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Las Cruces: Blood Relative
In Las Cruces, New Mexico, a family of four is murdered, execution style. The crime remains unsolved until a series of copycat murders starts happening in the exact same fashion and a local celebrity mysteriously feeds the police victims' names … before they' re killed. The case is assigned to two detectives, sometimes referred to as ' the odd couple.' Det. David Lee Michaels is a veteran, once brilliant detective, now stalled by regrets. Det. Luciana Talker is a young Native American, ambitious, and driven to perfection. Michaels' increasingly reckless behavior leaves Talker alone to pursue the person who set it all in motion, confronting an evil she can' t comprehend, risking her life and her sanity in the process.
431 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 15, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 12, 2026
I loved this book! I was immediately drawn into the story. Just when I thought I had something figured out there was a twist or turn. I thought the relationship between Detective Michaels and Detective Talker was well thought out as was the plot and all the intertwining stories. I can’t wait to read the next one!
I was given an advance copy by the author. This is my own honest review.
I was given an advance copy by the author. This is my own honest review.
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July 22, 2026This book was such a ride!
I was on the edge of my seat for most of this novel, furiously flipping pages to find out what was going to happen next. From page one we are immediately immersed in the mystery. I thought the book was well paced, with short chapters that were easily digestible but nonetheless always packed a punch.
This is a multi-pov book, and we follow a number of different characters, but most of our time is spent following the two detectives, Luciana Talker and David Lee Michaels. I found both characters engaging and enjoyed getting to know them. I especially loved their rapport and relationship, and the way it evolved over the course of the novel, for better or worse. They were both well-fleshed out and unique. So were the secondary characters. I think one of the great strengths of this novel is the characters, and how specific and well-realized each one felt. Even characters we meet for only a short period of time felt real and alive.
The mystery, which is the driving force of the narrative, kept me guessing and I was engaged throughout. While the core mystery is resolved by the end, and this book could certainly be read as a standalone, I was excited to see that there is a sequel planned. I’m definitely looking forward to finding out what happens to these characters next.
I would especially recommend this book to fans of Harlan Coben and/or C.J. Tudor, and anyone that enjoys a good fast paced mystery featuring detectives with a possible slight supernatural element.
Disclaimer: I am acknowledged in this book and know the author, but this is my honest review.
I was on the edge of my seat for most of this novel, furiously flipping pages to find out what was going to happen next. From page one we are immediately immersed in the mystery. I thought the book was well paced, with short chapters that were easily digestible but nonetheless always packed a punch.
This is a multi-pov book, and we follow a number of different characters, but most of our time is spent following the two detectives, Luciana Talker and David Lee Michaels. I found both characters engaging and enjoyed getting to know them. I especially loved their rapport and relationship, and the way it evolved over the course of the novel, for better or worse. They were both well-fleshed out and unique. So were the secondary characters. I think one of the great strengths of this novel is the characters, and how specific and well-realized each one felt. Even characters we meet for only a short period of time felt real and alive.
The mystery, which is the driving force of the narrative, kept me guessing and I was engaged throughout. While the core mystery is resolved by the end, and this book could certainly be read as a standalone, I was excited to see that there is a sequel planned. I’m definitely looking forward to finding out what happens to these characters next.
I would especially recommend this book to fans of Harlan Coben and/or C.J. Tudor, and anyone that enjoys a good fast paced mystery featuring detectives with a possible slight supernatural element.
Disclaimer: I am acknowledged in this book and know the author, but this is my honest review.
Review of advance copy
Las Cruces: Blood Relative
By Herman Johansen
Publisher: Running Wild Press
Published: September 15, 2026
ASIN: B0G8T136FR
Page Count: 431
Triggers: Murder, child endangerment, graphic violence, psychological distress, blood, home invasion
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Skull Dread Rating: 💀
What Did I Just Walk Into?
Apparently, New Mexico needed more than blistering heat, rattlesnakes, and endless sand. Now it also has ritualistic slaughter, ominous predictions, psychic disturbances, and investigators carrying enough emotional baggage to require a separate evidence locker.
The opening wastes absolutely no time introducing danger. A shady nighttime meeting turns gruesome before the reader can settle in, followed by a deeply unsettling household sequence filled with unnatural pressure, sensory overload, and the growing certainty that something awful is approaching. So much for easing into the weekend.
At the center are Michaels and Talker, partners who could not be more different. He is experienced, damaged, increasingly impulsive, and apparently determined to turn self-destruction into a competitive sport. She is focused, intelligent, relentless, and burdened by the exhausting need to prove herself in every room she enters.
Here’s What Slapped:
The desert setting gives the entire novel a dry, isolated atmosphere where darkness feels enormous and help seems very far away. Ordinary noises become threatening, empty roads feel predatory, and familiar homes suddenly seem capable of breathing.
The shifting viewpoints also add momentum. Rather than remaining locked inside one investigation, the narrative moves among officers, targets, witnesses, and people who may know more than they should. That structure creates constant unease because readers occasionally glimpse trouble before the authorities understand what they are chasing.
Talker is the standout. She remains determined even when logic begins collapsing around her. Watching her balance procedure, instinct, cultural identity, and mounting terror gives the story its strongest emotional center.
The eerie elements are handled carefully enough that readers keep questioning whether the explanation is paranormal, human, or some unpleasant combination of both.
What Could’ve Been Better:
At more than four hundred pages, the middle occasionally slows beneath extra conversations and repeated investigative details. A tighter edit could have preserved the menace while removing a few scenic detours.
Michaels also tests patience whenever he chooses reckless behavior over communication, which happens often enough to qualify as a hobby.
Perfect for Readers Who Love:
Troubled investigators, desert noir, grisly puzzles, uncanny warnings, rotating perspectives, damaged partnerships, and sinister forces hiding behind ordinary faces.
Reviewed by Robin for Robin’s Review
A grisly desert mystery pairs two mismatched detectives against predicted deaths, buried trauma, and an evil that refuses explanation.
By Herman Johansen
Publisher: Running Wild Press
Published: September 15, 2026
ASIN: B0G8T136FR
Page Count: 431
Triggers: Murder, child endangerment, graphic violence, psychological distress, blood, home invasion
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Skull Dread Rating: 💀
What Did I Just Walk Into?
Apparently, New Mexico needed more than blistering heat, rattlesnakes, and endless sand. Now it also has ritualistic slaughter, ominous predictions, psychic disturbances, and investigators carrying enough emotional baggage to require a separate evidence locker.
The opening wastes absolutely no time introducing danger. A shady nighttime meeting turns gruesome before the reader can settle in, followed by a deeply unsettling household sequence filled with unnatural pressure, sensory overload, and the growing certainty that something awful is approaching. So much for easing into the weekend.
At the center are Michaels and Talker, partners who could not be more different. He is experienced, damaged, increasingly impulsive, and apparently determined to turn self-destruction into a competitive sport. She is focused, intelligent, relentless, and burdened by the exhausting need to prove herself in every room she enters.
Here’s What Slapped:
The desert setting gives the entire novel a dry, isolated atmosphere where darkness feels enormous and help seems very far away. Ordinary noises become threatening, empty roads feel predatory, and familiar homes suddenly seem capable of breathing.
The shifting viewpoints also add momentum. Rather than remaining locked inside one investigation, the narrative moves among officers, targets, witnesses, and people who may know more than they should. That structure creates constant unease because readers occasionally glimpse trouble before the authorities understand what they are chasing.
Talker is the standout. She remains determined even when logic begins collapsing around her. Watching her balance procedure, instinct, cultural identity, and mounting terror gives the story its strongest emotional center.
The eerie elements are handled carefully enough that readers keep questioning whether the explanation is paranormal, human, or some unpleasant combination of both.
What Could’ve Been Better:
At more than four hundred pages, the middle occasionally slows beneath extra conversations and repeated investigative details. A tighter edit could have preserved the menace while removing a few scenic detours.
Michaels also tests patience whenever he chooses reckless behavior over communication, which happens often enough to qualify as a hobby.
Perfect for Readers Who Love:
Troubled investigators, desert noir, grisly puzzles, uncanny warnings, rotating perspectives, damaged partnerships, and sinister forces hiding behind ordinary faces.
Reviewed by Robin for Robin’s Review
A grisly desert mystery pairs two mismatched detectives against predicted deaths, buried trauma, and an evil that refuses explanation.
Read
August 27, 2026I received an advance copy and am voluntarily submitting this review.
If you enjoy reading the genre of crime and mysteries, I think you will like this book. Although there are some parts that are clichés of those you see in televised police procedurals, there are also some twists and turns outside of the usual. The plot resides around a very specific aspect of where the novel is set, which makes it more unique and interesting. The dialogue and banter between the characters is often witty and fast moving. The characters are well developed. As the story unravels you are kept wondering and wanting to find out more. Some of the language and description of violence are heavy and this reader feels unnecessary to the story. This being the writer’s first novel, it comes off well.
If you enjoy reading the genre of crime and mysteries, I think you will like this book. Although there are some parts that are clichés of those you see in televised police procedurals, there are also some twists and turns outside of the usual. The plot resides around a very specific aspect of where the novel is set, which makes it more unique and interesting. The dialogue and banter between the characters is often witty and fast moving. The characters are well developed. As the story unravels you are kept wondering and wanting to find out more. Some of the language and description of violence are heavy and this reader feels unnecessary to the story. This being the writer’s first novel, it comes off well.
Read
September 13, 2026Las Cruces: Blood Relative has a title that immediately sparks questions. The combination of “Las Cruces” and “Blood Relative” creates an intriguing sense of place, family, and hidden tension. With its strong early rating, it looks like a promising upcoming release for readers who enjoy mystery and suspense.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an advance copy of this book from the author, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. If you enjoy a dark mystery/thriller, this is the book for you! Fast paced and entertaining. Enjoyed the plot twists and turns.
September 22, 2026
I was given this book as an advance reader copy by the author and WOW. I loved it! It's fast paced with a twist ending you'd never guess. I enjoyed the touches of magical realism. Well written and well paced, I devoured the book in just a few days. Would definitely recommend.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews