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orangebette's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
samstillreading's review against another edition
3.0
I’ve always enjoyed the Anna Travis series that Lynda La Plante writes; they’re detective thrillers with page turning action. In Blood Line, Anna is back as a new Detective Chief Inspector, which means being in charge of a murder case for the first time. Unfortunately, Anna doesn’t have it too easy – she doesn’t have a body or even a victim. How will she handle the pressure? Will the team match the blood to a missing person, or are they looking for a murder that doesn’t exist?
I haven’t picked up a Lynda La Plante for about a year – I fell behind in reading the series when the publication switched from Christmas to mid-year – but this book felt a little differently written to previous books. Maybe I was forgetting something, but something felt different. The dialogue felt very stilted in places – unnatural, robotic and I felt the character of Anna had changed too. Perhaps it was a natural progression due to her different work role and her recent bereavement, but she was tetchy and annoying at times in the way she acted towards her colleagues and general public. I found her less likeable and more difficult to relate to than previous books.
This series is more about the action, rather than exquisite prose and description. It’s the case, the twists and turns that saved this book for me, along with one of the suspects. Tina is the partner of suspected victim, and boy, does she put up a good fight. She’s two faced and in your face. She also ‘one-ups’ Anna several times with her catty but wry observations. The introduction of a new police team (Paul, Brian and Helen) also breathes new life into the series. Brian is annoying (in a different way to Anna) – he’s rude and prejudiced. Paul is the sweetheart of the team (so sweet and lovely), while Helen hangs around on the fringes. It would have been nice to see Helen play a larger role to compare against Anna.
The mystery itself is unusual – a murder with no body or definite victim. The plot twists and turns in unexpected fashion until the team find themselves chasing a lead away from London on the coast. I found that the action became less interesting after that as everything slowed right down. Saying that, I’ll still be reading the eighth book in the series, Backlash, to enjoy another mystery and see if Anna’s increasingly exasperating character is part of a larger plot arc.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
I haven’t picked up a Lynda La Plante for about a year – I fell behind in reading the series when the publication switched from Christmas to mid-year – but this book felt a little differently written to previous books. Maybe I was forgetting something, but something felt different. The dialogue felt very stilted in places – unnatural, robotic and I felt the character of Anna had changed too. Perhaps it was a natural progression due to her different work role and her recent bereavement, but she was tetchy and annoying at times in the way she acted towards her colleagues and general public. I found her less likeable and more difficult to relate to than previous books.
This series is more about the action, rather than exquisite prose and description. It’s the case, the twists and turns that saved this book for me, along with one of the suspects. Tina is the partner of suspected victim, and boy, does she put up a good fight. She’s two faced and in your face. She also ‘one-ups’ Anna several times with her catty but wry observations. The introduction of a new police team (Paul, Brian and Helen) also breathes new life into the series. Brian is annoying (in a different way to Anna) – he’s rude and prejudiced. Paul is the sweetheart of the team (so sweet and lovely), while Helen hangs around on the fringes. It would have been nice to see Helen play a larger role to compare against Anna.
The mystery itself is unusual – a murder with no body or definite victim. The plot twists and turns in unexpected fashion until the team find themselves chasing a lead away from London on the coast. I found that the action became less interesting after that as everything slowed right down. Saying that, I’ll still be reading the eighth book in the series, Backlash, to enjoy another mystery and see if Anna’s increasingly exasperating character is part of a larger plot arc.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
kdurham2's review against another edition
3.0
Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings
Quite the lengthy police investigative drama, I liked it, but there are a few things I would have edited a little more. A book in the series by Lynda La Plante that centers around Anna Travis, an Inspector in London; this is one of those series where there is a story running throughout but the books are also entities of their own.
Quite the lengthy police investigative drama, I liked it, but there are a few things I would have edited a little more. A book in the series by Lynda La Plante that centers around Anna Travis, an Inspector in London; this is one of those series where there is a story running throughout but the books are also entities of their own.
vanessa3117's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Sexual violence, Drug use, and Blood
Moderate: Alcohol and Rape
Minor: Transphobia
the_literary_cat's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Blood Line was just okay for me. The writing fluctuated between striking dialogue and unnecessary descriptions about the main character’s actions and thoughts. I think this mystery could have been a lot shorter than it was. The story itself was interesting enough to keep going, with lots of plot twists towards the ending. I personally am probably not going to read other books by the same author.
aliceee3's review against another edition
dark
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
found writing spelt it out to the reader and didn’t like any of the characters. Although I did like how it revisited/summarised the case as it went for the reader. Story was good/griping.
caitlinxmartin's review against another edition
4.0
If you're looking for a good old-fashioned police procedural of the British kind Blood Line is the book for you. Pure and perfect escapism with a great plot full of sketchy (and downright scary) characters and possibilities.
Our heroine, DCI Travis, is recovering after the murder of her fiancé and trying to prove that she's ready to handle herself in homicide investigations. Thrown a lemon she definitely makes lemonade, although of the pink variety, as she delves deeper and deeper into a case that is a lot more complicated than the surface would have it appear. DCI Travis is a likeable and believable character as are those throughout the book.
Ms. La Plante can write an entertaining page-turner. This kept me reading and reading and reading just so I could get to whodunit and howdunit and a bit bereft when it was all over. Great for holiday reading when you need to get away from it all in a way that doesn't involve ... you know ... holidays.
Our heroine, DCI Travis, is recovering after the murder of her fiancé and trying to prove that she's ready to handle herself in homicide investigations. Thrown a lemon she definitely makes lemonade, although of the pink variety, as she delves deeper and deeper into a case that is a lot more complicated than the surface would have it appear. DCI Travis is a likeable and believable character as are those throughout the book.
Ms. La Plante can write an entertaining page-turner. This kept me reading and reading and reading just so I could get to whodunit and howdunit and a bit bereft when it was all over. Great for holiday reading when you need to get away from it all in a way that doesn't involve ... you know ... holidays.
karna's review against another edition
3.0
I liked reading this book and I was quite hooked on it as I was wondering how it will end and if the missing Alan was either dead, still missing, or a murderer himself.
The relationship between Anna Travis and Langton is a good asset on this book, as she is moving on and he isn't.
I like how the author shows how both of them are good police officers, in their different way.
Even if I quite missed the recurring characters, I like a lot the new one, Paul, and I hope he will be in the next books.
The investigation is really interesting.
The relationship between Anna Travis and Langton is a good asset on this book, as she is moving on and he isn't.
I like how the author shows how both of them are good police officers, in their different way.
Even if I quite missed the recurring characters, I like a lot the new one, Paul, and I hope he will be in the next books.
The investigation is really interesting.