Blood Kills by Nanci Rathbun

Returning with a fourth installment of her Angelina Bonaparte series, Nanci Rathbun delivers with Blood Kills, a romantic, riveting, and razor-sharp mystery. The murder of a gifted artist is far more than it may first appear, and it will take all of Angie’s investigative skills to unravel this high-brow crime before more bodies are put on display. Peppered with red herrings and a colorful cast of suspects and allies, this is an unpredictable and gripping slice of pulp fiction. The frequent self-referential exposition can be jarring, which occasionally breaks the illusion of the narration, but most of the prose is stylish, straightforward, and underscored with suspense. All told, Bonaparte is a continually captivating heroine, and Rathbun has added a solid chapter to her sassy saga.