Better the Blood has been on my radar for a while now, and finally, after months – probably a year at this point – I have finally picked it up. The first thing I need to say is this: I am sorry Michael Bennett, for taking this long to read your immersive, incredible, and inspirational book. Better the Blood is a shocker, a stunner, and an all-round satisfying read. It has social commentary, cultural politics, compelling characters, intense history, and vivid action that grips you, locking you in place until the very end.

A detective in search of the truth: Hana Westerman is a tenacious Māori detective juggling single motherhood and the pressures of her career in Auckland’s Central Investigation Branch. When she’s led to a crime scene by a mysterious video, she discovers a man hanging in a secret room. As Hana and her team work to track down the killer, other deaths lead her to think that they are searching for New Zealand’s first serial killer. With little to go on, Hana must use all her experience as a police officer to try and find a motive to these apparently unrelated murders. What she eventually discovers is a link to an historic crime that leads back to the brutal bloody colonisation of New Zealand. When the pursuit becomes frighteningly personal, Hana realises that her heritage and knowledge are their only keys to finding the killer. But as the murders continue, it seems that the killer’s agenda of revenge may include Hana – and her family.

The atmosphere throughout the novel feels tense, dark, and dangerous, which is perfect for the setting of the book. Auckland as I know it can be dirty and grimy at times, but I rarely see it like it has been displayed in Better the Blood. What’s more, I’m convinced this side of Auckland exists, so Michael Bennett has done a marvellous job in structuring and shaping the novel with those tone and atmosphere details. I felt drawn in by this Auckland, by the shadows at the edges of the pages, and it was an incredibly immersive, exhilarating read thanks to it.

Hana is a powerhouse of a character, with complexities and history that make internal conflicts a breeze to follow and just as exciting to unravel. She is a character with grit, determination, weakness, and resolve, and it makes her intriguing to follow. There were times I wished her personality came through a little more – not her as a mother or as a cop, but Hana as the woman she is. I am sure we will see more of that side of her in Return to Blood which I am absolutely going to devour in one sitting. I can already feel it. I really liked the other characters as well, the different paths they have and the interactions and relationships at play. I’m not a big fan of the drugs and party scene, but Addison, her friends, and their surroundings didn’t feel forced or exaggerated, making them an interesting addition to the layers of the story.

I love the cultural links and te reo use in Better the Blood. The significance culture and history plays in the plot is massive, so to have characters that embody Māori culture and practices so wholeheartedly, and to have Māori language be used so frequently is so gratifying to see. I also appreciate the positive and negative representation at play here because more often than not in New Zealand fiction Māori are given a negative portrayal to some degree. The themes and messages surrounding social and cultural issues were expertly woven into this novel, including many difficult subjects that are at the heart of interactions between Māori and the Crown (government) and Pākehā (non-Māori) and Māori.

As for a crime fiction plot, Better the Blood took my breath away. The main structure is your typical crime fiction, but for some reason the details and character development really hit me. I got giddy reading some of the scenes because of how well the foreshadowing played into things, or the choices and actions led to a certain outcome. It was such a joy to read as a crime reader, and for that alone I would recommend it to all crime ficiton readers. If you’re a New Zealander, even better. Better the Blood is not a book to be missed.

Knowing I read Better the Blood in an afternoon and desperately wanted Return to Blood in my hands, I know it won’t take long for me to get through the second book. Better the Blood is such an easy read and I cannot wait to see what Michael Bennett has in store next.