In Her Blood

Enjoyed the second of the Christine Caplin novels. Good descriptions of settings. Great writing and premise. Amazing characters. Page turner. Plenty of suspense to keep me guessing..Definitely looking forward to the next offering. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it

When a discovered body looks like a clear case of suicide, the police generally don't look too closely. Unless you're Christine Caplan.

Focus soon switches to a girl with a protected identity, recently out of care. Can Christine find a link?

This is the second in Caro Ramsay's marvellous Scottish crime series featuring the tenacious DCI Christine Caplan, and a truly dark and twisted case that reunites her with the team at Cronchie police station. It offers a opportunity for Caplan to develop stronger ties with DS Finnan Craigo, a quirky, vulnerable character who blossoms under her leadership. Caplan is called to an apparent suicide at Connel Bridge, Lora Falls, but wonders why her presence is required. It turns out the dead man is Dr Edward 'Ted' Maxwell, a well respected psychologist, a man who should have been at a conference in Leeds according to his wife, Cordelia. So why was he here instead? Could he possibly have any connection with 18 year old 'Girl A', the most hated woman in the country?

Assumed to be guilty of killing children as a young child, the evidence against Girl A was never tested in court, instead under the Tollen Protocol, her well being was prioritised, as she received treatment and therapy. Deemed to no longer to be a risk to anyone, she was recently released under a new name. However, her location was leaked, leading to vigilantes torching her home in which she was seriously burned rescuing her dog. She discharged herself from hospital and has since disappeared. It is Caplan's task to find her, but the Tollen rules means she has to do so with virtually no information and no official documentation, although it turns out there is plentiful office gossip that lifts the lid on Girl A's real identity. Worryingly, Killagal's blog on the dark web boasting of her murderous past has acquired a large following.

In a case where very little is as it appears, Caplan's inquiries go where she least expects, pushing her to re-evaluate how Girl A was perceived to be a murderer. Against all the odds, Caplan, with practically no support other than her tiny team, races against time in her efforts to seek truth and justice. The talented Ramsay provides a brilliant sense of the wilderness, a location experiencing challenging fierce stormy weather, with Caplan living in a damp caravan until her remote dilapidated cottage is renovated. This is a wonderful addition to the series, with its focus on miscarriages of justice, family, and mental health. This will likely appeal to fans of the author and those who love well written gritty Scottish crime fiction. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

DCI Christine Caplan #2

"Girl A" was convicted of murdering three people when she was a child. Now she is missing, and a man is dead. The clock is ticking for Scottish detective DCI Christine Caplan to bring her to justice - but the truth may be even darker than even she fears....

When a body is found in the water at Connel Bridge, the police assume it's an open-and-shut case of suicide. But when DCI Christine Caplan is called into take a closer look, she discovers that darker truths lurk beneath the surface, and suspicions begin to turn a young woman recently out of care, known only as Girl A, her identity remains anonymous, protected under law. Her violent past includes an allegation of the murder of a young sibling, so the timing of this new death seems too coincidental. Then a vigilante sets her home on fire, and she flees, so the "child killer" is now on the loose - and at risk to herself.

This story starts slowly and then quickly builds its pace, suspense, and tension, into a gripping read. The case is complex, as we also learn of the case of "Girl A." There is a thread of mental health issues woven into the story. There's an extended family that all have secrets. DCI Christine Caplan has her work cur out as she was the only one who believes the death that occurred at the bridge wasn't suicide, plus she has her own problems. There are plenty of twists, but watch out for the red herrings along the way. This book can be read ass a standalone.

Published 1st August 2024

I would like to thank #NetGalley #CannobgateBooks and the author #CaroRamsay for my ARC of #InHerBlood in exchange for an honest review.

This is not a light read: it's harsh, sometimes hard to read (child/animal abuse), dark and gritty. But it's a hell of novel, a wild ride into the heart of darkness.
A gripping, well plotted and enthralling novel that kept me reading and turning pages.
A dark page turner I loved
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This is the second in a series of books about DCI Christine Caplan, a Glasgow detective working now in the Highland village of Cronchie – I haven’t read the first book but there was enough information on what had happened to get her and her family for that to never feel like a problem. The story here revolves around the recent release of Girl A, responsible for the murder of several children when she was herself a child, and the death of a psychologist working on a book about her.

I really enjoyed this read – the pace is kept up from the first page and the characters and sense of place were all very well written. The plot was very well done and I was genuinely interested to discover exactly what had happened. The story involves some upsetting subject matters and I’m not a fan of gore but this manages to maintain an excellent balance of detail.

For anybody who enjoys a fast paced thriller with strong characters, this would be a superb summer read and perfect to pop in the suitcase.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author this eARC.

After really enjoying The Devil Stone in this authors DCI Caplan series I had high hopes for this book. I was not disappointed, and found this to be a gem of a read that really hit the mark with me. I was drawn into the story quickly and this very absorbing read held my attention from the first page to the last. I think the story is well written and flows really well and I could picture the scenes and characters in my mind from the authors descriptive writing, especially the remoteness of the Halliday home. DCI Caplan and her colleagues have started to grow on me and I enjoyed seeing Craigo in a very different light. This is, at times, a thought provoking read covering teenage mental health issues, the release of child killers into society with protected identities, and coercive behaviour/control. The author dealt with these issues very sensitively and with a lot of thought and care. I honestly thought I knew who was responsible and sussed everything out and couldn't have been more wrong. I really liked the ending, it gives the best closure to what is a very difficult read at times.

Overall, a very, very good read that I'd recommend.
If you like police procedurals you'll like this. You're best to read The Devil Stone first so you know the characters from the beginning. I look forward to the next book in the series.

5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐