‘Compelling, clever. Packed with macabre and fascinating forensic details. A stunning debut’ Mo Hayder
After months of hunting a ruthless murderer that the press has dubbed the Thorn Killer, Detective Carver is shot in his own home. His trusted partner, Ruth Lake, is alone with him. Yet instead of calling for help, she wipes the room clean of prints.
But Carver isn’t dead. Awakening in hospital, he has no memory of being shot, but is certain that his assailant is the Thorn Killer. Though there’s no evidence to support his claim, Carver insists the attack is an attempt to scare him off the psychopath’s scent.
One person knows the truth and she’s not talking. She’s also now leading the Thorn Killer investigation while Carver recuperates. But Ruth is keeping a deadly secret, and she’ll cross every line – sacrificing her colleagues, her career, and maybe even her own life – to keep it from surfacing.
‘A taut and compelling thriller, as sharp as the thorns that feature in the plot’ Ann Cleeves
After months of hunting a ruthless murderer that the press has dubbed the Thorn Killer, Detective Carver is shot in his own home. His trusted partner, Ruth Lake, is alone with him. Yet instead of calling for help, she wipes the room clean of prints.
But Carver isn’t dead. Awakening in hospital, he has no memory of being shot, but is certain that his assailant is the Thorn Killer. Though there’s no evidence to support his claim, Carver insists the attack is an attempt to scare him off the psychopath’s scent.
One person knows the truth and she’s not talking. She’s also now leading the Thorn Killer investigation while Carver recuperates. But Ruth is keeping a deadly secret, and she’ll cross every line – sacrificing her colleagues, her career, and maybe even her own life – to keep it from surfacing.
‘A taut and compelling thriller, as sharp as the thorns that feature in the plot’ Ann Cleeves
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Reviews
Compelling, clever. Packed with macabre and fascinating forensic details. A stunning debut.
Ashley Dyer pulls off a masterclass . . . There is a rich history to these characters' lives and relationships that we catch glimpses of, but with enough held back to keep us guessing. Splinter in the Blood is a book you can pick up in the knowledge that you will be told a good story by a writer at the top of her game.
Enthralling . . . The skillfully constructed plot complements the intriguing characters, including a deliciously creepy killer who lurks in the background. Dyer is definitely a crime writer to watch.
The novel is packed with police and forensic detail because its author is a pseudonym for two women with impressive pedigrees in both: Margaret Murphy was chair of the Crime Writers' Association and Helen Pepper was a forensic scientist who now lectures on policing. They make a formidable combination.
A taut and compelling thriller, as sharp as the thorns that feature in the plot.
One of the boldest, most inventive serial-killer thrillers since The Silence of the Lambs. Packed with forensic detail, anchored by a protagonist as complicated as she is compelling, this ferocious novel is perfect for fans of Jeffery Deaver and Chris Carter