Third in a wonderful series that focuses on the Maori population of New Zealand. Hana Westerman had quit her job with the Aukland police in order to return to her home, but re-enlists when her former husband is shot in what appears to be a random shooting at a minimart. Her daughter, Addison, provides a character completely of today's world but still respectful of her Maori roots. As in the previous installments, I love the incorporation of the language, the traditions and mythologies inherent to the story. Michael Bennett, keep them coming.

I’ve read all the books in this series so far and really am enjoying it. The series follows Hana Westerman, a Māori police officer and her struggle to balance her love for her job with her awakening need to explore and embrace her Māori heritage.
In this book, Hana’s ex husband Jay, also a detective, is shot in what looks to be a random robbery. Hana temporarily rejoins the police to help catch the shooter , which turns out to be more complicated than it first seems.
One of the things I really like about these books is that Māori history, culture and language is embedded into the story. I am Canadian and I see a lot of parallels between Māori and Canadian Indigenous people, so that adds more interest to me. I also feel Michael Bennett is skilled at bringing the characters and relationships between them to life. A very good read.

Carved in Blood is the third book in the Hana Westerman series by Kiwi screenwriter Michael Bennett. As with Better the Blood and Return to Blood, the novel explores the Māori experience and culture in present day New Zealand through crime fiction as Westerman is Māori and a former police detective.

The novel opens rather ominously. Hana describes a frightening close encounter with a deadly mako shark, which circles her during her morning swim. It fixes its cold and emotionless eyes. No doubt Hana encountered criminals with similar intimidating stares before she left the police force in Auckland but fortunately this dangerous creature turns and swims away. The encounter foreshadows danger.

The characters all appear to be in a good place. Hana and Eru, her father, have arranged for a testing officer to formally assess their group of student drivers. A driving license offers more opportunities for the youth in their small community of Tātā Bay. Hana’s daughter Addison and her partner, PLUS 1, are there in anticipation of a celebration. Addison has invited her dad, Jaye, along with his wife, Marissa and her two daughters.

All the students successfully pass and the group and their families gather on the beach to celebrate. The party is joyful and Hana’s family hears some major news. Addison and PLUS 1 announce their engagement. They wish to celebrate their good news in a couple of weeks under the Matariki constellation which the Māori believe are sacred stars.

Jaye is still buzzing with excitement over the happy news after his family returns to Auckland. He decides to buy some champagne to continue the celebration but in the store witnesses a vicious attack on the clerk by a man wearing a balaclava. Jaye attempts to stop the attack and things things go from bad to worse in a matter of seconds. The man in the balaclava pulls out a gun and shoots Jaye twice.

Jaye is put into a medically induced coma at the hospital. One of his colleagues, Elisa Williams, has been assigned to lead the investigation on the robbery and attempt on Jaye’s life. You will need to suspend your disbelief at this moment. Elisa agrees to Hana’s request to work on Jaye’s case. It is unlikely that anyone close to a victim would ever be assigned to a case like this.

The story unfolds from multiple perspectives. There is an unknown narrator who shares part of his history. The things that he chooses to share about his past are chilling. The more he shares about himself, the clearer it is that he is a damaged individual with an antisocial personality disorder. Like the mako shark, he is a deadly killer. He feels no remorse for those he kills.

In addition to the multiple character perspectives, there are several sub-plots. It seems like everyone in Hana’s circle wants to help track down Jaye’s attacker. The different threads about the personal lives of the characters, as well as their attempts to track down the man who put Jaye in the hospital, will pull you into this book.

One of the sub-plots involves a young Māori man called Toa Davis. From her experience in law enforcement, Hana is aware of the damage done by racial profiling. As a Māori woman, she is familiar with the little indignities that individuals with a darker shade of skin encounter in their daily lives. As a police officer, Hana knows that the chances that Toa will end up arrested and convicted are much greater than those of white people in the same circumstances. The stats provided by Bennett show that justice is not blind for young Māori males.

To discover the identity of Jaye’s attacker, you will need to read Carved in Blood. The title refers to traditional Māori tattooing, called Tā moko. Bennett has written some beautiful and moving passages describing how the lines carved in the skin represent your whakapapa (genealogy) and identity. They are a tribute carved in blood to those whose connected by blood.

I loved the first book of his with these characters, book number 2, i gave it a 4.5. So was looking forward to reading this but somehow it didn't work for me, it lacked the depth of the other book and while it was nice to check back in with the characters and their evolution, it didn't grab me. I will try his other books 3.5

I recently finished Carved in Blood by Michael Bennett, and it was a gripping, fast-paced thriller that I couldn’t put down. The story follows Detective Jack Frost as he investigates a series of gruesome murders, each one seemingly tied to ancient rituals. As the investigation deepens, Frost uncovers connections that go far beyond what he initially thought, leading him down a dangerous path that forces him to confront his own past.

What I really enjoyed about this book was the way Bennett blended traditional detective work with elements of dark folklore and mystery. The pacing was spot-on, with just the right amount of tension building as the investigation unfolded. The murders were chilling, and the mystery kept me guessing until the very end.

Jack Frost is a fascinating character—flawed, determined, and haunted by his own demons. His struggles made him feel real and relatable, and I found myself rooting for him every step of the way. The other characters were equally well-developed, and their interactions with Frost added complexity to the story.

My first Bennett book, but hopefully not my last! I didn't realize this was part of a series so I desperately want to go find the others to read. A fun little thriller/mystery, but I was particularly enraptured by all the references to Maori culture, which I know very little about. Ended up zooming through this book, heavily recommend it to mystery fans!

BOOK REVIEW 📚✨️

Carved in Blood - Michael Bennett

*This is actually the 3rd book in the Hana Westerman series, however having not read the first two I was still able to enjoy this book as a standalone.

The story itself is set in New Zealand and showcases mãori traditions, words and phrases throughout the prose which was a nice touch and not something I had read before.

Fans of shows and books such as Line of Duty, or police thrillers would enjoy this one - a story of a police officer who is gunned down in a grocery store at point blank range and the challenege and mystery to uncover who did it, or who didnt do it. Could this be connected to undercover work he did years ago, or was it just a bad timed coincidence?

The story itself was told over multiple points of view which was quite of a whirlwind at times are you tried to keep up with the plot and subplot, however this did add lots of layers to the story which later paid off.
The story is left of a cliffhanger which i think will bridge very nicely into the next installment within the series and I will definitely make time to go read the first two.

3.5⭐️

une in New Zealand means a chilly winter. But it also marks the rising of the sacred stars known as the Matarike, launching the start of the Māori New Year. “When Matarike rises, it is a time for remembering the dead; a time for saying goodbye. And it is also a time for starting anew.” Like the sacred Matarike celebrations, Bennett’s emotionally charged third Hana Westerman mystery (after Better the Blood and Return to Blood) revolves around a series of transitions, in which beloved characters say goodbye to loved ones and embark on new directions in their lives. Returning from festivities in his ex-wife Hana’s hometown, Detective Inspector Jaye Hamilton stops at an Auckland convenience store to pick up champagne to celebrate his daughter’s engagement when he is shot and seriously wounded by a balaclava-wearing assailant. The getaway car is quickly found and a young Māori man, Toa Davis, is implicated in the crime. But Hana, who has asked to join the investigation as a temporary constable, soon suspects that this was no random assault but a targeted attack. Could it be connected to Jaye’s work as an undercover cop years ago? Māori author Bennett delves deeper into New Zealand’s aboriginal culture (with helpful footnotes translating Māori words) while exploring the deeply embedded racism the country’s first peoples face. An open-ended conclusion will have fans eagerly awaiting the next installment.

This was an enjoyable detective story/thriller with a few extra elements. The main 'extra' was that the reader gets to learn (or at least read, if your memory is like mine) a whole load of Maori words and also some customs. That made it more interesting and added some depth, as did the issue of racism.
The book was easy to read and after a while turned into a real page turner; I really wanted to know what happened next.
There were a couple of less good points, at least in my opinion. How likely is it that someone would accidentally come across someone's search history? Why didn't the divers use drysuits (which are much warmer)? The incident with the magpie was a little too predictable. What was the point of the first arrest?
Nevertheless, those were minor points and I enjoyed reading the book.

I really enjoyed the first two Hana Westerman books and while I enjoyed reading more about the Māori culture and getting to know more about Hana’s friends and family I felt Like Carved in Blood was lacking in anything very exciting or thrilling and was more of a filler piece to give Hana a reason to rejoin the force so she could once again be the center of something dangerous and exciting. I will definitely be reading the next Hana Westerman because I really enjoy Bennett’s writing, and I am hoping for more of a police procedural than a family saga.

I love this book. From a UK perspective if you like any of the police crime series like Line of Duty or perhaps even some of the Harlen Coben books, then you will enjoy Carved in Blood. It twists and turns with the characters lives interweaving in a way that at times is predictable but at others you least expect. I really appreciated how the females in the storyline came together despite the complexity of their situation.

An intense, elaborate and brutal continuation of the Hana Westerman Thriller series. I would recommend reading this book without reading the synopsis, but as to be expected with Michael Benett’s books, the allure to his work isn’t necessarily who commits these crimes, but <i>why</i>.

I requested an ARC of this in exchange for review, so thank you Grove Atlantic for providing me with a copy of this through Net Galley.

The third instalment in this series follows Hana alongside the characters we’ve all grown to love over the course of the other books, along with some new and well-written additions to the whānau. As to be expected, Hana is dragged straight back out of her happy place and somewhat episodic peaceful life to pursue justice.

Bennett returns by reminding readers of his background as a screenwriter, crafting each chapter as a vivid scene from an episode with rich imagery, compelling twists and turns, complex characters and an addictive pace that kept me both eager and hungry to turn the page.

As a wahine Māori, I’m always so enamoured by how Bennett includes Te Ao Māori in his work. This entire series delves into this nuanced and well-written conflict Hana, a wahine Māori faces as a former police officer despite her understanding of the injustices many Māori have with the justice system. We also see different elements of her life intertwined with Te Ao Māori, like being back on her papakāinga, her pā, and with her hapū and wider community. Matariki, tā moko and kirituhi were beautifully handled in inviting readers into those experiences, and I hope those not familiar with Te Ao Māori can come to appreciate them without feeling overwhelmed.

I think my favourite element of this book was its exploration into the characters, as it often is with Bennett’s work. He has this extraordinary ability to shape such complex, multifaceted characters who feel so deeply human, flawed and real – then fully embraces it.

I know this hasn’t released at the time I post this, but hooked and eagerly anticipating the next instalment.

4.5

(2.5 stars)
Carved in Blood is the second book I have read by Michael Bennett. Initially I was drawn in by the Māori culture threaded through the books, with lots of in-language words that are explained in the text: Pāua are large, edible sea snails, known elsewhere as abalone. They're a protected species... The best divers call pāua 'black gold'". This time I found the writing clunky rather than atmospheric: "Everyone knows what a visit to the Desert Road means. The Desert Road is an area in the central plateau of the North Island that's as bleak and barren as the name suggests."

This book definitely requires you to have read the preceding book(s) in the Hana Westerman series to understand the relationships and why the shooting of Jaye matters. There are plenty of (also clunky) references back to events that happened in these books: "He was badly injured in the course of her final investigation, losing his lower leg when a boobytrapped vehicle exploded." I think as a result it felt less about solving a crime and more 'days of our lives' with Hana's relationships at the forefront.

While the book does try to address systemic racism against New Zealand's Māori, it's all done by telling rather than showing: "She knows fifty-three per cent of the prison population is Māori. Māori are only seventeen per cent of the New Zealand population." Probably the best bit of descriptive writing in the book was about tā moko, traditional Māori tattooing that tells the story of someone's identity, lineage and connection to culture: "The lines carved into his skin, his whakapapa, the connections between him and the generations of ancestors whose blood had been handed down and now runs in his veins." If Bennett had taken the time to integrate these elements into the narrative more seamlessly, this would be a better book.

Another great entry in this series. They are dark and this one is very emotional and tense but really well done. I look forward to many more adventures.

This was a strong third entry in the Hana Westerman series, it had that thriller element that I was looking for and enjoyed the overall feel of this book. The characters had that same feel and worked with the storyline going on. Michael Bennett always writes a strong writing style and was glad I got to continue this series.

My appreciation for this series is unparalleled as it deepens my knowledge of Māori culture and sheds light on the systemic challenges Māori folks continue to face. This novel also explores immigrant communities in New Zealand, providing insight into the immigrant experience, especially in situations where interpretation is needed for crucial communication.

This is the 3rd novel in the Hana Westerman Thriller universe and I enjoyed returning back to the group of characters that I have grown so attached to. I definitely recommend reading the first 2 books in the series first to gain context of the characters and the state of their relationships since it has been a labor of love to get to this stage.

The engagement of Addison and PLUS 1 and all the events that follow are a whirlwind of a journey in finding out who was the assailant and how justice will be served. With multiple POVs, it occasionally felt as if a lot was happening, but I appreciated the context it provided since it offered a unique and engaging reading experience. This book felt like a bridge to the next in the series, however, I appreciated the setup and am excited for the upcoming installments.

Thank you NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for providing me with an ARC of this ebook!

This was my first introduction to Michael Bennett’s series, and I was drawn to the opportunity to explore a story deeply rooted in Māori culture, set during the sacred Matariki celebrations. The premise was compelling: Hana Westerman’s tranquil life is shattered when her ex-husband is shot, pulling her into an investigation involving organised crime, old undercover cases, and themes of loyalty and justice.

While the cultural insights and family dynamics added depth, the execution didn’t quite meet my expectations. The plot felt somewhat predictable, and some subplot threads, while promising, weren’t fully explored. I found myself wishing for greater complexity and cohesion to match the richness of the cultural and thematic backdrop.

That said, I believe fans of the series will enjoy reconnecting with Hana and her world, and this book offers an interesting glimpse into Māori traditions. For those seeking a culturally rich mystery, it’s worth considering, even if it didn’t fully resonate with me.

I’d love to hear how others found this instalment or how it compares to earlier books in the series!

Carved in Blood is set to be released on 15 July 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for providing an uncorrected proof of Carved in Blood in exchange for my honest review.

#CarvedInBlood #MichaelBennett #NetGalley #ARCReview #MāoriCulture

Carved in blood was an amazing read, Michael Bennett managed to fit so much thriller and drama into only a couple of hundred pages .

I requested this book from NetGalley because I like to read novels set in a different culture, and the blurb promised this. Had I received it as a library book, I would have dnf’d by the 15% point, given its annoying writing style—the use of the present tense rather than the far more common, and easier to understand, past tense. As receiving a NetGalley book entails providing a review, I persevered, using a start and stop reading style. I’d read a few chapters, stop and read another book, then read a few more chapters, stop when I got bored, etc., until I finally finished.

There are numerous Māori words and phrases scattered throughout the book, but at no point did I experience the feeling of being immersed in the cultural context. There were speeches about the prejudices that the dark-skinned natives experienced, but it was all “tell”, no “show”. There were a few well-written scenes, but they were scenes, not in-depth explorations of how the characters felt, or how their backgrounds affected their psychological coping mechanisms. I felt that I was reading an amateurish attempt at producing a thriller. Stock villain, who was identified by the Māori protagonist at the 65% point. Then a chase, with an incomplete ending.

1.5 rating, moved up.

Thanks to Grove Atlantic for providing an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinions.

This was a great book! I think it was entertaining, fast paced, and kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen. I like the way this author tells the story, and how that characters are written. I did enjoy this book!



Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!