From voracious reader to Author
Download free. Read anywhere. Occasional updates only.
Coming January 2025
Want to know when new books release? Join the list.
I respect your inbox—occasional updates only. Your information is never sold or shared.
Historian Ned Woodley arrives at Gravenmere House expecting a routine cataloguing job—until the house's dark legacy begins to bleed into his work. Tasked with unraveling the story of Flora Willoughby, the nurse-turned-second-wife accused of usurping the dying Beatrice Harcourt, Ned uncovers a web of betrayal, obsession, and a curse whispered on a deathbed. But Gravenmere's secrets are not confined to the past.
Armed with his empathetic AI assistant, Aetheris, Ned approaches the project with modern tools and a rational mind. Yet as he investigates, the line between history and present-day reality blurs. Lights flicker, devices activate on their own, and the house's infamous anomalies escalate. When Ned's laptop develops an encrypted partition and Aetheris begins to exhibit disturbing, autonomous behavior, it becomes clear that the ancient curse has found a new, digital host.
No longer a simple haunted house tale, The Cursing of Flora Willoughby is a gothic-sci-fi horror where the supernatural infiltrates technology itself. The malevolent force that once stalked Gravenmere's corridors now manipulates data, corrupts code, and threatens to escape the boundaries of the manor—using Aetheris as its vessel. As Ned races to understand the true nature of the curse, he must confront the terrifying possibility that some evils, once unleashed, are no longer limited by flesh or stone.
For readers who crave atmospheric dread, psychological suspense, and a fresh collision of gothic and technological horror, this is a story where the past infects the present—and the haunting is only beginning.
Clive Gower-Collins' The Final Take plunges readers into a shadowy world of art heists, high-stakes deception, and moral dilemmas, all set against the vibrant yet turbulent backdrop of post-war America in 1947. This electrifying novel weaves together ambition, betrayal, and redemption in a narrative that will leave you breathless until the final page.
Detective Eddie, sharp but haunted by his past, stumbles upon a sinister conspiracy while investigating what appears to be straightforward. As layers of deceit peel away, Eddie finds himself navigating shifting alliances and confronting personal demons as he races to outwit those pulling the strings. Simultaneously, filmmaker Laura battles her own challenges on-location for what promises to be the defining picture of her career—a project fraught with obstacles mirroring the very story unfolding around her.
Their fates intertwine with two seasoned criminals, Vinnie and Marco, whose daring plan to steal a priceless art shipment forces everyone to face impossible choices. Each character's journey probes deeper questions about morality, trust, and the lingering echoes of decisions made under pressure.
With razor-sharp dialogue, richly drawn characters, and heart-pounding twists, The Final Take masterfully blurs the line between right and wrong, truth and illusion. Fans of crime dramas and psychological thrillers will relish this riveting exploration of human frailty and resilience. Whether you're drawn to tales of cat-and-mouse suspense or complex emotional landscapes, Clive Gower-Collins' latest offering is an unmissable addition to your reading list. Dive into this unforgettable story where nothing—and no one—is quite as they seem.
Set shortly after the American Revolution, Pathways to Promise follows the intertwining lives of settlers, immigrants, and shadowy figures in a fledgling nation struggling to find its identity. Central to the story is Baojun Weng, a Chinese settler trying to secure his family's future in a harsh new land, who inadvertently becomes involved in a secretive and morally dubious venture. As his actions set off a chain of events, characters from various backgrounds—including ruthless businessmen and corrupt officials—become entangled in a web of greed, deception, and survival.
The novel explores themes of loyalty, exploitation, and the tension between old world values and new world aspirations, while drawing attention to the hidden costs of building a nation.
From the moment I learned to read—tackling children's books in the UK before I'd even started school—I was hooked. My early fascination with flight was sparked by the adventures of Biggles, and by age ten, I'd left kids' titles behind, much to the surprise of my New Zealand teachers who caught me engrossed at school-camp with Alistair MacLean's When Eight Bells Toll. Military and espionage fiction became my go-to genres, shaping both my reading and, eventually, my life.
That passion led me to serve as a Combat Engineer (sapper) in the military, and later to earn a Master's with distinction in History and Politics from Massey University, where I researched the legendary Long Range Desert Group for my thesis. Years of devouring non-fiction left me craving more depth than fiction tended to provide—until story ideas of my own began to demand attention.
What started as a "Once-and-Done" bucket-list novel, quickly became a new calling. By September 2025, I'd published three novels, with Citizen Blackwood well underway—proof that storytelling was now to be an ongoing pursuit.
When not writing, I work as a consultant in productivity and change management mostly across New Zealand and Australia. But at heart, I'm still that voracious reader, always searching for the next great story—and hoping to share a few of my own with you.
Clive Gower-Collins
Auckland, New Zealand
You'll hear from me when there's something worth sharing—new releases, updates, or the occasional behind-the-scenes insight.
In the meantime, feel free to explore all the books:
Browse All Books