This is an extremely clever, well written crime investigation with well developed characters and plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing.

DI Maya Rahman returns home from her brother’s funeral to be informed that Linda Gibson, the Headteacher of the Secondary school Maya attended, has been found murdered. Despite the fact that she’s on compassionate leave, Maya sets off to investigate but with cryptic messages from the murderer, the complex relationships between staff and the community as well as coping with her own family concerns, this is an enthralling read.

The author portrays the community in which most of this story takes place so vividly it is easy to envision the places and people involved. The plot is complex, with revelations adding to the enigma, providing diversions and hinting at the truth. The characters seem like ones you could actually meet! There are so many elements of the community which add to the story - from the religious to secular and everything in between!

This is a highly entertaining crime investigation which I have no hesitation in highly recommending to anyone who enjoys this genre. The author has created a superb leading lady in DI Maya Rahman and a host of great secondary characters. I will definitely endeavour to read more by this author and especially in this series in future.

I requested and was lucky enough to be given a copy of this novel, via NetGalley, with no obligation. This is my honest review of the book after choosing to read it.

We have a new Detective Inspector series in town, DI Maya Rahman. It’s a London based series and its nice to see there's the gritty, dirty real east end of London feel to Vicky Newhams' writing.

The book follows DI Rahman as she tries to find who murdered the current head of her old high school, with different colleagues and a personal tragedy of her own.  This pretext for the story is the murder, but the real story behind the scenes is all about religion and culture.

Rahman is from Bangladesh, she moved to London when she was young and is more British than Bangladeshi, despite her appearance.  

The murderer left a Buddhist precept alongside the body, loosely translating to refraining from taking that which is not given. I really liked that the phrases were written in the original language not just the translated English.

Rahmans new colleague is Australian, with an aboriginal wife, giving him both an awareness and understanding of cultural processes. 

The school itself in Mile End, a known culturally diverse area is a mixed bag of ethnicities,  making it difficult for the school to succeed and provide a strong moral compass to the students.

Throughout the book we learn more about all the religions, and a lot more about Rahmans childhood, the struggles her family faced, why she chose to work in law enforcement, and how this decision affected her family.  There is a lot of talk around arranged (and forced) marriage and familial expectations to marry within your own culture with someone often from your original country of birth, there is a large physiological side to the decisions made which I’m sure will be a big factor in later books.

One of the things I really liked about this book is that there were parts that as you read it truths became obvious, but rather than dragging it out for a chapter or five the characters were intelligent enough to figure it out almost immediately, making it a pleasure to read.

All in all we enter DI Rahman’s world wanting to learn about the murder, and learn so much about culture and creed, about how hard it can be to do the right thing – and the obvious lengths the long time nemesis of most law enforcement officers, journalists, will go to in order to make headline news.  There’s a multitude of potential suspects to her murder – the man who idolises her, or his wife, the parents of the daughter who killed herself, an ex husband, colleagues, family. Everyone could have motive. The question is did they do it, are they involved? And more importantly – will they all make it through to the end of the book?!

Lindas death is the start of something so much bigger, an understanding of the precepts, an insight into religion, how you can triumph over tragedy and sometimes you might just be a little too late to save the day.

Turn a Blind Eye is out now;  Once you've read it come back and read the poem below.  Its Bearhug by Michael Ondaatje, both the poem and its meaning are clear once you’ve reached the final page. ( and keep an eye out for the TV adaptation - rumour has it the rights have already been brought!)

This is a great debut novel which makes me excited for the next one, the introduction to DI Maya Rahman hits the ground running. When the headmistress of an East End school is found murdered Maya has to cut her leave short, as you can imagine there are a lot of suspects as the murder happens inside the school but not many clues as to who killed her. I loved the insight into the diverse cultures inside the school and how Maya dealt with them.
This book had it all and I can't wait for the next DI Maya Rahman novel.
Thank you toNetGalley for my copy of the book.

I seem to have read a ton of brilliant ‘first in a new series’ detective novels recently, so there’s the risk that eventually one’s going to disappoint. Fortunately, Turn A Blind Eye by Vicky Newham was not that one, managing to deliver a fresh voice and a page turning plot in one swoop.

DI Maya Rahman has just returned from burying her brother and is immediately called in to head a murder investigation. During a staff training school, the Head of a local school which prides itself on diversity and multiculturalism, has been found murdered in her office. Beside her body is an Budhist precept – the second of five. It’s now a race against time to discover the murderer as one by one the remaining precepts are acted out.

I think what sets Turn A Blind Eye apart for me was the slightly different focus of the book. Yes, there were twists and turns and I was kept guessing as to who the perpetrator was, but it was the intricacies of the cultural tensions, misunderstandings and prejudices that made Turn A Blind Eye a really interesting read and gave it a fresh, relevant and original feel.

I really liked the character of Maya, and we get a little bit of her back story throughout the book, however I’d love to know more. She has an interesting history and I feel there’s a lot more to come. There’s still a mystery surrounding her childhood, which I hope means we’re going to be reading more of her soon!

I also really liked the Budest precept angle, it kind of reminded me a little of the film Se7en (but less gruesome!), and has Maya and her partner Dan preempting who the next victim may be. This created a gripping race against the clock type scenerio, which resulted in the ‘one more chapter’ effect and me tearing through the book in a couple of sittings.

Turn A Blind Eye is a fantastic start to a new series and one I’ll definitely be keeping up with. It’s got a relevant, fresh feel about it and I look forward to reading more about DI Maya Rahman.

I'm on the fence about this book. On the one hand, it covers a lot of difficult subjects with sensitivity and thoughtfulness; on the other, the characters lack depth, making it hard to connect to or care about any of them. It's also quite slow moving, so it was only curiosity that got me through, only to find that it was ultimately predictable, both in terms of who dies and who kills them.

A really strong debut novel set in the East End of London. Who killed the headmistress in the school? DI Maya Rahman is hoping to find that out. Very good characterisation and the subject topic of different religious beliefs is told with great insight and empathy. I would recommend this new series. Thanks to Net Galley for my copy. I reviewed on Amazon, Goodreads and Facebook.

This story follows DI Maya Rahman as she investigates a murder at her old primary school where the head teacher has been killed. This story is told in different perspectives and also alternates between the present and some of the past from Maya’s point of view and we get to see some of her old life when she was a child and living with her parents and attending the primary school. I enjoyed seeing the story being told for the different perspectives, especially since we didn’t just get the police perspective, we got the perspective of other people who were possible people of interest in the investigation.

This was filled with culture which was great to see, and I feel isn’t something we get in a normal crime / thriller book. The murderer is leaving Buddhist precepts as the murders and so we see the investigation go into detail about what they could mean in relation to the killings. The school and location itself lends to all sorts of cultures which are explored throughout the story and also at the school itself as it deals with issues that students are facing including forced marriages. Maya herself is orginally from Sylhet and we see her dealing with her Brothers suicide and also being looked down on by other people from her culture for becoming ‘too white and British’ whilst trying to embrace her culture and also live in the Country that she now calls her home. Maya is also dealing with other aspects of her home life in this book however they aren’t fully resolved here, so I presume that they will be revisted in the next book.

I did figure out who did it however it wasn’t that far from the actual book reveal anyway so I didn’t read through the book knowing who did it already which was good. I thought the actual investigation and the leads it took were very good and did keep you guessing as to who was the murderer1

I think this is a cracking debut novel and the culture and diversity in this book is really what makes it stand out from other police procedurals. I found the topic of ethnic diversity to be one of the most compelling aspects of the novel – and it certainly drove the plot of this contemporary police procedural - although I didn't know whodunnit until all was revealed at the end. There is also an intriguing Rahman family mystery weaving itself through the storyline, but it's left unresolved, meaning it will undoubtedly reappear in future books. I will definitely be picking up the next book in this series and urge to give this a read if you’re a crime/thriller fan!

Was a good read, would recommend. My type of book though, not sure would appeal to everyone, disturbing themes

Turn a Blind Eye is the first in a series featuring DI Maya Rahman. It's set in London; following the funeral of her brother ( who committed suicide) DI Rahman investigates the death of the headmistress of her former school.

It's essentially a mix of police procedural and murder mystery, but along the way it explores numerous themes including cultural and religious differences and inner city tensions. On the whole it feels like a fairly accurate depiction of urban life in Tower Hamlets.

The plotting is complex with a few unexpected twists and cryptic clues to keep the reader guessing. The descriptions are detailed and there's a range if diverse and plausible characters whose motivations are well thought through. It's certainly an impressive debut and it's a series I'd be interested in following.

My thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley.

Turn a Blind Eye is a compelling Police procedural story set in the multi cultural Tower Hamlets area.We are introduced to DI Maya Rahman a Bangladeshi who is investigating the murder of the headmistress at her old school.I found the book very interesting as it is not only about a murder mystery it was also good to explore the culture of the area .I did find there was a lot of characters and sometimes I couldn't remember who they were but that might be just me ! I found I liked Maya and I look forward to reading more books in the series .

Once again, i appear to be in a minority with this book - it just didn't do it for me. I couldn't get into the story at all, couldn't connect with the characters and I found it all rather confusing and slow.

I have recently made the decision that if i am not enjoying a book at 50% i never will; my reading time is precious and there are so many books out there, i no longer carry on for the sake of finishing ... unfortunately this has been the first to come a cropper due to my new rule but I'm sure it won't be the last because we can't like everything we read can we?

I found this book to be slightly different to the normal detective fiction books I read. Maya, the main character, is a Muslim DI and the theme of religion runs through the book as Maya and her newly appointed DS Dan, investigate a number of murders, where the perpetrator has left a Buddhist precept with the body. Whilst investigating the crimes the reader learns a lot more about Maya and, to a lesser degree, Dan. I enjoyed the book and look forward to others in the series.

The first day back at school for a teacher is usually student-free. That is exactly the case at Mile End High School, a standard INSET (In Service Training) day, with one exception – the murder of the headmistress.
When her body is found presented in almost a ceremonial way, and a Buddhist message is left at the scene of the crime, DI Maya Rahman is faced with a hunt for a serial killer while navigating the minefield of a multi-cultural society where the murderer may belong to any section of it. And when a second – and third – murder hits the school community, Maya finds that the truth may belong to a crime that has gone undetected – or at least unpunished.
Just a quick review as I’m off on my holidays tomorrow morning but I wanted to squeeze this one in. It’s an ambitious police procedural/mystery tale, with the author (writing from experience) doing a good job of presenting life in an East London school and an East London police department. The story follows, for the most part, three characters, two police and one teacher, and, as a teacher myself, I was impressed with both the classroom scenes and the teacher himself – it’s always good to see sympathetic portrayals of my colleagues.
Of the two police characters, Maya is the much stronger – as the lead, she narrates her sections, giving more of an insight into her – whereas her second in command gets much less time and I did wonder what the sections focussing on him really added.
It’s not perfect – one important character makes very few appearances before becoming important late in the day, evoking a “who were they again?” reaction – and the motive for the killer seemed to come mostly out of nowhere. Also – and this isn’t a direct pop at this book in particular - I’m getting a little fed up with the structure, which seems to be very common these days, where one character narrates in the first person while the other sections are in the third person. It’s always niggled me a little – who exactly is telling the story? – and unfortunately it’s becoming more common.
Still, an ambitious debut that does a good job of embracing the multi-culturalism of East End London in particular and Britain in general, with a compelling plot. Definitely Worth A Look.

Turn a Blind Eye is more than just a thriller, it’s about cultural and social differences and what happens when we choose apathy. A head teacher is murdered at a previously failing secondary school and her murder may not be the last. What’s refreshing about Turn a Blind Eye is that the lead detective Maya Rahman is not under threat from the killer, this allows you to fully immerse yourself in the story without second guessing any of the characters motives. That being said I didn’t guess the killer, there are so many subtle plot twists you don’t see it coming, which is rare in so many thrillers.

I’m grateful to Netgalley for an a digital ARC of this book in return for an honest review. I requested this book based on the description. . I usually plunge right into a book without reading about the author or any other background provided. I’m glad that I didn’t do that this time. Author Vicky Newham is a psychologist and teacher who has lived and worked amongst the immigrant populations of the East End of London and all this experience is poured into her first novel. She has so much to say, almost too much. At times I felt a bit overwhelmed and confused, but hers is such an authentic voice.

Her lead character is police officer D I Maya Raman, who came to this country from Bangladesh at the age of four.. Her sergeant is Australian Dan Maguire. So a cultural mix amongst the protagonists without all the other characters involved who live in the area most of whom attend, work in or support the local secondary school.. One of the female pupils has recently committed suicide then the head teacher is murdered followed by one of her deputies, then another member of staff. The only connection of these murders is a card left at the scene bearing a different Buddhist text. Maya and Dan are struggling to make sense of everything and prevent yet another murder.. It’s an ingenious plot. The theme of religious practice and toleration runs deep., But there are so many themes. And quite a lot of characters. I struggled to remember them all especially when they are sometimes referred to by their surname and sometimes by the given name. Names belonging to other cultures didn’t help either, but that is just my ignorance.

Although we get a feeling of the bustle of a police investigation from the start there is so much more going on here than a police procedural. We get, in contrast, flash backs to Maya’s past. There is remarkable background material coming from a British born and educated writer. Her years teaching in the East End of London have enabled her to get under the surface of the many immigrant cultures existing there. One of many brilliant descriptions is of the early morning commute in London on the bus. This author knows what she is talking about. She has so obviously lived it all. This book has been several years in the creating, unlike much modern fiction, knocked together in a few months for financial reward. This is obviously a labour of love.

It would make an excellent novel for a book club discussion and I could easily see it transferred to the TV screen. I would love to give it five stars but there is just too much going on, I’m currently re reading the first ten Rebus novels, prior to a visit to Edinburgh and it’s obvious, compared to subsequent novels that the first book is a very early work.. Is Vicky Newham, like Ian Rankin, putting too much into her first novel ? I have really high hopes of her next book.

DI Maya Rahman returns from burying her brother, who committed suicide, and is thrown straight into a murder case. The head teacher from Maya's old school has been murdered and Maya has to figure out who the guilty party is before more deaths follow.

I was a bit on the fence with this one. On one hand, it was an intriguing plot dealing with subjects such as forced marriages and suicide, but on the other hand, it was fairly slow-going. One thing that really stood out to me was the character of DS Maguire: I know he was a fast-track officer but some of his questions in an autopsy scene seemed asinine. Surely he would have known about the Y-incision in autopsies and that a caesarean scar meant someone had given birth? Overall it was a fairly interesting read and I would be interested in reading a follow up, but it does have some faults.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher, HQ, for the opportunity to review an ARC.

DI Maya Rahman - Book 1.

A headmistress is found strangled in her East End School. Her death is the result of a brutal and ritualistic act of violence. Found at the scene is a single piece of card, written on which is an ancient Buddhish precept: I shall abstain from taking the ungiven.

DI Madge Rahman cuts her compassionate leave to lead this investigation. Maya needs to unravel the cryptic message left behind by the killer who murdered the headmistress. The action is written from several points of view, in both the first and third person. We also hear the murders voice along with the teachers. This is a well written debut novel that's tense, gripping and fast paced. There are lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing.

I would like to thank NetGalley, HQ and the author Vicky Newham for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Enjoyed this very much set in East London lots of riddles to solve but a race agai st time - a modern crime storyline

don't read a lot in this genre, but the synopsis piqued my interest.  I'm glad that it did, because I think that I would have missed out otherwise.

In my opinion, this is an impressive debut.  One of the reasons I don't read many crime stories any more is that they can get bogged down in procedure or unnecessary detail which slows the narrative.  There was none of that here.

The pacing was good and picked up as the story went on.  The plot line was solid and there was enough side drama to keep the reader interested on multiple levels.

Did I guess who the perpetrator was? No.  There was sufficient misdirection and false leads to keep me firmly in the dark.  And I didn't mind at all.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.

A very modern police procedural full of twists and turns and with an enigmatic ending!

An accomplished debut and the first in what will become a highly addictive series.