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A review by kbranfield
Splinter in the Blood by Ashley Dyer
4.0
4.5 stars.
Splinter in the Blood by Ashley Dyer is an absolutely brilliant police procedural that is quite riveting.
Detective Sergeant Ruth Lake and her partner Detective Chief Inspector Greg Carver have been working on a particularly sadistic and baffling serial killer case. Over the course of a year, five women have been kidnapped, ritualistically tattooed and murdered then displayed in carefully positioned poses. The latest murder of university student Kara Grogan hits very close to home for Greg since the young woman closely resembles his estranged wife, Emma. Drinking heavily and obsessed with the case, he summons Ruth to his flat late one evening. Upon her arrival, she is stunned to learn Greg has been shot. Following this shocking discovery, Ruth's actions are inexplicable and leaves one very important question unanswered: why does she remove evidence from the crime scene before calling for assistance? And even more important, why is Ruth so unnerved when she notices that Greg is still alive?
As Greg's partner, Ruth is not assigned to the investigation into his shooting. She instead focuses her attention on the serial killer case that has been dubbed the "Thorn Killer" due to method in which he tattoos his victims. Turning her attention to the most recent victim, Ruth meticulously goes over the case files and revisits Kara's flatmates in order to ascertain her movements in the weeks before her death. She also continues her research into the killer's peculiar methodology of tattooing the victims with thorns. Upon conferring with expert Dr. Lyall Gaines, Ruth learns important information but he rubs her the wrong way with his superior attitude and somewhat heavy-handed attempts to turn professional relationship into something more personal.
Whilst Ruth continues working the Thorn Killer investigation, Greg's recovery is slow and hampered by a head injury. With only fragmented memories of the night he was shot, he is confused by his jumbled thoughts, possible hallucinations and troubling synesthesia which provides him the ability to "see" people's emotions. Greg is also undergoing grueling physical therapy which is needed to counteract the effects of the concussion and the short time he was in a coma. In an attempt to help him deal with the trauma and emotional component of his recovery, Greg undergoes therapy with psychologist Dr. Laura Pendinning.
Further complicating an already complex situation, a woman Greg has been involved with, Adela Faraday, has been found murdered. This raises several intriguing avenues for the investigation into the circumstances of her death. Was Greg somehow involved with her murder? Or was he also a victim of the killer? Once again, Ruth is prohibited from working on the case but since she removed evidence that could identify the killer, she surreptitiously investigates Adela's murder on her own. Will Ruth unmask the perpetrator? Or will she find evidence that Greg is in some way connected to Adela's death?
Splinter in the Blood is a spellbinding mystery with a fascinating storyline. Greg and Ruth are multi-faceted characters with compelling histories that make them sympathetic and easy to like. The plot moves at a brisk pace as the investigations into the various cases steadily yield leads that demand further exploration. With clever twists, intriguing misdirects and plenty of red herrings, Ashley Dyer brings the novel to a dramatic, action-filled conclusion. This gripping debut is sure to be a hit with readers who enjoy well-written British police procedurals.
Splinter in the Blood by Ashley Dyer is an absolutely brilliant police procedural that is quite riveting.
Detective Sergeant Ruth Lake and her partner Detective Chief Inspector Greg Carver have been working on a particularly sadistic and baffling serial killer case. Over the course of a year, five women have been kidnapped, ritualistically tattooed and murdered then displayed in carefully positioned poses. The latest murder of university student Kara Grogan hits very close to home for Greg since the young woman closely resembles his estranged wife, Emma. Drinking heavily and obsessed with the case, he summons Ruth to his flat late one evening. Upon her arrival, she is stunned to learn Greg has been shot. Following this shocking discovery, Ruth's actions are inexplicable and leaves one very important question unanswered: why does she remove evidence from the crime scene before calling for assistance? And even more important, why is Ruth so unnerved when she notices that Greg is still alive?
As Greg's partner, Ruth is not assigned to the investigation into his shooting. She instead focuses her attention on the serial killer case that has been dubbed the "Thorn Killer" due to method in which he tattoos his victims. Turning her attention to the most recent victim, Ruth meticulously goes over the case files and revisits Kara's flatmates in order to ascertain her movements in the weeks before her death. She also continues her research into the killer's peculiar methodology of tattooing the victims with thorns. Upon conferring with expert Dr. Lyall Gaines, Ruth learns important information but he rubs her the wrong way with his superior attitude and somewhat heavy-handed attempts to turn professional relationship into something more personal.
Whilst Ruth continues working the Thorn Killer investigation, Greg's recovery is slow and hampered by a head injury. With only fragmented memories of the night he was shot, he is confused by his jumbled thoughts, possible hallucinations and troubling synesthesia which provides him the ability to "see" people's emotions. Greg is also undergoing grueling physical therapy which is needed to counteract the effects of the concussion and the short time he was in a coma. In an attempt to help him deal with the trauma and emotional component of his recovery, Greg undergoes therapy with psychologist Dr. Laura Pendinning.
Further complicating an already complex situation, a woman Greg has been involved with, Adela Faraday, has been found murdered. This raises several intriguing avenues for the investigation into the circumstances of her death. Was Greg somehow involved with her murder? Or was he also a victim of the killer? Once again, Ruth is prohibited from working on the case but since she removed evidence that could identify the killer, she surreptitiously investigates Adela's murder on her own. Will Ruth unmask the perpetrator? Or will she find evidence that Greg is in some way connected to Adela's death?
Splinter in the Blood is a spellbinding mystery with a fascinating storyline. Greg and Ruth are multi-faceted characters with compelling histories that make them sympathetic and easy to like. The plot moves at a brisk pace as the investigations into the various cases steadily yield leads that demand further exploration. With clever twists, intriguing misdirects and plenty of red herrings, Ashley Dyer brings the novel to a dramatic, action-filled conclusion. This gripping debut is sure to be a hit with readers who enjoy well-written British police procedurals.