I was expecting a tense courtroom drama and legal thriller, little of the novel was based in court however this didn't detract from the enjoyment in reading. The Stone family are very prominent in their town but there are lots of secrets behind their front door.
Justine's a successful prosecution barrister and is handed a high profile double murder case, there's only one problem, the assailant is her ex boyfriend who she hasn't seen for years. Having to travel back to her hometown she hopes to finally get some answers.
The novel is based in the present but with snippets from the main characters in the past.
It's a very impressive debut novel

This was a great legal thriller. Justine gets personally involved in a case and has to stand down as barrister. But she decides to go hack home after 20 years and finds all sorts of dark secrets about her parents, brother and her ex Jake. Really gripping and well written.

I enjoy a multi POV read and this was no exception. Particularly in a mystery/thriller, when done well, it can add to the suspense because you become invested in the various characters as you're seeing things from their perspective. I think this was done fairly well here and was easy enough to keep up with. There is also the jumping back and forth between the present and the past so it can be tricky but I do think it achieved what it set out to.

Although the blurb notes a courtroom drama, I would say this felt more like a family drama. What I would say is that I could easily see this being adapted as a movie at some point in the future and think it would be well received cinematically if cast correctly. As a debut novel this was well done and I'm intrigued to see what the author releases in the future.

Bad Blood by Sarah Hornsley had me gripped from the very first chapter. I loved it.

We follow Justine, who is a successful woman and a barrister.

Her ex-partner has been accused of a murder in their home town. The story is told through the past and the present and it is just gripping.

Sarah Hornsley's writing was great and I found it a joy to read. Justine as the main character was intriguing to read about and I stayed up well past my bedtime to keep reading this novel.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for allowing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Justine, an upcoming barrister, is given her first murder case to prosecute. The accused is a face she hasn’t seen for eighteen years. Back then he was called something else and he was the love of her life. Now he’s accused of a double murder, and the names of the victims seem familiar.
Across two timelines, eighteen years apart, Justine’s own trauma, and how it links to the current court case, is revealed.
Ideal for fans of shocks and suspense with lots of backstory and told in a straightforward style.
With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an independent review.
On publication, I will post this review on my blog and on GoodReads.

I was excited to dive into this after reading the first chapter and meeting Kings Counsel Justine Stone. She came across as ambitious and determined. I wasn't expecting her to suddenly rush off to Maldon and go rogue, forgetting about her job and husband. Confirmed as barrister to her ex boyfriend accused of murder, (forbidden), she breezed into a pub where she "interviewed" a female bar assistant. It was all too implausible. We were supposed to assume no-one in the small town would recognise her, as if 18 years was a lifetime. It didn't get much better and we had to wait an age for the pieces to fall into place. I persevered but didn't find myself opening the book with excitement and relish.

Superb book. Justine Stone is a junior KC working as a criminal prosecution lawyer. She is on the up in every way both business wise and domestically. She has a husband and young child. What can go wrong? Well she finds out when she is handed her first double murder case. The defendant is a former boyfriend who disappeared years ago. Now, under a different name, he has been charged with the murders. Told from multiple POV’s and in dual timeline this is a cracking story.

Briefly, Justine, although knowing she shouldn’t, starts digging into the case and of course, secrets from the past including those from within her own family, come to light. Digging deeper and deeper can she discover if her ex is guilty or innocent before the ramifications of it all manifest themselves in her own life?

A very clever thriller which will keep you on your toes trying to guess the way the story will go. It is tense, unexpected and full of twists and turns as secrets and lies are revealed. Justine is a great, if flawed character, and I loved the relationship between Justine and her brother Max; I had so much empathy with them. Great read.

Bad Blood by Sarah Hornsley is a gripping psychological thriller that explores the complexities of love, trust, and betrayal. Justine Stone’s life takes an unexpected turn when she’s assigned her first murder case, only to discover her childhood sweetheart, Jake, is the prime suspect in a brutal double murder. As evidence mounts against him, Justine is forced to confront the unsettling truth that she may have never truly known Jake. Hornsley weaves a tense, emotional narrative, keeping readers on edge as Justine’s past collides with her present, and the lines between justice and personal loyalty blur.

I enjoyed this book. Justine Stone left her family home many years ago and has never been back. She is now a highflying barrister and happily married to Noah. When she is given a murder case she is shocked to see that the accused is Jake Reynolds, her first boyfriend who broke her heart. She feels that the Jake she knew would never be capable of murder. From the beginning it is clear that Justine is hiding some terrible secrets, so when she returns home, things start to unravel. The story is a bit far fetched at times but still a good page turner.
Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

Bad Blood is a gripping psychological crime thriller set against the backdrop of the UK, where we meet Justine, a seemingly perfect woman who has it all: a thriving career as a barrister, a devoted husband, and a stunning home that reflects her success. Justine is enjoying life until she receives an earth-shattering opportunity: her first high-profile criminal case. What begins as a potentially career-defining case for Justine rapidly spirals into a harrowing nightmare that tests her resilience and morality.

This tale unfolds in a masterful blend of present-day and narrative and flashbacks from the past, creating layers of suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat. The switch between perspectives allows readers to delve deep into the minds of the various characters, and I quickly found myself emotionally invested in Justine's turbulent journey. While I was engrossed with most of the story there were occasions where I felt the story was a little rushed.

The author artfully weaves together the intricate threads of multiple characters, crafting a plot full of tension and unexpected twists. Each revelation was like a jolt, compelling me to read on.

As a debut novel, this story captivated me from the very first page. Justine, along with her brother Max, are the two characters I connected with the most. I loved the sibling bond. Some moments left my heart aching for Justine as she navigated her complex reality.

In conclusion, I wholeheartedly recommend this impressive debut to any reader who enjoys family drama/ psychological crime/mystery thrillers.

I would like to express my gratitude to NetGalley and publishers Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with a digital review copy (DRC) of “Bad Blood.” The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own, and I have shared them voluntarily.

A great book full of secrets, Justine has hidden from her past, made a new life for herself as a barrister, until her ex boyfriend Jake is arrested on murder charges and she is given her first murder trial.
I loved the mystery around past events and seeing it all unfold on the pages, a hard book to put down.
The characters all dealing with their life issues all around that one event that happened years ago.
A brilliant debut book and an author I shall be looking forward to reading more from.
Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book

Totally gripping from page 1. I did come into the book expecting more of a legal aspect going by the blurb and taglines, but it’s definitely more family drama / thriller. We meet Justine Stone, barrister, husband, gorgeous house, seemingly perfect life. She’s given her first high profile criminal case and things start to unravel...

There’s multiple POVs and flashbacks so it jumps around between present day and past. There’s lots of little (and big) twists, secrets and lies. This book would make a fantastic tv series or movie, reading it you could see how it would work well in other mediums.

The only thing I didn’t love was the ending, I felt some of how the story wrapped up didn't fit with how the characters had been portrayed up to then. But I still thoroughly enjoyed it, and flew through it. A very impressive debut, I’d certainly look to read more from the author in the future.

I really enjoyed this book, couldn't put it down and read it within a day. The setting and characters developments were great.
Also the relationships between the characters was written so well.
The only reason this book isn't 5 stars is because some of it was a bit predictable, not all though.
Overall great and can't wait to read more from this author.

★★☆☆☆ (2.5 stars)

I am genuinely very sad to say that I feel let down by this one.

This was a highly anticipated read for me but it just fell flat.

The concept of our protagonist (Justine) being lead prosecutor in a murder trial against her ex-boyfriend (Jake) is enthralling. So it’s no surprise I was disappointed that our supposedly morally ambiguous lead Justine is quick to remove herself from the case, and does not in fact even speak to Jake in person at all within the novel - bar a few flashbacks, but nothing following his arrest.

I was hoping for explosive tension, suspenseful courtroom drama, and unpredictable twists, and this just wasn’t that.

Sadly the plot felt clunky throughout, which is a shame as there was certainly the potential to be a truly gripping thriller filled with shock reveals and scandalous moments. I also felt the novel’s resolution was not at all satisfying. Whilst I do enjoy a hint of “history repeating itself” or a sort-of “passing on the reins” trope, I found the remainder of the story to be left too open-ended and seemingly the obvious choice.

Let’s talk about the highlights:

I did find Justine to be enticing and was pleased to witness her unravelling a little as the story progressed. The more frazzled a character, the more interesting the plot.

There were several side-characters that I found to be intriguing, such as Otis and Jimmy, each of whom I enjoyed popping up regularly.

The Stones as a family unit are well-crafted and pleasantly dark and twisted. This darker underbelly of the family was my favourite element of Bad Blood, and I feel making this even darker and adding greater depth to their morality (or lack thereof) may have added an extra something that was missing here. I’d have loved to know more about the secret organisations they are tangled up in, for example.

Overall, I find the concept is excellent but the execution is sadly lacking that spark you so desperately need in a good thriller.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with a copy of this book! The above opinions are entirely my own.

I enjoyed this book. I had a fairly decent time with it. I haven’t read a thriller for a while.
This is my first book by this author and I really enjoyed the writing in this. The time jumps really helped me with understanding the story. I also enjoyed the different POVs. I do love seeing different perspectives and it helped me to be more engaged in the story.

There were definitely some twists that I didn’t see coming! And I enjoyed it, I love a good twist and this didn’t let me down.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for this ebook copy of Bad Blood

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the opportunity to read the ARC.
Bad Blood was a quick thriller but more of a family drama than courtroom as I imagined. A little predictable but easy to follow and would be a great place to start if you are dipping your toes in to the thriller genre.

A good debut novel with an interesting writing style.Having to face up to her past after the death of her brother and reemergence of her lost first love Justine a KC in a London chambers starts to piece together events from her teenage years growing up in a seaside town. The backstory is unraveled using past events told from the point of view of all the main characters. The ending mixes the expected with the unexpected. A good but not exceptional debut from an author who shows great promise.

This is a legal thriller with a family drama at its heart and it is the latter that gives this book its intrigue. The main protagonist is Justine Stone, a criminal barrister working for the prosecution, who likes to win. Not only in court as it turned out, but also in life. When her ex-boyfriend is accused of double murder, she returns to the small town where they grew up. After having left this place behind many years ago without any intention of ever returning, once more she has to face the (beautifully captured) small-town mentality of her homestead, together with the complicated and painful legacy of her family. Does bad blood run through all of them?

The underlying themes of the plot deal with questions like: What is truth and to what extent can it be interpreted and manipulated? What is right and wrong and to what extent can mitigation right a wrong? Or can it? How far would you go to protect a loved one? And in all this, there is also an exploration of what makes relationships within a family truly dysfunctional.
Food for thought embedded in a twisted plot with plenty of suspense.

I am grateful to NetGalley and Hodder&Stoughton for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sarah Hornsley’s "Bad Blood" is a gripping thriller that masterfully combines elements of mystery, suspense, and family drama. Set against the backdrop of a small, tight-knit community, the novel delves into dark secrets, intense rivalries, and the destructive power of vengeance. With its complex characters and intricate plot, "Bad Blood" keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish.

The story centers around Rachel Harper, a successful lawyer who returns to her hometown after receiving a cryptic message about her family's dark past. Rachel left the town years ago to escape the shadow of her family's notoriety, but the mysterious message draws her back into a web of lies, deceit, and long-buried secrets. As she begins to unravel the truth, Rachel finds herself entangled in a dangerous game of cat and mouse, where trust is a luxury she can’t afford.

Hornsley excels at creating a tense and atmospheric setting. The small town of Cedar Ridge is depicted with meticulous detail, from its quaint streets to the eerie woods that surround it. This setting provides the perfect backdrop for the unfolding drama, heightening the sense of claustrophobia and tension that permeates the novel. Hornsley’s vivid descriptions and evocative prose transport readers to Cedar Ridge, making them feel as though they are a part of the town’s dark underbelly.

Rachel is a compelling protagonist, whose determination and intelligence make her a character that readers can root for. Her return to Cedar Ridge forces her to confront painful memories and unresolved issues from her past. As Rachel delves deeper into the mystery, she uncovers shocking revelations about her family, challenging her perceptions of loyalty and justice. Hornsley’s portrayal of Rachel’s internal struggles is nuanced and realistic, adding depth to her character.

The supporting characters in "Bad Blood" are equally well-developed and contribute to the complexity of the story. From Rachel’s estranged family members to the enigmatic townspeople, each character has their own motives and secrets. Hornsley skillfully weaves their backstories into the narrative, creating a web of intrigue that keeps readers guessing. The relationships between the characters are fraught with tension, betrayal, and a sense of impending danger, making for a riveting and emotionally charged read.

One of the standout features of "Bad Blood" is its intricate plot and well-executed twists. Hornsley masterfully crafts a narrative that is both unpredictable and compelling. Each chapter ends on a suspenseful note, propelling readers forward and keeping them hooked. The clues and red herrings are cleverly placed, ensuring that the mystery remains engaging and complex. As the story progresses, the stakes are raised, leading to a climax that is both thrilling and satisfying.

The novel also explores themes of revenge, justice, and the impact of past actions on the present. Rachel’s quest for the truth forces her to confront the darker aspects of human nature and the moral ambiguities that come with seeking retribution. Hornsley’s exploration of these themes is thought-provoking and adds a layer of depth to the novel. The moral dilemmas faced by the characters make for a compelling and emotionally resonant read.

Hornsley’s writing style is both engaging and polished. Her prose is crisp and evocative, capturing the emotional nuances of the characters and the intensity of their experiences. The dialogue is natural and reflective of the characters’ personalities, adding authenticity to their interactions. The pacing of the novel is well-executed, with a perfect balance of introspective moments and action-driven scenes.

Both entertaining and deeply moving, "Bad Blood" by Sarah Hornsley is a masterfully crafted thriller that offers a perfect blend of suspense, mystery, and family drama. With its well-developed characters, intricate plot, and thought-provoking themes, it is a must-read for fans of the genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I liked the premise of the novel, thinking it was a sharp courtroom thriller but it turned out to be a dual timeline story of lost love, family and childhood trauma. I did not engage with the narrative or characters.