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.
