Bloodless Shadow

Sam Falconer #1

by Victoria Blake

Sam Falconer is pretty good at taking care of herself. Four times world judo champion, she now runs the Gentle Way investigation agency in London. But when her brother Mark asks her to return to Oxford to investigate the disappearance of a young woman, Sam finds herself confronting a past she hoped she'd left behind. Oxford is full of ghosts and Sam has never quite recovered from finding the body of a murdered 4-year-old girl there. To this day, she has no idea what led her to the scene and she dreads being back in the city. As Sam looks into the woman's disappearance, she finds the trail leads back to the university. But the closed academic world is unwilling to share its secrets with a stranger. Soon it becomes clear that someone is determined to frighten her off the case, and then, out of the blue, Sam receives a letter from a man who's been dead for twenty-eight years - her father...

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Crime

Hardcover

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

I was born and brought up in Oxford and went to college in the same city, studying history. Subsequently I worked in law, book selling and publishing before becoming a writer.

Reviews

[Franklie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super annoyed. I love private eye stories. I love Oxford. This book sounded perfect, but after 50 pages nothing had happened and the mindless vocabulary was really getting to me, so with sadness, I closed the book and let it go. Hopefully the other 250 pages were better and other readers have enjoyed it.

[Sherree · Rating 3 out of 5]

It wasn't bad but as this is a series and I don't want to read anymore, I am giving it a 3.

[Bryan Wade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent story, hard to put it down. Will definitely look for another of Victoria's books.

[Melanie Peak · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved this book, first time reading this author and I will defo read her again. Read it in just over a day, great characters and loved the storyline.

[LJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

BLOODLESS SHADOW (Private Investigator-England-Cont) – G+
Blake, Victoria – 1st in series
Orion, 2003- UK Hardcover
Samantha "Sam" Falconer is a former World Judo Champion and now a private investigator. Her brother asks her to look for the missing wife of a friend of his in Oxford, where Sam grew up. But returning to Oxford brings up difficult issues for Sam and the memory of her father who died when she was young. Or did he? Sam has received a letter from a man who claims to be that father.
*** The story focuses much more on character, particularly that of Sam, than on the mystery. But it is the first of the series and Sam is a fascinating character on which to focus. At the same time, Blake does a very good job of joining together the issues in Sam's life and the mysteries she's trying to solve. The story did keep me reading and interested enough that I've already bough the second book.

[Elana · Rating 3 out of 5]

For some time I did not want to review mysteries (even though I read them all the time) because they feel like sinful indulgence. I write about SF, horror and fantasy. I write SF, horror and fantasy. I should only review books belonging to these genres. But then I remembered that my first book (Bloodscripts) dealt with violence in literature. I may even go back to that issue at some point! So here it's is, my alibi! I'm not just wasting time reading British and Scandinavian crime fiction! With this in mind, I read "The Bloodless Shadow" but to be honest, I can't imagine making this novel the centerpiece of an academic book. It is expertly plotted and professionally written but rather dull. Its title is apposite in more than one way: there is something bloodless and shadowy about it.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came across this book by accident at the library (I was looking for a Cara Black book, which they did not have). I was immediately hooked by the unusual talents of the main character and found the book very entertaining. Unfortunately the local library does not have any of the further books in this series but I did find one on Paperbackswap and will be receiving it in a couple of weeks. If you enjoy British mysteries, you will probably enjoy this one - set in both London and Oxford, it consists of part PI, part missing persons, part childhood memories, part SAS/MI5, part Oxford gaudy, and part characters that break the mold of what could be their stereotype.

[Helena · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book mooch friend sent me this one .I like what i have read so far , even if the heroine is my complete opposite ,tiny with a firm hand shake ,hmmm
well i finished this last night .I cant explaain it but i loved it .You have to read books at the right time ,This is the second author from a book mooch friend , thanks ever so !!

[Elizabeth Desole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish there were half stars. I would have given it 3 1/2 stars. It's just what it needed to be: no more, no less. I liked that there were 2 (maybe even 3 really) unrelated plots that didn't somehow tie together in a neat bow. I also liked that there were few clear bad guys or good guys. I'm a sucker for a quick thriller mystery and this fit the bill

[Bill Stiefel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have enjoyed this series by Victoria Blake, with Sam Falconer at the forefront of all the action. Good plots, keeps you guessing a great part of the time and a little spice thrown in for good measure.

[Ann Tonks · Rating 3 out of 5]

The heroine is an ex-judo champion with a missing SAS dad. I'd read the previous story and found the obsessive nature of the heroine slightly irritating. But neverthess, a reasonable book to read on a plane.

[Susan Nylund]

good series

[Gwen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like it, it draws me in. Easy-too-read as well. Very interesting, it makes you think.

[Vivienne Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just standard "tough-woman-who-won't-give-in-or-even-do-the-sensible-thing" P.I. fare.

[Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It wasn't bad. Is it weird that I find it almost impossible to really enjoy a book in which the protagonist smokes? It impedes my ability to relate.

[Bill Holtzapple · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent read. Holds your interest. Interesting characters. There's a lot of dialogue between characters which I like.

[Andrea Sachs · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't sure I was going to like this, but the plot grabbed me, and I had a hard time putting it down and getting on with my life!

[Stephanie Clark · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh. Too much conversation. Almost gave up then halfway through it actually got to the story.