Nicely done procedural with a different sort of protagonist, I liked the atmospherics and the mystery was nicely twisty as it twined back to Nikki's family. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I'll look for more from Mistry..

I enjoyed this book and will definitely be interested in continuing with the rest of the series as it expands. I wasn't sure about Niki's character and had mixed feelings throughout the book but I had warmed to her by the end.

I enjoyed this first of a series once it got going. The start was a bit disjointed, Nikki Parekh wasn't a particularly likeable person, as most detectives in fiction aren't. I got used to here and started to like here enough to read more in the series.

This is a crime novel set in Bradford and is the first in a series featuring a detective whose troubled family is as involved with the law as much as she is. It features everything connected to inner-city living: drugs, violence, poverty, ethnic diversity and the social norms connected with these.

At first it appears that too many boxes are ticked. Single mothers, domestic violence, gay Muslims...but as the characters unfurl it becomes obvious that this is a genuine slice of Yorkshire life in an intense community. There may be a serial killer at large who has operated over several decades, and the obvious references to Peter Sutcliffe, known as the Yorkshire Ripper, are acknowledged as any reader would surely make the connection.

The central character has her own family issues that are as enthralling as the police case she is working on, fused together so that the story reads as one element. It is a non-stop, breathless journey, descriptive without being, at any time, bland. Full of notable and sympathetic characters and just as many vile ones who show their vulnerabilities in juxtaposition with their criminality.

All in all, this book is brave in its unpleasantness and shows great resolve in its warmth and sense of family and belonging. I look forward to reading the next book - after a rest. Recommended.

Loved this. A gripping, twisty story, set in the city I was born in. It’s made me nostalgic for Bradford!

A good procedural series with heart. I especially enjoyed this title and I'm very glad the author doesn't fall for the trope of having a white British, middle-aged, male detective with an alcohol problem, a dead wife whose killer is yet to be found or missing daughter who's yet to be discovered.

DS Nikita Parekh starts to investigate skeletal remains found hidden under a car park but the case is passed to the Cold Case unit. Turns out the remains are closely related to her past.. The body count rises and Nikki needs to keep ahead of the killer.
Great read and looking forward to reading more in the series.

‘Last Request’ is the latest book by Liz Mistry.

When human remains are discovered under Bradford’s derelict Odeon car park, DS Nikita Parekh and her team are immediately called to the scene. Distracted by keeping her young nephew out of trouble, Nikki is relieved when the investigation is transferred to the Cold Case Unit, and she can finally focus on her family. But after the identity of the victim is revealed, she’s soon drawn back into the case. The dead man is a direct link to her painful past. As the body count begins to rise, Nikki must do everything she can to stop the killer in their tracks before anyone else gets hurt – even if it means digging up secrets she had long kept hidden…

The latest in the DS Nikita Parekh series is a fast paced and thrilling that really keeps the reader on their toes.

When a body is recovered and turns out to be DS Nikita Parekh’s husband, she becomes the key person of interest, put off the case she’s determined to find out to what happened her husband when he disappeared 15 years ago. But then more bodies turn up, she finds herself and family becoming embroiled in something that she could never imagined happening.

This is the first book in the series that I’ve read by Liz Mistry and what I liked about is that it gave the reader enough information from the previous books to keep the reader in the loop. The characters are great in the story and there’s a wide diverse range of cultures which was also interesting giving an insights into beliefs and family traditions. Nikita is a strong female lead, who even though her heart is broken over her dead husband, she’s determined to find out what happened as well as put her family safety first.

The story is well written and a plotted crime thriller. The story is seen through multiple narratives such as the police investigating the crimes, there’s also the inclusion from the narrative of the killer which is fascinating as the reader tries to piece together the motives behind the murders.

A gripping story from the first page, ‘Last Request’ is an exciting new book from the DS Nikita Parekh series.

You can buy ‘Last Request’ from Amazon

Say hello to a brave new main character D.S.Nikki Parekh. A woman with a mission, that of protecting her family and keeping the streets of her home town safe. Neither come easy but then life is not easy for her, she’s a single parent juggling her family life and that of a police officer. When those two worlds collide she must do her best to solve not only the murders that threaten to tear her life asunder but figure out how to deal with the local Mr Big who is making his presence felt. The. author has created a greatly realistic character, one you can dislike yet root for as she makes her way through the mire of her life. I say dislike her in the way she treats those around her but that just the way she protects and loves them. It’s gritty, darkly realistic in portraying cities that have not only diverse cultures but also criminal elements. There are so many threads within the plot that all merge together in perfect harmony to create a cracker of a book. We also get to hear the voice of the murderer as they replay the murders, its a murderer that i never expected so kudos to the author for the ability to keeping us guessing. A new character that i hope we get to see more of so bring on book two

#LastRequest #NetGalley
Perfectly written thriller.
When human remains are discovered under Bradford’s derelict Odeon car park, DS Nikita Parekh and her team are immediately called to the scene.
Distracted by keeping her young nephew out of trouble, Nikki is relieved when the investigation is transferred to the Cold Case Unit, and she can finally focus on her family.
Nikki kept me hooked and forced me to read till the end.
Characters, dialogues and narration were best in this book.
Thanks to NetGalley and HQ Digital for giving me an advance copy of this awesome thriller.
A must read.

This is the first novel of Liz Mistry's featuring D.S. Nikita Parekh, and I'd be more than game to read another one. In fact, I'm game to read any gritty mystery that has a strong and complex female lead at the forefront. D.S. Nikita Parekh does not disappoint in this regard. I find it interesting that some readers/reviewers had a problem with her. In this sort of book, I'd rather have a main character that divides opinion than one everybody universally likes. The former are far more interesting.
I loved that we got to have the killer's perspective in the book, an approach that I've seen in other novels, but not always this well done.. Will be looking for more from this author. Unbelievably, this is the first one of her books I've read!
Full review at https://www.shekillslit.com/2019/12/16/last-request-by-liz-mistry/
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Last Request is the first book in a new series by Liz Mistry. Released 16th Oct 2019, it's 352 pages and available in paperback, ebook, and audio formats.

This is a gritty police procedural set in West Yorkshire, featuring an ensemble cast and a multi-thread plot which is taut and well written. The main protagonist, Nikki, is fearless, female, intelligent, and irascible after growing up as multiracial in a lower income area full of crime, factions, and gangs. She's a DS after having fought her way up through the ranks, promoted after she'd cleared a high-profile previous case.

There are a number of recurring themes here including racism, domestic violence, drugs and gangs, and a long time serial killer who is watching everything the police do. The book is written in the third person, with occasional interludes from the serial killer separated from the main text by being written in first person PoV, in italics.

This is a very well crafted mystery and after the introductory backstory for Nikki and co., moves along at an accelerating tempo toward a dramatic (but not unexpected) denouement. I am looking forward to the next book(s) in the series. Readers of gritty procedurals won't be shocked or dismayed by the language or violence (or drugs, etc), but readers who are unhappy with strong language or content might want to be aware that this book contains both.

Four strong stars. I love the ensemble cast.

Last Request by Liz Mistry was just a brilliant read and I read it in 2 sittings. I was hooked from the first few pages. This is the first book I have read from this author and I loved it. It wont be the last book I read from Liz.

Last Request is the first in a new series featuring DS Nikita Parekh shortened to Nikki. She is a tough character and has a tough job to go with it. Plus, she is juggling raising two children and looking after her extended family. She is one tough cookie in this book and I loved her character.
DS Nikki Parekh and her team are called to a derelict Odeon car park when a human remains are discovered. She is distracted by keeping her young nephew out of trouble and she is trying her hardest to keep him out of trouble. Nikki becomes relieved when the investigation is transferred to the Cold Case unit so she can be there for her family and extended family.
Nikki is told the identity of the victim and she is drawn back to the case. The victim has a big link to her painful past she wants to forget.
The body counts starts to rise, Nikki is getting concerned what her colleagues will find out, and what she has hidden from her past. She has to try her hardest to stop this killer before they hurt or kill anyone else.

Will Nikki stop them in time?

Will her colleagues find out what she is hiding?

What a brilliant book Last Request was. I highly recommend this. Plus, looking forward reading more my Liz Mistry in the future

5 Star book

Big Thank you from HQ Digital via NetGalley and Liz Mistry for letting me read and review this brilliant book.

Last Request is the first in a new series by accomplished crime writer Liz Mistry featuring DS Nikita Parekh (Nikki). As this is the first book of hers I have read, I am wondering why I haven’t picked up any of her other books before now. What have I been doing and where have I been!?

Nikki and her team are immediately called to the scene when human remains are discovered under Bradford’s derelict Odeon car park. Busy Nikki has also been keeping her young nephew out of trouble and she is relieved when the investigation is transferred to the Cold Case Unit, so she can focus on her family. But after the identity of the victim is revealed, she’s drawn back into the case. The dead man is a direct link to her painful past. As the body count begins to rise, Nikki must do everything she can to find the killer before anyone else gets hurt – even if it means digging up untold secrets.

As is usual in a new series, this first book sets up the recurring characters and though there seemed to be an abundance of them, I didn't feel too overwhelmed! The author's descriptions of the setting were impressive and the pacing was spot on. There was always plenty going on and there was certainly never a dull moment.

Liz Mistry, a seasoned crime writer, clearly knows how to write a story that is compelling, entertaining and all-consuming, with characters that I grew to love. Although it was a wee bit slow in the beginning, the author’s characterisation was brilliant. I really took to Nikki who was feisty, bold, vulnerable and flawed, yet always real.

Nikki's partner-in-crime, DC Sajid Malik, also left an impression on me; he was caring, straight-talking and protective; a gay man living with his boyfriend, Langley, who ought to have been blissfully contented but is living a double life. I really appreciated the banter between Nikki and Sajid and I loved the way Liz Mistry's clever use of the Yorkshire dialect helped bring the story to life. All of the characters had a great part to play, whether or not they were likeable and all had plenty of audacity and spirit. Although Nikki was the main protagonist, I loved that some of the chapters were written from the killer's perspective, as this allowed the reader a glimpse into an ever darkening mind and hear the chilling voice of a true sadist.

Liz Mistry delivered an unrestrained and exuberant story of drama in this clever police procedural - a toxic concoction of harboured secrets, menace, evil and familial dysfunction. Taut and compelling, it was a cracking story and a book that I revelled in all the way through. It brought no disappointments and the clever plotting enabled me to fully grasp the situation and motivations of the protagonists. The masterful twists paved the way for an enthralling denouement. I would love to read more from this gifted story-teller and I am delighted to recommend this book

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from HQ Digital via NetGalley at my request and this review is my own unbiased opinion. Thank you also to Pigeonhole and Liz Mistry for giving me the opportunity to read this book!

A thrilling police procedural which caught my eye with its cover. My first book by this author, I was immediately gripped with the main character DS Nikita Parekh.

Human remains found with links to her past, led to her team to investigate. As more Murders occur, the race against time started with Nikki wanting to stay one step ahead of the killer.

My first book by Liz Mistry, I loved the way the writing drew me in. The characters were many and did my head in initially, but soon I could get them sorted. The writing flowed as the story was revealed one page at a time. The road of investigation had many twists, it was fun to see Nikki trying to find her way to get to the killer.

Nikki was the one who caught my eye. She was strong yet vulnerable. Bold yet flawed. But always real.

The first book of the series did make a fab read.

3.5 stars. I had not read this author’s prior series but looked forward to this book. DS Nikita Parekh Is your typical damaged protagonist. There is a big back story which is hinted at in this book, which is the first in this series. I both loved Nikita and frequently wanted to smack her due to her terrible treatment of her daughter and partner. I did appreciate the cultural diversity of the characters and that there were two gay couples. I would definitely read more in the series if they come.

A great start to a new series, I was gripped from the first page to the last.

I'm looking forward to reading more from this series.

A new series and new character Nikki Parekh. Set in Bradford as is the authors' brilliant Gus McGuire series. Detective Nikki Parekh, mother of 3 children, is certainly a force to be reckoned with. She seemed to be everywhere doing everything for everyone. A good plot and some downright nasty characters kept me on the edge of my seat. Not sure I warmed to Nikki, but I did love the character of her sidekick Saj.

A serial killer with a different reason. The writing was good, the suspense was well maintained. The only aspect I didn’t like was the self harming nature of the lead character. As I have not read the previous books I couldn’t follow the personal life of the protagonist. Overall a recommended book. 4.5 stars

Well written, fast paced, captivating crime thriller.
Interesting storyline with strong characters.
I was into it from the start.

I hope to read more by Liz Mistry.

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ Digital for the ARC of this book. This is my honest review. All opinions are my own.