Like the previous novels in this series, Carved in Blood is straightforward in both style and substance. Each plot turn is convincing and each character fully rounded in a setting that Mr. Bennett obviously loves but also sees clearly ... The author describ[es] methamphetamine and cocaine trade routes with journalistic precision. Somewhat predictably, this tour of New Zealand’s dark side also includes a detour into the mind of the figure who eventually emerges as the novel’s villain.
Solid ... 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.
An entertaining novel that’s better at celebrating Māori culture than solving crimes ... They’re all strong characters, but the plot, which involves a nasty drug gang, often takes a back seat to appreciations of traditional Māori tattooing and information about the high incarceration rate of New Zealand’s Indigenous people, among other things. But though Bennett, who is of Māori and Te Arawa descent, is more committed to celebrating family and community ties than crafting a suspenseful mystery, his lively and likable narrative style makes up for much of that. Fans of the series, including Return to Blood
(2024), will look forward to the next installment, which promises to resolve this one’s dangling ending.
