Venom in the Blood

Dr Vanessa Marwood #1

by Tracy Buchanan

I stand and admire the bodies before me, mere moments from taking their final breaths. So glorious in their helpless beauty, the spider webs in their wounds glistening beneath the moonlight. They are no longer mine. It is time for them to be returned to the people of Greensands and to the one person who I know will be among the first to see them: Dr Vanessa Marwood.

Forensic entomologist Vanessa Marwood has built her career on her love of insects and the vital information these tiny creatures can provide at the scene of a crime.

Just as she is about to board a plane for her dream job at a lab in New York, Vanessa receives a call about a chilling set of murders in her hometown. Not only have four innocent victims lost their lives in a single night, but the killer has sewn spider silk into their wounds.

Vanessa swore she would never return to Greensands. But this case, and the dark secrets of her childhood, are drawing her back...

Can she follow the glistening strands of evidence to the killer at the centre of this twisted web? Or will the shadows of Vanessa's past finally close in on her?

The first in a stunning new procedural crime series from a true master of suspense. Fans of Angela Marsons, Patricia Cornwell and Cara Hunter will be absolutely gripped from the very first page until the final, breathtaking twist.

Genres: Mystery, Audiobook, Crime, Fiction, Thriller

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 9, 2024

About the author

Hello! Fab to see you here. I live in Buckinghamshire, UK with my husband, my little girl and our (very naughty) puppy, Bronte.

I travelled extensively while working as a travel magazine editor, and have always been drawn to the sea after spending my childhood holidays on the south coast visiting family – a fascination that inspires my writing.

I now dedicate my time to writing and procrastinating on Facebook.

I'd love to hear from you so please come say hi on one of the following platforms... plus if you join The Reading Snug I've set up with fellow authors, Kelly Rimmer and Kerry Fisher, you might even bag yourself some freebies including an early copy of my latest novel, The Lost Sister!

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Reviews

[Ceecee]

DNF at 20%, very rare for me but by this point I was bored to tears. I thought the premise sounded interesting but the entomology aspect was overblown like the flies. Might be worth reading if
a) you’re a massive fan of all things bug
b) you’re suffering from insomnia.
Not for me. TTFN.

[Maddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Creepy and yet very addictive read. I found the concept of the story quite original and definitely gruesome.
Venom In The Blood is a solid start to dr Marwood books and I'm looking forward to reading more in the series.

[OutlawPoet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’d like to thank the author for sending me down yet another interet rabbit hole. This one? Clothing made of spider silk. I had no clue.

While this book started just a little slowly (and gruesomely), I soon found myself utterly fascinated and ocassionally disgusted. Our main character loves the buggies – especially those that eat corpses – and I now know more than I ever wanted to know about both their eating habits and their mating habits. I shudder just thinking about it!

Our mystery is a good one and the ‘who’ of it all came as a complete shock.

I mostly liked our characters, though I’m a tiny bit sour on our romance. I’m honestly kind of icked out by our broody guy.

The author has definitely brought us a unique concept and I’m interested (and slightly horrified) to see what they’ll bring us next.

• ARC via Publisher

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just before leaving for a prestigious role in New York, forensic entomologist Dr Vanessa Marwood is tempted back to her home village of Greensands to help the police solve the mystery of three murdered men. The bodies have been found posed in the former butterfly farm run by her father during her childhood and spider silk has been found in wounds in the body, hence the need for Vanessa's specialist knowledge. As the body count mounts, and all are posed in mimicry of insect behaviour, Vanessa's abilities, and that of the police team, are tested to their limits...
This was a good introduction to a new crime series although I am wondering where the next book will be going as the main character set off for her new role in New York at the end of the book - so I am looking forward to finding out! Interesting characters and crime storyline although the details of insect and spider behaviour, and many of the characters' love for them, left me a bit cold I must admit - 8.5/10.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Venom in the Blood by Tracy Buchanan is the first book in a new procedural crime series. The locale was eerie and added to the mystery of the story.

I liked Vanessa and Paul, the main characters, and it will be interesting to see how their characters develop over time.

Lots of suspects and red herrings to keep you reading and guessing. A good start to a new series and new author for me.

#VenomintheBlood #NetGalley @EmblaBooks

[Mary Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent start to a series. It's original and quite creepy with all the insect and spider information and it's clear that a lot of research went into it.

The story was riveting and the reveal at the end was quite a surprise. I'll definitely be reading more in the series.

[Sara Davies · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nearly 4 - great story and characters well written, pacey. But too many spider etc references - interesting but got in the way

[Hermien · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a toss up between 3 and 4 stars because of the unlikely number of dead bodies but interesting angle of investigation.

[Suesyn Zellmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an awesome story that would make even the most avid insect detester gain some serious respect. Vanessa Marwood is a forensic entomologist who is about to leave for a new position in New York when a series of murders hits her hometown of Greensands. She delays her trip to assist, as the victims have unusual wounds that need her expertise. As she works with the lead detective, Paul, who also happens to be a childhood friend, she worries this might be the work of a twisted serial killer. And when more victims are found with causes of death that mimic insect mating behavior, her fears are confirmed. They know the Greensands abandoned butterfly farm connects the victims, and most of the townspeople, but the level of knowledge and techniques the killer employs mean this isn’t your typical crazed murderer. Are these gruesome and disturbing deaths a message to Vanessa? Will the police find the murderer before Vanessa is the next victim?

I found the descriptions of the various insects and their behaviors fascinating! I seriously Googled almost every species that was mentioned because I wanted to see what they looked like based on the descriptions in the story. There are so many cool and exotic spiders, butterflies, and beetles woven into the story. The blowflies and maggots, not so much! It’s definitely an underrated field of work because it’s not exactly glamorous, but you can see how important studying insects can be and how they assist with time and places of death.

The non-entomological parts of the story held my interest, as well – there are plenty of suspects and suspicious characters to consider. The ending is awesome and so satisfying. I hope there are more Vanessa Marwood books to come, not only because there are some unanswered questions but because these characters are too good to stop here! I cannot wait to see what else is in store for them!

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

First and foremost, I absolutely credit this author for the detail she put into this novel. I never knew Spiders and insects could be quite so interesting and complex.

Typical small town murders? I think NOT!! I’ve never read a book where the corpses are part of some sick plan which links to insects. I mean, spider web silk used for clothing amazes me but, to also find out someone was capable of placing it into a dead body? I was truly mesmerised with finding out the different habits and mating rituals behind the 8 legged creatures.

Vanessa was quite a likeable character from the very beginning. I love that she wasn’t portrayed as your generic Doctor/detective and actually described as being more alternative with her tattoos and hobbies. Her intelligence and love for her job made the novel even more interesting.

I’ll be honest, i guessed the killer very early on but that’s due to me being a thriller fanatic and picking up on signs. That being said, it didn’t ruin it for me at all and I absolutely loved it from start to finish.

I think there’s 7+ murders altogether which is some serious serial killer madness! However, all corpses had met such grizzly yet interesting ends that I kept wanting more (I promise I’m not unhinged).

Thriller fans? This is a must read. It’s something so different from usual books and I cannot wait to hopefully read more of Dr Vanessa Marwood series.

As always, thank you so much to Embla Books for sending me an early copy to read in return for my honest review and opinion.

[marlin1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the brink of travelling to New York for a new position, Vanessa Marwood a Forensic Entomologist, is asked by her detective childhood friend to come back to her hometown to Greensands to investigate some gruesome murders. She hasn’t been back for a long time, her brother Vincent disappeared on her watch over twenty years before but reluctantly she accepts.
What a fascinating and gruesome read. The murder victims are arranged to copy certain ways spiders kill their prey and as Greensands was known for The Butterfly Farm many years ago, the whole village seems to have an interest in Arachnids and other insects.
This kept me guessing till the end and after a slow start, it certainly picked up the pace.
Tracy Buchanan is an auto read author for me. I’d be interested to see where Vanessa Marwood ends up next. You could say it was quite educational!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to read.

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a creepy place Greensands is, everyone there seems to be obsessed with creepy crawlies, live or dead.
It seems to run through the very fabric of village life.
I liked the two main characters Vanessa and Paul, their friendship was a good base for the story.
I did guess the twist very early on, but it was still and enjoyable read, and I've probably learnt a thing or two now!
I'd definitely pick up another book with these guys.

[Elaine Tomasso · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley and Embla Books for a review copy of Venom in the Blood, the first novel to feature forensic entomologist Dr Vanessa Marwood, set in the fictional English village of Greensands.

I enjoyed Venom in the Blood, which is an interesting mix of much more information than I ever knew I needed about spiders, an engrossing crime investigation and a foray into Vanessa’s youth in Greensands. It is mostly told from two points of view, Vanessa and her childhood friend DCI Paul Truss. He is leading the investigation and gets her involved when he sees the bodies.

The novel, as you might guess, is all about spiders as the display of the bodies and the way are killed is reflective of their behaviour. This is an imaginative approach and to be admired as something different, even if I personally found it a bit icky. Otherwise the novel is a fairly standard procedural with Paul and Vanessa winnowing the pool of suspects as the bodies pile up and more information is uncovered. As usual there are several suspects later exonerated and an unrelated crime uncovered.

I like the plot and found the way it unfolded engrossing but I was much less keen on the creepy crawlies. I’m not sure if I would read another in the series due to my lack of interest in entomology, but I would read another series by the author as she knows how to hold the reader’s attention.

Venom in the Blood is a good read that I can recommend.

[Janet Halsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

When murder strikes her small UK hometown, Vanessa Marwood must put her plans to move New York as the lead forensic entomologist on hold to help find the killer. Teamimg up with lead detective and long-time best friend Paul Truss, they investigate the grisly murders. The bodies are found with spider-silk sewn into the wounds on the victims stomachs. Each victim found is more brutal, each with spider and bug related evidence. In a small town such as this, the killer can only be someone Vanessa and Paul know.

I really enjoyed this book. It's my first 5 star read of the year. I loved the spin on the murder mystery with entomology. While bugs and spiders give me the creepy crawlies, I found it fascinating how the killer used insect behaviors with each murder. Vanessa and Paul are very relatable characters and for a murder mystery, I felt the author captured what a real investigation would look like. You could tell Tracy Buchanan did her research on investigation and forensic entomology, which I appreciate. The storyline was believable and while there was a twist, it was believable and not out of nowhere. Overall a really good read. I'll definitely be watching for book #2 in the series.

Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to read and review this book.

[Charlie Morris (Read, Watch & Drink Coffee) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!! I was not expecting to get into a new series, but I absolutely loved this book (and it's sequel which I'll review after!).

Thank you so much to Embla for gifting me these audiobooks, they were really great to listen to! The narrator Rose Robinson sounds just like Davina McCall and completely engaged me in the story and characters.

I loved how this first book took us back to Vanessa's home town as we got to know her and her past, all the while a gripping case develops around her.

The inclusion of bugs/insects in the murders is such an interesting concept. It's not too scary for those who don't like creepy crawlies, but also teaches you a lot about their lifespans and mating habits, which are incorporated in a really original way.

The investigation kept me guessing throughout and I enjoyed how there were many possibilities. The links to Vanessa's past are also weaved in brilliantly, adding many layers to her character and making her a great lead that I definitely want to continue reading about.

This first is available on Kindle Unlimited and is definitely worth adding to your collection if you like interesting crime thrillers with a twist and an engaging female lead.

[Farah G · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not a fan of bugs, but the hook in this murder mystery involving a forensic entomologist is an innovative concept that's hard to resist. The rest of the novel also largely lives up to the expectations that Tracy Buchanan has set her readers up for.

After four innocent people are gruesomely murdered - the killer having sewn spider silk into their wounds - Dr Vanessa Marwood is forced to change her much earlier decision never to return to Greensands, the scene of this particular crime. What she doesn't know is that the murderer has deliberately carried out this act with the aim of luring Vanessa back to the area...

The secrets and horror hidden in the past have a big part to play in this story. Buchanan has written a gripping story with a difference. The graphic violence is on the higher end for someone like me, but it earns 3.5 stars nevertheless.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Sarah B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr Vanessa Marwood is called by an old friend, DCI Paul Truss to go back home to Greensands, where there are 4 unexplained bodies of old friends found at the Butterfly Farm. Vanessa is due to fly to New York to start a new dream job there. Paul persuades her to postpone as she is a forensic entomologist to help with her expertise. She thought she had left her past behind when her brother, Vincent, went missing 25 years ago.

How is everything linked? All of these questions will be answered by the time you reached the chilling conclusion! It was well written and very, very descriptive! I had moments when I would gasp out loud!! It was unputdownable and very engrossing. I highly recommend this book.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a regular reader of books by Tracy Buchanan and was delighted when she took a step into this new genre - crime thrillers.

Now be warned, this book is not for faint-hearted, detailing both quite gruesome crimes and also how knowledge of insects can help supply useful details for the investigation team. I was quite astounded at the depth of specialist knowledge displayed within this truly gripping story. And what a fascinating and unique aspect to crime thrillers!

The main character, Dr Vanessa Marwood is a totally authentic and convincing, quirky, strong, professional and clearly well-educated woman. Reading about her emotional struggles as she returns to her childhood village of Greensands, to help an old friend solve a series of chilling murders, with unusual and deadly clues.

Gradually the reader discovers her backstory and along with it a clear understanding of why she does not want to stay around this village, any longer than is strictly necessary. Her past threatening to return and envelop her.

This story is fantastic! It has a multilayered, fast-paced plot which held my interest from the very first page. It was so amazing that I immediately bought the second book! Brilliant read for crime thrillers enthusiasts.

[Liza Kappelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing.
I really liked the idea, it sounded like an original with a lot of promise - but it didn't deliver suspense, tension, emotion, feelings or ambiance.
There was little description to let you see the characters and their surroundings. Although there was a lot about the insects and their habits!
It was much more tell than show.
The characters told you everything that is happening as bodies pile up and the investigation proceeds.
- oh look, says a passing stranger to the forensic bug expert, what a lot of flies are buzzing around that musty old garage...
Events just happen without drama even tho the characters said they are dramatic.
All in all it felt more like a well-filled in outline waiting for all the depth and intrigue to be filled in in a final draft.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded to 4 stars. The good from my perspective: nice chilly start, liked Dr Vanessa Marwood and Paul, Helen and family. The plot is interesting to begin with, there are loads of suspects and a few twists. But first negative, there is a serial murderer in the village but the Police just mossy along without by that point anticipating or protecting against peril. Second negative, the ending seemed a little too much, and contrived and didn’t quite match what came before. To me, the murderer was sort of thrown in my face, and I couldn’t believe that the other main characters wouldn’t have picked up who he turned out to be.

[Sall · Rating 5 out of 5]

The forensic Entomology information was mesmirising. I am not a huge fan of spiders et al but I absoltely loved the detials in this one. I can't wait to follow Marwood through her career and hopefully many more murders to come if this is the level of detail I can expect.

I was able to predict that the killer was her brother, and who that person was fairly easily but I didn't guess how her brother disappeared and usually this would mean dropping stars for me however the author did such an enthralling job with regarad to the forensic entomology that I can totally 100% over look the predictability of the killer.

[Mrs H Greger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning thriller

Had this on pre-order and it was absolutely worth waiting for. Dr Vanessa Harwood forensic entomologist who is due to start her new position in New York received a call from her friend DID Paul truss from her home village Greensands after the discovery of 3 bodies found in a disturbing manner. Hereby starts an endless investigation unearthing an array of criminal activities and the hunt for a psycho serial killer. It's so good intricate and well researched and love the characters. Can't wait for the next one.

[Becki Chesterfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely thrilling read I couldn't put it down

I've always loved Tracy's books. Her writing style and characters are so gripping and relatable but this new series is next level. Just when I thought her writing couldn't get better it does. Genuinely didn't see the twist coming and I'm pretty good at spotting them. If you want the best read of 2024 then you have to read this! It's truly unputdownable.

[johnanimalantics.net, Margaret G Conlan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic

What an utterly marvellous enjoyable read right from the start. I was totally encaptured by the plot. It was wonderful to keep on turning all the pages to see what would happen next. It did not disappoint. How totally enthralling for me to see such a magnificent story come to a grander end. I didn’t like all the swearing. It was totally unnecessary in my opinion therefore one star removed. Thoroughly enjoyable too 😊

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave this one 4 stars, as I it was an interesting story, with some well researched facts about spiders and insects, although not sure if totally believable. However, there were parts that were a little long and seemed unnecessary, and the ending got a little ridiculous and disappointing, with not all lose ends really tied up. So maybe 3 stars would have been a better fit! I enjoy the read, so will stick with 4

[E Oygard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating insect facts interwoven in the story.

I would never before believed how fascinated I would become when I read about the mating habits of arachnids and insect species in this story. I had to stop frequently to research the different species on the internet.

The facts were a major part in the plot and the detail was fascinating. The twist at the end added to the enjoyment I had in reading this story.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

First book by this author I have read. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Vanessa is just about to head off to a new job in New York when a series of murders in the town she grew up in, Greensands, draw her back. Vanessa is a forensic entomologist and this case involves spiders. It is a struggle for her to be back in her home town. I really enjoyed the storyline, which is a bit gruesome, and looking forward to reading more about Vanessa and any other characters that continue

[Bonita Soley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A complex web of secrets, lies, and sins of the past weaves through a serial killer's bizarre trail of murder in a small town that truly embraces the creepy crawlie side of life. Unique investigation focusing on yes, bugs, as a forensic entymologist returns to her home town, and tortured past, to assist in an investigation definitely in her lane. Unique and addictive!

[readingismy_happy_place · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really really enjoy this it was completely different to any crime/detective book I’ve ever read. I loved Vanessa was a forensic entomologist it was such an interesting read and I’ve learned so much about bugs which I didn’t think I ever would.

It was full of twists with the past showing its ugly face.

A really good first in the series book and I can’t wait to read more.

[Neville Townsend · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first installment of Dr Vanessa Marwood an forensic entomologist who is asked to postpone her flight to New York for her new job, four bodies are found. Full of intrigue with plenty of twists. An excellent start already looking forward to the next book. A very good read. Thanks to Embela Books and Netgalley for this review copy.