Book excerpt: Grim, Victorian, notorious—for 150 years Mount Eden Prison held both New Zealand's political prisoners and its most infamous criminals. Te Kooti, Rua Kenana, John A. Lee, George Wilder, Tim Shadbolt, and Sandra Coney all spent time in its dank cells. Its interior has been the scene of mass riots, daring escapes, and hangings. Highly regarded historian Mark Derby tells the prison's inside story with verve and compassion.