Without a Trace is the second instalment in Jane Bettany's D.I. Isabel Blood series, set in the (fictional) town of Bainbridge, Derbyshire, UK.
This book opens in similarly dramatic style to its predecessor (In Cold Blood). Newly divorced professional woman Ruth Prendergast returns to her recently-purchased home after work, expecting a quiet night in, and finds a dead man lying tucked into her bed! Although he appears to be sleeping, early investigations reveal he's been fatally stabbed - this is murder. But who is this man, why is he in Ruth's home, and how did he (and his murderer) gain entry?
For local D.I. Isabel Blood, this new case couldn't come at a more inconvenient time. She's due to take a week's leave to spend quality time getting to know her father, who she's not seen for over 40 years, due to circumstances that are explained in the previous book. As it is, she has no option but to collect her father - unexpectedly accompanied by her French half-brother, Fabien - from the airport, drop him to a hotel and promise to catch up later.
The team quickly identifies the dead man as an unpopular local mechanic, who has a criminal record for assaulting a woman and is a regular at various insalubrious drinking establishments. No link can be found between the victim and Ruth Prendergast, who is new to both the house and Bainbridge. Despite their tenacity in following up various leads, Blood's team are having difficulty in establishing a motive for the crime, or any viable suspects. Then Ruth Prendergast goes missing without explanation...
Without a Trace is an engrossing read with two intertwined narrative threads - one, the murder investigation, the other the unfolding family drama around Isabel's reunion with her father. Both are well-developed, although I did sometimes feel as though the pace slackened a bit during the family interludes and I was itching to get back to the murder investigation plot.
D.I. Isabel Blood continues to be an intriguing and sympathetic character, who sometimes struggles to balance the long hours and dedication required of her police career with her contented family life. The cast of supporting characters are also varied and engaging, in particular the recurring characters forming D.I. Blood's closest colleagues.
The dramatic conclusion, in which the killer is unmasked, is surprising but satisfying, and a final twist brings a touch of pathos.
While Without a Trace works well as a standalone or entry point to the series, reading in series order would allow the reader greater understanding of Isabel's complicated family backstory.
Without a Trace is character-driven crime/mystery fiction in a traditional style, without too much in the way of gory crime scenes or gritty settings. It's a satisfying read, and I look forward to future instalments in the series.