Pre-order
1
of
1
Carved in Blood
The stunning new Hana Westerman thriller from the award-winning author of BETTER THE BLOOD
Series: Hana Westerman
Brief Description
The gripping new thriller from the award-winning author of Better the Blood and Return to Blood. In the depths of the bleak New Zealand winter comes the rising of Matariki – a sacred constellation in Māori culture, heralding a time of new beginnings. For former Detective...
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2899
Unit price
/
Unavailable
Pre-order
Releases
17th
March 2026
(Approx. Date)
Pre-order "Carved in Blood" now to secure your copy from our first shipment
Found a better price? Request a price match
Carved in Blood
$2899
Unit price
/
Unavailable
Carved in Blood
A gripping new case for Hana Westerman, New Zealand’s best investigator, from the award-winning author of critically acclaimed crime debut Better the Blood.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Description
The gripping new thriller from the award-winning author of Better the Blood and Return to Blood.
In the depths of the bleak New Zealand winter comes the rising of Matariki – a sacred constellation in Māori culture, heralding a time of new beginnings. For former Detective Senior Sergeant Hana Westerman, life is good: her work in her hometown of Tata Bay is going well, the community is thriving, and her daughter Addison is getting engaged.
But this Matariki brings unwelcome change. When Hana’s ex-husband Jaye walks into an Auckland liquor store and directly across the path of a gunman, their family’s hard-won peace is shattered.
With the stakes at their highest, Hana finds herself picking up a path she thought she’d never return to. Desperate for answers, she rejoins the police to help scour the city for the unidentified shooter. But as the investigation progresses, she finds herself unprepared for the darkness of the world she is entering.
A darkness much closer to home than she knows.
‘Marries a crash course in Māori culture with a gripping mystery… The good news is that Westerman will be back’ The Times, Best Crime & Thrillers of 2025
‘Cogently plotted and well-written, this novel brings a new perspective to Māori culture’ Belfast Telegraph
‘With Australian thrillers doing well right now, New Zealand’s hot on their heels’ Peterborough Telegraph
Series: Hana Westerman
View all-
13% off -
-
12% off -
-
Pre-order
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781398536821
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Ltd
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 15 January 2026
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Simon & Schuster Ltd
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 23.0mm
Width: 130.0mm
Height: 198.0mm
Weight: 0g
Pages: 384
About the Author
Michael Bennett (Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Whakaue) is an award-winning screenwriter, director and author. His first book, a non-fiction work telling the true story of New Zealand’s worst miscarriage of justice, In Dark Places, won Best Non-Fiction Book at the 2017 Ngaio Marsh Awards. Michael's second book, Helen and the Go-Go Ninjas, is a time-travel graphic novel co-authored with Ant Sang. Better the Blood, the first Hana Westerman thriller, was shortlisted for the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction/Ockham New Zealand Book Award, as well as for the Audio Book of the Year at the Capital Crime Fingerprint Awards and Best First Mystery Novel at the Barry Awards. It was also longlisted for the CWA John Creasey New Blood Debut Dagger and was a finalist for Best Novel at the 2023 Ngaio Marsh Awards, where it won the award for Best First Novel. Return to Blood, the second novel in the acclaimed series, won the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Novel in 2025. Michael's short and feature films have won awards internationally and have screened at numerous festivals, including Cannes, Toronto, Berlin, Locarno, New York, London and Melbourne. Michael is the 2020 recipient of the Te Aupounamu Māori Screen Excellence Award, in recognition of members of the Māori filmmaking community who have made high-level contributions to screen storytelling. He lives in Auckland, Aotearoa (New Zealand), with his partner Jane, and children Tīhema, Māhina and Matariki.
Also by Michael Bennett
View all-
13% off
-
-
-
Things That Make White People Uncomfortable
Hardback$5499Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 3-4 weeks -
-
12% off
-
-
More from Crime & Thriller
View all-
-
19% off -
-
Shirl's Picks
-
-
-
20% off -
-
19% off
-
19% off -
20% off -
Why buy from us?
Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!
Service & Delivery
Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 80,000 books and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.
Auckland Bookstore
We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.
Our Gifting Service
Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.
