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She was supposed to die... and came back to life.
A guilt runs in her veins that she cannot escape.

Ever since her husband’s death, Dr. Emma Anders has been apathetic, her will to live drained. But when she is brutally attacked in a deserted car park, an old instinct kicks in, Emma fights her attacker and survives.

Who would want her dead? Detectives Marcus Winter and Elisabeth Wolf uncover a chilling pattern: the assailant is linked to a string of unsolved murders targeting women from Germany’s old noble families. The only item missing from each victim? Their signet ring.

Emma realises she isn’t just another target—she’s the one they’ve been hunting all along. To stop the killings, she must return to the family she left behind and uncover the truth they’ve kept hidden for decades. But every step draws her closer to the man watching from the shadows—a silent, dangerous assassin who knows exactly what happened the night her husband drowned.

The truth lies in her blood.

A haunted heroine, a bloody family secret, and an assassin with a weakness. An absolute must-read for fans of Freida McFadden and Nicola Sanders!

332 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 21, 2026

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M.B. Perrey

4 books2 followers

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5 stars
11 (55%)
4 stars
5 (25%)
3 stars
2 (10%)
2 stars
1 (5%)
1 star
1 (5%)
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
Profile Image for Brenda.
5,309 reviews3,052 followers
July 5, 2026
Judge, Dr Emma Anders, was leaving work late, as was usual, when she was violently attacked in the carpark beside her car. Years of training, although not used in awhile, kicked in, and she fought her attacker with all she had. When she became aware of her surroundings once again, there were police and ambulance people everywhere. Emma was alive; the police were suspicious of her, especially Detective Elisabeth Wolf (Lissie) - but Emma needed to know why she was attacked.

Emma had lost her husband a year ago and blamed herself for his death. Her views of the world and her life, until the moment of the attack, were apathetic. But now she had a purpose. It seemed, to her mind, that this was connected to her family, a noble line of Germans, and when it was uncovered that four other women had died, brutally, their connection was the signet rings that her family members wore. Emma was determined to find out more and with Detective Marcus Winter the only one who believed her theories, they formed an unlikely alliance. But would they find the answers they needed before someone else lost their life?

Guilty by Blood is the 1st in The Law & Blood series by M.B. Perrey and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Fast paced, with plenty of twists, the characters are well written, including Aleksander. Emma is a strong, tenacious young woman who searched for the answers, always with a "no matter what" attitude. I'm keen to read the second in the series Sentenced by Blood, then #3, Avenged by Blood. Highly recommended.

With thanks to the author for my digital ARC to read and review.
Profile Image for Kerri.
92 reviews
April 26, 2026
This book hooks you from the very start! Judge Emma is attacked in an underground car park after work. She fights desperately for her life.

As the story unfolds, you catch glimpses of Emma’s privileged background. Her aunt is also attacked and the race is on to uncover the killer’s identity.

I couldn’t put this book down. It gripped me from the beginning and was expertly written. Each chapter revealed something new, keeping me hooked.

I won’t spoil the plot but if you love thrillers and detective stories this is definitely a must-read.

When I got 75% of the way through, it started to drag as nothing else was happening and the plot just dragged on….. then it all becomes clear…. And then that end…..

utter brilliance!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
514 reviews7 followers
June 4, 2026
A great start and ending, but a drop off in the middle.
This book has a shocking beginning where a woman is attacked but manages to overcome and hospitalised her attacker. Emma Anders had previously survived a car crash in which her husband was killed. She had never really recovered emotionally from the crash, but the attack gives her another focus and she is determine to find out who is behind the attack. Through two police detectives she learns there has been a string of unsolved murders of womeen who are,like Emma,descendants of an aristocratic German family.
I was gripped from the beginning, but for me, it lagged in the middle, and then build to a startling conclusion. The writing is good and the characters compelling. It is clear from the description of the book that it is the first one of a series. I might well try the next one.
Readers should realise the the story happens in Germany, where the judicial system may be different to that of their own country.
1,913 reviews19 followers
May 23, 2026
The action starts from the very first. Emma is left wondering “Who are these people? And what do they want? What do they have to do with me?” Actually it’s the same questions the police should be interested in but not all are on the same page.

The mystery deepens as other events are connected. Emma struggles with her recent history and its apparent connection to current events.

This is a mystery which will leave you wondering what is coming next.
Profile Image for Phthon.
2,441 reviews9 followers
June 15, 2026
This is a fantastic book. I love that, as the reader, I was kept in the dark almost as much as Emma was. There is a bunch of intrigue and old hatred that is at the bottom of this story. There is also hope. The hope that is brought on by future generations doing the right thing and moving away from corruption. That said, there are some who wallow in old injustice, chewing over old hurt like stale vomit. I loved reading this book. It was engrossing and quite thrilling!
Profile Image for Kandy.
1,466 reviews14 followers
May 29, 2026
Oh wow! This book is so good. The action and mystery of what is going on engrossed me from the very beginning and kept me enthralled through to the last page. Can't wait to see what happens next.
3 reviews1 follower
June 4, 2026
I truly enjoyed this book! The mystery was gripping and the characters well developed. The plot was very original. I definitely will read the next book in the series!!
38 reviews
June 29, 2026
Silly plot

Initially I thought this may have been O.K. but it gradually became more implausible and the characters morphed into comedic figures.
Profile Image for Texas.
1,834 reviews38 followers
June 25, 2026
GUILTY BY BLOOD - An interesting and quickly read book with good story lines and a variety of characters. I like the relationship Emma has with two of the male characters as well as her character. Source: Vinci Book. 4*
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews