It was detective Nick Dixon’s wedding day but then he gets a call from the police department. They found an executed police officer, who got shot by a 3D printed gun. They need Dixon to investigate this murder.

Blue Blood is a detective thriller that is part of a series. I read this book as a standalone and it was fine but reading the other books first gives you more information and storyline.
I really wanted to like this book but it wasn’t for me. I wasn’t really engaged and found it boring at times.
I listened to this book as an audiobook and the production was great. The narrator was really good and I liked the accents he did for a few characters.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was fast-paced and it skillfully balanced multiple timelines and perspectives. The minimalist soundscape allowed the narrator, Simon Mattacks, to shine, capturing the emotional depth of both tense and quiet moments. Though it’s the 15th book in the DI Nick Dixon series, it works well as a standalone—as it offered enough backstory for new listeners (like myself). The plot was well-researched and engaging, touching on themes like addiction, sexual abuse, police surveillance, and the emotional toll on victims' families. The mystery was compelling, the characters were complex, and the ending was especially satisfying. It was a thought-provoking and thrilling listen that left a strong impression

Thank you NetGalley and Brillance Audio for the Audio ARC.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC in audiobook format.

Blue Blood by Damien Boyd, narrated by Simon Mattacks

In Blue Blood, the fifteenth installment of Damien Boyd’s DI Nick Dixon series, the stakes are personal, the politics are murky, and the bullets are 3D-printed. What begins as a grim interruption to Dixon’s wedding day—a body found floating in Bridgwater Bay—quickly escalates into a chilling investigation that blurs the line between justice and betrayal. The victim? A fellow police officer. The weapon? A ghost gun. And the motive? That’s where things get complicated.

Boyd’s writing is as taut and efficient as ever, but what sets this entry apart is its thematic ambition. Blue Blood isn’t just a procedural—it’s a meditation on institutional rot, loyalty, and the cost of leadership. Dixon, now Acting Detective Superintendent, must juggle two major investigations while navigating a force riddled with secrets. The question isn’t just whodunit—it’s who can be trusted.

Simon Mattacks returns to the series with a performance that’s both grounded and gripping. His portrayal of Dixon is steady and unflinching, capturing the detective’s moral clarity even as the world around him fractures. Mattacks handles the ensemble cast with finesse, giving each voice a distinct cadence without ever veering into caricature. His pacing is deliberate, letting the tension simmer before delivering the gut punches.

The audiobook format enhances the novel’s layered structure, especially as Boyd weaves together multiple timelines and perspectives. The soundscape is minimal, allowing Mattacks’s voice to carry the emotional weight of the story—whether it’s a tense interrogation or a quiet moment of doubt.

Blue Blood by Damien Boyd and narrated by Simon Mattacks was a brilliant audiobook and the 15th book in the DI Nick Dixon series . . . . especially as this is the first book I have listened to from this author and I really enjoyed it. It was full of twists and turns throughout and I enjoyed learning about DI Nick Dixon's character.

Nick Dixon is acting Detective Superintendent and today is his wedding day. This should have been a happy day for both of them, which it was, until he had to put his wedding night on hold. . . . A body was found floating in Bridgewater Bay. When the Police looked closer to the body he was identified as one of there's he is a serving Police officer. They have been executed at point blank range with a 3D printed gun, It is the third such killing in as many weeks, but the first two victims were drug dealers, with no apparent connection to the dead officer other than the murder weapon itself.

Now, Nick Dixon has to navigate a complex web of lies, corruption and betrayal. By taking charge of two major investigation teams, By doing this, it quickly becomes clear that no one is who they seem.

But, is it two cases or just one?

Is he looking for a motive that doesn’t exist?

And can he find the gunsmith before another 3D printed gun finds its way into the wrong hands?

Wow this audiobook was excellent and the narrator Simon Mattacks was excellent.
Now I need to read the other books within this excellent DI Nick Dixon series .

In the book Blue Blood, author Damien Boyd writes about Acting Detective Superintendent Nick Dixon, whose wedding day is interrupted by murder. Rowers find a body floating in Bridgwater Bay. The body is identified as a serving police officer, executed at point blank range with a 3D printed gun and Dixon is called in – honeymoon or not. This is the third 3D printed gun murder. But the first two were drug dealers. Is there a connection? And the more Dixon digs, the more corruption, lies and betrayal he finds. Who can he trust? And who is involved? And what connects all the murders besides the 3D printed gun? This was a great story that kept my interest. I would recommend this book. The audio-book narration was good. I received a copy of this audio-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Very interesting book. If you like crime/cop show, you'll like this book. I love how the plot develops.

Damien Boyd delivers another standout entry in British crime fiction with Blue Blood, a fast-paced and twist-filled thriller that keeps readers fully engaged from start to finish. At the heart of the novel is a determined and sharply intelligent investigator whose grit and likability anchor the story. It’s hard not to be drawn to his relentless pursuit of justice and the dynamic presence he brings to the page.

The plot is rich with unexpected turns, layered with tension, and bolstered by a colorful cast of supporting characters that add depth and intrigue. Boyd doesn’t hold back on complexity, taking the narrative to thrilling heights without losing control of its momentum. Blue Blood is a compelling and entertaining read for fans of smart, character-driven crime stories—you won’t want to miss it.

Nick Dixon has just got married but his wedding night is put on hold when the body of a police officer is found floating in Bridgewater Bay. This is the third death so far using a 3D printed gun. Are these linked and will there be more deaths? Not if Nick and his team can help it.

Very well written and well narrated novel (I listened to the audiobook). Very good characters in this fast moving murder novel. Lots of twists and investigations will be complicated. What is the motive and who is responsible. Read to find out.

I came in blind to the DI Nick Dixon saga and that didn’t hinder this instalment at all: it touches just enough about his past to give me the gist, without saying so much that I’m sure the long-tenured reader would find it repetitive or even insulting.

Someone is printing 3D guns; and both drug dealers and cops are being found murdered by these nearly-untraceable weapons. DI Nixon’s honeymoon is cut short to put him on this massive case that might be two huge cases accidentally mixed into one.

The mystery is intriguing, the characters are dynamic, and there’s a smart and thrilling sprint to the finish. Along the way we dive into addiction, sexual abuse, the rising concerns of police surveillance, and what families of victims must do to process grief and disappointment. Plus the ending itself is brilliant.

Kudos to our narrator, Simon Mattacks, for expertly delivering the script and adding to the drama. An exceptional voice.

Blue Blood is a fast paced crime thriller. The premise was interesting solving murders done with 3D printed guns.

This is the 15th book in the DI Nick Dixon Crime series. I read it as a standalone book and while I grasped the story just fine I think reading past books would help with understanding the characters better.

I will definitely check out other books by Damien Boyd. Simon Mattacks did an excellent job with the narration.

Thank you to NetGalley & Brilliance Publishing for letting me read this ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley for this
Blue blood
author Damien Boyd
narrator Simon mattocks
3 stars


The book starts with a body found by some rowers , this turns out to be a police officer shot with a 3D printed gun . Acting DI Nick Dixon is leading the inquiry , despite the incident taking place on his wedding day , his new wife also being a police officer currently on maternity leave . The plot involves corruption and multiple murders , but are they connected to a rape that took place years ago at Glastonbury or should it be two separate enquires . A decent police procedural , that has plenty of interesting facets and twists but I never felt fully engaged by the characters. The book is part of a series so there are references to events in the past , however it can easily be read as a stand alone , but would probably work better knowing the main characters back stories .

"Blue Blood" was a fast-paced and engaging police procedural that hooked me from the very beginning. I didn’t realize it was part of a series, but I was still able to follow along without much trouble. That said, I’m definitely considering going back to read the earlier books to get a better understanding of the characters' backstories. There were quite a few characters to keep track of, and knowing more about them might have made it a bit easier. Still, it was a compelling and enjoyable read overall!

This is a series that I've jumped into without having read any of the previous books. It worked as a standalone but I think I would have benefited from reading previous books in the series for some of the background. The book starts off with the wedding day of the main character Nick Dixon and it feels a lot like I've been dropped into a story that was already in progress. As for the case that he's working on, it involves a fellow police officer but there are a LOT of names that are thrown around and that furthers some of my confusion about which one was the officer and which ones are the criminals that are also dead that they feel are related to the original case. Often I find that when a British narrator of an audiobook is used there is less "changes" to the voice for different characters and so when listening it can start to all run together. This audiobook falls into that trap and thus does require extra effort to focus on who is talking and who they are talking about. Not an easy listen for me and I listen to 4-6 audiobooks a week. With that said, the case is complicated and interesting and I think I'd prefer to read this author with my eyes instead of my ears. Look forward to more from him.

Well, despite bodies cropping up everywhere, this still managed to be a dull read. Very slow-paced and ‘telling’ writing style favored over ‘showing’. No hate, just not a style that appeals to me.

2 stars.

#netgalley


🎧 Audio:
Good production, overall flawless sound quality. Good narration. 4 stars.