listeners to chew on after this. How do Matt's
initial fears and the settlers' prejudices stack
up against how things actually play out when
they interact with Mori characters later? That's
a good one. And what about Metzi's journey? adapting
to New Zealand, but holding on to her Danish
roots. What does that say about resilience and
finding your identity in a new place? Ooh, yeah.
And Frank. With his past, his feelings for Met,
What kind of future could even be possible for
them in this changing landscape? Lots to think
about. Definitely questions that make you want
to keep reading. Absolutely. And huge thanks
again to Lucas Fiedler for pointing us towards
this book. Yeah, it was a really great exploration.
Thanks, Lucas. We definitely encourage everyone
listening to grab a copy of Not the Faintest
Trace, the Amazon links in the description. Dive
into the Sergeant Frank Hardy mysteries. Let
us know what you think. Yeah. Share your thoughts
in the comments and tell us what else you'd like
us to cover in future Deep Dives.