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In Their Blood
Born into a life of privilege, Jeremy Stroeb loves freedom, loathes responsibility and drops out of college to start backpacking across Europe. But this free-spirited drifter crashes back to brutal reality when his parents, Rachel and Daniel Stroeb, are murdered in their home on Miami Beach. When he returns to Miami, Jeremy assumes guardianship of his teenage sister, Elise, who is traumatized and convinced the killer will be back for her. With steely, urgent resolve, Jeremy vows to find out what really happened to Rachel Stroeb, the respected CPA and Daniel Stroeb, the controversial professor. Determined to get on the inside of his parents lives, Jeremy takes a job at the accounting firm where his mother worked, and enrolls at the university where his father taught. But too many details dont add up. With mounting certainty that his parents were anything but the people he thought they were, Jeremy must face the toughest questions of all. Who were Rachel and Daniel Stroeb? And when will the killer be back for the next of kin?
369 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 8, 2009
110 people are currently reading
552 people want to read
About the author
Sharon Potts
12 books47 followersSharon Potts is the award-winning, critically acclaimed author of five psychological thrillers, including In Their Blood—winner of the Benjamin Franklin Award and recipient of a starred review in Publishers Weekly. A former CPA, corporate executive, and entrepreneur, Sharon has served as treasurer of the national board of Mystery Writers of America, as well as president of that organization’s Florida chapter. She has also co-chaired SleuthFest, a national writers’ conference. Sharon lives in Miami Beach with her husband and a spirited Australian shepherd named Gidget.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
March 8, 2019
Hmmmmmm
Not really sure what to say about this book. It kept my interest but I felt like it more of a young adult book or something. Nothing very difficult to figure out. It was an ok book. Best way I can describe it is, it was ordinary. I don't like leaving bad reviews but to me the book has to spark some kind of electric or feeling and for me, this one fell flat. Not my cuppa tea.
Not really sure what to say about this book. It kept my interest but I felt like it more of a young adult book or something. Nothing very difficult to figure out. It was an ok book. Best way I can describe it is, it was ordinary. I don't like leaving bad reviews but to me the book has to spark some kind of electric or feeling and for me, this one fell flat. Not my cuppa tea.
September 6, 2018
Really good read
Not the ending you expect. Full of action. Gripping storyline. Living in FL my whole life, I could envision the scenery.
Not the ending you expect. Full of action. Gripping storyline. Living in FL my whole life, I could envision the scenery.
Read
April 25, 2020Good read!!
April 17, 2023
An okay mystery about a young, upper class Florida man who has to try and unravel the mystery behind his parents death.
September 1, 2023
Not very good
Farfetched and not realistic. Took a while to get to the point and characters were not realistic. I don’t recommend
Farfetched and not realistic. Took a while to get to the point and characters were not realistic. I don’t recommend
October 31, 2013
I’m having quite the lucky streak when it comes to books. I just finished reading In Their Blood and let me tell you something: it was quite the page-turner.
As opposed to, say, Little Lamb Lost, which seemed like a more approachable murder-mystery, In Their Blood is the kind of book which invites you to step into a world you are probably never going to otherwise be able to step into. However you feel very comfortable in that world – perhaps too comfortable. And it makes reading this book all the more gripping.
The story starts opens up with a shattered family, as someone enters the Schoep’s home near midnight and shoots both parents dead with a single bullet. Neither of the Schoep’s children were home at the time. While this is probably the reason why they are still alive, it’s also a burden each bears throughout the book; Jeremy, the oldest, was in Europe, backpacking across the continent against his parents wishes, and Elise, the youngest, had snuck out of the house to be with her boyfriend.
Now before I continue, I have to be honest: this book did have a major weakness, in that it should perhaps not have been promoted as a book for adults. For Jeremy is a couple of weeks shy of 23, and this is reflected throughout the book. While it makes for great writing, it does get frustrating when one forgets this small fact. Perhaps consider putting a Post-It on your bookmark with Jeremy’s age so that you don’t forget it, and you won’t have the same problem I did.
Apart from this little occasional hiccup, In Their Blood was a great book to read. It’s hard to believe that Sharon Potts is a first time author; she seems very comfortable leading us through these harrowing times for the Schoep siblings, and doesn’t resort to the sometimes painfully overused clichés and turns of phrases used by new writers (I should know; I used to be one!)
Perhaps it’s because Sharon Potts is writing about something she knows. No, I don’t mean she knows about murdering people (if she does and I just blew her cover, I’m so in trouble…), but rather that she is a former business executive, entrepreneur and CPA, which helps lend the story authenticity. You see, Jeremy, being the rather hot-headed and quite intelligent young man that he is, decides to investigate his parents’ deaths himself. His mother used to be an auditor, and so Jeremy uses her boss’ high regard for her to secure himself a job at the same company.
Despite his intelligence, Jeremy ends up being quite human and makes many mistakes in his investigation. That’s probably because this story is as much character-driven as it is plot-driven. Yes, we want to know what is going on, we are tense at the very real fact that Elise and Jeremy might be the next intended victims, but more importantly, Sharon Potts has achieved something I find few authors in the genre manage to do: she made the protagonists as important at the plot itself. Certainly we want Jeremy to find his parents’ killers, but we also want him to step up and be a mean. And this lends the story an air of humanity that many thrillers lack.
And his parents, however great they were, weren’t perfect; one of the hurdles any adult child has to surmount is the painful realisation of just how imperfect their once seemingly perfect parents are. Sharon Potts walks the line carefully but with confidence; Jeremy definitely has a couple of shocks, and deals with the quite realistically.
The fact that this book is so real makes it sometimes a little messy to read; the plot doesn’t advance in a straight manner; there are many setbacks, and I promise, you will be irritated by some of Jeremy’s decisions. He is a reluctant protagonist, and vacillates between accepting it whole-heartedly and pushing it away as hard and as far from himself as he can. Again, a very human and young adult reaction that lends authenticity to the story.
I can’t decide if In Their Blood should remain in the adult section or if it should be put into the young adult section. On the one hand, it’s a serious book, written in a serious language about serious matters. On the other hand, it’s a coming of age story, as Jeremy steps out of his spoiled childhood into the world of adulthood and responsibility.
Which makes me think, in a world where the line between teenagerhood and adulthood is becoming more and more blurry, that we should perhaps starts a new section that encompasses both.
Wherever this book ends up being stocked at your local library, you should definitely pick it up; and, if you have a teenager, make sure to pass it forward to him/her. After all, it always helps to have something to talk about with one’s teenager, since they tend to be so hard to talk to in the first place.
Yet another reason to thank Sharon Potts for writing In Their Blood. Is there such a section as therapeutic thrillers yet?
(First published on Blogcritics and on http://saharsreviews.wordpress.com)
As opposed to, say, Little Lamb Lost, which seemed like a more approachable murder-mystery, In Their Blood is the kind of book which invites you to step into a world you are probably never going to otherwise be able to step into. However you feel very comfortable in that world – perhaps too comfortable. And it makes reading this book all the more gripping.
The story starts opens up with a shattered family, as someone enters the Schoep’s home near midnight and shoots both parents dead with a single bullet. Neither of the Schoep’s children were home at the time. While this is probably the reason why they are still alive, it’s also a burden each bears throughout the book; Jeremy, the oldest, was in Europe, backpacking across the continent against his parents wishes, and Elise, the youngest, had snuck out of the house to be with her boyfriend.
Now before I continue, I have to be honest: this book did have a major weakness, in that it should perhaps not have been promoted as a book for adults. For Jeremy is a couple of weeks shy of 23, and this is reflected throughout the book. While it makes for great writing, it does get frustrating when one forgets this small fact. Perhaps consider putting a Post-It on your bookmark with Jeremy’s age so that you don’t forget it, and you won’t have the same problem I did.
Apart from this little occasional hiccup, In Their Blood was a great book to read. It’s hard to believe that Sharon Potts is a first time author; she seems very comfortable leading us through these harrowing times for the Schoep siblings, and doesn’t resort to the sometimes painfully overused clichés and turns of phrases used by new writers (I should know; I used to be one!)
Perhaps it’s because Sharon Potts is writing about something she knows. No, I don’t mean she knows about murdering people (if she does and I just blew her cover, I’m so in trouble…), but rather that she is a former business executive, entrepreneur and CPA, which helps lend the story authenticity. You see, Jeremy, being the rather hot-headed and quite intelligent young man that he is, decides to investigate his parents’ deaths himself. His mother used to be an auditor, and so Jeremy uses her boss’ high regard for her to secure himself a job at the same company.
Despite his intelligence, Jeremy ends up being quite human and makes many mistakes in his investigation. That’s probably because this story is as much character-driven as it is plot-driven. Yes, we want to know what is going on, we are tense at the very real fact that Elise and Jeremy might be the next intended victims, but more importantly, Sharon Potts has achieved something I find few authors in the genre manage to do: she made the protagonists as important at the plot itself. Certainly we want Jeremy to find his parents’ killers, but we also want him to step up and be a mean. And this lends the story an air of humanity that many thrillers lack.
And his parents, however great they were, weren’t perfect; one of the hurdles any adult child has to surmount is the painful realisation of just how imperfect their once seemingly perfect parents are. Sharon Potts walks the line carefully but with confidence; Jeremy definitely has a couple of shocks, and deals with the quite realistically.
The fact that this book is so real makes it sometimes a little messy to read; the plot doesn’t advance in a straight manner; there are many setbacks, and I promise, you will be irritated by some of Jeremy’s decisions. He is a reluctant protagonist, and vacillates between accepting it whole-heartedly and pushing it away as hard and as far from himself as he can. Again, a very human and young adult reaction that lends authenticity to the story.
I can’t decide if In Their Blood should remain in the adult section or if it should be put into the young adult section. On the one hand, it’s a serious book, written in a serious language about serious matters. On the other hand, it’s a coming of age story, as Jeremy steps out of his spoiled childhood into the world of adulthood and responsibility.
Which makes me think, in a world where the line between teenagerhood and adulthood is becoming more and more blurry, that we should perhaps starts a new section that encompasses both.
Wherever this book ends up being stocked at your local library, you should definitely pick it up; and, if you have a teenager, make sure to pass it forward to him/her. After all, it always helps to have something to talk about with one’s teenager, since they tend to be so hard to talk to in the first place.
Yet another reason to thank Sharon Potts for writing In Their Blood. Is there such a section as therapeutic thrillers yet?
(First published on Blogcritics and on http://saharsreviews.wordpress.com)
March 13, 2010
Jeremy Stroeb is a lot like many kids his age who are living a comfortable life. With parents who have more than enough money to support his wanderlust, his world of rebellion and backpacking anywhere his heart took him in defiance of his parents so called “sell out world” hits hard when he receives the news that his parents have been brutally murdered in their bed and that his sister Elise is now his responsibility. His parents had named him and not his Uncle Dwight to be her guardian, angering his uncle beyond belief.
Jeremy finds for the first time in his life of privileges, that he is now responsible for someone other than himself. In fact, he is the only one who can save his sister from the plight of being thrown into a home with her materialistic Aunt and Uncle. He has to learn the hard way how to be responsible and that way is in a lot of ways hard indeed for Jeremy.
Through many false starts and somewhat naive moves, Jeremy takes it upon himself to find his parents killers. But during this time, he makes many decisons, some good and some bad to find the means to an end and put justice to work.
He asks for and is given a job with his mothers old firm where he makes friends with Robbie and he learns more than someone is comfortable with at PCM, setting in motion a chain of events that are definitely dicey if not deadly for anyone who pushes the envelope too far.
Jeremy also enrolls at his father’s college where he hopes to learn more than is taught in the classroom. Such as why his father’s office was set afire and why it seems the top dog of the school hated his father with a passion. Intertwined in this, is his meeting and ever growing relationship with his father’s grad assistant, Marina who turns out to be someone who turns his life upside down, revealing secrets about his father he never would have dreamed possible. Though she means well, Marina is too close to the action, a fact that Jeremy finds out the hard way.
All through Jeremy’s search, his sister Elise is battling her own demons regarding the night her parents were killed. As the shock wears off, she remembers more of the night and that fact alone is enough to put her life in danger as well.
Add to this, a grandfather who is supportive while grieving for his late wife, a detective who is working as hard as she can to find the killers, while trying to keep Jeremy and his sister safe and a myriad of other characters as well and you have a suspense novel that is impossible to put down and more impossible to turn the last page on.
This is a book like no other. It has romance, lust, suspense, danger, missed signs, and a cast of sometimes unbelievably real characters who make the reader stop and realize that he/she has met someone just like this character in his/her life! That knowledge alone is enough to propel the reader deep into the lives of Jeremy. Elise, their grandfather and all the other characters who are so well fleshed out by author Sharon Potts that you’d swear at times they were sitting in your living room with you!
I recommend this book to all who love a mystery/suspense type novel that actually “could” happen given the right circumstances and place. It is a book that rivets the reader and compels them to read until the final page is turned and the book is safely on the self ready for the next read. But I’ll warn you, putting the book away will not take it from your mind, as you will ponder it’s contents for days. And to this reader and writer…that is exactly what makes a good book. The ability for it to stick with you hours and days later.
This is that sort of book and I highly recommend this read to anyone, for it will change the way you look at life forever as you follow Jeremy and Elise through the most horrific time anyone can imagine, in their quest for the truth of their parents deaths and justice for their killer.
Jeremy finds for the first time in his life of privileges, that he is now responsible for someone other than himself. In fact, he is the only one who can save his sister from the plight of being thrown into a home with her materialistic Aunt and Uncle. He has to learn the hard way how to be responsible and that way is in a lot of ways hard indeed for Jeremy.
Through many false starts and somewhat naive moves, Jeremy takes it upon himself to find his parents killers. But during this time, he makes many decisons, some good and some bad to find the means to an end and put justice to work.
He asks for and is given a job with his mothers old firm where he makes friends with Robbie and he learns more than someone is comfortable with at PCM, setting in motion a chain of events that are definitely dicey if not deadly for anyone who pushes the envelope too far.
Jeremy also enrolls at his father’s college where he hopes to learn more than is taught in the classroom. Such as why his father’s office was set afire and why it seems the top dog of the school hated his father with a passion. Intertwined in this, is his meeting and ever growing relationship with his father’s grad assistant, Marina who turns out to be someone who turns his life upside down, revealing secrets about his father he never would have dreamed possible. Though she means well, Marina is too close to the action, a fact that Jeremy finds out the hard way.
All through Jeremy’s search, his sister Elise is battling her own demons regarding the night her parents were killed. As the shock wears off, she remembers more of the night and that fact alone is enough to put her life in danger as well.
Add to this, a grandfather who is supportive while grieving for his late wife, a detective who is working as hard as she can to find the killers, while trying to keep Jeremy and his sister safe and a myriad of other characters as well and you have a suspense novel that is impossible to put down and more impossible to turn the last page on.
This is a book like no other. It has romance, lust, suspense, danger, missed signs, and a cast of sometimes unbelievably real characters who make the reader stop and realize that he/she has met someone just like this character in his/her life! That knowledge alone is enough to propel the reader deep into the lives of Jeremy. Elise, their grandfather and all the other characters who are so well fleshed out by author Sharon Potts that you’d swear at times they were sitting in your living room with you!
I recommend this book to all who love a mystery/suspense type novel that actually “could” happen given the right circumstances and place. It is a book that rivets the reader and compels them to read until the final page is turned and the book is safely on the self ready for the next read. But I’ll warn you, putting the book away will not take it from your mind, as you will ponder it’s contents for days. And to this reader and writer…that is exactly what makes a good book. The ability for it to stick with you hours and days later.
This is that sort of book and I highly recommend this read to anyone, for it will change the way you look at life forever as you follow Jeremy and Elise through the most horrific time anyone can imagine, in their quest for the truth of their parents deaths and justice for their killer.
April 11, 2010
Sharon Potts has written a coming of age novel combined with a mystery that definitely works. The story starts with the violent murder of Rachel and Daniel Stroeb. They leave two children, Jeremy, a 23-year-old son who is living out of the country and has never settled down and Elise, a high school student. Jeremy had flight trouble and so missed the funeral but this tragedy forces him to take responsibility and he assumes the guardianship of Elise against the wishes of his uncle. The problem is Jeremy has not really grown up himself. He has good intentions, enrolls in the school where his father was a professor to finish his degree, and gets a job at the accounting firm where his mother was a CPA. However, it soon becomes apparent to him that his real goal is to solve his parents’ murders.
Jeremy becomes involved with his father’s administrative assistant who willingly helps him by giving inside information. His father was an activist and Jeremy begins to think that maybe his father’s enemies killed his parents. However, Jeremy becomes even more confused as he learns some things about his father he wishes he never knew and breaks off the relationship with the assistant.
Meanwhile, Elise is spending a lot of time with Carlos, her boyfriend because Jeremy is never home and she does not like to be in the house where the murder took place. Jeremy attempts to be there but really wants to find out who murdered his parents. At the accounting firm, he gets to know those who worked closest with his mother and learns there were inconsistencies in the accounts of the business that Carlos’ father owns. Is there someone at the firm who was willing to kill his parents to keep accounting secrets? Again, Jeremy finds out something about his mother that surprises him and he realizes that both of his parents were human.
In the midst of all this, we see Jeremy growing up, taking care of his sister, loving his grandfather, making mistakes but as he is finding out information about his parents, he is learning more about himself. Elise also realizes that she remembers more from that fateful night than she thought and she is in real danger. Can they figure out who is the murdered before he comes after her? Potts has written a suspenseful story that keeps you guessing throughout. She also has created interesting characters in Jeremy and Elise who you are rooting for as you see them growing up throughout the story. This is a fine debut novel and I hope she continues to write.
Jeremy becomes involved with his father’s administrative assistant who willingly helps him by giving inside information. His father was an activist and Jeremy begins to think that maybe his father’s enemies killed his parents. However, Jeremy becomes even more confused as he learns some things about his father he wishes he never knew and breaks off the relationship with the assistant.
Meanwhile, Elise is spending a lot of time with Carlos, her boyfriend because Jeremy is never home and she does not like to be in the house where the murder took place. Jeremy attempts to be there but really wants to find out who murdered his parents. At the accounting firm, he gets to know those who worked closest with his mother and learns there were inconsistencies in the accounts of the business that Carlos’ father owns. Is there someone at the firm who was willing to kill his parents to keep accounting secrets? Again, Jeremy finds out something about his mother that surprises him and he realizes that both of his parents were human.
In the midst of all this, we see Jeremy growing up, taking care of his sister, loving his grandfather, making mistakes but as he is finding out information about his parents, he is learning more about himself. Elise also realizes that she remembers more from that fateful night than she thought and she is in real danger. Can they figure out who is the murdered before he comes after her? Potts has written a suspenseful story that keeps you guessing throughout. She also has created interesting characters in Jeremy and Elise who you are rooting for as you see them growing up throughout the story. This is a fine debut novel and I hope she continues to write.
July 23, 2016
“In Their Blood” tells the story of one son’s journey to maturity. Jeremy Stroeb is a typical young adult who shuns responsibility and doesn’t get along well with his father. In a pique of rebellion he drops out of college and backpacks his way around Europe. His idyll is abruptly shattered when he learns that both his parents were murdered in their Miami Beach home.
Back in Miami he tries to understand the seemingly senseless murder. He is devoted to his younger sister and wants to assume guardianship of her, though he feels unequal to the task and doubts his own abilities. She has been deeply traumatized by the murders of her parents and feels vulnerable. He enrolls in the university where his father taught, and gets a job at the accounting firm where his mother worked in the hopes that he might find out what motivated the crime against his parents.
He enlists the aid of his father’s attractive graduate assistant. Together they attempt to piece together some sort of scenario leading up to the murders. One thing leads to another and they begin a torrid affair. The vast amount of time Jeremy spends with Marina places his guardianship of his sister Elise in a precarious position. His unlikable uncle Dwight maintains that Jeremy is not responsible and tries to assume guardianship of Elise for reasons that are less than altruistic.
As Jeremy eventually discovers more and more about his parents’ lives, he comes to realize that he knew very little of their private affairs and their experiences when they were younger. Jeremy’s life and the lives of those he loves are placed in jeopardy when he comes close to discovering the identity of the murderer. The suspense is turned up to high with an exciting plot climax worthy of what Hollywood has to offer.
This first effort by Sharon Potts is not without it’s flaws. The reader’s imagination is stretched to the limit on several occasions with what I perceive to be plot weaknesses. Elise just happens to have a photographic memory? The U.S. customs let a young man into the country with a firearm? Also, the nefarious Uncle Dwight seemed just a tad too unfeeling and nasty.
Flaws aside, the novel delivered some sound entertainment. Overall, “In Their Blood” is a page-turning debut novel which delivers a quick, enjoyable read. When all is said and done, isn’t that why we read suspense fiction?
Back in Miami he tries to understand the seemingly senseless murder. He is devoted to his younger sister and wants to assume guardianship of her, though he feels unequal to the task and doubts his own abilities. She has been deeply traumatized by the murders of her parents and feels vulnerable. He enrolls in the university where his father taught, and gets a job at the accounting firm where his mother worked in the hopes that he might find out what motivated the crime against his parents.
He enlists the aid of his father’s attractive graduate assistant. Together they attempt to piece together some sort of scenario leading up to the murders. One thing leads to another and they begin a torrid affair. The vast amount of time Jeremy spends with Marina places his guardianship of his sister Elise in a precarious position. His unlikable uncle Dwight maintains that Jeremy is not responsible and tries to assume guardianship of Elise for reasons that are less than altruistic.
As Jeremy eventually discovers more and more about his parents’ lives, he comes to realize that he knew very little of their private affairs and their experiences when they were younger. Jeremy’s life and the lives of those he loves are placed in jeopardy when he comes close to discovering the identity of the murderer. The suspense is turned up to high with an exciting plot climax worthy of what Hollywood has to offer.
This first effort by Sharon Potts is not without it’s flaws. The reader’s imagination is stretched to the limit on several occasions with what I perceive to be plot weaknesses. Elise just happens to have a photographic memory? The U.S. customs let a young man into the country with a firearm? Also, the nefarious Uncle Dwight seemed just a tad too unfeeling and nasty.
Flaws aside, the novel delivered some sound entertainment. Overall, “In Their Blood” is a page-turning debut novel which delivers a quick, enjoyable read. When all is said and done, isn’t that why we read suspense fiction?
May 4, 2012
I have mixed feelings about this book, but I enjoyed it for a couple reasons. From the very beginning Potts manages to make the reader interested in the family’s story and the protagonist’s journey to find his parent’s killer. Her writing is clean and descriptive, but it’s the kind of narration that you stop noticing as you get more entrenched in the drama. And it was easy to get lost in the story, which was complex and kept me guessing about not only the murderer’s identity, but a basket of family secrets.
On the other hand, there were some things I wasn’t as impressed with. I didn’t feel very close to Jeremy, our protagonist and it always felt like I was being held at arms length or like his emotions were not quite appropriate. This feeling might be the result of the very clean story line. It was like the author had the beginning and the outcome in mind and then sat down to fill in the middle of the story with clear action and consequence scenarios. They were very entertaining (and well written), but entirely unnecessary in the grand scheme of the book.
My only significant complaint is that Potts falls into the trap of many mystery writers. Agatha Christie, as an example, had a knack for giving the reader all the information they needed to solve the crime. When the time comes for Ms Marple or Poirot to name the killer almost every reader thinks “I should have caught that. It makes perfect sense!” Unfortunately Potts does not give us the necessary rope and, when the big reveal comes, we are caught off guard and left waiting for something more.
While it was an enjoyable read, I was disappointed by an ending that was too sudden, too clean, and failed to give me closure.
On the other hand, there were some things I wasn’t as impressed with. I didn’t feel very close to Jeremy, our protagonist and it always felt like I was being held at arms length or like his emotions were not quite appropriate. This feeling might be the result of the very clean story line. It was like the author had the beginning and the outcome in mind and then sat down to fill in the middle of the story with clear action and consequence scenarios. They were very entertaining (and well written), but entirely unnecessary in the grand scheme of the book.
My only significant complaint is that Potts falls into the trap of many mystery writers. Agatha Christie, as an example, had a knack for giving the reader all the information they needed to solve the crime. When the time comes for Ms Marple or Poirot to name the killer almost every reader thinks “I should have caught that. It makes perfect sense!” Unfortunately Potts does not give us the necessary rope and, when the big reveal comes, we are caught off guard and left waiting for something more.
While it was an enjoyable read, I was disappointed by an ending that was too sudden, too clean, and failed to give me closure.
August 9, 2009
Rachael, a partner in an accounting firm and Daniel Stroeb, a college professor, are murdered in their Miami Beach home leaving their two children, Jeremy and Elise, alone. Jeremy is a college dropout roaming around Europe and Elise is a teenager who has been severely traumatized by finding her parents after their murder. Now, Jeremy must return home to take care of his sister but finds it difficult to change his self centered ways. Jeremy soon decides to try to find out who his parents really were and who would want to kill them. But as he discovers, there are many possibilities and he has no idea who he can trust.
Ms. Potts has woven a very readable murder mystery that will keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat till the very end with this tale of a family in crisis and a young man who must grow up quickly. The story is told from Jeremy’s point of view so his character is developed along with his parents as he searches for the truth. After reading Ms. Potts’ biography, I feel the author has accomplished her goal of writing the story that has been brewing with a lifetime of family stories, mysteries and childhood fears while growing up in New York. And on a personal note, I am always fascinated to find how the title of books ties in to the story. I found that this title is actually a little deceptive but you will have to read the book to find out what I mean.
I would recommend this book for high school age and above readers that love a good mystery. This book is not a hard core murder-horror story, but an enjoyable mystery with an excellent rhythm and good character development that will appeal to all ages.
Ms. Potts has woven a very readable murder mystery that will keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat till the very end with this tale of a family in crisis and a young man who must grow up quickly. The story is told from Jeremy’s point of view so his character is developed along with his parents as he searches for the truth. After reading Ms. Potts’ biography, I feel the author has accomplished her goal of writing the story that has been brewing with a lifetime of family stories, mysteries and childhood fears while growing up in New York. And on a personal note, I am always fascinated to find how the title of books ties in to the story. I found that this title is actually a little deceptive but you will have to read the book to find out what I mean.
I would recommend this book for high school age and above readers that love a good mystery. This book is not a hard core murder-horror story, but an enjoyable mystery with an excellent rhythm and good character development that will appeal to all ages.
January 21, 2010
This book had it ALL. The thrills, the action, mystery, murder – even love.
Jeremy Stroeb is the quintessential “rich kid”. His parents are hard workers who got where they are through determination and love of what they do. Jeremy doesn’t know what he wants to do. On the outside he seems to be a slacker living off his parent’s money. On the inside – he’s still just a confused kid whose last wish is to be his parents. He wants to be his own person.
Jeremy’s parents are brutally murdered, leaving him and his younger sister behind. He is forced to grow up when it seems that either his sister and his parent’s legacy ends up in his greedy uncle’s hands or his sister ends up with him. In conjunction with this, he wants to know what happened to his parents. To figure this out, he decides to get an internship at his mother’s company and enroll at the college where his father taught.
He thinks he knows his parents, but does he really? Jeremy has no idea that his grown-up decision to be a man and find out who killed his parents will put his own life in danger. No one is who they seem to be. Everyone has a secret. Someone has a secret that ended in his parent’s death. Jeremy learns about himself in this book. Who is he? What does he want out of life? Does he even HAVE a life?
This is finding oneself to the extreme. I was surprised by this book. It wasn’t what I thought it would be at all. There were twists and turns I never saw coming. There were plots going on that the author sprung on the reader at the last possible moment. I had to keep reading to see what or who was around that corner. I enjoyed it, and I think you will, too.
Jeremy Stroeb is the quintessential “rich kid”. His parents are hard workers who got where they are through determination and love of what they do. Jeremy doesn’t know what he wants to do. On the outside he seems to be a slacker living off his parent’s money. On the inside – he’s still just a confused kid whose last wish is to be his parents. He wants to be his own person.
Jeremy’s parents are brutally murdered, leaving him and his younger sister behind. He is forced to grow up when it seems that either his sister and his parent’s legacy ends up in his greedy uncle’s hands or his sister ends up with him. In conjunction with this, he wants to know what happened to his parents. To figure this out, he decides to get an internship at his mother’s company and enroll at the college where his father taught.
He thinks he knows his parents, but does he really? Jeremy has no idea that his grown-up decision to be a man and find out who killed his parents will put his own life in danger. No one is who they seem to be. Everyone has a secret. Someone has a secret that ended in his parent’s death. Jeremy learns about himself in this book. Who is he? What does he want out of life? Does he even HAVE a life?
This is finding oneself to the extreme. I was surprised by this book. It wasn’t what I thought it would be at all. There were twists and turns I never saw coming. There were plots going on that the author sprung on the reader at the last possible moment. I had to keep reading to see what or who was around that corner. I enjoyed it, and I think you will, too.
May 22, 2010
Does a spoiled, privileged college dropout have the wherewithal to be responsible enough to care for his sister and uncover a murderer?
Jeremy Stroeb, a college dropout trying to find himself in Europe, refuses to come home despite pleas from his parents and sister. But his plans change when his mother and father are murdered in their Miami Beach home soon after the family returns from visiting Jeremy in Europe.
Jeremy's parents, Rachel, a CPA, and Daniel, a professor, had recently changed their wills naming Jeremy as guardian to his younger sister, Elise. So instead of escaping to Europe, Jeremy decides to stay in Miami Beach and try to find out who killed his parents and why. He manages to get a job at his mom's firm and enrolls in the university where his father worked. But he is dogged by his uncle, who will become Elise's guardian should Jeremy fail in his duties.
Author Sharon Potts offers several suspects for the crime, including colleagues of both Rachel and Daniel. As Jeremy delves into his parents' lives, he discovers secrets that shake him to the core. He may just find a new love interest, too.
I found myself disliking Jeremy for his self-centeredness at the beginning of the novel. But his character did grow and I have to remember he's pretty young. The risks Jeremy takes reflect his youth, impulsiveness and naivete.
Sharon Potts has written a gripping tale of family and intrigue which will appeal to all mystery readers. I look forward to her next release.
Jeremy Stroeb, a college dropout trying to find himself in Europe, refuses to come home despite pleas from his parents and sister. But his plans change when his mother and father are murdered in their Miami Beach home soon after the family returns from visiting Jeremy in Europe.
Jeremy's parents, Rachel, a CPA, and Daniel, a professor, had recently changed their wills naming Jeremy as guardian to his younger sister, Elise. So instead of escaping to Europe, Jeremy decides to stay in Miami Beach and try to find out who killed his parents and why. He manages to get a job at his mom's firm and enrolls in the university where his father worked. But he is dogged by his uncle, who will become Elise's guardian should Jeremy fail in his duties.
Author Sharon Potts offers several suspects for the crime, including colleagues of both Rachel and Daniel. As Jeremy delves into his parents' lives, he discovers secrets that shake him to the core. He may just find a new love interest, too.
I found myself disliking Jeremy for his self-centeredness at the beginning of the novel. But his character did grow and I have to remember he's pretty young. The risks Jeremy takes reflect his youth, impulsiveness and naivete.
Sharon Potts has written a gripping tale of family and intrigue which will appeal to all mystery readers. I look forward to her next release.
September 25, 2011
Jeremy has lived a very privileged life- his dad's a college professor and his mom's a successful partner at a CPA firm. He doesn't want that kind of 9-to-5 life for himself though, and drops out of college to travel around Europe and escape the responsibility of becoming an adult. When young Jeremy Stroeb's parents are brutally murdered in their home though, he must rush back to Miami to assume guardianship over his 16-year old sister, Elise. However, upon arriving home, he finds that little is known about who is responsible for the murders and he takes it upon himself to find out. Of course, he must then face the unbearable truths his parents had successfully kept from their children, and figure out which was worth their lives to keep hidden.
Potts' novel features many unique and unforgettable characters, which was what I liked most. An eccentric college graduate assistant, a drunken CPA has-been, a corporate mogul making all his money illegally- everyone has a secret waiting to be revealed and all roads lead to the murder victims. Were they killed for money? For lust? To protect a reputation? Something more scandalous? Jeremy throws all he has into trying to find out, and as it turns out, the killer isn't finished either.
A very typical murder mystery with a unique set of characters, I was sufficiently entertained and fully engaged from the first page to the last. I give this novel three of five stars and give the author props for a very successful first novel.
Potts' novel features many unique and unforgettable characters, which was what I liked most. An eccentric college graduate assistant, a drunken CPA has-been, a corporate mogul making all his money illegally- everyone has a secret waiting to be revealed and all roads lead to the murder victims. Were they killed for money? For lust? To protect a reputation? Something more scandalous? Jeremy throws all he has into trying to find out, and as it turns out, the killer isn't finished either.
A very typical murder mystery with a unique set of characters, I was sufficiently entertained and fully engaged from the first page to the last. I give this novel three of five stars and give the author props for a very successful first novel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 19, 2012
I have never read any Sharon Potts and as always look forward to reading new authors. Very early in the book we meet Rachel and Daniel Stroeb following their trip to visit their son Jeremy who is backpacking across Europe. His teenage sister Elise sneaks out the house and on her return is scared witless when she discovers the bodies of her parents who had quite clearly been savagely murdered.
Before long Jeremy makes an appearance and between him and his sister they need to look out for each other and try to move on. Jeremy just can't let it go and insists on finding out what really happened to his parents. Elise and Jeremy were pretty easy characters to get along with and the story has enough going on to keep the reader drawn for the first quarter of the book.
However, after that I found myself reading at a slower pace than usual. The story was okay but the middle of the book seemed a little sluggish compared to both the beginning and end. As the story went on I liked how Jeremy fared as a character and think that as we see him go through certain stages of grief he improves.
There was quite a bit of suspense going on and this certainly falls into the `who dunnit' kind of book, but as a reader you are sometimes left with more questions than answers. I guess that's the difference when the main character is not a police detective. All in all it was a good book but I found it a little hard going in the middle.
Before long Jeremy makes an appearance and between him and his sister they need to look out for each other and try to move on. Jeremy just can't let it go and insists on finding out what really happened to his parents. Elise and Jeremy were pretty easy characters to get along with and the story has enough going on to keep the reader drawn for the first quarter of the book.
However, after that I found myself reading at a slower pace than usual. The story was okay but the middle of the book seemed a little sluggish compared to both the beginning and end. As the story went on I liked how Jeremy fared as a character and think that as we see him go through certain stages of grief he improves.
There was quite a bit of suspense going on and this certainly falls into the `who dunnit' kind of book, but as a reader you are sometimes left with more questions than answers. I guess that's the difference when the main character is not a police detective. All in all it was a good book but I found it a little hard going in the middle.
June 3, 2013
In Sharon Pott's debut, In Their Blood, she has created a gripping tale of what happens to a family after the murder of their parents. Not content to sit by and be coddled, the two (adult) children investigate their parents lives and what lead to the fateful night they were shot in their bed.
This is a well-written, suspenseful thriller. Pott's characters are developed early so that the reader will quickly fall into the story and won't be able to put it down. Although this is a family drama, there is not the overly sappy emotions involved with other sagas. This is a smart, fast-paced thriller that belongs in the ranks of Jeffrey Deaver, Lee Child, and David Morrell.
I was impressed with Pott's third book, The Devil's Madonna, and she did not disappoint with this one. Her writing style guarantees that I will pick up her second book, Someone's Watching next.
Victoria Allman
author of: SEAsoned: A Chef's Journey with Her Captain
This is a well-written, suspenseful thriller. Pott's characters are developed early so that the reader will quickly fall into the story and won't be able to put it down. Although this is a family drama, there is not the overly sappy emotions involved with other sagas. This is a smart, fast-paced thriller that belongs in the ranks of Jeffrey Deaver, Lee Child, and David Morrell.
I was impressed with Pott's third book, The Devil's Madonna, and she did not disappoint with this one. Her writing style guarantees that I will pick up her second book, Someone's Watching next.
Victoria Allman
author of: SEAsoned: A Chef's Journey with Her Captain
January 7, 2015
THIS BOOK HAD A LOT OF PROMISE THE STORY LINE WAS VERY GOOD (I thought) ONE PROBLEM I HATED THE MAIN CHARACTERS. BROTHER AND SISTER JEREMY & ELISE (groan!) THEY BOTH MADE SOME OF THE MOST DUMB-ASS CHOICES. JEREMY LET HIS LITTLE HEAD WITH ONE EYE MAKE MOST OF HIS DUMB DECISIONS. ELISE WAS SO HARD HEADED I WANTED SMACK HER MYSELF, WHEN A KILLER IS RUNNING AROUND YOU DON'T TAKE THOSE KIND OF CHANCES. I FOUND THEM BOTH SUPER IMMATURE AND I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WERE SO STUPID ESPECIALLY WITH THEIR BACKGROUND. I DID GUESS WHO WAS THE BAD GUY WHEN HE WAS FIRST INTRODUCED INTO THE STORY (there was just something off about him) OF COURSE NO ONE ELSE SEEMED TO FIGURE THAT OUT. SOMETHING SEEMED MISSING IN THE WHOLE STORY LINE EVERYTHING WAS KINDA DISCONNECTED. EVEN WHEN THE TYING UP OF LOOSE ENDS CAME IT FELT LIKE SOMETHING WAS MISSING. I THINK THE CHARACTERS BEHAVIOR MADE ME TOO MAD TO REALLY ENJOY THE BOOK . . . MAYBE??? ;|
February 17, 2016
Excellent thriller! I really enjoyed this story that starts quickly and maintains the tension throughout. 22 year old Jeremy Stroeb comes home after a period of estrangement because his parents have been murdered at night, in their own beds, in an exclusive Miami Beach community. They had just returned from unsuccessfully trying to convince Jeremy to come home and stop his wandering in Europe. His sister Elise (16 years old) had left the house that evening to be with her boyfriend and she discovers the deaths when she returns home. She is quite traumatized by the events. Jeremy has to take on responsibilities he does not want and his self-centeredness, anger and confusion is believable. These two young people, along with the occasional police assistance, work to figure out who would want their parents dead. Then ending is very fast paced and satisfying.
November 24, 2012
4.5 stars!
Sharon Potts really knows how to draw readers in. In Their Blood captured my attention from the beginning with a horrific double murder. And from there the mystery begins. I love that Sharon starts the novel off this way. It drew me in!
Jeremy and Elise both just lost their parents in a terrible and violent way. I would never know what to do if anything like this happened to me. But i love that they are both strong and determined to find out who did this. It's great to see that they are both there for each other.
I always love a good mystery/suspense/thriller novel. Sharon knows how to make readers suspect everyone and you do not find out who has done it until the end. Its great to keep us hooked and wanting more!
I for sure will be reading more by Sharon!
Sharon Potts really knows how to draw readers in. In Their Blood captured my attention from the beginning with a horrific double murder. And from there the mystery begins. I love that Sharon starts the novel off this way. It drew me in!
Jeremy and Elise both just lost their parents in a terrible and violent way. I would never know what to do if anything like this happened to me. But i love that they are both strong and determined to find out who did this. It's great to see that they are both there for each other.
I always love a good mystery/suspense/thriller novel. Sharon knows how to make readers suspect everyone and you do not find out who has done it until the end. Its great to keep us hooked and wanting more!
I for sure will be reading more by Sharon!
August 1, 2014
This was a better than usual book--held my interest better than the last several books which I have read. Jeremy and his sister were more sympathetic characters. Their parents turned out to have feet of clay--both of them having affairs. Jeremy did quite a turnaround to take care of his sister, instead of returning to Europe for his hedonistic life. He had to follow in his father's footsteps--fooling around with Marianna, his father's assistant. There were some dramatic and scary scenes before all was revealed.
September 10, 2016
Sorry, couldn't identify with the loser slacker who claims to want to solve his parents' murder and then just kinda futzes about for the next I don't even know how long. Knows all his responsibilities, and the consequences of failing at them, and still can't act like a semi-adult. Plus the outcome was so bloody obvious it became painful to read the characters blundering around like a bad soap opera.
September 16, 2011
In Their Blood by Sharon Potts is a coming of age story of a young man who loves to live life on his own, with no responsibilities or money worries because his parents are highly successful. That is, until his parents are tragically killed and he takes it upon himself to find out why while also taking care of his baby sister.
There's not a lot of action but I still enjoyed this book; must have been the writing style. I'm glad I read it!
(Gerard's review)
There's not a lot of action but I still enjoyed this book; must have been the writing style. I'm glad I read it!
(Gerard's review)
September 12, 2016
This book was written by a woman Frank and I met at a Sleuthfest we attended. She was an organizer of the conference and led our little dinner group as well. She was a sweetie and reminded us of Candi Skipper. The book is well written but the characters are somewhat lacking. You don't feel for the son and daughter of the murder victims. This book illustrated for me how important character development is.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 26, 2009
A college senior backbacking across Europe returns home to care for his sister after his parents are shot dead in their bed. He accepts a job at his mother's accounting firm and enrolls in classes at the university where his radical father taught, hoping to uncover clues to death. But his sister, who surprised the killer in their home, may hold the key to solving the crime. A pageturner.
November 7, 2013
I really was irritated by this book. It was predictable and I don't feel, very well written. The plot could have been more interesting and less disjointed. The plot read like revisions. I have not purposely given a synopsis if this book because that is pretty much the most exciting g part of the book.
November 4, 2009
I read a glowing review of this book in the Denver Post, but I don't feel it lived up to it. It was a good, fast-paced story, but the writing made me cringe at times and a couple of the characters were just ridiculous -- one-dimensional and spouting totally cliched villain lines.
September 18, 2011
Jeremy Stroeb, a free-spirited drifter, must come back to reality when his parents are killed and he is made guardian of his 16 year old sister. He vows to find the killer before she becomes his next victim.
A great book for anyone who loves a good mystery.
A great book for anyone who loves a good mystery.
July 31, 2020
I wasn't sure I'd like this book in the beginning; however, I quickly got into it. There is a lot of suspense, and it makes you feel a lot of emotion, especially where Jeremy is concerned. You will have times you are fed up with him because of his immaturity, and times you are proud of him.
July 22, 2012
This was a fast read, and entertaining. The plot was a little over-complicated, but the narrator's flawed (and, therefore, realistic) characterization propelled the story forward. I also thought the epilogue was a little vague.
February 11, 2013
I couldn't identify with the main character. He was self-centered and irresponsible and fell in and out of love (or at least lust) when he was supposed to be caring for his sister, who had been severely traumatized by their parents' murder and was terrified that the killer was coming back for her.
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