Scan barcode
A review by noveldeelights
The Scent of Guilt by Tony J. Forder
4.0
Twelve years after leaving Peterborough and the Major Crimes Team, DI Bliss is back in familiar surroundings. On his first day, he’s thrown head first into what looks to be a serial killer investigation when the body of an elderly woman is found. Meanwhile, DI Bliss’s former colleague DS Chandler has been working on rape investigations. When her most recent case leads her back to Peterborough, she thinks there may be a connection between the rapes and the murders. Their search for the killer will lead them to America and back again.
As far as this murder investigation goes, The Scent of Guilt reads perfectly well as a stand-alone but I do feel you’d miss out on quite a bit of background regarding, for instance, DI Bliss’s health, which is explained in the first book in this series Bad To The Bone. I’m glad I managed to squeeze that one in before I read this one, even though I must admit the twelve year gap threw me off a little bit in the beginning and I thought I’d missed a book somewhere. Things have obviously changed in the last twelve years and some of the people DI Bliss used to work with have been replaced. Not all of them are happy to see him return and it’s not all plain sailing.
The chase for the serial killer is incredibly thrilling. The detectives quite quickly zero in on a potential suspect but are they right in doing so? Is there a rapist and a killer? Or is there only one person responsible for both vile acts? What is the motivation behind these attacks and why now? All these questions must be answered, preferably before there’s another victim. But when DI Bliss jets off to America, is he putting his own investigation into jeopardy? I didn’t have a clue but I really enjoyed trying to figure it out.
I love that part of this book is set in America. Cold cases are always fascinating to me and having the chance to work on this puzzle alongside Bliss, trying to find some kind of connection to what’s happening back in the UK, really held my attention throughout. The Scent of Guilt is a well plotted and suspenseful crime thriller. The pace starts off a little slow but ramps up as you go along and ultimately ends with a most satisfying conclusion. Another great addition to this series and I hope Bliss and Chandler will return soon!
As far as this murder investigation goes, The Scent of Guilt reads perfectly well as a stand-alone but I do feel you’d miss out on quite a bit of background regarding, for instance, DI Bliss’s health, which is explained in the first book in this series Bad To The Bone. I’m glad I managed to squeeze that one in before I read this one, even though I must admit the twelve year gap threw me off a little bit in the beginning and I thought I’d missed a book somewhere. Things have obviously changed in the last twelve years and some of the people DI Bliss used to work with have been replaced. Not all of them are happy to see him return and it’s not all plain sailing.
The chase for the serial killer is incredibly thrilling. The detectives quite quickly zero in on a potential suspect but are they right in doing so? Is there a rapist and a killer? Or is there only one person responsible for both vile acts? What is the motivation behind these attacks and why now? All these questions must be answered, preferably before there’s another victim. But when DI Bliss jets off to America, is he putting his own investigation into jeopardy? I didn’t have a clue but I really enjoyed trying to figure it out.
I love that part of this book is set in America. Cold cases are always fascinating to me and having the chance to work on this puzzle alongside Bliss, trying to find some kind of connection to what’s happening back in the UK, really held my attention throughout. The Scent of Guilt is a well plotted and suspenseful crime thriller. The pace starts off a little slow but ramps up as you go along and ultimately ends with a most satisfying conclusion. Another great addition to this series and I hope Bliss and Chandler will return soon!