Tom O’Connor was more than a writer – he was a voice for rural communities, commentator of politics and champion of learning our New Zealand history. He wrote stories, histories, blogs, newspaper columns, letters to the editor and more. Through his words, he brought the past to life, explored the issues of the present, and always found room for humour, empathy, and insight.
Tom’s first book was Death of Cruise Ship which told the story behind the sinking of the Russian passenger liner Mikhail Lermontov in the Marlborough Sounds in 1986.
He went on to write a trilogy of historical fiction novels on the life of Te Rauparaha from the perspective of a slave born into Ngati Toarangitira. These novels are historically accurate and give an insight into pre-European Maori tribal and social life through to the end of the Musket Wars era.
He also wrote two biographies of significant Second World War soldiers, Bunty Preece and The Ferret. Tom authored another non-fiction book Our Darkest Day – a detailed account of the Christchurch Mosque massacre of 2019.
His biggest work is Irish Convict which tells the true stories of several convicts sent to New South Wales in the 1830s. Similar to the Te Rauparaha novels, he created a fictional character, based on one of his ancestors, to tell the very personal story of many English and Irish people sentenced to transportation. Some escaped to New Zealand before wide spread colonisation and the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi. This novel was re-published as series of five books.
Tom passed away in August 2025 – his voice will continue to speak through the stories he left. In reading his words, we keep alive the wit, wisdom, and compassion that made him so great.
The Irish Convict series follows Irish arrivals in early New Zealand. The main character, Maurice O’Brien, is fictional — but the events he witnesses are all based on true stories. With the huge Irish heritage in New Zealand (and the cultural values Irish shared with Maori), it’s no surprise these books resonate with so many families.
Tom’s books are available to purchase at
www.tomoconnor.co.nz or booksales@tomoconnor.co.nz
Te Rauparaha series
Loved by readers for over a decade, these books delve into how Māori lived before Pākehā arrived, and the early impacts of explorers, whalers, and traders from the 1790s through the 1840s. They’re rich with detail and familiar names from our shared history.
