That least expectation for a good read that turned into quite an enjoyable and thrilling read for me. Love the theme and the whole plot idea: an engaging crime mystery that explored a thorough culture details and how colonization and the unhealed brutalities from hundred years ago could affected a person into becoming a serial killer.

Set in the city of Auckland, the narrative followed Hana Westerman, a Māori detective who juggles in between her single motherhood and pressures from an ongoing case to uncover a crime scene that was led through a mysterious death video that was sent from an unknown sender. Her investigation gets her to a chilling connection with a historic crime from 160 years ago during Btitish colonization of New Zealand when a troop of soldiers unjustly executed a Māori Chief. Her pursuit became tangled with her personal past with more frightening murders and worse still, the serial deaths were now terrifyingly related to her own family.

Love how the author humming the plot with a galore of tensions, creating an insight and motive to relate it with a descriptive historical backdrop and blended it with cultural and societal views— on prejudice, colonialism impacts as well as in finding identity and loyalty to one’s roots. Interesting dynamics for the characters especially for Hana (love her tough and introverted character) and the killer (you’re too spooky and unexpected!). Love the interactions between Hana and Stan (he was so obediently nice), and Jaye was so helpful though I don’t fancy much with their complicated history but I kind of like his detective inspector’s character.

It gets so dense and tautly plotted in the middle with chapters of perspective from the killer. Quite pacey and twisty and I like that bits of Māori language (te reo) in between its narration. A recommendation for thriller fans if you want an authentic cultural related crime plot with nerve-racking conflicts and details on both police and court procedural stuff. 4.3 stars to this!

Thank you Pansing Distribution for sending me a proof copy of the book!