I would like to thank Netgalley and Severn House Publishers for an advance copy of In Her Blood, the second novel to feature DCI Christine Caplan of Police Scotland, set in the Highlands.

A body is found in the water under the Connel Bridge, presumed to be a suicide although Christine isn’t so sure. Girl A was institutionalised as a young teenager under suspicion of three murders. Now she is out and living under a new identity, until she disappears. Christine has two investigations to handle, investigating the suicide that is actually murder and finding Girl A to take her into protective custody.

I thoroughly enjoyed In Her Blood, which is another absorbing read, full of twists and turns, from one of my favourite authors. It is told from Christine’s point of view so that offers an immersive read and an uninterrupted narrative.

The plot is twisty. Plenty of people, including senior police officers, are quick to assume that Girl A is responsible for the murder of the man on the bridge, but Christine and her team are thorough as they want a case that will stand up in court. They struggle to find a link between Girl A and Mr Bridges as they call him so they decide to delve into the past accusations against Girl A and find small anomalies, just as they find small anomalies in the events on the bridge. Nothing is clear cut and there’s a lot of supposition until the final twists, which are quite jaw dropping in their revelations.

This is a very interesting read, not just for the plot, but for what it has to say about the mental health profession, the supposition of guilt and the pernicious nature of social media. After all, Girl A has never been convicted of a crime and yet she’s labelled as Britain’s most hated killer. It really made me think about truth and perception.

Christine Caplan is a strong protagonist. She’s a good boss with a clear eyed way of seeing things and in general a rule follower which I find a good thing in a police procedural. Her private life is much messier. Her husband is a recluse with anxiety issues, her children were injured in a hit and run and are recovering in an island commune while she lives in a caravan in the garden of a house she wants to renovate. If that weren’t enough her two friends need careful negotiation as they have issues. Work must be a safe haven.

In Her Blood is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

I’ve read most of Caro’s books, she writes really well. This is book two in a series ( though it could be a standalone) so characters are beginning to develop. Craigo was a bit of a wimp in the first book but is now blossoming under DCI Caplan’s influence. The story centres around a young woman who witnessed tragedy as a young child and suffers from the trauma associated with it. A psychologist researches her past and ends up dead - did she kill him? Throw in an extended family full of secrets and the story begins. Caplan’s personal life is under stress too and she is still suffering the after effects of the previous book’s crimes. There are enough red herrings to keep the reader intrigued. The ending is therefore a surprise. I look forward to more in the series. Thank you to NetGalley for a prepublication ebook.

DCI Caplan is one strong and determined character in this book 2 in the series. I strongly recommend reading The Devil Stone first for background information and maximum enjoyment of the read. I loved the characterisation and the beautiful setting of Oban and the surrounding area. The plotting is superb, the subject matter is dealt with in a sensitive manner and the book flowed well. I was totally immersed from the beginning to the last page and highly recommend this series. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this eARC

After really enjoying The Devil Stone in the authors DI Caplan series I had high hopes for this book. I was not disappointed, and think this is a gem of a read, and one I thoroughly enjoyed from the first page to the last. I think the story is well written and absorbing, it flows really well and I could picture the scenes and characters in my mind from the lovely descriptive writing. DI Caplan and her colleagues are started really growing on me and I enjoyed seeing one of them in a very different light. I found this to be quite a hard hitting and thought provoking book mainly due to the issues at the centre of the story although the author dealt these sensitively and with care. I thought I'd sussed everything out and couldn't have been more wrong.

Overall, a very, very good read which really hit the mark with me and I'd recommend this if you're a fan of police procedurals. You're best to read The Devil Stone first so you know the characters from the beginning. I'll definitely want to read the next book in the series.

5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Dark, Tense..
The second in the DCI Christine Caplan series of thrillers and what first appears to a somewhat straightforward case turns way more sinister as Caplan delves deeper into complex circumstances. Undoubtedly dealing with difficult and emotional themes, the author handles her subject with a fluid pen whilst producing an edgy and tense police procedural populated with credible characters and a dark, compelling plot.

This is the second book in the DCI Christine Caplan series by author Caro Ramsay but my first read of any novels by this author. I enjoy a good police procedural novel and this is right up my street. DCI Christine Caplan is a very determined and relentless Scottish detective who is thrust into a very chilling case. A young woman, known only as Girl A, has gone missing, and a man is found dead. What initially appears to be a straightforward suicide quickly unravels into something far more sinister as Caplan delves deeper into the investigation.

This was an excellent introduction for me into both the author and this series which works perfectly well as a standalone novel. The plot is well paced and I felt that I learnt quite a lot about DCI Caplan as the novel progressed. DCI Christine Caplan is a strong and resilient protagonist, driven by a relentless pursuit of justice. Her determination to uncover the truth, even when faced with daunting challenges, makes her a captivating character to follow throughout the story.

Girl A is a mysterious character, she is protected by the law and has a violent past that she will never get away from. Yet another solid Scottish crime author to add to my list, Ramsay’s writing is atmospheric and evocative, bringing the setting of Scotland to life with vivid descriptions that immerse the reader in the story.

“In Her Blood” is an emotionally charged novel that explores themes of justice, trauma, and the consequences of one’s actions. Well written, nicely paced and interesting characters make this a very good read and I expect to read more from this author in the near future.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Severn House for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This book reintroduces us to DCI Christine Caplan. She is asked to look at a potential suicide under a bridge but closer investigation changes it to murder. It appears to be linked to a previous case of "Girl A" who was convicted of murdering two people when she was just a child. She has now absconded from the young offenders programme. Subject matter is grim but well written, Christine Caplan is a strong character, the plot has many twists and turns....a recommended read!!

Thank you NetGalley and Severn House for an ARC copy
Set in Scotland Book #2 of the DCI Christine Caplan series starts out with a dead body in the water below a local bridge. Suicide is the initial conclusion but because Caplan was in the area finishing off the paperwork from the last case, she's asked to take a look. A closer look reveals it's murder not suicide. Once identified, the victim links to the case of Girl A. Girl A was convicted of killing three people when she was a child. She's now a young woman, released from the young offender's program, and on the run from vigilante justice. The subject matter of this book might be difficult for some but it's written with great care.
An excellent series. I'm a huge fan of Caro Ramsay's work. I love her flawed characters but she doesn't devote too much time to their stories that it takes away from the book's mystery. Highly recommend this and any of her other books.

This is the second book in the series featuring DCI Christine Caplan, however it is the first book by Caro Ramsay that I have read. The subject matter is quite bleak, a child killer, mental health issues and suicide, but it is handled well. The plot incorporates many surprises and twists. I was convinced I had sussed it all out until the next inevitable twist. I did find the first half of the book quite slow to get into. This may have been because I hadn't read the first book and I couldn't relate to the characters or some of the events that were referred to. Thankfully, the second half flew by and at the conclusion, I was a big fan of DCI Caplan.
Overall, this was an exciting read and I'm looking forward to reading more about these characters.

Okay so I haven’t even finished the book yet (25% left to go) and I’m giving it a 5/5⭐️! This book has me hooked!! Some of the things that are said in this book has me a sitting back in my seat thinking “what the f..” and that’s honestly my favourite part! This book has had me sitting here on the edge of my seat the whole time I’ve been reading it! Absolutely such a great book! Will definitely be recommending to my friends who’re into these types of attention grabbers!!
(Thank you netgalley for my e-copy
Of this book!!)

I'm enjoying this new series from Caro Ramsay. DCI Christine Caplan is called to the scene of a suspected suicide, but things don't seem to add up. When her boss--and friend, though they have to balance that relationship carefully--brings her in on a missing young woman suspected of killing two younger sisters, everything seems to point to this mysterious Girl A. Though officially all information about Girl A is protected, the local officers under Caplan's command know many of the details. It's always nice to see a strong female lead character of appropriate age in an honest light. Though this is the second book in the series, it could be read as a standalone, though references to Christine's children do allude to the previous book. Strongly recommended!

Thanks to Severn House for access to a digital ARC via NetGalley.

I was looking forward to the second in the Christine Caplan series and this doesn't disappoint.
Well plotted, fast-paced with characters you care about and a really good storyline.
The twists were excellent as Caplan struggles to work out her emotions during this investigation. It's a tricky one for sure and somehow Ramsay managed to keep us on tenterhooks right till the end.
Very powerful and emotional subject matter dealt with sensitively.
Great read

This felt so unlike any other fiction thriller I've read recently. It was a difficult read at times with some kf the topics but it's all so well written and depicted that it feels real! The main character isn't your usual stereotype and the dilemmas and struggles she's faced with are very relatable. Ots a police procedural but its so well written that it absolutely just feel real! As for the plot, it's well paced and engaging. Again, it poses real life questions of how well you do really know anyone and as for the ending? Omg!!!

Thank you NetGalley and Severn House for the eARC.
This is an amazing read, difficult at times, (child
and dog cruelty, plus mental health issues) but a powerful; one of the best books I have ever read in the mystery genre. Caro Ramsay also happens to be my favorite author.
The suspected suicide of a doctor starts the most difficult case of DCI Christine Caplan's career.
A young woman known only as Girl "A" is the most likely suspect. A supposed serial. killer, she was protected by law until she was 18, which age she has now reached. Now Caplan has to prove the girl did it ... not an easy task.
It's a riveting read, superb; I was literally blown away. The ending had me in tears, wow, I just loved it. When's the next in the series!?

The second in the Christine Caplan series is an enjoyable, if disturbing, novel. With many different themes, the complex plot sees the DCI looking into current and past crimes, trying to find what others have missed.

A psychologist is thought to have completed suicide from a remote bridge, but closer investigation soon changes that assumption. Then a link to 'Girl A' emerges - a young woman locked away for most of her life following the deaths of two of her sisters. Now styled by the press as 'Britain's Most Hated Woman', the force is on high alert when she escapes. Caplan is in charge of the case, and makes some disturbing discoveries.

In Her Blood is a difficult read at times, with the true nature of killers under examination. It's an engaging novel - and the ending is powerful.

In Her Blood by Caro Ramsay touches on the challenges of mental illness, of being young, and most especially, of being robbed of your voice and how that can affect your life.

When a body is discovered in the water at Connel Bridge, the police assume it's an open-and-shut case of suicide. But when DCI Christine Caplan is called in to take a closer look, she discovers that darker truths lurk beneath the surface, and suspicion begins to turn to a young woman recently out of care. I liked the main character and how real she is portrayed in her actions and dialogue. She is a believable character. She lives in a caravan with no heating and no roof, and her husband has been a shut-in for 7 years. As one character points out, You never know what's going on in anybody else's life.

I enjoyed reading this book and getting to know these characters. I liked how the author unraveled the story and provided tension and build-up to the shocking ending!

I would like to read more by this author. A well-thought-out plot and storyline. I would recommend this book and this author.

#InHerBlood #NetGalley @severnhouse

When a discovered body looks like a clear case of suicide, the police generally don't look too closely. Unless you're Christine Caplan.

Focus soon switches to a girl with a protected identity, recently out of care. Can Christine find a link?