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Jefferson Tayte Genealogical Mystery #1
In the Blood
Two hundred years ago a loyalist family fled to England to escape the American War of Independence and seemingly vanished into thin air. American genealogist Jefferson Tayte is hired to find out what happened, but it soon becomes apparent that a calculated killer is out to stop him.
In the Blood combines a centuries-old mystery with a present-day thriller that brings two people from opposite sides of the Atlantic together to uncover a series of carefully hidden crimes. Tayte's research centres around the tragic life of a young Cornish girl, a writing box, and the discovery of a dark secret that he believes will lead him to the family he is looking for. Trouble is, someone else is looking for the same answers and will stop at nothing to find them.
In the Blood is the first in the Jefferson Tayte mystery series.
In the Blood combines a centuries-old mystery with a present-day thriller that brings two people from opposite sides of the Atlantic together to uncover a series of carefully hidden crimes. Tayte's research centres around the tragic life of a young Cornish girl, a writing box, and the discovery of a dark secret that he believes will lead him to the family he is looking for. Trouble is, someone else is looking for the same answers and will stop at nothing to find them.
In the Blood is the first in the Jefferson Tayte mystery series.
394 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
1921 people are currently reading
5995 people want to read
About the author
Steve Robinson
10 books819 followersSteve Robinson is a London-based crime writer. He was sixteen when his first magazine article was published and he’s been writing ever since. A keen interest in family history inspired his first million-copy bestselling series, the Jefferson Tayte Genealogical Mysteries, and with 'The Penmaker's Wife' and 'The Secret Wife' he is now expanding his writing to historical crime, another area he is passionate about.
The idea for his Jefferson Tayte series came to him in 2007, on his return from a trip to Cornwall, where the first book is set. In the five years that followed, he wrote the first three books in the series, all the while trying to find a publisher for them. In 2012 he published the books via Kindle Direct Publishing, and following their success, eighteen months later he signed a four-book deal with Amazon Publishing. The books were released in March 2014 under the Thomas & Mercer mystery and thriller imprint, and since then a further three books in the series have been published, taking the total to seven.
In December 2019 his first non-Jefferson Tayte book, The Penmaker’s Wife, was released. It was chosen as an ‘Editor’s Choice’ book, and was nominated for the 2020 Crime Writer’s Association Historical Dagger award, and the 2020 Costa Coffee book award in the ‘Best Novel’ category.
Steve can be contacted via his website, www.steve-robinson.me, or his Facebook page, www.facebook.com/SteveRobinsonAuthor, where you can also keep up to date with his latest news.
The idea for his Jefferson Tayte series came to him in 2007, on his return from a trip to Cornwall, where the first book is set. In the five years that followed, he wrote the first three books in the series, all the while trying to find a publisher for them. In 2012 he published the books via Kindle Direct Publishing, and following their success, eighteen months later he signed a four-book deal with Amazon Publishing. The books were released in March 2014 under the Thomas & Mercer mystery and thriller imprint, and since then a further three books in the series have been published, taking the total to seven.
In December 2019 his first non-Jefferson Tayte book, The Penmaker’s Wife, was released. It was chosen as an ‘Editor’s Choice’ book, and was nominated for the 2020 Crime Writer’s Association Historical Dagger award, and the 2020 Costa Coffee book award in the ‘Best Novel’ category.
Steve can be contacted via his website, www.steve-robinson.me, or his Facebook page, www.facebook.com/SteveRobinsonAuthor, where you can also keep up to date with his latest news.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,025 reviews
September 17, 2019
I did really enjoy this book. It sees Jefferson Tayte, an American genealogist, travel to Cornwall in England searching for a client's ancestors. Something doesn't add up, so Tayte has to travel to look for information that he can't find over the phone or internet. His research into a family that fled the US after the War of Independence finds dead ends when Tayte can find no trace of the family, except for the father, after their arrival in England. In fact, the only information he can find is of the father and another wife, and different children. What happened to the first family? As Tayte starts sifting through the information he discovers in England, he finds that he's not the only one with an interest in the family, and others will stop at nothing, even murder, to keep secrets from coming to the surface.
I found this book to be a riveting read. The characters were realistic and I found the search for the family history highly interesting. The Cornish setting only added to the intrigue. This is the first in the Jefferson Tayte Genealogical Mysteries Series, and I'll definitely be looking for more of this author's work. Recommended.
I found this book to be a riveting read. The characters were realistic and I found the search for the family history highly interesting. The Cornish setting only added to the intrigue. This is the first in the Jefferson Tayte Genealogical Mysteries Series, and I'll definitely be looking for more of this author's work. Recommended.
January 6, 2012
Before you read this book, grab a pen and paper and keep them with you. That way you can plot a family tree, delighting every time a new character is revealed. You will meet a lot of intriguing Fairbornes and you'll want to keep track of them, in order to get the most out of this book.
"In the Blood" is a mystery drama that combines suspense, intrigue and revelation, set in and around the beautiful Helford Estuary in Cornwall. Its author, Steve Robinson, really makes the most of the Cornish setting, including the boating culture to maximum effect.
It's one of those tales that spans across many generations, which really widens the variety of subplots combined in one riveting tale. Parts are reminiscent of Daphne Du Maurier but with a modern edge, making this one of my favourite indie books.
The characters are appealing and well developed to the extent that when the protagonist was in danger, I had to keep reading to find out what happened to him.
Some readers are prejudiced against indie writers, but "In the Blood" goes to show that an independently published title can be, in every way, as good, if not better, than many titles from a mainstream publisher.
All in all, a jolly good read, which will appeal to men and women of all ages. I found it difficult to put down and am really looking forward to the sequel.
"In the Blood" is a mystery drama that combines suspense, intrigue and revelation, set in and around the beautiful Helford Estuary in Cornwall. Its author, Steve Robinson, really makes the most of the Cornish setting, including the boating culture to maximum effect.
It's one of those tales that spans across many generations, which really widens the variety of subplots combined in one riveting tale. Parts are reminiscent of Daphne Du Maurier but with a modern edge, making this one of my favourite indie books.
The characters are appealing and well developed to the extent that when the protagonist was in danger, I had to keep reading to find out what happened to him.
Some readers are prejudiced against indie writers, but "In the Blood" goes to show that an independently published title can be, in every way, as good, if not better, than many titles from a mainstream publisher.
All in all, a jolly good read, which will appeal to men and women of all ages. I found it difficult to put down and am really looking forward to the sequel.
October 11, 2019
Welp, I would never had come across this book if it wasn’t for my Mystery Book Club! Well done friends!
I really enjoyed In the Blood. My only grumble was that some of the actions and predicaments that Jefferson Tayte went through at the end were a bit unbelievable.
Come on Steve Robinson! I feel like he was writing about James Bond or John McClane and not an overweight genealogist that’s afraid of flying. Hahaha!!
It felt like an action movie but it was still a page-turner and I wasn’t bored.
So, I’ll give that to ya Robinson!
I think what I liked the most about In the Blood was the mystery of the missing James Fairborne family.
What happened to the first family that came from America on the Betsy Ross? Tayte can’t seem to find any death certificates of this family for his client’s ancestors. And this leads him on a quest of discovering what happened to them when they got to England.
I would not have thought a genealogy plot theme would appeal to me but it did. I liked how Tayte had to search though all the documents and clues to find out what happened that night when the Betsy Ross was shipwrecked in Cornwall.
In the future, I will definitely read books in this series. And I really liked the setting of Cornwall. I want to go visit now!
It was a fun and engaging plot!
I liked how it ended with the mystery of the missing Fairborne family, and to me, it felt believable. I really did need a family tree after all with all the ancestors and branches that went away from James Fairborne.
What a tangled web of lies it turned out to be for Tayte!
I really enjoyed In the Blood. My only grumble was that some of the actions and predicaments that Jefferson Tayte went through at the end were a bit unbelievable.
Come on Steve Robinson! I feel like he was writing about James Bond or John McClane and not an overweight genealogist that’s afraid of flying. Hahaha!!
It felt like an action movie but it was still a page-turner and I wasn’t bored.
So, I’ll give that to ya Robinson!
I think what I liked the most about In the Blood was the mystery of the missing James Fairborne family.
What happened to the first family that came from America on the Betsy Ross? Tayte can’t seem to find any death certificates of this family for his client’s ancestors. And this leads him on a quest of discovering what happened to them when they got to England.
I would not have thought a genealogy plot theme would appeal to me but it did. I liked how Tayte had to search though all the documents and clues to find out what happened that night when the Betsy Ross was shipwrecked in Cornwall.
In the future, I will definitely read books in this series. And I really liked the setting of Cornwall. I want to go visit now!
It was a fun and engaging plot!
I liked how it ended with the mystery of the missing Fairborne family, and to me, it felt believable. I really did need a family tree after all with all the ancestors and branches that went away from James Fairborne.
What a tangled web of lies it turned out to be for Tayte!
May 5, 2013
I almost put this book down fairly early on, but I'm glad I didn't. What started off slow and a little bumpy turned out to be a very worthwhile mystery with an interesting genealogy angle.
Jefferson Tayte (JT) is trying to wrap up a family tree assignment for a wealthy and demanding client but runs into a problem - a huge hole in the Fairborne family tree. The client's descendants set sail from America to England just prior to the Revolution and there the trail stops cold for all members but one. What happened to the other Fairbornes?
It seems that the historical records that JT needs to fill in this hole are missing so off to England he goes in search of them. Apparently, someone else wants those records just as badly - or wants them to stay missing - and they are willing to kill for it.
The story switches back and forth from past to present as the reader follows the last of the known and recorded Fairbornes roughly in parallel to JT's search for answers.
The author provides a nice cast of could-be villains, keeping me from guessing the killer's identity until the end. The fate of the missing Fairbornes and the reason why someone wanted the records buried is also revealed and I would never have guessed what happened to them.
The killer did do a few things that had me scratching my head, such as deciding not to kill a particular person after indiscriminately killing others before. I wondered why the killer didn't clean up their trail and little better, especially once JT discovered the killer's identity. Being arrested and convicted of murder rather makes the information in the hidden genealogical records moot for the killer.
All in all, this was a good read and I would definitely pick up the second book in this series once it's available.
Jefferson Tayte (JT) is trying to wrap up a family tree assignment for a wealthy and demanding client but runs into a problem - a huge hole in the Fairborne family tree. The client's descendants set sail from America to England just prior to the Revolution and there the trail stops cold for all members but one. What happened to the other Fairbornes?
It seems that the historical records that JT needs to fill in this hole are missing so off to England he goes in search of them. Apparently, someone else wants those records just as badly - or wants them to stay missing - and they are willing to kill for it.
The story switches back and forth from past to present as the reader follows the last of the known and recorded Fairbornes roughly in parallel to JT's search for answers.
The author provides a nice cast of could-be villains, keeping me from guessing the killer's identity until the end. The fate of the missing Fairbornes and the reason why someone wanted the records buried is also revealed and I would never have guessed what happened to them.
The killer did do a few things that had me scratching my head, such as deciding not to kill a particular person after indiscriminately killing others before. I wondered why the killer didn't clean up their trail and little better, especially once JT discovered the killer's identity. Being arrested and convicted of murder rather makes the information in the hidden genealogical records moot for the killer.
All in all, this was a good read and I would definitely pick up the second book in this series once it's available.
Read
July 3, 2018The Hook - My new found interest in DNA and genealogy and an offer from Amazon to read this first in this mystery series featuring Genealogist, Jefferson Tayte, seemed a win-win deal.
The Line - ”Still, it's important to know who we are, don't you think?“
The Sinker - The premise is irresistible. A family flees America on a journey to England to escape The War of Independence and there the record stops. Tayte is hired to fill in the gaps in this family tree but soon finds out someone doesn't want the leaves shaken. A bit uneven, and a bit dry, but all in all, I found this story told in alternate time frames entertaining. I read it with a keen eye to the research aspects of Tayte's field hoping to come up with some pointers in my own quest to find ancestors. I don't know how much this helped me but I'm willing to read the second in the series.
The Line - ”Still, it's important to know who we are, don't you think?“
The Sinker - The premise is irresistible. A family flees America on a journey to England to escape The War of Independence and there the record stops. Tayte is hired to fill in the gaps in this family tree but soon finds out someone doesn't want the leaves shaken. A bit uneven, and a bit dry, but all in all, I found this story told in alternate time frames entertaining. I read it with a keen eye to the research aspects of Tayte's field hoping to come up with some pointers in my own quest to find ancestors. I don't know how much this helped me but I'm willing to read the second in the series.
Read
November 10, 2011I'm the author of this book.
December 3, 2015
This was a three-and-a-half-star read for me. The beginning almost lost me because the writing felt formulaic. In fact the mystery itself never really gipped me, although the later chapters involving the present-day crimes became page-turners. The plot made me realise how tricky it is to make the reader care about something that happened several centuries ago and Robinson gets close to doing this with a diary from a teenage girl and flashback scenes involving a feisty young woman, brilliantly named Lowenna.
The mystery of what happened to a whole family after they left America for England by sea and disappeared is complex and the reader has to keep paying attention as the present-day clues create twists and turns. When I stopped reading for a few days and then returned to it I found that I got a little lost remembering all the characters. It became an exciting read in the end, with the many genealogical threads coming skilfully together.
I'm giving In the Blood this rating because I was let down by the resolution. Not by what happened three centuries ago, although I wonder along with other reviewers about how plausible such actions would have been at the time. No, Robinson got me to suspend any disbelief about the plausibility, but the resolution felt strangely unsatisfying, after everything the characters and I had been through. Firstly, I was never convinced by the motivation of the present-day villain -- that he was prepared to kill so many people for his quest. And secondly, although I now knew the answer to the old mystery, knew what happened and why, I found I didn't really care.
The mystery of what happened to a whole family after they left America for England by sea and disappeared is complex and the reader has to keep paying attention as the present-day clues create twists and turns. When I stopped reading for a few days and then returned to it I found that I got a little lost remembering all the characters. It became an exciting read in the end, with the many genealogical threads coming skilfully together.
I'm giving In the Blood this rating because I was let down by the resolution. Not by what happened three centuries ago, although I wonder along with other reviewers about how plausible such actions would have been at the time. No, Robinson got me to suspend any disbelief about the plausibility, but the resolution felt strangely unsatisfying, after everything the characters and I had been through. Firstly, I was never convinced by the motivation of the present-day villain -- that he was prepared to kill so many people for his quest. And secondly, although I now knew the answer to the old mystery, knew what happened and why, I found I didn't really care.
April 30, 2023
Empecé a leer este libro para un reto, en un momento de capa caída, en el cual no me motivaba nada de lo que comenzaba a leer y la verdad que ha sido una grata sorpresa, porque aunque me costó engancharme a la trama es una novela que ha ido de menos a más
La trama comienza cuando el genealogista Jefferson Tayte, investiga los antepasados familiares de la mujer de Walter Sloane, que éste quiere darle como regalo de cumpleaños, en sus pesquisas Jefferson rastrea a los Fairbourne hasta James que viajo desde Estados Unidos a Inglaterra en barco, el Betsy Ross, para comenzar una nueva vida, pronto Jefferson se dará cuenta que hay personas dispuestas a todo, para que la verdad no salga a la luz.
Me ha gustado como está narrada la trama, consta de 69 capítulos cortos, que hace que se lea muy rápido, y alterna la investigación de Jefferson, por un lado con la historia de la familia Fairbourne, por el otro.
La trama comienza cuando el genealogista Jefferson Tayte, investiga los antepasados familiares de la mujer de Walter Sloane, que éste quiere darle como regalo de cumpleaños, en sus pesquisas Jefferson rastrea a los Fairbourne hasta James que viajo desde Estados Unidos a Inglaterra en barco, el Betsy Ross, para comenzar una nueva vida, pronto Jefferson se dará cuenta que hay personas dispuestas a todo, para que la verdad no salga a la luz.
Me ha gustado como está narrada la trama, consta de 69 capítulos cortos, que hace que se lea muy rápido, y alterna la investigación de Jefferson, por un lado con la historia de la familia Fairbourne, por el otro.
June 6, 2020
This was ok but didn’t ever really arouse my interest. It’s one that I’ve looked at multiple times but never quite been ready to read. I’m glad I did pick it up but not sure whether I’d continue the series.
December 9, 2012
This was a free book I picked up on Amazon. It intrigued me because of the genealogical premise, and the setting in Cornwall where some of my own ancestors apparently came from.
I cannot tell you how impressed I was by Robinson's settings. His detail was incredible, and so accurate I could Google several of the buildings and coastal paths where the action occurred. They were dead on, and I felt like I was really there.
My only complaint was that the "hero" was one of these guys who thinks that if he tells the cops everything either he will get in trouble or someone will get hurt. He ended up needing the police help anyway, and I kept thinking, "fool, fool..just go to the police." If he'd done it sooner there would have been a lot less headache. Was it supposed to be a guy thing, like going to the police is akin to asking directions if you are lost?
My frustration with the character was balanced by the author's attention to detail in the settings. So I did kind of like it. I'd read more if he develops this genealogical angle into a series.
I cannot tell you how impressed I was by Robinson's settings. His detail was incredible, and so accurate I could Google several of the buildings and coastal paths where the action occurred. They were dead on, and I felt like I was really there.
My only complaint was that the "hero" was one of these guys who thinks that if he tells the cops everything either he will get in trouble or someone will get hurt. He ended up needing the police help anyway, and I kept thinking, "fool, fool..just go to the police." If he'd done it sooner there would have been a lot less headache. Was it supposed to be a guy thing, like going to the police is akin to asking directions if you are lost?
My frustration with the character was balanced by the author's attention to detail in the settings. So I did kind of like it. I'd read more if he develops this genealogical angle into a series.
May 2, 2012
I really enjoyed reading this book. It had a very believable plot and sequence of events. It had surprising twists and turns that were quite believable and and ending that wraps up all the loose ends. Robinson has an excellent style of writing that just seems to make the story very believable. This is my first time reading anything by this author but it will definitely not be my last. I just love finding all of these new (to me) authors among my Kindle selections. They have given me excellent reading asnd in many cases for excellent costs with many as low as $2.99.
September 4, 2016
I'm not one to read a mystery but what interested me was the genealogical part of it. I really enjoyed this book . Jefferson Tayte, a genealogist, is hired to find the descendants of a family that returned to Cornwall in 1783 from America. Lots of twists and turns. This was a page turner and I didn't even come close to figuring it out and I will be ordering the rest of this mystery series
September 30, 2017
At 47% DNF..
I find this book both confusing and it just jumps around too much. And it doesn't jump from chapter to chapter to a different year, you can be in the middle of something going on with Tayte and suddenly in the next sentence it's 1792 or 1803 or some other year in the past. I'm sure some readers like that but that's not for me. Sorry, Mr. Robinson.
I find this book both confusing and it just jumps around too much. And it doesn't jump from chapter to chapter to a different year, you can be in the middle of something going on with Tayte and suddenly in the next sentence it's 1792 or 1803 or some other year in the past. I'm sure some readers like that but that's not for me. Sorry, Mr. Robinson.
April 20, 2012
Stop.
Genealogists and family historians, stop what you are doing right now and read this.
You absolutely must read the book In the Blood by Steve Robinson.
Take a break from your own research and see what happens when a very creative person's mind takes some genealogical ideas and fleshes out a story of intrigue, mystery, and murder. If I had been reading a paper copy, I'd call this one a page turner, but as it happens I was reading it on my new Nook Tablet, Valentina. [Yes, I name my gadgets. Makes it easier to curse at them when they don't work.]
I stayed up late to read it. I woke up early [in part because of my Pug, Millie] to read it. And I read when I should have been blogging. It was that good.
It was good to see characters I could relate to on a genealogical level. Mr. Robinson did not assume I was dumb and wouldn't have a clue as to what he was talking about. Through his characters he briefly explained in dialogue or in a action what was going on genealogy-wise, and I appreciated that immensely.
I read a lot, especially suspense murder mysteries, and I can truly say that In the Blood is on par with the best. Then add the genealogy part, and, well, this one is a winner.
Mr. Robinson weaves a multi-layered tale with the flawed protagonist, Jefferson Tayte, being pushed out of his comfort zone to search for the answer. Kinda like what we genealogists and family historians do every day. We research the past looking for answers about our ancestors and our ourselves.
Does Tayte find the answers? I dunno. You're gonna have to read it. All 877 pages of it. [Told you he fleshes it out.]
Genealogists and family historians, stop what you are doing right now and read this.
You absolutely must read the book In the Blood by Steve Robinson.
Take a break from your own research and see what happens when a very creative person's mind takes some genealogical ideas and fleshes out a story of intrigue, mystery, and murder. If I had been reading a paper copy, I'd call this one a page turner, but as it happens I was reading it on my new Nook Tablet, Valentina. [Yes, I name my gadgets. Makes it easier to curse at them when they don't work.]
I stayed up late to read it. I woke up early [in part because of my Pug, Millie] to read it. And I read when I should have been blogging. It was that good.
It was good to see characters I could relate to on a genealogical level. Mr. Robinson did not assume I was dumb and wouldn't have a clue as to what he was talking about. Through his characters he briefly explained in dialogue or in a action what was going on genealogy-wise, and I appreciated that immensely.
I read a lot, especially suspense murder mysteries, and I can truly say that In the Blood is on par with the best. Then add the genealogy part, and, well, this one is a winner.
Mr. Robinson weaves a multi-layered tale with the flawed protagonist, Jefferson Tayte, being pushed out of his comfort zone to search for the answer. Kinda like what we genealogists and family historians do every day. We research the past looking for answers about our ancestors and our ourselves.
Does Tayte find the answers? I dunno. You're gonna have to read it. All 877 pages of it. [Told you he fleshes it out.]
August 8, 2014
This was very good as a mystery and good genealogy, too. As an avid genealogist, I am always looking for genealogical mysteries. Dan Waddle had been a favorite, and Robinson will be one, too. There were plenty of clues, and it was exciting to read. The biggest fault, and the reason I gave it four rather than five stars, was the terrible accent he gave Jefferson. I read the paperback edition, and I understand the Kindle editions were changed. With that said, I am looking forward to getting To the Grave. Revised to five stars.
December 13, 2017
Lento y un poco aburrido. Me esperaba más intriga, más investigación... pero no deja de ser la narración de la búsqueda de unos antepasados, salpicada con algunos asesinatos. En algún momento, un poco lioso en cuanto a la genealogía investigada.
April 8, 2016
You know how, sometimes, it seems like all the stars align and, somehow, you stumble across a book that that is a perfect blend of what a 'dream book' would be about?
Yeah. That's how I feel about In the Blood. Genealogy? A mystery? A gothic feeling setting? A lovably flawed main character? Oh, and did I mention genealogy AND mystery? Oh my!
I don't even know where to begin singing the praises of this book. It was, to me, that brilliant. As soon as I flipped to the last location on it in my Kindle app, I quickly jumped online, hoping and praying that there was a sequel available. I simply had to see if there were more [mis]adventures of JT to be devoured.
Looks like I'll have to wait until Springtime.
If you're interested genealogy, history, and/or mysteries, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. A genealogical mystery...What an amazing idea. And Mr. Robinson wields a mean pen in putting it on paper. Be prepared -- once you start this, your house will remain a mess, errands will not be run, the laundry will remain unfolded, your kids (and/or husband) may go hungry, and your employer might be getting a bleary eyed employee. You will not want to put this down and will find it compulsively readable into all hours of the day.
And night.
~~ Victoria
Yeah. That's how I feel about In the Blood. Genealogy? A mystery? A gothic feeling setting? A lovably flawed main character? Oh, and did I mention genealogy AND mystery? Oh my!
I don't even know where to begin singing the praises of this book. It was, to me, that brilliant. As soon as I flipped to the last location on it in my Kindle app, I quickly jumped online, hoping and praying that there was a sequel available. I simply had to see if there were more [mis]adventures of JT to be devoured.
Looks like I'll have to wait until Springtime.
If you're interested genealogy, history, and/or mysteries, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. A genealogical mystery...What an amazing idea. And Mr. Robinson wields a mean pen in putting it on paper. Be prepared -- once you start this, your house will remain a mess, errands will not be run, the laundry will remain unfolded, your kids (and/or husband) may go hungry, and your employer might be getting a bleary eyed employee. You will not want to put this down and will find it compulsively readable into all hours of the day.
And night.
~~ Victoria
August 5, 2015
My two favourite pastimes at this time of my life are genealogical research and reading, especially historical fiction and mystery thrillers, so I was delighted to discover a novel that combines all of these passions between its covers!
Yes, it did stand up to my expectations: the historical fiction part of the story is fascinating, and the present-day mystery is very skilfully woven, with moments of true suspense. All that, plus beautiful descriptions of the Cornish coastal scenery would surely make a wonderful film!
My mother has already read the first three novels in this Genealogical Crime Mystery series and loved them. I shall definitely buy her the fourth one so I can borrow it when I've finished the other two. "In the Blood" is apparently Steve Robinson's first novel, so I am very grateful to the person who made him redundant, making him turn towards a full time writing career!
Yes, it did stand up to my expectations: the historical fiction part of the story is fascinating, and the present-day mystery is very skilfully woven, with moments of true suspense. All that, plus beautiful descriptions of the Cornish coastal scenery would surely make a wonderful film!
My mother has already read the first three novels in this Genealogical Crime Mystery series and loved them. I shall definitely buy her the fourth one so I can borrow it when I've finished the other two. "In the Blood" is apparently Steve Robinson's first novel, so I am very grateful to the person who made him redundant, making him turn towards a full time writing career!
May 31, 2015
When a person thinks of the profession of a genealogist, danger isn't the first word that comes to mind as a description of the career. However, that is what Jefferson Tayte runs into when researching a family for a client. He comes to a stand still when he can no longer track a mother and her children who returned to England after the Revolutionary War. He has to fly to England to find his information. It was an enjoyable description of Jefferson on this flight. Besides his fear of flying, his personality and appearance were different than I though they would be.
The novel goes back and forth through past and present. It involves murder, lost love, a mysterious box and deeply hidden secrets. Someone want to keep those secrets hidden and goes full out to stop Jefferson and anyone else who is interested in unraveling the past. It is a wonder that Jefferson is still alive at the end of the book. It was a good read and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
The novel goes back and forth through past and present. It involves murder, lost love, a mysterious box and deeply hidden secrets. Someone want to keep those secrets hidden and goes full out to stop Jefferson and anyone else who is interested in unraveling the past. It is a wonder that Jefferson is still alive at the end of the book. It was a good read and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
January 15, 2012
I loved this book. I have a massive interest in genealogy and love a crime mystery so really it was not a hard decision to give this one a shot!
Although it did start off a little slow I did enjoy getting to know the characters and really liked and cared about the main character JT. I liked the Authors descriptive writing and felt that I could really imagine the places the book was set.
The main thing I loved about the book is that I did not guess the ending at all and I love it when that happens. I found that I struggled to put this down once I started and this led to a couple of late nights!!!
Cannot wait for the sequel :-)
Although it did start off a little slow I did enjoy getting to know the characters and really liked and cared about the main character JT. I liked the Authors descriptive writing and felt that I could really imagine the places the book was set.
The main thing I loved about the book is that I did not guess the ending at all and I love it when that happens. I found that I struggled to put this down once I started and this led to a couple of late nights!!!
Cannot wait for the sequel :-)
June 5, 2013
Review for In the Blood: A Genealogical Crime Mystery (Jefferson Tayte book 1)
This was a delight to read.
The book was fast paced with twists and turns and a main protagonist with an identifiable human weakness in his fear of flight.
The twists were exciting and kept me turning the page. Who knew research could be so dangerous.
The story was above all logical. The mystery real and the characters fluffed out enough to engage me throughout the book.
A 5 * read without a doubt.
WaAr
This was a delight to read.
The book was fast paced with twists and turns and a main protagonist with an identifiable human weakness in his fear of flight.
The twists were exciting and kept me turning the page. Who knew research could be so dangerous.
The story was above all logical. The mystery real and the characters fluffed out enough to engage me throughout the book.
A 5 * read without a doubt.
WaAr
July 20, 2016
This was just brilliant I was hooked from the beginning and stayed that way until the end. Five Stars plus!!!
May 14, 2023
In the Blood was on my to-read list for a while. I can't remember how it appeared on my radar but I was intrigued by the idea of a murder mystery where genealogical research plays a part.
Courtesy of my free Kin**e Un***ited subscription, I have finally had a chance to have a go and have read a few books in this series of 7+. In the Blood is the first and introduces the main character, American genealogist Jefferson Tayte, as he travels to Cornwall to trace the loyalist branch of an English-American family who left the US to return to Britain during the American War of Independence. Despite a whole branch of the family embarking on this journey, only the father resurfaces on British records, with a whole new family and no clear explanation. Tayte sets out to find why and how, and in the process stumbles on several murders, a kidnapping or two, and various other hair-raising situations.
Steve Robinson can write a good mystery - if that's what you're into, the plot will grip you and keep you interested. The novel keeps switching back and forth between the present day and 18th century Cornwall, and the historical passages are well written. This structure is also repeated in the following novels and creates a good level of suspense. Cornwall as the location of this first instalment is a good choice as it's picturesque enough to provide a good contrast with the sometimes violent (but never too graphic) storyline.
Jefferson Tayte is a fairly likeable protagonist despite being almost a caricature of an average middle-aged (American) man - friendly, overweight, likes Hershey's chocolate, is nervous when on the receiving end of female attention. Why he'd be chased around by obnoxiously flirty, attractive middle-aged women who've only known him 5 minutes is unclear, but this does happen. He also likes jazz and Broadway musicals. Bland bland bland, down to his tan (?) linen suits and his loafers. It is probably why he works - too inoffensive to put readers off. Anyway, this meant I could focus on the plot.
The main downside of these novels is the writing style - it is extremely descriptive, so there's no reading between the lines to do. Which is fine if you're looking for a light read. However, it is a bit sloppy at times, with rambling and convoluted sentences. Occasionally it is downright bizarre. For example, while describing one of the secondary characters (a Cornish fisherman), his physical description ends with this statement:
...okay, noted. (What is that supposed to mean?!)
Looking back at my highlights, my favourite bizarre quote however has to be:
This is the obnoxious flirty woman. What a comparison! I laughed out loud at this.
On top of the above, there also seems to be at least one plot hole per novel that could swallow the denouement of the central mystery whole. However, if you are prepared to suspend disbelief (or can avoid nitpicking at it altogether), this will be an enjoyable read that does not demand much analysis.
Courtesy of my free Kin**e Un***ited subscription, I have finally had a chance to have a go and have read a few books in this series of 7+. In the Blood is the first and introduces the main character, American genealogist Jefferson Tayte, as he travels to Cornwall to trace the loyalist branch of an English-American family who left the US to return to Britain during the American War of Independence. Despite a whole branch of the family embarking on this journey, only the father resurfaces on British records, with a whole new family and no clear explanation. Tayte sets out to find why and how, and in the process stumbles on several murders, a kidnapping or two, and various other hair-raising situations.
Steve Robinson can write a good mystery - if that's what you're into, the plot will grip you and keep you interested. The novel keeps switching back and forth between the present day and 18th century Cornwall, and the historical passages are well written. This structure is also repeated in the following novels and creates a good level of suspense. Cornwall as the location of this first instalment is a good choice as it's picturesque enough to provide a good contrast with the sometimes violent (but never too graphic) storyline.
Jefferson Tayte is a fairly likeable protagonist despite being almost a caricature of an average middle-aged (American) man - friendly, overweight, likes Hershey's chocolate, is nervous when on the receiving end of female attention. Why he'd be chased around by obnoxiously flirty, attractive middle-aged women who've only known him 5 minutes is unclear, but this does happen. He also likes jazz and Broadway musicals. Bland bland bland, down to his tan (?) linen suits and his loafers. It is probably why he works - too inoffensive to put readers off. Anyway, this meant I could focus on the plot.
The main downside of these novels is the writing style - it is extremely descriptive, so there's no reading between the lines to do. Which is fine if you're looking for a light read. However, it is a bit sloppy at times, with rambling and convoluted sentences. Occasionally it is downright bizarre. For example, while describing one of the secondary characters (a Cornish fisherman), his physical description ends with this statement:
His scuffed walking boots were as much a part of him as Cornwall itself.
...okay, noted. (What is that supposed to mean?!)
Looking back at my highlights, my favourite bizarre quote however has to be:
Her eyes were big as a panda's and radiated twice the sentiment.
This is the obnoxious flirty woman. What a comparison! I laughed out loud at this.
On top of the above, there also seems to be at least one plot hole per novel that could swallow the denouement of the central mystery whole. However, if you are prepared to suspend disbelief (or can avoid nitpicking at it altogether), this will be an enjoyable read that does not demand much analysis.
July 30, 2011
I picked this book up as it was chosen as book of the month for Goodread's Amazon Kindle group. Described a a genealogical crime mystery it sounded like a good book for me, one of my favourite genres combined with a particular interest of mine. It also has elements of historical fiction, another plus.
American genealogist Jefferson Tayte is packed off to England to finish off his latest assignment, the family tree to be a birthday present for the client's wife. JT thinks the worst part of the trip will be the flight, little does he know that he will be uncovering a dark secret that has lain hidden for centuries - one that will endanger his life. Primarily based in Cornwall, moving between the present and the 18th century, JT's research leads him to a wooden box once owned by a tragic young woman. This one little box unleashes a series of dramatic events.
At points in the book I found myself having to flick backwards and forwards trying to remember who was related to whom and how, but as I got into the book this largely ceased to be a problem. The moves in time were no problem though, they were smooth and well done. The plot contained a lot of twists and turns both in the past and present and I liked how the stories mirrored one another in certain ways. It certainly kept me thinking throughout. However, and this is a purely personal thing that probably wouldn't bother most people, I wasn't keen on the final twist that finally revealed the big secret. It's impossible to explain why without turning this into a huge spoiler!
I liked JT, and enjoyed having an unlikely hero who wasn't perfect, physically or otherwise. I also enjoyed the irony that despite his job he hadn't been able to uncover his own family history. There was a colourful cast of characters and knowing a lot of the places mentioned in the book I enjoyed the Cornish scene setting that captured the area well.
I am struggling on how to rate this book, it is well-paced, well-written and I would like to see more adventures for JT. However the resolution really made me go eurgh. For me that probably took it from a 4* to a 3* but I'm sure other people will respond to it differently.
American genealogist Jefferson Tayte is packed off to England to finish off his latest assignment, the family tree to be a birthday present for the client's wife. JT thinks the worst part of the trip will be the flight, little does he know that he will be uncovering a dark secret that has lain hidden for centuries - one that will endanger his life. Primarily based in Cornwall, moving between the present and the 18th century, JT's research leads him to a wooden box once owned by a tragic young woman. This one little box unleashes a series of dramatic events.
At points in the book I found myself having to flick backwards and forwards trying to remember who was related to whom and how, but as I got into the book this largely ceased to be a problem. The moves in time were no problem though, they were smooth and well done. The plot contained a lot of twists and turns both in the past and present and I liked how the stories mirrored one another in certain ways. It certainly kept me thinking throughout. However, and this is a purely personal thing that probably wouldn't bother most people, I wasn't keen on the final twist that finally revealed the big secret. It's impossible to explain why without turning this into a huge spoiler!
I liked JT, and enjoyed having an unlikely hero who wasn't perfect, physically or otherwise. I also enjoyed the irony that despite his job he hadn't been able to uncover his own family history. There was a colourful cast of characters and knowing a lot of the places mentioned in the book I enjoyed the Cornish scene setting that captured the area well.
I am struggling on how to rate this book, it is well-paced, well-written and I would like to see more adventures for JT. However the resolution really made me go eurgh. For me that probably took it from a 4* to a 3* but I'm sure other people will respond to it differently.
March 5, 2012
First Line: Mawgan Hendry was dying.
Professional genealogist Jefferson Tayte has a rich client who insists on having the research on the family tree completed in time to give as a gift. The trouble is, the trail's gone cold in America and the only thing left to do is to fly to England to see if he can find the missing pieces. Although he hates to fly, Tayte boards a plane and soon finds himself in Cornwall, where it becomes obvious that someone has gone to great lengths to erase an entire family from recorded history. Determined to get the answers to his questions, Tayte doesn't realize that someone else is just as determined to ensure that this is one puzzle that is never solved.
I enjoyed this mystery even more than I thought I would. Jefferson Tayte is an engaging character who has more lives than a cat. When the villain isn't trying to conk him in the head or throw him out to drown in a lake, Tayte works at solving the mystery the way a genealogist should: through lots of research poring over old records and documents. (And that's nowhere near as boring as it sounds.)
The mystery surrounding the Fairborne family was excellent. By book's end I hadn't figured it out, although with my knowledge of Cornish history and of genealogy, I should have. The scenes dealing with the 18th and 19th century Fairborne family members that Tayte was trying to trace gave a rich texture to Robinson's story. The fast-paced, engrossing plot and the winning character of Tayte more than made up for any momentary hiccups in writing style. This is the first book by Steve Robinson, and I am definitely looking forward to reading more!
Professional genealogist Jefferson Tayte has a rich client who insists on having the research on the family tree completed in time to give as a gift. The trouble is, the trail's gone cold in America and the only thing left to do is to fly to England to see if he can find the missing pieces. Although he hates to fly, Tayte boards a plane and soon finds himself in Cornwall, where it becomes obvious that someone has gone to great lengths to erase an entire family from recorded history. Determined to get the answers to his questions, Tayte doesn't realize that someone else is just as determined to ensure that this is one puzzle that is never solved.
I enjoyed this mystery even more than I thought I would. Jefferson Tayte is an engaging character who has more lives than a cat. When the villain isn't trying to conk him in the head or throw him out to drown in a lake, Tayte works at solving the mystery the way a genealogist should: through lots of research poring over old records and documents. (And that's nowhere near as boring as it sounds.)
The mystery surrounding the Fairborne family was excellent. By book's end I hadn't figured it out, although with my knowledge of Cornish history and of genealogy, I should have. The scenes dealing with the 18th and 19th century Fairborne family members that Tayte was trying to trace gave a rich texture to Robinson's story. The fast-paced, engrossing plot and the winning character of Tayte more than made up for any momentary hiccups in writing style. This is the first book by Steve Robinson, and I am definitely looking forward to reading more!
January 24, 2015
I love a good murder mystery, and this was definitely a VERY good murder mystery with a unique approach.
The protagonist is not a detective. Jefferson Tayte is a genealogist who is researching family history for a wealthy client. He has just hit a dead end that will require him to travel from Boston to Cornwall County in the UK – a serious problem since he has an intense fear of flying. Once he arrives in Cornwall, the further he gets into his research, the more mysterious the lack of family records becomes – and then people start dying.
The story moves back and forth from the present to the past events that Tayte is attempting to piece together. Both time-line mysteries were very compelling and presented very skillfully with just enough corresponding information from each time-line revealed at the appropriate moment to retain interest for both interconnected plots. There was lots of edge-of-your seat action and many twisty-turns of the plot.
I’ll definitely be checking out more from this series.
I listened to the Audiobook read with perfection by Simon Vance.
The protagonist is not a detective. Jefferson Tayte is a genealogist who is researching family history for a wealthy client. He has just hit a dead end that will require him to travel from Boston to Cornwall County in the UK – a serious problem since he has an intense fear of flying. Once he arrives in Cornwall, the further he gets into his research, the more mysterious the lack of family records becomes – and then people start dying.
The story moves back and forth from the present to the past events that Tayte is attempting to piece together. Both time-line mysteries were very compelling and presented very skillfully with just enough corresponding information from each time-line revealed at the appropriate moment to retain interest for both interconnected plots. There was lots of edge-of-your seat action and many twisty-turns of the plot.
I’ll definitely be checking out more from this series.
I listened to the Audiobook read with perfection by Simon Vance.
September 8, 2013
The story starts with American genealogist Jefferson Tayte, JT, having to board a plane to Heathrow before catching a train to Cornwall in order to complete an assignment for a client's birthday, only problem is he is scared of flying. It took a while to get into the story as early on we are introduced to the Fairborne family boarding the boat, Betsy Rose, in America to sail to England in 1783. Once the JT had to Cornwall the parts from the past linked well with the many twists and turns happening.
JT is portrayed as a likeable character desperate to do a good job with integrity. There is quite a large cast of characters to get to know both in the past and in the present, and some of those baddies are really bad!!
This book is well written; it has a lot going for it and I would love to follow JT on his next adventure and maybe find his birth family in the process.
JT is portrayed as a likeable character desperate to do a good job with integrity. There is quite a large cast of characters to get to know both in the past and in the present, and some of those baddies are really bad!!
This book is well written; it has a lot going for it and I would love to follow JT on his next adventure and maybe find his birth family in the process.
August 25, 2016
I can't remember if this was a goodreads or an Amazon recommendation, but the series was going cheap as ebooks and I liked the idea of it, and ultimately wasn't disappointed. Jefferson Tayte is an American genealogist with a fear of flying, who is commissioned to find out what happened to a family who left the USA in the late 1700s to move back to England, but then disappeared. Reluctantly, he travels to Cornwall where grieving widow Amy has unearthed a mysterious writing box in her house (I don't like plots that rely on coincidences like this, but will let it slide for a beginner author) which someone is willing to kill for.
There are flashbacks to the past story which are initially confusing but then it all starts to make sense. JT is a rather bumbling hero who makes mistakes, but his heart is in the right place, and I look forward to the rest of the series.
There are flashbacks to the past story which are initially confusing but then it all starts to make sense. JT is a rather bumbling hero who makes mistakes, but his heart is in the right place, and I look forward to the rest of the series.
December 16, 2012
This a very engaging story of a Genealogist, Jefferson Tayte, who works tirelessly to unravel a family history mystery. The application of a Genealogists skills to a complex series of murders is a novel twist and the outcome is more than expected. A well constructed storyline that showcases the fascinating Cornwall coast and its inland beauty.
Jefferson Tayte is an interesting character who is portrayed with the usual flaws we all possess and uses his family history detective skills to discover the shocking truth of the Family.
A good read for mystery lovers.
Jefferson Tayte is an interesting character who is portrayed with the usual flaws we all possess and uses his family history detective skills to discover the shocking truth of the Family.
A good read for mystery lovers.
December 15, 2014
I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. Quite an interesting plot and towards the end I found it hard to put down. I did find the movement between past and present a bit annoying but it helped the story to unfold.
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