Firstly, thank you to everyone who has been in touch since The Dying Place came out. I’ve really enjoyed the reaction the book got and that it divided opinion somewhat. It was meant to, so that worked at least. I’m going to be talking more about that in the future, but for now here’s a link to a recent interview I did which gives a bit more detail about it – http://orendabooks.co.uk/luca-veste-revisits-the-dying-place/

It’s been a while since I’ve blogged here. If you’re on my Facebook or Twitter page, you’ll know that I’ve been hard at work writing the new Murphy and Rossi thriller. Well, it’s done. Almost. Some proofing still to do, but the words are 99.9% there and all being well, I’ll be wiping the board clean (yes, I have an actual board – it’s full of incomprehensible scribble at the moment) on Bloodstream. Ready to make a start on Number Four.

So, now it’s done, I can talk a little more about it. This is the first book in my new deal with new publisher Simon and Schuster, so things have gone a little differently than I was used to. Not in a bad way! I worked with the previous publisher for a couple of years, so there was always going to be a bedding in period, as I got used to working with a new editor. Edits were much longer, as we tried to get the idea behind the book spot on. Also, new editor had some amazing ideas, which took time to get right within the story. Overall, it was a very rewarding experience, as I think I’ve grown as a writer for it. My new editor has been a dream to work with. I can’t wait to start work on the next book.

Bloodstream takes place two years after the events of The Dying Place, which was needed, I think. For those who have read The Dying Place (TDP), you’ll know what I mean when I say… the ending really left DI Murphy in an awful position. To go straight into Bloodstream with little time following TDP would have hampered the story somewhat, so it was decided to try and place some distance between the two. The effect of the events of TDP, and also Dead Gone to some extent, don’t just impact on Murphy, but also those around him. There’s a new set-up in place at work, his relationship with his wife has undergone some change, bringing them closer together, and his partnership with Rossi is now well established.

I like a theme when working on the books. Or themes to be precise. Dead Gone was all about death, grief, and the psychological impulses behind those things. The Dying Place was all about social issues, youth unemployment, generation gaps, helplessness. So, when I started working on Bloodstream, I began with themes.

Bloodstream is about love. About violence in media. About our obsession with celebrity. About relationships. About redemption.

And a load of murders thrown in for good measure.

First line in the book…

She watched him die.

And it only gets cheerier from that point.

What’s it about? A reality TV couple are found dead in an abandoned house in Liverpool. They have bound to chairs and killed in two different ways. At first, Murphy is convinced someone close to the pair has something to do with the deaths. However, when another couple is found – with seemingly no connection to the first couple – it quickly becomes apparent there is something more going on. With a suffocating media presence surrounding them, Murphy and Rossi realise they are dealing with someone who is determined to expose the lies and secrets which exist in relationships… with murderous results.

I’m excited about it at the moment. Really can’t wait for people to read it and let me know what they think! Mainly because, right now, I have no idea. What I do know is that Simon and Schuster have already provided an awesome cover for the book. I love it. A different view of the Liverpool skyline, the Liverbirds in the distance… it’s awesome.

I’ll be blogging more in the lead up to release, including an exciting announcement coming soon. Also, there’s a fair few things I’ll be talking about over the coming months, in a kind of ‘behind the scenes’ style manner. Could be interesting – could be me talking rubbish for 1000 words. You’ll soon find out.

You can pre-order Bloodstream in paperback here – https://www.waterstones.com/book/bloodstream/luca-veste/9781471141379

And the ebook here – http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bloodstream-Luca-Veste-ebook-x/dp/B00SDMGXAI/ref=pd_sim_351_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=072WNJD8J8DZ2F3M9C0Q