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The Fiona Mahoney Mysteries #1
The Business of Blood
London, 1890. Blood and death are Fiona Mahoney’s trade, and business, as they say, is booming.
Dying is the only thing people do with any regularity, and Fiona makes her indecorous living cleaning up after the corpses are carted away. Her childhood best friend, Mary, was the last known victim of Jack the Ripper. It’s been two years since Fiona scrubbed Mary’s blood from the floorboards, and London is no longer buzzing about the Ripper, but Fiona hasn’t forgotten.
And she hasn’t stopped searching for Jack.
When she’s called to a murder in the middle of the night, Fiona finds a victim mutilated in an eerily similar fashion to those of the Ripper, and only a few doors down from Mary’s old home. The relentless, overbearing, and irritatingly handsome Inspector Grayson Croft warns her away from the case. She might have listened, if she hadn’t found a clue in the blood. A clue that will lead her down a path from which there is no return.As a killer cuts a devastating swath through London, a letter written in blood arrives at her door, and it is only then that Fiona realizes just how perilous her endeavor is. For she has drawn the attention of an obsessive evil, and is no longer the hunter, but the prey. Fiona Mahoney is in the business of blood.
But she’s not the only one...
Dying is the only thing people do with any regularity, and Fiona makes her indecorous living cleaning up after the corpses are carted away. Her childhood best friend, Mary, was the last known victim of Jack the Ripper. It’s been two years since Fiona scrubbed Mary’s blood from the floorboards, and London is no longer buzzing about the Ripper, but Fiona hasn’t forgotten.
And she hasn’t stopped searching for Jack.
When she’s called to a murder in the middle of the night, Fiona finds a victim mutilated in an eerily similar fashion to those of the Ripper, and only a few doors down from Mary’s old home. The relentless, overbearing, and irritatingly handsome Inspector Grayson Croft warns her away from the case. She might have listened, if she hadn’t found a clue in the blood. A clue that will lead her down a path from which there is no return.As a killer cuts a devastating swath through London, a letter written in blood arrives at her door, and it is only then that Fiona realizes just how perilous her endeavor is. For she has drawn the attention of an obsessive evil, and is no longer the hunter, but the prey. Fiona Mahoney is in the business of blood.
But she’s not the only one...
424 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 20, 2019
684 people are currently reading
5085 people want to read
About the author
Kerrigan Byrne
72 books5,033 followersIf you're anything like me, the best night is one spent with a brawny highlander, a mysterious werewolf, a conflicted vampire, or a hot-headed Irishman. My stories span the spectrum of romantic fiction from historical, to paranormal, to romantic suspense. But I can always promise my readers one thing: memorable and sexy Celtic heroes who are guaranteed to heat your blood before they steal your heart. Lose yourself in the enchanted Celtic Isles, you never know who, or what, will find you...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 431 reviews
February 21, 2022
This was such a fun start to a murder mystery series!
We are following a main character who's job is to clean up murder crime scenes. But she also has an obsession with Jack the Ripper after her best friend becomes one of his victims. When a new gruesome murder happens that appears to be the work of the Ripper, she is on the hunt to catch him.
If you are a fan of Kerrigan Byrne's historical romances, you should go into this knowing it is not a Romance. There are definietly hints to a potential romance later on as the series goes, but this first book features no romance. I would totally recommend this to fans of the Veronica Speedwell series!
Can't wait to read the next book
We are following a main character who's job is to clean up murder crime scenes. But she also has an obsession with Jack the Ripper after her best friend becomes one of his victims. When a new gruesome murder happens that appears to be the work of the Ripper, she is on the hunt to catch him.
If you are a fan of Kerrigan Byrne's historical romances, you should go into this knowing it is not a Romance. There are definietly hints to a potential romance later on as the series goes, but this first book features no romance. I would totally recommend this to fans of the Veronica Speedwell series!
Can't wait to read the next book
Currently reading
June 30, 2020HI YOU GUYS!!! I can't believe this but THE BUSINESS OF BLOOD is available early!
Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/2BB5n22
They told me it was too dark for a historical, too sexy for a mystery, and entirely too much blood for a female sleuth to handle... I heartily disagree. I've seen women bring about all forms of justice, and Fiona Mahoney is my tribute to them.
Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/2BB5n22
They told me it was too dark for a historical, too sexy for a mystery, and entirely too much blood for a female sleuth to handle... I heartily disagree. I've seen women bring about all forms of justice, and Fiona Mahoney is my tribute to them.
October 23, 2019
IT'S ALIVE!!
Just a wee bit of blood...
I have never reviewed anything but romance up until now and to be honest, I never expected to review anything but romance. Then, Kerrigan Byrne comes along and she tells us she wrote something that is not romance. Well, not romantic to the extent we've come to expect from her. The SHOCK!! The HORROR!! But, it’s KERRIGAN BYRNE!! So, of course, I had to give it a go.
Knowing that I was going to be exposed to a wee bit of blood…and other things, I was hesitant to start. It was loaded up and the cover (which I LOVE) was there… looking at me… but I couldn’t turn the page. This could be because I was about to go to bed, and I was worried that it might play on my mind a wee bit. Blood and guts, Jack the Ripper, murder and mayhem are not exactly going to soothe me to sleep. So, I chickened out, turned off my Kindle and had an early night. Which lead me to start at 4:45 am on a Monday… what a start to the working week.
To be honest, The Business of Blood took me longer to read than I thought it would. I loved the words and how Kerrigan Byrne weaved her tale. BUT IT’S INTENSE!! My mind had to stay alert, my heart was pumping waiting for the next gruesome discovery.
I’m not used to ending a story feeling emotionally scarred, physically drained and completely disgusted with the evilness of humans. I guess I'm accustomed to reading stories that leave me with a sense of hope, contentment and joy.
This was a great mystery. The twists and turns were exciting, I was surprised at the *whodunit*, and found the intricate details of a murder investigation riveting. I really can’t fault the timeline, characterisation or settings. Getting to know more about Jack the Ripper was thrilling while also a wee bit horrifying. What murder investigators, coroners/post-mortem examiners, and the clean-up crews (after the body has been removed) face are also fascinating and horrific. I now know that I’m NOT the person for any of those jobs. The Business of Blood is a thought-provoking story that deals with lots of different issues concerning judgement based on class, race, sex and religious beliefs.
If I was to find any fault with The Business of Blood, it was that I was distracted enough to keep looking for the romantic element. I’m not sure if this is because it is ingrained in me or because there were hints of possibilities with certain characters we meet. There is a kiss in one scene, but it was not the type of kiss to give me heart flutters AT ALL. The person kissing and their reaction straight after was less than appealing.
If you are a fan of mysteries, don’t mind a wee bit of blood and gore, and love Kerrigan Byrne’s words, you will not be disappointed reading The Business of Blood. I thoroughly enjoyed this step out of my comfort zone…into sleuthing out a serial killer.
Stacey is Sassy, received an advanced copy of this story. The copy provided is not the final copy and may be subject to edits and changes.
Just a wee bit of blood...
I have never reviewed anything but romance up until now and to be honest, I never expected to review anything but romance. Then, Kerrigan Byrne comes along and she tells us she wrote something that is not romance. Well, not romantic to the extent we've come to expect from her. The SHOCK!! The HORROR!! But, it’s KERRIGAN BYRNE!! So, of course, I had to give it a go.
Knowing that I was going to be exposed to a wee bit of blood…and other things, I was hesitant to start. It was loaded up and the cover (which I LOVE) was there… looking at me… but I couldn’t turn the page. This could be because I was about to go to bed, and I was worried that it might play on my mind a wee bit. Blood and guts, Jack the Ripper, murder and mayhem are not exactly going to soothe me to sleep. So, I chickened out, turned off my Kindle and had an early night. Which lead me to start at 4:45 am on a Monday… what a start to the working week.
To be honest, The Business of Blood took me longer to read than I thought it would. I loved the words and how Kerrigan Byrne weaved her tale. BUT IT’S INTENSE!! My mind had to stay alert, my heart was pumping waiting for the next gruesome discovery.
I’m not used to ending a story feeling emotionally scarred, physically drained and completely disgusted with the evilness of humans. I guess I'm accustomed to reading stories that leave me with a sense of hope, contentment and joy.
This was a great mystery. The twists and turns were exciting, I was surprised at the *whodunit*, and found the intricate details of a murder investigation riveting. I really can’t fault the timeline, characterisation or settings. Getting to know more about Jack the Ripper was thrilling while also a wee bit horrifying. What murder investigators, coroners/post-mortem examiners, and the clean-up crews (after the body has been removed) face are also fascinating and horrific. I now know that I’m NOT the person for any of those jobs. The Business of Blood is a thought-provoking story that deals with lots of different issues concerning judgement based on class, race, sex and religious beliefs.
If I was to find any fault with The Business of Blood, it was that I was distracted enough to keep looking for the romantic element. I’m not sure if this is because it is ingrained in me or because there were hints of possibilities with certain characters we meet. There is a kiss in one scene, but it was not the type of kiss to give me heart flutters AT ALL. The person kissing and their reaction straight after was less than appealing.
If you are a fan of mysteries, don’t mind a wee bit of blood and gore, and love Kerrigan Byrne’s words, you will not be disappointed reading The Business of Blood. I thoroughly enjoyed this step out of my comfort zone…into sleuthing out a serial killer.
Stacey is Sassy, received an advanced copy of this story. The copy provided is not the final copy and may be subject to edits and changes.
December 29, 2021
The Business of Blood
(The Fiona Mahoney Mysteries #1)
by Kerrigan Byrne
This isn't my normal genre but I enjoyed it anyway. It is an alternative fiction during the Jack the Ripper days. Fiona is an Irish gal with her possibly crazy aunt that lives with her. Fiona is determined to find Jack since he killed her friend Mary. Jack is back after a long absence.
Fiona works for The Hammer, a handsome and powerful mob like boss. He Haas an American Indian working for him he calls The Blade. There is also the handsome cop named Croft. Any of these could be Jack because it is someone close to her. Her true love came home from the war changed, and although he still loves her, felt he needed to atone for his sins of war by becoming a priest.
The characters are interesting and it does reflect the society's beliefs about women at the time. Great narration, bought on chirp when it was on sale.
(The Fiona Mahoney Mysteries #1)
by Kerrigan Byrne
This isn't my normal genre but I enjoyed it anyway. It is an alternative fiction during the Jack the Ripper days. Fiona is an Irish gal with her possibly crazy aunt that lives with her. Fiona is determined to find Jack since he killed her friend Mary. Jack is back after a long absence.
Fiona works for The Hammer, a handsome and powerful mob like boss. He Haas an American Indian working for him he calls The Blade. There is also the handsome cop named Croft. Any of these could be Jack because it is someone close to her. Her true love came home from the war changed, and although he still loves her, felt he needed to atone for his sins of war by becoming a priest.
The characters are interesting and it does reflect the society's beliefs about women at the time. Great narration, bought on chirp when it was on sale.
October 24, 2019
“I was no longer a lady. A woman. Or Fiona. I was a wild thing. Perhaps a killer.”
I want to be Fiona when I grow up! I love strong fierce heroines in stories, and boy did Kerrigan Byrne create the ultimate. My girl Fiona had 9 lives in this story. This book, chilled me to the bone. So much murder, mystery and intrigue. I’ve never studied Jack The Ripper so much in my life. Very fascinating, what I found on him. This story is so much extra, and is a very unique historical mystery. Not really a romance, although some of the “tension” you feel between Fiona, and a couple of the male characters is quite titillating. The pull is very strong, and the chemistry between these characters takes you under the spell of it all.
I don’t want to spoil anything about this story, but I do want to brag on Kerrigan’s writing and the feels that it gives me. “Deep in my bones” kind of feelings.
..”something about the way the night shifted, the darkness claiming the many nooks and alleys of Whitechapel, the most wretched borough of London, sent a thousand insects skittering across my skin.”
This quote literally gave me chills as if I could feel it’s description.
Bottom line—This story, these characters, the setting, time period..this needs to be made into a movie. It was beyond superb!!!
For all those that will one click, let me leave you with this quote:
“Be careful in the dark,” he cautioned. “You’ve drawn the attention of a killer.”
I want to be Fiona when I grow up! I love strong fierce heroines in stories, and boy did Kerrigan Byrne create the ultimate. My girl Fiona had 9 lives in this story. This book, chilled me to the bone. So much murder, mystery and intrigue. I’ve never studied Jack The Ripper so much in my life. Very fascinating, what I found on him. This story is so much extra, and is a very unique historical mystery. Not really a romance, although some of the “tension” you feel between Fiona, and a couple of the male characters is quite titillating. The pull is very strong, and the chemistry between these characters takes you under the spell of it all.
I don’t want to spoil anything about this story, but I do want to brag on Kerrigan’s writing and the feels that it gives me. “Deep in my bones” kind of feelings.
..”something about the way the night shifted, the darkness claiming the many nooks and alleys of Whitechapel, the most wretched borough of London, sent a thousand insects skittering across my skin.”
This quote literally gave me chills as if I could feel it’s description.
Bottom line—This story, these characters, the setting, time period..this needs to be made into a movie. It was beyond superb!!!
For all those that will one click, let me leave you with this quote:
“Be careful in the dark,” he cautioned. “You’ve drawn the attention of a killer.”
February 26, 2022
Gritty and bloody and dark, very dark. Not at all my usual read, but a very good Ripper tale. The only thing I was not happy with was the decidedly copious purple prose that Byrne liberally used throughout to book.
1890 is two years after Jack the Ripper terrorized London. Now, there is another murder that is eerily similar to the Ripper's bloody work. Fiona Mahoney is a crime scene cleaner and no stranger to the blood and death. This scene is beyond gruesome and takes Fiona back to the scene of the Ripper's last victim, Mary Kelly, Fiona's best friend from childhood. When she found Mary, Fiona vowed she would find Jack the Ripper and see justice done.
Fiona barely avoids being tossed from the scene by the surly Inspector Grayson Croft, but he is convinced by the coroner and an Inspector who worked the Ripper case that Fiona would be an asset in analyzing the newest murder, because this killing spree has just begun. It soon becomes clear that Fiona has attracted the unwanted attention of the murderer and that she is also keeping secrets of her own. 4 1/2-Stars
1890 is two years after Jack the Ripper terrorized London. Now, there is another murder that is eerily similar to the Ripper's bloody work. Fiona Mahoney is a crime scene cleaner and no stranger to the blood and death. This scene is beyond gruesome and takes Fiona back to the scene of the Ripper's last victim, Mary Kelly, Fiona's best friend from childhood. When she found Mary, Fiona vowed she would find Jack the Ripper and see justice done.
Fiona barely avoids being tossed from the scene by the surly Inspector Grayson Croft, but he is convinced by the coroner and an Inspector who worked the Ripper case that Fiona would be an asset in analyzing the newest murder, because this killing spree has just begun. It soon becomes clear that Fiona has attracted the unwanted attention of the murderer and that she is also keeping secrets of her own. 4 1/2-Stars
January 26, 2022
(4.5 stars) I've been doing lots of escape reading lately and have had my fill for the moment of romance, so I needed a palate cleanser. Funny that I should choose this book, because lemon sorbet it definitely is not. There's gruesome murder, blood and gore, and hints of Jack the Ripper in the background in this historical novel set in 1890 London. This read is not for the squeamish or the faint of heart.
The strange thing about me, though, is that I've always had a fascination with Jack the Ripper and other deviant psychopathic killers. I can watch shows like Criminal Minds or Silence of the Lambs, even while I dislike excessive violence or blood in movies with "normal" characters. Not sure what that says about me, but that's not exactly to the point of this review.
The point is that I was tired of romances and, strangely enough, Kerrigan Byrne writes the type of historical romances that I am tired of. Although I found her debut HR some years ago to be well written if a bit dramatic, her subsequent HRs have been too overwritten and overblown for me, with emphasis on lusty interaction between H and h and unconvincing love at the end.
No worries about that with this one, the first of three in a planned Fiona Maloney trilogy. There are hints of possible future romance for Fiona but there are several men in the running, from her childhood sweetheart and ex-fiance, who gave her up to become a priest, to a cynical police inspector, to a crimelord, to that crimelord's cold-blooded paid assassin. As you read, you will think any one of them could eventually be the One. If those last two don't sound like possible hero material, keep in mind that Kerrigan Byrne favors very bad boys as her heroes. One in particular, in her second HR, was an assassin hired to kill the heroine, so, yeah, there is that.
But this book is different. The focus is not romance. This is a character-driven story and mystery, with numerous well-drawn characters. The heroine, Fiona, had come from Ireland to England after family tragedy. She's alone in the world, except for her somewhat other-worldly Aunt Nola, and her friend and ex-fiance, Father Aidan Fitzpatrick.
Life hasn't been easy for her, and, not wanting to turn to the life of a prostitute, she has set up a business as Post Mortem Sanitation Specialist, cleaning up crime scenes, bloody and gory as they sometimes are. Like when her dear friend Mary Kelly, who had succumbed to life as a prostitute out of desperation when she also moved to England, in Whitechapel, to be exact, was brutally murdered and mutilated by Jack the Ripper two years earlier.
Fiona is doing well in her crime scene cleanup business. Well enough to have purchased a home for herself and Aunt Nola in a respectable neighborhood, where Oscar Wilde is a next door neighbor and friend. But Fiona lives for revenge. She has vowed to find The Ripper and retaliate for what he did to her dear friend Mary. Fiona is also a very conflicted woman, involved in a less than legal side business with that crimelord mentioned earlier.
As the book begins, Fiona is called to a crime scene for her cleanup services. The murder is brutal and gory, the victim hanged upside down and eviscerated. Is Jack back, wth a slight variation to his murder method and choice of victim? Ah, well, now it's time to settle back and settle in to the story. There will be more murder victims and moments when Fiona fears for her life.
The plot has great momentum and much more intricacy than Byrne's usual HRs. Secondary and tertiary characters are all very well drawn. EVen the victims will not just be bodies placed into the story for sensationalism. And all Fiona's friends and acquaintances are distinct personalities, from the two main policemen, to the coroner, to Father Aidan, to crimelord Jorah Roth aka The Hammer, to assassin Aramis Night Horse aka The Blade, to Aunt Nola and more I can't remember at the moment.
I was impressed by the story. It's not, as you might be thinking, all blood and gore and entrails and sensationalism. There are many thoughtful conversations and internal ponderings along the way. Fiona's interactions with Oscar Wilde are charming, her conversation with Night Horse about genocide and suppression of a people as evidenced by similarities between treatment of the Irish and the Native Americans was one of the best moments of the book. Then there are ponderings about religion, belief systems, God, revenge. This book was much better than I had expected it to be, with much more depth than any other book by Bryne I've read.
And there are two more books to come. We still have to continue developing that possible romance with the contenders mentioned at the beginning of my review, and, although this first book had its conclusion and its murderer brought to justice, there are still gruesome murders to come and the tease of Jack the Ripper.
The strange thing about me, though, is that I've always had a fascination with Jack the Ripper and other deviant psychopathic killers. I can watch shows like Criminal Minds or Silence of the Lambs, even while I dislike excessive violence or blood in movies with "normal" characters. Not sure what that says about me, but that's not exactly to the point of this review.
The point is that I was tired of romances and, strangely enough, Kerrigan Byrne writes the type of historical romances that I am tired of. Although I found her debut HR some years ago to be well written if a bit dramatic, her subsequent HRs have been too overwritten and overblown for me, with emphasis on lusty interaction between H and h and unconvincing love at the end.
No worries about that with this one, the first of three in a planned Fiona Maloney trilogy. There are hints of possible future romance for Fiona but there are several men in the running, from her childhood sweetheart and ex-fiance, who gave her up to become a priest, to a cynical police inspector, to a crimelord, to that crimelord's cold-blooded paid assassin. As you read, you will think any one of them could eventually be the One. If those last two don't sound like possible hero material, keep in mind that Kerrigan Byrne favors very bad boys as her heroes. One in particular, in her second HR, was an assassin hired to kill the heroine, so, yeah, there is that.
But this book is different. The focus is not romance. This is a character-driven story and mystery, with numerous well-drawn characters. The heroine, Fiona, had come from Ireland to England after family tragedy. She's alone in the world, except for her somewhat other-worldly Aunt Nola, and her friend and ex-fiance, Father Aidan Fitzpatrick.
Life hasn't been easy for her, and, not wanting to turn to the life of a prostitute, she has set up a business as Post Mortem Sanitation Specialist, cleaning up crime scenes, bloody and gory as they sometimes are. Like when her dear friend Mary Kelly, who had succumbed to life as a prostitute out of desperation when she also moved to England, in Whitechapel, to be exact, was brutally murdered and mutilated by Jack the Ripper two years earlier.
Fiona is doing well in her crime scene cleanup business. Well enough to have purchased a home for herself and Aunt Nola in a respectable neighborhood, where Oscar Wilde is a next door neighbor and friend. But Fiona lives for revenge. She has vowed to find The Ripper and retaliate for what he did to her dear friend Mary. Fiona is also a very conflicted woman, involved in a less than legal side business with that crimelord mentioned earlier.
As the book begins, Fiona is called to a crime scene for her cleanup services. The murder is brutal and gory, the victim hanged upside down and eviscerated. Is Jack back, wth a slight variation to his murder method and choice of victim? Ah, well, now it's time to settle back and settle in to the story. There will be more murder victims and moments when Fiona fears for her life.
The plot has great momentum and much more intricacy than Byrne's usual HRs. Secondary and tertiary characters are all very well drawn. EVen the victims will not just be bodies placed into the story for sensationalism. And all Fiona's friends and acquaintances are distinct personalities, from the two main policemen, to the coroner, to Father Aidan, to crimelord Jorah Roth aka The Hammer, to assassin Aramis Night Horse aka The Blade, to Aunt Nola and more I can't remember at the moment.
I was impressed by the story. It's not, as you might be thinking, all blood and gore and entrails and sensationalism. There are many thoughtful conversations and internal ponderings along the way. Fiona's interactions with Oscar Wilde are charming, her conversation with Night Horse about genocide and suppression of a people as evidenced by similarities between treatment of the Irish and the Native Americans was one of the best moments of the book. Then there are ponderings about religion, belief systems, God, revenge. This book was much better than I had expected it to be, with much more depth than any other book by Bryne I've read.
And there are two more books to come. We still have to continue developing that possible romance with the contenders mentioned at the beginning of my review, and, although this first book had its conclusion and its murderer brought to justice, there are still gruesome murders to come and the tease of Jack the Ripper.
May 27, 2022
Kerrigan Byrne is one of my favorite authors and something I love about her historical romances is how interesting the plots are and how atmospheric she can write. So I was very excited to read her mystery series! Thus is a Jack The Ripper murder mystery and I found this book to be extremely compelling. I couldn't stop reading and it was giving me major Ms. Scarlet and The Duke vibes.
I will say that I felt like the identity of the killer was foreshadowed a bit too strongly here as I instantly knew who it would be once a certain conversation happened early on. But it was still a fun (and by fun I mean gory and descriptive about some gruesome murders), fast paced, who dunnit that I really enjoyed!
I will say that I felt like the identity of the killer was foreshadowed a bit too strongly here as I instantly knew who it would be once a certain conversation happened early on. But it was still a fun (and by fun I mean gory and descriptive about some gruesome murders), fast paced, who dunnit that I really enjoyed!
November 5, 2019
Fiona makes her living cleaning up after the corpses are carted away, and after the murder of her best-friend Mary, 2 years ago, through her work she has been following the trail of Jack the Ripper, determined to make him pay.
This is so different to the authors HR book series ‘Victorian Rebels’, this book is not a romance, whether a that becomes a dominant theme in the books that proceed who knows but here whilst there is a thin strand of romance that pops up here and there it’s fleeting and at the periphery of the tale.
There are some intense moments in this, but the book whilst at times tugging on my emotions didn’t have me riveted. The pacing of the story was a tad off for me, and didn’t have been flipping through the pages as I would have liked. Nevertheless, I will be tuning in for the next book in the series, I just won’t be impatiently waiting for its release.
Beware the
Potential Triggers:
Acquired via KU.
This is so different to the authors HR book series ‘Victorian Rebels’, this book is not a romance, whether a that becomes a dominant theme in the books that proceed who knows but here whilst there is a thin strand of romance that pops up here and there it’s fleeting and at the periphery of the tale.
There are some intense moments in this, but the book whilst at times tugging on my emotions didn’t have me riveted. The pacing of the story was a tad off for me, and didn’t have been flipping through the pages as I would have liked. Nevertheless, I will be tuning in for the next book in the series, I just won’t be impatiently waiting for its release.
Beware the
Potential Triggers:
Acquired via KU.
January 25, 2022
This historical (mystery) fiction book is definitely different than Byrne's usual historical (romance) fiction books, and I am here for it! I mean, Jack the Ripper is involved, so you know it's good. Then throw in four potential love interests, and I am definitely reading the next book when it comes out in just two short months.
January 27, 2022
THE BUSINESS OF BLOOD
In The Business of Blood Series #1
Kerrigan Byrne
https://www.facebook.com/Kerriganbyrn...
Release date 11/07/2019
Blurb :
London, 1890. Blood and death are Fiona Mahoney’s trade, and business, as they say, is booming.
Dying is the only thing people do with any regularity, and Fiona makes her indecorous living cleaning up after the corpses are carted away. Her childhood best friend, Mary, was the last known victim of Jack the Ripper. It’s been two years since Fiona scrubbed Mary’s blood from the floorboards, and London is no longer buzzing about the Ripper, but Fiona hasn’t forgotten.
And she hasn’t stopped searching for Jack.
When she’s called to a murder in the middle of the night, Fiona finds a victim mutilated in an eerily similar fashion to those of the Ripper, and only a few doors down from Mary’s old home. The relentless, overbearing, and irritatingly handsome Inspector Grayson Croft warns her away from the case. She might have listened, if she hadn’t found a clue in the blood. A clue that will lead her down a path from which there is no return.
As a killer cuts a devastating swath through London, a letter written in blood arrives at her door, and it is only then that Fiona realizes just how perilous her endeavor is. For she has drawn the attention of an obsessive evil, and is no longer the hunter, but the prey.
Fiona Mahoney is in the business of blood. But she’s not the only one.
With intriguing twists, blood-chilling discoveries, and dazzling prose, USAToday Bestselling author Kerrigan Byrne shows that a woman’s work is never done, even when is sleuthing out a serial killer.
My review :
When summoned to a gruesome scene close by the last known Jack The Ripper’s murder site, a Post Mortem Sanitation specialist, a crime scene cleaner, finds herself intertwined in a web of secrets, deceits and lies...
I spent my teenage years reading sleuth stories like those by Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, Leslie Charteris, Lilian Jackson Braun, in between I discovered romance but as those were limited for my young self, mystery reads were not.
And just few days ago, I discovered Lady Sherlock series, and I quite loved it. So this read appears at the perfect time for me, sure it is no romance but something hangs in the air.
What ever, I loved the atmosphere, this new world perfectly blending among the old world that is London city by the end of the 19th century, which cross the road Oscar Wilde and Arthur Conan Doyle.
And for a journey, what a journey it was, I was rooted from page 1 and I nearly threw all my obligations to the window to finish my read today.
Don’t ask me why, but the narrative style in the first person, had me instantly thinking at The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie then because of the darkness of the story, I felt like I was back in a P. D. James’ novel sets at a different time period.
Mrs Kerrigan Byrne has delivered a reflective tale about life, love and death and our place amidst society and the living, and the cost we pays for it.
Fiona is a fabulous heroine, and she can not be named anything else than a heroine. She survived so many ordeals and losses, she recreated herself as a new Fiona one who faces everyday the worst of what humankind has to offer, yet in spite of the walls she has built around herself, she has still warmth and compassion in herself.
As I am a romance lover, difficult to not speak of the man who will more certainly become her love interest in the books to come. But as he is seen from Fiona’s lances, it is not easy to discern him. But sure, despite their bickering and many heated arguments, he is protective of her. Not always certain he can trust her but he is attracted to her.
Now they are left behind their hate relationship to a more professional business like interaction, how will it or not evolve to more, it is up to the author for the next installments.
The investigation which is at the center of this story is one of plenty of ramifications with Fiona as a kind of nucleus as all the men surrounding her are involved in some way.
After a time, I had an idea of the culprit, but never I imagined the extend of his madness.
This is not a light read but the writing style of Mrs Byrne smoothed it, like a paint can shows horrors and still be a thing of beauty.
I loved the cynical quips punctuating this and there Fiona’s retelling of the events, like a rub to help passe the abomination.
Even if the book ends on a cliffhanger, it has answered some of the questions I had at the beginning, yet some are still open and for another time.
Now I have to wait for the next in this series.
5 stars for a stirring tale with a magnificent heroine by her resilience to continue her quest.
I was granted an advance copy by the author, and will purchase my own.
Here is my true and unbiased opinion.
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In The Business of Blood Series #1
Kerrigan Byrne
https://www.facebook.com/Kerriganbyrn...
Release date 11/07/2019
Blurb :
London, 1890. Blood and death are Fiona Mahoney’s trade, and business, as they say, is booming.
Dying is the only thing people do with any regularity, and Fiona makes her indecorous living cleaning up after the corpses are carted away. Her childhood best friend, Mary, was the last known victim of Jack the Ripper. It’s been two years since Fiona scrubbed Mary’s blood from the floorboards, and London is no longer buzzing about the Ripper, but Fiona hasn’t forgotten.
And she hasn’t stopped searching for Jack.
When she’s called to a murder in the middle of the night, Fiona finds a victim mutilated in an eerily similar fashion to those of the Ripper, and only a few doors down from Mary’s old home. The relentless, overbearing, and irritatingly handsome Inspector Grayson Croft warns her away from the case. She might have listened, if she hadn’t found a clue in the blood. A clue that will lead her down a path from which there is no return.
As a killer cuts a devastating swath through London, a letter written in blood arrives at her door, and it is only then that Fiona realizes just how perilous her endeavor is. For she has drawn the attention of an obsessive evil, and is no longer the hunter, but the prey.
Fiona Mahoney is in the business of blood. But she’s not the only one.
With intriguing twists, blood-chilling discoveries, and dazzling prose, USAToday Bestselling author Kerrigan Byrne shows that a woman’s work is never done, even when is sleuthing out a serial killer.
My review :
When summoned to a gruesome scene close by the last known Jack The Ripper’s murder site, a Post Mortem Sanitation specialist, a crime scene cleaner, finds herself intertwined in a web of secrets, deceits and lies...
I spent my teenage years reading sleuth stories like those by Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, Leslie Charteris, Lilian Jackson Braun, in between I discovered romance but as those were limited for my young self, mystery reads were not.
And just few days ago, I discovered Lady Sherlock series, and I quite loved it. So this read appears at the perfect time for me, sure it is no romance but something hangs in the air.
What ever, I loved the atmosphere, this new world perfectly blending among the old world that is London city by the end of the 19th century, which cross the road Oscar Wilde and Arthur Conan Doyle.
And for a journey, what a journey it was, I was rooted from page 1 and I nearly threw all my obligations to the window to finish my read today.
Don’t ask me why, but the narrative style in the first person, had me instantly thinking at The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie then because of the darkness of the story, I felt like I was back in a P. D. James’ novel sets at a different time period.
Mrs Kerrigan Byrne has delivered a reflective tale about life, love and death and our place amidst society and the living, and the cost we pays for it.
Fiona is a fabulous heroine, and she can not be named anything else than a heroine. She survived so many ordeals and losses, she recreated herself as a new Fiona one who faces everyday the worst of what humankind has to offer, yet in spite of the walls she has built around herself, she has still warmth and compassion in herself.
As I am a romance lover, difficult to not speak of the man who will more certainly become her love interest in the books to come. But as he is seen from Fiona’s lances, it is not easy to discern him. But sure, despite their bickering and many heated arguments, he is protective of her. Not always certain he can trust her but he is attracted to her.
Now they are left behind their hate relationship to a more professional business like interaction, how will it or not evolve to more, it is up to the author for the next installments.
The investigation which is at the center of this story is one of plenty of ramifications with Fiona as a kind of nucleus as all the men surrounding her are involved in some way.
After a time, I had an idea of the culprit, but never I imagined the extend of his madness.
This is not a light read but the writing style of Mrs Byrne smoothed it, like a paint can shows horrors and still be a thing of beauty.
I loved the cynical quips punctuating this and there Fiona’s retelling of the events, like a rub to help passe the abomination.
Even if the book ends on a cliffhanger, it has answered some of the questions I had at the beginning, yet some are still open and for another time.
Now I have to wait for the next in this series.
5 stars for a stirring tale with a magnificent heroine by her resilience to continue her quest.
I was granted an advance copy by the author, and will purchase my own.
Here is my true and unbiased opinion.
https://www.facebook.com/429830134272...
October 27, 2019
Well. This was not in the author's usual style. I have pretty much read all of Byrne's books, and this Victorian thriller is very different.
The setting is Jack the Ripper's London, a Whitechapel complete with smog, fog, stench, blood and gore. Add a touch of Gothic supernatural, a heroine who has a rather interesting job (cleaning up after death) and not one but four possible love interests, and we have this book.
I was hooked from the start, because as we all know, this lady can write. Even when I haven't enjoyed the book's plot, I have always appreciated her almost poetic descriptions and interesting characterisation. I felt the oppressive, evil atmosphere from the first page, and while I found the heroine annoying and a tad repugnant at times (I am shite when it comes to violence and gore, so disembowelment, castrations, flaying, FFS are going to be a problem for my squeamish sensibilities, but our heroine, Fiona, remained strangely unaffected) I was fascinated by the whole thing.
There is no romance per se. Fiona is still in love with her beautiful Irish childhood friend, Aiden, but he has become a priest and refuses to be with her, even though he clearly loves her. Grayson Croft is the English police inspector who may be interested in her. The Hammer (Jorah) is a Jewish gangster who owns most of London's streets. He seems interested in her. Finally, Aramis, aka Blade, who is Hammer's assassin employee and happens to be a Native American, seems interested (and is certainly interesting- who knows what's going on in that mind?) Despite hints every now and then, that is all we get. There are two more books planned for this series so far, and I am super interested to see how this plays out.
Aiden
We also have a witty, yet deeply unhappy Oscar Wilde as Fiona's neighbour, and good old Conan Doyle is mentioned. I love it.
Fiona is obsessed with Jack the Ripper, because her friend Mary was murdered by him, and she was the one to find the body. Or body parts, actually. There's a lot of that gore- very descriptive and stomach-churning. Probably pretty accurate. Themes of genocide (Jews, Native Americans, Irish), prejudice, anti-Semitism are layered through the book. ,
Added to that are the questions organised religion raises- why have faith, is there a God, is there heaven and hell, are there restless spirits, can a Christian God even grant redemption and absolution, and have we really moved much beyond our pagan origins? I found that aspect fascinating and challenging.
Fiona is a very complex person- a classic, tortured Byrne heroine. Yep, Byrne does tortured and damaged very well indeed! It took a while for me to warm to her, and I can imagine the average Victorian male would have struggled to accept her. She was almost too driven, too single-minded. In those situations, where vengeance, or justice, if you like, is all that keeps you going, the question will always be: what do you do once you have achieved that goal? What else would be worth living for? Thank goodness she has her moments of compassion and pity, otherwise she would have been just another cardboard kick-ass heroine.
There is a resolution, in that we find out who the murderer is. I did actually guess the right one about three quarters of the way through, but had no idea of the motivation. Yet many questions remain.....
Why not 5 stars? Firstly, the gore was a bit too graphic for me, but mostly, it left too much up in the air for me and I am saving the 5 stars for the next book!!!
This one may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it is a damned good story, even when it is difficult to read. I hope Byrne keeps on with her HR genre, because those books are terrific escapist fare, despite the gritty backstories they always feature, but this book is an impressive start to what should be a riveting series.
The setting is Jack the Ripper's London, a Whitechapel complete with smog, fog, stench, blood and gore. Add a touch of Gothic supernatural, a heroine who has a rather interesting job (cleaning up after death) and not one but four possible love interests, and we have this book.
I was hooked from the start, because as we all know, this lady can write. Even when I haven't enjoyed the book's plot, I have always appreciated her almost poetic descriptions and interesting characterisation. I felt the oppressive, evil atmosphere from the first page, and while I found the heroine annoying and a tad repugnant at times (I am shite when it comes to violence and gore, so disembowelment, castrations, flaying, FFS are going to be a problem for my squeamish sensibilities, but our heroine, Fiona, remained strangely unaffected) I was fascinated by the whole thing.
There is no romance per se. Fiona is still in love with her beautiful Irish childhood friend, Aiden, but he has become a priest and refuses to be with her, even though he clearly loves her. Grayson Croft is the English police inspector who may be interested in her. The Hammer (Jorah) is a Jewish gangster who owns most of London's streets. He seems interested in her. Finally, Aramis, aka Blade, who is Hammer's assassin employee and happens to be a Native American, seems interested (and is certainly interesting- who knows what's going on in that mind?) Despite hints every now and then, that is all we get. There are two more books planned for this series so far, and I am super interested to see how this plays out.
Aiden
We also have a witty, yet deeply unhappy Oscar Wilde as Fiona's neighbour, and good old Conan Doyle is mentioned. I love it.
Fiona is obsessed with Jack the Ripper, because her friend Mary was murdered by him, and she was the one to find the body. Or body parts, actually. There's a lot of that gore- very descriptive and stomach-churning. Probably pretty accurate. Themes of genocide (Jews, Native Americans, Irish), prejudice, anti-Semitism are layered through the book. ,
Added to that are the questions organised religion raises- why have faith, is there a God, is there heaven and hell, are there restless spirits, can a Christian God even grant redemption and absolution, and have we really moved much beyond our pagan origins? I found that aspect fascinating and challenging.
Fiona is a very complex person- a classic, tortured Byrne heroine. Yep, Byrne does tortured and damaged very well indeed! It took a while for me to warm to her, and I can imagine the average Victorian male would have struggled to accept her. She was almost too driven, too single-minded. In those situations, where vengeance, or justice, if you like, is all that keeps you going, the question will always be: what do you do once you have achieved that goal? What else would be worth living for? Thank goodness she has her moments of compassion and pity, otherwise she would have been just another cardboard kick-ass heroine.
There is a resolution, in that we find out who the murderer is. I did actually guess the right one about three quarters of the way through, but had no idea of the motivation. Yet many questions remain.....
Why not 5 stars? Firstly, the gore was a bit too graphic for me, but mostly, it left too much up in the air for me and I am saving the 5 stars for the next book!!!
This one may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it is a damned good story, even when it is difficult to read. I hope Byrne keeps on with her HR genre, because those books are terrific escapist fare, despite the gritty backstories they always feature, but this book is an impressive start to what should be a riveting series.
January 4, 2021
I love Kerrigan Byrne's historical romances, and now I love her historical mysteries even more. She writes in a world I'm VERY familiar with (including Jack the Ripper and Oscar Wilde), and her research, voices, locations, and characters are excellent. On top of that, she's just a great storyteller.
Highly recommended for fans of historical mystery, Victorian history, and any readers of An Urchin of Means or the Immortal Descendants series.
Highly recommended for fans of historical mystery, Victorian history, and any readers of An Urchin of Means or the Immortal Descendants series.
April 3, 2021
This is an entertaining, well-written, historical mystery novel. It has a likable, engaging, strong and capable female protagonist, mystery, intrigue, twists and turns and a touch of romance. I listened to the audio version of this novel and the narrator, Ms. Justine Eyre, has a lovely voice and does an outstanding job depicting the voices and expressing the personalities of the characters. I am looking forward to reading the next entry in this series with great anticipation.
February 13, 2021
It's a 3.7 from me. At one hand I loved it, strong female character running around trying to solve the jack the ripper case. In this is was suspicion on new cases. While its all fun and exciting I've read it before as a huntress for books about jack the ripper. So it feelt a little redundant but still fun
October 27, 2019
3 1/2 "Bloody Business" Stars!
Well, first of I have to say, this was not a romance. It's a mystery/thriller. Without the romance thrown in, mystery/thrillers are not really my thing. However! I absolutely love Kerrigan Byrne. Her style was all over this story. Plus there was some chemistry between Fiona and a few male characters actually.
Speaking of Fiona, I loved her. She was an unconventional woman. Especially in 1890. She was smart and brave and loyal.
The actual mystery was good. There were quite a few gory murder details described in scenes. Plus, I didn't not see the bad guy coming.
Overall, I think this was good! There are more books coming in this series and I am very interested in see how Fiona navigates the dark streets of London during the time of The Ripper.
Happy reading!
Well, first of I have to say, this was not a romance. It's a mystery/thriller. Without the romance thrown in, mystery/thrillers are not really my thing. However! I absolutely love Kerrigan Byrne. Her style was all over this story. Plus there was some chemistry between Fiona and a few male characters actually.
Speaking of Fiona, I loved her. She was an unconventional woman. Especially in 1890. She was smart and brave and loyal.
The actual mystery was good. There were quite a few gory murder details described in scenes. Plus, I didn't not see the bad guy coming.
Overall, I think this was good! There are more books coming in this series and I am very interested in see how Fiona navigates the dark streets of London during the time of The Ripper.
Happy reading!
August 6, 2023
Fiona is now one of my favorite female sleuths. She is a little on the broken side and you can tell that her past has some very large mysteries in it.
She came to London after her broken betrothal and the death of all of the brothers and her father to work in a brothel. But just as she was about to sell her virginity to the highest bidder her best friend from childhood was brutally murdered by Jack the Ripper and her world went sideways. Now she cleans up the messes the dead leave behind and she might even assist in solving a murder or two in the process.
Now a successful cleaner of scenes filled with blood and gore she lives a life mostly of solitude having only one friend left in the world, her former betrothed that chose to marry god over the girl from his childhood.
Jack the Ripper hasn't killed again since Mary, but he leaves Fiona letters as he is fixated on her. She is on the hunt for someone who is trying to mimic Jack's killings. It is up to her and a few of the dangerous men circling her to figure out if Jack is back or if there is someone just as terrible out there killing people in similar ways.
This was a great mystery and I will say I completely guessed wrong on who was responsible for the murders and why. What a fun murder mystery incorporating bits of the Ripper story into it. This seems like it will also have a very slow burn romance in the background which I am definitely a fan of. Three dark, broken and broody men to chose from how delicious.
Looking forward to continuing the series.
She came to London after her broken betrothal and the death of all of the brothers and her father to work in a brothel. But just as she was about to sell her virginity to the highest bidder her best friend from childhood was brutally murdered by Jack the Ripper and her world went sideways. Now she cleans up the messes the dead leave behind and she might even assist in solving a murder or two in the process.
“Death's business is a messy one.”
Now a successful cleaner of scenes filled with blood and gore she lives a life mostly of solitude having only one friend left in the world, her former betrothed that chose to marry god over the girl from his childhood.
“Did you love me?" It was a pathetic question asked in a pathetic whisper.
"Oh, Fiona," The lips he pressed against my temple were anything but ecumenical. His hand on my back drifted to my waist. "My feelings for you cannot be reduced to a single word. You are my only temptation.”
Jack the Ripper hasn't killed again since Mary, but he leaves Fiona letters as he is fixated on her. She is on the hunt for someone who is trying to mimic Jack's killings. It is up to her and a few of the dangerous men circling her to figure out if Jack is back or if there is someone just as terrible out there killing people in similar ways.
This was a great mystery and I will say I completely guessed wrong on who was responsible for the murders and why. What a fun murder mystery incorporating bits of the Ripper story into it. This seems like it will also have a very slow burn romance in the background which I am definitely a fan of. Three dark, broken and broody men to chose from how delicious.
Looking forward to continuing the series.
October 9, 2019
Rated 4.5 Stars
The Business of Blood is a historical mystery with a Sherlock Holmes vibe to it. It's also dark and a bit gory. I loved it. I loved the backdrop of it, the nods to literary figures and the budding romance. It's very much an enemies to lovers and office romance. It had me invested in the characters and the story from the get. I'm definitely looking forward to reading the rest of the series and highly recommend it.
Copy provided by author
The Business of Blood is a historical mystery with a Sherlock Holmes vibe to it. It's also dark and a bit gory. I loved it. I loved the backdrop of it, the nods to literary figures and the budding romance. It's very much an enemies to lovers and office romance. It had me invested in the characters and the story from the get. I'm definitely looking forward to reading the rest of the series and highly recommend it.
Copy provided by author
November 7, 2019
There was a lot about this book that sets it apart from the glut of historicals out there right now. Some other reviews I've read compared it to the Kat Holloway mysteries, so that intrigued me enough to pick this up, but for me there was no comparison. I didn't love Fiona, and at times I found her behavior completely unrealistic. Not a series I'll be continuing.
September 29, 2020
I'm going to start this review by admitting I almost quit this book a quarter of the way through. I came (fingers one inch apart) that close to just stoping because I found the story boring. It wasn't poorly written or anything, it just took time for the story to setup.
However, clearly in the end I enjoyed the story enough to give it four stars.
However, clearly in the end I enjoyed the story enough to give it four stars.
November 2, 2019
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5 ‘Until The Ghosts Are Put To Rest’ Stars
Oooohhhhh, Kerrigan Byrne rocked my world with this twist on Jack The Ripper, because it’s SO MUCH more than I expected! Mind, heart and soul gripping, THE BUSINESS OF BLOOD is a full blown experience!
I tend to stay away from anything close to horror genre, but as soon as Ms. Byrne announced this book as a brand new Historical Mystery I wanted to jump right in. Being a huge retelling fan, I could only imagine how enrapturing TBoB would be. Well, I really had no idea just how much I would be absorbed…
Aye, well. Sometimes I worried for my soul, too. God knows I’ve committed enough sins these days to procure my place in hell.
Fiona Mahoney is everything I love in an heroine and some. Not only is she smart, independent and strong beyond belief – which is even more extraordinary considering the time and age – , but she have such a hidden fragility in her feeling and emotions, if not only in her POV, that we immediately related to her, her pain, and her thirst for justice and a bit of revenge.
Death’s business is a messy one.
And I made my living cleaning up after him. At least here in London.
Being a self employed woman at that time and age, and the nature of her business as cleaning up murder scenes is, on itself so avant guard that it’s no wonder I was hooked even before I got into Fiona’s intricate and heart felt mind and spirit.
From the very first page I felt every single emotion she went through: from the loneliness, to the pain, the rage, the fear, the confusion, and heart and body’s reactions to all the intriguing men she interacted with – specially Inspector Croft, who I romance reader’s heart is rooting for, because even though this is not a romance, hello potential broody Hero! LOL – , I was there, going through it all right along with her. Ms. Byrne truly has a the gift to transport us in time and space with her incredible story telling!
I’d stood over too many corpses of those I love, and each time I expected my bleeding heart to just…stop. It should, I think. When it’s broken as many times as mine, it shouldn’t work anymore. But somehow it still did. It kept going.
And so long as it beat in its chamber, I’d be searching for the Ripper.
The twists and turns,the dark and gothic elements that Ms. Byrne does to perfection, it’s just impossible not to dip into this world and find yourself completely immersed in this universe and in Fiona Mahoney’s mind! And oh my, for a non romance the sexual tension just left me…*delicious shivers*
Oil and water, that was Croft and me. Two negatively charged magnets repelling each other by nature of physical law.
The Business of Blood indeed blew my mind, not only because of the shock and the surprise I passed with the unfolding of the mystery, the cleverness of the connection of the background feud with The Ripper that I have no doubt will follow all this series, but specially because it left me BEGGING for more! Kerrigan Byrne truly is a masterful storyteller! I had not even finished and I was already dreading the last page because I just knew I couldn’t be satisfied without knowing more, uncovering all the secrets and see the cementing of all relationship, so it’s safe to say I will be in pins and needles for the next book in the series, I truly CAN.NOT.WAIT!!!! <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
“My ghosts provide constant company. And until I put them to rest, my life and my heart have no room to spare.”
ARC kindly provided by the author via Social Butterfly PR for an honest review
For full review with Blog Tour, check out my Blog post,
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March 31, 2024
There was so much going on here, but it wasn’t confusing or hard to keep track of all the characters and murders. I’m surprised! Fiona Mahoney isn’t a simple character, but she’s certainly one I’m rooting for.
May 27, 2020
I love slipping into a story when there is a serial killer afoot. Especially when there is a possibility involves Jack the Ripper. Byrne delivered a fast-paced murder mystery with plenty of twists, unusual characters and a feisty, stubborn heroine.
When Fiona cleans up a grizzly murder scene, she realizes it is eerily similar to Jack’s style. Could he be back? The location is just a few doors down from Mary’s home. Fiona gets the itch to investigate. Inspector Grayson Croft warns Fiona off, but Fiona finds a clue in a pool of blood that sets events in motion.
Twists, old lovers, business partners and an annoyingly handsome Inspector soon have Fiona searching for a killer. But will her questions place others in danger? Worse yet, will she be their next victim?
There are romantic side threads but these are all firmly served on the side and we will just have to see which threads become viable.
Gruesome discoveries, old flames now forbidden, and Fiona’s own secrets led to an intense tale that kept me listening into the wee hours.
Fiona interacts with a variety of people because of her line of work. Everyone from priests to criminals. Few people truly know Fiona. I found her to be tenacious, and fiercely independent with a tendency to run headlong into danger.
“Be careful in the dark,” he cautioned. “You’ve drawn the attention of a killer.” –The Business of Blood
Justine Eyre narrates and does a fine job from Fiona’s Irish lilt to pacing and tone. Each character had a unique voice, and through inflection she amped up the suspenseful moments. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
When Fiona cleans up a grizzly murder scene, she realizes it is eerily similar to Jack’s style. Could he be back? The location is just a few doors down from Mary’s home. Fiona gets the itch to investigate. Inspector Grayson Croft warns Fiona off, but Fiona finds a clue in a pool of blood that sets events in motion.
Twists, old lovers, business partners and an annoyingly handsome Inspector soon have Fiona searching for a killer. But will her questions place others in danger? Worse yet, will she be their next victim?
There are romantic side threads but these are all firmly served on the side and we will just have to see which threads become viable.
Gruesome discoveries, old flames now forbidden, and Fiona’s own secrets led to an intense tale that kept me listening into the wee hours.
Fiona interacts with a variety of people because of her line of work. Everyone from priests to criminals. Few people truly know Fiona. I found her to be tenacious, and fiercely independent with a tendency to run headlong into danger.
“Be careful in the dark,” he cautioned. “You’ve drawn the attention of a killer.” –The Business of Blood
Justine Eyre narrates and does a fine job from Fiona’s Irish lilt to pacing and tone. Each character had a unique voice, and through inflection she amped up the suspenseful moments. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
March 25, 2024
Please don’t make me wait a year for the following book. This is the first book in what I hope is a long series. Fiona Mahoney is a Post Mortem Sanitation Specialist in Victorian London. Set two years after the Jack the Ripper murders, Fiona is called out to clean up after a body is found down the street from where Mary Kelly, Jack the Rippers last victim and Fiona’s friend, was found brutally murdered. Her ex fiancé, who is now a catholic priest is there to comfort the widow. Inspector Grayson Croft, who investigated Mary Kelly’s murder is there to investigate this new murder. What follows is a gripping tale of murder and mayhem. Who is committing these Ripper like murders? Who is targeting Fiona? This is a very dark and gritty story with mob bosses and assasins and famous historical figures thrown in. I loved the romantic element of the story and hope to see a relationship develop between Fiona and Croft. I like reading dark and gritty stories and this delivered. I was enthralled from the first page and couldn’t put this book down.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 6, 2019
Best Book of 2019, not Best HR, Best Book, Period.
My sole five stars of 2019. This book is just brilliant.
I was done reading it one month ago and it still lives with me, I dont know how I am supposed to wait another year to get my hands on the next one....
My sole five stars of 2019. This book is just brilliant.
I was done reading it one month ago and it still lives with me, I dont know how I am supposed to wait another year to get my hands on the next one....
Want to read
October 3, 2019A new Kerrigan Byrne book out in NOVEMBER!?!?
August 6, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next in the series. I was blown away by the twist and turns and I have to say I did not see the book ending as it did.
October 28, 2019
Fiona Mahoney is what is now referred to as a forensic cleaner. She cleans up after crime scenes. No matter how gruesome. No matter how bloody. That is why this book is so named,
The Business of Blood.
Tragically, the more murders that take place, the busier Fiona is.
A man has been brutally murdered . While Fiona is on the scene she quickly notices that the current victtim's body was left in such a way to instantly make her think of a gruesome series of murders, committed by none other than Jack the Ripper, the elusive killer that had disappeared from Whitechapel, where Fiona lives and works.
Accompanied by Aidan Fitzpatrick, her first love, and a man who has become a priest, they lock eyes. Fiona says to him, “You don’t think it was…" The Scotland Yard Inspector on scene, Croft, tries to shut down this line of thinking immediately.
Seeing the macabre evidence of his murder brings to mind Fiona's former friend, Mary Kelly, a victim of Jack the Ripper. She firmly believes he is back. Heartbroken for the loss of her friend. Heartbroken for the opportunity that was missed to marry Aidan, heartbroken for even more reasons. This all parlays into Fiona‘s determination to go beyond her skills as someone who has a rather expert technique of removing blood, to finding The Ripper once and for all.
This works in her favor, especially because Fiona has a gift of or a scale when it comes to solving crimes. She sees things that others may not see a tensor things out making her what we often called an amateur sleuth. Despite the inspector's insistence, Fiona gets the chance to start investigation almost immediately. With another murder happening almost immediately, more questions arise. Another suspected killer comes into Fiona's mind. Despite the inherent danger facing her, Fiona spends time with the man.
What a fast-moving, chilling and rather gruesome story. As if the entire thought of someone chasing and coming all-too-close to Jack the Ripper frightened me to death, I devoured this book. What is more, is the shocking conclusion. I could have been knocked over with a feather! Kerrigan Byrne really threw me for a loop. However am I going to wait for the next installment in this series?
I have read a couple of other books by this delightful author before, and they were historical romances. Little did I know when I picked up this book that I would be reading something of a different sort altogether. Something so well-written, so thorough, that I am more than eager for anything else she has to offer.
This series continues in 2020 with A Treacherous Trade, and in 2021 with A Vocation of Violence.
Many thanks to Kerrigan Byrne for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
A man has been brutally murdered . While Fiona is on the scene she quickly notices that the current victtim's body was left in such a way to instantly make her think of a gruesome series of murders, committed by none other than Jack the Ripper, the elusive killer that had disappeared from Whitechapel, where Fiona lives and works.
Accompanied by Aidan Fitzpatrick, her first love, and a man who has become a priest, they lock eyes. Fiona says to him, “You don’t think it was…" The Scotland Yard Inspector on scene, Croft, tries to shut down this line of thinking immediately.
Seeing the macabre evidence of his murder brings to mind Fiona's former friend, Mary Kelly, a victim of Jack the Ripper. She firmly believes he is back. Heartbroken for the loss of her friend. Heartbroken for the opportunity that was missed to marry Aidan, heartbroken for even more reasons. This all parlays into Fiona‘s determination to go beyond her skills as someone who has a rather expert technique of removing blood, to finding The Ripper once and for all.
This works in her favor, especially because Fiona has a gift of or a scale when it comes to solving crimes. She sees things that others may not see a tensor things out making her what we often called an amateur sleuth. Despite the inspector's insistence, Fiona gets the chance to start investigation almost immediately. With another murder happening almost immediately, more questions arise. Another suspected killer comes into Fiona's mind. Despite the inherent danger facing her, Fiona spends time with the man.
What a fast-moving, chilling and rather gruesome story. As if the entire thought of someone chasing and coming all-too-close to Jack the Ripper frightened me to death, I devoured this book. What is more, is the shocking conclusion. I could have been knocked over with a feather! Kerrigan Byrne really threw me for a loop. However am I going to wait for the next installment in this series?
I have read a couple of other books by this delightful author before, and they were historical romances. Little did I know when I picked up this book that I would be reading something of a different sort altogether. Something so well-written, so thorough, that I am more than eager for anything else she has to offer.
This series continues in 2020 with A Treacherous Trade, and in 2021 with A Vocation of Violence.
Many thanks to Kerrigan Byrne for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
February 17, 2022
KB really went out on a limb here and boy am I glad she did. I really liked our heroine, but boy does her milkshake bring all the boys to her yard. :-) Get your mind out of the gutter! She is a historical Post Mortem Sanitation Engineer, Crime Scene Clean up Regency style, so of course all the mens call on her when there is a dead body about. She is an enigma for sure and she has feelings for 4 guys, a hunky police detective, a Jewish crime lord, an American Indian assassin and she still has feelings for the angelic priest that she was once betrothed to. Which will she choose??? I can't wait for the next book in the series to find out. Although this book contains KB's strong and adept writing talent, this book isn't a romance, nor do I feel that the romance will ever play first string. It will always be about our heroine and her need to solve her best friends grisly death that she had to clean up, but was never solved. Was it the work of Jack the Ripper or someone closer at hand? Thanks KB for not given up on this series...it was well done. If you like JA's Kat Holloway series, you might like this gem of a read.
March 11, 2021
4 stars - Victorian Historical Mystery/Thriller
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