Well the gangs all back for this second installment. Hana, who is now a private citizen working part-time for her community and a private investigator friend since leaving the force after the last case (from the last installment). Her daughter, Addison, is back too, and is living with her non-binary roommate, Plus 1, now that Hana has left Auckland and moved back to her hometown, Tata Bay, to be closer to her aging father, Eru. I loved the conversation between Eru and Plus 1 about the definition of non-binary. LOVE ERU!!! It was a nice bonding moment between the two. Ex-hubby, Jaye, is also back, and struggling to save his marriage after what happened in the last installment. There is also Stan, Hana’s former partner, who is on desk duty after he lost part of his leg in the last installment.

One of the things that I really enjoyed about the first installment was all of the Māori history and how Bennett weaved it into the storyline. I’m happy to report, there is more of that in this installment. I also liked how Bennett footnoted the Māori words and definitions. I love learning new stuff about the stories I read and enjoy. As the book summary states, there are really two storylines going on here: what really happened to Paige Andrews, 20yrs ago and what happened to Kiri Thomas four years ago? Are they related? This is what Hana and Addison want to know and they do some investigating of their own now that the police don’t want to really devote the time and resources to do a thorough investigation.

The story flips back and forth between the present and the past, four years ago. It also flips back and forth between Kiri (when she was alive) and in the present with Hana and Addison and their separate investigations that they’re trying to keep from each other – at least at first. There is also a storyline around one of Hana’s reluctant students from Hana’s community program where she and Eru teach the youth of Tata Bay to drive. I say reluctant because while the student, Timoti, does not know how to drive, he thinks he doesn’t need a teacher to teach him because he is smart enough to learn on his own. Timoti is Hana’s nephew, the son of a cousin, Eyes, who can’t stand Hana and talks crap about her every time she sees her.

It’s well into the second half that the two different cases begin to merge into a shocking end that I did not see coming. The conclusion to the Timoti storyline was also really intense and scary. However, the very ending, and that last comment from Jaye to Hana, was the ending that I had been hoping for throughout the whole book. I love it when that happens.

I can’t wait until the next installment to see where Michael Bennett takes the series and what he has in store for Hana and the rest of her loved ones. The characterization was really good for most of the MC’s and the pacing was fine. Even though the first half didn’t have as much action as the second half, one of the joys of the appeal of crime thrillers are the investigations; that’s my favorite part. The storylines and writing were wonderful. Once again, I love all the Maori stories and history and even the footnotes of the definitions of the Maori words, phrases, and places. Some people might find that annoying, but I don’t. I’m looking at a rating of 4.3 and am rounding down to a 4star read. I want to thank NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley #GroveAtlantic #ReturntoBlood

New Zealand author Michael Bennett’s Return to Blood (2024) is another Hana Westerman crime mystery. Hana is back in her hometown, after resigning as a Detective Sergeant in Aukland CIB. She is teaching local youth to get their driver’s licenses and working the odd private investigator case. When her daughter discovers female remains in the sand dunes, Hana decides to look into it further. Hana’s daughter keeps dreaming of the young woman and Hanna wonders whether the placement of the body is connected to a similar discovery twenty-one years earlier. A nicely built up tension, a dangerous confrontation and Hana’s actions place her in grave danger. The compelling narrative has richly drawn characters and seamlessly interwoven Māori cultural links, which makes for a delightfully engaging crime mystery. A fine standalone must-read classic detective tale that has a five stars rating. With thanks to Inkubator Books and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own, freely given and without inducement.

I was eagerly awaiting this next instalment to the Hana Westerman series, and it did not disappoint! Another fantastic tale that weaves together the skills of a great storyteller, a compelling storyline and wonderful characters. Two mysteries across two timelines are incorporated into the book, and through these, the intricacies of the justice system here in 'post-colonial' Aotearoa-NZ as it collides with being a Māori woman and a relational human being are explored with empathy and sensitivity. To say that I look forward to the writer's next novel is an understatement!

Full thoughts to be posted on instagram. Many thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this complimentary copy!

Return to Blood is a fantastic sequel to Michael Bennett's adult fiction debut, Better than Blood. That was fabulous, but I think this sequel may be even better. It's five years after the events covered in Better than Blood. Hana Westerman has resigned from the police and is living a quiet live in her small coastal hometown. Or she was until her daughter accidentally discovers some bones buried in the sand dunes, the same dunes the body of another young woman, a girl who had attended the same school as Hana, twenty years earlier. Hana may no longer be a member of the police but she can't stop herself from investigating unofficially.

The plot in this book is decidedly less high octane compared to its predecessor, which leaves the author space to focus a little more on Hana as a person. We see her relationship with her father Eru and her concerns about his possible dementia and her relationship with a cousin Eyes, who believes Hana thinks she is better than those who never left Tata Bay and whose son, Hana discovers, has fallen in with a dangerous crowd. We see Hana as a mother to Addision, as a friend and ex-colleague, and also witness her interactions with ex-husband Jaye and his wife, whose marriage is under threat due in part to Hana. I loved the balance between plot - and make no mistake, this is a cracking crime novel - and character, but it may not be to the taste of those who loved Bennett's former book for its fast paced high stakes plot.

The other aspect of this book that I really loved was the way it was steeped in the Māori world. Plenty of te reo is incorporated, with translations helpfully provided for those not familiar with the language, readers see the important role Eru plays in the community, a kaumātua providing advice , guidance and practical help, particularly to young people. The novel also incorporates Māori mythology, tradition, and worldview, with dreams and premonitions being significant to at least two of the characters.

The ending came with a twist, which I partially foresaw.That reveal felt a little rushed - my main criticism of this book, and really it's a minor quibble. The ending \hinted at a possible return to the police for Hana... and presumably more books in the series, something which would make this reader very happy.
Thanks to @netgalley and @groveatlantic for the eARC. Return to Blood is out in New Zealand now and releases in the US on 21 March.

After reading and loving Better the Blood I was so excited to jump into another Kiwi murder mystery thriller. Little did I know the journey of culture, heartbreak and family drama I would enter into reading Return To Blood.

This book despite not being about a serial killer, somehow felt more traumatic and harrowing than Better the Blood and I just like the first book in the series I was hooked straight away. The unravelling of the two murders in the dunes was artfully done and the twists and turns in this book kept everything well paced right til the last chapter.

Michael Bennett managers to write all of his characters with a wonderful clarity, and this book had a wonderful Lovely Bones Esq narrative style which I found engaging. Every characters POV is so distinct and clear, from their inner monologues, to their outward dialogues they scream the different classes they were raised in and this book should feel familiar to anyone who was spent any time in New Zealand. If you haven’t spent any time here this book has some great Māori representation and even as a kiwi I learnt a huge amount about Māori culture and language just from this book.

Highly recommend for fans of NZ Fiction or Thrillers.

Michael Bennett’s Better The Blood was one of my favourite crime debuts of last year. Featuring Auckland detective Hana Westerman, it was a richly described crime novel that encompassed the tropes of the serial killer thriller and the legacy of New Zealand’s colonial past.

In Bennett’s second novel, Return To Blood, Hana has left Auckland and her career as a detective behind and has settled for a quieter life in a small coastal town. Her hopes of a more peaceful existence are shattered, however, when a skeleton is discovered in the dunes near her house. The remains are those of a young Māori woman who went missing five years before. Hana has a connection to the case and to another similar death. Twenty years ago, a schoolfriend of hers was found buried in the exact same spot. Her killer died in prison, but did the police get the wrong man? And if he was innocent, then why did he plead guilty? No longer part of the Criminal Investigation Branch, Hana turns to her former colleagues for assistance, but soon realises that she will have to find the answers that she needs on her own.

Return To Blood is a great second novel by Bennett. The plotting is clever, and the characters are fully fleshed out and interesting. The pacing is a little slow at times, but the story has real depth to it, and the cultural commentary and reflections on modern society are fascinating. A side story involving a young relation of Hana is also compelling, and the novel builds to a powerful conclusion that grips and surprises. There is also a good final reveal that comes as a real shock.

Supplementing Hana’s investigation are post mortem reflections by the second dead girl, Kiri, which add an extra dimension to the story and plenty of poignancy. They also provide a sad reflection on the impact of drugs and tragedy on lives.

Return To Blood is a powerful novel that stays in the mind long after it is finished.

4.5 - rounded up

🌊Gripping suspense that I couldn't put down!👍

Unpredictable and full of complex relationships and emotions, Return to Blood was a fantastic read!

It revolves around two young women murdered decades apart whose remains are discovered on the same remote New Zealand beach dunes near former New Zealand police detective Hana Westerman's beach refuge after her abrupt resignation from the police force after a high profile case. Hana has returned to her hometown to find peace and less stressful purpose after abandoning a promising police career, but she is caught in conflict, unable to turn her back on her investigative expertise when an unsolved crime turns up on her local turf. Family is a vital element in the story, as is her Maori cultural heritage.

The story seemed to race by and the ending was totally unexpected; I was sad to see it end! Definitely recommended.

Thanks to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

This is the follow up to Better the Blood which I loved, and hated that the lead character, Hana Westerman, was leaving behind law enforcement, and which seemed to end the series. But the author found and adept way at bringing her back to the edges, with her former colleagues, in a case that literally comes to her door. In this book Hana is able link the found body to a high school classmate, and soon she has a personal stake in solving the crime. It's a great way to introduce the reader to Maori beliefs and practices, while solving a mystery, making for an unique read, that is like a breath of fresh air on the genre. Don't miss this series!

Easy to read as a standalone but part of the ongoing Hana Westerman series, this atmospheric story is packed with Māori culture. Return to Blood is an engaging book that is full of excitement.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This had a great second book in the Hana Westerman Thriller series, it had everything that I was looking for in a thriller book. The characters felt like they belonged in this world and how well everything flowed with the thriller element. Michael Bennett has a great writing style and I wanted to read more in this series. I enjoyed the use of Māori and thought it was a great element to this book.

Really loved this sequel to "Better the Blood." Michael Bennett's new book is another suspensefull story set in New Zealand. In addition to the mystery, I appreciated learning more about Maori cultural and the gorgeous scenery. Great character development as well. This story had a twist that I didn't see coming. I hope Bennett will continue this series with Hana Westerman. Highly recommended.

Following the events of Better than Blood, Police Detective Hana Westerman turned in her badge and returned to her hometown. She does her best to make right with her Māori kin and works to move on from the job that haunts her. When a body is found nearby by her own daughter, she is thrown directly back into dealing with murder. There are similarities to the murder of her classmate in school, an event that helped inspire her to enter law enforcement. Can she stand by while the professionals try to solve this?

Plenty of police procedural and plenty of family drama! This is a story that is not to be missed. If you love learning about other cultures or have traveled to New Zealand, this is a novel for you! Bennett does an excellent job of creating multiple interesting female characters as well as cultural background that moves the story forward.
#returntoblood #michaelbennett #grovebooks

I enjoyed this book a lot. There was a lot of substance in this book and didn't resort to some cheap thrills. A former police officer, finds herself involved in solving a current murder that might be related to what was thought to be a previously solved case many years ago. Was the confession false. Second book in the series, but enough backstory is revealed that it wasn't a problem reading this one without the other one first. I was interested in her relationships, her values, the culture, overall a satisfying read. 4.5 rounded up

This book would be good for class discussions. It is a short book but has a lot in it. Maori culture, family relationships, love relationship and a police officer, who left the force, dealing with a murdered girl, related to an old case

Following his acclaimed debut, Better the Blood, Michael Bennett’s compelling sophomore outing in his crime series starring Māori detective Hana Westerman proves the New Zealand screenwriter and author is no one-hit wonder as a mystery writer. In the wake of the traumatic events recounted in the first book, Hana has resigned from the Auckland CIB (Criminal Investigation Branch) and returned to her hometown of Tātā Bay, where she helps her father, Eru, prepare local Māori teens to get their driver’s licenses. But the calm Hana is trying to rebuild is shattered when her 18-year-old daughter, Addison, discovers the skeleton of a young woman in the sand dunes. Investigators suspect the bones may be those of Kiri Thomas, a Māori teenager who disappeared four years earlier. Although Hana is no longer in the police force, she begins to probe the possibility that Kiri’s death may be connected to the 21-year-old unsolved murder of Paige Meadows, whose body was found in the same dunes. Likewise, Addison becomes obsessed with Kiri’s fate, threatening her friendship with her non-binary flatmate and musical partner, Plus 1. In a nod to Alice Sebold’s The Lovely Bones, the storyline is interspersed with the dead Kiri’s haunting first-person narrative. Bennett, who is Māori, immerses readers deeper into Māori culture and traditions as he expands on Hana’s loving relationship with her father and tense interactions with her chilly second cousin, Eyes. An atmospheric thriller that will have readers booking flights to New Zealand. Bennett is adapting Better the Blood into a six-part TV series for Taika Waititi’s production company.

AUSTRALIA