Blood Detective

A man has been murdered in a London graveyard.  DCI Grant Foster, DS Heather Jenkins, and  DI Andy Drinkwater are investigating.  They are shocked to learn that the victim's hands have been removed, post-mortem.

Nigel Barnes is a genealogist whom the police want to use them to possibly solve the case, because DS Jenkins feels that there is a possible link to the past.  A reference number had been carved into the victim's chest.  Would it be enough for Barnes to get what the police need?  What they discover is that a person died on the same spot on the same date in 1879.  Barnes also finds, in old newspapers that there were three murders.  The one question was the second.  Has someone already been gruesomely murdered and is there going to be a third?

Foster finds a body in a mortuary that indicates the victim is part of the group.  A third victim is found, a woman this time, savaged and her eyes removed.  Foster is taken off the lead investigation by his superior when things hit the fan.  Shortly afterwards a suspect is collared, however Foster has his doubts, and is sure that the killer will strike within the next 48 hours.

Foster and Barnes have come to the conclusion that the murders are revenge killings for the wrongful conviction of an innocent man in 1879.  Can they prevent more murders, and how will they catch the current culprit?

What an excellent read!  This has been one of the best murder mystery thrillers I have read in a long time.  Author Dan Waddell has woven modern policing with genealogy and history to create a real page turner.  I am looking forward to sequels.