CRIME REVIEW: Precious Blood - Jonathan Hayes

BOOK BLURB:
'They found her in the East Village, nailed to the wall of a railroad flat'. Dr. Edward Jenner is a New York forensic pathologist: he has attended countless murder scenes and performed thousands of autopsies but the killing of 21 year old Andie Delore is different. The naked body is marked with an indecipherable ancient script and is arranged in the shape of a ritual sacrifice. The murderer poses as a cop. The sole eye witness is Andie's flatmate, Ana da Jong. She can't trust the police anymore. Instead she turns to Jenner for help. But then a second victim is found in rural Pennsylvania. Her head has been placed in a puddle of milk. And then the third. Another decapitation: her naked torso is decorated with exotic bird feathers...Both corpses have the same mysterious script. The killer is leading Jenner and Ana into his own private nightmare. A place for which there will be no escape.


REVIEW:

As a lover of Forensic mysteries and murder I’m always on the look out for the next author on the block. Whilst some would say that the key authors of these books are authors like Kathy Reichs and Tess Gerritsen, I want to draw your attention to a relatively new guy on the block.

Jonathan’s first book not only kept me glued but twisted the tale in all manner of ways so that there were more kinks to the arc than twists to the intestines. As a former forensic pathologist the guy know’s not only his onions (or perhaps organs in this case) but how to put a story together so it not only engages the viewer but digusts, repells as well as attracts at the same time. It’s a fine line and when you add into this complex recipe plot twists as well as true realistic horror it’s a dish that will either enthuse the eater or repulse them completely. It’s a great offering and with two being available for the Christmas market I’d definitely recommend them as each is individual and can be enjoyed on their own as well as exploring slightly differing genres yet blending the characters own personal beliefs and emotions so fully that he’s a real breathing character. A great first book and something that I feel will get a fair few to sit up and pay attention.