The Crewe Murders: Inside New Zealand’s Most Infamous Cold Case

The murder of Harvey and Jeannette Crewe in their Pukekawa farmhouse in 1970 remains New Zealand’s most infamous cold case. It spawned two trials, two appeals, several books, a film, and eventually a royal commission finding of police corruption. It also resulted in a free pardon, the only time the New Zealand government has bypassed the courts to set a convicted murderer free. And still, the Crewes’ killer has not been found. Combining gripping narrative, detailed research and striking new testimony from those who were there, this book tells the complete story of the case for the first time.

Kirsty Johnston is an investigative journalist with an interest in inequality, gender and social justice. Her work has helped to change lives, such as the banning of seclusion rooms in primary schools, and the repeal of a law that discriminated against family carers for the disabled. She began her career at the Taranaki Daily News and has worked at Stuff, the Sunday Star-Times and the New Zealand Herald. She was awarded Best Investigation at the national media awards in 2014, Best Crime and Social Issues reporter in 2019, and Reporter of the Year in 2022. She has made two documentaries. James Hollings is an Associate Professor of journalism at Massey University in Wellington. He is the author of A Moral Truth: 150 Years of Investigative Journalism in New Zealand as well as numerous academic articles on journalism. Before joining Massey, he was a radio and newspaper journalist both in New Zealand and overseas. He has also made two documentaries.