Publication: 2nd February 2023 – Hodder & Stoughton
The next gripping instalment in Will Shindler’s critically acclaimed and explosive DI Alex Finn and DC Mattie Paulsen series.
An ordinary day. An ordinary street. A gruesome delivery waiting on the doorstep that’s going to set off an spine-chilling chain of events…
Claire Beacham returns from a busy day at work to a parcel on her doorstep – no note, no label. As a politician, she’s used to being suspicious of anonymous hate mail but today she’s too tired to worry. She opens it, finding a gruesome surprise inside. A severed head falls to her kitchen floor; the rich, red drip of blood on her hands.
It is clear to Claire and those around her that this terrifying package is a message. But who sent it, and why?
It’s Claire’s first delivery – and won’t be her last.
DI Finn cannot enjoy the gentle return to his role in the Murder Investigation Team of the Metropolitan Police that he planned. Someone is targeting Claire and with every message comes another casualty. With the clock ticking, DI Finn and DC Mattie Paulsen must wade through the depths of the murky political sphere before the bodies start piling up.
DI Alex Finn is back to his job after a six-month sabbatical. He’s finally dealing with his grief over his wife’s death and he is ready for work. His first case is high-profile as it involves a MP fighting against women’s abuse and for the rights of immigrants. One night, Claire Beacham arrives home to find a package on her doorstep. There is no label, but inside there is a severed head. While the police investigates, Claire receives other packages containing body parts. If DI Alex Finn hoped for a simple case to ease his way in, he is out of luck. The crimes are gruesome and atrocious and DI Finn and his team can’t find a connection between the victims. And a killer on the loose is not the only trouble awaiting the team…
The Blood Line is a wonderful addition to this fantastic series by Will Shindler. The story is told from different perspectives and it addresses timely themes like police corruption, organised crime, immigration, mental health, and the protection of MPs. The suspense is high from the very first page and the twists and surprises just keep coming.
This series features a fantastic cast of characters and I loved how the two protagonists have developed in this fourth book. DI Alex Finn seems to have found some kind of peace after a rough and struggling couple of years following the death of his wife. In this book, he seems more relaxed and attentive and his relationship with his team develops. DC Mattie Paulsen is more self-assured and she is looking for a promotion to DS, even if it would mean leaving Finn’s team.
The story is macabre, dark, and thrilling and it will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end with a shocking final twist that you won’t see coming. I can’t wait for the next book in the series!
A huge thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for a proof of this novel.
Will Shindler has been a Broadcast Journalist for the BBC for over twenty-five years, spending a decade working in television drama as a scriptwriter on Born and Bred, The Bill and Doctors. His time on these leading prime time dramas has given him a rich grounding in authentic police procedure, powerful character development and gripping narratives. He currently combines reading the news on BBC Radio London with writing crime novels and has previously worked as a television presenter for HTV, a sports reporter for BBC Radio Five Live, and one of the stadium presenters at the London Olympics.
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