Very good story, even more if you love books about police, investigations and chasing the bad guys. It was wonderful concept for the plot. It made me cry sometimes to think people are so cruel, yet we know they are. Human trafficking is one of the worst things in this world and they way author put it down to children makes you so damn sad.
Great investigation by both detectives. I actually didn't see it coming until that final arrest. So that shows great writing.

When I read the blurb for A Message in Blood by Catherine Maiorisi, I really wanted to get the novel. The blurb sounded really exciting, and just my kind of book. I also knew that Ms. Maiorisi is an excellent writer so I was sure the book would be good. There was just one problem. This is the third book in the “Chiara Corelli Mystery” series, and I haven’t read the first two novels. Reading this book before I read the first two would be breaking my “always read a series in order” rule. But hey, rules are made to be broken, right? Yes, I broke my rule and got the novel, and I’m very glad I did.

This is one of the best investigative mysteries I’ve read in a very long time. The story follows NYPD Detective Chiara Corelli and her partner Detective P.J. Parker as they are sent to a very politically sensitive murder scene. The three murder victims are a U.S. Senator, a mega church pastor and a music industry mogul. As they follow the leads in this crime, the two detectives find the real victims are not necessarily the three murdered men, but the children involved in a child sex-trafficking ring these men have been involved in. Not only do Corelli and Parker have to find the killers, they have to root out the people running the trafficking ring and also deal with those who want the investigation covered up.

It’s been a while since I’ve read such an exciting mystery novel. The plot is complex and intriguing, with twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the end. The main characters are very well developed but the secondary characters, and especially the bad guys, are equally well done. The pace of the plot is perfect. It seemed like the story never slowed. There was always something new happening. Even with the heavy subject matter, there is also a positive, upbeat feeling to the story, especially toward the end, and not just about the investigation. A lot of this feeling is because of the characters themselves.
I do need to give a trigger warning for this novel. There is discussion of child sexual trafficking. It is not graphically shown happening in real time, but the investigation does involve finding and punishing the perpetrators of the ring, so there are discussions of it in the story. Also, Corelli is experiencing PTSD from losing her partner during her service in the Middle East, and there are discussions of the symptoms and therapies for those suffering PTSD.

I’m very glad I read this novel. The mystery and investigation is complete and I never felt I was missing something I needed from the earlier books. Having said that, I definitely want to go back now and read the earlier books in this series. This novel has my highest recommendation, and if the earlier stories are anything like this one, they will also have the same recommendation.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bella Books for an honest review.

In this third novel in the Chiara Corelli Mystery series, Chiara and P.J. are singled out by their commander to handle a high profile and highly sensitive murder investigation. The bodies of a senator, a preacher and billionaire promoter have been found naked and covered in blood in the billionaire’s home. A message scrawled in blood on a mirror indicates this is more than a deadly orgy. It’s up to Corelli and Parker to solve the case while keeping the privacy of all involved out of the public eye.

Maoirisi delivers another excellent crime drama, this time touching on child trafficking and handles what could be a horrific scenario with a careful hand and a lot of compassion. Seeking justice for those involved shows us how well Corelli and Parker have grown as a team. Corelli has come a long way finding resources to help her manage her PTSD and we learn more about P.J.’s past which adds another level of depth to my new favourite crime fighting duo. This case had plenty of possible perps and it was fun working through the clues and motives. The secondary characters show their support and add warmth and humanity to these detectives and the crimes they solve.

I hope this isn't the last we see of this series and these detectives. I’d love to see more cases to solve and relationships to grow in Corelli and Parker’s future, even if they are with different women.

A pleasure to read.

ARC received with thanks from publisher via NetGalley for review.

Chiara Corelli is a NYPD Detective and her partner, whom she is mentoring, is Detective P.J. Parker. Parker is also a former ADA. One night they are called to a gruesome scene where a U.S. Senator, the pastor of a mega church, and a self-made music industry billionaire, have been found dead and unclothed in the billionaire's house.

The book provides a detailed account of their investigation, the evidence that they collect and gather over time, the possible suspects that they interview, the witnesses that they locate, and ultimately the identification of the killer. There is so much activity occurring in the book that I don't want to provide details in the review to give away any plot items. Suffice it to say that the author likely conducted a wealth of research in order to write the detailed nuances of this book.

I did not read the two other Chiara Corelli Mystery Series books before reading this book since it was promoted that it could be read as a stand alone book. I did find that this was the case, although it would have been nice to have some of the background that I did not have.

I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery/thriller with the twist in possible outcomes as the story evolved. The only downside for me was the numerous characters in this story, probably greater than 30. But that's just a personal preference topic that I prefer books with less characters. Overall this was a spectacularly written book. 4.5 stars

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love a good lesbian detective novel and this one is an excellent example as to why, there is nothing more satisfying as reading about a network of strong women, mostly queer who work together to find justice for women and girls. Fantasy? Maybe but a good one. In this book the author wanted to shine a light on the horror of child sex trafficking and I think she did an excellent job. Called in to investigate the murder of three prominent men, Detective Chiara Corelli and P.J. Parker are horrified by the scene and what they find hidden in a closet upstairs, furious and determined that there will be no cover up, they are continually shocked by the extent and reach of the child sex trafficking they uncover.
I found many aspects of the story believable, some familiar from stories that have already emerged in the media. At times I almost felt there was wish fulfilment going on, as certain key people were brought to justice and unable to buy their way out of trouble but that only adds to the enjoyment of the book. It was also good to read about some girls being rescued and looked after by loving caring people rather than ending up in the care system. I know anyone who works with cases like these often fights the urge to take every broken child home so it was another pleasing wish fulfilment part of the book. The author doesn't shy away from the horrors of child sex trafficking, her focus is on the rage of the detectives and the impact on the girls rather than presenting anything exploitative, so in that case I don't think that it's too triggering. Instead it raises interesting questions about a society that turns a blind eye to so many stories of neglected and abused children.
This is the third nook in a trilogy and I hadn't read the first two but was still able to follow the story, Corelli's ex military cop is a familiar one and I would really like to see and hear more about Parker a Black police detective and ex ADA. I enjoyed the way their working relationship developed and how they didn't shy away from exploring racism. Corelli is also healing from PTSD again, a familiar story line but one handled with sensitivity and with a view to healing which is different from the hard drinking broken person narrative. I also found the story arc of the singer who was discovered at a young age and then abused and exploited believable and presented in a non exploiting way. There is a lot in this book which really shows the power of a good crime novel especially with a network of kick ass, mostly female, mostly queer people determined to do what they can in a corrupt society.

With thanks to the publisher and net galley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

5*

'A message in blood' is brilliant! The depth and research that must have gone into this book must have been extensive. Due to the nature of the story, sexual abuse, and child trafficking, it is obviously a very hard subject to read about, so it's not for everyone!. Hands down to the author again for tackling such a difficult subject to write about.
The book itself is a page-turner... a gripping murder mystery with plenty of twists and turns. This is the 3rd installment of the Chiara Corelli series, and just like 'A message in blood', the first 2 installments, 'A Matter of Blood' and 'The Blood Runs Cold' is a must-read.

In this case, we get to see another version of both the main characters, a more sensitive side to them and they both start to open up. We get to see how Corelli wants to take some form of control of her life again by dealing with her past. And Parker, we hear more about her childhood and whats made her who is she is today. And we start to see the 'working' partnership grow and them both starting to trust each other more.

NYPD Detective Chiara Corelli and her partner, Detective P.J Parker are summoned to a sensitive murder scene in the middle of the night. The victim's -a U.S Senator, the pastor of a megachurch, and a self-made music industry billionaire- appear to have been killed during a sex orgy. The pressure is mounting to cover up what has happened, but words that have been writing on a mirror enrage both detectives. And what they find in a hidden closet breaks their hearts. Both vow to find the killers and expose the unsavory lives of the men but also seeking justice for the reals victims of the crime. The children.

I was given a arc copy in exchange for a review...

This is the third book in the Chiara Corelli Mystery series, while the murder mystery is a standalone story, to fully appreciate the characters you have to read the first two books as well. In my opinion, you are missing out on a lot of details and a great part of understanding the story if you just read this book without having read the others.

Caution - the book deals with child abuse and rape. There are no gory details, but it all mentioned and can be a bit disturbing.

Corelli and Parker are summoned to a very sensitive murder scene, the victims are a senator, a pastor of a huge church, and a self-made billionaire. They are found in a rather compromising situation, naked and with clear evidence of recent sex in a room full of children's costumes. Corelli and Parker also find 3 very young girls hidden away and a clear message on the mirror in the sex room. Pressure mounts while the team works the murders and tries to protect the girls.

There is a lot happening during the investigation that I don't want to give away in this review, you should just read it yourself. As for the characters, lots of things happen as well and if you haven't read the previous books things just won't make a lot of sense. Corelli is a hard ass, maybe even a bit hard to like, but I like her, she has her struggles but I like how she is layered and in this book actually does some good self-reflection. Parker is a protecting character that we all need in our lives. It's nice that somethings fall into place in their personal lives while they are working on this horrible case. With the ending in this book it might just be the last one in the series. I would miss Corelli and Parker, but this ending seems rather fitting so I can't complain.

For me, this book is as much about a heinous crime as it is about unconditional support, friendship, family and love. Read books 1 and 2 and come back for this one. These books are worth it.

This is the latest part in the Chiara Corelli Mystery series and as far as I’m concerned the best one yet. I should say upfront, this book won’t be for everyone, it deals with the very difficult topic of child sex-trafficking and discusses this in graphic detail at times, however the uncomfortable nature of the topic is outweighed by the underlying relationships that thrive in this book.

Chiara is now beginning to gain public awareness for her work in a good light again after her previous battles due to her undercover work. Chiara is more aware of her own issues, especially with her PTSD and is more open to confronting her feelings and behaviours towards others. This growth from book one is one of my favourite parts of this book.

There is a general awareness throughout the book of how people interact with each other in all of the horrible ways. It discusses racism, cops, politicians, the military, family and many other things with an honesty that I found refreshing and at times profound. The way Maiorisi weaves these concepts through the narrative, giving each its moment and relevance to the overall narrative is masterfully done.

The complicated elements of love and loss and moving on are looked from many different perspectives. Chiara is opening her heart to the possibility of a relationship with Brett, and I especially love how Brett approaches this with her. P.J. has her own battles to fight with her past, and I love how she has grown and fits together with Chiara and her family.

Family is at the heart of much of the narrative, both in positive and negative ways. Chiara’s sister and her story arc in this book actually made me cry.

The mystery element of the book was done really well. As I mentioned it revolves around the very difficult topic of child sex trafficking and is graphic at times, so I had to take a break at times, but I think it’s done in a realistic and non-gratuitous manner. We’re kept in suspense until the very end as to the perpetrator and I enjoyed the twists that came with this storyline.

Whilst the book covers many hard topics, I find that upon reflection the feeling I was left with when I finished reading was warmth. Maiorisi finishes this book in a way that would neatly tie up the series should this be her choice, but I have to say I would love for her to continue to tell Chiara and P.J’s stories, especially at this high standard.

If you haven’t started this series yet, do.

I received an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I like Catherine Maiorisi's books. Especially Chiara Corelli. This one didn't disappoint. Generally in real life the rich and/or powerful manage to evade any accountability for their misdeeds so the fact that they did get their comeuppance was probably a bit incredulous but on saying that I do expect my fictional stories to have a good ending. Two separate but interconnecting investigations,

This was the third book in this mystery series. Detectives Chiara Corelli and P.J. Parker were handpicked to solve a very disturbing case. Three prominent men were murdered during a sex orgy: a senator, a pastor of a renowned church, and a music industry billionaire. That alone made this a highly sensitive case, but the message on the mirror, written in blood, described the heinous behavior of those murdered and the possible widespread fallout for those involved.

I enjoyed the relationship growth between the two partners and how they dealt with past emotional issues. I also liked how Parker shared her past in order to help others faced with the same issues. These were extremely emotional scenes.

There were also a few other deeply moving emotional scenes between Corelli and her family members, such as the conversation Chiara had with her brother-in-law about reconnecting with his gay son. However, I felt the most heartfelt and and heartbreaking scenes involved Chiara’s sister and her involvement with the case. On a personal level, Corelli and Parker each had someone special in their lives and the initial stages of romance blossomed.

I applaud the author for writing about a difficult topic concerning children. It’s a topic that needs to be written about and read because it deals with real life and crimes against the most innocent and vulnerable members of our society. I know some readers tend to shy away from certain topics because of the details. You don’t need to do so with this story. The author does not give any graphic details concerning the victims; instead she skillfully targets the detectives’ rage and anger at those responsible for the crimes committed and empathetic and compassionate scenes with the victims.

This was a very fast paced and well written mystery. There were many different characters involved within this storyline which added to the realistic feel of it.

Since this is a series, reading the other two books will give you additional background information on the characters. However, the author does provide snippets of information to help with the understanding. But no matter what, this is the book to read.

An ARC was given in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars. Another excellent murder mystery! This book is part 3 of the ‘Chiara Corelli Mystery’ series. Each book has its own mystery and can be read as a standalone in that respect, but I do think you’d miss out on some deeper insights into the mains; Detectives Chiara Corelli and P.J. Parker (and you’d miss out on some great books).

I remember reading the first book and not particularly liking Chiara at the start, but as it turned out, she is fighting her own demons (grief, PTSD) which causes her to lash out at others including those who want to help her. In book 1, I was slowly warming up to her towards the end. In book 2, she still has her moments, but I started to understand her and even though she’s still not always the nicest person you can see she is a good and loyal person. In this book, she’s acknowledging and working on her issues and I was absolutely rooting for her. I just loved to follow her on her journey. In this third installment you also get to know more about P.J.’s history, which has not been easy and I enjoyed the partnership between her and Chiara. They are so different, but they work. As this book is told in the third person from Chiara’s POV, you get more insight in Chiara than in P.J., but P.J.’s character still has plenty of depth. While there is a very slow-burn romance (not between the mains) spanning the three books, this is not the main focus and I wouldn’t recommend these books for the romance, although it is a nice added bonus.

These books are to be read for the mysteries and they are so good! This one starts out with the murder of three prominent men. They appear to have been murdered during a sex orgy, but soon they discover the involvement of children. Obviously, it is all politically sensitive and in no time the investigation is very intricate and I was engrossed until the end. Quite a lot of people are involved in the investigation and I found myself going over the details again after finishing the book. There are some things that might be a bit much of a coincidence for it to be completely realistic, but they did add to the mystery and I greatly enjoyed how everything was build up. There was one minor detail that still doesn’t seem to completely add up for me, (that’s the nerd in me, I have to understand everything), but it didn’t reduce my enjoyment of the book. The topic of (sexual) child abuse and trafficking is hard to stomach, but I felt that Maiorisi made good choices of adding enough detail for a police investigation, without becoming too explicit.

This is not a particularly short book (my reader indicated 285 pages), but, as there was so much information, the wrap up still felt a bit quick. However, everything from the murder case to their personal lives was addressed. I’m not sure if this is the last book of the series, but it could very well be. If it is, I’m happy with the ending, but at the same time I’m sad that there will be no more stories with P.J. and Chiara.

I love old-school murder mysteries and this is one of the better mysteries that I’ve read in a long time and I definitely recommend this book.

Before I read this book I read the first two because I wanted to know the MCs better.

Detective Chiara is a strong and brave woman she suffer loss does the right thing even if she knows it will hurt her. Rookie Detective P..J. is just as strong and brave who been through a lot in her life also but came out better for it.

They both are called to a scene where three important men are found murder and naked which looks like they were having a sex party but what more disturbing is what they find when they go upstairs that’s breaks their hearts.

As they investigate they keeps certain facts close because they don’t know if this was vigilante killing because of what they find out about these men or where they killed for something else all entirely.

I like that this author didn’t put the MCs together all though I like their dynamic I was kinda hoping they would but the love interests both the MCs have fit more for them even though we see more of Chiara love life then P.J. at the moment. I like the comment when Chiara say why every case we work on always involves a family member not being involve but some how connected without realizing it. Chiara has such a compassion family I do hope we get to see Chiara reconciliation with her parents especially her father.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.