blog tour, books, reviews

Blog Tour: Without a Trace – Jane Bettany

You can cover up the truth, but every murder leaves a trail…

The rain was relentless. It stung Ruth Prendergast’s face as she dashed towards her house, desperate to escape the cold and settle down for an early night. But upon entering her bedroom, she finds a man, lying on her bed – a knife buried in his chest.

When Detective Isabel Blood and her sergeant arrive on the scene, Ruth claims she’s never laid eyes on the victim before. But with no sign of a break-in, how did the killer gain access to the house?

Then Ruth disappears, leaving Isabel and her team to fear the worst. Has their lead suspect escaped, or is Ruth in danger herself?

Forensic evidence at the crime scene is sparse, and it’s proving impossible for Isabel to make a breakthrough. With Ruth still missing, time is running out.

But how can you catch a killer that doesn’t leave a trace?

Uncover the mystery and solve the crime alongside Derbyshire’s best detective. This utterly gripping, unputdownable whodunit will have you hooked and reading long into the night! Fans Val McDermid, Elly Griffiths and ITV’s Vera will love Without a Trace!

My thoughts: this was a great police procedural, a man’s body found in a stranger’s bed, a man no one seemed to have a serious problem with. How did he get there and who killed him? DI Blood is supposed to be on leave as her estranged father has come to town. Instead she has to juggle dealing with her own family and its secrets as well as those surrounding the deceased.

The case was clever and I liked the way it slightly reflected Isabel’s own family, with some crucial differences. Her dad has a lot of explaining to do, as he hasn’t come alone and is playing her off against her half brother.

The team in the police station spend a lot of time eating and Zoe’s hot chocolate habit had me putting the kettle on and reaching for the marshmallows! Do not read this book while hungry! But they’re also good investigators and put the pieces together. In the end they discover that terrible mistakes have been made (though not by them).

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

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