When DS McAvoy takes his family on a trip to a remote campsite, he doesn’t expect to find out he’s been attacked in Hull. But when he realises who is actually injured, he rushes back to help DS Trish Pharaoh with the case. Is the solution linked to her past?

Flesh and Blood is the latest in David Mark’s McAvoy series, and is a cracking tale. Based in Hull and its surroundings, McAvoy and team race around trying to solve the case before more violence occurs. It’s very dark and gruesome, but in an enjoyable and entertaining way.

Great story.

Wow! What a mystery that will have you guessing to the end. There were many twists and turns to keep the intrigue going and at times just when you thought you had the answers along came another red herring. Once I started reading I could not put it down so was reading into the small hours. A great read

This was my first DS (or now DI) McAvoy book. It was really twisty and I was over half way through before I stopped thinking that the scene was still being set.
DI McAvoy is on a break with his family when he learns that his doppelganger has been attacked outside Trish Pharaoh's home.
There are so many secrets to be uncovered and decisions about who to trust to be made this kept me reading long after I should have turned out the light.

A gruesome read which didn't bother me at all. I enjoyed this mystery/thriller which had me reading late into the night. A good cri e story. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Brilliant, absolutely brilliant.
As always very well written and great characters, but this one is gruesome in parts.

David Mark is a brilliant author and I've read quite a few of his books.
Definitely recommended.

I was gripped by this book from the start. Trish and Aetor two strong cops, best of friends and each will do anything to protect the other. When Trish finds herself on someones hit list all sorts of past secrets start to emerge and you start to wonder if her fellow cops are on her side or not. Can a convicted killer who is in prison for life really hold the key to it all and help them solve the problem? A new twist on almost every page keeps you reading and just when you think you have solved it.................

Really enjoyed this - will definitely be recommending and looking forward to the next one by this author!

Although this is book 11 in a series the only other one I have previously read was book 1. This book would appear to be a continuation of the storyline from one or more earlier books and therefore took time to understand. That being said I did enjoy the book and it it should appeal to readers of British crime and especially serial killer novels.. David Mark writes in true modern style of crime with little regard to correct police procedure but produces novels that are very readable and somewhat violent. I would happily read more of this author

I like this series and this one didn’t disappoint.

Well written and fast thriller, if you like police procedurals you’ll like this one.

An intriguing story line and some strong characters but rather gruesome at times. Not really my cup of tea but thanks for the advance review copy.

This was a book of 2 halves for me. The first half was slow and quite boring then there was an unexpected turn of events and it got going. Quite gory in places.

I thank Net Galley and the publisher for the review copy in return for a fair and unbiased review. I have so far always enjoyed the McAvoy series and when offered this I gleefully accepted. But is was disappointed, sadly. He is essentially uninvolved, the story centering around his boss, Trish [who I have previously found less believable] and a character from an earlier book, which I have not yet got around to reading. There is an excellent twist at the end, which served to elevate the star rating by one, but overall I found it difficult to suspend disbelief enough to enjoy the main storyline. The way it ended made me suspect the series my have come to a rather messy end, I hope not, but I will continue to follow the author.

Thanks to Severn House and NetGalley for ARC.

DS Hector McAvoy is on holiday when he learns he's been brutally attacked outside the home of his body and buddy Trish Pharaoh, DS in the Humberside Constabulary.
What happens next involves both of them, and the whole team, bending rules as far as they can to find the culprit and create safety for their beloved families.

I probably shouldn't have dived in to book 11 of the series, because for me it was an overcooked pudding of a plot, with more graphic violent content than I can handle these days and some fairly ropy police procedure. I'm also not a bit fan of plots with the all-powerful Lecter-like serial killer or of withholding of secrets for no reason at all. There is some fine writing here, though, which kept me going for just one paragraph more until I'd slogged through the whole thing.

The latest David Mark book, thanks to NetGalley for an advance readers copy.
I've enjoyed all off the D S McAvoy series set in Hull. They are a little dark, but the stories flow well and the characters and relationships work . This was one of my favourites I think.
In this novel McAvoy is on holiday when need of a death reaches him. There's is confusion at first as to whether he is in fact the victim. His boss Trish is at the centre of the events in this story and her emotions are well described and imagined.
The story unwinds and previous villains appear. There's are lots of twists and turns and I found myself gripped by the story and looking forward to the next. Highly recommended.

A Pharaoh and McAvoy thriller that’s somewhat complex at the start and if you don’t know any of the previous tales probably impenetrable. But it’s fascinating and hard to put down and very cleverly nothing is revealed until virtually the final page. Violent and extremely bloody throughout this one’s not for the faint hearted !

'It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near, and their doom rushes upon them.’


 The book "Flesh and Blood" consists of three parts. The first half of the book was boring for me. The second half was more interesting. I had an emotional shock because I did not expect this turn of events. I can say that I liked the atmosphere of this book. I met a serial killer here who preyed on naughty men who hurt women. Would you like to have such an avenging angel by your side? Of course, I wouldn't want anything to do with such a person. He's a very toxic character. If it wasn't for the boring beginning, I'd say it was a fantastic read. But when you add the first half and the second half together, you just get a good novel. Still, I'd love to read other stories by David Mark.

 I met both good and bad characters in this book. I met, among others, Detective Inspector Aector McAvoy, Tom Spink and Trish Pharaoh. I was very afraid for their lives. I enjoyed the dangerous work of our detective. Will his family holiday be successful? What is Trish hiding from Acetor? Pandora's Box will be opened. What will come of it? Hidden secrets can kill everyone. What happened in the past that now our heroes' lives are in danger?

 Knowing the ending of the whole story makes me understand the whole boring beginning better.

 "Flesh and Blood" is a very dark thriller. I was very scared in places. The ending is a veritable Armageddon of emotions.

 If you like thrillers where there are corpses and blood, you've come to the right place. It's a chilling story.

This is the first of this series that I've read and normally I'd go back to the beginning and start there, but so much of the back story is given here that there is no need for that at all. Not particularly sorry, it was all a bit too full on for my taste.

Really enjoyed this. It is the first book I have read by David Mark and it won't be the last. I thought the characters were excellent and enjoyed their interrelationships. The story was enthralling, if gruesome and at times unpleasant. Enough twists and turns to keep interest but not so many that it becomes disracting. Highly recommend.

The saying '' Everyone has a double out there is certainly true in the case of Aector McAvoy, at home with his wife and children enjoying a well earned rest he is shocked to hear that he has been attacked and left for dead.... The Doppelganger was even staying at his bosses home at the time.. Secrets and lies aplenty and secrets that could actually cause his death are revealed

Flesh and Blood, David Mark

I struggled to get into this book initially. I wonder if this is because it is the first I have read involving Trish Pharaoh and Aector MacAvoy and I understand that there are quite a number of previous books which will enable you to get a feel for the relationship dynamics.

However, I soon became engrossed and enjoyed the storyline.

Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for a copy of this book, I rate it 4 stars.