amothersmusings1's review
4.5
“Blood Lines” is the second in the Steph Grant murder mystery series, following the very successful “Blood Notes”. I enjoyed the first book immensely and just knew it had the beginnings of being a very popular and addictive series. The author Lin Le Versha writes a cracking mystery with characters that really do come across as realistic and genuine.
- Eighteen year-old Darcy Woodard appears to have it all – intelligence, good looks and artistic gifts. His teachers adore him, as does former policewoman and now college receptionist Steph Grant. But beneath the surface, all is not as it seems. Adopted and mixed race, Darcy is convinced he doesn’t fit in. Darcy’s dysfunctional mother Esther, is trapped in a literary time warp and he desperately wants to protect his sister Marianne, from the dark forces that surround her. Tragedy then rocks Darcy’s life, when a drugs gang forces its way into his life and all the people he cares for. What can Steph and her former boss DI Hale do to protect the local community? And can they really trust Darcy to help them defeat the county lines gang?
Tackling very modern and serious issues, “Blood Lines” still read like a cosy midsummer murder type story but more gritty, hard hitting and with very up to date, sensitive topics.
I liked how the story sets itself around Steph, a former police woman, now college receptionist/secretary and more often than not school confidante. She really gets to know the students on a personal level and is the eyes and ears for the Head Master but without revealing their secrets or teenage angsts.
In this particular story we encounter the ever growing problem of county line drug gangs and the involvement of unsuspecting teens, drawn into a dangerous world of violence and intimidation. The author has obviously done her research into this increasing issue and it was appropriate how a dysfunctional family was the backdrop for the crux of the plot.
The overall star of the show though is Derek, Steph’s dog and it’s so funny seeing his relationship with Hale as they antagonise each other. A little bit of light heartedness in an otherwise serious story, which the author intertwined perfectly.
Lin Le Versha’s own experience in London and Surrey schools and colleges, is the inspiration for the Steph Grant crime series which includes two books and a novella. She is currently working on a third.
Lin has also written over twenty plays exploring issues faced by secondary school and sixth form students.
#BloodLines - 4.5 stars
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