🚨Such a tangled web with ruined children at its center🕸🕷

4-4.5 🌟 stars
The subject matter here is tragic: a family slaughtered on a home game night and a succession of unsolved disappearances of children in Northern England. The police investigation is well done, with plenty of suspense and questions of just how the police have underserved the children's families. It takes a quadruple murder to bring it to to Nikki Parekh's team and, despite some cruel public backlash for the team's diversity and presumed below par ability to get the case solved, Nikki is fearless in rising above the criticism and chasing down the killer and motive.

Interspersed with the investigation told from Nikki's perspective are glimpses into the mastermind's thoughts and the tragic story of "Lily," a young girl abducted near her home and kept sequestered by a child trafficking ring. Although Lily's history was heartbreaking and highly relevant to the contemporary crime, I found the vignettes from the bad guy and "Lily" s point of view less successful than the story told from Nikki's POV. This was not as fast-paced as I had hoped, until the climax at least, but I particularly liked that it focused on the murders and the trafficking, spending minor time on Nikki's personal issues. And red herrings helped keep the question of the identity of the head honcho culprit going through the bulk of the investigation. (I actually was tricked into guessing the wrong person🙃) It can be read as a standalone despite some references to previous family turmoil for Nikki and her sister Anika.

Nikki's squad works well together and natty-dresser Sajid is one of my favorite players. His bantering relationship with Nikki provides a nice bit of tension relief in the midst of the drama.

Thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Thank you HQ and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. IYKYK, my reviews are ALWAYS honest.

BEEP BEPP! Honda Civic Reliable read! 3.5 rounded up!

Writing: 3.5/5 | Plot: 3.5 | Ending: kinda abrupt/5

SYNOPSIS

A family is brutally killed while playing a game of Monopoly, but it seems that one player is missing. Could it be the killer????? Or is something even more sinister afoot?

MY OPINION

Ok I'm going off swiss cheese memory vibes here because I lost my Kindle while travelling home (DON'T get me started on this nightmare that was punctuated by having no power when we finally arrived at 3am), so forgive me if this isn't as detailed as my usual rants.

Anyways. I picked this up after seeing Maureen's lovely review because I'm a hoe for familicide (yes, I'm fked up). Tbh the start was a lil rocky for me: I liked the bants between Nikki and Saj, but the unnamed baddie POV was a lil corny. I actually had set it aside but picked up back up on my trip, and I'm glad I did. I HIGHLY recommend this book to those that read and enjoy police procedurals regularly – especially my senior queens. I can definitely see how this is a major banger for others. I think if I was new to the genre, like pre-Angela Marsons, I would've been screaming from the treetops that this is bangerlicious.

It has tons of entertainment value: a juicy familicide case that takes an even darker turn with flashbacks from one of the trapped girls and the baddie's pov. It might be a bit predictable to the seasoned reader, but I enjoyed how it all came together. If you're a fan of Alafair Burke's multi-prong plots from her Ellie Hatcher series, this will be an enjoyable read for you.

This is my first in the Nikki Parekh series (duh) and I think it works as a standalone. There's enough rehashing for you to get the gist of all the current storylines. Tbh I'm not too keen to go back and read the other books because some of the storylines seemed a bit too fantastical to me... but again, I can see the entertainment value for other readers.

What I really liked about this book was the diversity in characters in regards to ethnicity and sexuality. You also have blended families, which I know some readers enjoy. Really, there's something for everyone in this book.

My only rich homie qualms is the dialogue and the baddie's pov was a bit cheesy at times, it was predictable, and the ending was very abrupt and seemed random? Still, I wouldn't dissuade anyone from picking this up unless you don't like police procedurals. This is firmly your typical PP.

PROS AND CONS

Pros: juicy, layered case, tons of entertainment value, diverse cast of characters, good approach to mental health issues

Cons: some dialogue was cheesy, baddie pov was corny, predictable twist (but only because I've read waaaayyy too many books), ending was abrupt af lol

This is the latest in the Nikki Parekh series but reads well as a standalone. Recently promoted to the rank of DI, NIkki Parekh is landed with a case that would test even the most experienced of DI's. A wealthy family of four have been killed in their own home around their dining table. They looked to have been in the middle of a well known board game however there were place setting for five people. Was the fifth player the killer and if not then what had happened to the fifth person? The style of detective that Parekh is has rubbed some of her senior officers up the wrong way and they set her up for a fall in front of many journalists.

If this case is not hard enough it runs in tandem with the abduction of young children over a lengthy period of time, a case upon which Parekh and her team come onto by chance. This is a really well paced book with action all the way. Nikki Parekh is a gritty detective that doesn't mind about who she upsets as long as she gets the results required. It is fast, action packed and full of suspense with twists and turns aplenty.

I would highly recommend this book and thank Netgalley for an ARC

DI Nikki Parekh #6

When an anonymous tip-off leads DI Nilli Parekh and DS Sajid Malik to the sprawling Salinger Estate, Nikki's senses are on high alert. The brutal murder of all four members of the Slanger family has shocked the sleepy Bradford village to the core. A mother, father, daughter, and son all killed in exactly the same way - whilst they sat around the coffee table, playing a game of monopoly. But Nikki notices there are five pieces on the board. One of the players is missing.

The murders of a whole family had DI Nikki Parekh and her partner DS Sajid Malik searching through the crime scene for clues. The suspense and tension build throughout the story. we have two stories running alongside each other, then come together at the end. The pace is fast in this gripping and twisted read. Nothing is as it seems and someone is leaking information to the press. The investigation takes them back twelve years. The story is told from multiple perspectives. I was pulled in at the beginning and it didn't let me go until I had finished the last page.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #HQDigital and the author #LizMistry for my ARC of #EndGame in exchange for an honest review.

Another tense police procedural novel from this wonderful writer. A complex thriller which touches on many issues including the concept of family, child abuse and police officers, both good and bad, to name a few.
I enjoy being able to follow characters through various books and stages in their lives, and particularly like that any violence isn't graphically described
Thank you to netgalley and HQ for an advance copy of this book

I’d like to thank HQ and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘End Game’ by Liz Mistry in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

DI Nikki Parekh is called out to Oxenhope, a quiet village on the outskirts of Bradford, where she finds four bodies from the Salinger family sitting around a table playing Monopoly, but as five places are set what’s happened to the fifth person. As Nikki and her partner DS Sajid Malik follow the leads, they soon realise that this case could be tied to a decade of missing children.

‘End Game’ is the latest in the DI Nikki Parekh series with the subject of child abduction and abuse featuring heavily in the story although dealt with in the author’s usual sensitive and thoughtful manner. The story is well-written with an intricately woven plot, drama, suspense, twists and turns, and a host of charismatic characters especially Nikki who’s ready to put herself forward and do battle. I’ve enjoyed reading this exciting police procedural thriller that’s book six in the series and despite not having read them all it doesn’t detract from my enjoyment of this novel that’s kept me gripped from the start. I’m happy to recommend it.

End Game is the sixth novel in the Nikki Parekh series and I always love catching up with her and her team. I love the way that Liz Mistry keeps the series fresh with a slightly different angle on each book, so I was interested to see that, whilst the crimes in this novel are still absolutely horrific, the focus is on a family from a more affluent part of Bradford, as this allows her to create different types of characters with different dynamics between them.

As for the team, Nikki is still stubborn and feisty and this means that despite our very different life experiences, I relate to her very well! Her relationship with Sajid is up there as one of the best partnerships in a modern crime novel and I find their banter hilarious, and their determination to get to the bottom of each case and see the human side of it keeps me heavily invested in the outcome. I also enjoyed getting to know Farah and Liam a little better and I hope that the story that begins between them in End Game continues in the future. It was also good to see that though Archie has retired, he couldn't stay away entirely!

Liz Mistry is absolutely not afraid to tackle the difficult issues and I really admire her for this because I think it is important that these issues are discussed and a spotlight is shone upon them. It means that End Game is never easy to read but the violence is never gratuitous and the human element of this story means that the issues are handled very sensitively.

The plotting in End Game is complex but very intriguing. As different elements of the case come to light, I was keen to see how everything would come together. I did guess a small part of the ending but nevertheless I was still on edge and completely engaged until the very end.

I hope there is more to come from Nikki and her team very soon.

Thank you to #Netgalley and #HQDigital for my copy of #EndGame by #LizMistry
This book starts with a bang and doesn’t let up. DI Nikki Parekh are called out to a murder scene, a family of four have been killed while playing a game of monopoly. following the leads wherever they go can the team find the culprit.
This is the 6th book in the series but can be read as a stand alone.
A terrific read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Brilliant book but I have loved reading this series as it grips you and won't let go and has you wanting more as soon as you have finished the book.5*

End Game, the sixth book featuring Nikki Parekh and her team. What can I say?.....yet another cracking read from Liz Mistry. I'm not going to rehash the book's blurb but I will tell you I absolutely could not put this book down. It's definitely worth the read and I heartily recommend it to anyone that enjoys a good police procedural.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an arc.

Liz Mistry is an author at the top of her game! I was hooked from the start with this clever, chilling thriller featuring DI Nikki Parekh. The story flowed well, with it's fast pace and related from different points of view. I loved the developing characterisation and it was good to see Archie back with the team. This series just keeps improving and it has everything fans will love from a crime thriller. I highly recommend the series to lovers of the genre and I think this is the best in the series. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

I've followed DI Nikki Parekh since the beginning, so it was an absolute pleasure to be invited onto the blog tour for this - Nikki's sixth outing. Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for my spot on the blog tour and copy of the book for review. As always, opinions are entirely my own.

The book opens with DI Nikki Parekh being called to an intriguing murder scene - four people have been killed as they sat around the table playing a game of Monopoly. A fifth place is set at the table...but was it used by another victim or the murderer? As the shock waves from the brutal crime spread through the village on the outskirts of Bradford, Parekh and partner Sajid Malik begin to make connections to older crimes in the area - and realise the huge extent of the investigation.

This book marks a bit of a shift in the series, I think. Previous books have focused on Nikki's own traumatic past which very much takes a back seat here. She's still struggling with her anxiety but is now positioned at the heart of her large, loving extended family. Personally, I liked this change in Nikki - and it allows her to get on with being a brilliant detective in the middle of a complex investigation. I love that Saj, Langley, Archie, Marcus, Zain, Anika and all the children make up her support network, as well as the fact that the characters have become old friends to loyal readers of Mistry's series.

That's absolutely not to say that this couldn't be read as a standalone. It would be fine for those new to Nikki Parekh as key back-story is referenced. However, you're probably best starting with Book 1 ('Last Request') to get the most enjoyment from the series.

The plotting of this book is tight - there's lots of action, but it all cleverly slots together. There's honestly never a dull moment here - a feeling enhanced by the fact that the narrative shifts every now and again away from the investigation to one of the victims and also to a key perpetrator of the crimes. This allows the reader to start piecing together the crimes alongside DI Parekh and her team.

It's worth noting that Mistry does (as with her other books) tackle some dark themes. This isn't a spoiler (a very early chapter in the book introduces one of the victims) but child abduction and abuse are a key theme. It's not - thankfully - written in a graphic way, but it is a sad aspect of the book that makes the reader root for Nikki and Saj in their quest to unmask the criminals.

This book is one of my favourites in this series of police procedurals - and that's saying something as the standard is high! The strange nature of the initial crime scene drew me in immediately and there were plenty of twists to keep me reading. This, along with a slightly more secure and confident DI Nikki Parekh than previously, totally won me over. Bring on Book 7!

My thoughts about Liz Mistry’s End Game. Liz Mistry’s new police procedural thriller pulls off great tricks in plain sight. It will surprise you when you least expect it to. Writer Liz Mistry is known for her knack of dishing out twisty neo-noir, and she lives up to her reputation with End Game which see’s the return of D S Nikki Parekh and Sajid Malik. A dangerously wicked thriller with dollops of dark suspense. Very few writers manage to crack this genre and author Liz Mistry is adept at it. Her book smartly questions your faith in ‘seeing is believing’. Liz Mistry’s End Game is a nerve-racking tale of fear, deceit and crime, that keeps you on the edge of your seat as it teases your mind. Boasting of a brilliant storyline and masterfully crafted narrative by Liz Mistry, the story’s audacious characters and constant twists, keep you riveted. There’s nothing more gratifying than reading an intelligent, emotionally complex police procedural thriller filled with deceit, betrayal and remorseless sociopaths. End Game has a killer plot and some unsavoury souls thrown in for good measure. Writer Liz Mistry takes charge of this intriguing murder mystery led by a supremely set of well written characters. Liz Mistry’s End Game begins with when an anonymous tip-off leads detectives Nikki Parekh and Sajid Malik to the sprawling Salinger estate, Nikki’s senses are on high alert. The brutal murder of all four members of the Salinger family has shocked the sleepy Bradford village to the core. A mother, father, daughter, and son. All killed in exactly the same way whilst sat around the coffee table, playing a game of Monopoly. But Nikki notices that there are five pieces on the board. One of the players is missing. Did they manage to escape the killer, or was the killer part of the game. Liz Mistry’s End Game is a complete knockout punch in the dark, de noir, thriller crime genre. Liz Mistry’s End Game is a masterstroke by the master Liz Mistry who is now the uncrowned queen of crime fiction’s dark, de noir, thriller genre. I would like to say a big thank you to author Liz Mistry, and publishers HQ Stories, for kindly letting me read this brilliant book on NetGalley, which I’ve enjoyed reading. I love the D S Nikki Parekh series, I’ve been a fan of ever since I’ve read the first book. End Game is not only Liz Mistry ’s best work till date, it’s crime fiction’s best in the dark, noir thriller genre, which is will be remembered as a cult classic in coming years. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💥💥💥💥💥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

When Nikki and Sajid are called to the home of the Salinger family, they are greeted with a scene that is too horrifying to comprehend. Who would want to murder a whole family? There is another place set at the table. Is there another victim or did they share a meal and game of monopoly with their killer?

As details start emerging the investigation takes them to events going back 12 years. How can they possibly be linked?

Told from differing points of view this book had me hooked from beginning to end. With some very clever writing it's a fast paced thriller that will keep any crime genre can engrossed.

I loved it and can't wait to read the next book in this brilliant series.

The latest book in this series has everything a reader expects from an accomplished writer - mystery, suspense, well developed characters and plenty of twists and turns. The writing is clear and concise, and the plot is immersive. The chapters flow seamlessly from past to present times, and whilst the child abduction and, particularly the treatment of the victims is unpleasant, the author tells their tales demonstrating great care and empathy, nothing is sensationalised or included simply to shock.

All in all, this book is an excellent example of its genre, a thoroughly recommended read.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, I had not read the rest of the series which [put me at a slight disadvantage. Nonetheless, a great read, full of northern grit, thrills and scares. Recommended.

Love the Parekh novels. Great writing and premise. Amazing characters. Page turner. Plenty of suspense to keep me guessing..Definitely looking forward to the next offering. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it

Another excellent addition to a most enjoyable series. This book had me on the edge of tears, both happy and sad. Sad tears for the cruel way people treat children as if they were commodities to be bought and sold. Happy tears because who doesn’t cry at a wedding.

Liz Mistry has done it again. This latest book in her series has it all, mystery, suspense, and thriller. Captivating from the start. I was turning the pages trying to figure out how all the pieces fit together. I love the characters and how the plot is developed in parts that come together seamlessly. Highly recommend the book and series.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. A fast paced page turner and had me hooked until the end. A great read