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Sam Falconer #3
Skin And Blister
When a student is found hanging in his rooms at St Barnabas College, Oxford, it appears to be suicide. But Sam begins to see a disturbing connection to her brother's recent disappearance.
- GenresCrime
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
21 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Blake
8 books4 followersI 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.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 8, 2008
SKIN AND BLISTER (Priv. Inv-Sam Falconer-England-Cont) – G+
Blake, Victoria – 3rd in series
Orion Books, 2006, US Hardcover – ISBN: 0752874594
First Sentence: He holds the card carefully by its edges, staring intently at the image.
PI Sam Falconer is called, by her brother, to come to Oxford. There have been disturbing notes and unpleasant gifts received. Then one of her brother, Mark’s students is found dead and Mark is being questioned. When the police want to re-question him, Mark can’t be found. Eventually, Sam is contacted and told Mark won’t be returned unless the kidnapper can talk to Sam’s father, a former SAS offer who admitted killing 50 IRA members in the past.
You know there’s a problem when one of the things you like best about a book is the protagonist’s relationship with her orange tiger cat, Frank, who is vet-phobic and chronically obese. But that’s because I, too, have a 33.5 lb. orange tiger cat.
There were other things I liked. The dialogue excellent and I love her wry humor. She does know how to build suspense and keep it going to the end. Sam working with her therapist in dealing with physiological scars left by her father’s abandonment and reappearance are emotional and well done.
Problems I had were that I identified the villain as soon as he was introduced fairly early in the story. In spite of having the background, through this and the previous books, of her problems with relationship, her reaction to one of the characters still seemed over the top.
There are horrible, graphic descriptions of the characters’ dreams which contrast significantly with the style of the story; not a criticism, simply a warning for other readers. This was offset by a couple subplots that added dimension and some humor.
The book did keep me turning the pages and I am interested enough to see where the character goes but I’ll probably buy the future books in paperback.
Blake, Victoria – 3rd in series
Orion Books, 2006, US Hardcover – ISBN: 0752874594
First Sentence: He holds the card carefully by its edges, staring intently at the image.
PI Sam Falconer is called, by her brother, to come to Oxford. There have been disturbing notes and unpleasant gifts received. Then one of her brother, Mark’s students is found dead and Mark is being questioned. When the police want to re-question him, Mark can’t be found. Eventually, Sam is contacted and told Mark won’t be returned unless the kidnapper can talk to Sam’s father, a former SAS offer who admitted killing 50 IRA members in the past.
You know there’s a problem when one of the things you like best about a book is the protagonist’s relationship with her orange tiger cat, Frank, who is vet-phobic and chronically obese. But that’s because I, too, have a 33.5 lb. orange tiger cat.
There were other things I liked. The dialogue excellent and I love her wry humor. She does know how to build suspense and keep it going to the end. Sam working with her therapist in dealing with physiological scars left by her father’s abandonment and reappearance are emotional and well done.
Problems I had were that I identified the villain as soon as he was introduced fairly early in the story. In spite of having the background, through this and the previous books, of her problems with relationship, her reaction to one of the characters still seemed over the top.
There are horrible, graphic descriptions of the characters’ dreams which contrast significantly with the style of the story; not a criticism, simply a warning for other readers. This was offset by a couple subplots that added dimension and some humor.
The book did keep me turning the pages and I am interested enough to see where the character goes but I’ll probably buy the future books in paperback.
June 30, 2012
Excellent story and well written. This is the first of her books that I have read and will look forward to lots more.
April 1, 2017
Would have been 3 but I don't like homosexuality and too much sex.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews