Book Review: Blood Orange

Author: Harriet Tyce
ISBN: 9781472252760
RRP: $32.99
Publication Date: 26 February 2019
Publisher: Hachette
Copy: Courtesy of the Publisher

Wow, the only reason I didn’t read this book in one sitting was I had to go to bed but believe me I couldn’t wait to finish it the next day!

Blood Orange is the debut novel by Harriet Tyce and if you like psychological suspense, particularly domestic noir, then you will love this book.

Alison has it all, husband, daughter, burgeoning lawyer career, her first murder case to defend, so why is she intent on self-sabotaging by drinking to excess, staying out late with her legal cronies and having an unfulfilling affair with instructing solicitor Patrick?

Carl, her husband has been a part time house husband since his redundancy, although his psychotherapy business is taking off, and one day a week he runs a men’s only group from the house for sex-addicted men. Matilda their six year old daughter is sweet and loving, but somehow Alison keeps screwing up around her.

The murder seems like a pretty open and shut case, husband found on the bed, multiple stab wounds, wife sitting on the floor next to the bed, covered in blood, knife in hand and she wants to plead guilty to the murder. But something about it doesn’t ring true, and the more Alison digs, the more certain she becomes that there is more to this case than meets the eye, and she’s determined to work out what really happened, and why.

Then the text messages start arriving, every time she’s with Patrick, or just after. Messages telling her she is being watched, someone knows what she is doing, calling her names. Alison has no idea how anyone knows about her and Patrick, or who is sending her the messages.

Then Carl tells her he’s had enough of her behaviour, he kicks her out of the house and tells her he is going for custody of Matilda, he shows her video he has taken of her drunken and embarrassing behaviour to demonstrate how he will succeed in showing that she is unfit to be a mother.

Alison’s world is crashing down around her, but as she determines to fight back Carl plays his trump card, leaving Alison facing severe embarrassment and loss of face among not only the legal fraternity, but also her family and friends, unless she agrees to Carl’s terms, including custody arrangement for Matilda.

And then just when you think you’ve got it all worked out comes the twist that turns a good story into a great one.

A beautifully crafted story that draws you in and keeps you hanging on until the very end. I give it 5 stars.

Blood Orange is published in the UK by Wildfire and printed in Australia by McPherson’s printing group.

Many thanks to Beauty and Lace for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This guest review was submitted by our Beauty and Lace Club member: Marcia. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us Marcia.