There’s an attractive cobweb on the cover of Venom in the Blood. No sign of its creator, thankfully – it would certainly put this arachnophobe reader off if a big hairy spider took centre stage.
Instead, the creepy crawlies feature heavily within the pages of this book. And if they’re not your thing, then perhaps this one isn’t for you, because they are certainly the stars in the first of this new series by Tracy Buchanan, featuring forensic entomologist Dr Vanessa Marwood – ‘Bugs’ to her friends.
Spiders have been the subject of nursery rhymes and even a song by The Who, so it’s only logical that they should make an appearance in crime fiction too. And from page one of Venom in the Blood, it’s clear that the eight-legged creatures are going to have a big part to play here, as we witness a mysterious someone packing spider silk into the fresh wound of a living man. It gets worse, because as the virtual camera pans back, we realise there are THREE unwilling victims. Is that something crawling up my spine?
As the plot progresses we’re about to encounter all manner of exotic arachnids and even more exotic ways of bumping people off. Which is where the aforementioned Vanessa Marwood comes in.
As we first meet her, Vanessa is preparing to fly to New York for a swish new job heading up a top-of-the-range laboratory. It’s a dream role and she can’t wait to get started, however a call from an old friend who also happens to be a police officer puts a spoke in the wheel-on luggage. DCI Paul Truss has never left the area where he and Vanessa grew up – and now three of their friends lie dead, their bodies mutilated, spider silk packed into the wounds. Maybe she could put her departure back for a day or so? Pretty please?
Reluctantly, Vanessa agrees and heads back to the little English town of Greensands, a place she had hoped never to see again. It sparks bad memories for her, the details of which unfold along with the main narrative. But she’s only there for a short time, right? Wrong, because as the body count rises it becomes more and more difficult for Vanessa to drag herself away from Greensands. She might be a new acquaintance to readers, but it’s clear that she’s not a quitter… and there’s something about this case that has her in its thrall.
The entomology aspects of the plot are fascinating, well explained without being too technical for the lay person, and characters and sense of place are strong in Venom in the Blood. I liked Vanessa from the off, and with her vaguely goth look and penchant for clothes featuring insects of every ilk I think she and AK Turner’s Cassie Raven could be sisters from another mister!
Vanessa cuts something of a solitary figure, but old familiar friendships are important to her, which is why she is keen to help Paul in his investigation. Their dynamic is beautifully wrought and there’s a comforting sense of camaraderie that leaps off the page – something of a welcome oasis in a story that has so many uncomfortable moments, particularly when the spiders are in the spotlight.
This is an enjoyable read and the pages fly by, but there are occasions where the believability monitor is stretched a little too far, with the denouement in particular perhaps leaving you furrowing your brow in consternation. That aside, I really enjoyed meeting Vanessa Marwood (her little friends not so much), and I’m interested to see where her story will take her next. Looks like we don’t have long to wait – book two, Death’s Final Sting, is scheduled for publication later this year.
Also see our interview with author Tracy Buchanan.
Embla Books
Print/Kindle/iBook
£2.99
CFL Rating: 4 Stars
