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Dorothy Martin #17
Blood Will Tell
American Anglophile Dorothy Martin tackles a tricky puzzle in the historic university town of Cambridge"" "
Dorothy Martin isn t overly enthusiastic when her husband, retired police detective Alan Nesbitt, invites her to accompany him to a conference in Cambridge, picturing cramped student accommodation. But St Stephen s turns out to be recently renovated, and, bolstered by en suite facilities, Dorothy is looking forward to exploring the historic and beautiful city. It is not long, though, before disaster strikes: lost in the maze of college buildings, Dorothy stumbles into a laboratory . . . and is shocked to find what looks like a pool of blood on the floor. She flees, to fetch help, but when Alan checks it out, there is nothing to be found. Was she mistaken? Or has a terrible crime been committed? Dorothy, who can never resist a puzzle, determines to find out.
Dorothy Martin isn t overly enthusiastic when her husband, retired police detective Alan Nesbitt, invites her to accompany him to a conference in Cambridge, picturing cramped student accommodation. But St Stephen s turns out to be recently renovated, and, bolstered by en suite facilities, Dorothy is looking forward to exploring the historic and beautiful city. It is not long, though, before disaster strikes: lost in the maze of college buildings, Dorothy stumbles into a laboratory . . . and is shocked to find what looks like a pool of blood on the floor. She flees, to fetch help, but when Alan checks it out, there is nothing to be found. Was she mistaken? Or has a terrible crime been committed? Dorothy, who can never resist a puzzle, determines to find out.
276 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2016
245 people are currently reading
223 people want to read
About the author
Jeanne M. Dams
46 books217 followersJeanne M. Dams lives in South Bend, Indiana. The Body in the Transept, which introduced Dorothy Martin, won the Agatha Award for Best First Novel. Dams is also the author of Green Grow the Victims and other Hilda Johansson mysteries published by Walker & Company.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
May 13, 2016
Blood will Tell by Jeanne M. Dams.
The latest in this wonderful Dorothy Martin series. Dorothy and husband Alan (ret. police chief) are attending a conference at St. Stephens University in Cambridge. The mystery begins when Dorothy trying to catch up to Alan at the commencement meeting of the conference finds herself lost in a maze of look alike buildings. Entering one of the wrong rooms in the wrong building she comes upon a large pool of blood as a person in a white lab coat flees out of sight.
The mystery of this pool of blood is where our mystery embarks.
My enjoyment of this series I owe to the in-depth portrayal of both Dorothy and Alan. Dorothy is aging which the author illustrates quite realistically. Alan at the same time comes across as a kind and loving husband. I did miss the coziness of their home with their two beloved pets and next door neighbor Jane.
Highly recommended for all lovers of cozies.
The latest in this wonderful Dorothy Martin series. Dorothy and husband Alan (ret. police chief) are attending a conference at St. Stephens University in Cambridge. The mystery begins when Dorothy trying to catch up to Alan at the commencement meeting of the conference finds herself lost in a maze of look alike buildings. Entering one of the wrong rooms in the wrong building she comes upon a large pool of blood as a person in a white lab coat flees out of sight.
The mystery of this pool of blood is where our mystery embarks.
My enjoyment of this series I owe to the in-depth portrayal of both Dorothy and Alan. Dorothy is aging which the author illustrates quite realistically. Alan at the same time comes across as a kind and loving husband. I did miss the coziness of their home with their two beloved pets and next door neighbor Jane.
Highly recommended for all lovers of cozies.
February 1, 2016
Blood Will Tell is the seventeenth book in the Dorothy Martin Mystery series.
It is always a joy to visit with Dorothy Martin and her husband, Retired Chief Constable Alan Nesbitt.
In this adventure Dorthy is heading to Cambridge as Alan has been invited to attend a police conference. Dorothy is planning on joining Alan and steps into a building it an attempt to get directions and enters a laboratory. The lab is vacant, but she sees someone in a lab coat leaving and soon discovers a pool of blood on the floor. She has no idea where the blood came from. She soon finds Alan and convinces him that she knows what she saw. When they arrive back at the lab, there is no evidence of blood. The police are called in and Superintendent Barker says there is not much she can do without the evidence that Dorothy claims to have seen. Once a student goes missing and Dorothy is pushed down a flight of stairs at a museum, Barker starts to believe in Dorothy's story.
Barker then enlists her nephew, Thomas Grenfell, who is a student and uses that particular lab, to help in finding out who or what the blood was from. Then when Grenfell goes missing, not only is Barker sure that something sinister has happened, but it has become personal.
This leads Dorothy into the countryside of Cambridge and for the river, searching among the punters looking for, the much valuable clues to solve this mystery.
Dams provides the reader, once again, with an insight to life in England, its beautiful countryside, historic cities and an enjoyable and believable cast of characters.
It is always a joy to visit with Dorothy Martin and her husband, Retired Chief Constable Alan Nesbitt.
In this adventure Dorthy is heading to Cambridge as Alan has been invited to attend a police conference. Dorothy is planning on joining Alan and steps into a building it an attempt to get directions and enters a laboratory. The lab is vacant, but she sees someone in a lab coat leaving and soon discovers a pool of blood on the floor. She has no idea where the blood came from. She soon finds Alan and convinces him that she knows what she saw. When they arrive back at the lab, there is no evidence of blood. The police are called in and Superintendent Barker says there is not much she can do without the evidence that Dorothy claims to have seen. Once a student goes missing and Dorothy is pushed down a flight of stairs at a museum, Barker starts to believe in Dorothy's story.
Barker then enlists her nephew, Thomas Grenfell, who is a student and uses that particular lab, to help in finding out who or what the blood was from. Then when Grenfell goes missing, not only is Barker sure that something sinister has happened, but it has become personal.
This leads Dorothy into the countryside of Cambridge and for the river, searching among the punters looking for, the much valuable clues to solve this mystery.
Dams provides the reader, once again, with an insight to life in England, its beautiful countryside, historic cities and an enjoyable and believable cast of characters.
January 10, 2022
Another engrossing book from Jeanne M Dams.
Here we have a police conference taking place in a Cambridge college where Dorothy is left to her own devices while Alan attends a function. She is frightened out of her wits when she stumbles into one of the dark buildings which houses a lab with a large pool of blood on the floor. She sees the back of someone's lab coat disappearing through another door and afraid of who might be hanging around returns in haste to find Alan. He rounds up a few of his fellow attendees and goes off to investigate. Needless to say by the time they get to the lab there is no sign of anyone and no pool of blood on the floor. In the course of the next few days Dorothy is attacked, people disappear and fantastic stories are revealed.
A gripping tale.
Here we have a police conference taking place in a Cambridge college where Dorothy is left to her own devices while Alan attends a function. She is frightened out of her wits when she stumbles into one of the dark buildings which houses a lab with a large pool of blood on the floor. She sees the back of someone's lab coat disappearing through another door and afraid of who might be hanging around returns in haste to find Alan. He rounds up a few of his fellow attendees and goes off to investigate. Needless to say by the time they get to the lab there is no sign of anyone and no pool of blood on the floor. In the course of the next few days Dorothy is attacked, people disappear and fantastic stories are revealed.
A gripping tale.
July 8, 2019
One of my favorite mystery series!
April 9, 2016
I read a lot of books. Really a lot. Most of them are cozy mysteries. Since they are, I tend to begin to think of them in relation to each other, And I do like them, so lots of them get 5 stars, even though I have really tried not to "inflate" my ratings. This is one of those books that makes me regret how many 5 stars I give out - because where is there to go when you have a superior book?
I have read other books by Jeanne Dams and wonder why I haven't read them all.
Her protagonist is Dorothy Martin, former widow now married to a retired police detective. One of the things that I love about her books is the fact that they are mystery! Yes, there is some blood. Of course there is some danger. But I do so enjoy a book where no one dies!
In this one, Dorothy is exploring the campus of St. Stephen College and wanders into a building by mistake. In one of the rooms she finds a huge quantity of blood on the floor. Not taking time to investigate, she hurries to her husband who finds the story somewhat fantastic. It is not until several days later when someone pushes her on a staircase, obviously meaning great harm, that her story is taken seriously.
Then we have two students who vanish. There seems to be no way to unravel the mystery until over a friendly meal they learn deep secrets which lead them to the proper conclusions.
What a great story. I was a little afraid at first when I saw the number of pages and the small type of the book, but I flew through it without skimming. It completely held my attention and I read every free moment!
I certainly must remember that Jeanne Dams needs to be at the top of my reading list!
I have read other books by Jeanne Dams and wonder why I haven't read them all.
Her protagonist is Dorothy Martin, former widow now married to a retired police detective. One of the things that I love about her books is the fact that they are mystery! Yes, there is some blood. Of course there is some danger. But I do so enjoy a book where no one dies!
In this one, Dorothy is exploring the campus of St. Stephen College and wanders into a building by mistake. In one of the rooms she finds a huge quantity of blood on the floor. Not taking time to investigate, she hurries to her husband who finds the story somewhat fantastic. It is not until several days later when someone pushes her on a staircase, obviously meaning great harm, that her story is taken seriously.
Then we have two students who vanish. There seems to be no way to unravel the mystery until over a friendly meal they learn deep secrets which lead them to the proper conclusions.
What a great story. I was a little afraid at first when I saw the number of pages and the small type of the book, but I flew through it without skimming. It completely held my attention and I read every free moment!
I certainly must remember that Jeanne Dams needs to be at the top of my reading list!
November 18, 2015
I look forward to reading novels written in this Dorothy Martin series and have enjoyed the ones I've read in the past. For some reason this particular one did not seem to ever connect with me in a personal way. Dorothy and her husband are on a trip to Cambridge where he is attending a five day symposium on law enforcement as one of the all-around VIP's and she is enjoying some time away from home. In her wandering around trying to get her bearings of the layout of the College she enters a building from a back door and looks into a laboratory and sees a great pool of blood on the floor. She might have thought it was some other liquid had it not been for the smell. Nothing else smells quite like blood. Feeling very unnerved, Dorothy quickly leaves the seemingly deserted building to return to the rooms provided for the convenience of members of the conference. Alan rounds up some of his friends to investigate but no trace of the blood is found. Naturally, things get more and more complicated with Dorothy finally being in physical danger.
I can't quite put my finger on why, but I never connected with the characters this time. Plus it seems as if some of the connections between characters was not any kind of a surprise when it was revealed so I was rather deflated in my enjoyment of this story. I will try again when the next novel is released and hope for a more pleasurable reading experience.
I received an e-ARC of this novel through NetGalley.
I can't quite put my finger on why, but I never connected with the characters this time. Plus it seems as if some of the connections between characters was not any kind of a surprise when it was revealed so I was rather deflated in my enjoyment of this story. I will try again when the next novel is released and hope for a more pleasurable reading experience.
I received an e-ARC of this novel through NetGalley.
April 23, 2016
Dorothy Martin travels with her husband, retired police detective Alan Nesbitt, to a police conference in Cambridge. While staying at St Stephen's, Dorothy is looking forward to exploring while Alan is busy. On the first day, she gets lost and goes into the wrong building. She sees a pool of blood in one of the labs, panics, and runs out to find her husband. When he goes back, there's nothing there. Half the book is spent convincing everyone she's not mad as a hatter and seeing things.
Well, of course, she's not seeing things, but I have to admit by the time the mystery is solved, I didn't care much. It was far fetched and, frankly, Dorothy is rather an annoying know-it-all, who is extremely condescending sometimes.
It's not the best book in the series, but not the worse, either. We need a so-so rating.
Well, of course, she's not seeing things, but I have to admit by the time the mystery is solved, I didn't care much. It was far fetched and, frankly, Dorothy is rather an annoying know-it-all, who is extremely condescending sometimes.
It's not the best book in the series, but not the worse, either. We need a so-so rating.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 21, 2016
Dams is the ultimate Anglophile! Her latest story takes place in Cambridge where Alan, a retired Chief Superintendent, and his wife, Dorothy are attending a police conference. Alan is a guest participant and Dorothy gets involved in suspicious happenings in one of the Science buildings on campus. Jeanne Dams knows how to write a British story very much like her predecessor, Sayers.
Twisted clues, lots of tea, nicely portrayed characters and lots of "English" language and customs. How can you go wrong?
Twisted clues, lots of tea, nicely portrayed characters and lots of "English" language and customs. How can you go wrong?
Read
May 4, 2016As always when I pick up a Dorothy Martin mystery, I know I can settle in and thoroughly enjoy myself. I am always immersed in a good plot, meet interesting, fully fledged characters and feel that justice will be done. Once again, I was not disappointed!
August 2, 2019
Super slow. More description of the main characters day - breakfast, walks, hat, achy feet - than action pertaining to the mystery. Once in a while something relevant would creep into the story. But it never really picked up. Quick read, so I just breezed through it and that's that.
December 20, 2015
Latest installment in the series, as always a good, reliable Dorothy Martin mystery. My full review here, https://protagonistspub.wordpress.com....
April 6, 2022
Not as good as two stars actually. I found it tedious and I really disliked Dorothy! I have not read any others in the series, but it wasn't necessary to understanding this one.
For me, Dorothy was an entirely unlikable woman. At times downright rude to people, and thought a lot of herself and her knowledge of how things work, or should work. She even speaks rudely to her husband. All he was doing was explaining how the place Cambridge, to most people, is only the university, when it's actually a town with major businesses. She responds, "Yes, OK, I get all that; you don't have to draw me a picture." Later, when she asks someone what they are working on, and is told, "...carbon fixation and photorespiration," she again rudely answers, "My father and my first husband were both biologists, Tom. I do understand a little." Of course, she goes on to "impress" the young man with her grand knowledge.
She is plain insufferable!
Why are the shopkeepers in the mark swearing in "rich Anglo-Saxon"? She wasn't at a fair for tourists where the shopkeepers were actors.
And... this book was published not long ago. Yes, it could have been set in, say, the 60's. But, it wasn't. There are mentions of technology, cell phones, etc. Not since old Agatha Christie's (60's publications) have I read that someone can't tell a man from a woman due to them both having long hair and similar clothing! Ms. Christie did it well, how times had changed. As time past, she changed her writing to fit the times. Sorry, but on on in 2015 would think (or should write) this way.
Just not a good book in any way. Not even the "mystery." I also hate nosy civilian women butting in where it's best to leave it to the professionals. So what if her husband is a retired big wig.
For me, Dorothy was an entirely unlikable woman. At times downright rude to people, and thought a lot of herself and her knowledge of how things work, or should work. She even speaks rudely to her husband. All he was doing was explaining how the place Cambridge, to most people, is only the university, when it's actually a town with major businesses. She responds, "Yes, OK, I get all that; you don't have to draw me a picture." Later, when she asks someone what they are working on, and is told, "...carbon fixation and photorespiration," she again rudely answers, "My father and my first husband were both biologists, Tom. I do understand a little." Of course, she goes on to "impress" the young man with her grand knowledge.
She is plain insufferable!
Why are the shopkeepers in the mark swearing in "rich Anglo-Saxon"? She wasn't at a fair for tourists where the shopkeepers were actors.
And... this book was published not long ago. Yes, it could have been set in, say, the 60's. But, it wasn't. There are mentions of technology, cell phones, etc. Not since old Agatha Christie's (60's publications) have I read that someone can't tell a man from a woman due to them both having long hair and similar clothing! Ms. Christie did it well, how times had changed. As time past, she changed her writing to fit the times. Sorry, but on on in 2015 would think (or should write) this way.
Just not a good book in any way. Not even the "mystery." I also hate nosy civilian women butting in where it's best to leave it to the professionals. So what if her husband is a retired big wig.
July 8, 2024
Alan and Dorothy go to Cambridge for a police conference at St. Stevens. The accommodations are better than expected. However, the first day Dorothy gets lost and goes into the science building and into a room where she sees a puddle of blood in the middle of the floor. When she sees a man in another doorway, she runs. She's sure it was real blood, and she claimed it smelled like human blood. Alan and two colleagues go to check, and can't see anything. When Dorothy later goes to a museum, someone shoves her down a long set of stairs. No one saw the person doing the shoving, but Dorothy had many bruises and was very sore. Dorothy is determined to find out what happened. They meet the local head woman of police and become friends. Her nephew disappears and they help try to find him. And then another young man disappears. However, all is well in the end.
August 23, 2021
Back to Uni
Alan & Dorothy visit Cambridge for Alan’s police conference. Of course, Dorothy finds an unlocked lab in an unfamiliar building on the grounds. Seeing a vast pool of blood, she runs to Alan. But there’s no blood when they show up. Is there a crime or is there an explanation among the scientists’ experiments being done there? Dorothy is determined to find the truth when the young biologist nephew of the Cambridge Superintendent of Police disappears.
Jeanne M Dams writes a eminently readable series about American ex-pat & fervent sleuth, Dorothy Martin. This entry is no exception.
Alan & Dorothy visit Cambridge for Alan’s police conference. Of course, Dorothy finds an unlocked lab in an unfamiliar building on the grounds. Seeing a vast pool of blood, she runs to Alan. But there’s no blood when they show up. Is there a crime or is there an explanation among the scientists’ experiments being done there? Dorothy is determined to find the truth when the young biologist nephew of the Cambridge Superintendent of Police disappears.
Jeanne M Dams writes a eminently readable series about American ex-pat & fervent sleuth, Dorothy Martin. This entry is no exception.
May 25, 2022
Rats
So good I’ve stayed up half the night finishing this story. Alan and Dorothy went up to Cambridge U for a police conference. While Alan went on ahead after checking in, Dorothy got lost trying to find her way. She went in the back door of the building she thought was the meeting hall and stumbled into the science laboratory. Finding an open door she went in to see if someone could redirect her properly and startled near a pool of fresh blood. Terrified she ran out and finally found Alan and the adventure begins. This one takes you places you didn’t even know there were places and with such despicable people.
Good reading.
So good I’ve stayed up half the night finishing this story. Alan and Dorothy went up to Cambridge U for a police conference. While Alan went on ahead after checking in, Dorothy got lost trying to find her way. She went in the back door of the building she thought was the meeting hall and stumbled into the science laboratory. Finding an open door she went in to see if someone could redirect her properly and startled near a pool of fresh blood. Terrified she ran out and finally found Alan and the adventure begins. This one takes you places you didn’t even know there were places and with such despicable people.
Good reading.
May 29, 2023
Dorothy and Alan are off to Cambridge, where Alan is taking part in a conference at the University. Right off the bat, Dorothy goes for a stroll on campus and finds a large pool of blood on a laboratory floor while wandering through a building. She runs for Alan, who low-key takes a few people with him to check it out, but it's gone when they arrive. Good husband that he is, he believes her and knows it is upsetting her. They go to the police and get some cooperation. When a couple of students go missing. There's a lot to keep up with here, but it was very interesting.
April 19, 2019
This was not...great. As much as I love Dorothy and Alan, the plot of this one fell a little flat for me. Too many tropes and overdone story lines and way too much xenophobia. The stereotypes unleashed on poor Mahala...and then combine that with the anti-political-correctness attitudes of some of the characters...yuck.
April 30, 2020
When retired police detective Alan Nesbitt and his wife Dorothy travel to Cambridge, Dorothy discovers a pool of blood in a laboratory while exploring the campus. A crime - possibly even murder - must have been committed but, when she shows the scene to Alan, the blood is gone. Jeanne M. Dams’ mysteries always remind me of Golden Age detective fiction, in which the focus is on the puzzle, the fair play clues and the charming banter between the protagonists.
February 18, 2023
Just discovered that somehow I had missed a few of the Dorothy Martin cozy mysteries, so am rectifying my error. These take place in England, where Dorothy Martin is a transplanted American from the Midwest is married to a retired policeman of rank. This one takes place at Cambridge, and I especially loved the tie ins to Dorothy L. Sayers novels Have his carcase & Gaudy night. Free ebook from the library.
August 15, 2018
An unusual investigation by Dorothy Martin and her retired police officer husband. This one takes place in the Cambridge (England) area and involves college students in the physical sciences. Dorothy just happens to stumble on a small pool of human blood on a lab floor ... enough to set her off on wondering why. Easy reading and entertaining.
October 5, 2024
Dorothy Martin is married to a police detective who is delivering lectures at Cambridge. She decides to explore the university and wanders into a laboratory with the floor covered with blood. She and her husband decide to investigate. When a student goes missing and another student is beat up things become serious.
January 3, 2026
I like this series. I like the heroine/ detective, despite her occasional repetiveness. And this began quite promisingly, at a Cambridge College where wandering into the wrong building reveals something puzzling, but is it actually criminal?
But there is far too much filler -- coffee and breakfast in detail-- and the ending. Without going into a spoiler, it is DEEPLY unsatisfying.
But there is far too much filler -- coffee and breakfast in detail-- and the ending. Without going into a spoiler, it is DEEPLY unsatisfying.
December 11, 2017
Fans of this series are likely to enjoy this entry. The plot was a real puzzler, & the book was less “cosy” & more “police procedural”. A good read for anyone who likes mysteries that are not heavy on violence & gore.
January 12, 2018
Choosing books in a tearing hurry, I missed the Severn House imprint on this spine. I know I don't like their books.
The heroine makes lots of cups of coffee, has a husband who adores her, is liked by everybody she meets, and, oh, gosh, saves the day.
The heroine makes lots of cups of coffee, has a husband who adores her, is liked by everybody she meets, and, oh, gosh, saves the day.
August 9, 2019
I enjoy this series as a rule but felt the plot of this one became unnecessarily convoluted in order to prolong the very predictable “mystery”. Still enjoy the characters though. Let’s see what the next installment of this series brings.
June 14, 2021
Oh, the olden days
She can't be tamed or trained. Dorothy gets into more trouble than should be allowed. Ruins and baths and book stores are all involved in this historic tale. Try to keep up!
She can't be tamed or trained. Dorothy gets into more trouble than should be allowed. Ruins and baths and book stores are all involved in this historic tale. Try to keep up!
October 8, 2021
Excellent
Jeanne M. Dams writes each new mystery with more intensity than the last! An excellent that is so suspenseful that it is hard to put down. So many things are happening in this mystery, and yet, nothing seems connected; until it all is.
Jeanne M. Dams writes each new mystery with more intensity than the last! An excellent that is so suspenseful that it is hard to put down. So many things are happening in this mystery, and yet, nothing seems connected; until it all is.
November 18, 2021
I really don’t care for Dorothy Martin, the main character here. She complains a lot and her husband is overly solicitous with her. There were also too many unimportant details included, which made me impatient. I only finished it to see if anyone died before the end. No spoilers!
April 17, 2022
Wow!! Dorothy has amazing instincts and this time I almost doubted her!
What a tangle of red herrings, one way streets,literal and figurative. I sure hope that Elaine, Tom and Mahala will turn up in future stories! I love these character's
What a tangle of red herrings, one way streets,literal and figurative. I sure hope that Elaine, Tom and Mahala will turn up in future stories! I love these character's
Want to read
April 17, 2021Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews