Reviews

This was an interesting book. While I did not know it was the second in a series, that did not affect my enjoyment of the book. It may have helped me know a little bit more about certain characters, but that would be more background information as opposed to critical set-up information. I enjoyed pretty much everything about this book - the setup, how information was determined and relayed, and it was also refreshing to learn about the dynamics between the characters. I can say with confidence that this book makes me want to grab the first book in this series, and honestly, probably anything by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

buntjuli's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

suvata's review against another edition

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3.0

Thank you to #StMartinsPress, #MinotaurBooks, and #NetGalley for providing this #ARC Advance Reading Copy. Expected publication date is November 7, 2023.

Fast paced • Reflective • Police procedural • 3 Stars

In Blackwater Falls, Colorado, veteran police officer Harry Cooper, believing Duante Reed, a young Black, has a gun opens fire killing Duante. He didn’t have a gun, just a can of spray paint. In nearby Denver, a drug raid goes south and a Latino teen, Mateo Ruiz, is also killed.

Pakistani born Inaya Rahman and her boss Lieutenant Waqas Seif have to confront their own prejudices as they investigate the guilt of the perpetrators and their victims. Duante was, to some, a street artist with no prior record, but to others, he was a vandal. Mateo was either in the wrong place at the wrong time, or a dangerous drug dealer. In either case, was lethal force truly necessary?

#BloodBetrayal #BlackwaterFalls2 #AusmaZehanatKhan

mweis's review

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challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

*I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Blood Betrayal once again follows Detective Inaya Rahman and the Community Response Unit, but this time there are a series of mysteries that all connect in such interesting ways. At the start, a veteran Blackwater police officer is involved in the shooting of an unarmed young Black man. Then in the next chapter Rahman finds the man who orchestrated the assault that caused her to leave Chicago, John Broda, on her doorstep because his son has been involved in the shooting of a young Latino man in Denver. What follows is a twisty and timely police procedural that I had a hard time putting down.

The way Khan has built the community of Blackwater Falls and the camaraderie of the Community Response Unit is top tier. I love that she takes the traditional police procedural and focuses on how the police have historically failed to serve communities that aren’t white and the different ways that BIPOC individuals have chosen to react, whether it be join the police and try to change within or organize against or others. There are discussions of race and religion and immigration and so much more and I think it’s all handled with a lot of care.

And the way the plot(s) played out in this story had me anxious and gasping as I turned the pages. Personally, I’m undecided on how long I’ll stick with this series but there are a couple of macro plots that I want to see the end of so I will definitely be picking up the next book when it’s released.

thealyssa_ann's review

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adventurous mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

The crimes and mystery were slightly less compelling in this than Blackwater Falls, but I’m still completely invested in all of the characters and sincerely hope there will be a next book!

geriatricgretch's review against another edition

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4.0

I really enjoyed this mystery, but a few things (particularly related to folks who are undercover) seemed really strange, like their cover would definitely be blown?

martha_g's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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