The Blood Runs Cold

Chiara Corelli Mystery #2

by Catherine Maiorisi

Still battling each other and the blue wall, NYPD Detectives Chiara Corelli and P.J. Parker catch a new murder case. The victim, a gay man, is posed with a rosary in his hands, the smell of incense in the air and Gregorian chants playing in the background.
While Corelli and Parker search for leads, Kate Burke, the lesbian Speaker of the City Council asks for an update on the investigation. Thinking Burke is playing politics, Corelli ignores the request. In the meantime, two more bodies are found, both laid out in the same way.
Pressured by the chief, Corelli goes to Kate’s office where a photograph of the speaker with a group of friends catches her eye. Corelli recognizes the three victims and, to her horror, three others. Suddenly the case becomes personal.
Fearing a serial killer is picking off the people in the photograph, fearing the next victim will be someone she loves, Corelli races to find the murderer before he kills again.

A Chiara Corelli Mystery Book 2.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Audiobook, Lesbian, LGBT, Thriller, Fiction

306 pages, Paperback

First published February 15, 2019

About the author

Catherine Maiorisi lives and writes in New York City.

Since she found her imagination, writing has been like meditating for Catherine and it is what she most loves to do. But she also reads voraciously, loves to cook, especially Italian, and enjoys hanging out with her wife and friends.

Catherine is the author of the NYPD Detective Chiara Corelli mysteries featuring Corelli and her partner P.J. Parker. There are currently four books in the series: A Matter of Blood, The Blood Runs Cold, A Message in Blood, and Legacy in the Blood.

When she wrote a short story to create the backstory for the love interest in her two unpublished Corelli mysteries, Catherine had never read any romance and hadn’t considered writing it. To her surprise, “The Fan Club” turned out to be a romance and was included in the Best Lesbian Romance of 2014.

Another surprise was hearing the voices of two characters, Andrea and Darcy, chatting in her head every night, making it difficult to sleep. Reassured by her wife that she wasn’t losing it, Catherine paid attention and those conversations led to her first romance novel, Matters of the Heart. Other romances include: No One But You, Ready for Love and Taking a Chance on Love.

The Disappearance of Lindy James is Catherine's first general fiction novel.

Catherine has mystery and romance short stories in various anthologies.

An active member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America, Catherine is also a member of The Golden Crown Literary Society.

Reviews

[Lex Kent · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.50 Stars. I enjoyed the first book in the Chiara Corelli Mystery series but I liked this one much more. This is a tried and true mystery book. It had everything I like in a good mystery and I could not set the book down. While I always suggest reading books in order, I do think you could start here if you really wanted. There are a few small references to book one and some characters you would be missing a little background on, but the overall mystery is all contained in this one book.

This story is about a lead detective Corelli and her partner detective Parker. Corelli went undercover to take down dirty cops so she is still shunned by many in the department. Parker, due to her family’s political connections is a bit of an outcast herself. The two teamed up out of necessity to watch each other’s backs, but they make a really good team anyway. A new case with plenty of media puts Corelli right back in the spotlight. Can she find the killer and still keep her job?

As I mentioned in my first review these are not romance books. While I would still call this a lesfic book, only one of the mains, Corelli, is a lesbian. Do not go reading this book hoping for two partners falling in love. These books are for mystery fans. However, I did notice a possible love interest for Corelli in book one. That character is back but we are still at the very possible beginning stages. I have my fingers crossed for some romance in the next installment because I like the chemistry between them.

I made clear this is a mystery book and this is where this book shines. I thought the mystery was really well written. There are a lot of characters and names so you do have to pay attention, but it is worth it. It was not until the 90% mark that I had an epiphany and figured out the killer. Because I love mystery books (and have read a ton) I usually figure them out too quickly. So when a mystery author can keep me in suspense and guessing for most of the book… well I love when that happens. Plus the killer was not out of left field either. All of a sudden the clues Maiorisi carefully crafted all throughout the book clicked for me so I felt like I was actually there solving the crime. It was just well done and I’m happy camper.

Another thing I was happy about is that the character of Corelli seemed to grow in this book. She is finally starting to realize she may have PTSD and how she doesn’t always treat her partner well. While, I did like Corelli in the first book, she is not always a nice person. She was much more likeable in this installment. These books and the character of Corelli remind me a little of the Micky Knight books by Redmann. There is not as much life drama, but both have well written mysteries with a main character you don’t always like but root hard for anyway.

This book is easy for me to recommend to mystery fans. It is a book to read carefully, but it was a good put together mystery with a worthy pay off. I’m excited about a possible book 3. I sure hope one is planned because I really like the way the story arc is heading.

An ARC was given to me for a honest review.

[Agirlcandream · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third book in this Chiara Corelli Mystery series is about to be released so I skipped book one and jumped right into The Blood Runs Cold to catch up. Maiorisi is a new to me author and I’m happy to add her to my list of must read mystery/thriller authors. This police procedural held my interest and had me guessing motives and means along with the detectives. There were moments when this book and these characters reminded me of a favourite futuristic cop series with a kick-ass Lieutenant who also suffers from PTSD, has a trusted sidekick and a well dressed ME but these similarities felt almost like an homage and not an imitation.

Chiara Corelli is a study in contrasts. She suffers from PTSD yet refuses to seek help. She struggles to harness her anger, lashing out at P.J. Parker and feeling guilty but unable to stop her erratic behaviour. Kudos to P.J. Parker for acting as her bodyguard and verbal punching bag. Under the gruff “never let them see any weakness” persona, Chiara cares deeply for the dead she represents and works tirelessly to find their killers.

I liked the family involvement giving Chiara and P.J. some depth and the reader a better understanding of what drives these two women to search for justice at any cost.

Looking forward to A Matter of Blood and A Message in Blood, books one and three in the series. Of course you should read these books in order. Of course, I didn’t.

[Gaby LezReviewBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of The Blood Runs Cold by Catherine Maiorisi, Audiobook narrated by Abby Craden

I came late to the party but finally, I'm catching up with The Chiara Corelli Mystery Series now that they are coming out in audio narrated by the fantastic Abby Craden. As I said in my review of the first book in the series, I used to be a fan of Agatha Christie and this series remind me of those types of mysteries. I'm glad that book 3 is coming out in audio in December, and book 4, Legacy in the Blood, is coming out in paperback in February 2022.

When the body of a gay man appears in his apartment killed by a single shot in the head, Chiara and PJ are called to investigate. The diseased was the son of a prominent Italian politician, so there might have been political motivations. While Chiara and PJ are investigating, the appearance of a new murder seems to suggest that a serial killer is on the loose.

The Blood Runs Cold is another "whodunit" police procedural, the second book in the series which I recommend reading in order. Each case is developed and solved in a single book so technically they are standalone novels. However, if you don't read them chronologically you will miss the overall arc in the series, the part that follows the trials and tribulations of Chiara and PJ's personal lives.

A word of warning, I suggest not to read the book blurb as I think it gives away too much of the plot. Suffice to say that, like in book one, there are a good number of murder suspects and Chiara and PJ have to proceed with caution while navigating the turbulent waters of politics inside and outside NYPD. Once again, as in the first book, the killer isn't an obvious suspect.

Like in book one, don't expect much in the romance department, this is mainly a mystery, but I think that the author is preparing the terrain for a love story slowly but surely. Let's hope that we have good news for Chiara in book 3 or 4. This seems to be a bridging book in the series (not sure if it will end in book 4).

The audiobook is narrated by Abby Craden whose performance is extremely good as usual. There are a good number of different characters, between the mains, the secondary, and the murder suspects, but Ms. Craden made them sound all distinct and credible. Her narration pace is spot on, as usual. The audiobooks are doing justice to the series so far. Can't wait for audiobook three. 4.5 stars.

Length: 8 hrs and 37 mins

Available in Scribd

[XR · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH MY LAWDY! SO GOOD! 😱😅

[MZ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. I liked the first book in this series, but I loved this second one! The mystery is great, it is well structured without any loose ends and it was not predictable. It is rather fast paced, with a lot of things happening, which I really like in a mystery book.

The biggest step-up from the first novel is the character development. Detectives Chiara Corelli and PJ Parker are thrown together in book 1. They have their flaws and I found them not always likeable, especially Corelli, but in the first book also Parker has her moments. In the first book you get an understanding of the reasons behind this behavior, but this only came later in the book and even then, I sometimes had trouble accepting and understanding this behavior and keep rooting for them (not in a romantic way). In this second book you get far better insights in especially Parker and I think it is almost impossible not to like her after this book. Corelli is still not always likeable, but she recognizes this herself now (and still can’t help herself) and it sort of fits with her character now. She and Parker have found a balance, and I found the interactions between the two interesting and I see a very strong and dynamic team that will hopefully return. This is no romance book, but really a mystery novel, however there seems to be a start of a romance as well (which actually already starts lightly in book 1). There is good chemistry and I’m curious to what this will lead. The various connections in the professional and private lives that are formed or deepened in this book really beg for another installment, so I hope to see more books in this series.

[Allem21 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Corelli and Parker, 2.0 – “’It’s a big world out there and gay or straight, white, black, brown or yellow, there are good people and bad people.’”

The Blood Runs Cold is at once a continuation of A Matter of Blood and a brilliant mystery by itself.

We once again meet detectives Chiara Corelli and P.J. Parker as they land a new murder case. Corelli is still being ostracized by the NYPD officers, but after she and Parker successfully solved the Winter case (A Matter of Blood) the severity has lessened. However, the blue wall is still ever present and hinders Corelli and Parker’s investigation.

The case is fascinating and there is no shortage of possible suspects. Ms Maiorisi weaves an intricate web of suspicion with the main focus on old-fashioned police work instead of using technologically advanced methods as have become commonplace in many mystery books and shows. The team has to work for the information they obtain and every witness or suspect they interview is vibrant and unique. Additionally, there are lots of drama for both detectives on a professional as well as a personal level. This time around, we learn more about Parker as she is confronted with the truth about her family. We see more of Parker’s mettle and Corelli’s humanity than in the first book and the growth of both characters is pure pleasure to read.

The main thing that set The Blood Runs Cold apart from other mystery novels for me, was the relationship/interactions between our two detectives. At the start of the case, with Parker coming back from a training course, the relationship is clearly professional. Corelli realizes that Parker wants to learn from her and she steps up and into the role of training officer. Their respective pasts remain a point of friction between them and their partnership is in constant flux. This ensures that the reader never knows what to expect from either of them and adds yet another layer to the novel.

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second in the series, and the plot built around the murder case is great. I enjoyed reading this one just as much as the first. Do not expect romance in The Blood Runs Cold, because even though there is the promise of a future romantic relationship imbedded, this is a murder mystery. My only real criticism is the way Chiara behaves towards Parker. It is explained in the story (no spoilers), nevertheless, this did not make me like it any better. To be fair, Catherine Maiorisi seems to play around with the idea and a possible future development concerning Chiara Corelli’s behaviour, so I am also curious how this is dealt with in part three. Apart from this, I loved following what the two Detectives did and found in The Blood Runs Cold, and accordingly they get 5 out of 5 stars.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid 4-star murder mystery book! The protagonist and her temperament have finally begun to grow on me; the kittens probably played a part in that!

Before delving into this sequel, I’ve mentally prepared myself to simply overlook Chiara Corelli's obnoxious behavior towards her partner/bodyguard, Parker. But to my surprise, her occasional jerk self no longer puts a bad taste in my mouth. Instead, I find myself rooting for her relationship with Parker and hoping that their connection, as well as her relationships with her other colleagues, will flourish into genuine friendships. The budding romance part has also started to capture my interest, albeit to a slight extent.

"The Blood Runs Cold" presents a murder mystery plot that is a notch more compelling and riveting to follow than that of the first book. Throughout the story, I've started seeing Corelli in a different and much better light. She manages to amuse me and even elicits laughter from me on a few occasions.

As for Parker's story arc, I look forward to finding out how it will further develop in the sequels. And speaking of sequels, I'm really excited to read the next two installments in this series.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is definitely a new favourite series. This time, Chiara and PJ are investigating the death of the gay son of the Italian ambassador. At the same time, Chiara is still dealing with continued ostracism from her fellow police officers. I like the murder mystery, especially when more murders occur. We also see more of PJ's history, which is great. We're starting to get deeper into this world and understanding the characters better.

[Tory · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good. I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

[Kexx · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent series: more crime than romance but works well. Really enjoying and will continue with series. Love them!

[Alealea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good, I was on my way home and I felt cheated when I reached the last page.
The end ? Already ? No way !!! I wanted a couple chapters more. I guess you know the feeling.
I knew I was reading way too fast but I was completely unable to slow myself.

Like in the previous story, the mystery crime side of it is top-notch and reminds me of the best lesfic mysteries Katherine V. Forrest or Paid in Full.

If the first book subtitle is "Hurting", this one is "Healing", and that makes it much more bearable as the main character, so very slowly and painfully, finally accept to live again bit by bit (especially with her two special kitty sidekicks) ^^

Other check on the plus side (actually, I don't have a bad side here), a little bit more of background is given to the second main character that came right when it should. Her reactions and attitude became much more understandable, even her ambiguous relationship with her so screwy colleague.

Their working relationship & slowly-budding friendship is taking a turn in a very nice direction.

And now we have to wait for a next fix.
I'm so adding the serie to my yearly reread

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Detective Chiara Corelli is not much loved by her fellow police officers after an investigation into corruption she uncovered. Now she is called to investigate the ritual murder of a young gay man who happens to be the son of the Italian Ambassador to the U.N. Bickering with her partner PJ Parker adds to the drama. When another gay man is found dead in the same position, Chiara worries they might have a homophobic killer on their hands.

An excellent police procedural with twists, turns and surprises. Looking forward to other mysteries featuring Chiara Corelli.

[Celina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The action and chase was incredible.

Now, the events were horrible because these horrible stuff do actually happen in real life but it was nevertheless action-packed.
The plot was really sad esp since the people that were being killed were actually really good people; who just wanted to be loved and accepted but the world is full of shitty people, sometimes it is hard to comprehend.

Chiara
She was amazing as ever. I wonder if this is really how the police works. Because if it is, it is really interesting and good work. But given what we see nowadays, people getting shot by the police and there horrible stuff… it has to be them fucking dirty cops. I hope there are Chiaras out there. Doing the right thing.

Parker
The development in her story was really interesting, both story and character-wise.

Brett
My woman, I was really sad when she lost three of her friends at the same time. It would have been fun to see them hang out with Chiara as the lesbian squad.. (hahaha).

Brett and Chiara
I loved those little moments that they had. I knew the book had romance as a very very sub-plot. But I still kept wishing because their connection was really interesting and it gave off really intense vibes. Though it was understandable why the lovey-dovey didn't happen the story was very plot driven, a day-to-day kinda thing.

Justice was served
But that bitch's reason to killing was really spineless, it made me so angry. Killing all those good people. Argh.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

that’s more like it!

[Lisa Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second in the Chiara Corelli mystery series. Another good read from Ms. Maiorisi. We learn a little more about Corelli’s detective-in-training partner, P.J. Parker. Again Ms. Maiorisi sets a good pace, gives some clues, yet keeps you in the dark enough to not be sure of who the killer is. I did figure it out - but then as I continued reading decided I was wrong.

[J H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another complex case with Chiara and PJ

Detective Corelli, a military combat veteran, continues to struggle with her past, while working on a new, high profile case. We find out more about PJ's earlier life, while also learn more about the two partners' lives . Well-written story with complex characters, and a great plot.

[Celesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm also going to keep this very simple This is a wonderful sequel This opens up I believe for my recall not too far ahead from book one Corelli and Parker gets a new case it's very public very political just like the summary says and it's a really good mystery I didn't figure it out until the end when it was revealed so I never did find out who was responsible for the murder in this book but it was a good book we got to know a little bit more about Parker we got to know a little bit more about Corelli and issues and the things that she's going through and also I have to admit I believe Parker and Corelli's relationship as partners grow was more and we get a little bit more of interest in romance where Brett is concerned but again this is not a romance book Brett is attracted to Corelli but because of circumstances it doesn't happen as fast so you can look at this as a little slow burn I will say the only negative con about this book that I hope book 5 may give us is more Brett I felt like I don't I still don't know who Brett truly is as a person and as a woman and I would love to know what makes that mind of hers tick other than that this is a wonderful book You will love Corelli despite her flaws she definitely can be a ass but she has a good heart and you would definitely love her family as complicated as it is and that's it.

it's a wonderful mystery it's hardcore mystery and it's going to leave you hungry for more I recommend if you can buy all books all four books at once do it because once you start the first book and you get into the second when you're not going to stop until you get to the last one.

[currentlyreadingbynat · Rating 4 out of 5]

For me, I can't go past a good crime or mystery novel. In the last few years, I've definitely read less of this genre and I think it came down to having kids and neither wanting to go into the worst of humanity but then also not wanting anything too complex (baby brain is well and truly a thing!). Nearly four years has past since I've had the twins so I feel as though I'm getting back to my usual reading self :) The Chiara Corelli Mystery series has been a great way to re-introduce myself into the genre, as they are written so well but aren't overly heavy either.

Another aspect I especially loved in this second book of the series was the addition of P.J.'s complex childhood to the mix, as I think she's a character that is as interesting as Chiara and I'd love to know more about her too. I'm looking forward to the third book in the series and seeing what else it uncovers on these two great characters.

Also, as a side note: I highly recommend reading the first in the series before starting this one as I think you'd be a bit lost without it.

Another great Chiara Corelli mystery that kept me guessing until the end.

[Odd Bin · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought Chiara was a bit of an arsehole in the first book and the second one hasn't changed my mind.
I just don't understand the need for all the late night rendezvous. At one stage there is even a meeting at midnight and it's not even a Smokie "under the moonlight" kind of meeting! I might be showing my age here, but if my family, friends or colleagues popped over at 8, 9, 10 o'clock at night I would tell them to just piss right off.
And who leaves kittens alone for hours on end while they're out doing a shitty job of solving cases of murder most foul?
The behaviour of Corelli's fellow cops and the media assaults didn't ring true for me and the questioning of the "un-Christians"/"non-Christians", or whatever they were called, was just ridiculous and struck me as an awkward attempt to insert a bit of "but God loves us all" shtick.
I did not enjoy the first book but I wondered if I was being a little unfair, so I tried the second one. It's a decision I regret and I would rather rip my fingernails out with a pair of rusty pliers than read another word about Chiara Corelli.

[Mirrordance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Il primo libro di questa serie mi era piaciuto. Un onesto giallo con protagonista Chiara Corelli, e nonostante un po' di stereotipi sulle famiglie italiane si era rivelato un libro interessante.
Questo secondo libro è più maturo, centrale è l'indagine sulla morte del figlio dell'ambasciatore Italiano con velleità politiche e successivamente di altre persone legate a lui.
Qualche stereotipo in meno sulle famiglie italiane, quasi esaurita la querelle nata dalla partecipazione della detective ad una azione sotto copertura volta a smascherare poliziotti corrotti, l'indagine prende ritmo e si svolge con continuità con un buon equilibrio con tutta la situazione al contorno.
I libri di Catherine Maiorisi infatti non si limitano ad essere dei polizieschi ma danno un quadro della vita delle persone ed affrontano altri argomenti senza perdere di vista la natura principale del libro.
Ai miei occhi, senza essere un capolavoro, ha decisamente un plus valore.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great detective Chiara Corelli story you will find spell binding

Corelli and Parker are faced with a suicide that looks more like murder. I have gotten so enthralled with these detective I love this series. This one is such a chilling story of pure unbelievable family dynamics. It has so many twists to keep the pages turning. The characters are full of such deep implications and we meet Brett who is just the sexiest hope for Chiara's healing heart. The relationship between the detectives strengthens and I am loving the vibes they make as they work through the case. I am really enjoying this cop/mystery series and Catherine Maiorisi. It is also magnificent in Audible with Abby Craden as Narrating this is just splendid.

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now this is what I call a mystery! I went around and around with Chiara and P.J Parker as they worked tirelessly to find the killer who has been targeting an affluent group of friends. I must admit that I did not have the pleasure of reading the first book in this awesome series but this author did a fabulous job of bringing me up to speed with what went on previously. I can certainly say that I am a huge fan of this author's writing because I just couldn't put this book down no matter how hard I tried!

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! I like how it is mostly just a cop procedural, and we see them tackle the case from every angle. It's like reading an episode of Law and Order. I wish this book had about 100 more pages though, felt like we were missing out on some prime character development and it felt like the discovery and capture of the killer was rushed into 5o pages. Excited to read the next installment and see where PJ, Chiara, and Brett go.

[Baxter Clare Trautman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little slower than the first book but that's to be expected in a second book. Maiorisi likes lots of possible suspects and this one delivers all sorts. Corelli and her partner develop a closer working relationship and the love story hinted at in book one develops. Another fun Corelli mystery.

[Elia Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

She did it again! I liked this mystery even more than the first one. Chiara’s growth is nice to watch and I enjoyed PJ’s story getting even deeper too. I’m excited to eventually read the next in the series!

[Whitney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm sensing a murder theme here.

Liked the first book a lot, but this one seemed to drag. I would've sacrificed Chiara's family scenes with more scenes with Brett and over all more action.

[Bo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bring it on!

I think I’m ready for the whole series and I love that it’s a series. This is a good fast paced edge of the seat yummy story.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this series and how the characters grow through the stories. Excellent complex plotting, great collection of side characters and well developed settings. On to book three…