Taste of Blood by Lynda La Plante
YOUR NEIGHBOUR IS A KILLER . . . BUT WHICH ONE?
The thrilling new 2023 Detective Jane Tennison crime novel from the Queen of Crime Drama - now available in paperback, eBook and audiobook.
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Detective Inspector Jane Tennison was beginning to feel she'd made a big mistake.
Having requested a transfer to a station nearer her home, she's now wondering if any serious crimes are ever committed in Bromley. Especially since the first case she's assigned to involves nothing more dramatic than an altercation between neighbours over a disputed property boundary.
Jane's new boss wants her to wrap up the enquiry as quickly as possible, but something in the apparently trivial case doesn't add up.
Why was Martin Boon so adamant that David Caplan shouldn't install a new set of gates when they wouldn't encroach on his own property?
Against her boss's orders, Jane decides to dig deeper, and soon uncovers a trove of dark secrets in sleepy Clarendon Court involving a tragic death and a forbidden love affair. As Tennison hunts for the missing piece of evidence that will identify a vicious killer, she knows that this case will either make her career - or break it.
About the author
Lynda La Plante was born in Liverpool. She trained for the stage at RADA and worked with the National Theatre and RDC before becoming a television actress. She then turned to writing - and made her breakthrough with the phenomenally successful TV series WIDOWS.
Her novels have all been international bestsellers. Her original script for the much-acclaimed PRIME SUSPECT won awards from BAFTA, Emmys, British Broadcasting and Royal Television Society as well as the 1993 Edgar Allan Poe Writer's Award.
Since 1993 Lynda has spearheaded La Plante Productions. In that time the company has produced a stunning slate of innovative dramas with proven success and enduring international appeal.
Based on Lynda's best selling series of Anna Travis novels, Above Suspicion, Silent Scream, Deadly Intent and Silent Scream have all adapted into TV scripts and received impressive viewing figures.
Lynda has been made honorary fellow of the British Film Institute and was awarded the BAFTA Dennis Potter Writer's Award 2000.
On 14th June 2008 Lynda was awarded a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List (Writer and Producer for services to Literature, Drama and to Charity).
On 3rd October 2009, Lynda was honoured at the Cologne Conference International Film and Television Festival with the prestigious TV Spielfilm Award for her television adaptation of her novel, Above Suspicion.
Books penned by Lynda La Plante include: The Legacy, The Talisman, Bella Mafia, Entwined, Cold Shoulder, Cold Blood, Cold Heart, Sleeping Cruelty, Royal Flush, Above Suspicion, The Red Dahlia, Clean Cut, Deadly Intent and Silent Scream, Blind Fury (this entered the UK Sunday Times Bestsellers List at number 1 having sold 9,500 copies in its first two weeks), Blood Line, Backlash, Wrongful Death, and Twisted, which have all been international best-sellers.
In Feb 2012 Lynda's chilling tale of THE LITTLE ONE was published in conjunction with Quick Reads through Simon & Schuster UK.
Lynda's latest book, Tennison, was published on 24th September 2015 and is the prequel the highly acclaimed Prime Suspect. The story charts Jane Tennison's entry into the police force as a 22 year old Probationary Officer at Hackney Police Station in 1973.
Review
‘Taste of Blood’ is the ninth book in the Tennison series and I think my favourite so far! Even though we are deep into Jane’s story this book can be easily read as a stand-alone but I do recommend the whole series!
DI Jane Tennison has moved police stations to Bromley, in order to be nearer her home which she is now sharing with her boyfriend Eddie. At first she thinks she has made a mistake as the station seems to be lacking a bit of action. The biggest case involves a neighbourhood dispute over parking and a set of gates which turned violent. Jane has been teamed up with her old colleague Stanley but once again Jane go off in one direction after following her instincts that this case could be more involved than they thought.
Jane is always going to be a lone wolf as she tends to believe that only she can do the job correctly. Once again she is batting heads with her colleagues and even Eddie. Plus, when Stanley has a problems with your methods maybe inner reflection is needed. I do love Jane and her inner core of certainty but gosh I would hate to be her boss!
In this instalment we see the police force in general becoming more as we know it with the introduction of DNA and mobile phones into the mix! Plus, she has a female boss, how times are changing for the better!
I particularly liked this outing as it shows that sometimes routine police work is still interesting and compelling to read about. Sometimes, I think authors forget about that. We also get to see a more vulnerable Jane due to her personal life and interaction with a certain witness. I flew through this one and it was a real page turner! Roll on book ten!
Let me know if you pick this one up!
