Unbound Ties

Unbound Ties
Liz Mistry

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Liz and I will be taking part in a live online panel with Roz Watkins and Jane Bettany as part of National Crime Readers Month at 19:30h BST Tuesday 15th June.
"Crafting a Compelling Copper".
For a FREE ticket, follow this eventbrite link.
There will be a 30% discount code on featured books for all attendees.
I look forward to seeing you there!

Unbound Ties is the seventh novel in Liz Mistry's DI Gus McGuire series.
This is my first foray into Gus McGuire's world, but it won't be my last.
The story centres around the ritualistic murder of pregnant women. This is bad enough, but McGuire soon finds that the killings are linked to his own mother's troubled childhood in the foster care system.
McGuire is a fantastic character. Driven and dedicated, he chafes at being side-lined from the main investigation, especially when the case means so much to him personally.


Picking up an ongoing series so far into it can be difficult sometimes, but Mistry finds the correct  balance between hints at key events in previous books and not giving too much away. It left this reader keen to read more about McGuire and his team's prior adventures.
McGuire is surrounded by a rich cast of supporting characters. From the flatulent Crime Scene Manager Hissing Sid and eccentric forensic psychologist Carlton to his loyal team of officers, Alice, Compo and Taffy, all are vividly and uniquely portrayed. I enjoyed the banter and repartee between these series regulars, and again, Mistry makes new readers want to go back to earlier books in the series to learn more about them.
The ritualistic murders are brilliantly plotted and the skilful shifting of perspective between McGuire, the killer and other characters draws the reader into the narrative without ever being distracting.
Mistry sets her books in Bradford, a place she knows intimately, and her characters reflect the vibrant and multicultural nature of the city.
Unlike many authors, Mistry hasn't shied away from referencing Covid19, but it is done skilfully with a light touch. References to restrictions, and the impact they have on day-to-day policing are mentioned, but they simply add authenticity and fix the book's place in time, without impacting the story or jarring the reader. Those for whom reading is an escape from reality can safely pick-up this book without fear of the real world intruding.
This is a cleverly plotted story, with a well-crafted protagonist and fiendish villain. I thoroughly recommend it.