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I am delighted to bring you my review of Hunter’s Blood by Val Penny – a thrilling tartan noir. #crimethriller #huntersblood #crimefiction

A D. I. Hunter Wilson Crime Thriller Series

‘A gruesome Crime linked by a bloody personal history …’

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C957FXF1

Publisher : SpellBound Books (3 July 2023)

BLURB

Mutilation and murder outrage… It’s about to get very personal for DI Hunter Wilson.

When D. I. Hunter Wilson learns that three elderly women have died in mysterious circumstances he is horrified to realise that he is the only person who has met each of them. As he scrutinises the evidence he concedes that he must accept help from the Major Investigation Team to solve the triple murder. When a breakthrough comes from an unlikely source, Hunter finds himself in a race against the clock.

What exactly did the witness hear?

Do the victims really deserve justice? or were they targeted for their own past crimes.

You can run from your past but you cannot hide…

REVIEW

I am a huge fan of crime fiction, and when I find one I like, I usually read the whole series, if there is one. So, it was a great pleasure to be given a copy of Hunter’s Blood to review.

Edinburgh makes a great setting for this gritty crime thriller. Having worked there, I was familiar with many places mentioned – although not with the underbelly of life depicted here.

The book is written from multiple points of view. And there are many characters to get to know – D. I. Hunter and his team of officers, their families, a host of criminals, and of course, the victims and their families. As this book forms part of a series, the relationships between the diverse cast have mostly been covered in previous books and mentioned again here, as and when needed, to enable it to be read as a standalone novel. If you haven’t already done so, it might be worth reading the first book in the series – if you want to know more about who is who or struggle with a large cast.

In Hunter’s Blood, the crime becomes personal when a member of D. I. Hunter Wilson’s family is one of the victims. The content is well-researched – dealing with the movement and use of illegal drugs within Scotland. Despite the gritty content, the occasional use of humour lightens the dark elements. The opening chapters bring a range of key characters into play, all with their own issues. The various strands of the plot are then expertly woven together to a final and satisfying conclusion.  

Overall, a gripping tartan noir with plenty of twists and intrigue to keep the reader turning the pages. This Edinburgh-based detective novel would be perfect for fans of crime thrillers and police procedurals. Hunter’s Blood is part of a series, and I look forward to meeting D. I. Hunter Wilson and his team again in the next book. My TBR list has grown again and I’m happy with that.

Val Penny has an Llb degree from the University of Edinburgh and her MSc from Napier University. She has had many jobs including hairdresser, waitress, banker, azalea farmer and lecturer but has not yet achieved either of her childhood dreams of being a ballerina or owning a candy store. Until those dreams come true, she has turned her hand to writing poetry, short stories, nonfiction books, and novels. Her novels are published by SpellBound Books Ltd.