This new crime series, set in Liz's native Scotland, takes the reader to some very dark places. The book introduces Detectives "Jazzy" and "Queenie" as the two main characters. Liz skilfully weaves between "Jazzy's" turbulent past and it's links to her present, both of which detail some horrific spine-chilling events, including severed heads!
While the book is gruesome and graphic it also contains some humour and had me gripped from beginning to end. I look forward to reading more "Jazzy and "Queenie" exploits.

4.25⭐

The Blood Promise kicks off a new series by new to me author Liz Mistry.

Set in Scotland and featuring two recently demoted detective constables Jasmine 'Jazzy' Solanki and Annie ' Queenie' McQueen. Who are referred to as the D unit or the dunce squad and are supervised by DCI Tony Dick. Who you will quickly realise suits the name perfectly.

And who are thrown together to investigate. When sixteen-year-old Imogen Clark wakes on her birthday to find her parents murdered and their bodies staged in a macabre and disturbing way.

A scene that sends Queenie out into the bushes to throw up and Jazzy reeling. As it is eerily familiar to her and as the investigation gets underway you learn more about why Queenie and Jazzy were demoted and what secrets they have.

And believe me they have plenty!!!

But Queenie and Jazzy do manage to work together and become a formidable team. Which is a good job. As this killer is cruel and not messing around and soon connections are made to previous murders and to Jazzy herself. After all, the killer didn't just strike on Imogen's birthday but Jazzy's too.

And with graphic scenes throughout. Not to mention plenty of twists and turns. This was a great introduction to the series. But honestly it did take me a little while to warm to the characters especially Queenie.

This is an excellent start to a new police procedural series from a renowned author. Liz Mistry goes back to her Scottish roots for this series which is based in West Lothian. The two main characters Jasmine, Jazzy, Solanki and Annie McQueen have been paired together following recent demotions and have been detailed with investigating a particularly gruesome murder. The partnership starts off in a tempestuous manner however as the investigation grows so does their relationship.
Jazzy believes that the murder and a message left at the crime scene is directed towards herself and something that happened in her childhood. It soon becomes clear that her own life is at serious risk and a secret she has held for many years will have to be shared with her colleagues to help solve the murders.
A very well written story that is fast paced, descriptive and full of thrills really sets the scene for what could be a superb series.
Thank you to the author and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Traumatic childhoods can lead to dysfunctional adulthoods. Imogen Clark is about to be traumatised because her parents have just been gruesomely murdered, and she is just about to find them. DC Jasmine (Jazzy) Solanki had been traumatised as a child when her brutal, alcoholic mother accidentally died. We hope Imogen will be OK, but we know that Jazzy has dissociative memory syndrome, flashbacks, false memories. Recently demoted from DS to DC for reasons which become clear later, she has been partnered with Annie (Queenie) McQueen, also recently demoted for an incident (nicknamed “needlegate”) in which her knitting had featured. Queenie is an older woman, prolix and rude, which sounds particularly effective when delivered in her strong West Fife accent (Jazzy’s accent is much less abrasive). Part of the ‘D’ (for Dunce) team, they have been on a pointless surveillance when the murder occurs, but since the ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams are busy, and there is no ‘C’ Team, they get the call to attend. While Queenie is revolted by the tableau they face because she has a photographic memory which means she will never unsee it, Jazzy is horrified to realise that certain features of the scene trigger memories from her past. Is there a connection to her mother’s death? Is there a connection to her stalker, a threat she has never revealed? The ‘D’ Team, Jazzy, Queenie and two other DCs are assigned to the investigation under the incompetent DI Dick, who has been given the SIO role.
This is a police procedural of sorts, but is really more of a psychological thriller. It is mostly told from Jazzy’s perspective, with interpolated insights into the thinking of the murderer. The murders (there are more than one) are ritualistic, sadistic, macabre and described in some detail. The characters are well differentiated, mainly by their foibles, and perhaps relatable, but not exactly likeable. The plot is not overly complicated and is easy to resolve, but the writing does keep you in the groove. The ending makes it clear that this is the first in a series. Many readers will be familiar with the author’s other series, set in Bradford, and shouldn’t be disappointed by this shift 200 miles north. I put it at 3.5 rounded to 4.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

I have read all the books written by Liz Mystry. This has to be the most gruesome, boardering on horror. I loved it, it's fiction and that's what I tell myself when I'm reading it. I enjoyed the dark humour and the banter between the main characters. Brilliant read and worthy of 5*.

Having read and enjoyed all Liz’s previous books, I was keen to read this, the first in a brand-new series. The plot is gritty and well-executed, with a few twists and turns, as you would expect from this author. It did take me a while to warm up to Jazzy and Queenie (Queenie less so), and I admit that I found my mind wandering in the opening chapters when they are on a steak-out - I felt some of the ‘humour’ was forced. However, once the tale picked up, I was with it 100% and it turned out to be a gripping read. All in all, an excellent start to a new series – I am very much looking forward to the next one.

Imogen wakes up on her 16th birthday and goes downstairs and finds her parents murdered - horrifically.
Detectives Jazzy Solanki and Annie McQueen are working on the case and soon Jazzy believes the killer i sending her a message.
She discovers a link between the killer and her stalker but her life is now in danger.

I love the look of this cover.

I cannot wait for this series to continue and set in Scotland how can you not want to read this.

I liked the writing of the book along with the characters and look forward to following as the series continues.

Thanks NEtGalley for letting me read and review.

A great start to a new series set in Scotland. New characters, who I'm looking to meeting again. Detective Constables Jazzy and Queenie. This case was a painful reminder for Jazzy. . Queenie, is life and soul of the part so to speak. I think this is promising to be a great series.

Book 1 of the new Solanki and McQueen Crime Series although it should be called the Jazzy and Queenie police procedural series! DC Jasmine Solanki ‘Jazzy’ and DC Annie ‘Queenie’ McQueen have both recently been demoted and working for the D (Dunce) team. Due to staff shortages their DI sends them out to investigate a particularly sordid double murder. I’ve enjoyed this authors last two police procedural series so I was raring to go with this one.

Briefly, neither woman particularly like each other but are forced to work together both to try and come up with suspects and to defeat their obnoxious DI. Jazzy in particular suffers with flashbacks to her upbringing and the loss of her siblings when they were all taken into care. What has this to do with the story? Well quite a lot as the past catches up with the present.

With graphic murder scenes, moments of humour and a wonderful mix of characters on the D team this has something for everyone. I loved watching how the friendship between two very different women, Jazzy and Queenie, grew and how supportive they are of each other. A great story with a few loose ends that clearly are leading us into book 2 and the sooner the better. Very entertaining.

A great start to a new series featuring some great characters, especially Queenie. I loved this book, it made me laugh out loud in places but still had the tension of a great crime book. If future books are as good I’ll have a new favourite crime series.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for my honest and unbiased opinion.

This book is my introduction to the writing of Liz Mistry. The two lead characters Jazzy and Queenie were well formed and the setting of Scotland is well known by the author. A PhD in creative writing is indicative of a talented and well schooled author. I am sure many readers who enjoy this genre of writing will find this a difficult book to put down.

I would like to thank Netgalley and HQ for an advance copy of The Blood Promise, the first novel to feature DC Jasmine “Jazzy” Solanki and DC Annie “Queenie” McQueen, set in and round Livingston.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Blood Promise, which made me laugh, frequently, and, as a bonus, has a well executed murder plot with a few surprises. Jazzy and Queenie have recently been demoted for separate reasons and are part of the misfit D squad, so it is a last resort to send them to a double murder scene. It quickly becomes apparent that the victims are collateral damage in an effort to destroy Jazzy. It is all bound up in her past. I really like the way the author drip feeds information at this past, giving the reader enough for a short term fix while instilling a hunger for more. It kept me turning the pages. I was less enthusiastic about the resolution which involves a cliffhanger and a hint of more of the same. I’d rather see the ladies in their full glory, investigating a less personal case that allows their talents to shine.

Above all this is a story about friendship. Jazzy and Queenie are forced together by circumstance and soon these two very different personalities have formed a close bond. It gives the novel a warmth the subject matter doesn’t suggest. Queenie is the star of the show with her bawdy humour and unbridled opinions. I found her very funny, but non Scots may struggle with vernacular.

The Blood Promise is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Such a fantastic start to this gritty, new series that hits the ground running. Jazzy and Queenie are such great characters. I'm already looking forward to reading the next book in this series

Detective Constables Jasmine (Jazzy) Solanki and Annie (Queenie) McQueen have recently been demoted and put on the D (Dunce) Team in Inverness. Jazzy has learned that telling the bald truth isn't always the best line of action and avid knitter Queenie is famous for "Needlegate". In The Blood Promise, Liz Mistry has teamed two diametrically opposite characters into a strong serial killer mystery.

Although I did like the story, I did have problems with the two main characters. At first, Queenie was in-your-face comic relief with her non-stop knitting, flatulence, and garlic breath. When some of her backstory was revealed, I found that I could accept Queenie, but I still didn't like her.

On the other hand, Jazzy, daughter of a Hindu mother and Muslim father, is portrayed as an often brilliant investigator who doesn't always know when to keep her mouth shut. Although my heart went out to this character as her tortured backstory was revealed, she had so many instances of PTSD meltdowns, I wondered how she could be such a good police officer. She experienced so much angst that it often bogged down the pace of the story. (I also wondered how two disgraced and demoted officers could so quickly be put in charge of major parts of the murder investigation.)

The different angle to an often-tired serial killer investigation certainly made it interesting, and I did like the setting. Even though I did have problems with the two main characters, I find myself wanting to read the next book in the series. With the origins of so much of Jazzy's troubled past revealed, I really want to know how she'll behave in a new investigation.

This book didn't take long before a gruesome murder was committed, which kept me reading at speed. The characters gradually developed back stories throughout the book so you felt you were getting to know them rather than all at once. The twists to the plot weren't easy to guess, but it finished with a lead up to possibly another book. Fingers crossed!

This is the first in a new series by an author new to me, so I cannot compare it with her other series.
The main characters are both demoted police officers who are portrayed as rather over the top Scots but they are quirky and interesting. Both officers have quite dramatic backgrounds, both present a tough exterior and other officers are very wary of them.
The plot is not for the faint hearted but there is plenty of humour for light relief.
Three and a half stars.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Liz Mistry/HQ for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

The plot of the book was absolutely great. fast paced, mind boggling and this book very entertaining. roller coaster of a book. i thoroughly enjoyed the book. Cannot wait for the rest of the series.

Thanks to NetGalley and HQ so much for the opportunity to read The Blood Promise by Liz Mistry. Wow! I could not put this down, and now already impatient for the next one!

What a wonderful read, I have loved the Nikita Parekh series, but this is another level. The characters are amazing, of course Queenie is the favourite. The dark of the murders is perfectly balanced with the humour of the police characters and the rewriting of the Killer Queen lyrics. It’s a brilliant police procedural and then some. Congratulations to Liz Mistry for writing this stunning book, which deserves to be a massive hit.