The Revenge Pact by Liz Mistry is a gripping contemporary crime thriller that totally consumed me. It is the second book in the Solanki & McQueen series but can be read as a stand-alone. I recommend reading book one first as there is a background story, begun in the first book, which runs underneath the main story. The ending reminds us that there is unfinished business which will be carried over to the next book.
I have to say the writing is superb. I loved the juxtaposing of opposites within a single sentence. “I’m clinging to life so that I can cause death.”
We follow gang-related crimes in Edinburgh and Glasgow, as decades old feuds continue. Turf wars between rival gangs mean trust is in short supply and memories are long.
A cold case is resurrected and reignites a desire to bring the guilty to justice.
All the characters were well drawn and realistic. They are rough, tough and ready – the criminals and police. There is no honor among thieves. In contrast the Jazz Queens in the force have each other’s backs.
There is a camaraderie between Solanki and McQueen. On the outside they present a tough shell which is needed to police the streets, but their inner shells show both of their vulnerability as they fight inner demons.
Much of the novel is in the third person but some is in the first person as we ‘hear’ from the person who wants vengeance. I tried to guess who it was – and failed, again! My jaw dropped at the big reveal.
Liz Mistry has written a very authentic novel. It is easy to picture the crime-ridden streets with the turf wars and the fruity language of both the heroes and villains.
The Revenge Pact was a suspenseful read and would make a marvellous television series for after the 9pm watershed.
I received a free copy from Rachel’s Random Resources. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
A word of caution: There are some scenes and language that some readers may not like.

....and the "Jazz Queens" are back! Book 2 is every bit as exciting and fast paced as the first in the series. It's dark, it's disturbing, it's humorous and it's also so well written. It's a complicated plot told from different viewpoints and times but one that all falls into place. I loved reading more about Jazz and Queenie's history and eagerly await the next book. Thank you to netGalley, the publisher and Liz Mistry for an early read, one that I happily recommend.

I am a fan of this authors writing and The Revenge Pact is a fast paced read full of tension and suspense that grabbed my attention and interest right from the start and held it all the way through to the last page. When two men are found murdered Jazzy and Queenie investigate. I like the intricately woven story threads that kept me guessing who the murderer was. I enjoyed finding out more about Queenie's past and that whilst she comes across as brash, doesn't care what others think, she has a vulnerable, soft side. The story is well written and has a good, well thought out plot line that is all to believeable in todays world with themes of organised crime and police corruption. If you like crime, or police procedurals I'd recommend this but would say read the series in order to get to know the characters and backgrounds from the beginning.

4 stars

Book 2 of Solanki and McQueen Crime Series

Jazzy and Queenie are on desk duties. When two bodies were discovered at the side of the road, they are quickly identified as notorious gang members. Who was responsible for these murders - the Edinburgh or Glasgow crime gangs. Solanki's sister, who is a serial killer, is still on the run.

This is a cleverly crafted and complex case. We learn more about Jazzy and Queenie's background stories. It's all going on in this book. With the action starting straight away, there was more than enough going on to keep you turning the pages. But there were a lot of characters to try and keep track of. The pace was fast in this twisted read with lots of threads running throughout. There was a little humour thrown into the mix. I'm looking forward to reading what the "Jazz Queens" have in store for us next.

Published 21st November 2024

I would like to thank #NetGalley #HQDigital and the author #LizMistry for my ARC of #TheRevengePact in exchange for an honest review.

I hadn't realised when I got this book it was the second in a series - knowing this might have helped at the beginning with sorting out the cast of characters both villains and good guys. Many of the characters have nick names and working out the relationships to each other was somewhat confusing in the beginning.
Once the story had got going it was a gripping plot and fast moving. However not all the loose ends are tied up, and it is set up for at least one more in the series - something that always leaves me feeling cheated.
I liked the idea of the tight group of detectives working together but wonder at their relationship with their boss who is rude and unprofessional and yet is not hauled up over this despite the main character of Jazzy and Queenie being righteous and hard nosed. The tech aspects and the use of drones make this a very up-to-date read but this was somewhat spoiled by some of the rather 'twee' Scottishness in things like pub names and references.
Overall I was a bit conflicted - I did enjoy the plot but didn't find the book a great read. I've certainly preferred other books by this author.
With thanks to Netgalley and HQ stories for an arc copy in return for an honest review.

The second book in the Solanski and McQueen series set in Scotland and featuring DS Jasmine ‘Jazzy’ Solanski and her team including her friend DC Annie McQueen; the team call themselves the Jazz Queens. Jaz’s boss and her nemesis, DCI Dick, has her and her team on desk duty or helping other teams in minor roles. Told in multiple POV’s and timelines this is quite a complex case and Jaz is still under threat from her half sister following the events in the previous book.

Briefly, following a spate of murders, presumed as the ongoing turf war between Edinburgh gangster Loanie Gibbs and Glasgows Jimmy Nails, Jazzy and Annie have been sent to check out two bodies found near the ancient burial site called Cairnpapple Hill. The same place where, some 30 years earlier, an unidentified man was found. As the Jazz Queens delve deeper and deeper, despite the efforts of their vindictive DCI Dick, the case gets darker and darker.

This is a dark and disturbing read as third party intervention causes violent gang warfare to rip loose. Could be read as a stand-alone but I strongly recommend reading the first book for background. I didn’t find the dialect so confusing as in the previous book, in fact it adds to the authenticity. Love the relationship between Jazzy and Queenie and how they balance the sad events with humour. An excellent police procedural crime thriller.

The Revenge Pact Liz Mistry


5 stars

The 2nd in the Series, better than the first!

I loved the first book in this series and this one was even better.

DS 'Jazzy'Solanki is still recovering from her last case involving her twin Simon and her half-sister Mhairi. Who committed various murders. Simon is in custody but Mhairi is still free and threatening Jazzy with emails telling her she will come for her.

Jazzy's boss, DCI Dick has an intense dislike of Jazzy and her team and confines her to desk duties. She is also struggling with her relationship with her father , DCS Afzal, who is the main boss but also deserted her and her siblings many years before,

When two brothers are found murdered it is thought that this is the result of a gang warfare between rivals from Edinburgh and Glasgow however the two heads of the gangs, Jimmy Nails and Loaine Gibbs are both being threatened by another person who calls themselves Vengeance.

When another body is found Jazzy gets an opportunity to get involved and away from her desk job and cannot wait to get her team together. Familiar characters from the last book are introduced again, the indomitable ,Queenie McQueen and Jazzy's friend and supporter DI Elliot Balloch. We learn more about the character's backgrounds and their struggles to do an extremely pressurised job under terrible circumstances.

The plot is complicated and is told from different viewpoints and jumps back to events that happened many years before.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am eagerly anticipating the next in the series. The author is on my list to request any further books but also to try and catch up on her previous novels.


Karen Deborah
Reviewer for Net galley

The Revenge Pact carries on with the great writing and fast paced action that Liz Mistry brought to the first outing of Solanki and McQueen. There are many aspects of Liz Mistry’s writing to like and the author’s knowledge of the areas in which the action is set lends a real sense of authenticity. The many fans of the best Scottish crime authors will find much to enjoy in this latest offering.
Highly recommended.

Oh I thought the first book in this series was exceptional but this one surpassed it, loved getting to know the gang more & some background to one of them. This book had twists & turns in it, lots of murders but they were a shock as well. Who was the protagonist wasn’t who I thought it was going to be but I loved it & can’t wait for the next book, to see where the ending takes us next.

McQueen and Solanki are in trouble with their boss, Dick … again! They go off piste, and the Jazz Queens work the case on the side.

With gangsters being murdered, and someone out for vengeance, they have a lot to try and deal with on the side.

With Solanki’s sister, Bitch, still on the loose, the team are also having to watch their backs.

The Jazz Queens are back! I am loving this series, it is action-packed from start to finish.

The author works her magic and also includes important things like the mental health of the police officers. Seeing the horrendous sights they see, their mental health must be looked after.

With both Solanki and McQueen having issues, they need to trust and rely on each other. The friendship they have shines through.

This is the second book in the series, and I hope that there will be many more to come.

My thanks to HQ Digital for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Well this is shaping up to be a great series with Solanki and Mc Queen returning in book two, set in Scotland between Edinburgh and Glasgow. It is well written and intricately plotted with, several plotlines and some touches of humour throughout to lighten the darkness. I was hooked from the start and completely drawn in to the gang culture with the huge cast of believable characters. The ending was neatly wrapped up and left me eagerly looking forward to the next in the series. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Solanki and McQueen are back! This is the second book in the series of the jazz queens. When the head of a notable gang is killed and there is already a known turf war ,the Jazz Queens find it hard to be directed to desk jobs by the boss they really don’t like. Jaz is still nursing an injured arm from their last escapade but the boss is keen to split up the team. Being behind a desk however could be a good place to find out if there really is a mole in the building. Meanwhile there are communications of not a nice sort- some to Jaz from her sister- who is a serial killer who has evaded justice, and some to gang members from Vengeance. What is going on and why?

This is a great series which takes the reader right into the heart of the action. Liz has a skill of characterisation and more, I can't help but like the Jazz queens. This is set in Scotland and has some colloquialisms in (which are explained) which gives the grit and edge of the characters. A clever, calculated twisty plot with wonderful characters to make a highly enjoyable read.

The Revenge Pact reunites us with the Jazz Queens, now sidelined and given office jobs until they are needed to help when rival gang wars erupt and members are being found tortured and murdered, added to this an unknown person is out for revenge and is causing chaos between these gang leaders.
Although a good well constructed storyline with scenes that are described chillingly well I did find the first half of the book confusing with all the various character, plus the written Scottish accent made it difficult for me impeded and the flow of the book. That said it was well plotted with some pretty big reveals and a finale that tied everything together nicely.
My thanks to net galley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly.

Liz Mistry's books are an absolute delight! Both of her series set in Bradford are excellent and this new strand shows tremendous promise. Set in Scotland and with a wonderful sense of place, this is tartan noir par excellence. Blood Promise, the opening instalment of this series, was very good, but The Revenge Pact is even better. The pairing of Solanki and McQueen is a joy and, although there is much darkness and violence in the story, the humour that Liz uses makes the book a wonderful read.

Enjoyed this second book of the Solanki series. Enjoy Liz Mistry’s style of writing. Plenty of suspense to keep me interested. Look forward to her next offering. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

It was great to reconnect with the ‘Jazz Queens’ again, and watch their characters and relationships develop. Although this is the second book in a series there is enough back story information for the first time reader. I love the way the author writes spending equal time on the characters as she does on the plot itself. I look forward to the next instalment.

Jazzy and Queenie are back with a bang.

Following the events of "The Blood Promise", the Jazz Queens, still recovering from their injuries, are promptly dropped into another nasty murder case, despite officially being on office duty. When two bodies are discovered at the side of a road, and are quickly identified as notorious gang members, with a recent upsurge in gang related violence, they begin to wish they'd stayed in the office.

Quickly the pair are neck-deep in an increasingly dark and disturbing case of east versus west, as rival gangs prepare for war. Long-time feuds resurface, and it soon becomes clear that the past is catching up to the present. The story moves forward at a breakneck pace, as the detectives uncover more bodies, secrets and lies. But there's plenty of time to discuss Scottish roads, Scottish music and Scottish cuisine. Throw in some suspected Police corruption and life for the pair gets really interesting.

As the title suggests, this book, the second in the Jazzy and Queenie series, is about revenge. But it's also about family, friendship and having the courage to keep going. Fans of the previous book will be glad to know that several threads from there are taken forward in "The Revenge Pact". We learn a little bit more about how Jazzy and Queenie came to be the people they are today and what makes them such a unique team. The author makes clear that aspects of her own life make their way into her books, which only goes to make them more heart-wrenching, and thought=provoking than ever. The scenes between Jazzy and Queenie are funny, sad, poignant and revealing and a joy to behold.

Readers like myself, from Scotland, and West Lothian in particular, will be pleased to know that local roads, towns and places of interest all feature heavily throughout the book, and one location in particular will hopefully encourage fans to Cairnpapple Hill.

Fan of Liz Mistry and of murder thrillers are going to love this. Heartily recommended.






Detectives Jazzy Solanki and Annie McQueen are on the scene where the bodies are identified as the nephews of Loanie Gibbs, head of a notable Edinburgh gang.

The turf war between the gangs of Glasgow and Edinburgh has existed for years, but these murders signal an escalation in violence.

As the investigation unfolds, there’s suspicion about a leak within the police force, and to her dismay Jazzy is asked to keep a watchful eye on someone close to her. With distrust on all sides, can the pair uncover the truth before the body count mounts even more?

Although having read her books in the past, I found this one difficult to get into unfortunately.
Kept going, but it failed to grab you or maintain the concentration as you would have wanted.

The Revenge Pact is the second in the series led by (newly reinstated) DS Jasmine Solanki and DC Annie McQueen, AKA Jazzy and Queenie. The pair of West Lothian detectives are sidelined following their last case (detailed in book 1) while a war between criminal gangs in Glasgow and Edinburgh rages.

Eventually sheer lack of resources brings Jazzy and Queenie to the fray, and they discover that a mysterious individual is stirring up trouble between the two gangs. But who and why? The pair, ably assisted by the rest of their team, delve into the past to find answers. It's an uncomfortable journey. And, don't forget, Jazzy's serial killer sister is still on the loose.

The Revenge Pact is a complex and expertly crafted thriller. There are many plot lines, past and present, and a large cast of characters. The pace is fast, the plot engaging and we find out a lot about the lead characters too. An excellent read.

This was a really good second instalment of what is becoming one of my favourite detective series. Being from Scotland, I enjoy the language and setting of these novels and the grittiness of Scottish crime.

Looking forward to future novels