i didn't realise this was part of a series and read it as a standalone but I didn't feel that mattered, It was still a good plot that keeps up the tension and has some good twists.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. It was brilliant as have all the others been, looking forward to the next one.

This intelligently written and compulsive novel from the hugely talented Will Shindler is fourth in the series featuring DI Alex Finn and DC Mattie Paulsen and is a superb continuation.
When DI Finn returns to duty his first case back concerns a severed head which was sent to a prominent politician. Then follows a narrative linking various themes, politics, immigration, corruption, gangsters and the Met police.
This is a terrific crime series which just gets better and better and I would thoroughly recommend it to fellow crime fiction fans. This novel has everything I look for in a gripping police procedural: a tense, pacey and multi-layered plot with twists and turns, threats and violence, together with moments of heartbreaking sadness.
Every character in this book is well fleshed out and the setting is richly described and realistic. However, for me, the standout features are the superbly crafted characters of Alex Finn and Mattie Paulsen and their relationship.
Overall, this is a terrific read and another triumph for Will Shindler. I can’t wait to read what comes next!

DI Alex Finn is back!

Loved this book! You are instantly thrown into the murky waters of politics, money laundering, murder and deception. Really clever plot, very topical giving the current issues in politics. Just read it!

Another triumph for Will Shindler so really looking forward to his next installment for Finn and his trusty team.

My thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for allowing me to read an advanced copy in return for giving an honest review.

I thought this book was very slow to start and to be honest I struggled for the first few chapters. It was only because I've enjoyed this author's work in the past that kept me reading. The pace did pick up about the halfway mark and it ended up quite a good story but not up to his usual standard

Will Shindler delivers another great thriller, a rollercoaster that kept me on the edge and guessing. Great storytelling, solid and tightly knitted plot, well developed characters.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

A pulse-pounding police procedural. DI Alex Finn returns to duty after a sabbatical with a bang when London MP Claire Beacham receives a shocking delivery, a severed head. But with nearly no clues, can Finn crack the case. A gripping thriller!

My first Will Shindler book, and it won't be my last. Devoured the first 3 quarters in one sitting and couldn't wait to get stuck in again!

Clever and well put together storyline, I loved how the characters linked together and the development throughout. The plot itself was pretty emotional when you found out the circumstances.
Claire is a character that took a while to warm to. Maybe it's the MP thing and how strong and emotionless they have to appear. I did love Ben and his girlfriend ( I love the little twist).

If you're a fan of a good solid police procedural, then this is right up your street.

Thank you, @hodderbooks

Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for my early copy of this book. I enjoyed this thriller - it is part of a series which I had not read but it can be read independently. That said I am interested to read more about the history of the various characters! The story has a good premise, good writing and a nice pace. Overall a very entertaining read!

The Blood Line is the fourth book in Will Shindler’s excellent DI Alex Finn series that began with The Burning Men. This time DI Alex Finn and DC Mattie Paulsen are brought in to investigate when a bloodied package containing a severed head is delivered to the home of MP Claire Beacham. DI Alex Finn and his team soon find themselves searching for a killer with no apparent motive as even more body parts from multiple victims begin to turn up. Who is targeting Claire…and why? And what connects the victims not only to each other but also to the terrified MP?

The Blood Line is a brilliantly written, complex and well plotted read that kept me guessing from beginning to end. It begins with a severed head being delivered to an MP’s kitchen, but soon turns into something much larger than anyone could ever have imagined. As the investigation gets under way, DI Finn and his team find themselves in a race against time to find the culprit before even more victims are added to the body count. With an old name from the past making an unwelcome return, is there even more to this case than at first meets the eye?

As with the previous three novels in this series, I loved everything about this book! Alex is back at work after a six month sabbatical which he took after struggling to cope with the death of his wife more than two years earlier. Running himself into the ground rather than trying to deal with the huge emotional void Karin’s death had left in his life, he finally reached a crisis point that saw him contemplate taking his own life. But now he’s back and drawn straight into a murder investigation that is nothing like the gentle return he had hoped for.

Mattie Paulson is a DC with a hard exterior and somewhat difficult past who is at a crossroads in her career. Wanting to apply for a sergeant’s position, Mattie knows that doing so now will mean a new start away from Cedar House, DI Finn and the team. Unsure what to do for the best, she throws herself into the investigation as more secrets begin to be revealed. Will she decide to stay on with DI Finn and his team or is she about to make a decision that will change the course of her life forever?

What follows is yet another outstanding thriller that is as character driven as it is exciting. Will Shindler’s writing is top notch, his previous life as a scriptwriter shining through with every word. And, as I’ve said in previous reviews, I could easily imagine DI Alex Finn in his own Sunday night detective drama, taking his place alongside legendary TV detectives such as Vera Stanhope and Endeavour Morse. How wonderful would that be?

The Blood Line is an impressive thriller that once started I did not want to put down. With twists, turns, shocks and surprises throughout, it is a book that kept me guessing right up until the final, shocking sting to the tale that took me completely by surprise. With a strong plot and a cast of memorable characters, who I grow to like more and more with every book, this fourth outing for DI Alex Finn is every bit as good as its predecessors and has left me eagerly awaiting more.

The Blood Line could easily be read as a standalone but, to be perfectly honest, reading the series from the beginning offers a much richer reading experience, especially in regards to the personal lives and character progression of DI Alex Finn and his team.

A gripping police procedural thriller that I would highly recommend, I can’t wait to see what Will Shindler has in store for these wonderful characters in the future.

DI Alex Finn is back to his job after a six-month sabbatical. He’s finally dealing with his grief over his wife’s death and he is ready for work. His first case is high-profile as it involves a MP fighting against women’s abuse and for the rights of immigrants. One night, Claire Beacham arrives home to find a package on her doorstep. There is no label, but inside there is a severed head. While the police investigates, Claire receives other packages containing body parts. If DI Alex Finn hoped for a simple case to ease his way in, he is out of luck. The crimes are gruesome and atrocious and DI Finn and his team can’t find a connection between the victims. And a killer on the loose is not the only trouble awaiting the team…

The Blood Line is a wonderful addition to this fantastic series by Will Shindler. The story is told from different perspectives and it addresses timely themes like police corruption, organised crime, immigration, mental health, and the protection of MPs. The suspense is high from the very first page and the twists and surprises just keep coming.

This series features a fantastic cast of characters and I loved how the two protagonists have developed in this fourth book. DI Alex Finn seems to have found some kind of peace after a rough and struggling couple of years following the death of his wife. In this book, he seems more relaxed and attentive and his relationship with his team develops. DC Mattie Paulsen is more self-assured and she is looking for a promotion to DS, even if it would mean leaving Finn’s team.

The story is macabre, dark, and thrilling and it will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end with a shocking final twist that you won’t see coming. I can’t wait for the next book in the series!

Loved it! Loved it, Loved it!
My second Will Shindler and five star reviews for both.
Once again a feast of interesting characters backing up a fascinating plot which as a stand alone book works perfectly. The notes from the author at the end of the book made what seemed like a very realistic storyline even more believable. I was delighted that his last words in the notes were ‘to be continued’. It had better be!!!

An MP returns home from a busy day to discover an unmarked package on her doorstep. Without thinking much of it Claire Beacham takes it into her kitchen and is shocked when a head falls out dripping blood everywhere and rolls across her floor. This is the first of a few body parts she will be delivered.

DI Alex Finn was hoping for a quiet return to work after having 6 months off following the death of his wife and falling into a deep depression. However Finn and his team are tasked with discovering who is behind the brutal murders.

For a while it seems as though the case is going to be impossible to solve. Finn and his team have very little to go on. Any finger prints or DNA that have been found have no match to anyone in their system.

Things get even more difficult for Finn and his team when it is revealed they they have a bent copper in their team and everything they have been working on, any progress with any investigations is being leaked to a dangerous criminal Ray Spinney who will use people and stop at nothing to find his estranged daughter Emma. He is determined to use Finn and his team to find his daughter and will go to extreme measures to get what he wants.

The blood line was packed full of twists and turns around just about every corner. I loved every single word I read of this book. The one thing I will say is that this is book 4 of the series and although i managed to read it without reading the second and third books I’d definitely advise on reading the whole series before reading this one.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an advance copy of this book. I’m looking forward to going back and reading books 2&3 of the DI Alex Finn series.

DI Alex Finn returns in Will Schindler’s The Blood Line which is another excellent page turner that kept me hooked from the first to the last page.

Finn is returning from a 6 month sabbatical when he is faced with another complex case involving a murder and an MP.

The story moves along at a good pace and the ending leaves the series well set up for the next instalment.

Highly recommended

DI Finn is back after a sabbatical and get his head back in the game. Politicians, immigration and seemingly random murders and a throwback to book one! Superb!!!!
Thank you to netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

This is book 4 in this rather cracking series and, well, you know the script... Honestly, the previous three books have all been cracking reads so, why wouldn't you?!
So, in this book we follow Finn's return to duty after a 6 month breather to address some personal issues. He'd have preferred it to be a bit more gentle than a severed head delivered to a politician's home but, we can't always get what we want!
Teaming up again with Mattie Paulson, they not only need to identify the victim, and probably find the rest of the body, they also need to figure out why someone is targeting the MP, Claire Beacham. Meanwhile said MP is also embroiled in a tricky immigration case trying to prevent a young man being deported. Are the two things linked?
And then more body parts arrive with Beacham and the stakes get higher...
I love this series. I love the characters - Finn and Paulson rub together in a cracking way and then there's Jackie Ojo who has been acting boss in Finn's absence. Finn is a bit changed - well his 6 month hiatus was so he could move on from things so you'd expect that - but is still a formidable cop, maybe just a bit calmer, and definitely more together!
The crimes depicted herein really did get my juices flowing. I tried to second guess but eventually just gave up and watched (read) in awe as it all flowed before me, the plot thickening and then all coming together nicely at the end.
This is another author who doesn't subscribe to waffle or padding so again the story gets on with itself very well indeed. Making it a hard one to put down.
All in all a cracking addition to an already solid series. Here's to the next one. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Book 4 in the fantastic DI Alex Finn series. And the best one so far.


When MP Claire Beacham picks up a parcel from her doorstep little does she know how much her life will implode. For inside is the severed head of a man. And that's just the beginning.

Do Alex Finn was hoping to ease back into things after taking some time off. But there's no chance of that happening.


This is a dark, gritty police thriller with an intriguing storyline. I was hooked from the start right until that heart stopping ending.

This is a brilliant book that I won't hesitate to recommend.

Will Shindler has written another very good thriller in the Alex Finn series. It can be read as a stand alone but I would recommend reading the others for background information. The characterisation is good, maybe just too much politics for my liking, but I liked the plotting, with organised crime, corruption and immigration. Finn has returned to work after a sabbatical and is immediately thrown into a brutal murder investigation. The pace is steady throughout and the multi layers of the plot work well as the book progresses. The ending was definitely a surprise and I look forward to the next installment in the series. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Oh. My. Life. This book ... It's one of those 'what did you just do' reads with a 'why did you do that' moment, and it's one for which I think the impact will be felt for quite some time, both on an off the page I mean ... I'm delighted that Finn and Paulsen are back, I just wasn't expecting to read that. This is a book packed with tension, uncertainty and danger, and one that really taps into themes that could, sadly, have been ripped form the headlines. Corruption, negligence, revenge, immigration and family are all very key themes in a story which packs a real emotional impact on so many levels.

I won't delve too far into the plot - the blurb tells you all you really need to know. It's DI Finn's first day back at work and what a rude awakening it is too. Not as distressing perhaps as it is for MP Claire Beacham, but not exactly a day of light duties and paperwork either. Understandably, colleagues are concerned about the impact such a horrific case might have on Finn but, for once, he really does seem like he has gained some semblance of control over his grief, and is fuelled by a determination to find justice for the victims in this case, I like Finn as a character, like his vulnerability, and like the way in which Will Shindler has built an element of self doubt into his return to work. It would be strange if he came back firing on all cylinders, and so that hesitancy is understandable and relatable on many levels. You can't keep a good man down though, and alongside his old partner in crime Mattie Paulsen, and temporary replacement Jackie Ojo, you have a wonderful team that it is a pleasure to spend time with, even if it is often also in the company of corpses.

The Blood Line sees the return of a fafe from Finn's past, and a name that will be somewhat familiar to people who have read the first book in the series, The Burning Men. That adds tension, uncertainty and conflict to an already messy case, the victims bearing similar hallmarks to this particular villains M.O. And their return does tie into the main case, in a way which remains hidden for some time but will ultimately lead to some of the most unforgettable and impactful moments in the book. There are scenes of action which get the pulse racing, but none more so than the one towards the end of the book, the shockwaves of which will be felt for some time to come. It's one of those watershed moments that feels like it might be a bit of a turning point for the characters too, and I'm intrigued to see how Finn will handle it.

I love the feeling of these books. That edge of darkness which is lessened to some degree by the simple humanity infused in the main characters. The author keeps the mystery flowing until just the perfect moment, the implications of what is revealed leading to an element of sympathy, if not forgiveness, for the perpetrator of the crimes. It's another really gripping case, full of twists and turns, that kept me completely hooked until the very last page. if you love this series you will love, and hate, this.

I’ve read the earlier books in this excellent crime series featuring DI Alex Finn and his DC Mattie Paulsen so I was pleased to be offered the opportunity to review this latest one which is certainly up to date in its subject matter.
Alex has been on a 6 month sabbatical recovering from the death of his wife but is now returning to work feeling a lot better and more able to cope.
When a social worker is murdered Alex and his team are asked to investigate. There is a subsequent connection to a local MP who is trying to stop a young jailed gangster, Ben, being deported and Alex decides to look into a link.
Meanwhile in another plot strand the leader of the gangsters is trying to get to Ben in jail using all means available. Bribery and threats to members of the police seem to be his method of choice. However even he does not know why MP, Claire is being stalked by a murderer.
This is a plot which is easy to believe. Unfortunately an MP being the target of a killer is not a new scenario, particularly if we look at events over the last few years and it really made me think how I would feel if I worked in a high profile job serving the public. There would always be that fear in the background and it would almost be impossible to be completely protected by the police.
I really enjoyed catching up with Alex and Mattie- they are great characters and the ending when it came was totally unexpected and definitely left me wanting to read more. I’m certainly looking forward to the next book in the series. Highly recommend The Blood Line and the earlier books to all crime thriller fans.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my review copy.