Blood Lines: A Chilling British Crime Thriller

by M. R. Armitage

The killer's behind bars. But his legacy lives on.

Life is looking up for DCI John Drake. His relationship with his daughter is back on track and together, they're dealing with the trauma they suffered at the hands of the Family Man.

But their respite doesn't last long. Unknown to Drake, his partner, DS Ellie Wilkinson, has her own demons to battle in the aftermath of their most recent case. And when they're called to a gruesome crime scene in a London underpass, the brutal truths they're forced to confront will test them to the very limit.

410 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 12, 2024

About the author

M. R. Armitage is a writer based in Reading, England.

His work includes the first three books in the DCI John Drake dark crime thriller series: The Family Man, The Ties That Bind, and Blood Lines, along with a prequel short story, Drake.

Reviews

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I already knew I was going to love this book after loving the first two installments of the series. It started off as a slow burn, but that doesn't diminish it from being gripping throughout! We're taken deeper into Drake and Ellie's lives, understanding what they're feeling and why they're doing the things that they do. We're made to question certain influences again and again only to still be surprised at the outcome. Often I found myself re-reading points to make sure that I had read them right!
The ending was both a surprise, and also not. It was definitely refreshing, in both an anger inducing and depressing way, to have that sort of finale as opposed to what we're accustomed to, especially in crime fiction stories (but that's what good writing does to you: it makes you feel). More importantly, it made sense, which, in turn, made the ending that much more real and impactful.
I hope we do get to read about Drake and Ellie again in the future, I feel like their chapter is not ready to finish just yet.

[janine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always have to take a couple of days after a DCI Drake book to decompress and recover. This is a series that evokes every emotion, and book #3 was no different.

With The Family Man now safely secured behind bars, life finally seems to be settling down for DCI John Drake, but secretly, he is still suffering in silence. Unbeknown to him, his partner DS Ellie Wilkinson is also suffering the same fate, unable to vocalise just how she is struggling and not able to sleep without being haunted by flashbacks.

Whilst Drake is nearing the end of his leave, a gruesome murder has taken place in an underpass. Rushing to the scene, Drake & Ellie are confronted with their worst nightmare, the body has the markings of The Family Man. He is locked away, so who has now taken on his work?

Drake and his team have their work cut out. Realising their killer is most probably the woman they have been hunting for the past year. They get straight into it, and then another body is found, just as heinous, with the same markings. Can they track the killer down before she strikes again & can they figure out how The Family Man is controlling her?

This is one hell of a series that I will recommend time and time again. I will highly suggest starting at the beginning, though, this is most definitely not a stand alone. The past characters and cases all roll into each other, so you need to know what has happened from the very start.

The characterisation is phenomenal, the murder scenes are perfectly set, and the plot line is sublime. You just can't help but hunker down and carry on reading.

I honestly don't know where the series will take us next, BUT I'd be devastated if it doesn't continue!

Huge thanks to Booksirens for the ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always, after a DCI Drake story I need to recover my heart! The stories always keep me on my toes - and Blood Lines didn't disappoint. For Drake, it seems, he can finally take a breath and enjoy his relationship with his daughter. Ellie on the contrary is fighting with her husband and struggling with the happenings of the Spencer case.

Both Ellie and Drake were not quite open to each other as they used too, but oh boy, they have the excuses for that. So the relationship between them doesn't feel as strong as it was.

Their investigative team take some serious hits while everything unfolds and the ending left me with my mouth open.

I am CURIOUS in how we will continue with them, and hopefully we do!

Also a side note regarding the cover: It's the best one yet and it looks fantastic!!!!

[Sheri Corriero · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book 3 of the DCI John Drake series. After the horrible dealing with the Family Man killer, Drake and DS Ellie Wilkinson try to put things back together. Drake is doing better than Ellie right now, trying to recover from everything and decompress. But…another gruesome murder and with some similar traits to the Family Man who is behind bars already! They haven’t recovered fully and now bam!... back into the case again. I read the first two books and have enjoyed the two main characters. I have loved seeing the two detectives, one more experienced and the other not as much, coming together as a team. I have been enjoying the books by MR Armitage that I have read so far. The writing style, the descriptions, and the storyline itself of course. I received an ARC copy from the author and this is my honest review.

[Monica Mil-Homens · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book and the much-anticipated continuation of Inspector John Drake's story. And what a turn this has taken… I must confess I found this one a bit more of a slow burn, but it makes sense considering the author's intent to tie up many loose ends from the previous books. Both Drake and his entire team are exhausted, and just when they thought they could have a moment of peace, more murders occur in the style of The Family Man (who is incarcerated).
Once again, the personal struggles of each character are deeply explored. Ellie carries a guilt that only she feels (regarding Fiona's death), and Drake feels he can trust no one—not even those he should trust the most.
With an ending that felt both unsatisfying and unfair to me, yet perfectly understandable given the events of this trilogy, I hope this book is not the end of Inspector Drake and Ellie. For now, everything remains open-ended.
I highly recommend reading the previous books to contextualize many of the events, and this is undoubtedly one of the most enjoyable reads I've had in recent times. Author Mark Armitage is extremely talented, and I hope he continues writing for many years to come!
@bibliotecamil_insta

[Esther Ak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Just astonishing how Armitage tied up this book to the first two. I am sitting here nearly 4am wondering when we get the next book! DCI Drake deserves better! The plot twist I did not see coming! I am gagged. Pacing the room wondering when the next book is coming? If it’s coming? Absolutely love the British crime books like this. Followed on Amazon will sign up to his newsletter on website and keep a look out. You have to definitely read the first two books in order to ensure you get what’s going on in this book

[Martine · Rating 5 out of 5]

DI John Drake and DS Ellie Wilkinson have a new brutal case. This is a good police procedural thriller,
suspenceful with twists and turns and well developed realistic characters. It's hard to put down. I'm already looking forward to the next one.
I received an advance review copy and I'm leaving a voluntary and honest review.

[Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kept me interested right to the end. Well developed characters which add to the richness of the plot and elevates it from yet another police procedural. This is the third book I've read by this author and will definitely look out for any future work.

[Vera Rodrigues · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again I was captivated by this author. I simply loved it. The story is addictive, the plot is great. I have no words to describe how much I liked it. I want more.

[Michelle Millington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bloody amazing!

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ellie & Drake are a formidable team. Loved the first 2 instalments, this was a cert.