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The Blood Whisperer
The uncanny abilities of London crime-scene specialist Kelly Jacks to coax evidence from the most unpromising of crime scenes once earned her the nickname of The Blood Whisperer.
Then six years ago all that changed. Kelly woke next to the butchered body of a man, the knife in her hands and no memory of what happened. She trusted the evidence to prove her innocent. It betrayed her.
Now released after serving her sentence for involuntary manslaughter, Kelly must try to piece her life back together. The only work she can get is for the crime-scene cleaning firm run by her former mentor. When her instincts tell her things are not as they appear at the scene of a routine suicide, she can’t help but ask questions that somebody does not want answered.
Branded a killer once again, Kelly is soon fleeing from police, Russian thugs, and a local gangster. But she acquired a new set of skills on the inside. Now street-smart and wary, can she use everything she’s learned to evade capture and stay alive long enough to clear her name?
Then six years ago all that changed. Kelly woke next to the butchered body of a man, the knife in her hands and no memory of what happened. She trusted the evidence to prove her innocent. It betrayed her.
Now released after serving her sentence for involuntary manslaughter, Kelly must try to piece her life back together. The only work she can get is for the crime-scene cleaning firm run by her former mentor. When her instincts tell her things are not as they appear at the scene of a routine suicide, she can’t help but ask questions that somebody does not want answered.
Branded a killer once again, Kelly is soon fleeing from police, Russian thugs, and a local gangster. But she acquired a new set of skills on the inside. Now street-smart and wary, can she use everything she’s learned to evade capture and stay alive long enough to clear her name?
494 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 31, 2013
29 people are currently reading
424 people want to read
About the author
Zoë Sharp
71 books493 followersZoë Sharp spent most of her formative years living aboard a catamaran on the northwest coast of England. She opted out of mainstream education at the age of twelve and wrote her first novel at fifteen. She became a freelance photojournalist in 1988 and started writing her Charlie Fox crime thriller series after receiving death-threats in the course of her work.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
March 29, 2016
But she was not in prison any longer. She was back in civilisation and supposed to behave accordingly. It just seemed that there had been no transition between in and out and when she was under threat the lines blurred altogether.
Okay, let me tell you about this book. I was reading it, la la la, and it was going okay. "This is going okay," I said to myself. "This is a three-star read." Then I kept reading and at about a little over halfway through the book, I was like, "Wow. Some cool twists are happening! This is really good. I will give it four stars." Then, I got 3/4 of the way through the book and I said, "Holy shit! This is a five-star read!"
I love when this happens.
Kelly Jacks was a blood spatter expert working for the cops. One day an anonymous man called her saying he had a tip on her latest case. Kelly went to meet him and the next thing you know she wakes up clutching a knife. The snitch is dead beside her with 14 stab wounds. Kelly is sure that the evidence will prove her innocence, but it doesn't and she is in prison for five years. She becomes pretty badass in prison. ANYWAY, after she gets out she takes a job as a crime-scene cleanup person. And at the scene of alleged suicide, something looks very wrong to a woman who used to read blood for a living...
...
Kelly tried to ignore the disappointment in his words - as if he'd hoped she had more spine.
Easy to think that way if you've never had to face the consequences.
WOW. This book really delivers. However, like I said, it took a while to get to that level. But Sharp's work is so sharp. ;) Everything starts snapping into place and you are reeling from the revelations - it's awesome, trust me. There are some great twists as the book goes on. Not too many - not enough to be over the top or confusing, but just enough and so very exciting and also well-done that it is truly a thing of beauty.
THINGS I LIKED:
1.) The mystery plot - well-crafted perfection, this mystery slowly slides into place. It's a doozy.
2.) The Britishness - It's always fun to read a contemporary UK mystery!
3.) The twists - holy crap!
4.) Kelly. She is a badass, tough, and willing and able to fight. However, Sharp does NOT make her a machine or an unfeeling thug. She second-guesses herself, has doubts, she tends to mouth off when she shouldn't... she seems human. I hate (HATE) when an author tries to make a female badass and she's so badass it's like she's a cyborg or something. Or ends up coming off as cruel and callous. Sharp has found the perfect balance here. Kelly is likable, relatable, and yet still so efficient and kickass.
5.) Book shout-out!
The woman was reading a book. Not a cheap paperback but a hardcover. When the distant trill of her cellphone drifted up to him she held her place with a bookmark rather than dog-ear the page before answering it.
As a man who'd grown up without books Lytton had come to treat them with respect. Grudgingly he found himself thinking better of her for doing the same.
6.) The romance/sex isn't overpowering. There is a touch of romance in this book. Usually this would be making my eyes roll right out of my head. But Sharp uses a light touch. I really appreciate her holding back and not making this romance-y. Perfect touch.
7.) Attractiveness. Ditto for the attractiveness - Sharp gets across that Kelly is very attractive and thin, but I don't feel like she's hammering this into my skull or anything. Again, this is a really fine line, but I think Sharp hits all the right notes.
8.) Memories returned slowly, layer on layer like falling snow.
THINGS I AM NEUTRAL ABOUT:
1.) This is a crime thriller, not exactly a mystery - you know most of the bad guys from the beginning (there are a few surprises, though.)
2.) Anxiety - This book caused me a lot of anxiety. On some level, I know anxiety when reading a book is a good thing. I don't enjoy it, though. This book set me on edge and made me nervous. I can't call this a plus, I don't like the feeling. But I know it's indicative of good writing - usually.
WHAT I HATED:
LOL Did you expect that since this was a five-star read I'd have nothing to complain about? ;)
1.) The most egregious thing: this book needs about three or five times the commas that it has right now. There is a dearth of commas. "This book tempted me to file multiple missing comma reports." (trademark Deborah Markus).
This whole things puzzles me, because Sharp is an old hand at this. She's published a whole slew of Charlie Fox books (at least 10). You would think she'd have a good editor! Ms. Sharp, if you are reading this, I would very kindly advise you to get another person to look over your work. Multiple commas are missing on every single page of the book.
Nothing else is wrong! Besides the commas, this book is grammatically sound. But the lack of commas was a REAL problem. It's not a small problem, it is glaring. It was very distracting to me. So, this is a warning to all you grammar-sensitive people.
2.) The love interest, Lytton, was a bit scary. o.O I am not sure - perhaps this was what Sharp was going for. But I was rather perturbed by some of the things he said. This wasn't like asshole territory, or Christian Grey territory (heaven forbid!), but it was... a bit disturbing.
"I told nobody," he said, brusque. "If I'd wanted to do anything to you I'd have done it the night before while you slept in my arms."
Yes... Am I supposed to thank you for not killing me in my sleep? Wow.
"You might see the surface trappings of success and mistake me for a gentleman," he said and Kelly remembered again that he was not a man to cross.
Um... okay. This is totally not a man I'd date. But again, she's a badass. I don't know, she seems to like him. It's just that some of the things he said were setting off goosebumps. And not sexy goosebumps. o.O
3.) The sexism. Okay. We have a lot of Russian mafia (?) or thugs (?) in here and the sexism with them is bad. I can accept this. However, the Brits in the novel (even the romantic lead) seem to still be under the impression that women are lesser (?) and/or unfit for respect. It was just very strange to me. Of all the perhaps 10 male characters, only about 2 seemed to really think women were fully human. This seemed off to me. Perhaps I have rose-colored glasses on, but I expected a higher percentage.
3 subset a: This leads to my other problem rooted in sexism, which is that every single male in here seems to be a slave to his own penis. No matter how dangerous a woman is, no matter how likely it is that she's evil or a traitor or after something, the men are completely helpless to resist if the woman starts sexually offering herself to him. Really, seriously, both male and female authors do this SO MUCH. And I refuse to believe this. I just refuse to believe that a smart, capable, successful man is totally under the control of any pretty woman who wants to seduce him. Especially when the woman is CLEARLY trying to manipulate, control, or betray him. I mean WTF? It's as if people believe men have no self control and no brains.
...
Okay, I feel that it is only fair to mention that one of my favorite series is Jeff Abbott's Sam Capra series, and there are a lot of similarities here between this book and Abbott's books. Sam Capra practices parkour. He uses this often to get out of tight situations - or into hard-to-get places. Kelly Jacks is a free-climber. She uses this often to get out of tight situations - or into hard-to-get places. Sam Capra's series has a sexy, kickass woman named Mila who is from Russia (? Eastern Bloc?) who has trouble with English idioms. Sharp's book has a sexy, kickass woman named Myshka who is from Russia who has trouble with English idioms.
Not saying that anyone "copied" anyone else - but there are strong similarities between the two. The Sam Capra series by Jeff Abott is AMAZING and I suggest you check it out if you like thrillers.
Another excellent series besides Abbott's that I want to mention is Eric Plume's Amber Eckart books, which are also crime thrillers with a kickass female protagonist. However, his (and Abbot's) books cause me a lot less anxiety, thank heaven.
Tl;dr - This book surprised me by getting better and better and better. Finally, about 75% of the way through, I knew I had to give it five stars. However, there is a worrying lack of commas in the book - which was annoying. Highly recommended.
Okay, let me tell you about this book. I was reading it, la la la, and it was going okay. "This is going okay," I said to myself. "This is a three-star read." Then I kept reading and at about a little over halfway through the book, I was like, "Wow. Some cool twists are happening! This is really good. I will give it four stars." Then, I got 3/4 of the way through the book and I said, "Holy shit! This is a five-star read!"
I love when this happens.
Kelly Jacks was a blood spatter expert working for the cops. One day an anonymous man called her saying he had a tip on her latest case. Kelly went to meet him and the next thing you know she wakes up clutching a knife. The snitch is dead beside her with 14 stab wounds. Kelly is sure that the evidence will prove her innocence, but it doesn't and she is in prison for five years. She becomes pretty badass in prison. ANYWAY, after she gets out she takes a job as a crime-scene cleanup person. And at the scene of alleged suicide, something looks very wrong to a woman who used to read blood for a living...
...
Kelly tried to ignore the disappointment in his words - as if he'd hoped she had more spine.
Easy to think that way if you've never had to face the consequences.
WOW. This book really delivers. However, like I said, it took a while to get to that level. But Sharp's work is so sharp. ;) Everything starts snapping into place and you are reeling from the revelations - it's awesome, trust me. There are some great twists as the book goes on. Not too many - not enough to be over the top or confusing, but just enough and so very exciting and also well-done that it is truly a thing of beauty.
THINGS I LIKED:
1.) The mystery plot - well-crafted perfection, this mystery slowly slides into place. It's a doozy.
2.) The Britishness - It's always fun to read a contemporary UK mystery!
3.) The twists - holy crap!
4.) Kelly. She is a badass, tough, and willing and able to fight. However, Sharp does NOT make her a machine or an unfeeling thug. She second-guesses herself, has doubts, she tends to mouth off when she shouldn't... she seems human. I hate (HATE) when an author tries to make a female badass and she's so badass it's like she's a cyborg or something. Or ends up coming off as cruel and callous. Sharp has found the perfect balance here. Kelly is likable, relatable, and yet still so efficient and kickass.
5.) Book shout-out!
The woman was reading a book. Not a cheap paperback but a hardcover. When the distant trill of her cellphone drifted up to him she held her place with a bookmark rather than dog-ear the page before answering it.
As a man who'd grown up without books Lytton had come to treat them with respect. Grudgingly he found himself thinking better of her for doing the same.
6.) The romance/sex isn't overpowering. There is a touch of romance in this book. Usually this would be making my eyes roll right out of my head. But Sharp uses a light touch. I really appreciate her holding back and not making this romance-y. Perfect touch.
7.) Attractiveness. Ditto for the attractiveness - Sharp gets across that Kelly is very attractive and thin, but I don't feel like she's hammering this into my skull or anything. Again, this is a really fine line, but I think Sharp hits all the right notes.
8.) Memories returned slowly, layer on layer like falling snow.
THINGS I AM NEUTRAL ABOUT:
1.) This is a crime thriller, not exactly a mystery - you know most of the bad guys from the beginning (there are a few surprises, though.)
2.) Anxiety - This book caused me a lot of anxiety. On some level, I know anxiety when reading a book is a good thing. I don't enjoy it, though. This book set me on edge and made me nervous. I can't call this a plus, I don't like the feeling. But I know it's indicative of good writing - usually.
WHAT I HATED:
LOL Did you expect that since this was a five-star read I'd have nothing to complain about? ;)
1.) The most egregious thing: this book needs about three or five times the commas that it has right now. There is a dearth of commas. "This book tempted me to file multiple missing comma reports." (trademark Deborah Markus).
This whole things puzzles me, because Sharp is an old hand at this. She's published a whole slew of Charlie Fox books (at least 10). You would think she'd have a good editor! Ms. Sharp, if you are reading this, I would very kindly advise you to get another person to look over your work. Multiple commas are missing on every single page of the book.
Nothing else is wrong! Besides the commas, this book is grammatically sound. But the lack of commas was a REAL problem. It's not a small problem, it is glaring. It was very distracting to me. So, this is a warning to all you grammar-sensitive people.
2.) The love interest, Lytton, was a bit scary. o.O I am not sure - perhaps this was what Sharp was going for. But I was rather perturbed by some of the things he said. This wasn't like asshole territory, or Christian Grey territory (heaven forbid!), but it was... a bit disturbing.
"I told nobody," he said, brusque. "If I'd wanted to do anything to you I'd have done it the night before while you slept in my arms."
Yes... Am I supposed to thank you for not killing me in my sleep? Wow.
"You might see the surface trappings of success and mistake me for a gentleman," he said and Kelly remembered again that he was not a man to cross.
Um... okay. This is totally not a man I'd date. But again, she's a badass. I don't know, she seems to like him. It's just that some of the things he said were setting off goosebumps. And not sexy goosebumps. o.O
3.) The sexism. Okay. We have a lot of Russian mafia (?) or thugs (?) in here and the sexism with them is bad. I can accept this. However, the Brits in the novel (even the romantic lead) seem to still be under the impression that women are lesser (?) and/or unfit for respect. It was just very strange to me. Of all the perhaps 10 male characters, only about 2 seemed to really think women were fully human. This seemed off to me. Perhaps I have rose-colored glasses on, but I expected a higher percentage.
3 subset a: This leads to my other problem rooted in sexism, which is that every single male in here seems to be a slave to his own penis. No matter how dangerous a woman is, no matter how likely it is that she's evil or a traitor or after something, the men are completely helpless to resist if the woman starts sexually offering herself to him. Really, seriously, both male and female authors do this SO MUCH. And I refuse to believe this. I just refuse to believe that a smart, capable, successful man is totally under the control of any pretty woman who wants to seduce him. Especially when the woman is CLEARLY trying to manipulate, control, or betray him. I mean WTF? It's as if people believe men have no self control and no brains.
...
Okay, I feel that it is only fair to mention that one of my favorite series is Jeff Abbott's Sam Capra series, and there are a lot of similarities here between this book and Abbott's books. Sam Capra practices parkour. He uses this often to get out of tight situations - or into hard-to-get places. Kelly Jacks is a free-climber. She uses this often to get out of tight situations - or into hard-to-get places. Sam Capra's series has a sexy, kickass woman named Mila who is from Russia (? Eastern Bloc?) who has trouble with English idioms. Sharp's book has a sexy, kickass woman named Myshka who is from Russia who has trouble with English idioms.
Not saying that anyone "copied" anyone else - but there are strong similarities between the two. The Sam Capra series by Jeff Abott is AMAZING and I suggest you check it out if you like thrillers.
Another excellent series besides Abbott's that I want to mention is Eric Plume's Amber Eckart books, which are also crime thrillers with a kickass female protagonist. However, his (and Abbot's) books cause me a lot less anxiety, thank heaven.
Tl;dr - This book surprised me by getting better and better and better. Finally, about 75% of the way through, I knew I had to give it five stars. However, there is a worrying lack of commas in the book - which was annoying. Highly recommended.
October 9, 2013
I have to clarify something from the outset! I started reading the Charlie Fox series from Book 1 not that long ago. I am currently up to book 4, yet my Mum and Sister are both now finished with book 10. This poses a number of problems for me; especially since they have started to “talk in code” because my mum is a nightmare for spoilers! So when I realised that I could beat them to it with a new standalone I was ecstatic. However, being a fan of the Fox series, there is always the question of whether another character can be created that will be as good. I can happily confirm that Zoe Sharp bloody well can!
Kelly Jacks is a character that I instantly fell in love with. She is in possibly the worst position possible having served time behind bars for a crime she didn’t commit, and not only that but she was a serving police officer at the time. It took me a matter of pages rather than chapters to get into the story and it soon became apparent that Kelly Jacks has to now look out for number one. She is pretty guarded (understandable), and to people who don’t know her hard work (again totally get that!). She is currently working for another retired copper as a cleaner of crime scenes. Her working buddy Tyrone I really liked (although Zoe was NOT impressed with what happened there) as well as her boss and former colleague Ray.
Before long the story starts to unravel as Kelly’s casual observation that a crime scene looked wrong starts a chain reaction of death and some serious skulduggery. I found myself racing through the book as Kelly’s situation seemed to become more perilous with each nugget of information she uncovered. Before I knew it I was racing towards the end and once again feeling that feeling of disappointment that I had read it far too quickly! I just couldn’t help myself and think that Zoe Sharp fans will feel the same. I’m almost shocked that this is her first standalone book, although I’m secretly hoping we may see Kelly Jacks again in the future (I can dream). This was an outstanding book and one that I think people will love. If I were you, I’d get this either in your shopping basket or downloaded at the next available opportunity; I don’t think you will be disappointed.
For once, I am ahead of the game with both my Mum and Sister (ha ha) as they have yet to read it. Although no doubt I will have to suffer more talking in code regarding the Charlie Fox Series…best I get cracking with book 5.
Kelly Jacks is a character that I instantly fell in love with. She is in possibly the worst position possible having served time behind bars for a crime she didn’t commit, and not only that but she was a serving police officer at the time. It took me a matter of pages rather than chapters to get into the story and it soon became apparent that Kelly Jacks has to now look out for number one. She is pretty guarded (understandable), and to people who don’t know her hard work (again totally get that!). She is currently working for another retired copper as a cleaner of crime scenes. Her working buddy Tyrone I really liked (although Zoe was NOT impressed with what happened there) as well as her boss and former colleague Ray.
Before long the story starts to unravel as Kelly’s casual observation that a crime scene looked wrong starts a chain reaction of death and some serious skulduggery. I found myself racing through the book as Kelly’s situation seemed to become more perilous with each nugget of information she uncovered. Before I knew it I was racing towards the end and once again feeling that feeling of disappointment that I had read it far too quickly! I just couldn’t help myself and think that Zoe Sharp fans will feel the same. I’m almost shocked that this is her first standalone book, although I’m secretly hoping we may see Kelly Jacks again in the future (I can dream). This was an outstanding book and one that I think people will love. If I were you, I’d get this either in your shopping basket or downloaded at the next available opportunity; I don’t think you will be disappointed.
For once, I am ahead of the game with both my Mum and Sister (ha ha) as they have yet to read it. Although no doubt I will have to suffer more talking in code regarding the Charlie Fox Series…best I get cracking with book 5.
November 26, 2016
Kelly Jacks was a "blood whisperer ... someone who seemed to be able to coax evidence out of the most unpromising of scenes" a crime scene investigator until she was sent to prison, supposedly for killing an informant. Now, she is a clean-up specialist, who is troubled by the suicide of a wealthy socialite. Her inquiries are not appreciated so her boss is badly beaten, and then her partner killed, putting Kelly on the run. Sharp is once again at her best, with a bad-ass heroine, who battles against the odds to expose the bad guys. Some very good twists.
September 26, 2013
Kelly Jacks wakes to the smell of blood and finds she is holding a knife, with no memory of what happened.
Years later, when Kelly has served time for a crime she believes she is innocent of, she is working as a crime scene cleaner when a suspicious death makes her question the official version of events. But her probing leads to swift retribution and an escalation of violence that soon means she's on the run for another murder she has been framed for. Zoe Sharp certainly knows how to keep her characters on the run!
Kelly is a fantastic new heroine, unbeaten despite the massive odds against her and never giving up. I particularly liked her expert climbing skills and how that is wound into the plot.
Years later, when Kelly has served time for a crime she believes she is innocent of, she is working as a crime scene cleaner when a suspicious death makes her question the official version of events. But her probing leads to swift retribution and an escalation of violence that soon means she's on the run for another murder she has been framed for. Zoe Sharp certainly knows how to keep her characters on the run!
Kelly is a fantastic new heroine, unbeaten despite the massive odds against her and never giving up. I particularly liked her expert climbing skills and how that is wound into the plot.
Read
August 16, 2015Не, не могу.
И сюжет вроде неплох, и читается легко, и вообще люблю, когда в книге много-много маленьких глав (как-то легче воспринимается), но...
Но русская душа протестует. И против девушек Мишек, и против злых необразованных русских убийц.
А еще с самого начала напрягло, как легко героиня выложила вдовцу (самому первому подозреваемому), что нифига это не самоубийство. Блин, ты ж в органах работала! Понятно, что с тех пор много воды утекло, но тюкнули бы тебя по башке, чтоб не болтала лишнего, и дело с концом.
В общем, бросаю. Пойду поищу книжку со злыми узбеками для разнообразия.
И сюжет вроде неплох, и читается легко, и вообще люблю, когда в книге много-много маленьких глав (как-то легче воспринимается), но...
Но русская душа протестует. И против девушек Мишек, и против злых необразованных русских убийц.
А еще с самого начала напрягло, как легко героиня выложила вдовцу (самому первому подозреваемому), что нифига это не самоубийство. Блин, ты ж в органах работала! Понятно, что с тех пор много воды утекло, но тюкнули бы тебя по башке, чтоб не болтала лишнего, и дело с концом.
В общем, бросаю. Пойду поищу книжку со злыми узбеками для разнообразия.
September 23, 2013
The Blood Whisperer by Zoë Sharp has restored my love for the thriller/mystery genre, and reminded me what it is about the genre that I love so much.
This is a standalone novel featuring Kelly Jacks. It tells the story of how Kelly ended up on the other side of the spectrum, as a clean-up specialist rather than a crime scene specialist.
Kelly is a really strong character, and I certainly would not mess with her. She has some serious skills which she picked up when she was serving time in prison for murder, and she is not scared to use them when necessary. She is on a mission - she is determined to clear her name of the latest charges against her, and will not stop until she gets the answers. Things don’t always go according to plan though, and she finds herself in some difficult situations.
It is a great story, with lots of twists and turns I never saw coming, and yet when they burst onto the page I was both amazed and impressed.
As is usual with Zoë Sharp, the writing is brilliant, the plot masterful and the characters all well thought out and executed, which is a huge plus for me – I like to feel a connection to the characters portrayed.
I am unashamedly a ‘people watcher’, I like to know what makes people tick, and Zoë Sharp nails this perfectly – her characters come alive on the page, from the main character to the random guy in the office, they are all people with a history, they are people you would either like to get to know, or would avoid at all costs.
It is always such a pleasure to read a book by this author. I highly recommend The Blood Whisperer, it is a brilliant read.
This is a standalone novel featuring Kelly Jacks. It tells the story of how Kelly ended up on the other side of the spectrum, as a clean-up specialist rather than a crime scene specialist.
Kelly is a really strong character, and I certainly would not mess with her. She has some serious skills which she picked up when she was serving time in prison for murder, and she is not scared to use them when necessary. She is on a mission - she is determined to clear her name of the latest charges against her, and will not stop until she gets the answers. Things don’t always go according to plan though, and she finds herself in some difficult situations.
It is a great story, with lots of twists and turns I never saw coming, and yet when they burst onto the page I was both amazed and impressed.
As is usual with Zoë Sharp, the writing is brilliant, the plot masterful and the characters all well thought out and executed, which is a huge plus for me – I like to feel a connection to the characters portrayed.
I am unashamedly a ‘people watcher’, I like to know what makes people tick, and Zoë Sharp nails this perfectly – her characters come alive on the page, from the main character to the random guy in the office, they are all people with a history, they are people you would either like to get to know, or would avoid at all costs.
It is always such a pleasure to read a book by this author. I highly recommend The Blood Whisperer, it is a brilliant read.
October 11, 2013
I chose this book for my new Book of the Week feature. See the whole review on my site
Blood Whisperer is an exciting, entertaining, and engrossing story that will keep you guessing from start to finish. The new character, Kelly Jacks, is a terrific leading lady!
Your new heroine has a different skill set from your run-of-the-mill heroines. She's not a killer or a secret agent or a fighter, she's a disgraced crime scene investigator. A science-techie who did some hard time. She's distinct, unique, and fascinating.
Click here for more...
Peace, Seeley
Blood Whisperer is an exciting, entertaining, and engrossing story that will keep you guessing from start to finish. The new character, Kelly Jacks, is a terrific leading lady!
Your new heroine has a different skill set from your run-of-the-mill heroines. She's not a killer or a secret agent or a fighter, she's a disgraced crime scene investigator. A science-techie who did some hard time. She's distinct, unique, and fascinating.
Click here for more...
Peace, Seeley
November 3, 2014
What a rollercoaster of a ride - and what a hardcore heroine in Kelly Jacks! This is the way to handle a thriller full of incident: it never felt like one gratuitous plot twist after another (as it sometimes can feel in edge-of-your-seat thrillers), and the characters are well drawn, none of them quite what they seem. A pleasure to read!
January 17, 2015
I found this book in a bundle named - Adrenaline Rush: 7 High Octane Thrillers.
Kelly Jacks had been a forensic specialist for the police until she woke up bloodied with a knife in her hands, a dead sliced body not far from her and no memory of anything. When released from prison she gets a job with McCarron Specialist Cleaning Services. They usually clean up after bloody deaths. She works with a young black man named Tyrone who has a crush on her. Their current case - rich lady, fully clothed in bathtub uses a rifle to blow her brains out. Kelly sees blood spatter that makes her doubt that it was suicide. She meets Matthew Lytton, the deceased's husband. Lytton was raised in poverty. He is a self made man and he married his wife for her pedigree. Neither married for love. Lytton's partner is Warwick who is married to a mousy, scared of her own shadow, Slavic woman named Yana. And he is having an affair with Myshka. Lytton's wife had worked very hard to set up the first ever Lytton Warwick Cup horse race. This bad publicity may really hurt the Cup which is to be run soon. Myshka always asks lots of questions of Warwick when they are together. She learns that the suicide was questioned. She calls Dmitry and tells him he screwed up. She tells him to get rid of Kelly and Tyrone, the only 2 who questioned the suicide. Myshka wants the wealth and power of Dmitry's boss who owns a race horse that will be running in the Lytton Warwick Cup. Race day. Kelly is on the run from the police who believe she killed her fellow worker Tyrone. Another murder she has no memory of. She sneaks into the race and dresses and works as a waitress. Investigating she finds Warwick, naked, tied face down to a table in a private box, and he was lashed to death. She finds Yana hiding in the bathroom of the box. Someone knocks Lytton out, moves him, and he wakes next to a bomb. Myshka goes through a window of one of the boxes and dies when she hits the rail that goes around the track. Who killed her and why? Kelly goes to jail to await trial for Tyrone's murder. Lytton has his wife buried. Lytton and Kelly had worked together to try and find his wife's killer. They were attracted to each other. Will Kelly go back to prison for murder? Now that the Cup and his wife's funeral are both over how can he help Kelly clear her name?
Kelly Jacks had been a forensic specialist for the police until she woke up bloodied with a knife in her hands, a dead sliced body not far from her and no memory of anything. When released from prison she gets a job with McCarron Specialist Cleaning Services. They usually clean up after bloody deaths. She works with a young black man named Tyrone who has a crush on her. Their current case - rich lady, fully clothed in bathtub uses a rifle to blow her brains out. Kelly sees blood spatter that makes her doubt that it was suicide. She meets Matthew Lytton, the deceased's husband. Lytton was raised in poverty. He is a self made man and he married his wife for her pedigree. Neither married for love. Lytton's partner is Warwick who is married to a mousy, scared of her own shadow, Slavic woman named Yana. And he is having an affair with Myshka. Lytton's wife had worked very hard to set up the first ever Lytton Warwick Cup horse race. This bad publicity may really hurt the Cup which is to be run soon. Myshka always asks lots of questions of Warwick when they are together. She learns that the suicide was questioned. She calls Dmitry and tells him he screwed up. She tells him to get rid of Kelly and Tyrone, the only 2 who questioned the suicide. Myshka wants the wealth and power of Dmitry's boss who owns a race horse that will be running in the Lytton Warwick Cup. Race day. Kelly is on the run from the police who believe she killed her fellow worker Tyrone. Another murder she has no memory of. She sneaks into the race and dresses and works as a waitress. Investigating she finds Warwick, naked, tied face down to a table in a private box, and he was lashed to death. She finds Yana hiding in the bathroom of the box. Someone knocks Lytton out, moves him, and he wakes next to a bomb. Myshka goes through a window of one of the boxes and dies when she hits the rail that goes around the track. Who killed her and why? Kelly goes to jail to await trial for Tyrone's murder. Lytton has his wife buried. Lytton and Kelly had worked together to try and find his wife's killer. They were attracted to each other. Will Kelly go back to prison for murder? Now that the Cup and his wife's funeral are both over how can he help Kelly clear her name?
November 17, 2013
Kelly Jacks is the eponymous protagonist in what promises to be a new series by Zoe Sharp. I wondered to myself, ‘blood whisperer’? Is that anything like a ‘horse whisperer?’ Well, yes, it is, actually. Kelly is, as the author puts it, “someone who seemed to be able to coax evidence out of the most unpromising of scenes.” Now 40 years old, the former CSI now works for McCarron Specialist Cleaning Services, the services in question being performed at crime scenes after they are released by the police. She’s gone from being the first on the scene for nearly 10 years as a CSI, to being the last. The crime scene Kelly is working as the book opens is one where a woman’s body has been found in her bathtub, an apparent suicide. But Kelly has her doubts. And those doubts open up a world of threats, hurt and violence as others try to stop her from pursuing them.
After the wonderful Charlie Fox series, including ten novels, a short story collection and a novella, the author has managed to create another strong female lead with an intriguing background: Kelly started her new job upon her release from five years of incarceration after having been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter, still proclaiming her innocence.
Ms. Sharp has produced a complex plot which includes Russian gangsters and the top tiers of English horse-racing, with steadily increasing suspense and a sense of calamity to come as the book races to its conclusion, neither the protagonists nor the reader knowing how it will end, but bracing for the worst: they’ve already seen the brutality of which their foes are capable and suspect that something far wore is still to come. There is an unexpected twist near the end, and another one I certainly never saw coming after that!
This is a thoroughly enjoyable novel. I particularly loved the author’s descriptions of, among other things, the English weather, e.g., “The rain had peered out into indifference leaving behind dirty grey clouds like a sulk.” As with all Ms. Sharp’s earlier books, this one too is recommended.
After the wonderful Charlie Fox series, including ten novels, a short story collection and a novella, the author has managed to create another strong female lead with an intriguing background: Kelly started her new job upon her release from five years of incarceration after having been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter, still proclaiming her innocence.
Ms. Sharp has produced a complex plot which includes Russian gangsters and the top tiers of English horse-racing, with steadily increasing suspense and a sense of calamity to come as the book races to its conclusion, neither the protagonists nor the reader knowing how it will end, but bracing for the worst: they’ve already seen the brutality of which their foes are capable and suspect that something far wore is still to come. There is an unexpected twist near the end, and another one I certainly never saw coming after that!
This is a thoroughly enjoyable novel. I particularly loved the author’s descriptions of, among other things, the English weather, e.g., “The rain had peered out into indifference leaving behind dirty grey clouds like a sulk.” As with all Ms. Sharp’s earlier books, this one too is recommended.
June 2, 2014
What an enjoyable and compelling read. Kelly is a former CSI blood pattern expert who has served time in prison when she blacked out and woke up next to a dead body with the foresnsic evidence convincting her. That in itself marks this story out as novel and unique. Now part of a specialist crime scene clean-up crew, she raises concern about a particular scene and the simple interpretation made by the police. Very powerful people send very strong messages that she should stop asking difficult questions. The people she meets along the way challenge stereotypes and pre-concepts of good and evil as she investigates in her own particular way. And trust is a rather fluid concept in many of those relationships. What a wonderfully intriguing concept and Kelly is a fantastic almost Reacher-esque character. Hope to hear more from her!
December 5, 2013
The Blood Whisperer is a stand alone mystery/thriller by Zoe Sharp that will keep you guessing and thrilled until the end! I bought this because I love Zoe's Charlie Fox series and am thrilled that I did.
Kelly Jacks is such a strong character, physically and mentally. Her career started as a CSI until she found herself framed and serving a prison sentence for manslaughter. When released, she goes to work for her old CSI boss as a crime scene cleaner. When she and her partner are sent to clean a suicide scene, she has her doubts and this sets off an amazing book.
This book is very easy to read and yet has a complex plot that just keeps the suspense building. There is violence and sex, and blood and gore, but never is it gratuitous. PLEASE Zoe, make this a series!
Kelly Jacks is such a strong character, physically and mentally. Her career started as a CSI until she found herself framed and serving a prison sentence for manslaughter. When released, she goes to work for her old CSI boss as a crime scene cleaner. When she and her partner are sent to clean a suicide scene, she has her doubts and this sets off an amazing book.
This book is very easy to read and yet has a complex plot that just keeps the suspense building. There is violence and sex, and blood and gore, but never is it gratuitous. PLEASE Zoe, make this a series!
November 3, 2013
It's a long time since a book has kept me awake and reading til nearly 3am, but I couldn't stop til the end. Kelly Jacks is a great character, as strong as Charlie Fox, but in completely different ways, although with the same vulnerability from past events and fierce moral code. I liked the surrounding characters and hope we will meet them again although I was shocked at what happened to one of my favourites. There were a couple of threads left still tangled again, unless I was too sleepy to get everything, but it doesn't detract from how much I liked this.
October 27, 2013
Just finished The Blood Whisperer by Zoë Sharp and loved it. It is a brilliant, complex story delivered at ever-increasing pace.
With a prison term for a murder she didn't commit not long behind her and a talent for reconstructing crime scenes that she can't switch off, Kelly Jacks's guarded personality is wonderfully brought to life. When it seems that her worst nightmares are repeating themselves, who can she trust? The police who put her in jail? The husband who didn’t love his murdered wife? Anybody?
The twists and turns will keep you on the edge of your seat right to the end.
With a prison term for a murder she didn't commit not long behind her and a talent for reconstructing crime scenes that she can't switch off, Kelly Jacks's guarded personality is wonderfully brought to life. When it seems that her worst nightmares are repeating themselves, who can she trust? The police who put her in jail? The husband who didn’t love his murdered wife? Anybody?
The twists and turns will keep you on the edge of your seat right to the end.
February 1, 2015
This is my new personal favorite book.
Kelly Jacks works as a cleaning specialist. She and her partner are one team of several who clean crime scenes after the police are finished with their investigations. But Kelly also has a eye for details. Even without special equipment she can sense and identify peculiar details the investigators may have missed. Because of the special ability her boss calls her "the blood whisperer." This is a good quality unless someone has something to hide.
Kelly Jacks works as a cleaning specialist. She and her partner are one team of several who clean crime scenes after the police are finished with their investigations. But Kelly also has a eye for details. Even without special equipment she can sense and identify peculiar details the investigators may have missed. Because of the special ability her boss calls her "the blood whisperer." This is a good quality unless someone has something to hide.
March 25, 2014
Similar plot and character complexities to the Charlie Fox series, but took a little longer to get involved. Interesting character who I would like to read about again. I'd recommend to Charlie Fox fans, and Jack Reacher fans as well. Bet he can't climb buildings like she can....
October 8, 2015
Excellent first book in a new series. For a rather long book, it was still a fast read (probably because it wasn't easy to put down). Likeable, intelligent, determined & very capable protagonist. Looking forward to more in this series. I rate this one 4.9 stars.
October 13, 2013
A very good stand alone by Zoe.
August 8, 2014
Zoe Sharp is one of my favourite authors and this book did not disappoint
September 5, 2014
amazing. brilliant. gritty. I am looking forward for the next book
October 13, 2014
Good stand alone thriller. If you like Sharp's books you will enjoy this one.
September 21, 2014
This is a fantastic book - brilliantly written as always!
December 8, 2014
A mystery wrapped up with a good heroine.
January 28, 2018
Kelly Jacks is a CSI investigator and one of the best, they call her the blood whisperer because she can actually tell about what happened to a victim according to the blood splatters. But, her who life is turned around when she is framed for a murder..She served 5 years in prison and is now out and trying to start her life over..She cleans up crime scenes for a living now.
In her latest job to clean a house where a women committed suicide you finds a blood splatter and she can tell that the women was killed. She tells her boss and he advises the police, but since the case is closed, she goes ahead and cleans the house..
But now Kelly is in danger..She is being followed and set up for another murder. Everyone is a suspect, including the husband of the dead women, whose house she was cleaning. Did he murder his wife and is he trying to kill Kelly to keep her quiet. Now when everyone around her that she loves is being targeted, Kelly needs to find out who is behind this. From the detectives, to her best friend, to a man she believe she loves, who is after her.
I loved this book..Great read, great action!!!
In her latest job to clean a house where a women committed suicide you finds a blood splatter and she can tell that the women was killed. She tells her boss and he advises the police, but since the case is closed, she goes ahead and cleans the house..
But now Kelly is in danger..She is being followed and set up for another murder. Everyone is a suspect, including the husband of the dead women, whose house she was cleaning. Did he murder his wife and is he trying to kill Kelly to keep her quiet. Now when everyone around her that she loves is being targeted, Kelly needs to find out who is behind this. From the detectives, to her best friend, to a man she believe she loves, who is after her.
I loved this book..Great read, great action!!!
June 9, 2024
I really wanted to like this non-series entry from Zoe Sharp. And I did like the lead character, Kelly Jacks. But in the end I didn't love the book.
The plot had Kelly, a former crime scene investigator with an expertise in blood evidence, facing a nightmare--having been once convicted of a murder she did not commit, she has been set up for another, very similar crime. The question is, why? As a member of a post-crime cleaning crew, she questioned blood evidence at an apparent suicide, and was immediately shut down. But then her boss was beaten by unknown assailants, and then Kelly and her partner Ty were attacked. She woke to find Ty dead, and the knife in her own hand.
Now she's on the run, hoping to find answers before the police catch her--or the people who killed Ty find her and finish the job.
The brutal villains of the piece, and a twist that I found just that little bit too much of a stretch for my suspension-of-disbelief, put paid to my enjoyment of the climax of the tale. (Plus, I still don't know how a bomb that was supposed to go off spectacularly didn't. Did they forget a chapter?)
An entertaining read, but not one I'd go out of my way to recommend.
The plot had Kelly, a former crime scene investigator with an expertise in blood evidence, facing a nightmare--having been once convicted of a murder she did not commit, she has been set up for another, very similar crime. The question is, why? As a member of a post-crime cleaning crew, she questioned blood evidence at an apparent suicide, and was immediately shut down. But then her boss was beaten by unknown assailants, and then Kelly and her partner Ty were attacked. She woke to find Ty dead, and the knife in her own hand.
Now she's on the run, hoping to find answers before the police catch her--or the people who killed Ty find her and finish the job.
The brutal villains of the piece, and a twist that I found just that little bit too much of a stretch for my suspension-of-disbelief, put paid to my enjoyment of the climax of the tale. (Plus, I still don't know how a bomb that was supposed to go off spectacularly didn't. Did they forget a chapter?)
An entertaining read, but not one I'd go out of my way to recommend.
January 12, 2019
6 years ago Kelly used to be a forensic scientist and was framed for murder and did time for it. She had been found at a crime scene with blood on her hands and no memory of having done anything wrong. After serving her time she works in a specialist cleaning crew for crime scenes.
She finds the forensics at a suicide point toward a different story and after she reports it to her boss things change. Her boss is assaulted, her partner in the cleaning crew is murdered in a similar way to the murder she saved time for and she again finds herself next to a dead body coming out of a
passed out state" but this time she knows she didn't do it. She goes looking for who did this to her. Her forensic abilities and her wit keep her one step ahead of the bad guys. Lot's of twists and intrigue. Interesting book, fascinating plot.
She finds the forensics at a suicide point toward a different story and after she reports it to her boss things change. Her boss is assaulted, her partner in the cleaning crew is murdered in a similar way to the murder she saved time for and she again finds herself next to a dead body coming out of a
passed out state" but this time she knows she didn't do it. She goes looking for who did this to her. Her forensic abilities and her wit keep her one step ahead of the bad guys. Lot's of twists and intrigue. Interesting book, fascinating plot.
May 10, 2018
OK but not worth telling other people about
Kaltrina Dervishi is a prostitute on the run from Serbian gang leader Fisnik Abazi. The police want her to give evidence against him: Abazi wants her dead. Only her lawyer, Keira Lynch, can keep that from happening.
What Keira doesn't realise is that this is a case with global repercussions and it's not long before the CIA come calling. If Kaltrina talks and Abazi is imprisoned, then certain information will come to light - information that men will go to any lengths to keep buried.
What they don't realise though is that Keira Lynch isn't your typical Glasgow lawyer. When she was eight years old she killed a man, and as they're about to find out, she's at her most dangerous when threatened.
Kaltrina Dervishi is a prostitute on the run from Serbian gang leader Fisnik Abazi. The police want her to give evidence against him: Abazi wants her dead. Only her lawyer, Keira Lynch, can keep that from happening.
What Keira doesn't realise is that this is a case with global repercussions and it's not long before the CIA come calling. If Kaltrina talks and Abazi is imprisoned, then certain information will come to light - information that men will go to any lengths to keep buried.
What they don't realise though is that Keira Lynch isn't your typical Glasgow lawyer. When she was eight years old she killed a man, and as they're about to find out, she's at her most dangerous when threatened.
June 12, 2018
I read this book on two plane trips as I had run out of my own reading matter - this one was packed in my OH's material. It is classic, classy, and very very well written. Well-paced and easy to follow despite interruptions and confusing time zones in my own life, LOL! Plus it all made perfect sense by the end, so that's a bonus - I don't like it when loose ends are let lie, or there is too easy an out. Thouch I wouldn't choose this for myself, I did enjoy it for the purpose. Plus, I might even look out more Zoe Sharp books because this introduction shows me that I like her style, even if I'm not wrapt in bloody murders as a basis for fiction :-)
Four stars because I prefer more depth to my characters, but if you're into murder mysteries, you would probably give it a resounding 5
Four stars because I prefer more depth to my characters, but if you're into murder mysteries, you would probably give it a resounding 5
December 19, 2018
Great standalone mystery/thriller from the author of the Charlie Fox series. The main character is fresh out of prison from serving a murder sentence that she didn't deserve--someone set her up. She was a "blood whisperer," a crime scene tech who asked too many questions when the detectives wanted the cases to be easily solved. Now she's on the run when another murder is framed on her. Fast action and a great mystery! I didn't guess all of the ending, so that's a good thing!
October 14, 2019
Zoè Sharp
I have read ten of the Charlie fox series which in my opinion are all five stars ,and I stumbled onto the blood whisperer. I never thought it could be as good as Zoe's other books but it is just brilliant . Kelly Jacks is such a strong determined character and I loved this book . I could not put it down definitely more crime thriller than horror , not horror in my opinion . Just a fantastic read . Thank you xx
I have read ten of the Charlie fox series which in my opinion are all five stars ,and I stumbled onto the blood whisperer. I never thought it could be as good as Zoe's other books but it is just brilliant . Kelly Jacks is such a strong determined character and I loved this book . I could not put it down definitely more crime thriller than horror , not horror in my opinion . Just a fantastic read . Thank you xx
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