Carved in Blood: A Hana Westerman Thriller

Bennett’s solid third outing for Māori ex-detective Hana Westerman (after Return to Blood) finds her returning to the force as a temporary constable and assisting with an investigation that involves her ex-husband, Det. Insp. Jaye Hamilton. While purchasing champagne in an Auckland liquor store to celebrate his daughter’s engagement, Jaye confronts a balaclava-clad robber and is shot. With Jaye on life support, the investigation falls to Hana, who leads a team that combs through thousands of CCTV feeds across the city. After they identify the weapon and the getaway vehicle, Hana’s team zeroes in on a suspect: Toa Davis, a young Māori man and suspected courier for a local crime syndicate. Soon, Hana starts to suspect that the confrontation was not a random robbery but a targeted attack on Jaye, tied to his covert operations from the past. Bennett smoothly weaves depictions of Māori customs and ingrained racism in New Zealand society into a propulsive and intriguing whodunit. After a bumpy second installment, this series is back on track. (July)