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. ( )

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
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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. ( )