It's grim up north, so the saying goes. And Dying Breath simply reinforces this image in a graphic, unrelenting way,

This is the fifth book in the series about D.S. Nikki Parekh, whose personal life is as horrific any any of the cases she works on. The story is told from her perspective as well as her seventeen year-old daughter, her seriously abusive father and someone involved in a grisly crime that includes dogs. Uncomfortable stuff.

In effect, there are two stories: the crime Parekh is investigating and her family. Unlike other detective books though, the family issues are capable of standing alone as I am always looking ahead to reading the next part of their drama. Not the normal family drama though, it must be said. Sometimes, the points of view seep into each other, but it's not a major issue. Eventually, of course, the two paths will merge to produce an exciting and dramatic climax.

The narrative for each of the characters is modern and flows fairly well, making the voices distinct and contemporary. A story about courage and determination in the the face of adversity. Intense and at times, gruesome, this is a powerful read that touches on current social issues.

The threat of Freddie Downey, Nikki’s father who blames her for everything bad that has happened to him, looms large at the start of this story. Having already murdered her mother, Freddie is determined to make Nikki pay, torturing her thoughts in a series of postcards moving ever nearer to Bradford and planning to kill her after making her suffer first. DI Zain Ahad has moved in next door with her sister Anika and nephew Haqib, and Ali’s men are mounting a guard around the family. After also receiving a threat, Isaac has been moved into Nikki’s house and the tension is reaching breaking point. The reader hears how a heavily disguised Freddie is watching and waiting to make his move, bolstered by a lucrative new business venture. The close team are all together, with Sajid Malik promoted to DS and solid DCs Farah Anwar and Liam Williams providing excellent support, as they are called to the horrific scene of an illegal dog fight. The organisers have fled, but strangely have left a fingerless human arm ripped from its socket so there’s a case of murder for the detectives to investigate. The reader also hears from a man held captive in appalling circumstances, fearing that he will be the next victim. The organiser is pure evil, and having found a new gut-wrenching and barbaric form of entertainment for the baying crowd, is planning something bigger and even more gruesome, but someone may just be in a position to stop it, if only he can find the courage. Nikki has always been a fighter and a survivor but will this fight prove too much for her?
The main cast are well known and loved now after four previous stories and there are some great returning characters like taxi boss Ali who provides more than cars when required, and young Isaac who is starting to make a success of himself in a café job. Still two of my absolute favourites are Archie with his “proverbials” and also Marcus who provides an ever-calming presence in the turbulent lives of his family and close friends. I would suggest reading these books in order as they form a fantastic series and there’s lots of history running into each new one. The tension and pace throughout this story are constant and the suspense is almost unbearable at times in a grim and compelling story told by an author who can only be described as a master story teller! Another breath-taking heart stopping brilliant addition to the series! 5*

Nikki Parekh just doesn't seem to get a break. Threatening postcards keep arriving & she know they are from the most dangerous man she has ever known- her father. The police protection as well as supplementary help from her family is hard for the family- especially for teenage daughter Charlie, who cannot accept the curbs on her freedom. In spite of this crime in Bradford does not stand still & when a tattooed arm is found amongst clues pointing to illegal dog fighting. it is obvious that there are some very evil people involved.

The description of the freezing weather & the bleakness of the moors sets the scene well. There are some really awful scenes described. The story is told through various narrators & the action never stops. This is an excellent series & I'm looking forward to the next one. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this terrific book.

Liz Mistry: Dying Breath

I love the Nikki Parekh series and it's great to be back! I really enjoyed catching up with the team: they have a wonderful chemistry and feel like friends to me after five installments of the series. Although Nikki is vulnerable (and we are acutely aware of this throughout Dying Breath) she's feisty and I always trust her to get the job done. Mistry has developed her character (and those of her team) really well and the similarities to my own personality makes it easy to relate to her. There are a few references to previous books in the series so I would recommend reading the series from the beginning.

Throughout the series, Mistry deals with some dark themes and I commend that she does so in an informative and sensitive way. Dying Breath is no different: it may not be for the faint hearted but it shines a light on some issues of which I was not previously aware. Her writing is very contemporary and it feels very relevant to current society.

Mistry is a brilliant writer and I love the way she sets the scene in such a way that I feel I am right there with Nikki and her team. Towards the end of the novel, the tension and sense of danger is very real and there were several times I had to remember to breathe!

Great book by Liz Mistry. Another must read author to add to my list. Will be recommending her to friends definitely, and look for more in the future!

This is a Detective Nikki Parekh book. In haven’t read anything else in the series and struggled to get into the story. I just felt annoyed with the main characters to the point that I couldn’t continue.

Two year ago, Nikkis mother was murdered. She keeps receiving eerie postcards from her father saying, ‘You’re next Parekh’. Now she’s worried about her family. Human remains are found in a remote area in the Yorkshire moors. A dogfighting ring seems to be responsible. Nikki investigates. Will she catch the culprits?

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Another gripping, dark, and twisty book in this series. This is a bit darker than the previous and it kept me reading.
I appreciated the continuous sense of dread and the suspence.
Well written characters, good storytelling.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Dying Breath by Liz Mistry.
When Detective Nikki Parekh receives a set of threatening postcards, she knows it can only mean one thing… The man who escaped arrest after murdering her mother two years ago is back. Each postcard has a similar message: You’re next Parekh. As the post marks on the cards gradually get closer to Bradford, Nikki must do everything she can to protect her family and catch the killer before it’s too late.
Really enjoying this series. I love Nikki. Lots of action. 5*.

This is the 5th book in the DS Nikki Parekh series and just like the others it hits the ground running. This is a dark and somewhat gruesome story. When an arm, and only an arm, is found Nikki, Sajid and the team are called in to investigate and to find the rest of the body. This exposes the harrowing world of illegal dog fighting. Running alongside this in her personal life events are closing in on Nikki with the return of her evil father. As per usual Liz Mistry superbly ramps up the plot until the fear is almost tangible. A tense, fast moving and gripping book that I really enjoyed. Thank you to the publisher, author and NetGalley for an arc of Dying Breath.

This is a fabulous read, right from the outset, the pace is relentless as Nikki is hounded by her nemesis and father Downey.

The story itself is menacing with dog fighting and animal cruelty at the fore, but Liz doesn’t dwell or go into detail of the fights, for which, I was very grateful.

Poor Nikki has a ring of steel around herself and the family, but still Downey managed to torment her and the team.

What follows is a game to Downey of cat and mouse, can he get to Nikki and kill her, or will she live to see another day?

My heart was in my mouth several times, I could barely turn the pages, as I know how Liz can alter her characters lives, leaving the reader absolutely heartbroken.

This book is the best yet, and would be hard to follow. I read it in a day despite interruptions, it was that enthralling.

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

Book 5 in the DS Nikki Parekh series and this one has very dark themes that could be distressing for some. I mention it’s because it’s something that I feel quite strongly about. The main theme is illegal dogfighting, and I couldn’t normally read anything involved animal cruelty but I can say that this has been done in a sensitive manner and it’s more about the people who run these hideous meets rather than the actual fight. This is well written and, although part of a series, could be read as a stand-alone. Running alongside the police case is another thread concerning Nikki’s father, Downey, a completely heartless man who murdered her mother and is now back and threatening other members of her family; his ultimate aim, to break Nikki.

Briefly, a tattooed arm is found on a site where an illegal dogfight had taken place but the arm has been ripped out and had teeth marks suggesting something much more sinister than a dog fight was taking place. Meanwhile members of Nikki’s extended family have been receiving postcards, with implied threats, and one of them has gone missing. Can Nikki ensure the safety of her family, until Downy is caught, whilst dealing with the dog fighting case?

I’m a big fan of police procedurals and this series is, in my opinion, amongst the best. I love this authors writing and I’m always fully invested in the story. Nikki is a great character, flawed and fighting her own mental health issues, she is fiercely loyal and family first. Her nemesis Downey is the total opposite, pure evil and cares about no one but himself. A great read full of breath holding moments and good twists and turns. Excellent.

Dying Breath Liz Mistry

5 stars

This is the 5th book in the series and it is just as good as the preceding ones.

This time the crime revolves around illegal dog-fighting but worse than that the dogs are not fighting each other but are being set loose on human beings. The first clue about this for DS Nikki Parekh is when they find a severed arm left at a dog fighting scene.

Nikki is slowly recovering from the murder of her mother by her evil father Freddie Downey and the betrayal of her trust from her therapist Dr Mallory. She has suffered a nervous breakdown but with support from her husband Marcus and her three children is slowly getting back on her feet. Although this crime is looking like it will be distressing and vicious Nikki is relieved to be getting back to doing her job.

However it is not long before she starts to receive notifications again from her father.
One of them is placed on the windscreen of her car and she then receives photographs of herself and her daughter which were taken the day before. Not only is her father still trying to kill her but he is now in the neighbourhood.

Nikki tries to immerse herself in the current case but cannot free herself of the constant dread not only for herself and her family but also anyone whom she loves. It then transpires that Freddy is the main person involved in the dog-fighting circle and is planning a grand finale where the dogs will be pursuing and killing people.

Yet again in this book Ms Mistry excels at showing us the terrible depths that some human beings can descend to. I also found her description of one of the pubs that she and her partner, DC Malik have to go to particularly depressing full of racist, sexist and homophobic people. The most depressing thing is that I am sure that such places still exist in this day and age.

I think one of the strengths of this author is how she can describe problems that are still current when living in a multi-cultural society without trying to preach. In the end bad people generally receive their just punishment but it made me think about how this sort of stuff is still going on and how hopefully as time goes by maybe things will improve.

I enjoyed this book and will be looking out for any future books by this author.






Karen Deborah

Another fabulous fast paced story with Nikki. I was gripped from the start and I look forward to reading more

DI Nikki Parekh #5

When Detective Nikki Parekh receives a set of threatening postcards, she knows it can only mean one thing,... The man who escaped arrest after murdering her mother two years ago is back. Each postcard has a similar message: You're next Parekh. As the postmarks on the cards gradually get closer to Bradford, Nikki must do everything she can to protect her family and catch the killer before it's too late. But when human remains are found in a remote barn on the icy Yorkshire moors, Nikki-s attention is pulled away from her family. When a tattoo on the victim's arm - the only means of identification - leads nowhere, the team have already met a dead-end.

What a gripping rollercoaster ride this is. DA Nikki Parekh and DS Sajid Malik are investigating the discovery of a severed limb and trying to locate the reast of the body. We also enter the illegal dog fighting arena. Then there's Nikki's father who might be back on the scene after he's been on the run for the last two years as he killed Nikki's mother. This is a dark and gruesome read. The pace is fast from the beginning, and I was hooked from the first page. The tension and suspense build throughout. The characters are well developed. Between her busy work life and trying to keep her family safe, Nikki can't afford to be distracted. The story held my attention throughout. Although this book could be read as a standalone, I recommend that you read them in the order they were written in or you will miss out on some of the background story/

I would like to thank Netgalley and HQ for an advance copy of Dying Breath, the fifth novel to feature DS Nikki Parekh of Bradford Police.

The man who murdered her mother is taunting Nikki, sending postcards from locations closer and closer to Bradford. This puts her on high alert for her family’s safety, but doesn’t mean she can neglect her job where she is investigating an arm found in a barn on a remote moor.

I thoroughly enjoyed Dying breath, which is a tense, action packed thriller with some dark themes.

The novel is told from various points of view so the reader knows much more than Nikki and has to watch her play catch-up. There are pros and cons to this approach. On the plus side the reader knows what the novel is about and what Nikki is hunting so there’s little frustration or annoyance at a sense of secrets being kept. On the minus side there is a lot of cruelty involved, some of it quite sickening, and, in my personal opinion, the impact of some events is lessened by knowing what is coming. Having said that there is still room for surprises, although the big twist is quite guessable.

The novel is extremely tense in parts and runs at quite a fast pace as Nikki tries to cover too many bases. The conclusion is more tension and action, but I wouldn’t look for realism as it’s not there. So what? The novel is entertaining and held my attention throughout.

Dying Breath is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

In my opinion, not the best in the series, but it is a really good series. Not sure how it would read as a standalone, I think it would be better to read these in order. I love Nikki and also love the way the author has made her vulnerable as well as brave. This ties up a long story arc, so it’s good to get closure. Horrific, but probably true, details of dog fighting, so this isn’t a book for the faint hearted animal lover. Looking forward to more from the new DI and her team.

The latest nightmare to hit Bradford is dog fighting. Acting on a tip off, Nikki Parekh and the team arrive at the scene of a recently abandoned fight venue, only to discover an arm. Which is missing the rest of its body.

And, as if things couldn't get any worse, Nikki's monster of a father Freddie Downey is back. And out to get her...

Another brilliant addition to the excellent series

They are not wrong to describe this as gripping!
2 crimes interwoven- the illegal dog fights turned even more sinister when labelled as hunts with partial human remains being found at a site clearly used for a fight and the ongoing hunt for Freddie Downey, Father of Nikki, the lead detective and the man determined to kill her.
Tension is high throughout as Nikki tries to keep her family safe from Downey (who is so much closer than anyone knows) whilst trying to find the rest of the body and prevent any further horrific deaths.
You do not need to have read the previous books for this to make sense as the back story is covered enough to keep you in the loop but knowing Downey from old only helps build the tension!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this eARC.

I really enjoyed this book. Nikki and her team investigate when a body part is found and struggle to identify who it is. The investigation leads them into illegal dog fighting rings and someone from Nikki's past is very close to home wanting revenge and threatening her family, putting them all at risk. I liked that the story was told through different characters and from their perspective. I thought the story line was all too believable and realistic and as always the author has wrote a very good and thrilling book here that grabbed my attention and interest right from the start and held it all the way through. This book didn’t quite have the wow factor for me, although I really loved the tension and suspense Liz Mistry built up as the book progressed and raced to its conclusion, with an ongoing story thread coming to an end. I’d recommend this book and series if you like good, solid crime and police procedurals although you need to read the books in order to get to know Nikki and her history right from the start. Looking forward to the next book.

The latest book in the Detective Nikki Parekh series is another enjoyable police procedural thriller from Liz Mistry that draws to a conclusion some of the ongoing story arcs that have been running since the first book whilst also having another very good main storyline.

Overall a recommended book.