Publisher Description

'Care'. There's a word if ever I heard one.I looked it up in a dictionary once.It had a lot of definitions - but not one that applied to me and Sean. WAITING DAY AFTER DAY Red has survived the barbarity and abuse of the orphanage. His twin brother Sean has not been so lucky. With a sworn oath to avenge his brother's murder, Red kidnaps a policeman's daughter and leaves her to be brought up in care, to suffer like he and Sean did. But this is just the first part of Red's plan for revenge against all those who took their freedom. UNTIL FINALLY IT'S TIME Now, twenty years later, the time has come. The kidnapped girl has grown up and left the orphanage, never knowing who her real parents are or the part she'll now play in Red's shocking revenge. And for those who have been living their lives in peace, with faded memories of twin boys who were put into care years ago, life is about to descend into hell. But with the criminal underworld, the police and an unexpected serial killer on the scene, sometimes even the best laid plans go awry...

Notes

A powerful novel about two twins who are abused in an orphanage run by the Catholic Church. When one is beaten to death, the other vows revenge on everyone responsible. From the author of Quinn, which was shortlisted for the CWA John Creasy Memorial Dagger.

Author Biography

J.M. Smyth was born in Belfast, and moved to London at the age of 15. He has worked as a landscape gardener, antiques restorer, furniture maker, equeastrian gear manufacturer, horse breeder and a tomato inspector... Smyth finally came to writing – a long time ambition – whilst in hospital following an accident involving an under-sized parachute, and has been at it intermittently ever since. His first novel Quinn was shortlisted for the CWA John Creasy Memorial Dagger. Red Dock is his second novel, and has already been published in Japan, France and Germany.

Review

"It's no mean feat for an Irish crime novelist to stand out from the (ever-growing) Celt crime-writing crowd. Yet J.M. Smyth's Blood for Blood succeeds in being something fresh and far darker than the rest." CRAIG McDONALD, bestselling author of the Hector Lassiter series; "Cross me bedraggled heart, Blood for Blood just blew me to smithereens. Unbelivable book. Ferocious. Terryfying. Beautifully compassionate. And oh so wonderfully written..." KEN BRUEN, bestselling author of the Jack Taylor series

Long Description

'Care'. There's a word if ever I heard one.I looked it up in a dictionary once.It had a lot of definitions - but not one that applied to me and Sean. WAITING DAY AFTER DAY Red has survived the barbarity and abuse of the orphanage. His twin brother Sean has not been so lucky. With a sworn oath to avenge his brother's murder, Red kidnaps a policeman's daughter and leaves her to be brought up in care, to suffer like he and Sean did. But this is just the first part of Red's plan for revenge against all those who took their freedom. UNTIL FINALLY IT'S TIME Now, twenty years later, the time has come. The kidnapped girl has grown up and left the orphanage, never knowing who her real parents are or the part she'll now play in Red's shocking revenge. And for those who have been living their lives in peace, with faded memories of twin boys who were put into care years ago, life is about to descend into hell. But with the criminal underworld, the police and an unexpected serial killer on the scene, sometimes even the best laid plans go awry...

Review Quote

"Would I recommend this book? Yes, I would, especially if you're after a something little different. Clever, intricate and full of dark wit." -- Damp Pebbles

Details