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A Hana Westerman Thriller #3
Carved in Blood
From the Barry Award nominee and Ngaio Marsh Award winner, a new thriller bringing danger ever closer to Hana Westerman
When Detective Inspector Jaye Hamilton stops at an Auckland liquor store for a bottle of champagne, it is supposed to be his daughter Addison has just gotten engaged. Instead, he is suddenly gunned down at the register by a balaclava-clad assailant in what appears at first to be a random act. The getaway car is quickly recovered, containing the cell phone of a young Māori man, Toa Davis, who is immediately the object of an all-out police search.
Jaye’s ex-wife, former Māori detective Hana Westerman, asks in on the investigation. Her instincts suggest that the vehicle was meant to be found, and that Jaye had been targeted. The gun used in the assault is distinctive, and she learns that a local gang leader, Erwin Rendall—who had threatened Hana in the past—owns such a weapon. When Davis turns up dead, the hunt for Rendall is on. Yet when Rendall slips through the dragnet and escapes the country, and in the wake of Jaye’s death, Hana decides to rejoin the force, acknowledging that she has unfinished business still.
Skillfully plotted, inviting readers ever further into the appreciation of Māori culture, and with vibrant characters determined to overcome tragedy with resolve, Carved in Blood takes Michael Bennett’s highly-praised series to new heights.
When Detective Inspector Jaye Hamilton stops at an Auckland liquor store for a bottle of champagne, it is supposed to be his daughter Addison has just gotten engaged. Instead, he is suddenly gunned down at the register by a balaclava-clad assailant in what appears at first to be a random act. The getaway car is quickly recovered, containing the cell phone of a young Māori man, Toa Davis, who is immediately the object of an all-out police search.
Jaye’s ex-wife, former Māori detective Hana Westerman, asks in on the investigation. Her instincts suggest that the vehicle was meant to be found, and that Jaye had been targeted. The gun used in the assault is distinctive, and she learns that a local gang leader, Erwin Rendall—who had threatened Hana in the past—owns such a weapon. When Davis turns up dead, the hunt for Rendall is on. Yet when Rendall slips through the dragnet and escapes the country, and in the wake of Jaye’s death, Hana decides to rejoin the force, acknowledging that she has unfinished business still.
Skillfully plotted, inviting readers ever further into the appreciation of Māori culture, and with vibrant characters determined to overcome tragedy with resolve, Carved in Blood takes Michael Bennett’s highly-praised series to new heights.
384 pages, Hardcover
Published July 15, 2025
55 people are currently reading
5348 people want to read
About the author
Michael Bennett
5 books231 followersMichael Bennett (Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Whakaue) is an award-winning screenwriter, director, and author whose films have been selections at major festivals, including Cannes, Berlin, Toronto, and New York. His nonfiction book, In Dark Places, which explored an infamous miscarriage of justice, won awards, and his young adult graphic novel, Helen and the Go-Go Ninjas, was a finalist for the 2019 New Zealand Book Awards.
source: Amazon
source: Amazon
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
June 17, 2025
I was excited to be able to catch up with Hana and her family in a new installment of this series from New Zealand. One of the things that I enjoy about this series are the footnotes that Bennett includes on Maori words, customs and traditions. I don’t know if the audiobooks provide that, but I can’t imagine how well that comes across in the audio version.
The book summary pretty much lays out the first half of the story. Addison, Hana and her ex-Jaye’s daughter, announce that she and Plus 1, her non-binary partner, are getting married. On his way home, Jay decides he wants to buy champagne for the upcoming engagement party and stops into a local store and is shot while trying to save the store manager during a robbery. He’s critically wounded and on life support. However, what the book summary doesn’t mention is that the robbery was a probably a cover and that Jaye was the target. This is not a spoiler because it was revealed really early in the story.
There are the secondary stories of Hana rejoining the force so she can join the investigation into Jaye’s shooting. She also recruits another ex-officer, Sebastian, who she has a long-standing friendship with and new intimate relationship with. There is another one with Addison, who works as a volunteer at Gen Helpline, an anonymous call in service for teens. One of her call ins seems to know something about Jaye’s shooting. So, Addison and Plus 1 recruit Stan to help them find this caller. Stan is an officer who was injured in the last installment and is now on desk duty. Stan is working hard to get back on active duty from his injury and has started using drugs (steroids) to build his strength (he lost the lower part of his leg and has a prosthetic leg). Stan is suffering from sleep deprivation and PTSD, both of which are made worse with his drug use.
Most of the story flips back and forth between the different storylines and their respective involvement and relationship to the shooting investigation. There is also the shooter, who Bennett has kind of made it seem like it’s the shooter that the police are pursuing. However, I’m having my doubts. I suspect that Bennett is setting up the reader for a shocking reveal in the end.
The continuing character development of Hana and her family was well done along with Stan and Elsa Williams, who was the DI that was transferred to Auckland to head the investigation of Jaye’s shooting. The pacing was steady to fast and the storyline interesting. The writing was good too, and once again, I enjoyed the background of the Maori people and customs. I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.3 that I will round down to a 4star review. I want to thank NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #GroveAtlantic #CarvedinBlood
The book summary pretty much lays out the first half of the story. Addison, Hana and her ex-Jaye’s daughter, announce that she and Plus 1, her non-binary partner, are getting married. On his way home, Jay decides he wants to buy champagne for the upcoming engagement party and stops into a local store and is shot while trying to save the store manager during a robbery. He’s critically wounded and on life support. However, what the book summary doesn’t mention is that the robbery was a probably a cover and that Jaye was the target. This is not a spoiler because it was revealed really early in the story.
There are the secondary stories of Hana rejoining the force so she can join the investigation into Jaye’s shooting. She also recruits another ex-officer, Sebastian, who she has a long-standing friendship with and new intimate relationship with. There is another one with Addison, who works as a volunteer at Gen Helpline, an anonymous call in service for teens. One of her call ins seems to know something about Jaye’s shooting. So, Addison and Plus 1 recruit Stan to help them find this caller. Stan is an officer who was injured in the last installment and is now on desk duty. Stan is working hard to get back on active duty from his injury and has started using drugs (steroids) to build his strength (he lost the lower part of his leg and has a prosthetic leg). Stan is suffering from sleep deprivation and PTSD, both of which are made worse with his drug use.
Most of the story flips back and forth between the different storylines and their respective involvement and relationship to the shooting investigation. There is also the shooter, who Bennett has kind of made it seem like it’s the shooter that the police are pursuing. However, I’m having my doubts. I suspect that Bennett is setting up the reader for a shocking reveal in the end.
The continuing character development of Hana and her family was well done along with Stan and Elsa Williams, who was the DI that was transferred to Auckland to head the investigation of Jaye’s shooting. The pacing was steady to fast and the storyline interesting. The writing was good too, and once again, I enjoyed the background of the Maori people and customs. I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.3 that I will round down to a 4star review. I want to thank NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #GroveAtlantic #CarvedinBlood
January 11, 2025
I requested this book from NetGalley because I like to read novels set in a different culture, and the blurb promised this. Had I received it as a library book, I would have dnf’d by the 15% point, given its annoying writing style—the use of the present tense rather than the far more common, and easier to understand, past tense. As receiving a NetGalley book entails providing a review, I persevered, using a start and stop reading style. I’d read a few chapters, stop and read another book, then read a few more chapters, stop when I got bored, etc., until I finally finished.
There are numerous Māori words and phrases scattered throughout the book, but at no point did I experience the feeling of being immersed in the cultural context. There were speeches about the prejudices that the dark-skinned natives experienced, but it was all “tell”, no “show”. There were a few well-written scenes, but they were scenes, not in-depth explorations of how the characters felt, or how their backgrounds affected their psychological coping mechanisms. I felt that I was reading an amateurish attempt at producing a thriller. Stock villain, who was identified by the Māori protagonist at the 65% point. Then a chase, with an incomplete ending.
1.5 rating, moved up.
Thanks to Grove Atlantic for providing an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinions.
There are numerous Māori words and phrases scattered throughout the book, but at no point did I experience the feeling of being immersed in the cultural context. There were speeches about the prejudices that the dark-skinned natives experienced, but it was all “tell”, no “show”. There were a few well-written scenes, but they were scenes, not in-depth explorations of how the characters felt, or how their backgrounds affected their psychological coping mechanisms. I felt that I was reading an amateurish attempt at producing a thriller. Stock villain, who was identified by the Māori protagonist at the 65% point. Then a chase, with an incomplete ending.
1.5 rating, moved up.
Thanks to Grove Atlantic for providing an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinions.
July 14, 2025
Thanks to Atlantic Monthly Press and NetGalley for an eARC of Carved in Blood, the third entry in Mark Bennett’s Hana Westerman series. I have read the prior books and was very glad to receive this one. As the story begins, all of the primary characters, Hana, her daughter, Addison and Addison’s soon to be fiancé Plus 1, Hana’s ex Jaye with his new wife Marissa and two young daughters are together after an event celebrating some Māori teenagers getting their drivers licenses after completing the final driving test. After the engagement is announced and blessings given, families separate and Jaye and family return home to Auckland. While his family goes right inside, Jaye makes a detour to a nearby liquor store to check out their stock of champagne. While he is in the store, a man enters wearing a balaclava, carrying a gun and begins to beat the man at the register. Unaware, Jaye approaches the front of the store hearing odd noises and is shot, twice.
This is the beginning of an emotion filled, actiive crime novel where the reader is in the center of the investigation but also of the family and friends who are waiting at the hospital, trying to help each other and the police. In spite of having left the police, Hana is offered the opportunity to assist with the investigation and is made a temporary constable. She is an active part of the case, still respected for her past police work. Another case, simmering in the background, involves a local criminal enterprise that appears to be involved in money laundering and may also be involved in smuggling.
Bennett continues to incorporate Māori language, traditions, mythology architecture, and life in this novel, as in the previous two. Here with talk about links with the stars to the comings of their people to New Zealand. The fact of inequalities of life for minority indigenous peoples is also included in conversations of characters .
This is an excellent procedural with more: tight plotting, emotional depth among characters, characters who are allowed to have faults and work to overcome them, and no “miraculous endings”. I’m looking forward to the next book! I recommend the series and suggest that you read at least Return to Blood, the 2nd book, if possible to learn more about these characters before turning to Carved in Blood.
This is the beginning of an emotion filled, actiive crime novel where the reader is in the center of the investigation but also of the family and friends who are waiting at the hospital, trying to help each other and the police. In spite of having left the police, Hana is offered the opportunity to assist with the investigation and is made a temporary constable. She is an active part of the case, still respected for her past police work. Another case, simmering in the background, involves a local criminal enterprise that appears to be involved in money laundering and may also be involved in smuggling.
Bennett continues to incorporate Māori language, traditions, mythology architecture, and life in this novel, as in the previous two. Here with talk about links with the stars to the comings of their people to New Zealand. The fact of inequalities of life for minority indigenous peoples is also included in conversations of characters .
This is an excellent procedural with more: tight plotting, emotional depth among characters, characters who are allowed to have faults and work to overcome them, and no “miraculous endings”. I’m looking forward to the next book! I recommend the series and suggest that you read at least Return to Blood, the 2nd book, if possible to learn more about these characters before turning to Carved in Blood.
April 29, 2025
I absolutely love this series. I am drawn to New Zealand so that will always help but I feel like the characters are richly drawn. The crime element pushes the narrative but the real importance for me is the way in which all the various relationships are drawn. Perhaps there are a few heavy handed observations about systemic racism but sometimes I think such things need to be shouted about.
I loved the opening and the final acknowledgements need to be read too. I think Bennett is at his best when he allows his poetic voice to shine through.
I am going to have to wait now for the next book.
I loved the opening and the final acknowledgements need to be read too. I think Bennett is at his best when he allows his poetic voice to shine through.
I am going to have to wait now for the next book.
December 23, 2024
Thank you, NetGalley and Grove Atlantic, for the ARC for Carved in Blood. This is the third book in the Hana Westerman series. Its location is New Zealand, emphasizing Maori history, culture, folklore and traditions. Issues addressed are grief, sorrow, revenge, anger, the causes of evil, the tendency to scapegoat a Maori for crimes, a criminal organization, and whether actions should involve a belief in what is right versus legal restrictions. The book is due to be published July 25th, 2025.
Addison, the daughter of Hana and her ex-husband, DI Jaye, a highly admired and respected detective from the earlier books, has just announced her upcoming marriage to PLUS1, and it is time for a celebration. The constellation Maharaiki has just appeared in the winter sky, signifying a time of gladness and new beginnings.
This is not a spoiler, as it is described in the book's synopsis. The peace and tranquillity of the small town is soon shattered. Jaye is in the back of a convenience store, choosing a bottle of champagne to celebrate his daughter's engagement. A man, his face covered, enters and leaves the manager battered and bleeding. As Jaye returns to the front, he is shot twice in vital areas and lies in hospital in an induced coma. The identity of the victim casts a personal cloud over Hana, their daughter Addison, Jaye's new wife Melissa, his colleagues in the police force, and the entire community. The police are determined to bring the perpetrator to justice.
A man with a background in crime is connected with a Chinese gangster syndicate. This psychopath, Erwin Randall, only feels the emotion of anger and the thrill of killing. He is brilliant and has studied and realistically displays the other emotions but cannot feel them. The gangsters have set up a young Maori man to make him appear guilty of the shooting. He is pursued by the police, who are determined to arrest and charge him; Addison receives phone calls indicating the police are mistaken, and their suspect is soon found dead.
Senior Police Officer Elisa Grey has been assigned to the case. Hana, a former Maori police detective, resigned from the Auckland CIB at the close of the first book and is leading a peaceful life. She is now temporarily restored to the police force in order to help. Was Jaye a random victim, or was he targeted? Hana, Addison, and Melissa remain grief-stricken. Sean, a young officer, lost his leg in the first book. In the second book, he was strenuously practicing on an artificial leg to restore his position in an active role instead of being confined to paperwork. He is furious about Jaye being shot and having loud, inappropriate outbursts of anger. He has been on sleeping pills and steroids. With the help of Hana, the identity of the actual shooter is revealed, but they must recover the gun to prove Erwin guilty in court. After a difficult search, the gun is recovered, but its owner has fled overseas. Hana accepts her former official position in the police force, as she believes she has unfinished business. A sequel seems inevitable.
This well-written series highlights Maori culture and folklore with exciting and well-constructed mysteries. I recommend reading the earlier books to better understand the characters and background.
Addison, the daughter of Hana and her ex-husband, DI Jaye, a highly admired and respected detective from the earlier books, has just announced her upcoming marriage to PLUS1, and it is time for a celebration. The constellation Maharaiki has just appeared in the winter sky, signifying a time of gladness and new beginnings.
This is not a spoiler, as it is described in the book's synopsis. The peace and tranquillity of the small town is soon shattered. Jaye is in the back of a convenience store, choosing a bottle of champagne to celebrate his daughter's engagement. A man, his face covered, enters and leaves the manager battered and bleeding. As Jaye returns to the front, he is shot twice in vital areas and lies in hospital in an induced coma. The identity of the victim casts a personal cloud over Hana, their daughter Addison, Jaye's new wife Melissa, his colleagues in the police force, and the entire community. The police are determined to bring the perpetrator to justice.
A man with a background in crime is connected with a Chinese gangster syndicate. This psychopath, Erwin Randall, only feels the emotion of anger and the thrill of killing. He is brilliant and has studied and realistically displays the other emotions but cannot feel them. The gangsters have set up a young Maori man to make him appear guilty of the shooting. He is pursued by the police, who are determined to arrest and charge him; Addison receives phone calls indicating the police are mistaken, and their suspect is soon found dead.
Senior Police Officer Elisa Grey has been assigned to the case. Hana, a former Maori police detective, resigned from the Auckland CIB at the close of the first book and is leading a peaceful life. She is now temporarily restored to the police force in order to help. Was Jaye a random victim, or was he targeted? Hana, Addison, and Melissa remain grief-stricken. Sean, a young officer, lost his leg in the first book. In the second book, he was strenuously practicing on an artificial leg to restore his position in an active role instead of being confined to paperwork. He is furious about Jaye being shot and having loud, inappropriate outbursts of anger. He has been on sleeping pills and steroids. With the help of Hana, the identity of the actual shooter is revealed, but they must recover the gun to prove Erwin guilty in court. After a difficult search, the gun is recovered, but its owner has fled overseas. Hana accepts her former official position in the police force, as she believes she has unfinished business. A sequel seems inevitable.
This well-written series highlights Maori culture and folklore with exciting and well-constructed mysteries. I recommend reading the earlier books to better understand the characters and background.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2025
I really enjoyed the first two Hana Westerman books and while I enjoyed reading more about the Māori culture and getting to know more about Hana’s friends and family I felt Like Carved in Blood was lacking in anything very exciting or thrilling and was more of a filler piece to give Hana a reason to rejoin the force so she could once again be the center of something dangerous and exciting. I will definitely be reading the next Hana Westerman because I really enjoy Bennett’s writing, and I am hoping for more of a police procedural than a family saga.
April 29, 2025
Third in a wonderful series that focuses on the Maori population of New Zealand. Hana Westerman had quit her job with the Aukland police in order to return to her home, but re-enlists when her former husband is shot in what appears to be a random shooting at a minimart. Her daughter, Addison, provides a character completely of today's world but still respectful of her Maori roots. As in the previous installments, I love the incorporation of the language, the traditions and mythologies inherent to the story. Michael Bennett, keep them coming.
June 4, 2025
Least enjoyable of the three in the series.
I really enjoy the NZ setting, but this instalment did not do justice to the landscape or immerse me in it. The characters felt flat to me, with none of them progressing or developing. Even when tragedy struck, the emotive aspects petered out and as a reader it was more like looking through a window than being in the sadness.
The aspect I least enjoyed was the present tense writing style. The chapters seemed incredibly long and the predictability of the crime decreased my desire to finish this book. I’d imitated this writer may be better suited to fiction.
Overall, 2.5 stars rounded up.
I really enjoy the NZ setting, but this instalment did not do justice to the landscape or immerse me in it. The characters felt flat to me, with none of them progressing or developing. Even when tragedy struck, the emotive aspects petered out and as a reader it was more like looking through a window than being in the sadness.
The aspect I least enjoyed was the present tense writing style. The chapters seemed incredibly long and the predictability of the crime decreased my desire to finish this book. I’d imitated this writer may be better suited to fiction.
Overall, 2.5 stars rounded up.
April 6, 2025
This series just keeps getting better. Here, Hana, is pulled back into police work, when her ex, Jaye, is shot in a seemingly random incident. And this shooting happened soon after some happy news with their kid. The characters developments throughout the series has been so well done and I wish more people would pick up this series, set in NZ, centering on the Maori.
I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.
I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.
February 8, 2025
An intense, elaborate and brutal continuation of the Hana Westerman Thriller series. I would recommend reading this book without reading the synopsis, but as to be expected with Michael Benett’s books, the allure to his work isn’t necessarily who commits these crimes, but why.
I requested an ARC of this in exchange for review, so thank you Grove Atlantic for providing me with a copy of this through Net Galley.
The third instalment in this series follows Hana alongside the characters we’ve all grown to love over the course of the other books, along with some new and well-written additions to the whānau. As to be expected, Hana is dragged straight back out of her happy place and somewhat episodic peaceful life to pursue justice.
Bennett returns by reminding readers of his background as a screenwriter, crafting each chapter as a vivid scene from an episode with rich imagery, compelling twists and turns, complex characters and an addictive pace that kept me both eager and hungry to turn the page.
As a wahine Māori, I’m always so enamoured by how Bennett includes Te Ao Māori in his work. This entire series delves into this nuanced and well-written conflict Hana, a wahine Māori faces as a former police officer despite her understanding of the injustices many Māori have with the justice system. We also see different elements of her life intertwined with Te Ao Māori, like being back on her papakāinga, her pā, and with her hapū and wider community. Matariki, tā moko and kirituhi were beautifully handled in inviting readers into those experiences, and I hope those not familiar with Te Ao Māori can come to appreciate them without feeling overwhelmed.
I think my favourite element of this book was its exploration into the characters, as it often is with Bennett’s work. He has this extraordinary ability to shape such complex, multifaceted characters who feel so deeply human, flawed and real – then fully embraces it.
I know this hasn’t released at the time I post this, but hooked and eagerly anticipating the next instalment.
4.5/5
I requested an ARC of this in exchange for review, so thank you Grove Atlantic for providing me with a copy of this through Net Galley.
The third instalment in this series follows Hana alongside the characters we’ve all grown to love over the course of the other books, along with some new and well-written additions to the whānau. As to be expected, Hana is dragged straight back out of her happy place and somewhat episodic peaceful life to pursue justice.
Bennett returns by reminding readers of his background as a screenwriter, crafting each chapter as a vivid scene from an episode with rich imagery, compelling twists and turns, complex characters and an addictive pace that kept me both eager and hungry to turn the page.
As a wahine Māori, I’m always so enamoured by how Bennett includes Te Ao Māori in his work. This entire series delves into this nuanced and well-written conflict Hana, a wahine Māori faces as a former police officer despite her understanding of the injustices many Māori have with the justice system. We also see different elements of her life intertwined with Te Ao Māori, like being back on her papakāinga, her pā, and with her hapū and wider community. Matariki, tā moko and kirituhi were beautifully handled in inviting readers into those experiences, and I hope those not familiar with Te Ao Māori can come to appreciate them without feeling overwhelmed.
I think my favourite element of this book was its exploration into the characters, as it often is with Bennett’s work. He has this extraordinary ability to shape such complex, multifaceted characters who feel so deeply human, flawed and real – then fully embraces it.
I know this hasn’t released at the time I post this, but hooked and eagerly anticipating the next instalment.
4.5/5
November 1, 2025
4.0 / 5.0
I had to finish the book the minute I started it, it’s a thrilling encapsulating read but also one that is emotional for readers that have followed the series. I was shocked at the developments of the plot and the twists, but now finishing the book I’ve accepted that, that is the only direction the book can go in. There’s definitely unfinished business and I’m excited to see where the next book goes. It’s gut wrenching near the end, and it definitely won’t make any sense if you haven’t read any of the books in the series. Another reason why I like this series is the different cultures the book introduces, everything I read this series I’m learning more about the Māori culture. It’s a unique book, and I’m really excited to see what the next book will be. We also see the return of familiar faces not only seeing their successes but their own personal problems that they are navigating. More importantly Hana Westerman herself. It’s like we have see a new leaf, a new page of her in this book.
The book centres around Hana’s ex husband Jaye Hamilton. Hana’s life is good right now, she’s got her work in her hometown, her community is thriving and her daughter is getting engaged. On one night, Jaye walks into a liquor store to grab some booze but is caught up in a cross fire with a gunman. In the space of 2 mins and 24 seconds their family’s peace is completed shattered. Hana makes it her mission to find the one responsible, even joining the institution she left her old police force to help find the unidentified shooter. But as the investigation progresses she finds herself unprepared for the darkness of the world she is entering.
It’s a great read, definitely a book and series worth the time investment! Can’t wait to see what the next instalment will be!!
I had to finish the book the minute I started it, it’s a thrilling encapsulating read but also one that is emotional for readers that have followed the series. I was shocked at the developments of the plot and the twists, but now finishing the book I’ve accepted that, that is the only direction the book can go in. There’s definitely unfinished business and I’m excited to see where the next book goes. It’s gut wrenching near the end, and it definitely won’t make any sense if you haven’t read any of the books in the series. Another reason why I like this series is the different cultures the book introduces, everything I read this series I’m learning more about the Māori culture. It’s a unique book, and I’m really excited to see what the next book will be. We also see the return of familiar faces not only seeing their successes but their own personal problems that they are navigating. More importantly Hana Westerman herself. It’s like we have see a new leaf, a new page of her in this book.
The book centres around Hana’s ex husband Jaye Hamilton. Hana’s life is good right now, she’s got her work in her hometown, her community is thriving and her daughter is getting engaged. On one night, Jaye walks into a liquor store to grab some booze but is caught up in a cross fire with a gunman. In the space of 2 mins and 24 seconds their family’s peace is completed shattered. Hana makes it her mission to find the one responsible, even joining the institution she left her old police force to help find the unidentified shooter. But as the investigation progresses she finds herself unprepared for the darkness of the world she is entering.
It’s a great read, definitely a book and series worth the time investment! Can’t wait to see what the next instalment will be!!
March 16, 2025
BOOK REVIEW 📚✨️
Carved in Blood - Michael Bennett
*This is actually the 3rd book in the Hana Westerman series, however having not read the first two I was still able to enjoy this book as a standalone.
The story itself is set in New Zealand and showcases mãori traditions, words and phrases throughout the prose which was a nice touch and not something I had read before.
My copy from netgalley was an unedited ARC which unfortunately wasnt seamless and sometimes was a bit hard to follow.
Fans of shows and books such as Line of Duty, or police thrillers would enjoy this one - a story of a police officer who is gunned down in a grocery store at point blank range and the challenege and mystery to uncover who did it, or who didnt do it. Could this be connected to undercover work he did years ago, or was it just a bad timed coincidence?
The story itself was told over multiple points of view which was quite of a whirlwind at times are you tried to keep up with the plot and subplot, however this did add lots of layers to the story which later paid off.
The story is left of a cliffhanger which i think will bridge very nicely into the next installment within the series and I will definitely make time to go read the first two.
3.5⭐️
Carved in Blood - Michael Bennett
*This is actually the 3rd book in the Hana Westerman series, however having not read the first two I was still able to enjoy this book as a standalone.
The story itself is set in New Zealand and showcases mãori traditions, words and phrases throughout the prose which was a nice touch and not something I had read before.
My copy from netgalley was an unedited ARC which unfortunately wasnt seamless and sometimes was a bit hard to follow.
Fans of shows and books such as Line of Duty, or police thrillers would enjoy this one - a story of a police officer who is gunned down in a grocery store at point blank range and the challenege and mystery to uncover who did it, or who didnt do it. Could this be connected to undercover work he did years ago, or was it just a bad timed coincidence?
The story itself was told over multiple points of view which was quite of a whirlwind at times are you tried to keep up with the plot and subplot, however this did add lots of layers to the story which later paid off.
The story is left of a cliffhanger which i think will bridge very nicely into the next installment within the series and I will definitely make time to go read the first two.
3.5⭐️
October 2, 2025
Probably a 3.5!!! I enjoy this series- quick reads, likable main characters. This one sets up the next books to come in the future well. I’ll continue to read these as they come out.
August 17, 2025
First book I’ve read in a long time that made me want to keep picking up my book!!!
January 16, 2025
This was my first introduction to Michael Bennett’s series, and I was drawn to the opportunity to explore a story deeply rooted in Māori culture, set during the sacred Matariki celebrations. The premise was compelling: Hana Westerman’s tranquil life is shattered when her ex-husband is shot, pulling her into an investigation involving organised crime, old undercover cases, and themes of loyalty and justice.
While the cultural insights and family dynamics added depth, the execution didn’t quite meet my expectations. The plot felt somewhat predictable, and some subplot threads, while promising, weren’t fully explored. I found myself wishing for greater complexity and cohesion to match the richness of the cultural and thematic backdrop.
That said, I believe fans of the series will enjoy reconnecting with Hana and her world, and this book offers an interesting glimpse into Māori traditions. For those seeking a culturally rich mystery, it’s worth considering, even if it didn’t fully resonate with me.
I’d love to hear how others found this instalment or how it compares to earlier books in the series!
Carved in Blood is set to be released on 15 July 2025.
Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for providing an uncorrected proof of Carved in Blood in exchange for my honest review.
#CarvedInBlood #MichaelBennett #NetGalley #ARCReview #MāoriCulture
While the cultural insights and family dynamics added depth, the execution didn’t quite meet my expectations. The plot felt somewhat predictable, and some subplot threads, while promising, weren’t fully explored. I found myself wishing for greater complexity and cohesion to match the richness of the cultural and thematic backdrop.
That said, I believe fans of the series will enjoy reconnecting with Hana and her world, and this book offers an interesting glimpse into Māori traditions. For those seeking a culturally rich mystery, it’s worth considering, even if it didn’t fully resonate with me.
I’d love to hear how others found this instalment or how it compares to earlier books in the series!
Carved in Blood is set to be released on 15 July 2025.
Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for providing an uncorrected proof of Carved in Blood in exchange for my honest review.
#CarvedInBlood #MichaelBennett #NetGalley #ARCReview #MāoriCulture
January 19, 2025
My appreciation for this series is unparalleled as it deepens my knowledge of Māori culture and sheds light on the systemic challenges Māori folks continue to face. This novel also explores immigrant communities in New Zealand, providing insight into the immigrant experience, especially in situations where interpretation is needed for crucial communication.
This is the 3rd novel in the Hana Westerman Thriller universe and I enjoyed returning back to the group of characters that I have grown so attached to. I definitely recommend reading the first 2 books in the series first to gain context of the characters and the state of their relationships since it has been a labor of love to get to this stage.
The engagement of Addison and PLUS 1 and all the events that follow are a whirlwind of a journey in finding out who was the assailant and how justice will be served. With multiple POVs, it occasionally felt as if a lot was happening, but I appreciated the context it provided since it offered a unique and engaging reading experience. This book felt like a bridge to the next in the series, however, I appreciated the setup and am excited for the upcoming installments.
Thank you NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for providing me with an ARC of this ebook!
This is the 3rd novel in the Hana Westerman Thriller universe and I enjoyed returning back to the group of characters that I have grown so attached to. I definitely recommend reading the first 2 books in the series first to gain context of the characters and the state of their relationships since it has been a labor of love to get to this stage.
The engagement of Addison and PLUS 1 and all the events that follow are a whirlwind of a journey in finding out who was the assailant and how justice will be served. With multiple POVs, it occasionally felt as if a lot was happening, but I appreciated the context it provided since it offered a unique and engaging reading experience. This book felt like a bridge to the next in the series, however, I appreciated the setup and am excited for the upcoming installments.
Thank you NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for providing me with an ARC of this ebook!
June 22, 2025
4.5 for this one. So good to see Hana back, and the increasingly mature Addison, dealing with threats to those near and dear. I disagree with a few of the reviews that dislike the writing style and the inclusion of Maori words and meaning. I'm Australian, not Kiwi, but 8 trips to NZ has deepened my understanding of the culture, as well as having a Maori brother-in-law. The attitudes to young Maoris, especially young men, in articulated well (similar to Australian attitudes) and using Addison's music to argue for change is a great idea. Big thumbs down to Goodreads who give away one of the major occurrences in the book on their summary page. I've complained, hopefully it will be altered. Very disappointing Goodreads!!
July 6, 2025
I think the fact that I found out after reading this book that is the third in the series may have affected my enjoyment of this book and for this I apologise to the author. I felt as I was reading that something was missing and I think more back story on Hana Westerman and the other characters would definitely have helped me connect more to the story.
The plot felt quite flat, it seemed to drag aimlessly and lacked tension or surprise. and the lengthy chapters made this harder for me to read, at times I just wanted to put it down and pick it up again at shorter intervals. I just found it hard to stay engaged throughout and my mind began to wander.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book, all opinions expressed are my own.
The plot felt quite flat, it seemed to drag aimlessly and lacked tension or surprise. and the lengthy chapters made this harder for me to read, at times I just wanted to put it down and pick it up again at shorter intervals. I just found it hard to stay engaged throughout and my mind began to wander.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book, all opinions expressed are my own.
August 16, 2025
Love how poetic it reads, and the poetic references are carried through. Love the Māori aspect. Enjoyed this more than the last two, maybe because I feel comfortable / solid in this authors storytelling now. Would rec all 3 as an easy read!
Can’t think of a flaw rn but it didn’t have the wow 5* factor , definitely an awesome read
Can’t think of a flaw rn but it didn’t have the wow 5* factor , definitely an awesome read
September 16, 2025
Fans of this series will need to take a deep breath with this third in a stellar series. Continuing with his layered CHs, especially Hana and her daughter, Addison, excellent police procedural details and stunning New Zealand settings and integration of Māori mythology and language, this novel in Bennett’s Hana Westerman series does not disappoint and will have more resonance for those who read the first two. I highly recommend that you begin with Better the Blood (2023) for CH continuity—see my review. The major crime this book revolves around is a shooting of a police officer, Hana’s family, and her ongoing threats from the ruthless criminal overlord, Erwin Rendell. Highlighted is her relationship with her community and her daughter, Addison, and her daughter’s roommate, PLUS 1, her father, her ex-husband, Jaye and his step-daughters and second wife, and her PI co-worker, Sebastian, and her protégé, Stan. Bennett’s knowledge of the Māori culture and history, and the political and societal issues extant in New Zealand continue to add depth as historical context also peppers the investigation. I really appreciated the author’s inclusion of footnotes to explain Māori language definitions. The Story Line is absorbing with excellent place and cultural details, good dialogue, and a mounting anticipation as fear and dread occurs very early in the book and continues to build to the final pages. Mostly told in a 3rd POV, there is another voice told in the 1st POV of the sociopath killer. There is a satisfactory conclusion but a lot of unfinished business making me want the fourth in the series soon. Thematic materials encompass family, friendship, accepting the unknowns of love, mental health, addiction, and dementia. Hana makes a few major decisions by the end of this novel. Bennett bravely tears apart the Westerman clan in this novel while also braiding some sorrow with the sweet. Tone builds in this installment as the terrain and locations influence both Setting and growing dread and despair. The use of a huge storm, circuitous roadways, the ocean, Mako Sharks, the constellations, and Māori tattoos are prominent and well-placed symbols. RED FLAGS: Violence; Addiction; Vulgar language. Readers who liked Weiden’s Winter Counts, or the authors Attica Locke, C.A. Cosby, or Jane Harper may want to check out Bennett.
June 19, 2025
Perfect read for the days leading up to Matariki.
July 7, 2025
We already know the characters so it was easy to pick up the latest Hana Westerman thriller and dive straight back into the highs, lows, twists and turns of the whanau life. Once again the voice of the culprit (unnamed for much of the book) was strong as were the others we were more familiar with. I got bowled by the .... Wait - What just happened?!!! moment, which means that this story had me fully engaged with the lives and happenings. I can't wait to read what happens next.
October 12, 2025
This is how you write genre fiction! With every new book in the series, I care more about the characters. So glad they’re finding an audience and can’t wait for the next one.
May 29, 2025
When Hana Westerman's ex husband Jaye is shot in a hold up, the suspicion immediately falls upon Toa Davis, a young Māori man known to run drugs for a local crime syndicate. Drafted back into the force to find the assailant after several months away, Hana becomes convinced that there's more to the crime than initially meets the eye.
Carved in Blood is the third Hana Westerman book and Bennett is becoming more and more polished with each addition to the series. She is a significantly more mature character from book one, and the book moves at real pace, keeping the reader guessing at each turn. The usual supporting cast of Hana and Jaye's daughter Addison, her partner (now fiance) PLUS 1, Hana's Dad Eru and Jaye's wife Marissa play key roles in the narrative, but don't get in the way of the surging plot.
If not for a couple of annoying plot holes, this would be a 5 star read.
Carved in Blood is the third Hana Westerman book and Bennett is becoming more and more polished with each addition to the series. She is a significantly more mature character from book one, and the book moves at real pace, keeping the reader guessing at each turn. The usual supporting cast of Hana and Jaye's daughter Addison, her partner (now fiance) PLUS 1, Hana's Dad Eru and Jaye's wife Marissa play key roles in the narrative, but don't get in the way of the surging plot.
If not for a couple of annoying plot holes, this would be a 5 star read.
May 24, 2025
I rarely write an actual review but my god this bloody book left me speechless and with my jaw open in the end. I’ve loved the series and this was another brilliant addition. This book stressed me out, made me gasp, scream and cry. Absolutely loved it.
July 12, 2025
Carved in Blood is the third in Michael Bennett’s New Zealand crime fiction series centred around Māori detective Hana Westerman. Hana quit the police after events in the first book Better the Blood but she is involved in an investigation in her home community in the follow up Return to Blood. Hanna is brought back into the police in Carved in Blood to help them investigate a shooting that is too close to home.
The opening chapter of Carved in Blood is a bit of a statement of intent from Bennet. The opening takes readers to a local community celebration. The community is marking the achievements of their young adults, who Hana has taught how to drive. Bennet is clear to show the benefits to the next generation of being able to find work outside of their community. At the same time, Hana’s daughter announces that she is going to become engaged to her partner and sets a propitious time for the engagement party. But this introduction also serves to remind readers of the dangers that lurk in the community, already hinted at in the previous book, in the form of Erwin Rendall, a local drug runner who is luring young locals in particular into crime.
Hana’s life is thrown into disarray when Hana’s ex-husband Jaye is shot in an apparent liquor store robbery. Hana demands to be brought in to the in investigation which starts to focus on a young Māori man, Toa Davis, who was running drugs for a local Chinese organised crime outfit. Although, very soon, it feels to Hana like not everything is adding up. Readers will already be clued into this as Bennett adds in some point of view chapters that chart the development of a very disturbed and disturbing individual with the implication that they will be somehow involved.
Hana is once again an interesting, complex, highly competent investigator. And she is ably supported by a range of well drawn side characters all working through issues of their own. This includes her new flame Sebastian, daughter Addison and Hana’s former partner Stan who is trying to come back from a serious injury and get back into active duty. The only really cliched characters aspect is the point of view villain chapters which have been done before by plenty of other authors and always sound the same. This book would probably have been stronger without them.
Carved in Blood is another great multilayered procedural from Bennett. While this investigation has a very personal angle it also challenges Hana in the way in which the main suspect is considered and treated. And, following from the first chapter, like the previous books in this series, is heavily informed by Māori culture, history and community dynamics. This aspect not only makes the story much deeper but sets this series apart from more straight forward procedurals. By the end of this book Hana is back in the police force so it is likely we will be seeing more of her (and her extended family and friends) and this can only be a good thing for the crime fiction scene.
The opening chapter of Carved in Blood is a bit of a statement of intent from Bennet. The opening takes readers to a local community celebration. The community is marking the achievements of their young adults, who Hana has taught how to drive. Bennet is clear to show the benefits to the next generation of being able to find work outside of their community. At the same time, Hana’s daughter announces that she is going to become engaged to her partner and sets a propitious time for the engagement party. But this introduction also serves to remind readers of the dangers that lurk in the community, already hinted at in the previous book, in the form of Erwin Rendall, a local drug runner who is luring young locals in particular into crime.
Hana’s life is thrown into disarray when Hana’s ex-husband Jaye is shot in an apparent liquor store robbery. Hana demands to be brought in to the in investigation which starts to focus on a young Māori man, Toa Davis, who was running drugs for a local Chinese organised crime outfit. Although, very soon, it feels to Hana like not everything is adding up. Readers will already be clued into this as Bennett adds in some point of view chapters that chart the development of a very disturbed and disturbing individual with the implication that they will be somehow involved.
Hana is once again an interesting, complex, highly competent investigator. And she is ably supported by a range of well drawn side characters all working through issues of their own. This includes her new flame Sebastian, daughter Addison and Hana’s former partner Stan who is trying to come back from a serious injury and get back into active duty. The only really cliched characters aspect is the point of view villain chapters which have been done before by plenty of other authors and always sound the same. This book would probably have been stronger without them.
Carved in Blood is another great multilayered procedural from Bennett. While this investigation has a very personal angle it also challenges Hana in the way in which the main suspect is considered and treated. And, following from the first chapter, like the previous books in this series, is heavily informed by Māori culture, history and community dynamics. This aspect not only makes the story much deeper but sets this series apart from more straight forward procedurals. By the end of this book Hana is back in the police force so it is likely we will be seeing more of her (and her extended family and friends) and this can only be a good thing for the crime fiction scene.
July 1, 2025
Thanks to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for this eARC.
Detective Hana Westerman returns in Carved in Blood, still scarred from the fallout of Better the Blood, and this time, the stakes are even higher—and far more personal. Carved in Blood doesn’t just deliver a chilling serial killer plot; it layers that dread across a land where colonial history bleeds through every crime scene.
Michael Bennett, filmmaker turned novelist, fuses procedural tension with a searing sociopolitical undertow. What emerges is a thriller that is both propulsive and introspective, grounded in Māori identity and the lingering shadows of injustice.
Westerman is thrust into an investigation involving a series of ritualistic murders, each staged with unsettling precision. The victims share little at first glance, but the pattern etched—literally—into their bodies hints at a message someone is desperate to send. As the case deepens, so does Hana’s confrontation with her own whakapapa, the ancestral thread tying past atrocities to present violence.
The pacing is razor-sharp, but Bennett isn’t afraid to slow down where it matters. He uses the pauses—grief-stricken interrogations, moments with Hana’s daughter, tense cultural reckonings—as narrative drumbeats. This isn’t a story that races to resolution. It remembers its way there.
Where Carved in Blood truly excels is in embedding its thriller mechanics in a larger commentary on systemic trauma. Hana is not a detective in a vacuum; she is Māori, a mother, and a reluctant bridge between institutions and indigenous truth-telling. Her inner conflict—between procedural logic and ancestral wisdom—is as gripping as the hunt for the killer.
Bennett’s prose walks the line between lean and lyrical. He integrates Te Reo Māori fluidly and unapologetically, allowing language to become setting and theme. It doesn’t just enrich the world—it demands we step into it on its own terms.
The titular carvings aren’t just physical—they’re psychological. The killer’s motives are inseparable from New Zealand’s fractured history, and Bennett doesn’t flinch from exploring state violence, intergenerational trauma, and the cost of silence. But he never allows Hana—or the reader—to reduce these themes to academic metaphors. They are lived and bloody.
And yet, there’s hope. Not the saccharine kind, but the kind that grows from reckoning. Hana Westerman is not just solving a case—she’s standing in the center of a wound and refusing to look away.
Carved in Blood is a thriller in form but a reckoning in spirit. Tense, layered, and deeply rooted in cultural identity, placing Hana Westerman among the most compelling detectives in contemporary fiction—not because she’s fearless, but because she’s deeply, powerfully human.
Detective Hana Westerman returns in Carved in Blood, still scarred from the fallout of Better the Blood, and this time, the stakes are even higher—and far more personal. Carved in Blood doesn’t just deliver a chilling serial killer plot; it layers that dread across a land where colonial history bleeds through every crime scene.
Michael Bennett, filmmaker turned novelist, fuses procedural tension with a searing sociopolitical undertow. What emerges is a thriller that is both propulsive and introspective, grounded in Māori identity and the lingering shadows of injustice.
Westerman is thrust into an investigation involving a series of ritualistic murders, each staged with unsettling precision. The victims share little at first glance, but the pattern etched—literally—into their bodies hints at a message someone is desperate to send. As the case deepens, so does Hana’s confrontation with her own whakapapa, the ancestral thread tying past atrocities to present violence.
The pacing is razor-sharp, but Bennett isn’t afraid to slow down where it matters. He uses the pauses—grief-stricken interrogations, moments with Hana’s daughter, tense cultural reckonings—as narrative drumbeats. This isn’t a story that races to resolution. It remembers its way there.
Where Carved in Blood truly excels is in embedding its thriller mechanics in a larger commentary on systemic trauma. Hana is not a detective in a vacuum; she is Māori, a mother, and a reluctant bridge between institutions and indigenous truth-telling. Her inner conflict—between procedural logic and ancestral wisdom—is as gripping as the hunt for the killer.
Bennett’s prose walks the line between lean and lyrical. He integrates Te Reo Māori fluidly and unapologetically, allowing language to become setting and theme. It doesn’t just enrich the world—it demands we step into it on its own terms.
The titular carvings aren’t just physical—they’re psychological. The killer’s motives are inseparable from New Zealand’s fractured history, and Bennett doesn’t flinch from exploring state violence, intergenerational trauma, and the cost of silence. But he never allows Hana—or the reader—to reduce these themes to academic metaphors. They are lived and bloody.
And yet, there’s hope. Not the saccharine kind, but the kind that grows from reckoning. Hana Westerman is not just solving a case—she’s standing in the center of a wound and refusing to look away.
Carved in Blood is a thriller in form but a reckoning in spirit. Tense, layered, and deeply rooted in cultural identity, placing Hana Westerman among the most compelling detectives in contemporary fiction—not because she’s fearless, but because she’s deeply, powerfully human.
May 25, 2025
Carved in Blood is the third book in the Hana Westerman series and is just as good as its predecessors. After Hana's daughter Addison announces her engagement to PLUS 1, Jaye (Addison's dad and Hana's ex) goes to his local bottle store to buy some celebratory champagne. While he is deciding which brand to purchase, the shop is held up, and Jaye is shot and seriously injured. Hana has to find out who shot Jaye and temporarily rejoins the police to help in the investigation. Once again, the plot showcases some of the darker sides of New Zealand life, including the impact of Asian organised crime. It's got plenty of twists and turns and some fast-paced and tension filled scenes. But these are well balanced with quieter, slower scenes centred on Hana's personal life, particularly her relationships with Jaye, with her father, and with her former work partner. I appreciated seeing multiple facets of Hana, not just as a police officer but as a daughter, a mother, a friend, and a lover. Other aspects of Bennett's excellent storytelling that stood out were the use of Hana's encounter with a mako shark and some chilling sections from the perspective of a clearly psychopathic individual as a form of foreshadowing and a way of increasing tension. The writing is cinematic, reflecting Bennett's background in the film industry, and it shows through strongly in the action scenes and in the scenic descriptions. The setting and the action played vividly in my mind as I read, a private movie screening if you will. Indigenous Māori culture continues to feature prominently. This story is set around the time of Matariki, the beginning of the new year in thr Māori lunar calendar, Bennett incorporates te reo (translations helpfully provided in this edition for readers outside Aotearoa) and this edition features illustrations reminiscent of Māori whakairo and Ta Moko (carving and tattoos) on the cover, at the start of each chapter and to separate sections. I also appreciated the way the novel showcases the issue of racial profiling and other ways Māori are disadvantaged and discriminated against by the police, justice system, and society more generally. This book could be read as a standalone, but readers would miss out on some background knowledge and plot and character development from the previous two books. While this book doesn't end on a cliff hangar, there are a few loose ends and plenty of scope for a a continuation of the series, possibly even a sequel. I'm glad not to be farewelling Hana just yet and look forward, albeit with some trepidation, to what Bennett has in store for her, her family and colleagues, in future books.
Read
July 28, 2025There are two reasons to read a Michael Bennett book. One is the fact he is so good at creating engrossing police procedurals. The second is the fact we get a deep dive into Maori culture, which is most fascinating unto itself. We learn a lot about the ways of this way and culture, along with words and other aspects about their way of life.
But with regard to the main story for CARVED IN BLOOD, the book opens with Deputy Inspector Jaye Hamilton stopping at a liquor store in Auckland. His daughter Addison has just gotten engaged, so he thinks it appropriate to go in there and get a bottle of champagne to toast this big event in everyone’s life. But things go sideways when a man has entered the store wearing a balaclava and also wielding a gun. It appears he has come to rob the store. He bashes the clerk’s head against the counter several times, as Jaye happens to come to the front of the store. The man shoots Jaye leaving him for dead, stealing the cash and departing the premises. The man takes the getaway car and leaves, police finding the car. The police conclude that the shooter was Tao Davis, a young Maori who also has a pregnant wife at home.
Jaye clings to life in the hospital, but it is definitely touch and go the entire time. This brings Hana Westerman, who happened to be Jaye’s ex-wife into the investigation. She was a former Maori officer. Incidentally this is book three of the Hana Westerman series, each one better than the previous one. Hana looks into the life and world of Tao, and starts to wonder if there was more to the shooting than people realize. Hana works with other officers Elisa Williams and Stan Riordan, to find the truth.
It is not long before we discover the fate of Tao, which sends the investigation in another direction along with answers to the fateful night at the liquor store, and why it happened. Michael Bennett’s combination of the crime story and the unique ways of the Maori never let the reader take the story for granted, providing a brilliant background for Hana and company to get to the root of the matter, and bring justice to Jaye. CARVED IN BLOOD is a true page turner as only Bennett can write them.
But with regard to the main story for CARVED IN BLOOD, the book opens with Deputy Inspector Jaye Hamilton stopping at a liquor store in Auckland. His daughter Addison has just gotten engaged, so he thinks it appropriate to go in there and get a bottle of champagne to toast this big event in everyone’s life. But things go sideways when a man has entered the store wearing a balaclava and also wielding a gun. It appears he has come to rob the store. He bashes the clerk’s head against the counter several times, as Jaye happens to come to the front of the store. The man shoots Jaye leaving him for dead, stealing the cash and departing the premises. The man takes the getaway car and leaves, police finding the car. The police conclude that the shooter was Tao Davis, a young Maori who also has a pregnant wife at home.
Jaye clings to life in the hospital, but it is definitely touch and go the entire time. This brings Hana Westerman, who happened to be Jaye’s ex-wife into the investigation. She was a former Maori officer. Incidentally this is book three of the Hana Westerman series, each one better than the previous one. Hana looks into the life and world of Tao, and starts to wonder if there was more to the shooting than people realize. Hana works with other officers Elisa Williams and Stan Riordan, to find the truth.
It is not long before we discover the fate of Tao, which sends the investigation in another direction along with answers to the fateful night at the liquor store, and why it happened. Michael Bennett’s combination of the crime story and the unique ways of the Maori never let the reader take the story for granted, providing a brilliant background for Hana and company to get to the root of the matter, and bring justice to Jaye. CARVED IN BLOOD is a true page turner as only Bennett can write them.
February 7, 2025
(2.5 stars)
Carved in Blood is the second book I have read by Michael Bennett. Initially I was drawn in by the Māori culture threaded through the books, with lots of in-language words that are explained in the text: Pāua are large, edible sea snails, known elsewhere as abalone. They're a protected species... The best divers call pāua 'black gold'". This time I found the writing clunky rather than atmospheric: "Everyone knows what a visit to the Desert Road means. The Desert Road is an area in the central plateau of the North Island that's as bleak and barren as the name suggests."
This book definitely requires you to have read the preceding book(s) in the Hana Westerman series to understand the relationships and why the shooting of Jaye matters. There are plenty of (also clunky) references back to events that happened in these books: "He was badly injured in the course of her final investigation, losing his lower leg when a boobytrapped vehicle exploded." I think as a result it felt less about solving a crime and more 'days of our lives' with Hana's relationships at the forefront.
While the book does try to address systemic racism against New Zealand's Māori, it's all done by telling rather than showing: "She knows fifty-three per cent of the prison population is Māori. Māori are only seventeen per cent of the New Zealand population." Probably the best bit of descriptive writing in the book was about tā moko, traditional Māori tattooing that tells the story of someone's identity, lineage and connection to culture: "The lines carved into his skin, his whakapapa, the connections between him and the generations of ancestors whose blood had been handed down and now runs in his veins." If Bennett had taken the time to integrate these elements into the narrative more seamlessly, this would be a better book.
With thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for sending me a copy to read.
Carved in Blood is the second book I have read by Michael Bennett. Initially I was drawn in by the Māori culture threaded through the books, with lots of in-language words that are explained in the text: Pāua are large, edible sea snails, known elsewhere as abalone. They're a protected species... The best divers call pāua 'black gold'". This time I found the writing clunky rather than atmospheric: "Everyone knows what a visit to the Desert Road means. The Desert Road is an area in the central plateau of the North Island that's as bleak and barren as the name suggests."
This book definitely requires you to have read the preceding book(s) in the Hana Westerman series to understand the relationships and why the shooting of Jaye matters. There are plenty of (also clunky) references back to events that happened in these books: "He was badly injured in the course of her final investigation, losing his lower leg when a boobytrapped vehicle exploded." I think as a result it felt less about solving a crime and more 'days of our lives' with Hana's relationships at the forefront.
While the book does try to address systemic racism against New Zealand's Māori, it's all done by telling rather than showing: "She knows fifty-three per cent of the prison population is Māori. Māori are only seventeen per cent of the New Zealand population." Probably the best bit of descriptive writing in the book was about tā moko, traditional Māori tattooing that tells the story of someone's identity, lineage and connection to culture: "The lines carved into his skin, his whakapapa, the connections between him and the generations of ancestors whose blood had been handed down and now runs in his veins." If Bennett had taken the time to integrate these elements into the narrative more seamlessly, this would be a better book.
With thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for sending me a copy to read.
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