Author Liz Mistry might be an accomplished crime writer but this is the first book of hers I have read, I am now wondering why I haven’t picked up her work beforehand.

Last Request is the first in a new series featuring DS Nikita Parekh (Nikki). She has a tough job as well as trying to raise two children alone and look after her extended family, especially her easily lead nephew, plus an increasing list of bills to pay and not enough money to go around.

The book opens with the death of a woman from Aids in 1983 after she was infected by someone who has infected numerous other males and females and is currently in court. The woman’s child is there looking after her and before she takes her last breath the woman wants her child to remember to do something for her.

The opening scene had me hooked and I couldn’t wait to jump straight into the story which had moved to the present day. Nikki has been called to a derelict car park that belonged to the local cinema in Bradford. Whilst building works were being carried out skeletal remains were found. The remains are over ten-years-old so the case is passed onto the cold case’ department, unfortunately, that isn’t the last Nikki will have to do with the remains as her past comes crashing into the present and secrets start unravelling.

Nikki knows that she has a killer to find but can she before many more get killed?

As I said the prologue had me hooked and I flew through the book eager to know more. I always love a crime thriller when we get to hear snippets from the killer, it helps to try to put the pieces of the puzzle together and work out the suspect before the book reveals the answer. 🙂

There are quite a lot of characters to get to know and remember and at times I did have to look back through the book to familiarise myself with some of them again. It is a great start to the series as we get to not only discover Nikki the detective but also the private Nikki too, a woman who has plenty of good points and plenty of flaws, so she was perfectly realistic.

If this book is anything to go by this is going to be an amazing series and one to watch out for.

I love Liz Mistry’s Gus McGuire series so I knew I had to give this new detective Nikki Parekh a go!

When a skeleton is dug up under a car park, it brings up some uncomfortable secrets from Nikki’s past. As the body count rises, Nikki must put her own issues aside to find the killer.

Last Request is a gritty and hard hitting police procedural with a diverse cast of characters.
As always with Liz Mistry’s books, her attention to detail and ability to make believable characters really comes across in this novel.

Nikki is a complex and multifaceted character. A single mum with three kids, by two different dads, dual heritage and Hindu to boot. She’s quite an abrasive person at the beginning of the novel, I personally didn’t find her all that likeable, but as the story goes on and we get to know her and her painful past, I warmed to her.

As it’s the first in the series, we’re getting to know the characters, which I felt dragged the pace a little in the first part of the book but it does pick up in the second half.

Last Request is a good start to series and I’m interested to see where the story will head next!

Having loved the authors DI Gus McGuire series, I was very excited to see that she had the first in a new series coming out which has a female protagonist. Even though set in Bradford again, poor DI Gus McGuire didn’t even enter my head whilst I devoured the author’s newest offering.

Firstly I have to say there is quite the cast of characters in the novel. It did take me a while to settle into who everyone was but when I did, I was hooked. Nikki is a great lead who doesn’t have an easy work or home life. A mother who is very much torn between the love of her job and spending time at home and being a good role model.

As the human remains are linked to someone that Nikki knew, we get the ideal opportunity to find out more about Nikki and her past as well as how she works within her team. It’s a great introduction and meant the author doesn’t have to spend time away from the main crime to let the reader get to know the main character better. For me this can sometimes spoil the enjoyment as even though we need to know more about the person we will be routing for, we also want the thrills and chills we get from this sort of book. So well done to the author, as this was spot on for me.

There is plenty going on throughout the story. The case itself I was second guessing who could be behind it all, of which I was totally in the wrong. Kudos again to the author as I was kept guessing all the way through.

Last Request is a great start to a new series with more than a few heart stopping moments. There was never a good time to put the book down as there was always something happening that had me having to keep turning those pages. Needless to say I flew through the book. Can’t wait for more books in the series.

I would like to thank Netgalley and HQ Digital for an advance copy of Last Request, the first novel to feature DS Nikita Parekh set in Bradford.

When skeletonised remains are found in a cinema car park Nikki and her partner, Sajid, are pleased to hand the investigation over to the Cold Case Unit so that Nikki can concentrate on extricating her nephew from trouble. This turns out to be a temporary reprieve as the bones not only have strong links to Nikki’s past but show signs of murder. As more skeletons are discovered they believe that they are hunting a serial killer.

I thoroughly enjoyed Last Request which is a tense, exciting read with an extremely likeable protagonist in Nikki Parekh. I was gripped from start to finish. The plot has three separate strands, the murder investigation, Nikki’s fight with some local drug dealers and a threat to her 14 year old daughter, Charlie. These, more or less, only collide in Nikki’s head so there is no confusion for the reader but ratchet up the tension as she juggles her priorities. I was very impressed by Ms Mistry’s ability to keep all these plot lines not just running coherently but giving them equal attention, excitement and tension. Nothing peters out or seems like an also ran.

The novel is told from various points of view, including the unnamed killer’s. I’m not always a fan of this approach but here it works extremely well, widening the reader’s perspective and keeping the tension high as the reader wonders how Nikki will deal with everything that’s about to come at her. Even the dreaded “thoughts of the killer” (normally something I hate) are interesting and unusual and a bit more than the usual narcissistic psycho 101.

It is very much Nikki Parekh’s show with everything relating to her or her nearest and dearest and despite a third person narrative the reader gets to know her intimately. In her a star has been born and I’m already itching to read more. She is of mixed heritage, Hindu and Scottish, feisty, private and fiercely protective of her close family but more than that she has a rather cynical take on life which can be highly amusing. She’s a very modern woman raising her children and doing her job to the best of her ability and while she’s not perfect she typifies the struggles of many.

Last Request is a great read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

A great to start to what looks to be a brilliant new series by Liz Mistry. Introducing D.I Nikita Parekh, as she fights crime in Bradford. I like Nikki and the fact she doesn’t stand for any nonsense, she is a strong woman. At the beginning of the book we see her go charging in to a house that we don’t even know who it belongs to, but then she isn’t stopped either, so that she could give away a bit of a hint, as it’s her nephew she just starts having a go at, accusing him of doing/selling drugs, but she didn’t have all the facts in the first place. She goes in like the proverbial bull in a china shop.

I think as this series progresses it will be interesting to get to know Nikki and her team better, getting to know all the little quirks and mannerisms each character displays. It’s always difficult when you are used to a writers other character’s as with Gus McGuire in Liz Mistry’s other books, starting a new series can always be a risk as people who like Gus may not like Nikki, but I think you have to give characters that time to develop and grow, before making a snap judgement. I think Nikki is going to be an interesting character as she appears to be quite complex.

When a body is found in a derelict car park Nikki and Sajid are called out, but as it’s an old crime it’s initially handed over to the cold case team. But then forensic links are found between Nikki and the body. Despite the shock of finding out that the body is someone from her past, she still pushes on, determined to get to the bottom of the case. Nikki is a strong woman who loves her family, and her job. In between sorting out the family issues, which can be quite chaotic, and dysfunctional. We have an evil drug dealer, along with the usual villains, there is some violence, but then with the plot line that is to be expected, but add all this up and you have a great police procedural crime thriller. But just when you think you have guessed who is responsible for the murders, you find you have guessed wrong, didn’t see that one coming.

It took me a while to get into the story initially, but once in, it started to flow nicely, this looks to be another promising new series from Liz Mistry and I look forward to seeing more of Nikki, Sajid, the rest of the team, and Nikki’s family because I think they add to Nikki’s character, and of course the story.

A great flying start to a new series, which I think fans of Liz Mistry will enjoy, I look forward to the next book in the series.

I give this book four stars out of five.

I would like to thank #netgalley # HQ digital for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.

Slow burner to start with but turned into a gripping storyline. Based in the Midlands an interesting look into the life of D S Nikita Parekh as an ethnic woman in the British police force of her family life and romance involves the reader. Investigating serial killers over many years. Well recommended

I have been a little disappointed in this book, it has been a pleasant read. Although, it wasn’t as suspenseful as initially made out. The characters are likeable and the plot is interesting. However, I was expecting more thriller and suspense.

I found this book a little slow, and hard to get into. I persevered and it got a little better. Good setting, good plot strong characters-all that's required for a good thriller. Still, I found the writing a bit choppy and slow in places. Not my favourite book, but not my worst either.

Nikki is investigating a crime that turns out to be her husbands remains. Now she is heading for the chopping block if she can't prove her innocence. Them more bodies are discovered. The story gets real twisted when you get a look at the killer. He captures his prey. Then he tortures them. When they know there is no longer any hope he promises to grant one last request. Then he bludgeon them to death. The lat request is never delivered. A fascinating story. Full of twists and turns that leave you breathless.

A busy read with a cast of many characters. Set in Bradford and bang upto date. The main character DS Nikki Parekh is one complex lady with an attitude which I LOVED. It's been a while since I read a book by this author and I was not disappointed. This read had me gripped, at times sat on the edge of my seat and literally shouting at the characters. Yes I know, as if they could hear you. This is what this author does, draws you and does not let go until you have turned the last page. Would love to read more about DS Nikki Parekh is this the start of a new series? Almost five stars and highly recommended.
I would like to thank the author, HQ Digital and Netgalley for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

Really good read full of suspense and strong characters. I like the main character and look forward to finding out more about her.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

A new DS to get to know in what I hope will become a new series.
DS Nikita Paresh and her partner Sajid are called in to investigate the skeletal remains discovered under an old car park.
Its not until they are identified that Nikki is forced to re-evaluate the circumstances that lead to her being a single mum.
Having always believed her husband left her to return to his family she now finds herself investigating his murder.
The repercussions are long reaching, not only for herself and her family but all she believes in.
Good solid read, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Thanks to Netgalley and HQ Digital for the ARC in return for my honest review.

This story was a slow start for me. There is a large number of characters and took me a bit to keep it all organized. Once I got about half way through I was hooked and couldn't put the book down. Nikki is a very intense character, not your typical working, single mom. A corpse is found, and turns out Nikki knew the victim. Things get a bit heated for Nikki as her relationship with the deceased comes to light. There is also a lot of family angst going on, and all the backstory helps to develop Nikki's character. Great ending that I did not predict!
I was glad I did not stop reading.
Thanks NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I am a big gus Maguire fan ,so I was keen to see how the new character nikki would come across. It was an interesting storyline in regards to her husband,however I found the nephew being in trouble with a drug dealer a bit of a cliché and definitely nothing new.. It will be good to see how the character develops along with her police partner, hopefully He will get a bit more airtime in the next book as I think I preferred him to the main one!!!
A good,solid read by an excellent author.

This is the first time that I have read a book by Liz Mistry and on the strength of this novel, it won't be the last.

She has managed to create an interesting range of characters, centred around DS Nikita Parekh.

I liked the way that the characters were developed. The pace of the story is rapid. There are sufficient twists in the plot to maintain interest. There are some dark and disturbing undertones, but I won't go into details for fear of spoiling the story.

As a one-off novel this is very good. I wonder if DS Nikita will feature in any future books?

I give my thanks to Netgalley and HQ books for a copy in exchange for this review.

There was much to like about this book - the setting is great, the plot as a whole was interesting, some of the cast of characters were great - I just didn’t manage to warm to the main protagonist. I love other books by the author, so I’ll be sure to see how the series develops, but for now I didn’t really click with this one.

With a large cast of characters to get to know, it took me a little while to get up to speed with the story but as events progressed this novel proved to be a page turner. The main character has you one minute shouting at her for her stupidity and the next rooting for her cause. I'm looking forward to the next in the series!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

Absolutely fantastic had me gripped!!! Loved it! Can't wait for more from.this author. Storyline was great, characters were easy to.connect with

Thank you for the advanced copy

I flew through this book, it was just brilliant, the characters were likeable, and comical and Nikita was just such a strong woman despite everything that was thrown at her. I really felt for her, she’d lost the love of her life and poor Marcus was just about second best. She loved her family but also her job and to keep all the plates spinning was indeed a job and a half.

I felt like I knew my way around Bradford, which of course I don’t not having been there, but the writing is so descriptive I think I could find my way around.

I really hadn’t worked out who the killer was, and that’s unusual for me, and I kept counting the pages because I didn’t want it to end.

Please keep Niki going, I love her almost as much as Gus!

My thanks to Netgalley and Liz for such a wonderful read.

Just finished reading Last Request by Liz Mistry. Couldn’t put it down, stayed up all night to finish it, absolutely gripping. Well done Liz!