Happy Publication Day – DS Mitchell!!! And a massive *Thank You* for the signed ARC of this book! #MyPrecious ❣️
Synopsis:
Book 2 in a trilogy following one family over forty years on an East London estate, BLOOD MOTHER goes back to the 70s to tell the next story in the Flesh and Blood series, perfect for fans of Kimberley Chambers and Mandasue Heller.
1970s London has stopped swinging, but it’s not staying still.
Babs thought she had all the world ahead of her. Then she got pregnant and the father did a runner.
Salvation comes in the form of a man who’ll look after her. Or so she thinks.
But Stan Miller is the devil in disguise…and over the next twenty years, Babs will have reason to regret she ever met him. Can she protect her family – or will he get the better of her?
BLOOD MOTHER is the second thrilling book in the Flesh and Blood series, capturing a world very different from today but where some things still hold true: be careful what you wish for, and watch out for who you trust…
My Rating: 5/5
My Review:
Well holy sh*tballs! Where the hell have I been? I cannot believe this is the FIRST book from DS Mitchell that I have read! This author has always been on my radar, and I even have a few of her books on my kindle…but for some reason or another, I foolishly have never started them….that all changes NOW!!
Blood Mother is set in East End, London and covers from the 1970’s up until early 2000’s. Throughout the pages, we get pulled into betrayal; survival; truth; greed & manipulation; relationships; revenge and the search for answers. A whole whirlwind of emotions ran through me and I loved every minute of it. Having not read Book 1 in the series, I thought I may struggle…I didn’t, it rocked!
The story is told in three parts and I was immediately hooked from the start. This is another book where I felt the pace was mixed – in a good way – keeping me, as a reader engaged. When the suspense, twists and OMFG moments kicked in, I was racing through the pages! Where diverse threads were unfolding and building the momentum, I took my time and enjoyed the ride!
For me, in gritty crime fiction it is the characters that will either make or break a story. DS Mitchell has created characters whose voices were distictive and true to form. There were so many great characters in this book, but as per my usual way, I will only mention a few – have to leave you all something to discover for yourselves, right!?
Babs, for instance, really stood out for me as her naivety at the start soon fell away and the fiesty fighter in her grew as she did. She really came into herself by the end of this book – determined, independent and strong, it was clear she would do whatever was necessary to make sure her family were safe.
Stan– well my skin is crawling just typing his name. He was a strange one and I wasn’t sure what to make of him from the start – but I was wary, and my gut told me this guy is no good. #CleverGut ? A chancer & charmer, it was easy to see why Babs fell for him – but he certainly had more to him than meets the eye!
Now Richard Smith – who is this guy!? He was a man of mystery and I was immediately drawn to him- though at times I did wonder whether my instinct was wrong. And OMG- Kieran Scott – we see this kid grow up from a neglected young boy into a tough young man. There is definitely more to him and I cannot wait to see how that develops. Babs took him under her wing and he watched over her when needed. He may not have been a major character but I sensed there was a lot of foreshadowing so I hope I am right!!
I don’t think I even need to say it, but this definitely gets a Hell YEAH recommendation from me! There were twists and bad-ass #Booms ?? which really had my heart racing and I will now go back, read Book 1 and follow with the final in the series, Blood Daughter when it is out in August! If you love the gritty, in your face, raw and real writing of authors like Martina Cole, Kimberley Chambers, Mel Sherratt and Casey Kelleher, you will LOVE DS Mitchell! Click the book below for a copy!
