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Traces #6
Blood Brother
Teenage forensic investigator Luke Harding is back with a brand-new
case. In Blood Brother, Luke and his robotic sidekick, Malc, are assigned to
a hospital with a mysteriously high rate of fatalities. As Luke investigates a
number of suspicious patient deaths, he meets his long-lost father, a doctor
who practices alternative medicine at the hospital. But this is no happy
family reunion, as Luke's father's DNA is connected to several of the crime
scenes, making him Luke's prime suspect! Full of action and suspense,
Malcolm Rose's thriller builds to an explosive ending as Luke narrows in
on the murderer.
case. In Blood Brother, Luke and his robotic sidekick, Malc, are assigned to
a hospital with a mysteriously high rate of fatalities. As Luke investigates a
number of suspicious patient deaths, he meets his long-lost father, a doctor
who practices alternative medicine at the hospital. But this is no happy
family reunion, as Luke's father's DNA is connected to several of the crime
scenes, making him Luke's prime suspect! Full of action and suspense,
Malcolm Rose's thriller builds to an explosive ending as Luke narrows in
on the murderer.
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
12 people are currently reading
261 people want to read
About the author
Malcolm Rose
65 books64 followersBelieve it or not, until Easter 1996, I was a Lecturer in Chemistry at The Open University. I carried out research in analytical chemistry, particularly in the area of health, and I taught mainly organic chemistry. The teaching part of the job predominantly involved writing, with some radio, TV and video work. It also left very little time for fiction writing which I tackled mostly after midnight. Perhaps that is why some of my strongest scenes are set on dark nights! Anyway, I am now a full-time writer.
Many people think it odd and fascinating that a scientist should also be a novelist but I don’t find it strange. After all, scientists have to be creative and show perseverance to carry out research. They also write a lot; in particular, they produce textbooks and articles on their research. Anyone who is imaginative, can stick to a task, and knows how to construct a sentence has the credentials for writing a novel. On top of that, my chemical research was aimed at understanding a little better some aspects of human life. A novel also seeks to illuminate some aspects of human life. The aims are similar even if the tools are different.
I reckon novel writing is not so removed from chemistry as you might think. In one life, I mix chemicals, stew them for a while and observe the reaction. In the other, I mix characters, stir in a bit of conflict and, again, observe the outcome.
I began writing stories while I was carrying out research at York for my DPhil degree in chemistry. Writing became a means of escape from everyday life. While I was at York, my then girlfriend (now wife) read my efforts and commented that I ought to try and get something published. I had never thought of writing as anything other than a hobby. Besides, as I thought then, a budding chemist couldn’t possibly be any good at it! Anyway, I joined a writers’ club to find out how to submit a manuscript to a publisher and, to cut a long story short, found a publisher in William Collins for my first novel, Rift.
I am now over half a century old, married to Barbara and have one son (Colin) who is an architect. I read all of my stories aloud to Barbara and Colin and they help me with their comments.
Many people think it odd and fascinating that a scientist should also be a novelist but I don’t find it strange. After all, scientists have to be creative and show perseverance to carry out research. They also write a lot; in particular, they produce textbooks and articles on their research. Anyone who is imaginative, can stick to a task, and knows how to construct a sentence has the credentials for writing a novel. On top of that, my chemical research was aimed at understanding a little better some aspects of human life. A novel also seeks to illuminate some aspects of human life. The aims are similar even if the tools are different.
I reckon novel writing is not so removed from chemistry as you might think. In one life, I mix chemicals, stew them for a while and observe the reaction. In the other, I mix characters, stir in a bit of conflict and, again, observe the outcome.
I began writing stories while I was carrying out research at York for my DPhil degree in chemistry. Writing became a means of escape from everyday life. While I was at York, my then girlfriend (now wife) read my efforts and commented that I ought to try and get something published. I had never thought of writing as anything other than a hobby. Besides, as I thought then, a budding chemist couldn’t possibly be any good at it! Anyway, I joined a writers’ club to find out how to submit a manuscript to a publisher and, to cut a long story short, found a publisher in William Collins for my first novel, Rift.
I am now over half a century old, married to Barbara and have one son (Colin) who is an architect. I read all of my stories aloud to Barbara and Colin and they help me with their comments.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
March 13, 2022
Much like the previous book in the series, the crime in this was not evident from the outset, and so the plot relied on speculation for a good half of the book. And whilst the mystery was lacking in the first half of the book, it was more than made up for with the long-awaited introduction of Luke's family. Already, with 5 previous books to bolster it, Luke had become a very well-fleshed out protagonist. Still, the addition of the tragic backstory supplied through the family reunion added to the noticeably sadder tone of this book in comparison to the other books in the series. That was further built upon by discussions of tender topics such as euthanasia, terminal diseases, dying children, and biomechanical experimentation using recently diseased people.
The pacing was a little off because the first half of the book seemed to meander aimlessly and then the second half of the book sped along like an out-of-control railway carriage. However, that did work to the book's advantage as it ramped up the tension and highlighted the protagonist's deteriorating health. The end was explosive—quite literally, as well as metaphorically—but mirrored the ending of Final Lap too closely to be given full credit for its shocking display. Whilst the ending lost points for originality, it did gain points by going above and beyond to demonstrate Malc's character growth, something which was to be considered quite a feat for a character that was supposed to be an emotionless robot.
Coming away from the book, there was one big flaw in the plot that wasn't addressed at any point: how Luke was assigned to investigate the hospital's death rate when the Authorities knew full well that his father was the head of one of the departments, and thus, would be a potential suspect. Surely they would've seen that there would be a conflict of interest and reasoned it would be better to assign another forensic investigator to the case. They'd threatened to do so in the past when Luke was investigating a murder in which he was the prime suspect in Framed! and when Luke was investigating the murder of the pairing committee members that were going to determine whether he would be paired with Jade or not in Lost Bullet. The only reason he continued to investigate those cases was because he fought The Authorities in order to so, but in this case The Authorities didn't seem to care at all to even combat him on it. It seemed an uncharacteristic move from the overbearing government body to be so complacent and was either a jarring plot error or indicative of a shift in the government's treatment of Luke.
The pacing was a little off because the first half of the book seemed to meander aimlessly and then the second half of the book sped along like an out-of-control railway carriage. However, that did work to the book's advantage as it ramped up the tension and highlighted the protagonist's deteriorating health. The end was explosive—quite literally, as well as metaphorically—but mirrored the ending of Final Lap too closely to be given full credit for its shocking display. Whilst the ending lost points for originality, it did gain points by going above and beyond to demonstrate Malc's character growth, something which was to be considered quite a feat for a character that was supposed to be an emotionless robot.
Coming away from the book, there was one big flaw in the plot that wasn't addressed at any point: how Luke was assigned to investigate the hospital's death rate when the Authorities knew full well that his father was the head of one of the departments, and thus, would be a potential suspect. Surely they would've seen that there would be a conflict of interest and reasoned it would be better to assign another forensic investigator to the case. They'd threatened to do so in the past when Luke was investigating a murder in which he was the prime suspect in Framed! and when Luke was investigating the murder of the pairing committee members that were going to determine whether he would be paired with Jade or not in Lost Bullet. The only reason he continued to investigate those cases was because he fought The Authorities in order to so, but in this case The Authorities didn't seem to care at all to even combat him on it. It seemed an uncharacteristic move from the overbearing government body to be so complacent and was either a jarring plot error or indicative of a shift in the government's treatment of Luke.
July 30, 2010
This would have been a five star book, if it had ended the way I thought it would. As it is, it's more of a four and a half. So many things - in my opinion - were left unfinished: What happens to Malc? How does the pairing dilemma work out with Luke and Jade? How does Luke change after the tumor? So many questions, it feels like there has to be a seventh book!
April 10, 2014
This book was absolutely brilliant! With new evidence being put onto the table (not literally MALC, so don't speak up XD), different suspects are being brought in. It was a bit disappointing that it didn't answer all the questions that were left in the book though; does Luke recover? Will Luke and Jade be paired together? Apart from that, a must-read for detective mystery fans.
May 23, 2019
This book is about a hospital in a city called York, the hospital can't save anyone. Luke Harding deaths is a detective investigating these suspicious deaths and to clean his father's name.
I have chosen death to represent this book, because it really shows how attached and how much you care for your loved ones once when they pass away.
While reading this book, I found myself connecting to a quote. "Why have I been asked to look at this?" This connects to me when the heater stopped working, my dad asked me to try and fix this. There were more situations where I had to be in charge of, like when I was selected to be a team captain for a game, and to speak for the group.
Here is a reason why you shouldn't read this book, it gets repetitive when they keep having patients needing assistance for a while. I feel like it would bored the reader.
A reason to read this book is that, the book has done a good job keeping in the theme of mystery. There were parts in the book where they were trying to figure out like who the Heather Man was.
Now another reason why you should read this book, it's because it does get more interesting the more you read it despite the repetitively. There's parts where people start escaping the hospital, and seeing who lives or not.
I have chosen death to represent this book, because it really shows how attached and how much you care for your loved ones once when they pass away.
While reading this book, I found myself connecting to a quote. "Why have I been asked to look at this?" This connects to me when the heater stopped working, my dad asked me to try and fix this. There were more situations where I had to be in charge of, like when I was selected to be a team captain for a game, and to speak for the group.
Here is a reason why you shouldn't read this book, it gets repetitive when they keep having patients needing assistance for a while. I feel like it would bored the reader.
A reason to read this book is that, the book has done a good job keeping in the theme of mystery. There were parts in the book where they were trying to figure out like who the Heather Man was.
Now another reason why you should read this book, it's because it does get more interesting the more you read it despite the repetitively. There's parts where people start escaping the hospital, and seeing who lives or not.
December 26, 2017
Rose, Malcolm Blood Brother, 219 p. Kingfisher (Houghton), 2008.
Still recovering from his last forensic investigation, Luke Harding is called in to investigate a series of mysterious death statistics at the hospital that saved him. Not only does he find his birth parents, but he also thinks his own father may be the culprit. But Luke and his MALC (Mobile Aid to Law and Crime) will investigate thoroughly and carefully all of the twists and turns and secrets before bringing the investigation to a close.
There are now six books in this series, all in paperback; if your students love Horowitz, this is a good series to move on to.
MS - ESSENTIAL
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2008/...
Still recovering from his last forensic investigation, Luke Harding is called in to investigate a series of mysterious death statistics at the hospital that saved him. Not only does he find his birth parents, but he also thinks his own father may be the culprit. But Luke and his MALC (Mobile Aid to Law and Crime) will investigate thoroughly and carefully all of the twists and turns and secrets before bringing the investigation to a close.
There are now six books in this series, all in paperback; if your students love Horowitz, this is a good series to move on to.
MS - ESSENTIAL
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2008/...
February 28, 2022
Rating: 3.5/5
I don't think this book really hit me quite as hard as the third and fourth book. I am rounding up to four stars, because I appreciated Luke's reconnection to his family, but the reveal of the murderer was not as plot twist-y as I was expecting. Still a great read!
I don't think this book really hit me quite as hard as the third and fourth book. I am rounding up to four stars, because I appreciated Luke's reconnection to his family, but the reveal of the murderer was not as plot twist-y as I was expecting. Still a great read!
February 2, 2025
Really good plot but felt extremely rushed at the end :)
December 28, 2017
I really injoyed learning medical terms as well as having a story to go along. This book really reminded me of Criminal minds or Law and order SUV unite.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 15, 2025
I'm so excited that I've finally gotten to one of the oldest books on my TBR and the last one in my zero-TBR journey (which excludes my classics, mangas and 2025 purchases).
As with Final Lap , the case initially appears less sinister than expected. The science is extremely interesting and I was particularly intrigued by the idea that this technologically advanced world still hasn't conquered death by disease.
One of the highlights is Luke's interactions with his parents, especially his father, who is also a potential suspect (how Luke is still on this case is beyond my understanding). It's also interesting to see MALC acting a bit more independently and MALC's tendency to take everything literally, completely missing Luke's sarcasm, remains constantly amusing.
This was an okay read, but ultimately unmemorable.
As with Final Lap , the case initially appears less sinister than expected. The science is extremely interesting and I was particularly intrigued by the idea that this technologically advanced world still hasn't conquered death by disease.
One of the highlights is Luke's interactions with his parents, especially his father, who is also a potential suspect (how Luke is still on this case is beyond my understanding). It's also interesting to see MALC acting a bit more independently and MALC's tendency to take everything literally, completely missing Luke's sarcasm, remains constantly amusing.
This was an okay read, but ultimately unmemorable.
October 5, 2011
In the near future city of York, 16-year-old forensic investigator Luke Harding is tasked with investigating why the local hospital has more and more patients dying than ever before. But when Luke and his robotic partner MALC discover DNA evidence linking Luke’s father to the crimes, Luke must confront his family’s past while finding out who the killer is before anyone else dies.
Blood Brother is the sixth installment of Malcolm Rose’s Traces mystery series featuring young Luke Harding. While I have not read the preceding stories, I found it easy to slip into the world that Rose has crafted. The series is geared for young adults and as a result the writing is simple and straight forward. This is probably a strength because this allows the story to move along quickly never allowing the tension to slacken. Rose does a very good job of making his primary characters interesting. There isn’t a lot of character development beyond Luke however. His trials and tribulations have depth, but his relationships aren’t a priority. The real story is in the chase and it is laid out quite well.
Blood Brother is definitely ideal for young readers who want some action and technology in there reading. And while the mystery isn’t very complex, it holds together well and should give adult readers some quick entertainment as well. An enjoyable story.
Blood Brother is the sixth installment of Malcolm Rose’s Traces mystery series featuring young Luke Harding. While I have not read the preceding stories, I found it easy to slip into the world that Rose has crafted. The series is geared for young adults and as a result the writing is simple and straight forward. This is probably a strength because this allows the story to move along quickly never allowing the tension to slacken. Rose does a very good job of making his primary characters interesting. There isn’t a lot of character development beyond Luke however. His trials and tribulations have depth, but his relationships aren’t a priority. The real story is in the chase and it is laid out quite well.
Blood Brother is definitely ideal for young readers who want some action and technology in there reading. And while the mystery isn’t very complex, it holds together well and should give adult readers some quick entertainment as well. An enjoyable story.
November 8, 2011
In Blood Brother, a forensic investigator is recovering from an injury in a hospital when a case pops up, ready for him to solve. In this fictitious world, children are separated from their parents at age five. But in this case, Luke Harding has the chance to reconnect with his parents. The circumstances are not exactly that of a happy family reunion, however, because Luke's father may be a murderer. Luke and Malc, his robot, try to solve the case and preferably prove Luke's father's innocence. Read the book to find out if they succeed.
October 3, 2025
4.5☆
We've LOST MALC!!!!
He rebelled, the first robot in history to rebel against orders and they TOOK HIM AWAY😭😭😭
I knew he would, or rather hoped, but it's devastating if he never comes back.
This is the first book I never read and also the best one? It finally has personal stakes and development and an actually layered and not comical villain. I'd actually heavily argue that he's in the right.
This was excellent, gripping, and surprisingly emotional. Only one book to go but losing Malc is so upsetting.
We've LOST MALC!!!!
He rebelled, the first robot in history to rebel against orders and they TOOK HIM AWAY😭😭😭
I knew he would, or rather hoped, but it's devastating if he never comes back.
This is the first book I never read and also the best one? It finally has personal stakes and development and an actually layered and not comical villain. I'd actually heavily argue that he's in the right.
This was excellent, gripping, and surprisingly emotional. Only one book to go but losing Malc is so upsetting.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 30, 2008
I thought this was a good mystery that ahd me on my toes at all times. I espeacially love Malc the Mobile. He has so much spirit. The only problem is that I have read the newest book in the series without knowing that it was #6. So I hope to catch up on that.
October 12, 2010
This is the first TRACES book i've read. And It was good. All i did was to laugh everytime Malc say something. Though Questions was left unanswered in the last page. Though it was an open ending it would but im not satisfied. >.< i'll read the other series then.
June 23, 2009
Malcolm Rose knows how to tell a mean young adult crime story. And it features his very own crime-fighting Wall-E.
April 16, 2009
it was ok
August 27, 2009
I normally don't read mysteries
Read
May 13, 2010F ROS traces bk.6
September 11, 2011
But I don't see a next book!!! Ahhh!!!!
January 29, 2012
I feel like there was another mystery in this book that was not addressed. I wish there were more books after this one, they are good mysteries.
October 9, 2012
I think that this one was kinda sad - cos he found out that he had brain tumor or something. so sad for someone with so much potential - a modern/ sci-fi sherlock in his own way...
Oh well,
Oh well,
Read
January 11, 2013This book was pretty good, and had humour like the other books in the series but I did not enjoy this book as much as the other book. It was still a good read
March 21, 2013
I GUESS I SHOULD HAVE READ THE FIST BOOK OF THE SERIES BECAUSE THAT ONE WAS NUMBER SIX!
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews