#allthebookreviews: Splinter In The Blood by Ashley Dyer @wmorrowbooks @AshleyDyer2017
Splinter In The Blood
by Ashley Dyer
Thanks so much to William Morrow Books for these copies.
Loving on this cover and loving on this book!
Read Jessica and I's very happy reviews below.
Publisher: William Morrow Books
Publish Date: June 12, 2018
Hardcover
400 pages
Series: Carver and Lake #1
Genres: Thriller, Suspense
A propulsive debut suspense novel, filled with secrets, nerve-jangling tension, perplexing mystery, and cold-blooded murder, in which a police officer on the hunt for a macabre serial killer is brutally attacked, and only his partner knows the truth about what happened—and who did it.
After months of hunting a cold-blooded murderer that the press has dubbed the Thorn Killer, Detective Greg Carver is shot in his own home. His trusted partner, Ruth Lake, is alone with him. Yet instead of calling for help, she’s rearranged the crime scene and wiped the room clean of prints.
But Carver isn’t dead.
Awakening in the hospital, Carver has no memory of being shot, but is certain that his assailant is the Thorn Killer. Though there’s no evidence to support his claim, Carver insists the attack is retaliation, an attempt to scare the detective off the psychopath’s scent, because he’s getting too close. Trapped in a hospital bed and still very weak, Carver’s obsession grows. He’s desperate to get back to work and finally nail the bastard, before more innocent blood is spilled.
One person knows the truth and she’s not telling. She’s also now leading the Thorn Killer investigation while Carver recuperates. It doesn’t matter that Carver and the rest of the force are counting on her, and that more victims’ lives at stake. Ruth is keeping a deadly secret, and she’ll cross every line—sacrificing her colleagues, her career, and maybe even her own life—to keep it from surfacing.
Utterly engrossing and filled with masterfully crafted surprises, Splinter in the Blood is a propulsive roller-coaster ride, filled with deception, nerve-jangling tension, perplexing mystery, and cold-blooded murder.
My Review:
Hot damn! I do so love a debut novel that keeps me guessing RIGHT TIL THE VERY END! I legitimately had no idea who the killer was until the very end when it was revealed. Ashley Dyer is the pen name of Margaret Murphy and Helen Pepper in their debut book written together. Gotta say, I absolutely loved it.
The intricacy of why the Thorn Killer is named the Thorn Killer and how the victims are killed absolutely fascinated me. I won't go into details as this is all slowly revealed throughout the course of the novel. Carver and Ruth both have their own issues and are clearly flawed. I'm still unsure how I feel about Carver but Ruth.... she's got spunk, pizzazz and isn't afraid to go against the grain. I absolutely adore her.
I actually did not even pay attention to the fact that this was the first in a series until after I turned that last page and thought to myself, "Self, but what happens now? Ruth has all those... and Carver still needs to... I need more information please!" Then I saw it was a series and sighed a bit of relief - I'm really looking forward to learning more about Carver and Ruth and seeing what happens to them ahead.
I did think there were some parts that lulled, but quite honestly, that's because I've been working 10-12 hour days and my mind is mush. Then I would encounter parts where I was struggling to stay awake to read. Ultimately, this one really perked my serial killer love.
DYING FOR MORE DYER.
★★★★★
Jessica's Review:
Detective Greg Carver is found shot in his own home, and he is found by his partner, Ruth Lake. Why was she there? Why did she rearrange the crime scene, remove items, and wipe down all of the surfaces she touched? They suspect this is the work of the serial killer, dubbed the Thorn Killer, that Carver has been hunting down. By some kind of miracle, Carver survives, but when he wakes up in the hospital he has no memory of what happened.
Now Ruth is lead investigator on the Thorn Killer case, but she is willing to risk everything to keep her secrets hidden. Even if that means sacrificing her career, colleagues, and even more victims. What does she know? What truly happened to her partner that night?
There are so many questions throughout this thriller and Dyer did a fantastic job pulling the reader along. Despite being a 400 page book, I flew through it. The short chapters and changing perspectives keep the pacing up and pages flipping. We get to see through the eyes of Lake, Carver, and the Thorn Killer. I am always a fan of diving into the minds of the serial killers in these types of books, especially when the killer has such a unique method of torturing their victims. Tattooing them for days on end with a poisoned thorn. The suspense will hit you from page one and not let up until the explosive ending!
I can't wait for more for Dyer about Carver and Lake!
I give this 5/5 stars
No comments
Leave a Comment