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Solanki & McQueen #1
The Blood Promise
Don’t miss the first instalment in a gripping new Scottish crime series!
A deadly gift
Imogen Clark wakes up on her 16th birthday to find her parents dead at the breakfast table, along with a message from their killer.
A twist of fate
Detectives Jazzy Solanki and Annie McQueen join the investigation, but the more they discover, the more Jazzy suspects that the killing is a twisted message for her. Jazzy shares the same birthday as Imogen, and believes that this is more than a coincidence.
A race to catch a killer
When Jazzy discovers the connection between the killer and the stalker who has been following her for years, she is forced to confront the dark past she was desperate to keep hidden. She must stop at nothing to solve the case, before she becomes the next victim…
Don't miss the first book in the Solanki and McQueen Crime Series, perfect for fans of Stuart MacBride, Val McDermid and Marion Todd.
Praise for Liz Mistry‘Northern Noir doesn't get much better than this! Gripping from start to finish, this is a superb story.’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Wow, wow, wow Liz Mistry certainly knows how to engage and entertain her readers through her writing. I absolutely loved this book and devoured it in less than two days…’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Liz Mistry has done it again. This latest book in her series has it all, mystery, suspense, and thriller. Captivating from the start.’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘This was a perfect police procedural book, with everything going for it… The storyline was exciting from the start and the characterisation spot on.’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A deadly gift
Imogen Clark wakes up on her 16th birthday to find her parents dead at the breakfast table, along with a message from their killer.
A twist of fate
Detectives Jazzy Solanki and Annie McQueen join the investigation, but the more they discover, the more Jazzy suspects that the killing is a twisted message for her. Jazzy shares the same birthday as Imogen, and believes that this is more than a coincidence.
A race to catch a killer
When Jazzy discovers the connection between the killer and the stalker who has been following her for years, she is forced to confront the dark past she was desperate to keep hidden. She must stop at nothing to solve the case, before she becomes the next victim…
Don't miss the first book in the Solanki and McQueen Crime Series, perfect for fans of Stuart MacBride, Val McDermid and Marion Todd.
Praise for Liz Mistry‘Northern Noir doesn't get much better than this! Gripping from start to finish, this is a superb story.’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Wow, wow, wow Liz Mistry certainly knows how to engage and entertain her readers through her writing. I absolutely loved this book and devoured it in less than two days…’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Liz Mistry has done it again. This latest book in her series has it all, mystery, suspense, and thriller. Captivating from the start.’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘This was a perfect police procedural book, with everything going for it… The storyline was exciting from the start and the characterisation spot on.’ NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 23, 2024
185 people are currently reading
173 people want to read
About the author
Liz Mistry
23 books193 followersBorn in Scotland, Made in Bradford sums up Liz Mistry’s life. Liz uses her experiences of living and working in the inner city to flavour her writing. Her gritty crime fiction police procedural novels set in Bradford embrace the city she describes as ‘Warm, Rich and Fearless’ whilst exploring the darkness that lurks beneath.
Struggling with severe clinical depression and anxiety for a large number of years, Liz often includes mental health themes in her writing. Being a debut novelist in her fifties was something Liz had only dreamed of and she counts herself lucky, whilst pinching herself regularly to make sure it’s all real. One of the nicest things about being a published author is chatting with and responding to readers’ feedback and Liz regularly does events at local libraries, universities, literature festivals and open mics. She also teaches creative writing too.
Struggling with severe clinical depression and anxiety for a large number of years, Liz often includes mental health themes in her writing. Being a debut novelist in her fifties was something Liz had only dreamed of and she counts herself lucky, whilst pinching herself regularly to make sure it’s all real. One of the nicest things about being a published author is chatting with and responding to readers’ feedback and Liz regularly does events at local libraries, universities, literature festivals and open mics. She also teaches creative writing too.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
April 2, 2024
A new detective series featuring detectives Jasmine (Jazzy) Solanki and Annie (Queenie) McQueen, from the pen of the talented Liz Mistry.
Jazzy has a secret past, one that she’s managed to keep from her colleagues, however it’s about to be revealed in a most gruesome and disturbing manner, and more importantly it will put Jazzy’s life in serious danger.
Imogen Clark was awake early, she was looking forward to her 16th birthday, but nothing could have prepared her for the horrific, stomach churning scene awaiting her as she descended the stairs and entered the kitchen, and discovered her parents had been killed in a gruesome manner, not only that but the killer had left a message.
Jazzy and Queenie attend the scene and Jazzy believes the message was meant for her - she shares her birthday with Imogen, and further investigation links the killer with a stalker who’s been following Jazzy for some years.
Liz Mistry takes us back to her native Scotland for this new series, with a very dark storyline, however, because it’s peppered with some great banter between Jazzy and Queenie, it helps lighten the mood. As the story progressed the tension increased, leading to some heart pounding moments. A gripping police procedural, a strong start to this new series, and a welcome addition to the Tartan Noir genre.
*I was invited to read The Blood Promise by the publisher and have given an honest unbiased review in exchange *
Jazzy has a secret past, one that she’s managed to keep from her colleagues, however it’s about to be revealed in a most gruesome and disturbing manner, and more importantly it will put Jazzy’s life in serious danger.
Imogen Clark was awake early, she was looking forward to her 16th birthday, but nothing could have prepared her for the horrific, stomach churning scene awaiting her as she descended the stairs and entered the kitchen, and discovered her parents had been killed in a gruesome manner, not only that but the killer had left a message.
Jazzy and Queenie attend the scene and Jazzy believes the message was meant for her - she shares her birthday with Imogen, and further investigation links the killer with a stalker who’s been following Jazzy for some years.
Liz Mistry takes us back to her native Scotland for this new series, with a very dark storyline, however, because it’s peppered with some great banter between Jazzy and Queenie, it helps lighten the mood. As the story progressed the tension increased, leading to some heart pounding moments. A gripping police procedural, a strong start to this new series, and a welcome addition to the Tartan Noir genre.
*I was invited to read The Blood Promise by the publisher and have given an honest unbiased review in exchange *
March 21, 2024
4+
Detectives Jazzy (Jasmine) Solanki and Annie McQueen #1.
Jazz and Annie, a.k.a. the Jazz Queens, watch a suspected cannabis farm owing to their demotion for different reasons and relegation to the “D team”.
It’s December and Imogen Clark’s 16th birthday, but instead of the expected birthday greetings from her parents she’s confronted with a horrifying scene that will probably haunt her for all time. Jazzy and Annie are taken off their current job to investigate and what confronts them makes their stomachs flip. Why does Jazzy think the killings are a message for her? What is she hiding? It becomes absolutely imperative that this killer is caught before more lives are devastated and destroyed.
Wow. If you like darkly different Tartan Noir take a look at this one. This new duo created by Liz Mistry takes me a bit of warming to, but I definitely do, and certainly a night out with heart of gold Queenie (Annie obviously!) would be an absolute hoot as she’s got such a colourful way with language. Just ask Jazzy when she gets her “breeks” in a “fankle”. I love the humour she brings to what is a jet black dark and gritty plot. The rest of the team are really good too such as Geordie and Haggis and their DCI sure is well named!
Much like the characters, the plot becomes better and better the deeper it goes once the author gets into her stride and it ramps up and how. It’s a brace yourself and buckle up jaw dropper read. The killer is cruel, there are taunts, it’s traumatic, taut and rollercoaster twisty and talk about anxiety inducing. The toll it takes on the two lead characters is very well done, it’s heart wrenching and very emotional in places as you learn about characters heartbreaking past.
I think the Christmas time incongruous sparkle set alongside the darkness lurking deep at the heart of this serves to highlight it, and make it worse if that’s possible. The ending is dramatically hold your breath good with a dire warning note issued.
Although I do figure out a couple of things fairly early on, it doesn’t detract from this being a belter of a read, and I for one, can’t wait for the next instalment.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HQ for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
Detectives Jazzy (Jasmine) Solanki and Annie McQueen #1.
Jazz and Annie, a.k.a. the Jazz Queens, watch a suspected cannabis farm owing to their demotion for different reasons and relegation to the “D team”.
It’s December and Imogen Clark’s 16th birthday, but instead of the expected birthday greetings from her parents she’s confronted with a horrifying scene that will probably haunt her for all time. Jazzy and Annie are taken off their current job to investigate and what confronts them makes their stomachs flip. Why does Jazzy think the killings are a message for her? What is she hiding? It becomes absolutely imperative that this killer is caught before more lives are devastated and destroyed.
Wow. If you like darkly different Tartan Noir take a look at this one. This new duo created by Liz Mistry takes me a bit of warming to, but I definitely do, and certainly a night out with heart of gold Queenie (Annie obviously!) would be an absolute hoot as she’s got such a colourful way with language. Just ask Jazzy when she gets her “breeks” in a “fankle”. I love the humour she brings to what is a jet black dark and gritty plot. The rest of the team are really good too such as Geordie and Haggis and their DCI sure is well named!
Much like the characters, the plot becomes better and better the deeper it goes once the author gets into her stride and it ramps up and how. It’s a brace yourself and buckle up jaw dropper read. The killer is cruel, there are taunts, it’s traumatic, taut and rollercoaster twisty and talk about anxiety inducing. The toll it takes on the two lead characters is very well done, it’s heart wrenching and very emotional in places as you learn about characters heartbreaking past.
I think the Christmas time incongruous sparkle set alongside the darkness lurking deep at the heart of this serves to highlight it, and make it worse if that’s possible. The ending is dramatically hold your breath good with a dire warning note issued.
Although I do figure out a couple of things fairly early on, it doesn’t detract from this being a belter of a read, and I for one, can’t wait for the next instalment.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HQ for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
January 6, 2026
EXCERPT: Discordant snuffles followed by seconds of blissful silence, abruptly broken by rough guttural snorts played on repeat. It did Jazzy’s head in and she was beginning to regret offering to keep watch whilst Queenie slept. If the sounds from her mouth were bad, the ones from her backside were the real killer. She took farting to a whole new level, filling the police car with noxious fumes, forcing Jazzy to crack the windows every so often. She was gross. At least if Queenie was sleeping, she wasn’t hassling Jazzy, which was why she hadn’t wakened her yet. Besides, she wouldn’t sleep. No matter how knackered she was, Jazzy couldn’t snooze on a stakeout. It was part of her overzealous nature. A symptom, according to her therapist, of her past experiences and one that she needed to work on if she ever wanted to form meaningful trusting relationships.
Jazzy scowled. She wasn’t keen on forming relationships of any description and trusting ones seemed a step too far. Last thing she needed was folk inserting themselves into her life and making demands on her time. No, she was perfectly fine on her tod. Besides, she had relationships. She had her mum and dad, didn’t she? And Elliot. That was more than enough. How many relationships did her therapist expect her to maintain? Jazzy suspected the answer was a number significantly higher than three.
She glanced at her watch. Nearly half two. God, it had been a long and freezing night. Layers of clothing and the fleece blanket she’d wrapped around herself, cocoon style, hadn’t taken the edge off her numb toes and fingers. She glanced at Queenie. How could she look so restful? With her mouth hanging open, her short spiky grey hair peeking out from under an appallingly misshaped bobble hat – which Jazzy suspected she’d knitted herself – Jazzy would waken her at first light.
For the last hour, Jazzy had intermittently cleared the windscreen of snow in order to peer through the dark abyss that was the Badlands. So far there had been no nefarious activity near the Argy Bargy, unless you counted the kids leaving the pub at closing time. They’d indulged in a drunken snowball fight that ended when they skited across the potholed street using their arses as sledges, whilst belting out a tuneless chorus of ‘Frosty the Snowman’. Laughing, they’d split up to enter three of the houses closest to the pub.
Shortly afterwards, the pub’s lights had gone off, leaving Jazzy bereft. Somehow, the glow from the pub had created the illusion of warmth. Now, with only the snow turning to drizzle and the gloomy moonless night for company, a shiver hurtled up Jazzy’s spine. She drew her blanket tighter and wondered if she could risk putting the engine on to heat them up. Another one of Queenie’s lethal farts rent the air and Jazzy groaned, covering her nose with her hands as she opened the window.
Thankfully the vibration of her phone against her thigh offered a distraction. Recognising the tone as the one from her motion-activated home security system, Jazzy dragged off her glove to access the notification. After being alerted a few times over the past week by a fox stealing through her back garden to access the children’s play area and the fields adjacent to it, she looked forward to seeing what Mr Fox was up to tonight. She pressed play on the most recent recording. The light above her back door was on, activated by movement from the far side of the fence surrounding her garden. Rather than the fox with its baleful eyes and limp tail, a figure dressed entirely in black sidled over the lawn area leaving footprints in the snow.
Jazzy brought the phone closer to her face and pressed pause, her heart hammering a tattoo against her chest. On instinct her fingers searched for the small glass Ganesh statue she carried in her pocket. Running them over its familiar contours soothed her as she studied the hunched figure wearing a hoodie pulled completely over his head. Wrapped around his mouth was a scarf or balaclava. Dark glasses or goggles covered his eyes. As fear surged through Jazzy’s body, the colour drained from her face.
ABOUT 'BLOOD PROMISE': A deadly gift
Imogen Clark wakes up on her 16th birthday to find her parents dead at the breakfast table, along with a message from their killer.
A twist of fate
Detectives Jazzy Solanki and Annie McQueen join the investigation, but the more they discover, the more Jazzy suspects that the killing is a twisted message for her. Jazzy shares the same birthday as Imogen, and believes that this is more than a coincidence.
A race to catch a killer
When Jazzy discovers the connection between the killer and the stalker who has been following her for years, she is forced to confront the dark past she was desperate to keep hidden. She must stop at nothing to solve the case, before she becomes the next victim…
MY THOUGHTS: Mystery, suspense and chilling thrills!
It took a wee while for Jazzy's and Queenie's characters to grow on me, but I am now looking forward to the second book in this series.
Great tartan noir filled with twists and turns; one of the main ones I guessed early on, but the other came as a complete surprise.
The book may start off a wee bit clunky as the author works her way into both the plot and the characterisation, but it's worth sticking with. It becomes a grand story, 'insanely twisted' as another reviewer has commented, and one that, in the end, I could not put down. Be prepared for it to be a little over the top and decidedly gruesome in places.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.3
#TheBloodPromise #NetGalley
MEET THE AUTHOR: LIZ MISTRY Born in Scotland, Made in Bradford sums up Liz Mistry’s life. Liz uses her experiences of living and working in the inner city to flavour her writing. Her gritty crime fiction police procedural novels set in Bradford embrace the city she describes as ‘Warm, Rich and Fearless’ whilst exploring the darkness that lurks beneath.
Struggling with severe clinical depression and anxiety for a large number of years, Liz often includes mental health themes in her writing. Being a debut novelist in her fifties was something Liz had only dreamed of and she counts herself lucky, whilst pinching herself regularly to make sure it’s all real. One of the nicest things about being a published author is chatting with and responding to readers’ feedback and Liz regularly does events at local libraries, universities, literature festivals and open mics. She also teaches creative writing too.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to HQ Digital via NetGalley for proving an e-ARC of The Blood Promise by Liz Mistry for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Jazzy scowled. She wasn’t keen on forming relationships of any description and trusting ones seemed a step too far. Last thing she needed was folk inserting themselves into her life and making demands on her time. No, she was perfectly fine on her tod. Besides, she had relationships. She had her mum and dad, didn’t she? And Elliot. That was more than enough. How many relationships did her therapist expect her to maintain? Jazzy suspected the answer was a number significantly higher than three.
She glanced at her watch. Nearly half two. God, it had been a long and freezing night. Layers of clothing and the fleece blanket she’d wrapped around herself, cocoon style, hadn’t taken the edge off her numb toes and fingers. She glanced at Queenie. How could she look so restful? With her mouth hanging open, her short spiky grey hair peeking out from under an appallingly misshaped bobble hat – which Jazzy suspected she’d knitted herself – Jazzy would waken her at first light.
For the last hour, Jazzy had intermittently cleared the windscreen of snow in order to peer through the dark abyss that was the Badlands. So far there had been no nefarious activity near the Argy Bargy, unless you counted the kids leaving the pub at closing time. They’d indulged in a drunken snowball fight that ended when they skited across the potholed street using their arses as sledges, whilst belting out a tuneless chorus of ‘Frosty the Snowman’. Laughing, they’d split up to enter three of the houses closest to the pub.
Shortly afterwards, the pub’s lights had gone off, leaving Jazzy bereft. Somehow, the glow from the pub had created the illusion of warmth. Now, with only the snow turning to drizzle and the gloomy moonless night for company, a shiver hurtled up Jazzy’s spine. She drew her blanket tighter and wondered if she could risk putting the engine on to heat them up. Another one of Queenie’s lethal farts rent the air and Jazzy groaned, covering her nose with her hands as she opened the window.
Thankfully the vibration of her phone against her thigh offered a distraction. Recognising the tone as the one from her motion-activated home security system, Jazzy dragged off her glove to access the notification. After being alerted a few times over the past week by a fox stealing through her back garden to access the children’s play area and the fields adjacent to it, she looked forward to seeing what Mr Fox was up to tonight. She pressed play on the most recent recording. The light above her back door was on, activated by movement from the far side of the fence surrounding her garden. Rather than the fox with its baleful eyes and limp tail, a figure dressed entirely in black sidled over the lawn area leaving footprints in the snow.
Jazzy brought the phone closer to her face and pressed pause, her heart hammering a tattoo against her chest. On instinct her fingers searched for the small glass Ganesh statue she carried in her pocket. Running them over its familiar contours soothed her as she studied the hunched figure wearing a hoodie pulled completely over his head. Wrapped around his mouth was a scarf or balaclava. Dark glasses or goggles covered his eyes. As fear surged through Jazzy’s body, the colour drained from her face.
ABOUT 'BLOOD PROMISE': A deadly gift
Imogen Clark wakes up on her 16th birthday to find her parents dead at the breakfast table, along with a message from their killer.
A twist of fate
Detectives Jazzy Solanki and Annie McQueen join the investigation, but the more they discover, the more Jazzy suspects that the killing is a twisted message for her. Jazzy shares the same birthday as Imogen, and believes that this is more than a coincidence.
A race to catch a killer
When Jazzy discovers the connection between the killer and the stalker who has been following her for years, she is forced to confront the dark past she was desperate to keep hidden. She must stop at nothing to solve the case, before she becomes the next victim…
MY THOUGHTS: Mystery, suspense and chilling thrills!
It took a wee while for Jazzy's and Queenie's characters to grow on me, but I am now looking forward to the second book in this series.
Great tartan noir filled with twists and turns; one of the main ones I guessed early on, but the other came as a complete surprise.
The book may start off a wee bit clunky as the author works her way into both the plot and the characterisation, but it's worth sticking with. It becomes a grand story, 'insanely twisted' as another reviewer has commented, and one that, in the end, I could not put down. Be prepared for it to be a little over the top and decidedly gruesome in places.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.3
#TheBloodPromise #NetGalley
MEET THE AUTHOR: LIZ MISTRY Born in Scotland, Made in Bradford sums up Liz Mistry’s life. Liz uses her experiences of living and working in the inner city to flavour her writing. Her gritty crime fiction police procedural novels set in Bradford embrace the city she describes as ‘Warm, Rich and Fearless’ whilst exploring the darkness that lurks beneath.
Struggling with severe clinical depression and anxiety for a large number of years, Liz often includes mental health themes in her writing. Being a debut novelist in her fifties was something Liz had only dreamed of and she counts herself lucky, whilst pinching herself regularly to make sure it’s all real. One of the nicest things about being a published author is chatting with and responding to readers’ feedback and Liz regularly does events at local libraries, universities, literature festivals and open mics. She also teaches creative writing too.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to HQ Digital via NetGalley for proving an e-ARC of The Blood Promise by Liz Mistry for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
May 13, 2024
3.75*
My first Liz Mistry book. I enjoyed the gruesome, thrilling element to the story and the killings themselves were not for the faint hearted. The characters worked well together and there was a great comedy element between their interactions.
I enjoyed the Scottish slang and jokes as it made the story come alive more. The mention of certain areas within were good to read about as they are well known to me.
It has good depth and it kept me interested for the most part. For me there were little chapters that didn't work for me as well as others but on the whole an enjoyable read.
Many thanks to the Author, HarperCollins publishers and Netgalley for an ARC.
Publication Date 23/5/24
My first Liz Mistry book. I enjoyed the gruesome, thrilling element to the story and the killings themselves were not for the faint hearted. The characters worked well together and there was a great comedy element between their interactions.
I enjoyed the Scottish slang and jokes as it made the story come alive more. The mention of certain areas within were good to read about as they are well known to me.
It has good depth and it kept me interested for the most part. For me there were little chapters that didn't work for me as well as others but on the whole an enjoyable read.
Many thanks to the Author, HarperCollins publishers and Netgalley for an ARC.
Publication Date 23/5/24
May 22, 2024
The Blood Promise by Liz Mistry is book 1 in her new series Solanki and McQueen Crime Series. It is published on 23 May. Liz goes back to her roots in Scotland for this series, around West Lothian. DC Jasmine Solanki or Jazzy, as she is known, has a past she has kept from her colleagues until a murder throws up connections to her mother’s death 15 years before. She only has intermittent memories of the night her mother died, and these are sprinkled through the story. The opening is so good, and it really pulls you in and you just want to keep reading. Liz is a master at setting the scene and is such an amazing storyteller. Jazzy has been demoted from DS to DC, as has her partner Queenie, Annie McQueen, and they have been relegated to the D Team along with Geordie McBurnie and Fenton Heggie, also fantastic characters. These wonderful characters bring so much to the story, and I love the interaction between them. This adds to the tension and intrigue, but there is also lots of humour throughout, particularly from Queenie. I am looking forward to reading more in this series as I would like to see how the other characters develop, particularly Geordie McBurnie and DI Elliott Balloch, a character connected to Jazzy’s past.
April 20, 2024
for the ARC. This is my honest review.
I was really excited to read this book because the synopsis sounded like the kind of book I love. However, this was a struggle. The investigation and twists were interesting. But I found it hard to stay focused because there was a sudden shift on who was telling the story. For instance, when Imogene runs to the neighbors house after seeing her parents, the text shifts to Jazzy’s observations of Wueenie. I had to backtrack several times to make sure I made the shift and know whose voice I was reading. This happened a lot, and so I lost a lot of enjoyment of being immersed in a story. Maybe a change of font for when the killers voice was talking would have made a big difference on the flow of the story.
I also got tired of all the references to her boss “Dick”. We could see he wasn’t a great guy, so I felt hit over the head with the reminders. And I’m not too sure this partnership works.
I did finish, and felt with a few edits I would have enjoyed it a lot more. I have seen reference to her other mystery series, and they have great reviews, so I will try that- might be more my style!
So, yes the mystery is interesting, but due to aforementioned issues, I was held back from really getting into it.
I was really excited to read this book because the synopsis sounded like the kind of book I love. However, this was a struggle. The investigation and twists were interesting. But I found it hard to stay focused because there was a sudden shift on who was telling the story. For instance, when Imogene runs to the neighbors house after seeing her parents, the text shifts to Jazzy’s observations of Wueenie. I had to backtrack several times to make sure I made the shift and know whose voice I was reading. This happened a lot, and so I lost a lot of enjoyment of being immersed in a story. Maybe a change of font for when the killers voice was talking would have made a big difference on the flow of the story.
I also got tired of all the references to her boss “Dick”. We could see he wasn’t a great guy, so I felt hit over the head with the reminders. And I’m not too sure this partnership works.
I did finish, and felt with a few edits I would have enjoyed it a lot more. I have seen reference to her other mystery series, and they have great reviews, so I will try that- might be more my style!
So, yes the mystery is interesting, but due to aforementioned issues, I was held back from really getting into it.
May 27, 2024
I’ve had a few duff birthdays – Forest losing 8-1, being told I had a brain tumour the day before my 40th, having a operation to repair my broken and ripped foot 2 days after my birthday. But this is nothing compared to Imogen Clark who on her 16th birthday found her parents dead. That would make me never want to remember my birthday again, I dread to think what damage it would do to a 16 year old!
This is just the start of things, some very brutal things and at the centre of the investigation are the black sheep of West Lothian and Borders police, demoted Jazzy and Queenie. They are a right pairing. They both have their baggage but both have some pretty special skills that should crack this brutal case!
I love the Jazz Queens, both the OG and the extension to the group. Their banter is brilliant. There may have been friction to start with but they are brilliant once they get going.
The little twists, I say little, they appear little at the time but as I thought about them, the impact is just huge after what I’d read previously. Mistry has really mastered the sleight of hand here. You’ll know what I mean when you read it.
I loved reading The Blood Promise. Mistry has brought a new dimension to her dark police procedurals, a level of comedy. If you love your police procedurals, you need to get this book on your reading pile stat! An excellent start to a new series! Can not wait for book 2!!!
This is just the start of things, some very brutal things and at the centre of the investigation are the black sheep of West Lothian and Borders police, demoted Jazzy and Queenie. They are a right pairing. They both have their baggage but both have some pretty special skills that should crack this brutal case!
I love the Jazz Queens, both the OG and the extension to the group. Their banter is brilliant. There may have been friction to start with but they are brilliant once they get going.
The little twists, I say little, they appear little at the time but as I thought about them, the impact is just huge after what I’d read previously. Mistry has really mastered the sleight of hand here. You’ll know what I mean when you read it.
I loved reading The Blood Promise. Mistry has brought a new dimension to her dark police procedurals, a level of comedy. If you love your police procedurals, you need to get this book on your reading pile stat! An excellent start to a new series! Can not wait for book 2!!!
February 25, 2024
As a massive fan of Liz’s books, this did not disappoint. The main two officers were both troubled souls and took some time to understand, but I loved them both. I also loved the banter and the humour, which probably anyone south of Bristol wouldn’t understand.
The two detectives are thrown together after being demoted, and one of their first cases are the murders of the parents of Imogen Clark on her 16th birthday. The odd clue is that it’s the same date as Jazzy’s birthday, and she believes it’s a message to her personally. Coupled with the fact that it appears to tie in with a stalker who’s been after her for years.
What follows is an excellent piece of crime writing by the talented Liz Mistry, it’s so dark and twisted , and very cleverly thought out.
Jazzy and Queenie are basically on their own as their boss DI Dick (by name and nature) is about as much use as one man missing. However, her boss chief superintendent Afzal gives her all the support she needs to crack the case, and believe me she needs it!!
Just as I thought Liz couldn’t pull any more rabbits out of the hat, the ending was excellent. She really is an excellent author, and I didn’t think she could improve on Nikki Parekh, but she has with these two.
My thanks to Liz, and the publishers for the ARC.
The two detectives are thrown together after being demoted, and one of their first cases are the murders of the parents of Imogen Clark on her 16th birthday. The odd clue is that it’s the same date as Jazzy’s birthday, and she believes it’s a message to her personally. Coupled with the fact that it appears to tie in with a stalker who’s been after her for years.
What follows is an excellent piece of crime writing by the talented Liz Mistry, it’s so dark and twisted , and very cleverly thought out.
Jazzy and Queenie are basically on their own as their boss DI Dick (by name and nature) is about as much use as one man missing. However, her boss chief superintendent Afzal gives her all the support she needs to crack the case, and believe me she needs it!!
Just as I thought Liz couldn’t pull any more rabbits out of the hat, the ending was excellent. She really is an excellent author, and I didn’t think she could improve on Nikki Parekh, but she has with these two.
My thanks to Liz, and the publishers for the ARC.
March 21, 2024
I have always been going to pick up a book from this author so when I saw this on Netgalley and that it was a new series I decided to give it a go and I am glad that I did. The beginning of a new series is always intriguing, and a great new range of new characters to look forward to getting to know.
Your 16th birthday is supposed to be one of the best birthdays of your life but for Imogen it was anything but. She was looking forward to messages of love from her parents but all she received unfortunately was a message from a killer that had taken the lives of both her parents. We are then introduced to Detectives Annie McQueen and Jazzy Solanski who have both recently been demoted in their positions and are now thrown together, ironically Imogen’s birthday is the same date as Jazzy’s and now begins an investigation to see why these murders have occurred. Has Jazzy been targeted by the killer due to this fact or is it something to do with whoever she feels has been stalking her?
Not a bad start to a series and I look forward to reading more as this duo grows and develops as a team. Twists and turns send us off onto different paths, but it does come together satisfactorily in the end overall, a pretty good starting point.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy, all opinions are my own.
Your 16th birthday is supposed to be one of the best birthdays of your life but for Imogen it was anything but. She was looking forward to messages of love from her parents but all she received unfortunately was a message from a killer that had taken the lives of both her parents. We are then introduced to Detectives Annie McQueen and Jazzy Solanski who have both recently been demoted in their positions and are now thrown together, ironically Imogen’s birthday is the same date as Jazzy’s and now begins an investigation to see why these murders have occurred. Has Jazzy been targeted by the killer due to this fact or is it something to do with whoever she feels has been stalking her?
Not a bad start to a series and I look forward to reading more as this duo grows and develops as a team. Twists and turns send us off onto different paths, but it does come together satisfactorily in the end overall, a pretty good starting point.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy, all opinions are my own.
February 20, 2024
The Blood Promise by Liz Mistry is the first installment in a new Scottish crime series.
Imogen Clark wakes up on her 16th birthday to find her parents dead at the breakfast table, along with a message from their killer.
Detectives Jazzy Solanki and Annie McQueen join the investigation, but the more they discover, the more Jazzy suspects that the killing is a twisted message for her. Jazzy shares the same birthday as Imogen and believes that this is more than a coincidence.
Even though I could not connect with the two main detectives or any of the characters in this story, I will check out more by this author and this series to give it another go. The dialogue also felt weird to me; it seemed too forced, and the interactions between characters didn't flow naturally.
I will check out more books by this author. The story was good, and the ending was satisfying; I just need to read more in this series to determine if I can connect with the characters. I give this a 3.75 out of 5 stars (rounded to 4).
#TheBloodPromise #NetGalley @HQstories
Imogen Clark wakes up on her 16th birthday to find her parents dead at the breakfast table, along with a message from their killer.
Detectives Jazzy Solanki and Annie McQueen join the investigation, but the more they discover, the more Jazzy suspects that the killing is a twisted message for her. Jazzy shares the same birthday as Imogen and believes that this is more than a coincidence.
Even though I could not connect with the two main detectives or any of the characters in this story, I will check out more by this author and this series to give it another go. The dialogue also felt weird to me; it seemed too forced, and the interactions between characters didn't flow naturally.
I will check out more books by this author. The story was good, and the ending was satisfying; I just need to read more in this series to determine if I can connect with the characters. I give this a 3.75 out of 5 stars (rounded to 4).
#TheBloodPromise #NetGalley @HQstories
August 21, 2024
Maybe a 3.5. I loooved the characters, but the storyline was just a bit too over the top
May 22, 2024
4.25⭐
The Blood Promise kicks off a new series by new to me author Liz Mistry.
Set in Scotland and featuring two recently demoted detective constables Jasmine 'Jazzy' Solanki and Annie ' Queenie' McQueen. Who are referred to as the D unit or the dunce squad and are supervised by DCI Tony Dick. Who you will quickly realise suits the name perfectly.
And who are thrown together to investigate. When sixteen-year-old Imogen Clark wakes on her birthday to find her parents murdered and their bodies staged in a macabre and disturbing way.
A scene that sends Queenie out into the bushes to throw up and Jazzy reeling. As it is eerily familiar to her and as the investigation gets underway you learn more about why Queenie and Jazzy were demoted and what secrets they have.
And believe me they have plenty!!!
But Queenie and Jazzy do manage to work together and become a formidable team. Which is a good job. As this killer is cruel and not messing around and soon connections are made to previous murders and to Jazzy herself. After all, the killer didn't just strike on Imogen's birthday but Jazzy's too.
And with graphic scenes throughout. Not to mention plenty of twists and turns. This was a great introduction to the series. But honestly it did take me a little while to warm to the characters especially Queenie.
My thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy of The Blood Promise. 😊
The Blood Promise kicks off a new series by new to me author Liz Mistry.
Set in Scotland and featuring two recently demoted detective constables Jasmine 'Jazzy' Solanki and Annie ' Queenie' McQueen. Who are referred to as the D unit or the dunce squad and are supervised by DCI Tony Dick. Who you will quickly realise suits the name perfectly.
And who are thrown together to investigate. When sixteen-year-old Imogen Clark wakes on her birthday to find her parents murdered and their bodies staged in a macabre and disturbing way.
A scene that sends Queenie out into the bushes to throw up and Jazzy reeling. As it is eerily familiar to her and as the investigation gets underway you learn more about why Queenie and Jazzy were demoted and what secrets they have.
And believe me they have plenty!!!
But Queenie and Jazzy do manage to work together and become a formidable team. Which is a good job. As this killer is cruel and not messing around and soon connections are made to previous murders and to Jazzy herself. After all, the killer didn't just strike on Imogen's birthday but Jazzy's too.
And with graphic scenes throughout. Not to mention plenty of twists and turns. This was a great introduction to the series. But honestly it did take me a little while to warm to the characters especially Queenie.
My thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy of The Blood Promise. 😊
February 22, 2024
The Blood Promise is a new series with Detective Constables Jazzy Sloanki and Annie McQueen, both have been demoted from being Detective sergeants for separate disciplinary offences.
Together they are investigating a recent horrific murder of the parents of a young girls whose sixteenth birthday they should of been celebrating, it also is the same date as Jazzy’s birthday.
Connections are made between these murders and previous ones with the same method of their slaughter which are somehow linked to Jazzy and her unimaginably cruel childhood. This is a hard hitting crime thriller with graphic but well described scenes.
Eventually working well togetherJazzy and Annie are a formidable force. There are many twists and turns making this a riveting page turning read.
The characters took me a little while to warm to particularly Annie but slowly you realised although both are flawed characters with unimaginable painful private pasts together bring out the very best in each other.
An impressive start to a new series and I look forward with great anticipation to the next book.
My thanks to netgalley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly.
Together they are investigating a recent horrific murder of the parents of a young girls whose sixteenth birthday they should of been celebrating, it also is the same date as Jazzy’s birthday.
Connections are made between these murders and previous ones with the same method of their slaughter which are somehow linked to Jazzy and her unimaginably cruel childhood. This is a hard hitting crime thriller with graphic but well described scenes.
Eventually working well togetherJazzy and Annie are a formidable force. There are many twists and turns making this a riveting page turning read.
The characters took me a little while to warm to particularly Annie but slowly you realised although both are flawed characters with unimaginable painful private pasts together bring out the very best in each other.
An impressive start to a new series and I look forward with great anticipation to the next book.
My thanks to netgalley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly.
March 1, 2024
The Blood Promise by Liz Mistry is the first in a new series based in Scotland and features Detectives Jazzy Solanki and Annie McQueen.
Imogen Clark wakes up on her 16th birthday to find the dead bodies of her parents at the kitchen table in a grotesque murder. Jazzy Solanki soon realises that she has also been targeted by someone in her past.
The storyline is at times grotesque and mesmerising in the way the story unfolds. I am looking forward to reading more in this series.
Highly recommended
Imogen Clark wakes up on her 16th birthday to find the dead bodies of her parents at the kitchen table in a grotesque murder. Jazzy Solanki soon realises that she has also been targeted by someone in her past.
The storyline is at times grotesque and mesmerising in the way the story unfolds. I am looking forward to reading more in this series.
Highly recommended
March 4, 2024
Demoted to DCs Jasmine ‘Jazzy’ Solanki and Annie ‘Queenie’ McQueen are not flavour of the month at their station. Queenie has been demoted due to a knitting needle incident (!), and Jazzy under secret circumstances, though the rumour mill is grinding away imagining all sorts. Placed together on a nighttime stake out in a less than salubrious area, they are pushing each others patience. Towards the end of their unsuccessful shift, they are directed to another incident nearby, as there are no other officers available. What they discover is not for the faint hearted.
A new series from the much lauded Mistry. Her Nikki Paresh books are well received and have a huge following. As a writer I think the author is usually spot on and always a very good read. I appreciate that successful writers need to diversify and they hope for another success, but I’m not at all sure about this pairing. As it’s book one in the series we are introduced to the team and spend sometime getting to know them. I understand the need for a mix of dynamics and found the humour a nice touch, but the Queenie character is too much, definitely needs reining in, and Jazzy’s self analysis was cringing at times. Also too much Dick by name dick by nature - a couple of times is ok, but please stop!
The further into the book the better the characters became, they did settle down somewhat. A nice, unexpected twist with Jazzy, though the murderer was obvious very early on. The big action scene was farcical!
Not sure this gruesome twosome is a success, but hopefully book 2 will change my opinion.
2.5* upped to 3*
Thank you NetGalley and HQ.
A new series from the much lauded Mistry. Her Nikki Paresh books are well received and have a huge following. As a writer I think the author is usually spot on and always a very good read. I appreciate that successful writers need to diversify and they hope for another success, but I’m not at all sure about this pairing. As it’s book one in the series we are introduced to the team and spend sometime getting to know them. I understand the need for a mix of dynamics and found the humour a nice touch, but the Queenie character is too much, definitely needs reining in, and Jazzy’s self analysis was cringing at times. Also too much Dick by name dick by nature - a couple of times is ok, but please stop!
The further into the book the better the characters became, they did settle down somewhat. A nice, unexpected twist with Jazzy, though the murderer was obvious very early on. The big action scene was farcical!
Not sure this gruesome twosome is a success, but hopefully book 2 will change my opinion.
2.5* upped to 3*
Thank you NetGalley and HQ.
October 9, 2024
Action packed police tale from up north! 🏴
Really enjoyed this, I was only reading a couple of chapters to see if I wanted to finish it or send it back the library but I’ve really quite fallen in love with Solanki and McQueen.
Nice set of twists turns and plot points, looking forward to book 2 and I’ll probably try to check out Mistry’s other works
Really enjoyed this, I was only reading a couple of chapters to see if I wanted to finish it or send it back the library but I’ve really quite fallen in love with Solanki and McQueen.
Nice set of twists turns and plot points, looking forward to book 2 and I’ll probably try to check out Mistry’s other works
May 27, 2024
1.25*. I personally found this book garbage; I thought the epilogue was promising because I love me some gore and a good dark thriller. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations (they weren’t that high to begin with 🫠).
I skipped quite a bit towards the end because I was struggling hard with how much the book dragged; I thought the author was throwing non-stop, overly repetitive sentences that went on and on and on and ONNNNN throughout the book. Not to mention the repeated re-introduction of characters, and the constant need to bring up how diverse the characters are, because I’m not even kidding when I say that the author loves reminding readers on every. single. chapter. that her main character is POC.
I also massively did NOT enjoy how contradicting the vibe the author created - one minute we’re talking about mad trauma and the next she’ll throw in some fat phobic comment into the mix that was intended to be lighthearted comedy. It was just so bizarre and had zero relevance to the storyline. At the end of it I just couldn’t care less about the characters anymore.
This book had a solid plot but ended up being a whole lot of nothing but words just to make up for word count. The only shocker I got from this book was in fact, not the plot twist, but rather, how I actually got through and finished it (although I have to give it to my buddy readers who had to go through the same torture first lol) with my remaining braincells intact.
** MINOR SPOILER WARNING** My 1* is for the main character’s cat that wasn’t killed off by the author. I’m legit happy the cat survived.
I skipped quite a bit towards the end because I was struggling hard with how much the book dragged; I thought the author was throwing non-stop, overly repetitive sentences that went on and on and on and ONNNNN throughout the book. Not to mention the repeated re-introduction of characters, and the constant need to bring up how diverse the characters are, because I’m not even kidding when I say that the author loves reminding readers on every. single. chapter. that her main character is POC.
I also massively did NOT enjoy how contradicting the vibe the author created - one minute we’re talking about mad trauma and the next she’ll throw in some fat phobic comment into the mix that was intended to be lighthearted comedy. It was just so bizarre and had zero relevance to the storyline. At the end of it I just couldn’t care less about the characters anymore.
This book had a solid plot but ended up being a whole lot of nothing but words just to make up for word count. The only shocker I got from this book was in fact, not the plot twist, but rather, how I actually got through and finished it (although I have to give it to my buddy readers who had to go through the same torture first lol) with my remaining braincells intact.
** MINOR SPOILER WARNING** My 1* is for the main character’s cat that wasn’t killed off by the author. I’m legit happy the cat survived.
May 24, 2024
I have decided that whenever Liz Mistry writes anything, I would read it! I have read the majority of her previous work, and when I got the opportunity to read The Blood Promise, I jumped at it.
A brand new series set in Liz Mistry's birthplace of Scotland, we are introduced to Detectives Jazzy Solanki and Annie McQueen. They find themselves part of the investigation into the double murder of 16 year old Imogen. This is an investigation that becomes personal to Jazzy, and both detectives have their hands full with this complex case. The question is, can they solve it before it's an investigation into Jazzy's death?
All I can say is, Wow, this book is definitely one of my top reads this year! The setting, the characters, and the twists and turns to the investigation all ticked every box for me. Liz Mistry has set the bar high now for the next book!
I felt like I was with the women as they worked this case. I was truly, 100% invested in them. It hurt to think that Jazzy could be next and was willing them to find the suspect so much. Liz Mistry never writes a bad book, but this one excels.
If you enjoy an immersive and tense read, please pick this up and try it! If you don't, you will be missing out. Welcome home, Liz! Scotland is your place!
Thanks to Liz Mistry for my ARC in exchange for a honest review.
A brand new series set in Liz Mistry's birthplace of Scotland, we are introduced to Detectives Jazzy Solanki and Annie McQueen. They find themselves part of the investigation into the double murder of 16 year old Imogen. This is an investigation that becomes personal to Jazzy, and both detectives have their hands full with this complex case. The question is, can they solve it before it's an investigation into Jazzy's death?
All I can say is, Wow, this book is definitely one of my top reads this year! The setting, the characters, and the twists and turns to the investigation all ticked every box for me. Liz Mistry has set the bar high now for the next book!
I felt like I was with the women as they worked this case. I was truly, 100% invested in them. It hurt to think that Jazzy could be next and was willing them to find the suspect so much. Liz Mistry never writes a bad book, but this one excels.
If you enjoy an immersive and tense read, please pick this up and try it! If you don't, you will be missing out. Welcome home, Liz! Scotland is your place!
Thanks to Liz Mistry for my ARC in exchange for a honest review.
May 25, 2024
Darkly themed, this Scottish crime story is brutal, intense, and layered with police procedural details that ring with authenticity.
DC Jazzy Solanki, — recently demoted from Sergeant to her new lowly rank on the D-team, has lived through some hard times. Still suffering from the effects of her traumatic childhood, Jazzy has struggled to keep her private life secret, a task made nearly impossible when a new horrific and very grisly crime (with disturbing and deadly personal relevance) appears within her patch.
Jazzy, paired with her new partner, the abrasive yet strangely maternal Queenie, (a character remiscent in many ways of the indomnitable Vera Stanhope) has her work cut out for her as victims accumulate, and the secrets Jazzy can no longer hide explode to threaten her very existence.
A top-notch crime read (quite a bit more grisly than this reader typically enjoys), the first in a new series that promises drama, mystery, twists, a terrific cast of characters and a desperate depiction of the ongoing battle between goodness and pure unadulturated evil - bred through misery and pain and now mercilessly instigating the the same.
My stop today on the #rachelsrandomresources tour for #thebloodpromise by #lizmistry
A great big thanks to the author and the publisher for an ARC of this book. All thoughts presented are my own.
DC Jazzy Solanki, — recently demoted from Sergeant to her new lowly rank on the D-team, has lived through some hard times. Still suffering from the effects of her traumatic childhood, Jazzy has struggled to keep her private life secret, a task made nearly impossible when a new horrific and very grisly crime (with disturbing and deadly personal relevance) appears within her patch.
Jazzy, paired with her new partner, the abrasive yet strangely maternal Queenie, (a character remiscent in many ways of the indomnitable Vera Stanhope) has her work cut out for her as victims accumulate, and the secrets Jazzy can no longer hide explode to threaten her very existence.
A top-notch crime read (quite a bit more grisly than this reader typically enjoys), the first in a new series that promises drama, mystery, twists, a terrific cast of characters and a desperate depiction of the ongoing battle between goodness and pure unadulturated evil - bred through misery and pain and now mercilessly instigating the the same.
My stop today on the #rachelsrandomresources tour for #thebloodpromise by #lizmistry
A great big thanks to the author and the publisher for an ARC of this book. All thoughts presented are my own.
May 23, 2024
Imogen Clark wakes up on her 16th birthday to find her parents dead at the breakfast table, along with a message from their killer. Detectives Jazzy Solanki and Annie McQueen join the investigation, but the more they discover, the more Jazzy suspects that the killing is a twisted message for her. Jazzy shares the same birthday as Imogen, and believes that this is more than a coincidence.
The start of a new series & a very good starter it was, well written, strong characters & a gruesome storyline which was lightened by some witty banter between Jazzy & Annie. I thoroughly enjoyed this edge of the seat thriller & look forward to more in the series
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own
The start of a new series & a very good starter it was, well written, strong characters & a gruesome storyline which was lightened by some witty banter between Jazzy & Annie. I thoroughly enjoyed this edge of the seat thriller & look forward to more in the series
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own
October 15, 2024
This was a quite entertaining gritty Scottish police drama introducing a number of interesting, slightly quirky characters. The central story involves historical abuse, stalkers and extraordinarily grotesque murders. It all became a little beyond credibility and my hopes for a series of intelligent police dramas involving a new set of relatable characters was left more than a little dashed by the end.
October 19, 2024
The first in the Solinki and McQueen series. I’ve read all of the other books in the DS Nikki Parekh series which are fantastic so I had high hope for this new series! The storyline was gripping and I can’t wait how Solinki and McQueen characters develop over the series
Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review
Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review
April 24, 2025
Gruesome but compelling. 4.5.
What I liked:
- set in Scotland, including a lot of unfamiliar Scottish slang
- diversity in the characters
- kept me guessing and I fell hard for one of the red herrings
What I didn’t like:
- the gruesome murder scenes, written in such creative detail, will stay with me longer than I’d like
What I liked:
- set in Scotland, including a lot of unfamiliar Scottish slang
- diversity in the characters
- kept me guessing and I fell hard for one of the red herrings
What I didn’t like:
- the gruesome murder scenes, written in such creative detail, will stay with me longer than I’d like
May 17, 2024
This is a very dark read but also full of moments of sheer fun. Jazzy is a great new lead character and I’m interested to see where this series goes from here. It’s great to read Liz writing a series set in her native Scotland 4.5* from me
September 22, 2024
This was the first book I’ve read of hers and really enjoyed it it’s storyline kept me interested and I’ll definitely will be reading more of this and her other series that she’s written
May 23, 2024
Detectives Jazzy Solanki and Annie McQueen are in a group that have been demoted for various reasons.
Luckily for them, the ‘superior’ teams are too busy when a girl finds her parents horrifically murdered on her sixteenth birthday.
Jazzy realises there are factors that are similar to other cases, and the team are soon investigating, in the hope that no one else dies.
What a gripping tale from the author! I have read and enjoyed all her books, but for me, this one tops them all.
The characters are wonderful, Annie McQueen made me laugh a lot, I loved her. Jazzy was a great character, but in a different way to Annie. I felt for Jazzy & was spurring her on the whole time.
It is a gritty and extremely gruesome story. There were some amazing twists along the way, and the ending did make my jaw drop!
I hope that there will be more from Jazzy and Annie, I can’t rave about these two enough. I now have a new and favourite duo.
My thanks to NetGalley and HQ Digital for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
Luckily for them, the ‘superior’ teams are too busy when a girl finds her parents horrifically murdered on her sixteenth birthday.
Jazzy realises there are factors that are similar to other cases, and the team are soon investigating, in the hope that no one else dies.
What a gripping tale from the author! I have read and enjoyed all her books, but for me, this one tops them all.
The characters are wonderful, Annie McQueen made me laugh a lot, I loved her. Jazzy was a great character, but in a different way to Annie. I felt for Jazzy & was spurring her on the whole time.
It is a gritty and extremely gruesome story. There were some amazing twists along the way, and the ending did make my jaw drop!
I hope that there will be more from Jazzy and Annie, I can’t rave about these two enough. I now have a new and favourite duo.
My thanks to NetGalley and HQ Digital for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
May 18, 2024
Detective Constables Jasmine (Jazzy) Solanki and Annie (Queenie) McQueen have recently been demoted and put on the D (Dunce) Team in Inverness. Jazzy has learned that telling the bald truth isn't always the best line of action and avid knitter Queenie is famous for "Needlegate". In The Blood Promise, Liz Mistry has teamed two diametrically opposite characters into a strong serial killer mystery.
Although I did like the story, I did have problems with the two main characters. At first, Queenie was in-your-face comic relief with her non-stop knitting, flatulence, and garlic breath. When some of her backstory was revealed, I found that I could accept Queenie, but I still didn't like her.
On the other hand, Jazzy, daughter of a Hindu mother and Muslim father, is portrayed as an often brilliant investigator who doesn't always know when to keep her mouth shut. Although my heart went out to this character as her tortured backstory was revealed, she had so many instances of PTSD meltdowns, I wondered how she could be such a good police officer. She experienced so much angst that it often bogged down the pace of the story. (I also wondered how two disgraced and demoted officers could so quickly be put in charge of major parts of the murder investigation.)
The different angle to an often-tired serial killer investigation certainly made it interesting, and I did like the setting. Even though I did have problems with the two main characters, I find myself wanting to read the next book in the series. With the origins of so much of Jazzy's troubled past revealed, I really want to know how she'll behave in a new investigation.
(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley)
Although I did like the story, I did have problems with the two main characters. At first, Queenie was in-your-face comic relief with her non-stop knitting, flatulence, and garlic breath. When some of her backstory was revealed, I found that I could accept Queenie, but I still didn't like her.
On the other hand, Jazzy, daughter of a Hindu mother and Muslim father, is portrayed as an often brilliant investigator who doesn't always know when to keep her mouth shut. Although my heart went out to this character as her tortured backstory was revealed, she had so many instances of PTSD meltdowns, I wondered how she could be such a good police officer. She experienced so much angst that it often bogged down the pace of the story. (I also wondered how two disgraced and demoted officers could so quickly be put in charge of major parts of the murder investigation.)
The different angle to an often-tired serial killer investigation certainly made it interesting, and I did like the setting. Even though I did have problems with the two main characters, I find myself wanting to read the next book in the series. With the origins of so much of Jazzy's troubled past revealed, I really want to know how she'll behave in a new investigation.
(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley)
May 31, 2024
The Blood Promise had all the workings of a great novel, but just fell a little short for me.
I will say, the twists and turns of this book are ones I never saw coming. I also really enjoyed the development of the different characters, especially the so-called "Jazz Queens." Those scenes were by far the best ones, because they were silly and showed different sides of all the characters. I thought the pacing was really well done, and I rarely say that books are the perfect length but this one was.
I had two major qualms with the book. First, it did not let you forget it was placed in Scotland. As an American reader, I struggled along with some portions that were almost unreadable if you aren't familiar with Scottish lingo. It wasn't even in the speaking, it was in the text as well. For broader appeal I think toning down slightly on the Scottish slang would be best. My other issue was the inclusion of facts only when they are relevant to the story line. A lot of it felt like it came out of the blue.
Overall, I enjoyed the read, but got a bit pulled out of the story by the Scottish slang and random plot points dropped in.
Thank you to NetGalley, Mistry, and HQ for providing a digital copy of the book in return for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.
I will say, the twists and turns of this book are ones I never saw coming. I also really enjoyed the development of the different characters, especially the so-called "Jazz Queens." Those scenes were by far the best ones, because they were silly and showed different sides of all the characters. I thought the pacing was really well done, and I rarely say that books are the perfect length but this one was.
I had two major qualms with the book. First, it did not let you forget it was placed in Scotland. As an American reader, I struggled along with some portions that were almost unreadable if you aren't familiar with Scottish lingo. It wasn't even in the speaking, it was in the text as well. For broader appeal I think toning down slightly on the Scottish slang would be best. My other issue was the inclusion of facts only when they are relevant to the story line. A lot of it felt like it came out of the blue.
Overall, I enjoyed the read, but got a bit pulled out of the story by the Scottish slang and random plot points dropped in.
Thank you to NetGalley, Mistry, and HQ for providing a digital copy of the book in return for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.
May 23, 2024
What a scorching start to a new series!
Imogen Clark is turning sixteen and is waiting to be called down for her 'surprise' by her parents - but she gets more of a shock that a surprise when she finds their bodies. Despite being ordered to set this aside as a 'one off' crime, Detectives Jazzy Solanki and Annie McQueen - dubbed the 'Jazz Queens' by Annie - begin to realise there is more to it. Jazzy shares the same birthday as Imogen and has had a stalker for quite some time; it seems the time to share the details has come - much against her wishes ...
Oh, this is a cracking thriller! Grabbing me from the first despicable crime, I was hooked as the story twisted and turned revealing details bit by bit and all with typical Scottish humour sprinkled throughout. I think this may be the first book by Liz Mistry that I've read, but it certainly won't be the last. A belter of a read, and one I highly recommend and happily give a full house of stars! 5*
Imogen Clark is turning sixteen and is waiting to be called down for her 'surprise' by her parents - but she gets more of a shock that a surprise when she finds their bodies. Despite being ordered to set this aside as a 'one off' crime, Detectives Jazzy Solanki and Annie McQueen - dubbed the 'Jazz Queens' by Annie - begin to realise there is more to it. Jazzy shares the same birthday as Imogen and has had a stalker for quite some time; it seems the time to share the details has come - much against her wishes ...
Oh, this is a cracking thriller! Grabbing me from the first despicable crime, I was hooked as the story twisted and turned revealing details bit by bit and all with typical Scottish humour sprinkled throughout. I think this may be the first book by Liz Mistry that I've read, but it certainly won't be the last. A belter of a read, and one I highly recommend and happily give a full house of stars! 5*
June 1, 2024
Did not enjoy this would not recommend
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