End Game

Liz Mistry

Four dead bodies. One missing person. Let the game begin. When an anonymous tip-off leads Detective Nikki Parekh and DS Sajid Malik to the sprawling Salinger estate, Nikki’s senses are on high alert. The brutal murder of all four members of the Salinger family has shocked the sleepy Bradford village to the core. A mother, father, daughter, and son. . . all killed in exactly the same way – whilst sat around the coffee table, playing a game of monopoly. But Nikki notices that there are five pieces on the board. One of the players is missing. . . Did they manage to escape the killer, or was the killer part of the game? Don’t miss the next utterly gripping thriller from the Queen of Northern Noir! Fans of Angela Marsons, Patricia Gibney and JD Kirk will love this heart-stopping read.

It's always a pleasure to read a book by Liz Mistry. Her Nikki Parekh series is rapidly becoming my favourite noir series. Just when you think that she won't be able to better the previous book, she does it, and with spades as well. If Noir is your genre and you haven't read her books yet, then what the hell are you waiting for.

This has to be my crime book of the year so far. The storyline is so well sculptured, there's not a wasted page. This story has all the hallmarks of an Agatha Christe in the initial plotline, but when you delve deeper in, you find the usual seedy life as in her previous books. Now six books in, the character of Nikki Parekh is outstanding. Her devotion to ridding the world of grotesque criminals carries on, even if it sometimes conflicts with her desire to protect her family.

The storyline of girls stolen and made to satisfy men's desires is gut wrenching. The way that these girls seemingly cope is what keeps you reading. Their story is harrowing but the hope that they'll eventually be reunited with their loved ones keeps them going. This story isn't pleasant. It's one of the most harrowing I've read. Yet the book is sheer brilliance. A novel of the highest quality. It leaves you physically drained at the end from the emotional rollercoaster that you've been put through.

The Queen of Northern Noir is back with a vengeance. I can't wait for the next story in the series. Hopefully, the title doesn't mean the end of Nikki Parekh. There's so much further to explore with this character and her family.