Worthy Addition…
The eighth in the Hazel Best and Gabriel Ash series of mysteries and another worthy addition to this series with a solid, down to earth backdrop, well drawn characters and wry, sly humour and this time with a rather unusual case to solve.

This isn't the first in the series, and although I enjoyed it as a stand-alone crime thriller, based around people trafficking, I felt the back-story between Gabriel and Hazel was key to understanding their relationship and how it played a key part in the plot line. Plenty of sarcastic one- liners from the taciturn Gorman, and interesting characters who brought the story to life. Recommend reading the previous books on the series first.

China Roses may be the 8th outing in Jo Bannister’s Hazel Best and Gabriel Ash series, but I found that I could jump into this story and enjoy it completely even though it’s my first book. While there is obvious back story, enough is provided to make the plot fully understandable.

The plot is complicated, beginning with the discovery of an unidentified man, found on a Norbold side street, who appears to have been severely beaten and to have suffered a head injury. Hazel is one of the detectives investigating this case and, upon seeing the unconscious man, realizes she knows him. When he awakens, David has no recall of what happened to him.

From there events spiral out of control. There are major ups and downs in the lives of all the major characters over the course of this story, along with some very bittersweet moments. The characters are well drawn and I liked the interactions between DCI Dave Gorman and Hazel. As for Hazel and Gabriel, it will take reading more than one book in this series to understand their complicated relationship. So I think I am now committed to a new series.

Recommended, a procedural with a heavy emphasis on relationships and characters.

A copy of this book was provided by Severn House through NetGalley in return for an honest review

This is the 8th book in the Best and Ash series but can easily be read as a stand alone. It's a complicated plot with plenty twists and interesting characters. The conclusion was surprising, leaving me wanting to read the next installment. A strong emphasis on the relationships between the characters and an intriguing plot, makes this a worthwhile read which I would recommend. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

This book is part of a series which on this occasion l believe you would benefit from having read the previous books. DC Hazel Best has history with a man found beaten up in Norbold. When he comes round in hospital he has amnesia they must retrace his steps to find a possible crime. Helping DC Hazel is Gabriel Ash who has helped her in past investigations. This relationship is put under severe strain in this investigation. Can it survive? This is an unusual police investigation that relays in part on retracing steps of an amnesiac but leads to so much more at a fast pace. The personal relationships are more difficult to follow and care about if you have not read previous stories.
I was given an arc of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Not quite what I expected but did work it out quickly. I bit of a shame really as could have been a great story. All it needed was for the name of the florist to not be mentioned previously and that would have made it much more suspenseful

This is the third book I read in this series and always found them gripping and entertaining.
This one is no exception and kept me guessing and hooked.
It's a complex plot, full of twists and turns. It starts with a beaten man found on the street and evolves into a murder mystery. Problem is that the possible killer/main witness suffered from a concussion and his memories are spotty.
I think that Gabriel and Hazel are two very interesting and complex characters. I like them and I'm curious what will be next.
The author is a good storyteller, delivers a well plotted story that never drags and I like the character development.
I had a lot of fun in reading this book because, even if it's gritty at times, there's also plenty of humour.
Can't wait to read the next story.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I really enjoyed this book. It was a great storyline with excellent characters. I would highly recommend this book as it was a great read.

DC Hazel Best has a real mystery on her hands- and some heartache- when David Sperrin, a friend (sort of) is found beaten in the street near her home. He has no idea how or why he was there but he's convinced he had something to do with the death of a young Asian woman. Unforunately, her BFF Gabriel can't serve as her sounding board because he's consumed with his own problem- the return of his evil ex-wife- that he can't share with Hazel. This is a nicely complex topical procedural with the clues laid down along the way, although the reader, like Hazel and her colleagues, well, no spoilers from me. I'm a fan of this series, which has a gentle tilt in many ways but is also quite gritty. I suspect a new reader might not find it as rewarding as those who have followed along wit Hazel, Gabriel, and Patience (although she's not as important in this installment) but do give it a try. The characters are good and the plots twist back and forth. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Great read- fans will be pleased and like me very interested in what comes next.

Reading this novel broke one of my cardinal rules of reading. If I am reading a series of books with recurring characters, I try as much as possible to read them in order.

China Roses is the 8th in the Hazel Best and Gabriel Ash series and I have only previously read the 5th book, Kindred Spirits. Like most series such as this one, each book is a standalone story and can be read without any knowledge of the previous books however an understanding of the back story is always beneficial.

Here, an acquaintance of Hazel is found badly beaten and with no memory of being attacked or why he ended up in her home town. Slowly, his memory returns in small flashes and Hazel must try and piece together why he was attacked, by whom and whether this is linked to a larger crime.

Alongside, this Gabriel Ash must deal with the reappearance of someone from his past which affects his relationship with Hazel.

After reading Kindred Spirits, my intention was to go back to the start and read through the series in order however the opportunity to read this novel in advance of publication was too good an opportunity to miss.

After reading this, my intention is NOW to go back and read the series from the start. This was an excellent novel from Bannister and even more enjoyable than the previous one I read which is saying something. What I love about this series is that it is not all action on every page. It could be described by some as something of a slow burner however I think this better represents a true police procedural.

In addition to a really enjoyable story, the complex relationship between Best and Ash is played out even more and I can't wait for the next book (please tell me there is a next one!) to see how this turns out.

I would recommend this book to anyone however learn from my mistake and enjoy the series from the start - that is what I intend to do now!

Thanks to Severn House/Cannongate Books and Netgalley for an advance review copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review

DC Hazel Best is called to investigate the savage attack on man. Hazel is surprised to see that she knows the victim. Who would have wanted to attack this man.. and why?

David Sperrin is someone from Hazel's past .. and the only reason he could be here is to see Hazel.

Sperrin's battered brain is creating problems. His last memory is of a girl dying in his arms. But who, and how? And why is there no body, no witnesses, no missing persons report?

He has no memory of the attack, or what led up to it and doesn't know why he'd come looking for Hazel. is it amnesia .. or is he hiding something?

Struggling to make sense of the situation, Hazel turns to her close friend Gabriel Ash for help. But Ash has problems of his own: one of his own ghosts has returned to haunt him. And the stakes are so high there’s no one, not even Hazel, he can confide in . . .

Suspenseful the start, it's fast-paced, with returning intriguing characters, as well as introducing new characters in the small town, that is usually so peaceful. It's a page turning story line leading to a surprising conclusion. Although 8th in the series, this is easily read as a stand alone. However I do recommend reading in order.

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

Are DC Hazel Best and her close friend Gabriel Ash detective fiction's "The Odd Couple"? If you have never met them before, China Roses can be read as a standalone without missing too much background to this long running friendship which could be so much more if each could unburden themselves of their past. And the past does return here for Gabriel Ash; as does an old friend, beaten up and suffering from memory loss, for Hazel Best. It's a very strong story, sparsely narrated (in the best sense) and with compelling characterisation. Set in small town rural England, this is an exceedingly impressive effort from the impeccable and ever-reliable Jo Bannister.

As a new reader of this series, I was continuingly baffled why a police officer has to enlict an ordinary book shop owner for backup and help with her investigations. There was no in-depth understanding or physical attributes on his part that I was able to see that would enable her in solving the case. In order to enjoy this book is not to question the obvious wrongs, but to treat it as it is a cozy mystery.

Thank you Netgalley and Canongate/Severn House for the eARC

From the publisher: No one ever said: “See Norbold and die.” So why would a man from DC Hazel Best’s past cross England in order to get himself beaten senseless in this uninspiring Midlands town? Everyone assumes he was looking for Hazel. She can't think why he would; and when David Sperrin wakes up, he can't think why he would either. Amnesia - or something to hide? Flashbacks as Sperrin’s battered brain recovers only make the case more troubling. His sharpest memory is of a girl dying in his arms. But who, and how? And why is there no body, no witnesses, no missing persons report? Struggling to make sense of the situation, Hazel turns to her close friend Gabriel Ash for help. But Ash has problems of his own: one of his own ghosts has returned to haunt him. And the stakes are so high there’s no one, not even Hazel, he can confide in . . .

Jo Bannister writes in the mystery subgenre British Police Procedurals. They focus on one or more police officers solving crimes, with lots of reference to terms like DCI (Detective Chief Inspector), SOCO (scenes of crime officer), and WPC (woman police constable, thankfully not as common as it used to be). If you’ve watched and enjoyed the TV series Broadchurch or Inspector Morse, you are already a fan.

Bannister tends to focus on one series, then move on to another. (I’m still hoping she’ll revisit her Castlemere series one day). Her current series is about a police officer, Hazel Best, and her complicated relationship with her friend Gabriel Ash. Ash is a man suffering from severe PTSTD, and Hazel first met him during the course of an investigation. They’ve long moved past being officer and witness, but haven’t quite crossed into girlfriend and boyfriend. Hazel is passionate about life, her friends, and her job; Ash is highly intelligent and extremely loyal.
I like both Best and Ash, and I particularly like reading a series that presents PTSTD in an empathetic way. Ash’s therapist suggested he get a dog. He talks to the dog, a white lurcher, and she talks back telepathically. Does she really, or is that his way of coping with his stress and anxiety? It doesn’t really matter – the dog is one of the best parts of the series.

Bannister is great at presenting both characters of depth and interesting mysteries. She also excels at drawing emotional relationships between members of the opposite sex who are not romantic pairs.

China Roses is the eighth book in the Best and Ash series and it’s the best one since book four. Bannister tackles human trafficking and ups the tension between Hazel and Gabriel. There’s not enough of the dog Patience in the series – there never is – but we finally see a little more of Gabriel’s young sons. I highly recommend this series to lovers of police procedurals and all things British. The first book in the series is Deadly Virtues.

I read an advance reader copy of China Roses from Netgalley. It is scheduled to be published in early September, which gives you plenty of time to read the first seven books in the series! The Galesburg Public Library will own it in print and as an ebook.

Thank you Netgalley and Canongate/Severn House for the eARC.
DC Hazel Best is called in to investigate the severe beating of a man, when she realizes she reconizes him. His name is David Sparrin and she's known him since childhood, but has no idea why he would be in her area. When he finally comes to, he has no idea why he's there and what happened, but eventually he remembers a dying girl in his arms, but that's about it. But who was she and what happened to her body?
In the meantime Gabriel has his own problems and unfortunately these cause a rift between him and Hazel.
This was a twisty mystery involving people smuggling and a dangerous killer. I love the 'conversations' between Gabriel and Patience, his lurcher. More of those please!
The ending was disturbing to me and I hope things will be cleared up in the next book! It's part of a great series and definitely recommended,