New Zealand’s debut authors are coming out with such amazing works, and Molly Crighton is no exception. Her crime novel The Body and The Blood, set in the gothic, atmospheric walls of St Paul’s Cathedral in Dunedin, is full of sharp detail, enigmatic characters, stunning locations, and a dark mystery that draws you in.

When organist Sybil Marsden plunges from the cathedral’s loft to the stone floor below, her death is ruled a tragic accident. Only Ivo Hart – a lowly police administrator more comfortable with filing systems than people – senses something amiss. Armed with a single, tenuous piece of evidence, Ivo turns to the last person the city trusts: Halia Knox, the infamous former investigative journalist whose career imploded as spectacularly as her reputation. Together, they begin a covert inquiry that draws them deep into the cathedral’s inner workings and they learn that nothing – and no one – is as they seem. They uncover rivalries, tensions, and secrets buried as carefully as the dead, but the deeper they dig, the more dangerous the truth becomes. Someone is watching. Someone who has already proven they can turn a fall into an ‘accident.’ And soon Ivo finds himself edging towards a deadly precipice of his own…

First, let me say this: Ivo is the sweetest, most precious protagonist I have ever come across, and he needs all the protection. He is such a brilliant character, from his mannerisms and behaviour to how he interacts with people, the things he doesn’t say and the many things he tries to say, not to mention that flawed element of his innocence that makes him such a perfect protagonist for a crime mystery. He sees something, doesn’t think it matches up, cannot bring himself to let it go, and the tale builds from there. I thoroughly enjoy his characterisation and the way he interacts with the world around him, and the many layers to his character create so many aspects to draw out in future novels. I am looking forward to reading more novels from Molly Crighton, not just to see what happens to Ivo, but also to get more of this atmospheric detail infused into the novel itself.

Ōtepoti Dunedin is a town in Aotearoa New Zealand rich in history and architecture, making it the perfect location for a gothic murder mystery. I have not visited the town myself, and this novel has added it to my Aotearoa bucket list. I can see the many other landmarks of the area serving as glorious settings in future novels, and the further excavation of the history of the area will be all the more interesting weaved into these dangerous and deadly stories. The beautiful description within The Body and The Blood brings these hauntingly gorgeous places to life, and the way in which St Paul’s Cathedral has been given such an intimate place in this novel certain feels like we are made well acquainted with the space and its secrets.

I highly recommend The Body and the Blood to those looking for a New Zealand crime novel full of atmospheric detail, rich detail, compelling characters, and mystery that provides more questions and intrigue as the pages are turned. It is definitely going to be a series I keep my eye on, and I cannot wait to see what Molly Crighton writes next.