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Joseph O'Loughlin #4
Bleed for Me
She's standing at the front door. Covered in blood. Is she the victim of a crime? Or the perpetrator? A teenage girl--Sienna, a troubled friend of his daughter--comes to Joe O'Loughlin's door one night. She is terrorized, incoherent-and covered in blood.The police find Sienna's father, a celebrated former cop, murdered in the home he shared with Sienna. Tests confirm that it's his blood on Sienna. She says she remembers nothing.Joe O'Loughlin is a psychologist with troubles of his own. His marriage is coming to an end and his daughter will barely speak to him. He tries to help Sienna, hoping that if he succeeds it will win back his daughter's affection. But Sienna is unreachable, unable to mourn her father's death or to explain it.Investigators take aim at Sienna. O'Loughlin senses something different is happening, something subterranean and terrifying to Sienna. It may be something in her mind. Or it may be something real. S
432 pages, Hardcover
First published June 10, 2010
About the author
Michael Robotham
46 books6,467 followersTwo-times Gold Dagger winner (2015 and 2020), twice Edgar best novel finalist (2016 and 2020) and winner of the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger (2021), Michael Robotham was born in Australia in November 1960 and grew up in small country towns that had more dogs than people and more flies than dogs. He escaped became a cadet journalist on an afternoon newspaper in Sydney.
For the next fourteen years he worked for newspapers and magazines in Australia, Europe, Africa and America. As a senior feature writer for the UK’s Mail on Sunday he was among the first people to view the letters and diaries of Czar Nicholas II and his wife Empress Alexandra, unearthed in the Moscow State Archives in 1991. He also gained access to Stalin’s Hitler files, which had been missing for nearly fifty years until a cleaner stumbled upon a cardboard box that had been misplaced and misfiled.
In 1993 he quit journalism to become a ghostwriter, collaborating with politicians, pop stars, psychologists, adventurers and showbusiness personalities to write their autobiographies. Twelve of these non-fiction titles have been bestsellers with combined sales of more than 2 million copies.
His first novel 'THE SUSPECT', a psychological thriller, was chosen by the world’s largest consortium of book clubs as only the fifth “International Book of the Month”, making it the top recommendation to 28 million book club members in fifteen countries.
Since then, Michael's psychological thrillers have been translated into twenty-five languages and his Joe O'Loughlin series is are currently in development for TV by World Productions. A six-part TV series based upon his standalone novel THE SECRETS SHE KEEPS was aired on BBC1 in 2020, and a second series begins filming in 2021.
Michael lives in Sydney with his wife and a diminishing number of dependent daughters.
For the next fourteen years he worked for newspapers and magazines in Australia, Europe, Africa and America. As a senior feature writer for the UK’s Mail on Sunday he was among the first people to view the letters and diaries of Czar Nicholas II and his wife Empress Alexandra, unearthed in the Moscow State Archives in 1991. He also gained access to Stalin’s Hitler files, which had been missing for nearly fifty years until a cleaner stumbled upon a cardboard box that had been misplaced and misfiled.
In 1993 he quit journalism to become a ghostwriter, collaborating with politicians, pop stars, psychologists, adventurers and showbusiness personalities to write their autobiographies. Twelve of these non-fiction titles have been bestsellers with combined sales of more than 2 million copies.
His first novel 'THE SUSPECT', a psychological thriller, was chosen by the world’s largest consortium of book clubs as only the fifth “International Book of the Month”, making it the top recommendation to 28 million book club members in fifteen countries.
Since then, Michael's psychological thrillers have been translated into twenty-five languages and his Joe O'Loughlin series is are currently in development for TV by World Productions. A six-part TV series based upon his standalone novel THE SECRETS SHE KEEPS was aired on BBC1 in 2020, and a second series begins filming in 2021.
Michael lives in Sydney with his wife and a diminishing number of dependent daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 815 reviews
February 6, 2017
Now that was good. That was very, very good! I am developing quite a taste for Joe O'Loughlin despite his Parkinson's Disease and the fact that he can't seem to move on from his soon to be ex wife. Try harder Joe! She's not really worth it.
I found it very hard to put this book down and when I did it cried for me to pick it up again! There was so much going on and so many wonderful characters. I spent the whole book hoping that Ruiz would survive to the end. He is hilarious. I am not going to quote his definition of political correctness because it is gross, but gosh it is funny too:) (See page 130 if you want to know).
So the book is full of action, the story is great and the crimes are all resolved in style. The best part though are the characters which is good in a series. Now I just want to get on to #5 to find out what happens to them next. Please let Joe find a good woman:)
I found it very hard to put this book down and when I did it cried for me to pick it up again! There was so much going on and so many wonderful characters. I spent the whole book hoping that Ruiz would survive to the end. He is hilarious. I am not going to quote his definition of political correctness because it is gross, but gosh it is funny too:) (See page 130 if you want to know).
So the book is full of action, the story is great and the crimes are all resolved in style. The best part though are the characters which is good in a series. Now I just want to get on to #5 to find out what happens to them next. Please let Joe find a good woman:)
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March 14, 2022The torture and death of a family pet put a screeching halt to my reading of this book and this series. I have no desire to continue.
December 23, 2016
Another Robotham book that kept me spellbound! I stayed up reading into the wee hours last night, even though I knew there was too much book left to finish it. I got up this morning, fed the cats, picked the book up and didn't put it down until I was done.
While the effects of Parkinson's are getting worse for Joe's body, his mind is also in turmoil. His personal life is in shambles, and he's basically living in limbo because he still loves his wife, Julianne. As personal and professional stresses build up, the final straw was a pedophile taunting Joe about his daughter, Charlie, and Joe goes off the rails. It is Ruiz that stands by him, picking him up, counseling him. DCI Cray is prominent in this book as she investigates the murder of the father of Charlie's best friend, Sienna, who is also a victim. Once again, excellent characterization is a hallmark.
There is a scene in this book that might be very disturbing to some people. I think the difference with this book is that we are not witness to the act itself, but to the aftermath. I felt like I was in Joe's mind and feeling his anguish right along side him.
This book was like a 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle. There were lots of pieces that Robotham doled out a little bit at a time, with a couple big reveals that made sense of some things but not others. The pacing picked up as the end neared and then the big picture became clear.
I will start the next book tonight, but it's doubtful I'll be able to keep my eyes open for very long.
While the effects of Parkinson's are getting worse for Joe's body, his mind is also in turmoil. His personal life is in shambles, and he's basically living in limbo because he still loves his wife, Julianne. As personal and professional stresses build up, the final straw was a pedophile taunting Joe about his daughter, Charlie, and Joe goes off the rails. It is Ruiz that stands by him, picking him up, counseling him. DCI Cray is prominent in this book as she investigates the murder of the father of Charlie's best friend, Sienna, who is also a victim. Once again, excellent characterization is a hallmark.
There is a scene in this book that might be very disturbing to some people. I think the difference with this book is that we are not witness to the act itself, but to the aftermath. I felt like I was in Joe's mind and feeling his anguish right along side him.
This book was like a 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle. There were lots of pieces that Robotham doled out a little bit at a time, with a couple big reveals that made sense of some things but not others. The pacing picked up as the end neared and then the big picture became clear.
I will start the next book tonight, but it's doubtful I'll be able to keep my eyes open for very long.
February 18, 2023
5★
“‘I don’t differentiate. Professor. You try to understand human behaviour. You try to explain it. Not me. I know we’re smaller than gorillas, bigger than chimps, worse than both of them and, for all our rationality, our rules and laws, our baser drives are still straight out of the jungle.’”
So saith Detective Chief Inspector Veronica ‘Ronnie’ Cray to Psychology Professor Joseph ‘Joe’ O’Loughlin. They are on the same page as far as their goal – to catch and put away the bad guys (and girls) – but they have different ways of going about it.
Sienna Hegarty, who is best friends with Joe’s daughter Charlie, is a star in the school play, and Joe has watched rehearsals and had a chat with the girls after. Sienna’s older sister, Zoe, is in a wheelchair, victim of a guy who is in jail and about whom Joe has advised the board is in no way ready to be released.
Sienna doesn’t need a lift home, thanks – she has one. Joe is separated from his beloved Julianne, and adores both of his girls, Charlie, fourteen (like Sienna) and Emma, who’s only three.
Since the dreadful events of a previous case, Joe is aware of how badly both Julianne and Charlie would have been affected.
“...how does a twelve-year-old recover from something like that? How does she set foot outside her house, or look a stranger in the eyes, or trust anyone again?”
Even worse is that his involvement in criminal investigations is to blame, for which Julianne can’t forgive him. Charlie seems to, but she’s a critical observer of her father, and she questions him about something she saw him do at school.
“Charlie isn‘t happy with the answer. She’s not happy with a lot of things I do and say these days. If I ask a question, I’m interrogating her. If I make an observation, I’m being judgemental. My comments are criticisms and our conversations are ‘arguments’. This is supposed to be my territory - human behaviour - but I seem to have a blind spot when it comes to understanding my eldest daughter, who doesn’t necessarily say what she means.”
Still, he does his absolute best to be in their lives, picking them up from school and taking them to his place until Julianne finishes work. They live only half a mile apart, and neither parent is dating, so Joe (and Charlie) keep hoping Julianne might take him back. She still relies on him. She calls him suddenly one night.
“ ‘Come quickly! It’s Sienna. Something’s wrong! She’s covered in blood!’
‘Blood?’
‘I couldn’t make her stay. We have to find her.’
‘Where did she go?’
‘She just ran away’
‘Call 999. I’m coming.’”
He takes off running from his place, but Mr. Parkinson slows him down. Since he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, he struggles with tics and tremors and muscle weakness, a liability when you’re in a hurry.
He heads for the river, locates Sienna, who appears nearly dead, and manages to get her to meet the paramedics.
Then Sienna’s father is found murdered on her bedroom floor. Her mother says he was a great guy, salt-of-the-earth, devoted husband and dad. Joe suspects not. Turns out, Ray Hegarty was a former detective, well-repected, so DCI Cray and her team are quick to pin the murder on Sienna to avenge one of their own.
Joe knows better. Sienna had some dubious friends, but she was Charlie’s best friend and spent so much time at their house, that she was almost a third daughter. In amongst all of this is the school dynamic – teens, parents, teachers. Everyone seems to think it was Sienna and that she probably had a reason. When Joe asks Charlie a direct question, she stalls.
“ ‘Here s the thing. Dad. I can say no and I could be lying or I could be telling you the truth. That’s a fifty-fifty chance of disappointing you. Or I could say yes and definitely disappoint you. The odds aren’t in my favour, so I figure I’ll just say nothing.’
‘I want you to answer.’
‘And I want another horse.’ ‘
What’s that got to do with anything?’
‘We both want something we’re not going to get.’”
Joe eventually calls in some favours from retired Detective Inspector Vincent Ruiz. We know him from past cases, and I must say I enjoyed seeing him in this one. Originally, he was the cop trying to catch Joe for a crime he thought Joe was guilty of. Later, they worked together and the O’Loughlins consider him extended family.
Michael Robotham has three daughters, grown now, so I can see where his experience comes from when he shares Joe’s caring awkwardness around girls and women. It must be awful for him to imagine the horror of his own family in these circumstances, which is probably what makes Joe feel so real.
I don’t ‘do’ horror and grisly thrillers, but Robotham seems to be able to cross that line for me and I always love his work. This is an excellent series. He’s an Aussie author who lived and worked as a journalist in the UK for many years, and when he came home to write, his publishers told him to set his stories in England – nobody would buy Aussie mysteries.
What a joke now! Much as I do love Aussie mysteries and fiction, I think Joe’s too old to move, and I look forward to the next in the series, English weather and all.
My reviews of the first three books:
Joseph O’Loughlin #1 My review of The Suspect
Joseph O’Loughlin #2 My review of Lost
Joseph O’Loughlin #3 My review of Shatter
“‘I don’t differentiate. Professor. You try to understand human behaviour. You try to explain it. Not me. I know we’re smaller than gorillas, bigger than chimps, worse than both of them and, for all our rationality, our rules and laws, our baser drives are still straight out of the jungle.’”
So saith Detective Chief Inspector Veronica ‘Ronnie’ Cray to Psychology Professor Joseph ‘Joe’ O’Loughlin. They are on the same page as far as their goal – to catch and put away the bad guys (and girls) – but they have different ways of going about it.
Sienna Hegarty, who is best friends with Joe’s daughter Charlie, is a star in the school play, and Joe has watched rehearsals and had a chat with the girls after. Sienna’s older sister, Zoe, is in a wheelchair, victim of a guy who is in jail and about whom Joe has advised the board is in no way ready to be released.
Sienna doesn’t need a lift home, thanks – she has one. Joe is separated from his beloved Julianne, and adores both of his girls, Charlie, fourteen (like Sienna) and Emma, who’s only three.
Since the dreadful events of a previous case, Joe is aware of how badly both Julianne and Charlie would have been affected.
“...how does a twelve-year-old recover from something like that? How does she set foot outside her house, or look a stranger in the eyes, or trust anyone again?”
Even worse is that his involvement in criminal investigations is to blame, for which Julianne can’t forgive him. Charlie seems to, but she’s a critical observer of her father, and she questions him about something she saw him do at school.
“Charlie isn‘t happy with the answer. She’s not happy with a lot of things I do and say these days. If I ask a question, I’m interrogating her. If I make an observation, I’m being judgemental. My comments are criticisms and our conversations are ‘arguments’. This is supposed to be my territory - human behaviour - but I seem to have a blind spot when it comes to understanding my eldest daughter, who doesn’t necessarily say what she means.”
Still, he does his absolute best to be in their lives, picking them up from school and taking them to his place until Julianne finishes work. They live only half a mile apart, and neither parent is dating, so Joe (and Charlie) keep hoping Julianne might take him back. She still relies on him. She calls him suddenly one night.
“ ‘Come quickly! It’s Sienna. Something’s wrong! She’s covered in blood!’
‘Blood?’
‘I couldn’t make her stay. We have to find her.’
‘Where did she go?’
‘She just ran away’
‘Call 999. I’m coming.’”
He takes off running from his place, but Mr. Parkinson slows him down. Since he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, he struggles with tics and tremors and muscle weakness, a liability when you’re in a hurry.
He heads for the river, locates Sienna, who appears nearly dead, and manages to get her to meet the paramedics.
Then Sienna’s father is found murdered on her bedroom floor. Her mother says he was a great guy, salt-of-the-earth, devoted husband and dad. Joe suspects not. Turns out, Ray Hegarty was a former detective, well-repected, so DCI Cray and her team are quick to pin the murder on Sienna to avenge one of their own.
Joe knows better. Sienna had some dubious friends, but she was Charlie’s best friend and spent so much time at their house, that she was almost a third daughter. In amongst all of this is the school dynamic – teens, parents, teachers. Everyone seems to think it was Sienna and that she probably had a reason. When Joe asks Charlie a direct question, she stalls.
“ ‘Here s the thing. Dad. I can say no and I could be lying or I could be telling you the truth. That’s a fifty-fifty chance of disappointing you. Or I could say yes and definitely disappoint you. The odds aren’t in my favour, so I figure I’ll just say nothing.’
‘I want you to answer.’
‘And I want another horse.’ ‘
What’s that got to do with anything?’
‘We both want something we’re not going to get.’”
Joe eventually calls in some favours from retired Detective Inspector Vincent Ruiz. We know him from past cases, and I must say I enjoyed seeing him in this one. Originally, he was the cop trying to catch Joe for a crime he thought Joe was guilty of. Later, they worked together and the O’Loughlins consider him extended family.
Michael Robotham has three daughters, grown now, so I can see where his experience comes from when he shares Joe’s caring awkwardness around girls and women. It must be awful for him to imagine the horror of his own family in these circumstances, which is probably what makes Joe feel so real.
I don’t ‘do’ horror and grisly thrillers, but Robotham seems to be able to cross that line for me and I always love his work. This is an excellent series. He’s an Aussie author who lived and worked as a journalist in the UK for many years, and when he came home to write, his publishers told him to set his stories in England – nobody would buy Aussie mysteries.
What a joke now! Much as I do love Aussie mysteries and fiction, I think Joe’s too old to move, and I look forward to the next in the series, English weather and all.
My reviews of the first three books:
Joseph O’Loughlin #1 My review of The Suspect
Joseph O’Loughlin #2 My review of Lost
Joseph O’Loughlin #3 My review of Shatter
September 30, 2019
Bleed For Me by Michael Robotham is book 4 in the Joe O'Loughlin series and it's definitely a series which seems to get better with every book, also it doesn't let up with the dark and twisted themes throughout.
It's a fast thriller with plenty of ' OH NO ' moments 😱 but it also has many exciting hang on to your pants moments too.
School teachers,teenage girls and ' because he loves me ' yep you can only imagine where this is going 🙄
This is a great series so far and definitely worth reading 📖
It's a fast thriller with plenty of ' OH NO ' moments 😱 but it also has many exciting hang on to your pants moments too.
School teachers,teenage girls and ' because he loves me ' yep you can only imagine where this is going 🙄
This is a great series so far and definitely worth reading 📖
April 2, 2016
Michael Robotham You have managed to pull me right into another Joseph O'loughlan Novel that kept me up late last night to finish it. Was unputdownable & had enough twists to sink a ship you are a master of your craft.
Former Detective Ray Hegarty is found murdered in his daughter Sienna's bedroom she is found covered in blood everything is pointed in her direction but Psychologist Joe O'loughlan is not convinced.
14 year old Sienna is Joe's daughters best friend Joe has watched her grow up & sees the troubled look in her eyes. Against the advice of the police Joe looks into the case himself what he finds is a Sexual predator who is a school teacher who has an affair with Sienna leaving her pregnant.
Joe finds more on Gordon Ellis & never relents as he thinks he is a paedophile who seeks out young girls for his own satisfaction Gordon flatly denies he had any liaison with Sienna.
What happens from here on is dark & a bit twisted i wont divulge anything else as it will ruin the climax to the book.
Another wonderful novel that keeps you guessing right to the end.
Former Detective Ray Hegarty is found murdered in his daughter Sienna's bedroom she is found covered in blood everything is pointed in her direction but Psychologist Joe O'loughlan is not convinced.
14 year old Sienna is Joe's daughters best friend Joe has watched her grow up & sees the troubled look in her eyes. Against the advice of the police Joe looks into the case himself what he finds is a Sexual predator who is a school teacher who has an affair with Sienna leaving her pregnant.
Joe finds more on Gordon Ellis & never relents as he thinks he is a paedophile who seeks out young girls for his own satisfaction Gordon flatly denies he had any liaison with Sienna.
What happens from here on is dark & a bit twisted i wont divulge anything else as it will ruin the climax to the book.
Another wonderful novel that keeps you guessing right to the end.
January 23, 2016
Joe O’Loughlin’s title of psychologist meant he understood the human mind – mostly. But sometimes even he couldn’t work out what made criminals tick. And with “Mr Parkinson” in residence, ruling his life 24/7, he wondered how much longer he would have control. Parkinson’s disease had taken over Joe’s life gradually – his separation from the wife he’d loved for over twenty years was much quicker. But they were still friends; Joe still had hopes of reconciliation between them. His girls, fourteen year old Charlie and six year old Emma were the lights of his existence, and fortunately he still had them in his life.
Charlie’s best friend was Sienna Hegarty, daughter of Ray who was an ex policeman. Joe knew Sienna’s home life wasn’t the best because she spent a lot of time with Charlie; at the house, at school and at the drama lessons and rehearsals which were leading up to a big concert for the school. But when Ray’s dead body was found in Sienna’s bedroom, then Sienna was found covered in her father’s blood Joe was shocked. And the fact that the police had immediately decided she had murdered her father didn’t sit well with him. He was certain she wasn’t capable of the act that saw her father dead – sure, she didn’t like him, but his decision to clear her name and find Ray’s killer immediately put Joe in danger.
With Joe investigating without police approval, he turned to Vincent Ruiz. His friend was an ex-cop and one who was dogged in his determination to find the truth. He was also a good friend to Joe, doing all he could to help; using contacts within the force to search for information. What would be the outcome of Joe and Vincent’s investigation? What would happen to Sienna? And was Joe placing his family in danger with all the questions he was asking?
I love Aussie author Michael Robotham’s Joe O’Louglin series – and I’m sad that I’ve read them all now. More please! Bleed for Me was another brilliant psychological thriller by the hands of this author; a master of his game. Thrills, chills and twists that were extremely unexpected – I have no hesitation in highly recommending Bleed for Me to all lovers of the genre.
Charlie’s best friend was Sienna Hegarty, daughter of Ray who was an ex policeman. Joe knew Sienna’s home life wasn’t the best because she spent a lot of time with Charlie; at the house, at school and at the drama lessons and rehearsals which were leading up to a big concert for the school. But when Ray’s dead body was found in Sienna’s bedroom, then Sienna was found covered in her father’s blood Joe was shocked. And the fact that the police had immediately decided she had murdered her father didn’t sit well with him. He was certain she wasn’t capable of the act that saw her father dead – sure, she didn’t like him, but his decision to clear her name and find Ray’s killer immediately put Joe in danger.
With Joe investigating without police approval, he turned to Vincent Ruiz. His friend was an ex-cop and one who was dogged in his determination to find the truth. He was also a good friend to Joe, doing all he could to help; using contacts within the force to search for information. What would be the outcome of Joe and Vincent’s investigation? What would happen to Sienna? And was Joe placing his family in danger with all the questions he was asking?
I love Aussie author Michael Robotham’s Joe O’Louglin series – and I’m sad that I’ve read them all now. More please! Bleed for Me was another brilliant psychological thriller by the hands of this author; a master of his game. Thrills, chills and twists that were extremely unexpected – I have no hesitation in highly recommending Bleed for Me to all lovers of the genre.
April 25, 2020
What a great series! I do want to give 1 WARNING though.. There is an act of animal cruelty in this & it really bothered me. It’s terrible but for some reason I can handle “it all” in regards to people but I have NO interest in reading about any of it being done to animals. & this particular situation was pretty horrible. It’s in Chapter 26- now that you know it’d be easy to skip & you’ll still get the obvious message being sent.
Other than that though, this book had me on the edge of my seat! Not only are there a handful of characters in this series that I’m genuinely enjoying & looking forward to keeping up with- but the crime (or mystery aspect) of each book has been exceptional. & I totally recommend this 1- even if you don’t feel like beginning a new series & just want to jump in!
Other than that though, this book had me on the edge of my seat! Not only are there a handful of characters in this series that I’m genuinely enjoying & looking forward to keeping up with- but the crime (or mystery aspect) of each book has been exceptional. & I totally recommend this 1- even if you don’t feel like beginning a new series & just want to jump in!
December 21, 2012
A compelling read spoiled because the author broke the golden rule - never kill the frigging dog! Having an animal tortured and not showing much reaction is unnecessary and upsetting. I enjoy Robotham's work and, apart from the dog episode, this was was cleverly put together. I get a bit peeved with Joe lamenting after his family. He does need to man up and confront the issue instead of letting his wife make the running. I have a feeling that if he wanted her less, she'd be back with him in a heartbeat. Just a woman's view!
July 29, 2022
This is book 4 in the Joe O'Loughlin series. In this book a Charlie (Joe's daughter) has a best friend Sienna, who appears to be struggling, she is cutting herself and showing signs of abuse. Then her father is found with his throat cut and Sienna appears to be the prime suspect for his murder. However, Joe believes that she is innocent but then who did it? Was it the older boyfriend? Someone else?
As per previous books the storyline is messy and Joe makes bad decisions that jeopardise himself and those around him. I love Ruiz, Joe's retired detective friend, who pops up again and is his delightful self. For those who aren't familiar with this series be warned, this book deals with child abuse, paedophilia and a horrifically graphic scene of animal abuse. So these books are definitely not for everyone. Having said that, I am really looking forward to reading book 5.
As per previous books the storyline is messy and Joe makes bad decisions that jeopardise himself and those around him. I love Ruiz, Joe's retired detective friend, who pops up again and is his delightful self. For those who aren't familiar with this series be warned, this book deals with child abuse, paedophilia and a horrifically graphic scene of animal abuse. So these books are definitely not for everyone. Having said that, I am really looking forward to reading book 5.
November 11, 2018
You’ve got to love Joe, but boy does he get himself into every trouble going! This book is dark and sadly quite a product of our times. I like that we get to suffer along with him through the angst of being a parent, of being a newly separated husband. Ronnie Cray and Ruiz are also strong characters. They make quite a team. Recommended series but start at the beginning.
Shelved as 'not-going-to-read'
March 21, 2022The mentions of graphic animal abuse mean I will not be reading this. I liked the first 2 but found the 3rd too nasty for me.
June 17, 2020
The main character in this series is complex, as are my feelings about the books.
First, a trigger warning about the torture of an animal. Yes, there’s plenty to be dismayed about with the happenings to humans in the book, but it’s not out of line with the genre of relatively darker crime fiction. You get what you choose to read about. But I found the extended scene depicting an animal who is suffering intensely from having been attacked and tortured by a human difficult to listen to. It could have been worse, it’s not leaned on overly hard for melodrama, but it’s more than enough.
The scene doesn’t play out in a way that soothes your reading discomfort either.
Animals get hurt in crime novels and others, and I’m not overly sensitive to that, but this was a little much. It stayed with me, and probably will continue to stay with me.
The novel itself, like the earlier ones in the series, are heavier on the life and troubles of the protagonist psychologist and how much damage the current case can do to him, his loved ones, and his unraveling life than on the crime plot.
The protagonist, as I said, is a complex fellow and not a fully likable hero—that’s more compliment than not. Still, his continued lack of self-awareness is on full display and in contrast with his psychological insight about others not closely entwined with him. Also, he reveals some things about both prior and current behavior that are at least cringeworthy. My response to him as a character is as complicated as he is, to the credit of the author.
That’s not exactly a complaint, as I like a unique and human protagonist we get to know deeply. Still, I hope for a little more from the mystery itself as we get deeper into the series, while I wonder if every single book will be an exercise in extreme protagonist damage and how credible his continued survival, on several levels, will be. I’m looking for Robotham to spread out a bit, and he has room to do that while I have several unread novels in this series.
All that said, these are compelling reads in my favorite line-the smart and serious British crime series. I need a little time between them, but I keep coming back and am not close to tired of them.
First, a trigger warning about the torture of an animal. Yes, there’s plenty to be dismayed about with the happenings to humans in the book, but it’s not out of line with the genre of relatively darker crime fiction. You get what you choose to read about. But I found the extended scene depicting an animal who is suffering intensely from having been attacked and tortured by a human difficult to listen to. It could have been worse, it’s not leaned on overly hard for melodrama, but it’s more than enough.
The scene doesn’t play out in a way that soothes your reading discomfort either.
Animals get hurt in crime novels and others, and I’m not overly sensitive to that, but this was a little much. It stayed with me, and probably will continue to stay with me.
The novel itself, like the earlier ones in the series, are heavier on the life and troubles of the protagonist psychologist and how much damage the current case can do to him, his loved ones, and his unraveling life than on the crime plot.
The protagonist, as I said, is a complex fellow and not a fully likable hero—that’s more compliment than not. Still, his continued lack of self-awareness is on full display and in contrast with his psychological insight about others not closely entwined with him. Also, he reveals some things about both prior and current behavior that are at least cringeworthy. My response to him as a character is as complicated as he is, to the credit of the author.
That’s not exactly a complaint, as I like a unique and human protagonist we get to know deeply. Still, I hope for a little more from the mystery itself as we get deeper into the series, while I wonder if every single book will be an exercise in extreme protagonist damage and how credible his continued survival, on several levels, will be. I’m looking for Robotham to spread out a bit, and he has room to do that while I have several unread novels in this series.
All that said, these are compelling reads in my favorite line-the smart and serious British crime series. I need a little time between them, but I keep coming back and am not close to tired of them.
June 23, 2018
Dopo aver letto uno dei primi capitoli della saga di Joe O’Loughlin ho pensato che mai e poi mai avrei letto qualcos’altro scritto da Robotham. Poi ho trovato questo quarto capitolo un po’ per caso, gli ho voluto dare una seconda possibilità e ho fatto bene! Libro ben scritto, trama avvincente, thriller ben strutturato. Insomma, stavolta, ha fatto centro.
September 29, 2016
Too many ingredients, but no eggs; thus, this cake fell flat
This was my second book to read involving O'Loughlin (a police psychologist). It didn't click for me as did the 1st book I read, Shatter (the 3rd in the series). The story was not nearly as suspenseful, though it did keep me interested for about 3/4 of the novel. The author appeared to mix in too many ingredients, with an eye toward a story told on a grander scale that would require at least another 100 pages.
It seemed that, after the cake had been cooked up, the author realized he forgot to put in the eggs and there was little he could do to keep the novel from falling flat.
This was my second book to read involving O'Loughlin (a police psychologist). It didn't click for me as did the 1st book I read, Shatter (the 3rd in the series). The story was not nearly as suspenseful, though it did keep me interested for about 3/4 of the novel. The author appeared to mix in too many ingredients, with an eye toward a story told on a grander scale that would require at least another 100 pages.
It seemed that, after the cake had been cooked up, the author realized he forgot to put in the eggs and there was little he could do to keep the novel from falling flat.
March 5, 2021
After enjoying Shatter so much, I picked up the next Joe O’Loughlin series book, Bleed For Me, immediately. I’m happy to report that Robotham has continued with the fenetic pace he set in Shatter and Bleed For Me is another winner.
Although, on reflection, I will admit that pace nearly shattered me in Shatter, so perhaps I might have appreciated a breather. Another one who wanted a breather is Julieanne, Joe's wife. The sore point in their marriage is that Joe becomes too involved in his cases, and boy, is he guilty as charged in Bleed For Me.
Yes, without actively pursuing it, psychologist Joe gets extremely personally tangled up with a case once again. It starts with his teenage daughter’s best friend, Sienna, arriving at their cottage, covered in blood. Soon the police find her father’s body and Joe is forced to investigate to ensure Sienna does not go to gaol or get committed to a psychiatric hospital for the crime.
Other than Sienna’s dad’s homicide, there is a lot of action with bombings, white supremists, paedaphilia, prostituion rings, jury tampering, self harm, stabbings, blackmail, poisioning… Yes, there are a lot of threads to the mystery plot but Robotham ties them all together and shows how they’re all linked in the end to give the reader a true resolution and satisfying conclusion.
I didn’t think the antagonist could get worse than the one Robotham gave us in Shatter but Bleed For Me’s main one is up there when it comes to disturbing characters. (I know these things go on in the world, but I would prefer to live in my little bubble sometimes.)
Although there is supposed to be two years passed, the book really seemed to follow on closely to Shatter. My favourite copper sidekick ever, Vincent Ruiz, is front and centre again (I laugh so hard at his lines). Other police characters introduced in Shatter also feature again including Veronica Cray. And, as I mentioned, Joe and Julieanne’s marital problems are still a major plot point.
Again Robotham sets Joe up for a fall and again, Joe obliges -- spectacularly. I still adore Joe and I continue to cheer him on even when he’s not making the right choices. The poor guy does get tortured relentlessly by Robotham (there’s one part where I admit to blubbering like a baby and calling Robotham all sorts of names for the distress he puts Joe, and the reader, through.)
Easily a 5 out of 5 star read and highly recommended (but, as I’ve mentioned, definitely do not start the series with this book; it’s one I truly don’t see as standalone).
Although, on reflection, I will admit that pace nearly shattered me in Shatter, so perhaps I might have appreciated a breather. Another one who wanted a breather is Julieanne, Joe's wife. The sore point in their marriage is that Joe becomes too involved in his cases, and boy, is he guilty as charged in Bleed For Me.
Yes, without actively pursuing it, psychologist Joe gets extremely personally tangled up with a case once again. It starts with his teenage daughter’s best friend, Sienna, arriving at their cottage, covered in blood. Soon the police find her father’s body and Joe is forced to investigate to ensure Sienna does not go to gaol or get committed to a psychiatric hospital for the crime.
Other than Sienna’s dad’s homicide, there is a lot of action with bombings, white supremists, paedaphilia, prostituion rings, jury tampering, self harm, stabbings, blackmail, poisioning… Yes, there are a lot of threads to the mystery plot but Robotham ties them all together and shows how they’re all linked in the end to give the reader a true resolution and satisfying conclusion.
I didn’t think the antagonist could get worse than the one Robotham gave us in Shatter but Bleed For Me’s main one is up there when it comes to disturbing characters. (I know these things go on in the world, but I would prefer to live in my little bubble sometimes.)
Although there is supposed to be two years passed, the book really seemed to follow on closely to Shatter. My favourite copper sidekick ever, Vincent Ruiz, is front and centre again (I laugh so hard at his lines). Other police characters introduced in Shatter also feature again including Veronica Cray. And, as I mentioned, Joe and Julieanne’s marital problems are still a major plot point.
Again Robotham sets Joe up for a fall and again, Joe obliges -- spectacularly. I still adore Joe and I continue to cheer him on even when he’s not making the right choices. The poor guy does get tortured relentlessly by Robotham (there’s one part where I admit to blubbering like a baby and calling Robotham all sorts of names for the distress he puts Joe, and the reader, through.)
Easily a 5 out of 5 star read and highly recommended (but, as I’ve mentioned, definitely do not start the series with this book; it’s one I truly don’t see as standalone).
January 9, 2023
This was very enjoyable and the Joe O’Loughlin series continues to impress. The subject matter is very dark and disturbing but the characters in this series are coming alive and the personal challenges on the home front are becoming very strained. Lots going on and the plots are well put together.
There is a small aspect of cruelty to animals in this book so I understand it’s not for everyone. However if you can see this as fiction then hopefully you can wash over it, I myself love animals and appreciate it’s a story and terrible things do happen unfortunately.
That said, whoever did the deadly deed regarding Gunsmoke was never established or mentioned again throughout the book which was a surprise to me. Nearly a 5 but a solid 4 for me.
There is a small aspect of cruelty to animals in this book so I understand it’s not for everyone. However if you can see this as fiction then hopefully you can wash over it, I myself love animals and appreciate it’s a story and terrible things do happen unfortunately.
That said, whoever did the deadly deed regarding Gunsmoke was never established or mentioned again throughout the book which was a surprise to me. Nearly a 5 but a solid 4 for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 13, 2021
I enjoyed Joseph O'Loughlin Series, some books in it more, some less. This one doesn't belong to my favorite in the series.
Michael Robotham is a skilled story teller and even if I didn't like this one as much as I enjoyed the previous books, it managed to keep my attention up to the end, what is actually a good sign - I am not that patient nowadays.
There are some points that did bother me mostly here: I still dislike Julianne: his ex is a very egoistic and self-serving person who looks only for others to blame except herself. I don't though have too much hope that Joe will get loose from her in the future, his bond to his family, his daughters and his ex-wife seems to be very strong and indissolubly linked with each other. And then his dog.
I'm going to follow the series, but I'll probably skip the next book. As I read, Joe is not the main character in it.
January 23, 2018
I just can't get enough of Michael Robotham's character Joseph O'Loughlin. This is my forth book in a row and, so far, there has been no disappointments. At its most basic, this story is about a teacher of high standing in the community who just happens to be lecherous, grooming paedophile. When Joe's daughter Charlie's best friend get involved with this low life, things get pretty sordid very quickly. Of course Joe gets involved and with the help of his one time protagonist now friend Ex D.I. Ruiz the hunt is on. Hold on to your hats, you're in for one hell of a ride.
June 13, 2018
Michael Robotham is rapidly becoming a favourite author of mine. I really like the Joe books and simply find myself completely caught up in the story and unable to put them down - this is no exception to that. Joe as a character is excellent to me and the other main characters are rich and and well written generally. This is a tense and exciting read. It does have little regards for police procedures to me but it was nonetheless very enjoyable. 4.5/5
August 12, 2015
You've done it again Mr Robotham - managed to keep me up more half the night reading another of your unputdownable Joseph O'Loughlin thrillers. Thoroughly enjoyable read from start to finish!
April 13, 2010
Fans of Australian writer Michael Robotham will always be waiting with baited breath for the next instalment from him. Be it a book that features (now) ex-cop Victor Ruiz, psychologist Joe O'Loughlin, Sikh detective Alisha Barba or a combination of those characters. BLEED FOR ME is another Joe O'Loughlin book, with a hefty appearance from Ruiz as well - and these two are particular favourites of this reader anyway.
If you've never read a Robotham book before it won't take you long to get up to speed with Joe's back story. A psychologist, he doesn't practice any more, now teaching instead. A sufferer of early onset Parkinsons, his physical frailty is something he struggles with on a daily basis. As he struggles with his separation from wife Julianne. A separation he is consistently unable to accept, his lose of close and regular contact with the woman he continues to love deeply is made even worse by his longing to be back living in the same house as his daughters - baby Emma and teenager on the verge Charlie. When Charlie's best friend Sienna is embroiled in the death of her father - ex-cop in his own right Ray Hegarty Joe is there from the very start. Searching for Sienna on the night that Ray is murdered; trying to help Sienna; trying to help his own daughter deal with the impact of the upheavals in her friends life; trying to restore his marriage; trying to stay in good with the police; trying to find the real killer. Joe seems to spend a lot of his life trying - and he tries the patience of a lot of people around him in the process. Calling in a favour from Ruiz, Joe and Victor seem to be the only people who don't believe Sienna killed her father, even when revelations of what has been going on in that family start to surface.
Joe's family have been through a lot in earlier books, and those circumstances, and his increasing Parkinson's symptoms seem to have made Joe more of a hero and Julianne, in particular, somewhat of a villain as their marriage has crumbled. BLEED FOR ME definitely is going someway towards explaining the relationship - the tensions and the difficulties between these two people. A lot of those difficulties play out as the pressure, this time albeit one removed from Joe's own family, acts on everybody in this book. Joe is as alternatively driven, bumbling, well meaning and blind stubborn as he's ever been; Ruiz is closed, measured and somewhat ruthless by comparison. Julianne is defensive sometimes, at other points she's open and caring and protective - and there's some explanation of why she has done what seemed so heartless in earlier books.
Along the way, the personal is balanced well against a story of human perversity and cruelty that is often profoundly confrontational. Perhaps it is that idea of confrontation that made Robotham step over one of those lines for some readers of crime fiction. Whilst I have struggled with, and sometimes been able to see and understand the reason for animal cruelty in some books - as a way of instigating some reaction / affecting a character or illustrating a character's flaws, in BLEED FOR ME it's not just that the depiction goes beyond cruelty and steps into explicit suffering, it's because I struggled from then on to find a context for it - a reason if you will. Despite the fact that I found this story of manipulation and cruelty balanced against understanding and care good, and the balancing of the relationship between Joe and his wife fairer and more balanced than before, since finishing the book I'm still confronted by that animal suffering incident. With the passage of time, the details have faded, but I'm still puzzled by the reactions (or lack thereof) of all the characters around that poor animal and increasingly discomforted by extrapolations of why it had to be so graphic. So confrontational. So unexplained, unnecessary. Certainly the last O'Loughlin book I read was the one that Robotham quipped his wife was worried might stop them from being invited to dinner parties. I hope that the bar didn't need to be raised.
If you've never read a Robotham book before it won't take you long to get up to speed with Joe's back story. A psychologist, he doesn't practice any more, now teaching instead. A sufferer of early onset Parkinsons, his physical frailty is something he struggles with on a daily basis. As he struggles with his separation from wife Julianne. A separation he is consistently unable to accept, his lose of close and regular contact with the woman he continues to love deeply is made even worse by his longing to be back living in the same house as his daughters - baby Emma and teenager on the verge Charlie. When Charlie's best friend Sienna is embroiled in the death of her father - ex-cop in his own right Ray Hegarty Joe is there from the very start. Searching for Sienna on the night that Ray is murdered; trying to help Sienna; trying to help his own daughter deal with the impact of the upheavals in her friends life; trying to restore his marriage; trying to stay in good with the police; trying to find the real killer. Joe seems to spend a lot of his life trying - and he tries the patience of a lot of people around him in the process. Calling in a favour from Ruiz, Joe and Victor seem to be the only people who don't believe Sienna killed her father, even when revelations of what has been going on in that family start to surface.
Joe's family have been through a lot in earlier books, and those circumstances, and his increasing Parkinson's symptoms seem to have made Joe more of a hero and Julianne, in particular, somewhat of a villain as their marriage has crumbled. BLEED FOR ME definitely is going someway towards explaining the relationship - the tensions and the difficulties between these two people. A lot of those difficulties play out as the pressure, this time albeit one removed from Joe's own family, acts on everybody in this book. Joe is as alternatively driven, bumbling, well meaning and blind stubborn as he's ever been; Ruiz is closed, measured and somewhat ruthless by comparison. Julianne is defensive sometimes, at other points she's open and caring and protective - and there's some explanation of why she has done what seemed so heartless in earlier books.
Along the way, the personal is balanced well against a story of human perversity and cruelty that is often profoundly confrontational. Perhaps it is that idea of confrontation that made Robotham step over one of those lines for some readers of crime fiction. Whilst I have struggled with, and sometimes been able to see and understand the reason for animal cruelty in some books - as a way of instigating some reaction / affecting a character or illustrating a character's flaws, in BLEED FOR ME it's not just that the depiction goes beyond cruelty and steps into explicit suffering, it's because I struggled from then on to find a context for it - a reason if you will. Despite the fact that I found this story of manipulation and cruelty balanced against understanding and care good, and the balancing of the relationship between Joe and his wife fairer and more balanced than before, since finishing the book I'm still confronted by that animal suffering incident. With the passage of time, the details have faded, but I'm still puzzled by the reactions (or lack thereof) of all the characters around that poor animal and increasingly discomforted by extrapolations of why it had to be so graphic. So confrontational. So unexplained, unnecessary. Certainly the last O'Loughlin book I read was the one that Robotham quipped his wife was worried might stop them from being invited to dinner parties. I hope that the bar didn't need to be raised.
October 3, 2019
This is the fourth/fifth (?) entry in the author’s very good series chronicling retired British Detective Inspector Vincent Ruiz and psychologist Joseph O’Loughlin. These books are a very engaging blend of mystery, police procedural and psychological thriller – well written with an excellent cast of real and interesting characters. The one fault I have with the series is that the story-lines have a tendency to go one twist, one coincidence or one connection too far, which does tend to strain credibility.
Bleed For Me follows this formula. Dr. O’Loughlin, battling Parkinson’s and a dissolving marriage, is now semi-retired from his practice and sleuthing, working as a part-time college professor. But as this story starts extenuating circumstances suck him back into a murder investigation when his adolescent daughter’s best friend is accused of murdering her father. So as much as the good doctor would rather stay on the sidelines, he’s quickly embroiled in the seemingly “slam-dunk” murder case against the young woman – which of course turns into much, much more.
O’Loughlin, once he takes on a case, cannot leave well enough alone, and as he digs here he finds trouble at his daughter’s school, including a very spooky teacher - as well as a love interest - the exploitation of troubled young girls and then – the one twist too many – a political connection that has ties to a xenophobic hate group and an ongoing well publicized trial. As the plot thickens O’Loughlin calls in retired detective Vincent Ruiz – from London - while working with, and at times, against a local cop – Veronica Cray – who was introduced in the previous book in this series. In the not so distant background Joe is trying – not so successfully - to salvage his failing marriage.
This constant turmoil in our protagonist’s life is an interesting quirk in this volume - the author seems to relish making our hero’s life as miserable as possible. Treating O’Loughlin much like a punching bag, the professor reels through this book. While fighting his ever-present physical ailments, Joe is constantly at odds with the investigation - the bearer of bad news and the lone voice in the search for justice – all the while Joe’s disintegrating marriage consumes him. One or two of these “challenges” in his life seems more than enough – all three – even with the “Doctor, heal thyself” theme – comes across – at times – over the top.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed this book and like the series – this is a distinction between “excellent” and “very good” – I’m just asking to tone down some of the extraneous noise and curious as to why the author treats his protagonist like a Bo-Bo doll.
Bleed For Me follows this formula. Dr. O’Loughlin, battling Parkinson’s and a dissolving marriage, is now semi-retired from his practice and sleuthing, working as a part-time college professor. But as this story starts extenuating circumstances suck him back into a murder investigation when his adolescent daughter’s best friend is accused of murdering her father. So as much as the good doctor would rather stay on the sidelines, he’s quickly embroiled in the seemingly “slam-dunk” murder case against the young woman – which of course turns into much, much more.
O’Loughlin, once he takes on a case, cannot leave well enough alone, and as he digs here he finds trouble at his daughter’s school, including a very spooky teacher - as well as a love interest - the exploitation of troubled young girls and then – the one twist too many – a political connection that has ties to a xenophobic hate group and an ongoing well publicized trial. As the plot thickens O’Loughlin calls in retired detective Vincent Ruiz – from London - while working with, and at times, against a local cop – Veronica Cray – who was introduced in the previous book in this series. In the not so distant background Joe is trying – not so successfully - to salvage his failing marriage.
This constant turmoil in our protagonist’s life is an interesting quirk in this volume - the author seems to relish making our hero’s life as miserable as possible. Treating O’Loughlin much like a punching bag, the professor reels through this book. While fighting his ever-present physical ailments, Joe is constantly at odds with the investigation - the bearer of bad news and the lone voice in the search for justice – all the while Joe’s disintegrating marriage consumes him. One or two of these “challenges” in his life seems more than enough – all three – even with the “Doctor, heal thyself” theme – comes across – at times – over the top.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed this book and like the series – this is a distinction between “excellent” and “very good” – I’m just asking to tone down some of the extraneous noise and curious as to why the author treats his protagonist like a Bo-Bo doll.
November 29, 2017
4.5 stars
June 1, 2016
I found this book very hard to get in to and once I was in, I wanted out. The description of the dog killing was horrible and totally unnecessary. I hate animal cruelty in books. Really, I'll be haunted by that image for weeks now. The dialogue when the protagonist went to Scotland was just irritating. I don't need to see "Ah" for "I" and "aye" constantly sprinkled in. I get it, they are in Scotland. The plot was derailed by Joe's obsession with his ex-wife and his inability to move on. His bizarre relationship with the counselor made no sense to me. Why would she hop into bed with him when he's not exactly cutting a dashing figure, to say the least? I really didn't care who did it after the dog incident. Just to much violence overall in this book. Will never read another by this author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 6, 2016
I found this incredibly difficult to put down, and very easy to pick up. I enjoy the authors turn of phrase, and while it looked like there were two separate story lines being developed, I kept trying to tie them together in my head, until they came together and then the climax exploded deliciously. The resolution was long enough to explain much of what happened, but I personally would have enjoyed a little more. I can't wait to read the next in the series.
August 2, 2019
Fourth in the series and one that focuses very much on O'Loughlin's life as his daughter's best friend is charged with the murder of her father. It's a gritty tale with paedophilia front and centre, and a race hate crime with truly viscous thugs. There's not a lot of suspense with the focus on O'Loughlin trying to get the police to see the light although there are a couple of twists at the end.
April 3, 2021
I’ve decided to call Michael Robothom Mr Reliable. I know that I am going to have a guaranteed good read. Admittedly his earlier stuff is not as polished as his later work but that is to be expected with any author. Their is a familiarity and comfort of having the main character appear in the majority of his earlier works and each book is a sound psychological thriller which can be read as stand alones if desired.
I will carry make sure that I continue Michael’s backlist of novels featuring Joe O’Laughlin.
I will carry make sure that I continue Michael’s backlist of novels featuring Joe O’Laughlin.
December 17, 2017
This is a SOLID 4 star read- but being that I stared with book number 1 Suspect (which was amazing!) I am bumping this read to a 5 star. If you have not stared this series- you are missing out for sure! Great characters, great story lines and all around great writing.....
November 9, 2012
I'm on a bit of a Michael Robotham thrillerbinge at the moment: read my first one (Say You're Sorry) last week, and just finished this one yesterday. This is the stronger of the two, and I'm looking forward to reading more Robotham in the coming days.
There's nothing startlingly original about what Robotham's doing here - these are just good, meaty, crime thrillers with plenty of local and character detail. (Not quite as "literary" as Rankin at his peak, but a cut above your average crime writer.)
The nice twist is that Robotham's central character is not a detective, as such: Joe O'Loughlin is a psychologist who "helps the police", as they say. (Although much of the time, he doesn't particularly want to.) As strong as the plotting is, in "Bleed for Me", it's the characters - central and peripheral - who have stayed with me so far. Joe, of course, is great: prone to little bouts of misery and self-doubt but determined and funny and likeable and capable of optimism; his retired copper friend Ruiz is a blast; his teenage daughter, Charlie, is wonderfully drawn; his wife (the marriage is slowly unravelling)and the slightly comical chap she starts dating; the school counsellor, Annie Robinson, the lead detective on the case, Ronnie Cray (who is, brilliantly, actually related to the Krays with a K!)...I could go on and on.
The sub-plot, about a racist arson attack in Bristol, is perfectly pitched and may (or may not!!) have something to do with the main crime in question: the brutal murder of ex-cop Ray Hegarty, who is the father of Sienna, the best friend of Joe's daughter.
If you like well-written, involving, gripping contemporary British crime fiction, you cannot possibly go wrong with this!
There's nothing startlingly original about what Robotham's doing here - these are just good, meaty, crime thrillers with plenty of local and character detail. (Not quite as "literary" as Rankin at his peak, but a cut above your average crime writer.)
The nice twist is that Robotham's central character is not a detective, as such: Joe O'Loughlin is a psychologist who "helps the police", as they say. (Although much of the time, he doesn't particularly want to.) As strong as the plotting is, in "Bleed for Me", it's the characters - central and peripheral - who have stayed with me so far. Joe, of course, is great: prone to little bouts of misery and self-doubt but determined and funny and likeable and capable of optimism; his retired copper friend Ruiz is a blast; his teenage daughter, Charlie, is wonderfully drawn; his wife (the marriage is slowly unravelling)and the slightly comical chap she starts dating; the school counsellor, Annie Robinson, the lead detective on the case, Ronnie Cray (who is, brilliantly, actually related to the Krays with a K!)...I could go on and on.
The sub-plot, about a racist arson attack in Bristol, is perfectly pitched and may (or may not!!) have something to do with the main crime in question: the brutal murder of ex-cop Ray Hegarty, who is the father of Sienna, the best friend of Joe's daughter.
If you like well-written, involving, gripping contemporary British crime fiction, you cannot possibly go wrong with this!
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