A uniquely compelling concept with a mixture of procedural drama, crime and several gut-punches worth of heartbreak and devastation.

Justine is a successful criminal lawyer, with a drop-dead gorgeous husband, a life of good champagne, white roses and luxury. But despite all the privilege and wealth, her narration shows a woman who is confused, doubtful, and has clearly got some demons in her mind. She tells the story with such a clear voice, one constantly full of thoughts, commenting on how she’s feeling, what she’s thinking about everything unfolding that really lets us connect with her even from the first chapter.

Split between now and before, we see Jake and Justine fall in love and piece together their ending, waiting for something to fill in the 18 year gap between the last time they saw each other and his arrest. The narration is intimate, personal and so engaging.

This is a story about stories. About how everyone can play multiple parts, how meaning changes depending on how you tell the story and about how the truth isn’t always what it seems.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of Bad Blood. I CONSUMED this book so quickly I swear. There were twists I didn't see coming and even down to the last couple of pages IT THREW ME. I wanted to know what really happened with Max - that man's story is something else. (IFKYK)

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves this genre OR anyone who just wants something a bit different from their usual reads that needs to be gripped and invested within an inch of their life.

Bad Blood Sarah Hornsley

5 stars


This is a debut book by the author and I must say it is a brilliant start.

I enjoy books where we are in the present day but then go back to the past. Justine Hart is a successful criminal barrister happily married to Noah and her life seems set to continue upward.

However she is allocated a high-profile case defending Brad Finchley against what seems an indisputable murder charge. On beginning her investigation she discovers that Brad Finchley is, in fact, Jake Reynolds, the love of her life from 18 years ago. Shortly after Justine's father had died in a car accident, Brad had disappeared from the small town of Malden leaving Justine heartbroken.

Justine realises that she has to give up this case as she knows the accused but not before she has looked at the relevant information. This leads to her returning to her home town and re-establishing a relationship with her mother, Evelyn, and her brother Max. Justine's childhood had been dominated by her aggressive father and a mother who showed her no affection and despite her reluctance to return to the scene of her unhappy childhood she needs to find out the truth.

This was a fascinating story as we learn about what really happened to Justine's father, why Brad/Jake left Malden and the truth about long-ago events. The story is told from various viewpoints and built up to a crescendo with a twist that I had no idea was coming. It delves into the subject of what a mother will do for her children which I found particularly interesting.

I will definitely look out for any further books from this author. Highly recommended.




Karen Deborah
Reviewer Netgalley

This is no courtroom drama or real legal thriller as I was half expecting. The book centres around Justine. She is an upcoming barrister, thrilled to be given her first murder case to prosecute..

However, the first twist in this book (and there are many!) is that the accused is her first true love who is accused of a double murder. Even the names of the victims linger in Justine's mind.

After a short time she has to give the case up but the story continues apace with it spread across two timelines, eighteen years apart. Justine has to also cope with her own trauma, with links to the actual case.

My only bit of negativity concerned the number of multiple switches of characters in short punchy chapters, plus the two timelines. I am not a fan.

Saying that, the book sometimes shocks and with many twists, the ending is excellent.

Thanks to Net Galley and Hodder & Stoughton for the chance to read and review.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an eARC of this book. I was not paid to review this book and all opinions are my own.

⭐⭐⭐.5

A double murder. A toxic past. A family secret. There's no law against keeping secrets...
My name is Justine Stone. I left home twelve years ago, never to return. Now my ex-boyfriend, Jake, has been accused of a double murder in the town where we grew up. It's my job as a barrister to make the case against him.
But to face the courts, I need to know the truth. The real truth about what happened when we were young - not just the story I'll spin the jury. To reach the heart of it, I must face up to the part my own family played. Even if it means risking my life.

Welcome to the Stone family where everyone is hiding something. I thought this book was well written, however, there were so many twists at the end. While I figured some of them out, some of them kinda felt like they were put in for shock value. I also really hated the conclusion of everything as well. It really annoyed me that's how she chose to end it

Thanks, @netgalley, for the ARC.

I've not read anything by this author before, and after reading the blurb about it, I was really looking forward to it and didn't disappoint! The only thing I will say is that I thought it was going to be more of a crime thriller, but it is more about secrets and families. It is told from multiple points of view that it does keep you on your toes guessing as well as the flashbacks, so I didn't want to put it down as I wanted to know what was happening.
The chapters were short and sharp, which helped in my opinion to keep your interest up!
It's definitely worth a read!

Sarah Hornsey's "Bad Blood" is a captivating novel that delves deep into the complexities of family ties, betrayal, and dark secrets.
The story centres around the protagonist, Justine Stone, an up and coming barrister that has just been given her first murder case. Justine’s life is turned upside down when she opens the file and sees the picture of someone she knows but hasn’t seen in the last 18 years.
Jake was her first love who suddenly and seeming without reason disappeared from her life. A conflict of interest, Justine should immediately recuse herself from this case. But in her quest to uncover the truth, she is drawn into a web of deceit and danger that threatens to unravel everything she holds dear.
At its core, "Bad Blood" is a mystery novel that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. It is a plot filled with twists and turns, ensuring that the truth remains just out of reach until the very end. Each chapter is meticulously crafted to build suspense, making it nearly impossible to put the book down.
The characters in "Bad Blood" are richly developed and multi-dimensional. Justine Strone emerges as a strong, determined heroine, whose vulnerability and tenacity make her both relatable and admirable. The supporting cast of family members, adds depth and complexity to the narrative
Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley UK for the ARC.

Successful barrister Justine Hart is handed her first murder case defending Brad Finchley, a man accused of double murder. Reviewing the case notes she is shocked to discover that she knows the defendant as Jake Reynolds, her first love, who disappeared from her life eighteen years ago. Searching for answers Justine needs to return to her hometown and face the secret she has kept hidden for all of her adult life.

The dark cover, along with the blurb, was enough to draw me to Bad Blood by Sarah Hornsley. The only thing better than a murder mystery is a murder mystery combined with a legal thriller. However, apart from Justine being a barrister, there is very little of the legal aspect to the story, but that does not detract from this dark and brooding psychological thriller in any way.

From the very beginning, you get the feeling that Justine is someone who is very restrained, almost emotionless. Being a barrister she needs to be dispassionate and able to compartmentalise her life in order to do her job successfully, but as we get deeper into the story we begin to learn that this is also a coping mechanism used to control her emotions and hide a dark secret from her past.

We discover that Jake/Brad disappeared from Justine's life unexpectedly, just after her father died in a tragic accident. Not long after the accident her mother shipped her off to live with relatives and she hasn't returned to her hometown of Maldon since. Justine always considered her mother to be disinterested in her and being sent away has only added to their strained relationship.

Upon returning to Maldon, secrets from the past begin to be revealed. We are given glimpses into Justine's emotional state, leaving us unsure if she's blocking memories because of trauma or because she doesn't want the past to taint her present. We also see how different characters play their part in covering up dark and twisted events, and the impact it has on them.

By digging into the past Justine slowly begins to piece together why Jake abandoned her. It felt as if pieces of a jigsaw were slowly being revealed, but it was a jigsaw without a picture. As more pieces are revealed you begin to form an idea of past events and an understanding of the motives behind each character. The author holds back one final piece until the very end, a piece that turns the story on its head and makes you rethink all of your assumptions.

Ups and downs of a family ridden with secrets.
It was an impressive first novel from Sarah Hornsley. She tells us the story of Justine Stone, now Hart, with a lot of looking back to shocking incidents eighteen years ago. She had left home immediately, first living with her aunt and cousin, and then went to university. She worked hard to build a successful career as a barrister.Recognising the defendant in a murder case she is due to represent as an ex-boyfriend forces her to go back to her family home and face up to her past.

This is a well written book laden with twists and turns as it speeds through the story. It kept me guessing right the way to a shocking conclusion that I found surprising.

This is well worth reading.

Bad Blood follows Justine, a criminal barrister, who is handed the case of her career… a murder case where two people have been shot and killed with no motive. The only issue is, Justine knows the defendant… very well.

Bad Blood is told from various perspectives and timelines following Justine in the present day and she tries to solve the case, and multiple others in the past where you see her relationship with the defendant and what happened happened in the build up to the murder, as slowly all the pieces become to fall together.

This is a very well written thriller that had me on the edge of my seat, racing through the pages to see how it would all unfold. I thought i’d worked out at points but the book surprised me and I would never have seen the actual ending coming.

There are a lot of mediocre thrillers out there but this isn’t one of them, a masterclass in thriller writing.

This book had me hooked although it wasn't what I was expecting

.From the front cover I thought it would be a courtroom drama but it never visits courtroom, until the very end and is actually hard to define as a genre
.
It focuses on Justine's' search for the truth when her ex boyfriend Jake is accused of a double murder. On arrival back in her hometown where she hasn't lived since she was 18 she begins to unearth all sorts of secrets. Some of which I am sure she would have preferred to have kept hidden.

The story is fast paced and blends together Justine's old life with her present one. The characters are all well written and all have stories and secrets of their own.

The story gathers pace throughout and finishes with a final twist. All in all it is a good read, focusing on family and friendships more than the actual crime. Definitely worth reading.

Sarah Hornsley's Bad Blood delivers an engaging blend of suspense and emotional complexity that keeps readers hooked from start to finish. The story revolves around Justine Stone, a successful barrister whose life is turned upside down when her childhood sweetheart, Jake, is accused of a gruesome double murder.

The novel unfolds through multiple points of view, providing extra depth and insight into the characters' experiences. Justine's internal struggle between her professional duty and her lingering feelings for Jake is portrayed with a palpable sense of tension and authenticity. The gradual unveiling of Jake's past and the evidence against him keeps readers on the edge of their seats, questioning his innocence alongside Justine.

One of the standout aspects of the book is its character development. Justine is a relatable protagonist, grappling with the challenges of her past and present. The supporting characters, including her husband Noah and the enigmatic Jake, add layers of intrigue and complexity to the plot. Hornsley skilfully holds back key parts of the story until the end, creating a suspenseful and compelling narrative without it feeling forced.

Bad Blood is character-driven, pacy, and twisty, kicking off with a perfect premise and ratcheting up the tension all the way to the climactic end. The novel's strength lies in its intricate web of relationships and the emotional depth of the characters. Sarah Hornsley's writing is both evocative and thought-provoking, leaving readers to ponder the nature of trust, love, and the shadows of the past.

If you're a fan of psychological thrillers with a strong emotional core, Bad Blood is definitely worth adding to your reading list.

This was an incredible thriller. With multiple POVs and well fleshed out characters, it was so easy to fall into the plot. I did not want to put it down. Excellent twists that had me gasping. An overall exceptional read.

Full review will be posted 2 weeks before publication, here and on Instagram.

Bad Blood by Sarah Hornsley had such a great premise that I was really excited to get my hands on a copy. The synopsis sets us up for an exciting and dramatic legal thriller, where barrister Justine Stone discovers that the suspect in her first big murder trial is none other than her ex boyfriend, a man she has not seen in eighteen years. A lot has changed in that time, she has moved from her childhood home in Essex to London and is now happily married to Noah, but she still struggles to believe that the boy she loved could have changed so much that he could kill two people. Justine knows she has to recuse herself from the case, but before she does she feels a compulsion to do a little digging around and what she uncovers is much closer to home than she could ever have imagined.
I had high hopes for this thriller, I love a good courtroom drama but quickly had to adjust my expectations, instead we get a small town thriller with lots of family drama, which I don't mind but is definitely not what I thought I was getting. The book moves along at a good pace with lots of short snappy chapters from several perspectives in both the past and present day, so I did find it kept my attention even though I was forced to suspend my disbelief quite a bit, especially as the twists kept coming. It's a promising debut and I am sure lots of readers will find it entertaining, especially if they are drawn to unreliable narrators and books that keep you guessing.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher , all opinions are my own.

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.