A good read, kept me hooked to the end.
Gritty with no sugar coating. Gave some insight into India and the trouble
caused by the division in the country made by the British.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers Random House UK, Transworld Publishers in granting me access to this book for an honest review.
The author A A Dhand is a new writer to me but clearly has a few best seller's under his belt, what caught my eye was the description of British corner shop owner with an Indian heritage living in Bradford, with a seedy low level crime background. Jack Baxi our 'hero' is a broken man fighting amongst other broken and seedy character's across Bradford and Deli in India, we learn about Sikhism's, Muslims, gurus, shamans and Indian life; I can smell the rich spicy aroma and feel the humidity, yes at times a little far fetched, but hey its a fictional story and escapisms that's why I requested it to read. Easy to read with just the right amount of humour and tension, enjoyable and I learnt some facts on the way.

I received a copy of this ARC from NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review, so that’s what I will give. It got off to a promising start with the Prologue, set in 1947, Punjab, India, where 100 women from a village gathered in a dark and airless room. Tanveer Singh, the eldest leader of the village appeared on a stage at the front of the hall (no spoiler here) … with his 11-year-old daughter. Near the end of the book, where this part is retold, the 11-year-old becomes a 6-year-old! I’m sorry but it drives me nuts when an author gets things so wrong. OK, it’s perhaps a minor thing, but to me it says something about the author. I found some parts of the story so ridiculous and unrealistic that I almost gave up. The writing was not too bad in some places but went utterly downhill in others and became immature and amateurish. The story became so far-fetched it was silly. Sorry, definitely not for me – but I hope others will enjoy it.

Completely enthralling.

Jatinder Singh is brutally tortured and left inside a burning house by a man he trusted,

On the run and seeking answers he teams up with a young woman who has had the same treatment to try to find the truth.

A brilliantly audacious novel about loss and the need to find meaning. I was gripped from the start, and couldn't put it down till the last page.

This one really confused me. The first half was so fast paced, I was gripped instantly and thought Wow I just want to know why all this is happening, and I guess I’m still wondering......?

Store owner Jack has a sketchy past, and when he is disturbed one night by a Detective, he is kidnapped along with medical student Aisha. There’s clearly an attempt on their lives and they manage to escape. Jack then learns that Aisha is the daughter of an old friend of his, Habib, who is involved in organised crime. This is where the plot gets confusing and seems to be all over the place. It’s revealed that Kiran, Jack’s wife, and Habib had an affair which led to the birth of Aisha. Then Kiran was kidnapped and sent to Delhi to work as a prostitute. However I’m not sure if I just missed this part but it was never explained as to why that happened.

Furthermore, and this is just me being critical, but all the women in the book seemed to meet some demise that didn’t seem fair for the character. Aisha was built up as a strong and complex woman, and she deserved better! Sara, Habib’s wife just seemed very complacent and weak, I feel like her character could have offered a lot more.

Overall, I was so confused by the ending, I didn’t have a clue why things happened the way the did? Maybe I’ll have to reread but until now, 2 stars.

This is such a different kind of thriller, and was so enjoyable I read it in just under two days. I loved the descriptions and the cultures, and having been to India myself I found it transported me back to my time there. The authors description was so vivid, you could feel the humidity and heat and taste the spices, along with the vibrant colours and sounds.

The two main characters are thrown together through events from years ago, and what follows is an exciting journey across India which had me holding my breath on more than one occasion.

I just adored Cruise, and his outlook and he made me laugh with his banter, and he was a good friend to Jack and Aisha throughout their travels.

I think the author gave us a very good insight into the different cultures, and whilst I knew some things, it’s always good to learn more.

My thanks to the author, the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC.

4 - 5.

Store owner Jack (Jatinder) Baxi and medical student Aisha Iqbal’s early morning starts very dramatically when Detective Kuldeed Singh menacingly demands to know how they are both connected to a man called Benedict Cave. What transpires is a tale of Kismet, of burdens carried and the past coming back to haunt them. The gritty thriller takes the action from Bradford to Delhi and finishes breathtakingly at the Golden Temple (Sri Harmandir Sahib) at Amritsar.

This is a clever and complex thriller with a really good plot that has intriguing twists and turns from the mysterious start to the tense and exciting finale and is compelling reading. I love the Sikh elements in the plotting which relates to Jack’s Khalsa family background which is fascinating and from which the title is derived. There’s so much tension and action with some of the settings in Delhi and on the Indian/Pakistani border adding an extra level of atmosphere. There are some colourful and vivid descriptions and incredible action in some very dark places and daring escapes. It’s like a movie, in fact it would make a great movie! We have everything from a shadowy, elusive, mysterious global organisation, to corruption and manipulation. There are big buried secrets, huge lies and deception as well as murder and betrayal in a very rich plot! There are missionaries and religious codes of honour with Jack learning much about his background and there are jaw dropping revelations. The characters are good, they’re easy to visualise although they’re not all likeable with some most certainly not following a path to goodness. My favourite would have to be ‘Cruise’ who Jack and Aisha meet in India who is brave, resourceful, loyal and very funny. I like how the story has some historical context especially relating to the 1947 Partition which is very thought provoking.

Overall, I love AA Dhand’s Harry Virdee series but for those who haven’t read his Bradford based books before this one is a good place to start. It’s a really good, well written and enjoyable thriller. Then read the Virdee series!!!

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House UK, Transworld, Bantam for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

Jack Baxi, a shopkeeper in Bradford, England is disturbed in the early hours of the morning by a police officer. Despite living a solitary, quiet life for many years, Jack has a history of violence and black-market trade, making him believe that his history has finally caught up with him. Little does he know that this interruption leads to a chain of events that unravel the true nature of trauma from his past, leading him to New Delhi and then to his birthplace, where he faces the truths of his family legacy.

The Blood Divide is a gritty, fast-paced, international mystery thriller and I thoroughly enjoyed the journey I was taken on. A. A. Dhand’s writing style is excellent, providing descriptions that were needed to establish the atmosphere of each scene and allow me to picture the events as they unfolded. The plot was brilliantly constructed, and the story had a satisfying finale with no loose ends. I didn’t feel like there was a single part of this story that dragged or was unnecessary and towards the last 30% of the book I was unable to put it down. Furthermore, the cultural and historical explorations throughout this story were wonderful and helped immerse me in the story and thoroughly establish the character’s identities.

Whilst this story is a mystery thriller, with lots of action, and an engaging plot, I thought the driving force of this story was the brilliantly fleshed-out characters. The protagonist in this story was morally grey and at times I was not sure whether I should be supporting his pursuits (I absolutely love when this is done well - which it was here). Information about Jack’s background is drip-fed throughout the story as it is needed, and I felt like this allowed for brilliant character development. Similarly, Aisha’s character was wonderfully portrayed, and I felt like I got to know her very well throughout the story. I loved the relationship between Jack, Aisha and Cruise and all of these characters were very unique and important to the progression of the story. I was concerned that Cruise may have just been included to help out Jack and Aisha, but I appreciated how the author gave a solid reason for why he helps them which was true to his character arc.

The Blood Divide is full of action, betrayal and friendship and is a must-read for any mystery/thriller fan or anyone who loves strong character and plot development. I will definitely be reading more of A. A. Dhand’s work.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Transworld Publishers for providing me with an ARC copy of The Blood Divide in exchange for an honest review.

My thoughts about A A Dhand's brilliantly written standout standalone, mystery suspense action packed international thriller, The Blood Divide was just spectacular, with its eye-opening suspense and breathtaking action that blows you away, Talented Author Amit Dhand, not only he delivers a hard-hitting nail-biting thriller, he has also brilliantly written a powerful story, that witnesses dark secrets of Jack Baxi's families generation's past, was just fantastic. What a fantastic breakthrough standalone thriller, that doesn't disappoint.Amit Dhand's The Blood Divide story begins with were we see Jack Baxi, gets a suprise visit from a detective who is asking him questions about a missing dead person, but he also brings a mystery woman named Aisha who Jack has never seen before, from here begins a dangerous game of cat and mouse adventure, Jack is a Sikh corner shopkeeper with a criminal record. Aisha is a Muslim medical student from a wealthy family. What connects them truly was remarkable and unviable. Their desperate hunt for answers takes them on a perilous journey, from the sprawling underground markets and dangerous red-light district of Delhi all the way to the most militarized zone in India, which just blows you away. But little do they know, a dangerous organisation is watching their every move - and they'll do whatever it takes to stop Jack and Aisha learning the truth is outstanding. If you thought Amit Dhand's brilliant Harry Virdee series were brilliant, then think again this standalone is on a next level. With The Blood Divide he has again proved he is a masterclass story teller. The Blood Divide takes you on a rollocoster ride that reveals some shocking truths about your familie generations secrets this also takes you back to the partion in 1947 which is just mindblowing. I would like to say thank you to Author Amit Dhand, Publishers Transworld Books, and Netgalley for giving me a to read and review this outstanding nail-biting thriller, that packs a punch. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐💥💥💥💥💥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

#TheBloodDivide #NetGalley
Jack and Aisha frantically try to discover why the detective was so convinced they both have information on a missing person. Jack is a Sikh corner shopkeeper with a criminal record. Aisha is a Muslim medical student from a wealthy family. What could possibly connect them?
Their desperate hunt for answers will take them on a perilous journey, from the sprawling underground markets and dangerous red-light district of Delhi all the way to the most militarized zone in India.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK Transworld Publishers Bantam Press for giving me an advanced copy.

Blood Divide - AA Dhand

I'm a huge fan of AA Dhand's Harry Virdee series so was thrilled to get the chance to read his new standalone Blood Divide. It's always exciting when a favourite author moves away from an established series and tries something different.

Jack Baxi appears to be a honest, hard-working, 14 hours a day proprietor of a corner shop in a rough part of Bradford. When DI Kuldeep Singh comes knocking in the early hours you know something is amiss.

I'm not one for plot summaries in reviews, especially in this style of book as it would ruin the surprises.

Starting out in Bradford, one of the characters embarks on a quest to India, an open-ended and potentially very dangerous journey to find out the truth, search for someone from their past and stay ahead of those out to get them.

The sights and sounds of India are vividly described, locations including Delhi and the Golden Temple are very atmospheric. We learn a lot about the Partition of India, the resulting bloodshed and in particular about Sikh cultural traditions and heritage.

It might just be my preference and taste, but I much prefer the hard-hitting urban crime of Harry Virdee's Bradford style than the expansive journey of discovery in this novel. Sorry to say that after a tense and volatile first third I felt it slowed down quite a bit before really picking up again for the last 20%.

The plotting is excellent and the gradual piecing together of the characters' true histories is probably one of the elements I enjoyed most.

Mixed feelings overall, enjoyable, atmospheric, but for me lacked some of the heart-pounding rush of the Harry Virdee series.

Thanks to Transworld and Netgalley.