BLOOD PACT

by Fiona McIntosh

Publisher: Penguin Random House Australia, 2025

Review

by Karin Kos

Whether you are a fan of Fiona McIntosh’s historical fiction or her detective crime thrillers, she deftly pens Blood Pact, her sixth novel in the Jack Hawksworth series. In this novel, Hawksworth and his counterterrorism team from Scotland Yard are tasked with resolving seemingly unrelated domestic terrorist attacks on random people in various locations around London, Bristol and Cardiff. 

With London being the focal point of the action, this fast-paced story offers an insight into the thinking of specialist investigation teams and the strategies they come up with to crack a case that lacks obvious leads. Through Jack Hawksworth’s narration, it made me think about how his specialised team considered it “good news” they might be chasing a a serial killer so that they can link the deaths. 

McIntosh challenges readers to contemplate how far they would go for revenge, making us think about the values of love and loyalty that underpin family relationships. Some characters question their own desires for parenting and how their love for other family members will motivate them to either “kiss or kill”. This is clearly shown through the conflicted character of Hannah Parker who “still feels the most unholy rage” at the unexpected death of her son, Billy. 

The majority of the crimes are related to vulnerable women, and as the deaths loom large the random sense that a killer is walking the streets and preying on people who are innocent of any real crimes perplexes Hawksworth’s team.

With the suspects clearly traumatised by their life experiences and living through their anguish on a daily basis, the thought that they are scrutinised by detectives from Scotland Yard poses a further dilemma and layer of complexity for the reader, create a feeling of wonder regarding how much someone can suffer and how we as a society understand human grief.

Whether you have previously read McIntosh’s novels or not, Blood Pact connects closely with the interpersonal relationships of the characters, allowing them to develop thoughtfully. Simultaneously, this novel can be read as a stand-alone book and equally enjoyed, as the writing is so well-structured the characters are well drawn from the onset and their development seems natural throughout the storyc. 

More importantly, McIntosh’s moral quandary sparks a real interest, with the novel’s unveiling of crucial crisis points building in momentum and rendering the novel difficult to put down, as it is easy to become hooked on the developments facing key characters. The author challenges her readers to sympathise with the culprits whilst equally yearning for justice.

When the legal system fails to provide a solution that recognises complex traumatic circumstances, the reader aims to find solace for those who fall between the cracks. If anything, McIntosh encourages us to ruminate on revenge and whether it can ever be justified when someone’s pain cannot be eased.

I was surprised by how thought-provoking Blood Pact was. It was a rivetting read and it had me thinking about moral complexities, and those grey areas for a long time. Highly recommended.

  Publisher’s blurb

Detective Superintendent Jack Hawksworth is seconded by counter-terrorism to investigate a spate of domestic events. First it was needles in strawberries, then tampering with lipstick samplers and baby formula. But when toxic mushrooms enter the market system and a death occurs, a wave of terror is set to sweep the country. Breaking news of a possible serial killer only heightens the alarm.
There are no leads, no DNA, no witnesses, no CCTV footage. Jack and his team must work on instinct to figure out why someone would want to harm innocent victims, each of them curiously linked to a single blood transfusion.
When a hospital bomb threat erupts, it is up to the team to prevent the inevitable bloodshed. The clock is ticking, and no one is safe from the possibility of a tragedy on a catastrophic scale.