Strange Blood

Megan Rhys #2

by Lindsay Jayne Ashford

Last year Frozen introduced Welsh crime writer Lindsay Jayne Ashford to U.S. mystery fans. Now Strange Blood, the next in this critically acclaimed series, has been shortlisted for the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year. Fellow nominees include Val McDermid, Ian Rankin, and Stephen Booth.

In this second crime novel to feature forensic psychologist Dr. Megan Rhys, she is called in to help police investigate what they believe to be a ritual killing. But as more women die, and as the press, the police, her boss, and even her own family turn on her, Megan stakes everything on finding the killer.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Thriller

240 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2005

About the author

Same author publishes as Lindsay Ashford.

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 1 out of 5]

Actual rating: 1.5 stars.

Lightweight, poorly-written British police procedural about a female profiler, brought in as a consultant to a serial murderer case, who gets personally involved. The author introduces some potentially interesting plot elements (a policewoman on the case is seen snogging with the husband of one of the murdered victims), but doesn't follow up. The serial murderer, when we finally get to him (literally not until the last pages of the final chapter) is a schmuck, a total letdown. Strange Blood is the very definition of chick lit, focused far more on clothing, gossip, and love affairs than on the crimes it is purportedly about.

[Ninaminacat · Rating 2 out of 5]

Implausible love interest over substance

The first Megan Rhys novel, "Frozen" was well crafted, exciting and satisfying. "Strange Blood" is non of these. It is implausible that profiler Megan and her sister would each simultaneously have an affair with one of their (much younger) respective students and so much time is devoted to the various elements of love interest, that there is little in the way of profiling or police work, and the actual case seems to lose its way. I am not surprised Megan gets a slap on the wrist from the university's vice chancellor - she is clearly not fulfilling the duties for which she is paid! I had hoped Megan's character would become more developed as the series progressed but it has certainly not happened so far. As for the denouement - what an anti-climax!

I don't think I shall be continuing with the series - though it is true that often the second novel is the weakest link. Overall 2.5 stars

[Mystic Miraflores · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick read, which I appreciated. While it had some family and personal details about Megan, it was not bogged down with so many ad nauseam details as to make the book 300 pages, as many authors tend to do these days. As a reader, I am more interested in the crimes than what someone had for breakfast or wore everyday. The characters seemed authentic and the plot was fast-paced. I gave it 4 stars because the relationship between Kate and Richard was never explained. It seemed to be a big deal when Megan and Delva were looking at suspects, then the couple was forgotten. I would like to read another Megan Rhys novel, but I see the author has turned to writing historical fiction lately.

[Shahrun · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is my favourite Megan Rhys book - so far... Nice brisk paced murder mystery. I’m wiseing up to her cleverly dropped clues - that she peppers her plots with - now. I spotted the killer ther first time he appeared. There was plenty of misdirection though that made me question mupyself and keep going to make sure I was correct. She packs a good punch. I look forward to the next book.

[Brian R · Rating 4 out of 5]

lots of twists and turns to keep you interested

A fun read with lots of twists and turns. Will definitely check out this author again. Story leaves you looking forward to a sequel

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

In England forensic psychologist Dr. Megan Rhys heads the Heartland University Department of Investigative Psychology as well as providing consulting services to the British police. Currently Megan has personal issues with a former Ph.D. student, which she hopes to derail before she runs into professional condemnation.

To occupy her mind and escape her troubles, Megan is profiling a serial killer who carves pentagrams on the foreheads of his victims. Looking into the background of the first victim wife and mother Tessa Ledbury, Megan learns the deceased was involved with Wiccan coven chief Sean Raven. Wolverhampton Detective Superintendent Steve Foy assumes between the Raven connection and the etching that the occult, probably one of the witches, is involved. Megan has doubts re Foy's theory especially as the murder count rises, but struggles to offer a counterpoint even as she profiles the killer.

STRANGE BLOOD, the sequel to FROZEN, is a tense serial killer thriller starring an engaging heroine. Megan is terrific as once again she struggles with a police superintendent although Foy is nothing like West Midlands Police Detective Superintendent Martin Leverton of FROZEN fame who wanted Megan to fail. Readers will enjoy Megan's profiling efforts as things don't go quite smoothly as she tries to make the puzzle fit in a constantly morphing arrangement in which either she has to many pieces or lacks pieces.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dr. Megan Rhys is asked to assist the police with a brutal killing that looks like it could be a ritual. As a forensic psychologist, Rhys can help the police determine what kind of person would do this. She tries to look past the pentagram left at the scene and focus on other elements of the crime. The killer strikes again, and things hit very close to home. Can Megan hunt the killer down before he takes someone Megan loves?

The mystery plot on this book is pretty weak. The crime scenes aren't described much beyond the obvious red herring. The police working on the crime are shown more for the stupid conversations they have than if and how they are solving the crime. It felt like the author didn't have a strong handle on how the police try to solve crimes so she glossed over this, made them screw up, and focused on conversations between the characters about how they screwed up.

The ending was deeply disappointing. I was about 15 pages away from the end and nothing had been revealed yet. I wondered how the heck everything was going to wrap up. It didn't, or at least not with any satisfaction. The killer was an unknown that didn't seem to have anything to do with anything. It was a cop-out, which matched the spirit of the rest of the book.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was not what I expected. Firstly it was a British written book. There were some words I didn't recognize, but interesting to see the terminology they use. Secondly, I didn't expect the ending. I like when the ending is different than I try picturing as I read the book. It was nice to see a woman in the role that Dr. Rhys portrayed. A good read after getting into the first few chapters.

[Monica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. For a forensic psychologist, Megan is sort of a ditz and her sister is even more of one. Sisters having simultaneous parallel affairs with their (younger) students? Puhleez. The witchcraft angle was pretty silly, and the identity of the murderer was an anticlimax. Not sure what the fuss is about - it's a chick book, but at least it only took a couple of hours to read.

[Sarah Pottenger · Rating 2 out of 5]

Totally forgettable. Really. I have no idea what it was about, and I'm supposed to be the person with the master memory.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://scifisstrs.blogspot.com/

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Megan Rhys #2

[Josephine (Jo) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wrote a review at the time of reading this book but it has now, like quite a few others disappeared from the Goodreads site!