Better the Blood, a review by Joanna

Senior Detective Sergeant Hana Westerman is a dedicated Māori policewoman from a poor background who has managed a successful career while raising her teenage daughter. An anonymous video, sent directly to her, leads to the discovery of a body hanging in an abandoned building, and then a second death follows, with no discernible link between the victims. How do these murders connect to an old daguerreotype from 1863 depicting a brutal execution?

“Better the blood of the innocent than no blood at all. And a debt doesn’t diminish with the passing of time. A debt disappears only when balance is finally restored.”

This was an excellent fiction debut by an established New Zealand screenwriter, which examines the injustices inflicted on the indigenous Māori tribes by British colonisers, and their long term consequences. This remains a sensitive and very politicised issue here. The author uses frequent Māori words and phrases – many of which have come into mainstream use in recent years (to the dismay of some NZers who feel threatened by a resurgence of Māori culture) but there are translations for overseas readers. There’s an interesting subplot which highlights the way white privilege is still the norm here. The book is well written and paced, and not overly gory considering the subject matter. There’s no mention of the pandemic.

While I’ve been trying to avoid serial killer plot lines in the last few years, the relatively unique motive here made a refreshing change from the usual psychotic or sexually motivated killers common to this genre. Similarly, while many of the standard detective fiction tropes are there (protagonist with a troubled past, personal connection to the case, family threatened) Bennett doesn’t take the obvious route: Hana is refreshingly undamaged, has a good relationship with her ex, and Addison is an interesting character in her own right, not just there to be put at risk! Recommended to anyone interested in learning more about Aotearoa New Zealand’s history and culture while reading a gripping police procedural. 4.5 stars rounded down for the present tense.Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.