Bloodless Shadow

Victoria Blake

Orion £7.99hbk

Rel Jan 2004

Reviewed by Ayo Onatade

Since the demise of Inspector Morse there has been only one other writer (that I can currently think of) that is writing novels set in contemporary Oxford and that is Veronica Stallwood. However, this appears to be changing with the debut novel of Victoria Blake called Bloodless Shadow. Ms Blake is one of the nine new authors that are being promoted in Orion’s New Blood Crime Syndicate.

Private Investigator Samantha Falconer who runs the Gentle Way Investigation Agency in London is asked to return to Oxford by her brother Mark to investigate the disappearance of a woman that’s stunned the University. Normally quite capable of taking care of herself, Sam discovers that not only has she got to uncover what is going on at the University, but she also has to deal with her past. She has never absolutely recovered from discovering the body of a young child that had been killed. As Sam begins her search she becomes more and more apprehensive; it look as if someone is unwavering in their determination to scare her off the case and then suddenly she receives a letter from her father; a man she believed died twenty years ago.

Sam’s private life is quite fascinating and she makes for an interesting and intriguing series character. At times vulnerable and extremely determined, Bloodless Shadow is an attractive debut novel. It will be interesting to see how this series develops and how Ms Falconer handles herself in the future. A welcomed addition to the topography of Oxford.