havent read any of the other books so dont think that helped it really took me a while to get into this and it was and being honest the writing style just wasnr for me but thats a personal prefernce though i was determined to finish it. The characters are interesting and likeable once you get into it and the story os just gripping and interesting enough to get you through

I really enjoyed this book , it was my first time reading from this author and have to say it won’t be the last time , I really enjoyed the authors writing style.

A Violent Heart is the 4th book in the DI Grace Archer series, and would be beneficial, not essential to read the books in order. A sex worker, Elena Zoric is found dead and the last call on her mobile is to Archer. Archer is desperate to investigate the murder of Elena as had known her and helped her out in the past. However, she is told it is out of her jurisdiction.
Then a body of a female is discovered wrapped in a carpet in the attic of an abandoned house but has been there for over 30 years. It turns out that both Elena and the body in the attic were killed in the same way and Archer is determined to find out how the two are linked and who is responsible. When another body is discovered, Archer is keen for these victims to have the care and time investigating their deaths as sex workers are often lower down on the police’s priorities.
A real gritty novel that doesn’t shy aware from the realities of sex workers and how they are portrayed in society. Archer is a caring, determined character, backed up by a highly skilled team, always determined to find out the truth. A twisty and fast paced plot, like with all David Fennell books, will keep you reeling, desperate to read one more chapter!

David Fennell is yet another new to me author. I have seen social media posts about his books and I am very glad that I have finally had the opportunity to read some of this work. Of course, now that I have, I have some more books that have been added to my TBR wish list.
A Violent Heart grips you from the start, presenting a haunting and gritty narrative that explores the tragic lives of society's most vulnerable. At the core of the story is the murder of Elena Zoric, a sex worker and addict, whose death appears to be dismissed by some as inconsequential. This cold indifference toward her life and death is sharply contrasted with the fierce determination of DI Grace Archer, a protagonist who brings humanity and empathy to the forefront of the investigation.
The relationship between Archer and Elena—though never fully explored in life—becomes a haunting echo in Archer’s mind after Elena's death. The mystery of why Elena would call Archer in her final moments intensifies the emotional stakes of the case. This personal connection to the victim adds a compelling layer to Archer’s relentless pursuit of justice.
What stands out in A Violent Heart is Fennell's unflinching portrayal of institutional apathy. Chief Inspector Fletcher’s dismissive attitude toward the case, coupled with the North London police’s lack of urgency, paints a picture of how marginalized victims are often treated. This aspect makes Archer’s fight not just against a murderer, but also against a system designed to overlook the most vulnerable, all the more powerful.
The discovery of the thirty-year-old remains further thickens the plot, linking past crimes with the present, and Archer’s rogue investigation is both thrilling and nerve-wracking. The pacing is brisk, with Fennell maintaining suspense throughout. As a reader, you’re drawn into the intricate puzzle, piecing together clues while feeling the weight of Archer’s frustration and determination.
However, the story does rely heavily on familiar crime fiction tropes—a determined detective going rogue, a condescending superior officer, and a corrupt system. While these elements add tension, they might feel slightly predictable for seasoned crime readers. That being said, Fennell’s characterization of Archer and his raw portrayal of the victims keep the story engaging and emotionally resonant.
A Violent Heart is a gritty, hard-hitting thriller that doesn’t shy away from the dark realities of life on the fringes of society. It’s a stark reminder of the biases that exist within the justice system, making Archer’s fight for Elena—and other forgotten women—a deeply personal and poignant journey.

This is the fourth book in the DI Grace Archer series. I love her character and think she is incredibly well written. A Violent Heart is fast-paced, gritty and another gripping entry. I found this thrilling and hard to put down. Highly recommended for those who love complex, character-driven thrillers.

Thank you Bonnier Books and Netgalley.
This is the fourth in the series and lived up to expectations.
I love the characters of Grace Archer and Quinn and am interested to see where Liam goes!!
A really good / different storyline which had me hooked.
I’ve read the whole series now and would definitely recommend,
More please!

A fast paced thriller with lots of gruesome murders kept me hooked right until the end,

I liked the police detective main character she was defintley some one to root for.
I did guess who the murderer was before the reveal

Full of intrigue and suspense

I have read this author before and look forward to again

I love this crime series featuring the brilliant DI Grace Archer. This latest book is a great addition to the series and one I recommend fully!

This story opens with the death of a young woman near a stream in North London. The last number dialled on her phone, found nearby, is DI Grace Archer - our hero of the Metropolitan Police who has worked to free women from sex trafficking. Archer wants to take the case because of her personal connection but is refused and instead finds herself investigating the death of a woman left in an abandoned house many years previously. cases have similarities, but Archer's attempts to make connections continue to be knocked back by her superiors who just want the cases closed as quickly as possible. This leaves Archer with no choice but to toe the line...or break the rules!

As with the previous books, I love that DI Grace Archer is a strong female lead who is unafraid to take on those who don't have the correct priorities - she believes that the violent deaths of all women should be given equal attention by the police, regardless of the women's status and activities during life. This gives her a single-mindedness in her investigations and a determination to do her best by the victims which is commendable. Grace's colleague, DS Harry Quinn, is similarly empathetic and likeable, putting a strong detective duo at the heart of this police procedural.

The plotting is clever and kept me reading - this is one of those books that you won't want to put down, even as you are also slightly scared to be reading it late at night!

Although this book sits within the DI Grace Archer series, it would work as a standalone too - in case anyone is holding back from reading it because they don't have the back-story. Each book is gripping in its own right so dive right in!

This is one of my favourite detective series and I love this latest instalment. Fennell can't write these fast enough for me, so I hope the next book is in the pipeline...

David Fennell has written another great installment to the the Archer & Quinn series which is full of action and has a gripping storyline starting with the death of sex worker Elena Zoric who was originally trafficked and has since become a friend of Archer, when found she has injuries that match some killings from the 80'sand its down to detectives Archer & Quinn to find the culprit, What I like about this book is that although this is number 4 in the series it could easily be read as a standalone as there are not lots of past references which is good because this can be offputting.

Fast paced and hugely engaging. This crime thriller romped along at a good pace and was thoroughly enjoyable. I particularly enjoyed the linking of historic and current crimes.

A Violent Heart is the first novel I’ve read in the Archer and Quinn series and I’ll definitely be reading the previous novels in the series.
When a body is found in a house Archer and Quinn soon connect this decades old crime to the murder of a sex worker.
I loved this police procedural which brought together the many different strands of the story brilliantly and moves along at a good pace.
Recommended.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

I absolutely loved this book. It drew me in from the start and I couldn’t put it down. There are some great characters, some I liked and some I didn’t! I certainly didn’t guess who did it until right near the end.

First of all thank you for approving my request!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The authors writing style had me hooked throughout this book.

I didn't want it to end, a book I really couldn't put down.

I have been so excited for the next instalment of this series, can we have book 5 already?! Pleeeeaaaassseee.

It is always interesting to follow Grace and her team, whilst this wasn’t as violent as the previous books, the reasons behind the murders seemed far darker, women being killed for the job they do.

The attention to detail that the author gives, always makes me feel that I am part of Grace’s team and I’m figuring it out with them. The different timelines were addictive as was Grace and Mallory’s ‘working’ relationship and how they bounced off of each other.

Elena Zoric, a survivor of trafficking, has been forced back onto the game by a lack of money and has a bad feeling about the man whose car she has just got into. He turns on her and as she flees her attacker, she calls DI Grace Archer, one of the few people she trusts but Grace misses the call. The next day Elena’s body is discovered by a stream with a head injury and a nasty hole in her chest. Whilst it isn’t their case, Grace and her DS Harry Quinn are determined to take an interest, especially when the post mortem reveals a shocking link to a young woman’s body which has just been discovered in an empty house on their patch. A woman who was killed in 1987. When true crime podcaster (and the thorn in Grace’s side recently) Mallory Jones contacts Grace with details of a third very similar victim from 1991, the big question is whether they have a copycat, a series of coincidences or a killer who has gone undetected for over thirty years? How many more related cases will either set of detectives unearth? And of course, how will they catch him?
There’s lots going on in this very engrossing and brilliantly told police procedural. I really liked Grace and Harry, dedicated and empathetic detectives, and also Mal and Bruce who were obviously spurred onto their current careers by their devastating and unresolved joint loss. Grace’s childhood and back history have clearly made her the strong and determined detective she is today. The team, including Klara, Marian, Joely and Os who all work very well together, also has to suffer a new and rather awful DCI in the form of prehistoric Les Fletcher when DCI Clare Pierce has to take leave to care for her sick husband, and it’s not long before sparks are flying. This is a gripping story from start to finish, gritty and full of action with an exciting ending, and the first book I’ve read in the series. It works perfectly well as a stand-alone but I’m definitely going to catch up on the rest of the series and look forward to more stories. Highly recommended!

4/5 stars: Misogyny, systemic apathy, and the battle against societal indifference.

A gutsy police procedural, A Violent Heart by David Fennell, unflinchingly exposes the dark underbelly of policing toward those on the fringes of society in a perfectly paced story that you simply can’t - and won’t - put down.

A Violent Heart is a high-octane thriller that offers more than a compelling police procedural. We are plunged into the dank underbelly of North London, where justice is marred by unconscious bias, violence, and corruption against society's most vulnerable, in this case, sex workers. With a collection of solid, empathetic characters and a plot that tackles uncomfortable realities, it's a must-read for fans of crime fiction who appreciate a story that resonates emotionally and nods to complex societal issues. Fennell's deft handling of challenging characters and morally ambiguous situations makes this book a knockout that will leave the reader eager for the next chapter in the Grace and Quinn story.

It's worth noting that A Violent Heart is the fourth instalment in David Fennell's popular Grace and Quinn series, following The Art of Death, See No Evil and The Silent Man. In his author's note, Fennell describes A Violent Heart as a "reset for our heroes" and considers it a "standalone mystery", making it an excellent entry point for new readers. If you haven't yet read the previous books, as I hadn't done, don't let that deter you from diving into an utterly engrossing story.

Recommended for fans of:
- Steve Cavanagh, Karin Slaughter, and M. W. Craven
- Peter James' Roy Grace series and M. J. Arlidge's DI Helen Grace series
- A fast-paced book you can finish in a day

Thank you to Random Things Tours (blog tour), Zaffre Books, NetGallery, and the author, who generously gave me early access to the book in exchange for an honest review.

#ZaffreBooks #AViolentHeart #BlogTour #DavidFennell

When sex worker Elena Zoric is found murdered, DI Grace Archer is devastated to discover that on the night of her death, she had missed a call from her. Could she have prevented her death? She desperately wants to be the investigating officer but is prevented from doing so by her new boss, Chief Inspector Fletcher. When the remains of another woman are found with similar injuries to that of Elena, Grace is determined to find a link. With help coming from an unexpected source, could these two deaths just be the tip of the iceberg?

After the previous Grace Archer book, I felt as though that would be the last we would see of the detective so I was thrilled to see that we were being treated to another book! If you have not read the previous three books, this one can definitely be read as a standalone although I thoroughly recommend going back to the start as this is such a good series with likeable characters in Grace and DS Harry Quinn.

The murder of sex workers is a subject that has appeared in many fiction books but what I particularly liked here is that we don’t just see the victims as dead women. The author has, by going back in time to before they met their fate, given them a voice and made them real characters in the book. Usually, we discover the life of a victim through their loved ones so it was refreshing to read their stories via the women themselves.

David Fennell has shown how police attitudes towards sex workers has changed when Grace realises that these murders have been going on for decades. If only there were police like Grace around when these deaths started instead of the officers who were not keen to investigate ‘another prostitute death’, then maybe the case would have been solved earlier!

A Violent Heart is a fantastic addition to the series, full of tension and very well-written. I am so glad that we have the opportunity to read more about Grace and hope that there is still more to come.

I read the first book in this series a few years but not yet read the other two books. The only reason for this is because the fact that they had been published completely passed me by. I plan on rectifying this mistake at the first opportunity. Luckily this novel worked perfectly well as a standalone and I had no issues with missing any storyline continuation.
I think Archer and Quinn, the detectives who feature in this novel, are fantastic. Dedicated to their work but with just the right amount of cynicism that is mainly reserved for their colleagues. They are not afraid to admit that there have been a lot of failures within the Met with regard to protecting sex workers. The attitude displayed by some members of the police in the novel is unfortunately believable. But it also highlights that there are those who want answers.
The murders are more upsetting to read about than in other novels. I’ve read books before where the reader ‘meets’ the victim just before their death. It always has an impact, feeling more real but because the victims are so vulnerable it had more of an effect. Even more so because the police investigating at the time weren’t interested enough. I’m sure I won’t be the only reader who thinks the same.
There is also a podcaster, Mallory, who is interested in the murders. She isn’t initially appreciated for her efforts, especially from Archer, but they soon realise that she has the power to help them find who was responsible. I liked her character, and I’m sure I will enjoy catching up with her exploits when I read the earlier novels.

Fast paced, gritty and unrelenting it tells a story of murders throughout a longer timeline than is first considered. Can be gorey but this always adds to crime novels. Liked the normality of the detectives life set in the midst of heinous crimes. Havent read this author before but definitely something i will look into.

I met David Fennell at Capital Crime last year at the launch of The Silent Man and have been obsessed with his books ever since! A Violent Heart is the next in the Grace Archer series and has a recurring character from past novels which made it very interesting to read and explore. Tense police procedural thriller which kept me hooked! I love a multi layered story which you uncover more about as you go on.