Title: Bad Blood
Author: Sarah Hornsley
Publisher: Zando (UK) / Hodder & Stoughton
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Legal Suspense
Year of Publication: 2025
Date of Publication: July 1, 2025
Pages: 352 (Paperback)
ISBN‑10: 1638932387
ISBN‑13: 978‑1638932383
Summary of Bad Blood by Sarah Hornsley
Bad Blood follows a woman named Justine Stone. Justine is a Criminal lawyer whose career is currently thriving. She recently lands her first major murder case but then she discovers that the accused is her high‑school sweetheart who disappeared nearly two decades ago.
Jake left Justine a week after her father had died and even though she has since remarried and moved on with her life, Justine still holds on to the emotions she felt in that relationship. Jake has since changed his name but returned a few months ago to Justine’s hometown, and is now accused of murdering a couple. But the Jake, Justine remembers is no murderer and so she returns to her hometown to see what she can find. The challenge is that going home opens up some very painful memories and reveals a lot of secrets.
At her childhood home, Justine stays with her mother. She learns that her brother has not been seen for quite sometime. As Justine continues to ask questions, it becomes clear that Jake’s case, her father’s death long ago, and her brother’s recent disappearance all appear to be connected. Her pursuit of truth tests her marriage, her career ethics, and her own sense of justice.
Main Plot & Characters
- Justine Stone: She is the novel’s narrator. Justine is a brilliant barrister and is very good at her job but she is dealing with some dark family secrets, which are brought to the forefront when her ex-boyfriend is accused of murder.
- Jake Reynolds (Brad Finchley): He is Justine’s first love. They dated when she was around 16 but they have not seen each other for about 18 years. Jake has since changed his name but is now facing charges for a double homicide.
- Max Stone: He is Justine’s older brother. He goes missing and his disappearance becomes a central point in this story.
- Evelyn Stone: She is Justine and Max’s mother.
- Gerard Stone: He was Justine and Max’s father. Gerard was married to Evelyn. Even though he died 18 years ago, his presence is vey much active throughout the story.
- Noah: He is Justine’s husband.
- Jimmy Falcon: He is Max best friend and runs a pub.
- Mark and Beverley Rushnell: They are the couple who Jake Reynold is accused of killing.
- Charles Cole: He is the lead prosecution barrister that works closely with Justine.
- Aya: She is Justine’s therapist.
- Detective Sergeant Rose (DS Rose): She is the detective investigating the murder of Mark and Beverley Rushnell and looking into Jake Reynold’s involvement.
- Otis: He works with Justine and his job involves finding information that is hidden on computers.
Writing Style
Sarah Hornsley tells the story using a first-person narrative. We hear mostly from Justine’s point of view but we also briefly hear from Evelyn, Jake and Max’s point of view prior to his disappearance. The story is told using a dual timeline with some chapters titled “before” and “after.”
A lot of the chapters end on cliffhangers, and so as a reader you may find it hard to stop turning pages or to pause if you are listening to an audiobook. With that said there are portions of the story where some readers may be able to predict where the story is going and how everything might unfold but there are other parts that you won’t see coming.
Memorable Quotes
- “Romeo and Juliet wouldn’t be Romeo and Juliet if they’d grown old and boring together, bickering about what to eat for dinner.”— Justine’s reflections
- “…nothing stays secret from a child. They’re too in tune, too small, too observant. Adults forget what it’s like to be so plugged into the world around you with no other distractions. No work, no responsibilities, pulling you away from experiencing the present. Children are sponges. Adults are clumsy”— Justine’s reflections
- “…for that, I convince myself, I can deem him guilty.”— Justine’s reflections
- “Everything is open to interpretation, Justine.”— Gerard Stone
- “Fuck being good. I want to be great.”— Max remembering Jimmy’s words when they were younger.
- “No one needs that many friends, not unless you’re getting something out of it.”— Justine’s reflections
- “It’s clichéd as hell. Everyone is always out for themselves, no matter the cost – just as long as that cost isn’t them.”— Justine’s reflections
Final Thoughts on Bad Blood by Sarah Hornsley
Bad Blood is like a puzzle because you spend a lot of time trying to put the pieces of the story together. Interestingly, the pacing is slow but the suspense is still very engaging. What makes this story stand out is that Justine’s journey is not just about solving a crime instead she is simply facing the ghosts of her past. Hornsley shows us as readers that memory can really be fragile and sometimes very unreliable especially when mixed with trauma. She also shows us that a lot of people are all about their own self interest.
Book Rating
Characters ★★★☆☆ (3/5)
Plot ★★★☆☆ (3/5)
Writing ★★★☆☆ (3/5)
Book Cover ★★★☆☆ (3/5)
Audiobook ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Overall ★★★⯪☆ (3.5/5)
Have you read Bad Blood by Sarah Hornsley? Where you able to connect all the pieces of the story to figure out what happened?
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