I've always enjoyed Rob Sinclair's novels but was dubious when he brought out this series as there were so many others writing in this genre.
However, each one has gone from strength to strength and I find myself fascinated by the back story of Dani, Ben and Jason whilst intrigued as to how each case in these stand alone novels will pan out.
Obviously intelligently written, engaging throughout with a solid plot and likeable characters, I will look forward to the next in the series.

DI Dani Stevens didn’t have long before a meeting with Clinton Harrison and his lawyer to decide if he was being charged with murder or something else. The newspaper article hadn’t helped and they were still going through witness statements plus mobile phone footage. She wasn’t happy to do so unless there was conclusive proof or he confessed but just before the meeting she was called away to another crime scene, passing the buck to DCI McNair.

DI Dani Stephens and DS Aaron Easton were called to Kibble House where they found the bloodied bodies of Annie and Terry Eccles in their blood drenched bed. There was an axe and baseball bat beside the bed that looked liked the murder weapons. Further investigation of the house found two wills, one dated two years ago from a solicitor not too far away and a draft drawn up more recently but not signed where the children were not due to get anything from the will. Eric was the only one of the children to gain out of the second will as he had shares in his father’s company along with the Werners.

One night outside her home, Dani is attacked by two men who threaten her to stop investigating the case or else! Jason hears her scream, calls the police and comes out to help so the attackers jump in their car and escape. Luckily Dani isn’t seriously hurt but she isn’t sure which case they mean as she has been delving into both the Harrison case and Eccles case. Although this doesn’t stop her, it just makes her more determined to get her attackers locked up!

Had the murderer taken the original will? Could the Werners be behind the killings? Could someone in the family be behind it? Trying to get straight answers from anyone connected to the case is difficult as they are either elusive or slippery as eels.

This is book four in the DI Dani Stephens series but the first time I have read them. I totally enjoyed reading this thrilling story which combined two different cases and pushed Dani and her team to get them solved. They seem to work really well as a team even though Dani has problems in her personal life. I need to read the other books in the series as going forward, this is a series I could grow to love.

I am currently on book 3 of this series so will write a proper review when up to date. I have rated it 4 stars as I have enjoyed all the books in the series so far.

I like this gripping and entertaining series as the stories are well written and the characters interesting.
This new instalment is no exception and it kept me reading.
The plot is tightly knitted and well paced, the character development is good and the mystery, full of twists and turns, kept me guessing.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

It starts with a vicious, brutal murder of a married couple. When DI Dani Stephens is called to investigate, she and her team start with family and friends first.

Not finding any evidence, or DNA, or even a motive for the killings, Dani turns her attention to the male victim's apparent successful business.

What she uncovers are lies and secrets among family members. Did one of them commit this horrible crime? Is the business partner responsible. Who's lying and who's telling the truth?

When she gets too close to the truth, her own life is threatened. Someone wants Dani to stop looking ... and will do whatever it takes to keep some secrets hidden from the light of day.

Although 4th is the series, this is easily read as a stand alone. A running story throughout, the reader learns about her brother ... the brother who tried to kill her. She is in a relationship that seems to be working .. but there's always worry on Dani's part. This is a well-written police procedural with outstanding characters. The action is non-stop and the suspense starts at the very first and maintains a high level until the final explosive, unexpected conclusion.

Many thanks to the author / Bloodhound Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

The Bonds of Blood is the fourth instalment in the Detective Inspector Dani Stephens series set in and around the city of Birmingham in the West Midlands, in particular the areas of Sutton Coldfield and Little Aston. The prologue opens with Annie and Terry Eccles, a seemingly happy and loyal couple, in bed sleeping with Terry dreaming he's in a bar having a sexual encounter with a young, leggy blonde. When Terry opens his eyes, though, he realises he's... at home in the marital bedroom. He realises he is being struck and both he and the bedsheets are soaking wet. His eyes eventually adjust to the light and are met with the scarlet red of more blood than he has ever seen before and Annie begging for her life. The tall masked figure obscuring the doorway then jumps onto the bed straddling him and bringing down the axe against his head again and again. Very quickly after the vicious, blood-soaked attack began both Annie and Terry are dead. DI Stephens is called in to initiate the investigation into such a brutal and merciless slaughtering of a normal couple. The Eccles’ were a successful pair with a grown-up family and were pretty much empty nesters. Terry was a prominent and wealthy property developer alongside his business partners and they didn't appear to have any enemies. Who would have motive to murder them both this horrifically? It certainly seems from the amount of violence inflicted that it was personal rather than a simple burglary gone wrong.

On closer inspection, it becomes apparent that the family were nowhere near as squeaky clean as purported and a series of dirty dealings, secrets, lies, betrayals and duplicity swiftly come to the fore as well as issues of domestic violence, infidelity and alcoholism. The more Dani delves into the couple's past, the more it seems this golden family conceal some earth-shattering skeletons. Beneath the comfortable veneer lie uncomfortable truths, truths that more than one person will do anything to keep under wraps. Meanwhile, Dani is also involved in looking into a murder following a road traffic collision, which seems to be an open and shut case. This is a riveting and compulsive police procedural with plenty of thrills and a huge cache of secrets squirrelled away just ready to be uncovered by wily detectives. The plot is expertly woven with a decent suspect pool, albeit comprised of family, friends and business associates, and a perpetrator who remains concealed to the end. The facade of the family and their reputation locally are soon smashed to smithereens as their indulgent lifestyles and blatant misdeeds unravel for all to see. Throughout it remains believable and is cleverly told and once again Dani ends up in an extremely dangerous situation as she comes up against people acting like cornered animals. Told from Dani’s present-day perspective and Terry’s past one, this is a drama-filled, twisty and intense read. Highly recommended.

Dani is working on a case that's a little different. This one is full of betrayal, a large cast of suspects, and plenty of twists. I was stunned by the reveals.. Dani is still adjusting in her personal life but is bombarded from all sides. I can't wait to see what's next for Dani.

The fourth of a series of which this is the first I have read. It is fine to read as a stand alone. There are references to past events which helped me to understand the detective , Dani . There is a lot going on in this book, but it is believable and does not come across as confusing . Probably a realistic picture of police life.
The crime and investigation is well described, though at times I did not follow the detectives way of thinking, it became apparent quite quickly . There are quite a few twists in the story and the pace is fast-moving and keeps the reader interested.
I liked the characters on the whole and although there was some explanation of their relationships to each other, I occasionally felt that it was based on something from a book earlier in the series. Definitely not criticism though, perhaps more a feeling that I`ve come to the party late !
Thank you to Net Galley, Canelo and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Another author to add to my must read list !

Secrets And Truths...
Book four in the DI Dani Stephens series of novels and there’s a killer on the loose. A seemingly perfect couple are found violently murdered in their bed. An exploration of the past uncovers secrets and truths and soon Dani herself may be in danger. A tension mounting read with a credible cast and a worthy addition to the series.

I love all of Robs work. The Carl Logan/James Ryder series, and all his stand alone novels, and this one, his Dani Stephen’s series. This one, of course, is not a disappointment and has all the elements that we have come to know and expect. Roll on the next one

DI Dani Stephens returns in The Bonds of Blood and it is another fast moving, rollercoaster of a read as the action comes thick and fast.

As usual the author, Rob Sinclair, doesn’t spare Stephens from being exposed to danger as she investigates a pair of strange murders.

If you have read the previous books in the series then you will enjoy The Bonds of Blood and whilst it can still be enjoyed as a stand-alone the backstory of the previous ones in the series will help you fully enjoy it.

Recommended

This is book four in this series and, although the main story is self contained, you might want to start from the beginning and read in order. If for no other reason than backstory and character development. Dani Stephens is a very complex character with an interesting past which does intrude in her present, both personal and professional, so...
Annie and Terry Eccles are brutally murdered. In their house, in their bed. They are successful people with a grown family, no apparent enemies, so who would want them dead? Or is it a burglary gone wrong? Enter DI Dani Stephens and her team to investigate.
We then flit between the present day investigation and Terry's past which adds colour and context to what happened in the present. It starts to open up threads and motives that could form part of what happened. Unearthing secrets and lies, and more than a healthy slice of duplicitous behaviour that helped me try and second guess Dani and her team in their investigation...
It's well plotted and fast paced. There is no superfluous waffle or padding save for the usual series arcs and Dani's personal stuff, but nothing more than you would expect or indeed want from a series book. This means that it gets on with itself very well and the insertion of the past into the present also helps to progress things nicely.
All in all a solid addition to a series that is shaping up nicely. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Canelo for the ARC.

This is Book#4 in the DI Dani Stephens series, and just as captivating as the three previous ones. It reads reasonably well as a standalone with intermittent explanations given on Danni's and boyfriend Jason's backgrounds; however, reading the books in sequence would be a good idea.

Whilst investigating the death of 12-yr old Tyler Harrison in an apparent traffic accident whilst he was enjoying a bike ride with father Clinton, and his father's subsequent fatal beating of the driver of the vehicle involved, Dani and her team switch their focus to the double murder of Annie and Terry Eccles. Eccles Holdings were in the property business - building, developing, letting and maintenance. Terry was in partnership with Peter Werner.
The Eccles' had 4 grown-up children, 3 boys and one girl. But, as Dani and her team necessarily delve into the family relationships, cracks begin to appear - who really has a motive to kill their parents?

The investigation opens up sibling rivalries, family frictions, jealousies and recriminations. Is the Eccles' Will the motive?

Throughout we continue to follow Dani's and Jason's relationship, and Dani's relationship with her brother Ben. Dani has a decision to make.

A complex, multi-layered story which leads the reader forward to Book#5. Well-written and with believable dialogue and great team characterisation.

DI Dani Stephens #4

**TRIGGER WARNING** this story covers: infidelity, domestic violence and alcoholism.

Annie and Terry Eccles seemed to have it all, until the night they were brutally murdered in their bed. Called in to head up the case, DI Dani Stephens delves into the couples past, quickly realising that beneath the comfortable veneer of the apparent golden family, lies uncomfortable truths.

DI Dani Stephens and her team have been called in to investigate a double murder. They have to look closely at the victims family and they discover they are all hiding their own secrets. The characters are complex but believable and the plotline is multi-layered. I liked the authors style in writing this book. It held my attention throughout. There's plenty of twists and suspects to choose from. There's also another story being told at the same time about a case Dani and her team were investigating.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #Canelo and the author #RobSinclair for my ARC of #TheBondsOfBlood in exchange for an honest review.

DI Dani Stephens is back in Rob Sinclair's latest novel and book 3 in the series. She is investigating the murder of Terry & Annie Eccles. The couple seem to have it all, a successful business, grown up children doing well, but underneath all is not what it seems. A well written police procedural novel. I enjoyed this book which was told in past and present day. I love the character of Dani and her team. Her brother Ben, who tried to kill her in an earlier novel also gets mentioned. Lots of drama, twists and turns and a good ending.

I've been enjoying this detective series ever since I read the first book back in 2019, and I've been looking forward to meet up with DI Dani Stephens again ever since I finished the previous book last July. There is just something about her character that speaks to me, and she always seems to get herself wrapped up in the most intriguing and dangerous cases... The Bonds Of Blood is already book number four and most definitely doesn't disappoint. While slightly different than the first three books (no serial killer this time around), we still get plenty of action, danger and an intriguing case and investigation. Fans of darker and suspenseful detective thrillers won't be disappointed!

First of all I have to say that I would recommend reading these books in order as you won't be able to understand the character development and background of the different characters in play. The cases they have to investigate do stand on their own, but there is significant personal development involved in all three previous books that set the tone for book four. Dani Stephens is a fascinating character: her serial killer twin almost killed her and left her with brain damage that took a long time to sufficiently recover from to start working again... Talk about a 'killer' background! The attack changed her life forever, and the events of the previous books changed the the lives of multiple characters drastically as well. All reasons to make sure to read the books in order! They are all well worth the read in the first place.

Like I said before, The Bonds Of Blood has a slightly different feel as we don't have a serial killer case on our hands this time around. Instead, we have 'just one' brutal double murder to investigate as well as a fatal accident turned attack turned murder in the background. But no worries: the plot will still have plenty of suspense, danger, plot twists, secrets and lies for us in store! While I did guess some of the plot twists as well as the identity of the killer early on, as a whole I still had an excellent time reading this sequel. I could have done without the cheating element, but then again I never like it when this element pops up in a story... The rest of the plot does mostly make up for it though.

The writing is once again solid and makes it really easy to fly through the pages. While things can be said about the credibility of certain aspects of the plot (some parts, especially those with a high danger level, might seem a bit over the top), there is no denying that The Bonds Of Blood is addictive and highly entertaining. I do love my detective and crime thrillers on the dark and suspenseful side, and this series keeps delivering exactly that. Another excellent installment!

A solid four star read. Great premise. Well written. Good characters. Page turner. Plenty of suspense to keep me guessing Would definitely read his next novel. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

As always, Rob Sinclair delivers! I correlate my reading experience with the game Clue. I did not foresee what would happen, as I usually do with these types of books. It kept me on my toes! When a couple is murdered in bed, it's up to Dani Stephens to figure out who did it and why!

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. Fast paced very enjoyable thriller that will have you hooked from the beginning.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Canelo for an advance copy of The Bonds of Blood, the fourth novel to feature DI Dani Stephens of the West Midlands Police.

Annie and Terry Eccles are an apparently successful couple with a grown family, so why would someone brutally butcher them in their bed? DI Dani Stephens is determined to find out and the more she and her team dig the more secrets they uncover.

I enjoyed The Bonds of Blood, which has a compulsive, well thought out plot with several suspects and a well concealed perpetrator. This is a different kind of novel in that the suspect pool is limited to family, friends and acquaintances rather being wide open. That means that the concentration is on motive and opportunity, allowing the author a deep dive into what soon becomes a recognisably dysfunctional family.

The format is, maybe not unusual, but not quite standard either to a police procedural. It slips between Dani’s present day investigation and the months before Terry’s death, telling from his point of view the struggles he had in his life. I didn’t find this latter particularly interesting and skim read much of it, only concentrating the salient parts, namely why each character had a motive. The investigation is much more interesting as the team goes about unearthing information about the family and overcoming resistance from them. Of course, it wouldn’t be a DI Dani Stephens book without her encountering violence and injury, so apart from a few minor scuffles earlier in the novel, the big denouement puts her in danger. It is well done but I think the motive got lost in all the action as it seems a bit muddled.

There are hints of possible change for Dani, but I’m not sure if it is simply another red herring in her eternal quest for justice. In this novel she is the same gung-ho, relentless detective she has always been.

The Bonds of Blood is a good read that I can recommend.