A review by annacaig
Splinter in the Blood by Ashley Dyer

5.0

There have been several attempts over the years to settle upon the ‘rules’ of writing detective fiction. One rule almost universally agreed on, although phrased differently by different people, is: ‘The truth of the problem must at all times be apparent – provided the reader is shrewd enough to see it.’ And herein lies the great joy of the whodunit: sifting as you read, what is significant and what isn’t, which are the genuine clues and which are the red herrings?

With Splinter In The Blood, Ashley Dyer pulls off a masterclass in ‘the truth must be apparent’; she allows us to feel clever and insightful, ooo look at us spotting the relevant clues and working it all out, oh yes. And then in the end she shows us that actually we’re idiots. Or maybe that’s just me. The truth was apparent all along, but I was too busy looking the other way.

Full review: https://murderundergroundbrokethecamel.wordpress.com/2018/02/16/splinter-in-the-blood/