A murdered boy disowned by his family.
A teen terrified his past will catch up with him.
A girl with nowhere to go.
Men with rage so visceral they will do anything.
With the unsolved murder of a homeless boy still preying on his mind, DI Gus McGuire is confronted with a similar murder, a missing teen and no clues.
Does the answer lie with an illegal dark web site where ‘slaves’ are auctioned off? Or with an online forum for teens?
How can Gus keep people safe when unjust bias rears its head and being different could cost you your life…?
It's an absolute pleasure to be hosting the blog tour for Unjust Bias today. Many thanks to Liz Mistry and to Rachel Gilbey from Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me and for my advance digital copy of the novel.
Unjust Bias sees the very welcome return of DI Gus McGuire and his team in the eighth book in this series. It can easily be enjoyed as a standalone but the plot does feature characters and events from past cases which will obviously resonate more with those who have read the previous novels.
I love crime fiction that examines contemporary issues and in Unjust Bias, Liz Mistry powerfully and empathetically gives a voice to some of the most vulnerable people in society. This is not an easy read but despite its deeply upsetting scenes, it is never gratuitous. However, this is undoubtedly a dark book which pulls no punches about the cruelty - physical, emotional and mental - inflicted on people who are perceived to be different – most notably those in the LGBTQIA community.
The book opens with a tense prologue set six years previously before introducing a character known as Angel whose true identity isn't revealed until much later. Angel is a terrifying creation and although his behaviour seems horrifically unhinged, it becomes evident that his followers may not be as extreme but still support his cause. The multiple viewpoints in Unjust Bias means that the full picture doesn't become clear for some time but despite the complexity of the case, the threat posed to some of the characters and the twisted morals of others is painfully apparent throughout. The clever structuring is complemented by the excellent pace of the novel and while the painstaking, exhausting nature of the investigation is portrayed impeccably, the narrative itself is utterly compulsive.
It's not surprising that such a grim case should take its toll on Gus and his colleagues; their frustration and anguish is palpable at times but so too is their fortitude. This becomes a very personal investigation for them and readers of the previous books in the series will be particularly moved by one aspect of the story that sees the return of a couple of characters from a past case. However, despite the terrible crimes perpetrated here and the unconventional lengths the team are forced to go to, their humour and care for one another brings much needed light to the darkness. The characterisation is superb and although there are despicable people here, bravery and selflessness is depicted too. I didn't like all the characters and there were some I hated but I believed in every one of them.
Unjust Bias does what the best crime fiction is capable of and although it is difficult reading about the pain inflicted on others, through intolerance and ignorance, it is an important, perceptive look at subjects which need to be brought into the open. It sometimes feels wrong to say I enjoyed a book which features truly horrific crimes but Liz Mistry writes with such heart and I was completely gripped by this moving, exciting and thought-provoking novel. Highly recommended.
Unjust Bias can be purchased from Amazon UK, where it is also available on Kindle Unlimited and Amazon US.
Follow the blog tour, details are below.
About the Author
Struggling with severe clinical depression and anxiety for a large number of years, Liz often includes mental health themes in her writing. She credits the MA in Creative Writing she took at Leeds Trinity University with helping her find a way of using her writing to navigate her ongoing mental health struggles. Being a debut novelist in her fifties was something Liz had only dreamed of and she counts herself lucky, whilst pinching herself regularly to make sure it’s all real. One of the nicest things about being a published author is chatting with and responding to readers’ feedback and Liz regularly does events at local libraries, universities, literature festivals and open mics. She also teaches creative writing too. Liz has completed a PhD in Creative Writing on Diverse voices in crime fiction
In her spare time, Liz loves pub quizzes (although she admits to being rubbish at them), dancing (she does a mean jig to Proud Mary – her opinion, not ratified by her family), visiting the varied Yorkshire landscape, with Robin Hoods Bay being one of her favourite coastal destinations, listening to music, reading and blogging about all things crime fiction on her blog, The Crime Warp.
This review brought a tear to my eye, Karen. Really appreciate it. Thanks so much
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