Books to read, television to bingewatch, music to dance to and podcasts to fill your spare time this December.

Bingewatching

Berlin: Netflix scored a runaway hit with its 2017-20 series Money Heist. This prequel series takes us back to happier times for gang member Berlin, one of the most popular characters on Money Heist despite his early death. Also one of the most reviled – Berlin is misogynistic, violent and undeniably a sexual predator. Here, Berlin and a masterful gang of thieves gather in Paris to plan one of his most ambitious robberies.

After the Party: Penny accuses her husband of a sex crime and is not believed. Is she wrong? Is she being gaslit? Or is she just bonkers? Kiwi acting royalty Robyn Malcolm and writer Dianne Taylor have turned that premise into a gripping series in which everyone, including our ‘hero’, can be less than honest. Heavy territory but with moments of dark comedy as Penny fights back.

Curse of Oak Island: The Lagina brothers, Rick and Marty, return to Nova Scotia’s Oak Island for an eleventh season of their never-ending quest to solve the 230-year-old mystery of what lies beneath the island’s surface. The team found traces of gold and silver last time in an area known as ‘The Money Pit’ and are now tunnelling towards it. Interminably, it seems.

Listening

i/o — Peter Gabriel: Three decades in the making, here is the 10th studio album from English rock legend and WOMAD founder Peter Gabriel, a belated follow-up to 2002's Up. Even after all that time to get it right, the Ever Enigmatic One couldn’t choose between final mixes so gives us three – a ‘Bright-Side Mix’ from Mark ‘Spike’ Stent , a ‘Dark-Side Mix’ by Tchad Blake and an ‘In-Side Mix’ by Hans-Martin Buff.

The Diary of Alcia Keys 20 — Alicia Keys: It’s 20 years since Alicia Keys released her Grammy-winning second album, The Diary of Alicia Keys, and to celebrate, the groundbreaking artist has a pressy for her fans – a digital re-release of the album. The anniversary release includes nine bonus tracks including “Golden Child”, a rarity from Alicia’s personal vault.

Christmas — Cher: It’s beginning to sound a lot like Christmas! Get some new tunes in your grotto with megastar Cher’s first ever Christmas album. Guest appearances by Darlene Love, Michael Bublé, Tyga, Cyndi Lauper and Stevie Wonder help deck the halls. All too much? Try Dwight Yoakam’s Come On Christmas for some light relief.

Reading

Remember Me: Poems to Learn by Heart from Aotearoa New Zealand: Got your party piece ready for the festive season? Here’s some inspo – a book of homegrown poems to read aloud and remembered. There are choices here for any occasion, from joyous to sombre. The selection is edited by Anne Kennedy, who received the Prime Minister’s Award for Literary Achievement for Poetry in 2021. For those unaccustomed, there’s some helpful advice at the back on how to memorise and recite a poem.

Epic: Adventures Across Aotearoa — Ray Salisbury: Perfect for the armchair adventurers out there, this anthology dives deep into 12 endurance feats from a variety of disciplines — tramping, mountaineering, kayaking, cycling and running — and along the way takes you on some interesting paths. Ray Salisbury’s beautiful photos put you right in the landscape, and the maps will tease you to make your own adventure.

Excommunicated — Craig Hoyle: This is the story of Craig Hoyle, journalist and Exclusive Brethren survivor. Craig was cut off by the secretive religious sect after conversion therapy failed to “cure” his homosexuality. At liberty in the world, Craig finds out he is not the first of his family to fall out with the group. A fascinating insight into how a sect can tear a family apart.

Podcasts

Chicks on Christmas Flicks: Every TV Christmas movie ever is the aim of this ultimate fan site. Tongue in cheek or disturbingly serious? You choose. Either way, you’ll be immersed in what for some is a year-long obsession.

Murder at the Racecourse Hotel: The latest in the NZ Herald’s Chasing Ghosts true-crime series takes us back to Christchurch in the 1930s and the events surrounding the death of Racecourse Hotel publican Donald Fraser.