Blood in the Water

Alice Rice #1

by Gillian Galbraith

No. 1 in the UK eBook Library-Lending charts, 2020 – The Guardian

This thrilling police-procedural debut from crime writer Gillian Galbraith introduces readers to Alice Rice, Edinburgh's latest fictional detective and a new female presence in the macho world of crime detection. Galbraith draws on her own experience to give a realistic portrayal of the medical and legal worlds. Smart and capable, but battling disillusionment and loneliness, Alice races against time and an implacable killer to solve a series of grisly murders amongst the professional elite of Edinburgh's well-to-do New Town.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Scotland, Fiction, Ebooks, Thriller, British Literature

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Gillian Galbraith was born in Coupar Angus, Perthshire, in January 1957. She was educated at a convent and at the Universities of Edinburgh and Dundee.Following careers in dish-washing, bookselling and journalism she was called to the Scottish Bar in 1987.

Her first novel BLOOD IN THE WATER, introducting Edinburgh detective Alice Rice, was published in 2007 and in that same year, optimism to the fore, she abandoned her legal practice in order to concentrate on her writing.

Her second novel, WHERE THE SHADOW FALLS, also featuring DI Alice Rice, will be published by Birlinn in Spring 2008.

Gillian lives happily in Kinross-shire with her husband Robert, daughter Daisy, and assorted other creatures.

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, I've said it before, and I'll say it again, what DO they put in the water supply in Scotland. Or maybe it's because of the notoriously dire weather - people are indoors and a percentage of them turn to writing. Don't know. But whatever it is, I hope they keep it up as there are some terrific books coming out of there.

BLOOD IN THE WATER is the first Alice Rice mystery - the second WHERE THE SHADOW FALLS is now also available. In this debút, there's an interesting character being formed. She's a little sketchy in some places in this book, but in compensation there is a tricky plot with members of the professional elite - Barristers, Doctors, being murdered. There is an obvious killer connection, as similar styled notes are being left on the bodies, but the connection between all of the victims isn't immediately obvious.

A police procedural, BLOOD IN THE WATER features Alice Rice as a disillusioned cop. A loner not by choice, she has a nothing sort of a personal life and it worries her very much. Her relationships at work with her colleagues is better, and there are glimpses of an interesting team within this book. The plot of this book is nicely complicated by the search for a connection between the victim's and the way that Alice unearths it. There are some nice touches throughout the book that give a glimpse into the character of Alice, but in some places she's a bit sketchy, a bit ethereal. Possibly more may be revealed in the second book (or at least I hope it is as Alice is somebody who is interesting).

All in all, I really enjoyed this book - you have to cut it a little slack as it's a debút with a few faults, but a lot going for it. It's a good story in a mercifully tight and reasonably sized book, with a central character that is really going to be worthwhile catching up with again.

[Fictionophile · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review of "Blood in the water" by Gillian Galbraith can be found on my blog: Fictionophile

Started yet another mystery series which I will be following avidly. “Blood in the water” introduces Alice Rice, a single, lonely, disillusioned Edinburgh police detective. The setting of the novel is like the cover, cold, dark and wet — Edinburgh in December.
"Blood in the water" by Gillian Galbraith
Alice lives for her work. She has no close friends or love interests. Her only companion is her dog Quill, whom she leaves with a neighbour when she is working. The neighbour is elderly, paranoid and sinking into dementia. Also in the novel, are Alice’s ill but very dedicated female boss DCI Bell and her nemesis who ‘annoys her beyond endurance’, DI Eric Mason.

The title “Blood in the water” refers to the journalists who, like sharks circling, pester the detectives whilst they attempt to conduct murder investigations. (p. 72) Of course the reader can have other interpretations… that is the joy of fiction.

Unlike other mystery novels where the victims are unknown to the reader, this novel introduces each of the murder victims and fleshes them out enough for the reader to be invested in them. The reader then takes it personally when they are seemingly senselessly murdered.

The victims are, all but one, professional people. An esteemed women surgeon, and two lawyers one male and one female. The exception seems to be Sammy McBryde, who is a ‘jobbing gardener’. What links these victims?

The author, Gillian Galbraith, is an advocate turned author. Advocate is the term used for lawyer in Scotland. There are many legal passages in the novel which will be confusing to the uninitiated, as the legal system in Scotland seems vastly different to that with which we are accustomed. However, don’t let that deter you from reading the novel, as the writing overall is very entertaining.

Galbraith has a knack of making all of the characters sympathetic. I found myself liking them all…. even the murderer…. Oh dear!

I look forward to the second novel in the series, “Where the shadow falls“.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

At thirty-five years old, Alice Rice is a police detective with the Edinburgh Police Department. She is smart, savvy and eminently capable at her job. When she first entered the police department, Alice was a fresh-faced optimist, convinced that she could make a difference in the world. These days, while she remains optimistic, that feeling has dimmed somewhat in the face of all she has seen, leaving her severely disillusioned and very lonely.

Amid her own personal and private battle, Alice must solve several grisly murders of professional people in Edinburgh. As the body count begins to rise, she races against time and matches wits with an implacable, faceless killer; someone who is targeting the affluent area of New Town, and who seems determined to make certain members of Edinburgh's professional elite pay dearly for what they've done.

Blood in the Water is Gillian Galbraith's debut novel and what a debut it was! This story was very well-written, and I really liked the character of Alice Rice. The plot was surprisingly refreshing and very Scottish. When I was younger, I often visited Edinburgh and reading this book just brought back such good memories of my travels. I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery and give Blood in the Water by Gillian Galbraith an A+! I certainly will keep my eyes open for more books to read by this author.

[Clbplym · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable, quick read but I do always feel it’s disappointing if the police only solve the case once the murder spree is over anyway.

[Val Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first book I had read by Gillian Galbraith. She is a Scottish crime writer who was a lawyer before she turned her hand to writing. Galbraith was born and brought up near Haddington, East Lothian, Scotland. She practiced until 1999 as an advocate (barrister) and specialised in cases involving medical negligence. For a while, Galbraith was the legal correspondent for The Scottish Farmer. She has also written on legal matters for The Times newspaper published in London, England. The author's protagonist, DS Alice Rice, is based in Edinburgh.

Blood in the Water was the first crime novel by Gillian Galbraith and was published in 2007. It is the first of her Alice Rice Mysteries. The protagonist is smart and capable, but battling disillusionment and loneliness, we follow her as she races against time and an implacable killer to solve a series of grisly murders amongst Edinburgh's professional elite in the smart New Town area of the city.

In this debút novel, Alice Rice is an interesting character being formed. She is a little sketchy in some places in this book, but in compensation there is a tricky plot with members of the professional elite including barristers and doctors, being murdered. There is an clear killer connection, as similar styled notes are being left on the bodies, but the connection between all of the victims is not immediately obvious. A faceless killer is targeting the affluent people in Edinburgh and seem to be determined to make certain members of the professional classes pay dearly for what they have done.

Blood in the Water was very well written, and I really liked the character of DS Alice Rice. The plot was surprisingly refreshing and very Scottish. When I was younger, I lived for many years in Edinburgh and reading this book just brought back such good memories of my time there. I thoroughly enjoyed this Scottish. and give Blood in the Water by Gillian Galbraith a very high recommendation. I certainly will keep my eyes open for more books to read by this author.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I recently read somewhere that every novelist dreads reviews by other writers, and it was as a writer that I read the opening two pages and immediately recognised what is supposed to be a too-oft-repeated error insofar as halfway down page two the moderately interesting beginining lapsed into description - far too much for me.

But I persisted (it wasn't that hard!) and also through the new-to-me (and I wasn't sure I wanted to know) insight into the world of medical insurance claims and the legal profession.

But as the deaths piled up and you had to wonder were they intertwined, the book got better and better, Alice Rice became someone to sympathise with, her job and the folk she worked with of interest and the whole moved along convincingly and tied up satisfactorily. And I would read more to find out what Alice does next.

[Rachel Bridgeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alice Rice arrives fully fledged as a new addition to the pantheon of regional detectives, and a most welcome addition she is too! It is immensely enjoyable as a thriller, the Scottish landscape vividly realised and for sheer page turning ability, Ms Galbraith writes like a dream. It starts with the discovery of the body of a consultant gynaecologist, which is not for the faint hearted. The bodies then begin piling up in a race against time to solve the killings before there are many more. It made me very happy to check Lovereading and see that there are more Alice Rice books to investigate...

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was pretty 'meh'. For what should be a quick read, it took forever because I just couldn't connect to the story or Alice so I started other books in between. I had told the owner of a small bookstore that I loved Mo Hayder and Paul Cleave and I was looking for someone to read who was just as thrilling. She had recommended this author and there is definitely no comparison. This will probably be the first and last Alice Rice adventure for me.

[Plum-crazy · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining & easy to read murder mystery featuring a young female detective. While it's billed as an Alice Rice Mystery, I didn't feel that she was the "main feature" of the story & I don't feel to have got to know her yet...but I'm sure that will be remedied as the series goes on.

I enjoyed the style of writing, the way we got to know the victims a little before their deaths & I had fun reading aloud the Scots dialogue! Look forward to reading more in the series.

[Anie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unless you understand the Scotland legal system, don't waste the effort on this book, because it isn't explained. And the resolution will only leave you going "huh?" Not much effort went into this predictable plot.

[Renita D'Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful

[Bryngel · Rating 1 out of 5]

I must have picked up and given this dreadfully slow book "another chance" at least 10 times and put it down as many times. I finally made it through and can easily say, no more books by Gillian Galbraith ever again.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did quite enjoy this and found the policewoman believable, but don't feel I need to rush to read more

[Diane Challenor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm enjoying the DI Alice Rice series. I've read Blood in the Water, then Troubled Waters out of order. I'm going back to read them in the correct order. They're good.

[A W · Rating 4 out of 5]

A serial killer is stalking the streets of Edinburgh’s fashionable New Town. This time round the victims don’t fit the usual profile, they’re members of the city’s professional classes. Alice rice, a CID officer with doubts about her job, must find the link between the victims before the killer strikes again.

Comparisons can be tricky things, when reviewers start making them they can, inadvertently, saddle a writer with the unwelcome and often limiting tag of being the next…

They can be lazy too, for example, it would be easy to label Gillian Galbraith as ‘the next Ian Rankin’. After all they both write about a world weary detective pounding a beat in Scotland’s capital city.

A better comparison, if one has to be made, is between Galbraith and the late Ruth Rendell. Both writers have a keen eye for the dirty secrets hiding beneath the placid surface of everyday life and make a virtue of brevity.

Galbraith packs into just two hundred pages some strong characterization, sharp social commentary and a real sense of place. The plot themes may be a little familiar to seasoned readers of the genre, but her focus on the disruptive impact of murder and the motives behind it on ordinary lives makes up for this minor flaw.

This is a well- constructed crime novel written by an author who understands her chosen setting and its discontents, with a likeably human central character. All of which makes Galbraith a significant talent.

[Dominique Kyle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring and pedestrian. There was no suspense and the answer was given to you long before the end. The main character - a female police officer - had no personality development whatsoever. Ditto the rest of the police team who, after all, are supposed to be the focus of the plot. Each victim got a whole chapter of excruciating detail about every thing they did and thought, their furniture, their hair etc but don't get involved - there's a knock at the door at the end of the chapter and a corpse at the beginning of the next one. If I hadn't been trapped in a tent with no other book, this would have been a 'did not finish'. Don't bother.

[Jane Watson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good little book - doesn't take long to read and moves on at a reasonable pace. Set in Edinburgh - of course! - it's all about medical wrongdoings and how things work at court so was interesting in that respect and throw in about 3 bodies and several strong police characters and the whole thing is very good! Have read her other two first so was good to read the beginning book although they could be standalone books. Will look out for more from this author.

[Shirley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never read a book by Gillian Galbraith prior to this one, but on the strength of this one I will definitely be seeking out more of her work.

I thought the story line was realistic with interesting characters and I was very interested in the outcome.

Off I go to find some more of her works.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid story-line with an emotional ending. I like the central character of Alice, and indeed all of the characters in this book, they have certain quality to them. There are many sections of Scottish legalese which is both educational and confusing but I enjoyed it. Writing of the Scottish lingo is also entertaining.
All in all a satisfying read, making me want to read more.

[Kirstin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this crime story set in my favourite city of Edinburgh where I lived for many years. I of course recognised all the places and the social devide that exists between posh parts of the city and the not so nice parts. Some of the characters were therefore a bit clichéd ( including the way they spoke) but overall I thought it was a solid enough story that kept me interested throughout

[Sylvia Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like these Alice Rice books as a light interlude between reading some of my more learned or intense books - excellent light relief, enough plot to keep you gripped, good enough characters and motives based on social justice and injustice from the system to keep this old social conscience satisfied. Good for what it is

[Adeptus Fringilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's quite an interesting storyline. But I think the writing style isn't as good as I thought. But then, I just read a Ian Banks novel. It's also quite a short book and the story is situated in the dark, miserable city of Edinburgh.

[Susan McCondochie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A real page turner.

I enjoyed the characters who seemed like real people and the descriptions of Edinburgh and the surrounding area. The police procedure seemed realistic, not that I know first hand!

[Daniel Giron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh... It was okay. The story wasn't massively exciting, I didn't really care for the characters and the plot had a slow pace. If getting the audiobook, I would strongly suggest listening to the sample as the narrator's accent can make the book hard to understand at times.

[Marcia Whoolery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sad story

Great story with plenty of opportunities to suss the murderer. I liked the female detective with her busy and difficult life. I pictured a last chapter where the physician who lied was found out.

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

First book and it reads like one.

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

The promising signs in this first of series is some excellent writing, a sense of team and landscape and the engagement of the reader in the thought processes of the detective - drawing us into the procedure. It is this human element, the identification with Alice, the Detective Sergeant Alice Rice ( important for the perspective that she is not Inspector) that is the strength of this novel.

Worth following for a bit.

[Isabel Carr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Page turner with good (and scathing) insight into Scottish legal system and professional middle class. Still somehow lacking in depth and complexity. Great fun following all the known place names.

[Janine · Rating 4 out of 5]

First thing to note is that there is the local Edinburgh language in the book, if not accustomed to this, you may struggle. Otherwise this storyline is good and I can imagine this being on the TV.

[Jim Willse · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you're going to play in the Tartan Noirland of Rebus et al, the writing better be pretty snappy. This isn't. Labored and cliche-ridden.