Gisborne police have a homicide inquiry underway after a woman in her early 50s died at a house in the suburb of Riverdale this afternoon.
Police were called to the house just after 2pm.
"We are treating this as a homicide inquiry at this stage pending the outcome of a post-mortem examination," said Detective Senior Sergeant David Greig.
"We are still piecing together the circumstances involved in the woman's death. At this stage those circumstances are unclear."
Police have cordoned off the property and it will be under police guard overnight.