Blood Runs Cold

Detective Anna Gwynne #2

by Dylan Young

Blair had stopped crying. There was no window, the walls were smooth and it was quiet. She didn’t want to be alone. But she didn’t want him to come back.

When eleven-year-old Blair Smearton is abducted near a river bank on the hottest day of the year, no-one can trace the man spotted taking her.

Detective Anna Gwynne is back at work with her cold case unit following a brutal attack that nearly cost her her life. She’s investigating the death of young Rosie Dawson, whose bones were found hidden in a hole in the ground ten years ago. At least avenging Rosie’s murder, focussing on her past, can help Anna ignore her own.

The only lead Anna has is a photo of Rosie posted on a chat room hidden deep online. And then she finds one of Blair. Kidnapped. In the exact same dark room. The same concrete walls. The same stony floor. The killer is bragging. No-one can trace the photo.

Blair’s time is running out. But Anna has a contact who knows the dark web better than anyone. He’s the key to finding those girls. Can Anna get his help to find Blair alive?

A heart-pounding thriller that will get right under your skin. If you love Karin Slaughter, Robert Dugoni and Angela Marsons you’ll love this killer crime thriller.

What readers are saying about Dylan Young:
‘Absolutely brilliant!!! Such twists and turns!!! I was on the edge of my seat and just couldn't put it down!!! No way will you see the final twist... I'd give it more than five stars if I could!’ Goodreads reviewer

‘Pulled me in from the start and just wouldn't let go. This is an incredibly gripping page-turner with a cast of truly fabulous characters… gets right under your skin… Incredibly compelling, it had me hooked.’ Novel Deelights

‘I loved this book… I couldn’t put it down, I was hooked from the first page. Five star recommendation.’ Goodreads reviewer

‘I absolutely devoured this book… full of twists and turns even right at the end… Definitely a must read for 2018! Can’t wait for the next one!’ Goodreads reviewer

‘I was hooked right from the very first chapter… the pace never slows down... If you are looking for a new and refreshing detective series to follow, you should go meet Anna Gwynne!’ It’s All About Books

‘Intense and gritty… The Silent Girls was a suspenseful and eerie ride, and a fantastic start to the series. I can’t wait for the next book!!’ Jenea’s Book Obsession

‘Loved delving deep into the dark mind of a serial killer… The Silent Girls drips with intense and insatiable criminal desire, pulling you deeper into the darkest of minds.’ Sweet Little Book

‘An impressive, addictive and compelling read from a master storyteller. Once I started this book, I could not bear to be parted from it… you dare not take a breath as the suspenseful story unfolds right up until the cinematic end.’ Renita D’Silva

‘Phenomenal… The Silent Girls is a fantastic start to a new series full of vivid characters and a meaty plot that you wil

Genres: Crime, Thriller, Mystery, Procedural, Detective

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 16, 2018

About the author

Dylan Young was born in a mining village in the Swansea valley in Wales where he attended primary and secondary schools. In 1974, he was offered a place at Medical school in London and qualified in 1979. Medicine and a family followed, but writing as Dylan Jones, he published 4 novels in the nineties, two of which were filmed by the BBC. In 2011, Random House re-released two of the books in the Natalie Vine series as ebooks. Dylan Jones now writes children's fiction as Rhys A Jones and contemporary urban fantasy as DC farmer. But crime never went away. The first in his new series featuring Detective Inspector Anna Gwynne, is due for release in January 2018. Two more books will follow.
Dylan Lives with his wife in West Wales where the landscape (and the weather!) provide ample inspiration for his books.

Reviews

[Berit☀️✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Cold Blooded Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Full disclosure I did not read the first book in this series, so I might have missed some character development when it comes to Anna.... this is a police procedural and the second book in the Anna Gwynne series....

I liked Anna as a character, but I wanted to know her better... in fact really the main complaint I had with the book is I felt a bit of disconnect with Anna and all the secondary characters.... I would have liked to see them fleshed out better and perhaps they were in the first book or will be in future books... there were a couple relationships I found quite intriguing.... the first is Anna and Hector Shaw a convicted serial killer... shades of “Silence of the Lambs...” and it looks as though Hector will be an important part of the next book... i’m also hoping to see more of Dr. Hawly ... suspect turned consultant turned possible love interest?

A girl is abducted in Scotland at the same time bones are discovered from a 10-year-old local abduction.... then pictures are found on the dark web of both girls in the same room... how are these cases connected? And will they find Blair alive? Plenty of twists and turns, and an ending I did not see coming....

Recommend two fans of police procedurals with some intriguing relationships...

*** thank you to Bookouture and Net Galley for a copy of this book ***

[Stace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Reviewed by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.com

Detective Anne Gwynne is back at work following her serious injuries sustained in the first book, ‘The Silent Girls’. Her first case is looking at two historical cases, one the rape of a young woman in 1983 as advanced DNA analyse have identified the culprit to be one of two brothers. The other is the remains of a ten-year-old girl, Rosie Dawson, who went missing in 200, have been found in an isolated area. Just her bones and they have been bleached too.

Whilst working on these two cases with her team an eleven-year-old girl called Blair is abducted in Edinburgh with her sister Kirsty. Kirsty is found dumped in a field, alive, but there is no sign of her sister. There is nothing to link the case of Rosie and Blair until a photo is found of her that matches a photo they had of Rosie in a dark, concrete room.

Anne must use all her knowledge and expertise to find Blair before she to is killed like Rosie.

When I first started reading Blood Runs Cold, I hadn’t realised it was book two in a series, that was until Detective Anne Gwynne made several comments about an old case and her injuries. This got me thinking and so I checked whether I had missed a book, turned out I had. However, I had no problem reading, or understanding this book, so as far as I can tell it can be read as a stand-alone too.

The plot is fast-paced and whilst there are a few detectives on the cases, the story mainly follows Anne and new DS Dave Woakes, who is one of the most obnoxious characters I have read about. Detective Anne Gwynne isn’t a woman to be defined by her past and her near-death experience in book one. She is a woman on a mission and all she cares about is getting the right result and the right culprit. Her cases take over her life until they are brought to a close.

The book was thrilling and had me guessing who the killer was right up until he was revealed, which is a credit to the author as normally I have worked out the culprit by the time they are announced. I think it was probably down to having quite a few people who were ‘suspects’ in my eyes.

This is a fascinating, multi-layered novel that doesn’t just follow one case the whole way through, but three that intermingle. It was a gripping page-turner, I now can’t wait for book three.

[Book Addict Shaun · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Silent Girls, the first book in the Anna Gwynne series was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I enjoyed Blood Runs Cold only marginally more than The Silent Girls. The character development of Anna is a particular highlight, as is her, not friendship, but ‘working relationship’ with the killer Hector Shaw who is a fascinating character that adds both depth to the storylines and Anna’s character. Hector has taken a liking to Anna and offers her an insight into the cases that she working on, alongside unearthing bodies of those that he killed years before.

Blood Runs Cold starts off quite well with a storyline that immediately had me hooked. That is until about the halfway mark when I realised this was just another by the books kidnapping story. I could probably name about five books from Bookouture that have centred around the abduction and murder of children and there are probably even more than that. Then there’s the ones from other publishers. For a story to have me gripped throughout there has to be something that sets it apart from the rest, and unfortunately that element was severely lacking here in Blood Runs Cold. The resolution to this part of the story was rushed, and the reasonings behind why this person abducted and killed young children was never fully explored. It was all just a bit ‘Right, this is the killer and abductor. The end.’

Anna Gwynne is a great character though and is what made me pick up this book after not loving The Silent Girls. I particularly enjoyed her having to contend with her new promotion and what that meant for her and her team. There’s one new member of the team who is so obnoxious that he was infuriating to read about but added some much-needed drama to the story and it’s a shame that it looks like we may not be seeing him again. The rest of the characters are just there, they don’t really offer anything new or different to the story and aren’t particularly memorable. That is apart from a doctor who goes from being a suspect to an integral part in the story (with a roll of the eyes romance on the cards between him and Anna). There’s also another thread to this story that looks at another case and I can’t even remember if that part of the story had an ending here, if it did I must have glossed over it.

If I had to describe Blood Runs Cold in one word it would be, forgettable. At best it’s a throwaway read and it is one that I’ll see on my Goodreads shelf in a year’s time and have no recollection of the plot or it’s characters. I can see why crime fans might enjoy this story but I want every crime story I read to be a memorable experience, for the story to leave me reeling and for me to be left desperate for more from that author. I am not getting any of that here and so Blood Runs Cold is not a story I’ll be recommending, despite the fact that Anna is a great character and Hector adds a lot to the tale, the overall story is boring with a poor resolution.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

BLOOD RUNS COLD is the second book in the Detective Anna Gwynne Series by author Dylan Young. Having really enjoyed book one, I was anxious to start the second novel in the series. This is a killer crime thriller that is sure to please.

The books in the Detective Anna Gwynne Series Include:
The Silent Girls (Book 1)
Blood Runs Cold (Book 2)
Before She Falls (Book 3)

Eleven-year-old Blair Smearton had been kidnapped near a river bank, no-one can trace the man spotted taking her.

Detective Anna Gwynne is back at work with her cold case unit following a brutal attack sustained in book 1, that nearly cost her life. She’s investigating two historical cases, a rape case of a young woman, where a DNA match has identified an offender, and the death of ten-year-old Rosie Dawson, whose bones were found hidden in a hole in the ground ten years ago.

While Anna was working on these two cases, an eleven- year- old girl called Blair is kidnapped with her sister, Kirsty. Kirsty is found alive in the area…but no sign of Blair.

Were Rosie and Blair linked together?

Then a photo is found of Rosie that matches a photo they had of Rosie posted on a chat room online in a dark concrete room.

Anna must pull in her resources, with a contact who is an expert on the dark web, to help her find Blair before it is too late.

Time is running out…

Blood Runs Cold was fast paced with plenty of twists and turns, and an ending I did not see coming.... On to Book 3.

Many thanks to Bookouture via NetGalley for my digital copy.

[Eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read the first instalment in this series, The Silent Girls, a while back, I called it a fantastic start. Little did I know at the time that Dylan Young was holding a wee something back there. Because if you thought that was good, let me tell you right now that Blood Runs Cold is even better!

Detective Anna Gwynne returns to work with her cold case unit after a seven month absence due to events from the previous book. She’s investigating the murder of young Rosie Dawson, whose bones were found ten years ago. There are very little leads and the case has stalled. Up in Edinburgh, eleven year old Blair Smearton is abducted. Are these abductions connected somehow? Is there a paedophile ring snatching young girls? Or is there something else going on?

On top of that, Anna has a new colleague and boy, is he a piece of work. He’s causing a heck of a lot of turmoil all over the place with colleagues and suspects alike. And of course, and also yay (!), Hector Shaw makes another chilling appearance. Now that guy makes my blood runs cold! More than anything though, in this storyline I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the perspective of someone who may or may not have been accused wrongly of a crime.

Blood Runs Cold has a great pace throughout and an intricate plot. It’s dark, unsettling, disturbing and at some points quite uncomfortable to read. I can handle pretty much all the gruesome stuff that’s thrown at me in my crime fiction but there’s something especially horrifying when a case involves children. Not that this is particularly gruesome, if you are worried about that. It’s just the thought of what these young girls are going through that gets to me. Harrowing to say the least.

This is another delicious and intense page-turner of a crime thriller and a truly fantastic addition to the series. Utterly gripping and compelling edge-of-your-seat stuff that had me glued to the pages. Time is ticking away for Blair. Will the team get to her in time? Only one way for you to find out by grabbing your copy today!

[8stitches 9lives · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I thoroughly enjoyed Dylan Young's first thriller, THE SILENT GIRLS, I knew that this was a book I simply had to read. BLOOD RUNS COLD is the second title in the Detective Anna Gwynne series. I liked Anna as a character as she had the baggage that comes with real life, and like the rest of the characters here, is realistic and well developed. I look forward to learning more about her in future books.

This is an intelligent police procedural that requires a little bit of thought, which I appreciate in my fiction from time to time. The plot draws you in with plenty twists in the tale and the ending which most people will not predict. There are three threads that merge to create the finale.

I would like to thank Dylan Young, Bookouture, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Monnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, actually.

This is my first experience with the Detective Anna Gwynne series (the first is The Silent Girls). Like most heroines of this genre, she's competent on the job and comes with a bit of baggage from her past (think Lt. Eve Dallas of the J.D. Robb series). She's with the Bristol Police, just having returned to work after four months off as a result of serious injuries incurred, I assume, in the first book.

One of her first assignments is the years-old cold case murder of a child named Rosie Dawson, whose boiled-and-polished bones were found but not her murderer. When Blair Smearton, a young girl who is hearing impaired, goes missing now, Anna's technology team looks to the Dark Web and finds photos of both Rosie and Blair in what is almost certain to be the same room. The team's conclusion? Both were taken by the same person, no doubt a serial killer.

Hoping to find Blair before her bones meet the same fate as Rosie's, Anna and her colleagues ramp up an all-out effort. For her part, Anna turns for help to a in-prison killer named Hector Shaw, with whom she apparently has a prior and not happy relationship. Asking him for insights about how and why he killed his victims, she reasons, may be of help in locating Blair and unearthing Rosie's killer.

Interjected into the story early on is Detective Dave Woakes, a transfer from another police department who turns out to be a thorn in Anna's side. Alas, that seems to be his only purpose; he adds absolutely nothing to the story except to give Anna someone to complain about. Perhaps he's being introduced here with the intent of having him show up in a future installment, but otherwise, he's worthless.

Anna's investigation also puts her in contact with Dr. Hawley, an ER physician who was questioned and narrowly escaped being charged for Rosie's murder simply because he "allowed" the child, who has Down Syndrome, to climb on his lap and give him a smooch when he soothed her earache during an ER visit. Anna's confidence in the doctor's innocence, however, isn't shared by other members of her team. So who's right?

The answer to that doesn't come till late in the book (and no, I'm not going to reveal that information, nor whether or not the team gets to Blair in time to save her life). I will say that the end result, when it comes, seems a bit rushed; at the very least, I'd like to have had a little more detail about the abductor's background (one incident from his or her past, though reprehensible, does not necessarily a serial killer make).

Overall, my opinion is that this is well worth taking to a summer beach or on a longer airplane trip - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy. It's got reasonably likable characters, a touch of modern technology to keep it timely and enough suspense to hold interest throughout. Honestly, other than the inclusion of that totally disposable Woakes character, my main issue with this book is the intended-to-tantalize subtitle: "A completely unputdownable mystery and suspense thriller." It's a mystery, yes, but the rest of that description? Sorry - not even close.

[Denise]

This second book in the DI Anna Gwynne with the MCRTF at Avon and Somerset is an abosrbing and well-written police procedural. Along with other members of her team, specifically DCs Justin Holder and Ryia Khosa, their unit looks at cold cases hoping that some fresh insight will bring closure. The old case they are working on is a child murder; Rosie Dawson had been kidnapped in 2008 when she was 10 years old. When her bones were found demonstrating a horrific murder story, the squad can't help but wonder if a recent abduction, that of Blair Smeaton from Ediburgh, could be related.

Although I typically like to read book of series in order, there is quite a bit of backstory within so that you could read it as a standalone if you like. In fact, I'd actually forgotten much of the first book anyway by the time I got to this one, and I was able to follow along just fine. The details of the investigation take the reader along as the squad reinterviews witnesses and reviews specifics about Rosie Dawson's case. Once they find that, indeed, there is a tenuous link between the old and new, the action gears up as suspects and persons of interest are examined. This particular story involves crimes against children involving the Dark Net and pay per view torture so not for the squeamish.
Again, Anna has an unlikely colleage in the imprisoned Harvey Shaw -- who seems to know the mind of a serial killer. And, could it be, that there is romance in the making for Anna?

Great characters (that I want to know more about) and lots of interesting information about the detestable underbelly of the Dark Web make this one that any fan of police procedurals won't want to miss. I can't wait for #3 in the series! Anna is growing on me, though some things about her I still find rather annoying!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review.

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Detective Anna Gwyne returns to work after almost being killed on her last case. When the bones of young Rosie Dawson are found, 10 years after she disappeared Anna and her team are on the case, but seem to be getting nowhere. That is until another girl is abducted and a photo links the 2 cases.

While all of this is happening, Anna has to deal with a new DS Dave Woakes, who does not believe in Peking by the rules. The strain begins to show in the team but can they find the girl before she is killed.

This is book 2 in this series and every bit as enjoyable as the first book. Great story and great characters. The ending of this book left me hanging for more and can't wait for book 3. A big thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy of this book to read and enjoy in exchange for my honest opinions

[Alan Cotterell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better

3.5 -4 stars. Much improved over the first book, again a good story, that personally I think was handled a lot better. Dark disturbing subject matter handled well.
Not sure why, but I find the sub plot with Hector Hush unnecessary. It distracts from the proper story without contributing anything.
Will I read a 3rd book? Possibly if it can improve half as much as this did over the first book.

[Els · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had mixed emotions about book 1 but was super pleasantly surprised by the twists and turns at the end of the book, That is why I was looking forward to read more about the Anna Gwynne series. I have to say I was hooked this time. All the things I did not like so much last time, were gone! No more boring bits, but it was utterly captivating. I could not put the book down. The writing style improved as well and I liked the fact that I learned something from the story.
This books adds a feather in the author's cap.
I would recommand it to everybody but don't forget to put part 1 in your basket as well! You won't regret it!
Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book featuring Detective Anna Gwynne. The first book in the series is called ‘The Silent Girls’ and was released in January 2018. I absolutely loved the first book and I eagerly (& impatiently) awaited the release of the second book in the series. I was not to be disappointed as I absolutely loved reading ‘Blood Runs Cold’ but more about that in a bit.
‘Blood Runs Cold’ sees Anna return to work following an incident that almost led to her death. To this day, Anna is still affected by the incident, which is understandable. She loves her work but at the same time she can’t help but think about what might have happened and this is at the back of her mind, whenever she goes to work. Anna doesn’t really have any outside interests as she is literally dedicated to her job. The saying ‘her work is her life’ is certainly true for Anna Gwynne. Anna doesn’t have many, if any, friends and I wondered if this was deliberate on her part, in that she doesn’t let anybody get too close. Anna still has a sort of relationship with the killer in prison. Anna still goes to visit him in prison as she is hoping that if she continues to visit he will spill the beans about some of this crimes. However on the flip side, the killer knows that if he wants Anna to continue to visit him, all he needs to do is to dangle the carrot of telling all about his crimes in front of her nose. He is very skilled at people manipulation. Anna is one feisty, strong and determined police officer. She also has a very reliable gut instinct and if something doesn’t feel right to her then it usually isn’t and she will fully investigate the matter until her curiosity is satisfied. Anna works for the Cold Case unit and she has two very complex and difficult cases to investigate. One is the rape of a woman. DNA was recovered from the scene at the time and a familial match has emerged but it is unclear which of two brothers is the perpetrator. The other case is the disappearance and subsequent murder of a young girl, whose bones were located and the bones had been bleached. Will Anna cope with the pressure of the two very demanding cases? Will she get the information she wants from the prisoner? Will Anna discover who exactly committed the rape? Will Anna find out who murdered the little girl? Well for the answers to those questions and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves as I am not going to tell you.
Boy oh boy this was one fantastic unpredictable rollercoaster ride of a read. I was literally hooked from the moment I glimpsed the front cover and the book didn’t release me from its grip until the moment I closed the back cover. Reading ‘Blood Runs Cold’ felt like reuniting with an old friend, which in a way I was because I absolutely love the character of Anna and I feel obliged to stick up for her. There were times when I wanted to jump into the pages of the book to slap her enemies silly for treating her how they treat her. The length of time I spent reading ‘Blood Runs Cold’ just seemed to fly past in a blur and before I knew it I had finished the book, which I had mixed feelings about. I was pleased to finish because I knew how the investigations ended but at the same time I was disappointed to finish because I was enjoying the story, the writing style and the characters so much that I just wanted the book to continue. I thought that ‘The Silent Girls’ was good but ‘Blood Runs Cold’ blows it out of the water and then some. ‘Blood Runs Cold’ is easily the best of the two books. The series featuring Detective Anna Gwynne is just going to keep getting better and better.
Difficult subjects are tackled within the pages of this book but they are written about with great sensitivity and are not glorified in any way. I must admit that at times it was difficult to read about such subjects but at the same time it was important to highlight them and raise awareness.
In conclusion I have to say that I totally and utterly flipping well loved this book. I would wholeheartedly recommend this author and his books to anybody and everybody. I can’t wait to read the next book in the Detective Anna Gwynne series and here’s hoping that we don’t have too long a wait in store. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

[Marj Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Book #2 of Detective Anna Gwynne series. My first book by this Author. The character of Anna is well portrayed. She is the Detective Inspector of a cold case unit. Her visits with a killer serving a life sentence are creepy. He looks on her as a daughter and gives her information that the police would not otherwise have had. This story is mainly involved with the abduction and murder of young girls, and tracking down the person who has abducted another girl. A good ending. Thank you NetGalley, Bookoutre and the Author for allowing me to read and review this book.

[Diane Hogg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay Noelle I know your probably biting your nails by now, wondering what I’m doing. I’ve taken a bit of time over Dylan Young’s newest publication, the review hit me with that sinking feeling of how can I do Blood Runs Cold justice, but here goes nothing I hope everyone enjoys my take on Blood Runs Cold.

Blood Runs Cold, Book #2 of Detective Anna Gwynne series by Dylan Young. By golly am I dancing round the room, Dylan put me through the wringer, emotionally, mentally and physically to the point I literally needed matchsticks to hold my eyelids open, Blood Runs Cold snatched every breath I took, intensifying my need to turn the pages and absorb the narrative in huge chunks.

Detective Anna Gwynne has finally returned to work after some months out recovering from an almost fatal attack in the last case she was involved in. On her first day back Anna dives straight into a cold case concerning Rosie Dawson a child who was kidnapped and brutally murdered and up until recently her body hadn’t been found. A bag of boiled, bleached white bones with all flesh removed, has been uncovered, too small to be an adult, turns out to be Rosie Dawson.

Ten years later and another child has been abducted is it the same person, no obvious clues until Anna finds a picture, the hallmarks are the same, the room, the walls, the black bucket, can Anna and her team connect the clues and save Blair before her fate is sealed.

I love Anna she is such a heart warming but strong individual who doesn’t let anything stand in her way, the only exception is Anna’s perception of the new DS, Dave Woakes, is Anna’s thoughts and feelings towards his overzealous approach to obtaining a conviction by any means possible clouding her judgement of him, or is there something deeper yet to be discovered.

While we are on the subject, DS Dave Woakes in my mind does comes across as being over ambitious, cumulating in a mass of mistakes, the rubbing up the wrong way of potential suspects and victims, the blasé way he tries to tread on Anna and go over her head believing its his way or the highway. Woakes shows a determination that is unsettling and potentially destructive to all involved.

Blood Runs Cold can be read as a standalone but I would highly recommend reading The Silent Girls as its a good insight into what happened to Anna in her previous case and gives a good overall comprehension to who Anna and her team are.

So go grab yourself a copy of Blood Runs Cold, also on my recommendation The Silent Girls is the best place to start. Don’t miss out, Dylan Young has started the most amazing Series surrounding Detective Anna Gwynne, long may Anna continue solving crimes and taking me down into the dark recesses of serial killers minds.

A stylishly dark and an intensely heinous suspenseful thriller which will turn your world upside down, with an emotive plotline driving you deeper and deeper in Dylan’s imagination.

Thanks go to Dylan Young, Noelle Holten and Bookouture for an advanced readers copy of Blood Runs Cold, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review as part of the Blog Blitz today. Come on Dylan role on your next, I don’t know if I can wait patiently hahahaha.

[The Cats’ Mother · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the DI Anna Gwynne series, and while I eventually enjoyed the first one, this was a much more accomplished thriller, that kept me hooked from the start.

Set six months after the events of The Silent Girls, Anna has recently returned to work after recovering from the injuries sustained during that case. The task force are using new DNA and cyber evidence to review old cases, including that of a child abducted and murdered nearby nine years earlier. Meanwhile, in Edinburgh, 11 year old Blair has been abducted while walking on the street with her sister, the case all over the news. Anna has a new sergeant, the ambitious, pig-headed and arrogant Dave Woakes, whose lack of self discipline and bull in a china shop approach is winding everyone else up. Meeting one of the suspects in the earlier murder, a young emergency doctor, Anna has to decide if he is really the killer, or can she trust his personal theories as to what has been going on. And in the background lurks the fascinating Hector Shaw, taunting her with the promise of other buried victims, if she agrees to his demands.

There was quite a lot going on here, but I found it well paced and completely clear who was who. It was fairly obvious who the baddie was, but again, that didn’t matter to me. One criticism I did have is that the author completely spoils his first book by revealing, early and repeatedly, the identity of the first books killer, which may well put off any readers inspired to go back and read it if they found this first. I think he could have concealed it and still been able to reference the earlier cases. It didn’t matter for me as I read it very recently, in anticipation of this one.

I really like Anna as a character, and while her other team members are not yet well developed, feel there is plenty more to be revealed in future books. Her complex relationship with Hector raised my interest, I found the ending truly gripping, and the epilogue left me eagerly awaiting book three. I will however be taking a break from child abduction stories for some time, having read far too many recently.

Many thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Julie Lacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book two in this series and I enjoyed it just as much as the first.
Anna and her team are asked to re-open a cold case after a little girl’s bones are found. The investigation seems to be getting nowhere until another girl is abducted and a photo links the two cases.
Anna has the support of her team but also a new DS joins them, but he doesn’t quite fit in. DS Dave Woakes is a bit like a bull in a china shop and Anna soon learns that she can’t rely on him.
The team really need to work together to find the girl but Woakes makes a bad situation worse.
Alongside this story we have Shaw who is still demanding that Anna visits him in prison in exchange for information on other cold cases but even Anna starts to question his motives.
There is a real race against time to find Blair before she is killed and Anna gets help from an unexpected person.
This is a gripping read and I’m looking forward to the next one in this series.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

[BookwormCatLady · Rating 5 out of 5]

I seem to have read an awful lot of kidnapping stories lately, and as good as this was, it was lacking that ‘edge’ for me in comparison. However... I absolutely love the main character Anna Gwynne. Her character has developed a lot since book 1 (The silent girls), although I think the rest of her team kind of fade into the background in that you don’t really remember them afterwards. I would love to see the next book or two focus a bit more on them.

I will be recommending Dylan Young, I’m hopeful for book 3.

3.5 rounded up to 4 stars

Thanks to Bookouture for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

With thanks to Netgalley and Bookoutre for this ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.

Blood Runs Cold is the second book in the DI Anna Gwynne series.

I was invested in this book from the first page. In Scotland Blair Smeaton and her big sister had walked to the corner shop for ice creams. On the way home they met a man with a puppy, when the girls approached the man tazered the older girl and bundled them both into the back of his van. Hours later the older girl was found confused in a field with a stolen puppy, Blair was nowhere to be seen.

Meanwhile Anna had just returned to work after recovering from appallingly injuries from her last investigation. Anna was pleased DS Dave Woakes had joined the team, however Anna soon discovered Woakes was a rule breaker, keen on getting results. Dave was arrogant, thought he knew better then Anna and was destabilising the team.

Anna and her team were working on two cold cases simultaneously, familial DNA had been found on a child rape and the murder of 10 year old Rosie Dawson who had been taken from a playing field after attacking Rosie's grandmother. Rosie was never found but a bag of her bones were found dumped in a hedge.

Dr Ben Hawley had treated Rosie and was suspected by the police, the press picked this up and he was vilified by the media. Ben lost his fiance and his career was shattered. When Anna and Woakes went to see Hawley again, Woakes was convinced he was the murderer. On impulse Woakes followed him back to his cottage where he found press cut outs of Blair and Rosie. The doctor had been researching Rosie's murder and other child deaths and came up with an interesting theory.

When photographs of Rosie Dawson and Blair Smeaton appeared in a website on the dark web, Anna realised the crimes were linked. In desperation she went to visit psychopath Hector Smith who gave her some clues on how to find the killer.

I was glad to see another Anna Gwynne book so soon. Blood Runs Cold was fast paced with never a dull moment. When Anna discovered who the killer was I was willing her to find him before it was too late. I enjoyed Anna's battle of wills with Hector, she knows she is a pawn in his sick mind game but he can also get into the mind set of other killers.

I recommend both books in this series.

[Pat Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a read! This is the second book in the series featuring Detective Anna Gwynne. It can be read as a standalone book but if you have read Silent Girls you will be reunited with characters from that book, and adds to the enjoyment. Anna is back at work after nearly losing her life in her last case. The bones of a young girl who went missing 10 years ago are found and then another girl is abducted. Anna finds a photo that seems to connect both these cases. Can she solve the case before the second girl is murdered? This book will have you hooked. It is a gripping read and I can’t wait for book number 3 in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Nicky Mottram · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another cracking read in a good series

[Stephanie Doyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this one just as I liked the first. I will definitely read more of this series.

Free ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Elaine Tomasso · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of Blood Runs Cold, the second novel to feature DI Anna Gwynne of the Avon and Somerset Major Crimes Review Task Force.

Anna has just returned to the unit after sustaining severe injuries on her last case. The team are working on two cases, a rape with recently identified familial DNA and the abduction and murder of 10 year old Rosie Dawson in 2008 whose photo has recently surfaced on the dark web. When a photo of recently abducted Blair Smeaton appears on a similar website in similar circumstances Anna begins to suspect they may be connected.

I thoroughly enjoyed Blood Runs Cold which is an absorbing read with a well disguised perpetrator, motive and means. The plot is logical and easy to follow but by no means simple. I like the mixture of investigation and the difficulty of assimilating new recruit, Dave Woakes, into the team. He doesn't do things their way so it makes for interesting reading. It is a pacy read with plenty going on.

The mixture of child abduction and murder and the dark web do not make for pleasant reading but fortunately Mr Young does not dwell on the detail of what is done to the children and leaves it up to the reader's imagination. Less fortunately there are several passages on the workings of the dark net. They are probably necessary for the plot but I struggle to understand the technicalities of it all and tend to skim read to the conclusions drawn.

Anna is still visiting Hector Shaw, the serial killer incarcerated for life who helped her on the last case, in an effort to get him to reveal his secrets and to bring closure to his victims' families. As is the case with many serial killers he has his own agenda which Anna has yet to figure out and only drip feeds her information. He is a truly chilling creation and Mr Young has drawn him exceptionally well from the distaste he engenders to his manipulation.

Anna, herself, is a fairly stereotypical fictional detective, wedded to the job with few outside interests or friends, smart and tenacious but the brief glimpses into her thoughts and dreams make her more individual than a stereotype. I like the way her mind works.

Blood Runs Cold is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey, well first to say is that its unusual for me to ‘get into’ series books, I cant remember a Detective series I have read before..... but I enjoyed it, reading book 1 just last week helped as the characters were still fresh in my mind, I enjoyed ‘meeting up’ with them again and finding out more about them snd following their story, this author does not ( as in some Detective thrillers read ) make the main focus on the Detective’s character traits and life and the story very much stays the main thing, the way the characters in this series are brought in and you ‘get to know them’ is not over bearing and makes you want to know more about them and continue the series.....I love Anna the main character and all the other re appearing ‘cast’
Also the book was not a re hash of book 1, there were a few paragraphs going back on events in Book 1 but they were relevant and did not detract from this story
And the story? Well its dark and troubling at times, dealing with child disappearances past and present and their perpetrator and the hunt for him, the dark web is gone into in significant detail and some of the details are harrowing but they are needed to explain the story and the mimd of the serial killer
Its chilling and un nerving
There are light moments in the book though and these are welcome
The actual storyline is frighteningly realistic and well thought out and had me guessing up until near the end
A well written book full of police procedure that as in book 1 is not boring but informative and a real page turner as you want the criminal
to be unmasked asap, you will see why when you read it.....
I look forward to Book 3
10/10 5 stars

[Kat (Katlovesbooks) Dietrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blood Runs Cold by Dylan Young is the 2nd in the Detective Anna Gwynne series.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Series Background:
Anna Gwynne works Cold Cases. Ted Shipwright, Anna's mentor and friend, just retired after a heart attack. On his recommendation, she was promoted. During their last case together, Anna was introduced to Hector Shaw, who was serving life sentences for multiple murders. He took a shine to Anna, and promised to help solve one of her cold cases. He almost got her killed. He is willing to continue assisting her, but the cost may be too high.

My Synopsis:
Anna has just returned to duty, after being side-lined due to the attempt on her life. She is not one to re-enter the workforce gradually. She has jumped in with both feet. There is a new member in her team, Dave Woakes, and she isn’t sure what to make of him yet. Every time she turns around, he is more of a hindrance than a help.

The team is currently investigating two cold cases.

In 1983, Lucy Bright was raped. She is still alive, although that rape has had a lasting psychological impact. But finally, there may be hope in catching the perpetrator. There was plenty of DNA collected at the time, but no way to analyze it. With current technology, analysis has shown that her rapist is, in all likelihood, one of two brothers. The trick will be finding out which one.

In 2008, Rosie Dawson was kidnapped, and her bleached bones later found in a green garbage bag. She was 10 at the time of her abduction. When a picture of her surfaces on the dark web, it may be a new lead. They will have to go over old territory, old witnesses, and old suspects. But sometimes old witnesses and old suspects may be more help than they think. With another girl missing, Anna thinks this killer may have struck again.

Meanwhile, Hector Shaw wants to work with Anna again. He is willing to show her where more bodies are buried, but how much can she trust this convict?

My Opinions:
I am enjoying this new series. It is a refreshing change to have a woman who is strong. A lot of the detective series out there right now show a rather weak or damaged woman trying to overcome her past. Anna has a past too, but she doesn’t dwell on it. She just gets on with the job. She goes with her gut instinct, which is usually right. She believes in herself. My hero! Dylan Young has a great writing style, creating an easy-to-read, and fast-paced book. There’s a lot of action, and the plot is good, everything moving smoothly.

Definitely recommended.

For more of my reviews, please visit my blog:
http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

Blair Smeaton and her sister Kirsty were abducted in broad daylight on a hot day in Scotland. Kirsty was released several hours later and of Blair there was no sign.

DI Anna Gwynne of the Major Crimes Review Task Force returns to work after an absence due to being attacked by a killer and rapist. This team works cold cases. DC Justin Holder, DC Ryia Khosa, DS Dave Woakes and Trisha Spedding who is the civilian analyst make up Anna’s team. The task force works several cold cases at once.

Ten-year old Rosie Dawson who had Down syndrome was abducted and murdered in 2008. Her body was horribly mutilated. Her bones were found in a plastic garbage bag. This is one of the team’s cases that they are investigating.

Anna is still reluctantly visiting Hector Shaw. He is incarcerated for life; a convicted serial killer and has taken a liking to her. He tells her where to find the bodies of people murdered, but never admits to killing them. He dribbles information out to her so she will come back to see him again. It is downright nauseating.

DS Dave Woakes turns out to be a rather annoying wild card. He is smug and thinks an awful lot of his own abilities. He goes off on his own to follow a man who was cleared of any involvement in the Rosie Dawson case. He claims it is his “gut” talking to him. While the rest of the team gets along well, DS Dave is a thorn in Anna’s side.

Anna’s character is the somewhat stereotypical working cop. She has few friends, is married to her job and has little outside life other than the force. She gets along well with her team and manages them nicely, with the exception of Woakes.

This novel is well written and plotted, if a little formulaic. The suspense is level and continues throughout the story. One event follows another logically. This is my first Dylan Young novel, and I enjoyed it sufficiently enough to go to Amazon to look for other books of his.

I want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for forwarding to me a copy of this good book to read and enjoy.

[Laura Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

An eleven-year-old girl has been abducted in Scotland. An eyewitness saw Blair Smeaton and her older sister Kirsty talking to a man close to his van but can’t recall any details that could help to find the missing child.

In Bristol, Detective Anna Gwynne is easing herself back into work by looking into a cold case – the abduction and murder of Rosie Dawson some ten years past. A new lead has appeared in the form of a picture of Rosie alone in a darkened basement, lifted from a dark web chatroom.

It is when a picture of Blair in that same dark room emerges that Anna’s cold case and Edinburgh’s current investigation collide together. To have any chance of finding Blair alive, Anna must turn to a contact who can help her understand the dark online world that has yielded the new evidence. But that contact is Hector Shaw, a violent criminal currently serving time in a maximum-security prison. His assistance could mean the difference between life and death for Blair, but Anna knows from bitter experience that where Shaw is concerned, she must tread very carefully.

**

I am always very happy when I uncover a new crime writer. In particular one who writes gritty UK-based thrillers that I can get my teeth into. So, with the discovery of Dylan Young, I am a happy camper.

I find that these kinds of novels live or die on the development and inter-relationships of the key characters. Upon her return to work, and following her promotion, DI Gwynne’s job is complicated by the addition of a new recruit to her team, DS Woakes. He immediately rubs Anna’s whole team the wrong way, and his ‘do-first, think later’ attitude jeopardises an important case. This is new territory for Anna as she must decide the best way to deal with Woakes and support her existing team.

Blood Runs Cold follows the threads of a number of cases, historic and current, and I really enjoyed the tension this created in the story. The developments in Anna’s personal life also add another nice layer of depth, and I will look forward with anticipation to the next instalment of this series.

This novel has a satisfying conclusion, which felt neither spoon-fed nor pulled out of thin air, and I would happily recommend this series to fans of the like of Angela Marsons and Robert Bryndza.

[Emma Star Crossed Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Star Crossed Reviews I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Thank you to Bookouture for letting me be part of this tour and for my copy of this book via Netgalley. I loved the first book in this series and absolutely had to read this one. While there are some parts of the story that link into the first book you could read this as a standalone in my opinion.

Detective Anna Gwynne heads up a team that looks at cold cases. In this installment she is looking at the case of Rosie Dawson. The subject of the crimes in this book is not for the faint hearted and while the details are not explicit the writer alludes to enough for you to know what is implied. The criminal in this book is one of the worst kind. Anna is a character that still intrigues me. The way her mind works and the processes she goes through to get the answer are fascinating. It was nice to see Anna opening up and being a bit more social in this book. Of course this is all in her own way which I highly respect. 

I won't go into the story because I do not want to ruin it for anyone but I will say this book also showed how the press can utterly change someone's life. While I have seen this before it still scares me. I also could not stand Woakes from the minute we meet him. 

I was delighted to see Hector Shaw was back in this book if only for a few chapters. From what I have read about the next book I think he will feature more heavily and I am looking forward to that. He is an interesting guy and there is something about him that is appealing.

Dylan does an excellent job of slowly building the suspense. The book is relatively slow paced until the last third or so. By that point your heart is racing and you don't know if Anna is going to make it in time. 

This was a thoroughly enjoyable crime thriller and I cannot wait to return for the next installment of this series. 

[Joyce Stewart Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blood Runs Cold by Dylan Young 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 304 pages The figure bent over the small grave and lowered in the black bag. Adult bones would have been heavier. Just a few spadefuls of earth and the secret was hidden…On a bright spring morning, walkers find a tattered plastic bag containing human remains half-buried in the rolling hills of Somerset. The bones belong to Rosie Dawson, a little girl who disappeared ten years ago. Detective Anna Gwynne is back at work after a case that nearly cost her her life. The trail is stone cold, but Anna will stop at nothing to find the killer, and escape thoughts of her own dark past.Then another little girl is abducted near a river bank on the hottest day of the year, and her sister can’t remember anything about the man who took her. Nobody thinks the cases are connected, but then Anna finds a photo of her that matches an old one of Rosie. In the same dark room. The same concrete walls. The same stony floor.The killer is bragging.With just two photos and a witness too young to help, can Anna find the killer in time to save a little girl’s life?
⭐ My Review ⭐
Wow what a A heart-pounding thriller . The first thing that drew me to pick this novel up was the title, and then I read the blurb and was intrigued. I’m really glad I read it because now I have a new author to follow. What an amazing very well written story. I loved it so much that i honestly never wanted it to end. Once I started this book, I couldn’t put it down. Blood Runs Cold is an expertly crafted story .The plot is suspenseful and thrilling at all times. It really is a roller coaster of a ride.All of the characters were very well developed, and done in such a way you really care about most of them. As always if you like the book you read please take the time to leave a review for the author in places like goodreads & Amazon. It does not have to be long. Just a few sentences saying you liked the book will do. Authors really appreciate every review they get !Thank you to NetGalley , the publisher and Dylan Young for a e copy of this book to read and review! Opinions are unbiased and entirely my own.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the Publisher, Bookouture for this review copy given in exchange for an honest review. Also thank you to Noelle from Bookouture for organising the Blog Tour.

Detective Anna Gwynne is back working in the Cold Case Unit, investigating the death of a young girl, Rosie Dawson, whose bones were found hidden in the ground ten years ago. Meanwhile miles away, 11 year old Blair Smearton is abducted from near a river bank. There is no lead on this case until Anna finds a photo of Rosie hidden in a chat room. She also finds a photo of Blair. In the photo, both girls are being held in the same room – just ten years apart. There is only one person who can help Anna delve into the darker world of the internet and help her find out who is behind both kidnappings.

This is Book #2 of the Anna Gwynne series. It can be read as a standalone novel, but obviously it does make sense to read the books in order for better understanding of the series.

This is the second book of the series, and my second book by this author. It took me a few chapters to remember the characters and the story from the first book, The Silent Girls, and once I had I settled right into the story of this book. There were familiar characters from book one and also new ones introduced. The story was well thought out, although it was a bit difficult to follow at times.

The seriously creepy character of Hector Shaw is also brought back to help Anna find out what has happened to these two girls. On my review of book one, I likened him to Hannibal Lector and thankfully that view still remains! You can’t beat a good old creepy psychopath to add some spine-tingling moments to a book! I love the relationship between Hector and Anna, and the way he plays her to get what he wants which is so typical of these serial killers!

This wasn’t a fast paced book, but don’t get me wrong – that’s not a bad thing! The storyline built up slowly with plenty of suspense and tension to keep you interested right till the end and I didn’t work out ‘whodunnit’ until it was revealed! A great crime and police procedural story! Roll on book #3!!

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first book featuring Anna Gwynne and I was keen to see how she went forward following the events of the last book that left her severely injured.

In Blood Runs Cold, Anna returns to her job as part of the Major Crimes Review Task Force. Although this section deals with cold cases Anna spots a connection between a picture of a child who was abducted years ago and the resemblance to Blair, a girl who has recently gone missing in Edinburgh.

Against her better judgement to goes to see Hector Shaw- a 'lifer' imprisoned for murder but who seems to have a unique view on things as well as snippets of information he parts with like precious jewels.

Anna finds it hard at first to get back into the swing of things- especially as she has been saddled with a very gung-ho Detective Sergeant whose methods are light years away from her own. Regardless of staffing problems she races against time to save Blair before it's too late.

Having enjoyed the first in the series I was keen to read the second one. I thought this was even better than the first & am eagerly awaiting Book 3!

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book- five stars for me!