This was one of the better detective mysteries I have read.

Hanna Westerman, the detective MC, made a decision early in her career that has come back to haunt her.

Many thanks to Net Galley and RB Media for an audio copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a quick and interesting listen. It was so good that at times I felt so angry and sad with and for the characters. I think it is definitely worth a one-time read. The setting and the characters clenched it for me. Thanks for letting me review.

Better the Blood addresses ancestral vengeance set against the backdrop of the Maori people of New Zealand.

One of the highlights of the book was its empathetic portrayal of the perpetrator. The author humanized the character, which allowed readers to understand the motivations behind the character's actions without necessarily condoning them. This approach added a depth and complexity to the overall narrative.

However, there was one aspect of the book that didn't resonate with me as much. There were a lot of complex relationship at play within the plot, but it felt like they weren't explored fully. Specifically, the relationship between Jay and his current wife, there was a lot to unpack - especially at the end, and it felt under-developed. It felt the same with Addison and her friend. For me, either reducing the complexity or delving deeper into these relationships would have enhanced the overall read.

Both narrators, Miriama McDowell and Richard Te Are were fantastic and I would love to listen to more of their work.

The book weaved together language, tradition, and history in a truly beautiful way and created a really immersive experience that gave me newfound knowledge, and was an overall great read.

I would like to thank NetGalley, RB Media, and Michael Bennett for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed reading about Maori and New Zealand, it's a topic I find interesting, but don't see very often in fiction. I thought the plot was interesting and it really drew me in, and made me want to keep reading to find out what was going to happen. I liked the main characters and would be interested to read more from her POV. The book is really short and quick to read and I think a lot of people will enjoy the story.

I did have one small annoyance with the audiobook that when they were using Maori words and terminology in the book it was highlighted and there was a description of what it meant. In the audiobook I didn't get that and so you miss out on some of the information that is relevant to the story.

The storyline, the characters, the setting, THE CULTURE, and the narration… every bit was perfection! I loved it so much I had to get the audiobook for myself to keep!

This book was soooo good and also sad and anger-producing. I really love reading books about other cultures and races and I love it even more when that happens in my favorite genre books. The plight and struggle of the Ma¯ori really came alive in this book. And I am grateful I got to learn more about them. I am now going to add Michael Bennett's books to my TBR!


#BettertheBlood
#NetGalley

I was given a NetGalley widget for this one a year ago and I just got around to reading it and dangit it was so good. I am so thankful for the opportunity to have consumed this wildly relevant fictional tale, which felt not at all fictional, more like historical fiction, due to the times. The cover initially was what drew me in, but I'm so thankful to have stuck with it because the outcome was magical. I always love listening to audiobooks and when they sweep me off my feet, I'm just utterly captivated!

As a character exploration I found the writing to be well developed and interesting. But as a mystery the pacing felt too slow getting started. By the 50 or 60% mark the pacing felts more appropriate for the story. I loved the voice that this is told in and the representation of indigineity. The subject matter was very well handled- the reader (and detective characters) understand the murderer's motivations in a way that requires social examination and an acknowledgment of history as well as present implications of colonization.

a great thriller that definitely kept me on the edge of my seat! i never knew where the story was going to go and enjoyed getting lost in the plot as well as the fascinating character developments. i was very impressed by the character of the killer in particular - rather than painting a very black and white picture of him as an evil monster, he is given a truly moving backstory, prompting the reader to understand and sympathise with the person who has caused so much pain.
i also loved learning more about the māori people of new zealand and the struggle they have not only faced centuries ago, but continue to face today. i particularly enjoyed listening to the audio version and being able to hear the māori language being spoken too!

.Missed the download window, I thought it was the 19th instead of the 18th; my apologies. Will attempt to find a copy out in the wilds and do a proper review.

This was a enthralling listen and definitely met the driveway test (where you sit in the driveway to keep listening)! There's a lot to unpack in this thriller, from colonialism and indigenous rights to how the person we are at 40 is shaped by the person we are at 20. I highly recommend this and can't wait for more from Michael Bennett!

Tying New Zealand’s dark colonial past to the social injustices of the present, this race to stop a serial killer becomes about much more than keeping the streets of Auckland safe. As someone unfamiliar with New Zealand and Māori history, I found this exploration both heartfelt and captivating. The characters are well realized and are great examples of people who have experienced significant challenges that have changed them without breaking them. Though the mystery of the serial killer remains at the center of the story, it is not the true heart of it and it gets a little lost at times in the other things going on. This is definitely still a mystery/thriller story, but there’s a lot more to it than readers of this genre might expect.

Detective Senior Sergeant Hana Westerman is one of the best in Auckland’s police force. When she gets a mysterious email leading her to a dead body hanging in a long abandoned building, Hana already knows she’s in for an unusual case. But as the body count begins to rise, Hana finds herself in a race to stop a serial killer with only an old Daguerreotype image from the colonization of New Zealand as a clue. Solving the case will mean digging into Auckland’s, and her own, dark past and make Hana examine her Māori identity closer than she has in a long time.

This book goes above and beyond the typical mystery/thriller story and provides a wonderful examination of some of the social issues and inequalities that continue to exist as remnants of colonization. Being both Māori and part of the Auckland police force, Hana Westerman finds herself between worlds and her own struggles with her identity and choices adds a lot of complexity to this story. The other characters are equally interesting and contribute to this examination both in their actions and interactions with each other. The author himself is Māori, but he also manages to make the lessons about culture and social injustice feel authentic for the characters as well rather than something forced. As someone unfamiliar with New Zealand and its history, I found this to be a great introduction.

The characters are the true heart of this story and are really well realized. Hana is a strong and capable leader with some very real and relatable struggles. She and her ex husband have a healthy and trusting work relationship despite their separation and both are supportive of their daughter Addison despite some natural tensions. Addison herself shines as a musical activist and provides the perfect, youthful perspective to balance the world weariness of the other characters. None of the characters are overdone and it was easy to get invested in their lives as the story unfolded.

Honestly, this book would have been a 5 star read for me if it weren’t for one of the subplots introduced at the very beginning of the book. We are first introduced to Hana at a trial for a young Māori woman that had been drugged and sexually assaulted. Despite being found guilty, the person who did it is given a light sentence and sets out to try and destroy Hana’s career. This subplot is definitely there to make a point and builds to a particular moment, but it just doesn’t hit home and is ultimately unnecessary. I didn’t feel like anything meaningful was added to Hana’s character or to the story as a whole. The fact that sexual assault is involved when this is the case just makes it all the more unfortunate.

EXCERPT: A Smudge on the page of history - 5 October 1863

Below the tree, the six British soldiers face the lens in an aesthetically pleasing curving semicircle. Suspended above them, a few yards over their heads, secured to one of the lower branches of the great tree by a length of twelve strand British Army rope noosed tight around his throat, a seventh person forms the apex of this carefully considered composition.

The dead man is naked, the captive stripped and humiliated before he was executed, retribution for having evaded the pursuing troop for quite an embarrassingly long period. As well as the rope around his neck, his hands are tied in front of his torso, his feet bound at the ankle. The man is Māori, and the moko (a traditional way of Māori tattooing signifying status or social standing) tattooed on his face and body show the markings of a high-born leader. He is silver-haired, in his fifties, and the swirls and lines gouged deep into his skin tell a tale of his lineage, his status, the knowledge he carries, the whakapapa (genealogy, line of descent) passed down to him across the generations.

A rangitira, a chief of great stature.

ABOUT 'BETTER THE BLOOD': A DETECTIVE IN SEARCH OF THE TRUTH

Hana Westerman is a tenacious Ma¯ori detective juggling single motherhood and the pressures of her career in Auckland’s Central Investigation Branch. When she’s led to a crime scene by a mysterious video, she discovers a man hanging in a secret room. As Hana and her team work to track down the killer, other deaths lead her to think that they are searching for New Zealand’s first serial killer.

A KILLER IN SEARCH OF RETRIBUTION

With little to go on, Hana must use all her experience as a police officer to try and find a motive to these apparently unrelated murders. What she eventually discovers is a link to an historic crime that leads back to the brutal bloody colonisation of New Zealand.

A CLASH BETWEEN CULTURE AND DUTY

When the pursuit becomes frighteningly personal, Hana realises that her heritage and knowledge are their only keys to finding the killer.

THE PAST NEVER TRULY STAYS BURIED

But as the murders continue, it seems that the killer's agenda of revenge may include Hana – and her family . . .

WELCOME TO THE DARK SIDE OF PARADISE.

MY THOUGHTS: I really wanted to love this, being a fervent supporter of Australasian authors, but although I liked Better The Blood, I didn't love it.

I appreciated the history and the use of Te Reo (the Māori language) incorporated into the book, but I found it difficult to relate to any of the characters and it felt like the plot was secondary to the author's views on New Zealand racial issues.

Better The Blood looks at the impact of colonisation, the fallout of which still affects all New Zealanders today. I did sometimes feel that I was being lectured, something I don't appreciate in my fiction.

However, the message that violence is not the answer to our problems earned an extra half star.

I was lucky enough to receive both a digital and an audio ARC of Better the Blood and was able to switch back and forth between the two. However, I have to say that I greatly preferred the audiobook, ably narrated by Miriama McDowell and Richard Te Are.

⭐⭐⭐.5

#BettertheBlood #NetGalley

I: @groveatlantic @recordedbooks

T: @groveatlantic @recordedbooks

#contemporaryfiction #crime #detectivefiction #historicalfaction #newzealandfiction

THE AUTHOR: Michael Bennett (Ngati Pikiao, Ngati Whakaue) is an award-winning New Zealand screenwriter and author whose films have been selected for numerous festivals including Cannes, Berlin, Toronto and New York. In 2008 Michael was the inaugural recipient of the Writers Award from the New Zealand Film Commission, and in 2005 he was awarded the British Council/New Zealand Writers Foundation Award. In 2011 Michael’s feature film Matariki won Best Feature Film Screenplay at the New Zealand Screenwriting Awards, and in 2013 he was awarded Best Documentary Screenplay for his documentary on the Teina Pora case, The Confessions of Prisoner T. He went on to publish In Dark Places in 2016, which won Best Non-Fiction Book at the Ngaio Marsh Awards and Best Biography/History at the Nga Kupu Ora Awards 2017. Michael lives in Auckland, New Zealand, and is Head of Screenwriting at South Seas Film School.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Grove Atlantic for the digital ARC and RB Media for the audio ARC of Better the Blood by Michael Bennett for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

Better the Blood- Audiobook by Michael Bennett

Narrated by Miriama McDowell, Richard Te Are
Audiobook
Listening Time: 11 Hours, 15 Minutes
Publisher: RB Media, Recorded Books
Release Date: January 10, 2023

Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Police Procedural, New Zealand, Māori, Indigenous People

Hannah is Māori and a Senior Detective with the local police where she works alongside with her soon to be ex-husband. She and her young partner Stan go on a call where a dead body of a homeless man is found. After surveying the surroundings, she asks forensics to look closely for any blood. After spraying the area, a pattern of circles emerges. When a developer is found dead, the area is searched, and two circle patterns are found. It seems there is a serial killer on the loose or is Hannah grasping at possibilities.

The story has a fast pace, the characters are well developed, and it is written in the third person point of view from two perspectives. The dual narrations brought life to Hannah and the killer. It was able for me to visualize two distinct personalities. I thought Hannah was a great character. She was strong yet vulnerable where her daughter is concerned. She is proud of her Māori heritage and disappointment with herself and past actions. If you like strong women characters in murder mysteries, you will enjoy this book.

Better than Blood by Michael Bennett was a suspenseful thriller. Not only did it's too odorators one a male voice and one of female voice flip back and forth and get me into the characters, but they're inflection and way of speaking the words really added to the suspense.

The character development was incredible in this book. I felt pity for the main characters, but also felt Petty for the victims and even the killer. I found myself laughing when I'm supposed to and crying more times than not. This book had me jumping off my seat and make me question closing my eyes to sleep at night.

I feel if I say too much about the plot it will ruin the book for you. I will only say this much the interplay between the boy and his mother stays with you the whole book. Absolutely an incredible book and a must-read for your shelf.

Thanks to NetGalley and RB Media for an advanced audio book in exchange for an honest review.

4+ stars

Hana Westerman is a Māori detective, raising her daughter with her ex-husband/co-worker. Hana and her partner are tracking down a serial killer and figure out his motives and next targets. I loved learning more about Auckland, New Zealand, and the Māori people and culture. Great characters. Highly recommend Better the Blood.

Excellent narration by Miriama McDowell and Richard Te Are. I think that listening to the accents and Māori language added to the enjoyment of the book.

Looking forward to reading more from Michael Bennett.

Detective Hana Westerman is mysteriously led to a crime scene from an anonymous video emailed to her and from there the chase is on as the bodies begin to pile up. How are these deaths connected? The characters were dynamic and interesting and were a huge part of why I enjoyed this book so much. Hana was brave and smart, doing her best with her daughter and battling her past. She did this in healthy ways - running, gardening, drawing. Her relationship with her ex was respectful and they worked together to care for their daughter. This was so refreshing. The New Zealand setting and background, particularly the Maori, were a huge draw for me and this was so satisfying. I loved hearing the native language and learning about this culture from rituals to current day struggles. As a person with Hawaiian heritage, I was astounded at the similarities to the Maori and so pleased that more stories are featuring Indigenous people. The writing was lyrical despite this being a police procedural which was another unexpected pleasure. The plot was solid and intriguing—really ingenious. I really cannot say enough good things about this book! It was a fantastic experience from beginning to end. I sincerely look forward to reading more by this author. Thank you to NetGalley for this opportunity to enjoy and review this novel!

Thank you Netgalley for the advance audiobook copy of Better the Blood by Michael Bennett in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book. I have always wanted to go to New Zealand and have been watching some good murder mysteries that take place there, so this book fit right in. I know the author said the specifics were generalized, but there is some truth about what happened to the Maori and it is disheartening that these injustices are apart of everywhere. The storyline was beautiful and it was easy to sympathize with all the characters. Really well written book.

Better The Blood is a debut thriller by Michael Bennett. It explores longstanding injustices that have been faced by New Zealand’s indigenous people and creates a fictional serial killer who is out to avenge his ancestors and the wrongs that happened to them. I really enjoyed the audiobook of this story, especially since indigenous language is used in it. I was able to hear the correct pronunciation which I would have butchered on my own.

Thank you @recordedbooks and @netgalley for allowing me to listen to this audiobook ahead of publication in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This book was chock full of intriguing information about Māori history and culture which made the book amazing. I throughly enjoyed learning about the Māori as I did not know anything about these people and their culture. I loved that the book took place in New Zealand as I have not encountered many books that take place there and it is amazing to learn more about the country.