A British-Pakistani woman is murdered in her home in London. Police officers DS Mumtaz “ Moomy” Ali and DI Sarah Heaton are assigned the case. The Home Office is watching over the situation carefully, to ensure there is no whiff of racism-motivated lines of investigation. Moomy is intensely frustrated, as she feels it’s getting in the way of investigating possible leads, particularly as Moomy is 1) noticing the similarities between herself and Sidra, the murdered woman, and Moomy is 2) reacting to the Sidra’s family dynamics based on her own life experiences. Incidentally, Moomy is hiding from her family, who forced her into what ended up being an abusive marriage

Sarah is also frustrated by the restrictions on their investigation, but also has to lead her team to a successful outcome. It’s interesting that Sarah has converted to Islam, while Moomy wants nothing to do with her Muslim family and the faith she was raised in.

The investigators uncover several leads, as well as links to various local and online hate groups, who share some common ideas, such as women are chattel and immigrants are bad, and Muslims are dangerous. The author doesn't shy away from presenting the hateful words of potential suspects, making parts of the book hard to get through. Then another young woman is murdered, and Moomy and Sarah wonder if they’re investigating a serial killer.

Author Alex Khan also gives us a parallel storyline of two undocumented people, refugees from Serbia, in London, leaving one to wonder where and how these people and the murdered women’s lives intersect.

This is a tense story dealing with some unpleasant subjects, but as the author says in the afterward, there is a link between far right and misogynistic groups, and it's important to confront these attitudes, which are the focus of this thriller, and the motivations behind the terrible actions of various suspects.

I found this to be a well-paced plot, and could empathize greatly with many of Moomy's feelings, as well as intimately understand her often angry outbursts or seemingly inexplicable actions. I did not feel that I had missed out by not reading book one, but I hope to remedy that as even with the horrible situations in this book, I found the story compelling, and particularly liked Sarah's and Moomy's interactions.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Hera for this ARC in exchange for my review.

A gritty and gripping thriller that keeps you reading and surprises you with the twists
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

A gritty thriller set in London which describes a multicultural society seen mostly through the eyes of an Asian detective sergeant. When an Asian woman us found murdered in her home, Moomy is struck by the realization that she could be next. In fact the next woman found dead is a white professional returning from the gym to her home.
The investigation hits dead ends until right wing groups on the dark web are discovered which incite and glorify violence and hatred of women It doesn't always make for easy reading but there is plenty of action and the main 2 detectives are feisty characters.
I was confused by the story of Lucas and Lena initially but it did start to make more sense as the book progressed.
Plenty of actiion and many layers of crime, poverty and racial /gender prejudice here which are examined from different viewpoints . Lots of side plots which add depth but aren't all.followed through.
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC

A British police procedural, The Scorned by Alex Khan (2023) is the second novel to feature Detective Seargent Mumtaz ‘Moomy’ Ali. As part of Detective Inspector Sarah Heaton's team, they investigate the murder of a young Asian woman in her North London home. This conflates with Moomy’s own family and past trauma, making for an uneasy investigation. With few clues and no suspects, the case stalls, until a second woman is similarly murdered but left in the park, also frequented by the first victim. A warning: a toxic masculinity theme underpinning this crime mystery may upset some readers. Given the graphic characterisations thereof, it detracts from the tale and lessens it to a three and a half stars read rating. With thanks to Hera and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own, freely given and without inducement.

I picked up The Scorned not realising it was the second book in a series but I’m pleased to report it can be read as a standalone. This is the first book I’ve read by Alex Khan, it’s hard hitting, bang up to date with its subject matter, with an intriguing plot. Two women are murdered in their homes. Moomy and her detective partner Sarah Heaton uncover a sinister underground group that’s shrouded in violence and toxic masculinity brought together by their hatred of women.


Khan leads you down a rabbit hole that’s dark and terrifying, where hatred, prejudice, and violence lurk in the shadows. The plot plays on most woman’s biggest fears where a sense of malice is palatable from the start. One of the strengths of this book is the diverse, multiracial cast of characters. It made a refreshing change from the stereotypes that often grace the pages of crime thrillers. I did think the book dragged in places but nevertheless The Scorned is an engrossing police procedural thriller which is impeccably plotted and made for a satisfying read.

Gritty, realistic, believable characters and a fantastic story
As much as this book is a great story it’s also a sad reflection on elements of today’s society.
Frighteningly realistic, and at times hard to read, it’s a great book.
A warning to anybody who has suffered, or been affected by domestic abuse. This book contains strong triggers.

I thought this book was good but not great. I did really enjoy the character development of Moomy and Sarah. Definitely gave me present day Eve Dallas vibes so I do think many In Death series readers would enjoy this. At times the storyline was slow going and a bit dragging for me but I guess so is real police work. I think with a bit more editing this has the potential to be 5 starts and for that reason I do look forward to books this author will come out with in the future.

This is an engrossing read in the DS Mumtaz Ali series, I would recommend reading the first for background information. Two women are murdered in their homes and the team are investigating. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that the killer hates women and is part of an underground, online group. This is hard hitting, fast paced and well written. it's not an easy read but it packs a powerful message. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

I loved the first in the DS Mumtaz 'Moomy' Ali series and couldn't wait to start this. The pace is swift from the beginning and doesn't let up once. Switching between viewpoints gives a 360 degree of the story, providing the reader with plenty of information. Having said that, I couldn't work out who was responsible and that doesn't happen often! Alex Khan maintains the balance between the main plot and the story arc of the two main protagonists - Moomy and DI Sarah Heaton, as well as introducing a couple of new characters in Damian and Jules.

The murder of Sabina Nessa as she walked through a park was in my mind as I read this. Alex Khan taps into those fears, shines a light into the dark world of toxic masculinity and violence against women, and finds a way to bring justice. He unapologetically examines forced arranged marriages and the damage caused by them in Moomy's life. I also like the juxtaposition of Moomy rejecting her Muslim faith and culture, whereas recent Muslim convert Sarah, embraces the comfort her new religion brings.

I really hope there'll be more books in the series as Alex Khan gives us a very different perspective on the police.

Gritty Procedural..
The follow up to ‘Until Death’ and the second in the DS Mumtaz Ali series of police procedurals finds the detective dealing with a murder case which, on the face of it, has no apparent motive. As bodies begin to pile, tension mounts. A gritty procedural with a credible and well crafted cast of characters and a disturbing and pacy plot populated with twists and turns aplenty which keep the reader guessing.

The second in the series to feature DS Mumtaz or better known as Moomy. A story of the hatred some men have for women. Better known as Incels. I have read quite a few book dealing with this subject. This time with an Asian perspective. A good police procedural but I felt that the author was trying too hard. Don't get me wrong this is still a good crime thriller. I felt that Moomy spent too much time comparing her life to the victims. Also a lot of Asian words were used with no explanation of what they were. All in all a good read.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the Arc in return for an honest review.

An irresistible slice of escapism and a joy to read. Compelling, absorbing and highly entertaining. Fast-moving and fun! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The 2nd book in this great series and we see how the rwo leads in the story DS Mumtaz(moomy) Ali and DI Sarah Heaton are growing in character both strong and independent women dealing with a case that shows how there is a lot of hate and exploration on the Internet and how if affects people from all walks of life.
Moomy's past is slightly covered and I'm looking forward to seeing how this will unfold as the series continues.
Hard hitting and fast paced with a strong storyline throughout.
RECOMMENDED
Throughout Netgalley and Hera Books for the ARC.

Sooo I did like this as a police procedural procedural, the characters were well written and the plot was complex and kept moving forward.... however...... I liked that the author has written from an Asian perspective and that we've got a diverse ethnic range of characters.... but..... it just tries too hard! There area lot of Asian words that I didn't know what they meant like nikah nama,, ‘Sabr, desi, kangan, Ayat ul Kursi, Holi, chakka. and bhoots. It also plays really badly to stereotypes of the stern Indian dad whos all about discapline and omit implies hes this horroble person really heavily and then it turns out hes the sweetest man which is fine but i just didnt really see why playing into stereotypes ever seemed a good idea?! Theres also the fact that because the victim was brown the the police automatically assign a brown officer to the case, and that said officer can't be objective in the case because of this. And not because she wants to make sure the job is done properly and that minorities gets the same justice and level of effort that while victims would..... no...... all she does is project her own issues onto the victim because they're both brown and that's just not how we work! We don't see all other brown people as an extention of ourself and so just obsess about our own issues until the white officer had to tell the main character to get a grip and do her job?! That's a terrible portrayal of a professional POC!!! And the other thing that immediately jumped out at me was the fact that the victim is always refered to as Asian or Indian even though she'd 3rd generation English? I'm just 1st gen and I generally refer to myself as Scottish and use my nationality rather than my ethnicity. Or the fact that the Asian office "PC Abdul" felt the need to try and speak to the characters in Punjabi until being told that they were born in England and Eniglish was their 1st language so he didn't need to try and speak to them in any other language.... whoch is very valid and no doubt a common minor aggression in assuming g we don't speak English but if you are also Asian and are speaking to someone born in the UK who has an English accent and no trace of Indian accent then it just seems like insanity that you'd assume they'd understand a different language better?! English is my only language and as much as my colour my confuse people, I can assure you the Scottish accent doesn't leave much room for question. So yeah..... it all just seemed all over the place in trying to delve into the racist issue and show the prejudice but some came off stupid, some tried too hard, some were just offensive and some were just stupid and illogical. Good effort but I do think it'll put a lot of readers off

My thoughts about Alex Khan’s The Scorned, writer Alex Khan delivers an engrossing police procedural thriller that excels technically and sets the stage for an epic ending that will leave you breathless. Alex Khan’s brilliant follow up to the fantastic Until Dead, The Scorned is a confident, competent, and gripping thriller that sucks you into its drama less than five minutes into the book and keeps you invested till the end. Writer Alex Khan skillfully builds a real world around this murder mystery that moves at a racy pace with spurts of tension and thrill. Like any good thriller, Alex Khan’s The Scorned never reveals all its cards at once. The layers come off one by one and each time you think you have got it all figured out, another twist hits you out of the blue. Alex Khan’s The Scorned story begins with When a young Asian woman is found brutally murdered in her North London home, DS Mumtaz ‘Moomy’ Ali begins the investigation, but is blindsided by a case with no obvious motive. When a second female victim is found, with no obvious links to Sidra apart from also having her throat slit, it seems Moomy is up against every detective’s nightmare… a serial killer bringing terror to the streets of London.
As the case deepens, Moomy and her detective partner Sarah Heaton uncover a sinister underground group brought together by their hatred of women. But their roots run deep, and they count some very powerful people in their number. To stop the bloodshed, Moomy must delve into the darkest corners of the internet, a place where hatred festers, unchecked but she needs to be fast, because the killer has their sights set on her. Overall Alex Khan’s The Scorned delivers what it promises, a bang on well written storyline, characters, fast paced, gripping, thrilling and edge of the seat. Alex Khan’s The Scorned is phenomenal. I would like to say a big thank you to writer Alex Khan, and publishers Hera Books for kindly letting me read and review this brilliant book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥💥💥💥💥💥

This book was a bit different for me?! It was a good read it had suspense, intrigue, action, murder, serial killers, racism, revenge, a great who done it and some crazy twists and turns! The storyline was interesting and flowed nicely, it was a book heavily focused on racism, mainly against woman. Like I said it was interesting but not really for me?! I would recommend reading this book as it was worth reading! Just wasn't one of my top favorites! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!