Blood Hunt by Ian Rankin (2006, Hardcover)

Blood Hunt is the story of Gordon Reeve, a native of Scotland, who learns that the untimely death of his brother Jim, a San Diego journalist, has been ruled a suicide by the California police. Plagued with the feeling that this is completely out of character for his brother, Gordon travels to California to identify and retrieve the body, and while there is struck by several related facts that seem to point more toward murder than suiside. He then also learns that Jim was about to crack open a major case of wrong-doing by a large, international chemical company with its headquarters in San Diego. What follows is Gordon Reeves' search for the people responsible for his brothers death, upon whom he hopes to impose his own personal vengeance.

Blood Hunt is basically a well written, good story, and an enjoyable read, but at times it lacks a certain continuity, and is without the descriptive physical prose and flowing style of Mr. Rankins later novels. (Blood Hunt was written some twelve years ago). I'm not saying it is bad, by any means, and I enjoyed reading it, as most people will, if they read it as a stand-alone novel, and without any preconceived notions. But, if you attempt to compare it with his more recent, and popular, John Rebus novels, you may be disappointed.