“Taste of Blood” is book nine in Lynda La Plante’s #Tennison series and is the penultimate before the final book in the series, which is published in July this year. 

 

Jane has become disillusioned with her career to date but receives a timely boost with a posting to a CID office closer to home, headed by a higher ranking female officer. Although at first Jane believes this could be the making of her career, she soon finds herself investigating a lowly crime, warring neighbours disputing boundaries. But Jane isn’t fooled and soon becomes convinced that there is more to the squabbling than is first suspected. Despite being told to stop further investigating, typical Jane is like a dog with a bone and unable to curb her gut instincts. Will she prove herself right or could this be the end of her career? 

 

Jane’s personal life takes a more back seat as compared to the previous book ‘Dark Rooms’, although there are still some major changes and events that affect her mental and physical state. I feel like I’ve come to know Jane personally and as the story escalates and she becomes the driving force in the interview room, we see her at her best and finally achieving the recognition she deserves. Some fantastic police work is contained in the last 100 pages or so and I was addicted to the ensuing denouement. 

 

Lynda La Plante has an exceedingly imaginative and creative mind and combined with being a brilliant writer, her books are always a pleasure to read. The ideas for the crimes she comes up with, continue to astound me and I personally feel that Jane Tennison is probably the best fictional female detective around. The crimes committed are realistic and often grisly and heart wrenching but with Jane usually at the core of the investigation, nothing gets past her and the villains are always caught. 

 

I can’t wait for ‘Whole Life Sentence’ to see what the author has in store for Jane now she’s older, wiser and wholly respected for the police detective she is.