A murdered metal sculptor. A Russian mobster on the hunt. Can a talented PI outsmart a vindictive killer who has her in his crosshairs?
Private investigator Angelina Bonaparte can barely contain her excitement. Thrilled to reunite with her detective boyfriend after an mandated separation of several years, sheâs preparing every detail for his return. But sheâs forced to put passion on the backburner when she discovers a local artist brutally slain.
When the dead manâs own last will and testament shockingly predict his death, the seasoned sleuth ignores her loverâs warnings and digs into the victimâs treacherous links with the Russian mob. But with the culprit still on the loose and the evidence not matching up, Angelinaâs life could be snuffed out the ultimate criminal mastermind.
Is Angie's romantic reunion in danger of being fatally cut short?
Blood Kills is the spine-tingling fourth tale in the Angelina Bonaparte Mysteries thriller series. If you like riveting twists, blossoming love affairs, and pulse-pounding close calls, then youâll adore Nanci Rathbunâs high-octane story.
A murdered metal sculptor. A Russian mobster on the hunt. Can a talented PI outsmart a vindictive killer who has her in his crosshairs?
Private investigator Angelina Bonaparte can barely contain her excitement. Thrilled to reunite with her detective boyfriend after an mandated separation of several years, sheâs preparing every detail for his return. But sheâs forced to put passion on the backburner when she discovers a local artist brutally slain.
When the dead manâs own last will and testament shockingly predict his death, the seasoned sleuth ignores her loverâs warnings and digs into the victimâs treacherous links with the Russian mob. But with the culprit still on the loose and the evidence not matching up, Angelinaâs life could be snuffed out the ultimate criminal mastermind.
Is Angie's romantic reunion in danger of being fatally cut short?
Blood Kills is the spine-tingling fourth tale in the Angelina Bonaparte Mysteries thriller series. If you like riveting twists, blossoming love affairs, and pulse-pounding close calls, then youâll adore Nanci Rathbunâs high-octane story.
I swatted the alarm. Five thirty a.m. Groaning, I struggled into my robe and made my way to the kitchen and the first cup of what would surely be several coffees this morning.
My steam shower perked me up somewhat. After toweling off and applying moisturizer, I pulled jeans and a long-sleeved shirt from my big walk-in closet, formerly a small bedroom, and grabbed the top bra-and-panties set from my underwear drawer. No need to ponder the choice like I used to⌠at least not yet. I dressed for the day, ran a styling brush through my hair, and applied minimal makeupâblush, mascara, and lipstick. Good enough for an early-morning visit to Mickâs shop, I decided.
As I quickly made the bed, I paused at the nightstand to gently run a finger across the framed photo of me and my guy, Wukowski. At least I hoped he was still my guy. Our long separation ended in sixteen days, and the copper panels I would pick up soon were the final touch in my newly redecorated boudoir. I wanted to appeal to his sensual side and also make him feel as if the formerly very feminine room welcomed the masculine in him.
Filling my to-go cup with more caffeine, I headed down to street level to await my ride. Last year, Iâd finally traded in my beloved post-divorce black cherry Miata convertible, whose advancing age and failing reliability pushed me to the decision. Being a two-seater, my new Tango Red Audi TT Roadster didnât qualify to transport large objects like the panels. However, its speed, comfort, and appointments suited me perfectly, and there was plenty of leg room for a tall man⌠like Wukowski.
The big Ford F-450 pulled up in the driveway, and Bobbie Russell hopped out of the passenger side. Even at this ungodly hour, he looked gorgeous. I once referred to him as a young Rock Hudson, but he corrected me. âNobody remembers him, Ange. Iâm going for the Colton Haynes look but without the bleached hair.â At my blank expression, he added, âYou know, the guy from Arrow.â I nodded, as if recognizing the reference.
Bobbie made partner in my PI company, AB Investigations, two years ago, and his skills had blossomed alongside our friendship ever since. âHey, Angie. Ready to haul metal?â
âI am,â I told him. âI canât wait to get those panels hung and put the last touches on the bedroom.â
With a snicker, he said, âThereâll be some touches after the separation ends, I imagine.â
The driver, Bram York, leaned over to the open door. âBobbie,â he drawled, âthatâs no way to talk to a lady.â
âGirlfriends talk like that, Bram,â he said.
Yep, Bobbie bats for the other side, which has disheartened more than a few women of my acquaintance.
With help from Bobbie and a hand up from Bram, I levered my five-foot-three self into the very tall truck.
âIn, shorty?â Bram asked, teasing.
âHey,â I protested, âI may be somewhat height-challenged, but Iâm a mighty woman.â
âThat you are and no mistake,â he agreed.
The acknowledgment from the former special-ops guyâI didnât know which branch; he kept that part of his life privateâmeant a lot to me. He and his current employerâthey had served togetherâhad brought a whole new meaning to the word protection when a former client and I received threats from a war criminal.
I swayed slightly between the two men who shared the bench seat with me. âThanks a lot for helping me out, especially at such an early hour. It was the only time Mick could meet with me. Heâs leaving for his cabin at seven this morning.â
âNo problem,â Bram assured me. âWeâll get your panels home, and Bobbie and I will help with the installation. Itâll take more than one set of hands. Got my toolbox in the truck bed.â
âIâm equipped,â I told him. âA woman needs her own tools. But Iâll be glad of the assistance. And breakfast is on me this morning.â I saw Bram shift slightly and knew the Southern gentleman in him felt uncomfortable accepting a meal from a woman. âNo arguments, Bram,â I said in my stern mom voice.
âYes, maâam.â
Sunlight hadnât yet broken over the horizon as we drove past the front of the U-shaped Arts Galleria.
âLooks like an interesting strip mall,â Bobbie said. âAll artists and crafters, right?â
âRight. Itâs Mick Swansonâs brainchild, and heâs worked hard to make it a reality. Itâs unique in the city.â Of course, there were other concentrations of art shops, but no other dedicated art malls in Milwaukee. Mickâs shop, Metal Works, held pride of place at the street-facing center of the U-shaped galleria.
Bram rounded the corner into the alley behind the shops. âGuess thatâs the place,â he said, pointing to an open oversized roll-up door. âBut whyâs it dark?â
No lights were on outside or in the workroom. âMick told me heâd be on the dock, waiting for us. I donât like the look of this,â I said.
First and foremost, a large thank you to Reedsy Discovery and Nanci Rathbun for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
Having devoured the three previous novels in this series in order to reach this ARC, I was pleased to get my hands on the latest instalment of the Angelina Bonaparte mysteries. Nanci Rathbun continues to develop a great collection of novels built on the tenacious PI Angelina Bonaparte, working around Milwaukee and helping those in need. Counting down the last days of her forced separation from a lover, Angie has ordered a special piece of art to commemorate their reunification. When she arrives to collect it, she discovers the artistâs body in his shop. One thing leads to another and his seedy past comes to light. Hired by a fellow business owner to get to the bottom of things, Angie has an eye on the likely murderer, but needs to connect the dots, as more bodies pile up. This will be one case that requires additional caution to keep her alive! A great addition to the series for fans of Rathbunâs work.
Angelina Bonaparte (add the âtayâ on the last syllable if you want to save a punch to the mouth) has been in agony since she and her lover, Detective W. T. âTedâ Wukowski, have been forced apart by Milwaukee PD brass. However, the days are dwindling down and she has a special treat in store for him, aside from the usually flirtatious lingerie she flaunts. While visiting a local metalsmith to collect a piece, she discovers Mick Swansonâs body. Some preliminary sleuthing provides some insight in the form of a letter from Swanson himself, pointing the finger at his own cousin.
While the murder has rattled Angie, the local business owners in the cooperative are equally jarred, worried that the recent violence will cause sales to plummet. One such owner, Debby Hill, admits that she is also Swansonâs executor and worries that she will be targeted. Angie agrees to take her on as a client and they begin to unravel the darker side to Michael (Mick) Lebedev Swanson, whose service in the Russian military opens up new and troubling facets to the investigation.Â
When Angie and Wukowski get an MPD reprieve on their complete separation, they are able to work together, albeit in a strained fashion, on the case. Detective Wukowski provides some added insight that Mickâs DNA was found at the scene of an Illinois politicianâs murder, citing that the metalsmith was actually involved in the Bratva, the Russian Mob. Realising that she will make no headway with her paramour, Angie is forced to take matters into her own hands.Â
More bodies pile up and Swansonâs own attorney is attacked, with the probate documents stolen. Whatever Swanson has on his cousin must be significant and rests primarily on their time in the Russian Army during the invasion of Chechnya. Angie discovers that there is some family history here that could be playing into the larger motive for murder, but worries that it will all be erased before she can get to the bottom of things. Racing against time and tossing caution into the wind, PI Bonaparte will have to take some risks to bring the truth out, much to the chagrin of hard-headed Detective Wukowski. Will there be a romantic reconnection after all?
I enjoy binge-reading a series, as it permits me to explore the plots and character development on a deeper level. When handed this ARC, I chose not to dive right in, but rather get an understanding of the series and all that Rathbun had done to date. I am pleased that I did, as it permitted me to connect better with Angelina Bonaparte, though I admit it took a while. While I was not entirely hooked by the debut novel that Nanci Rathbun offered readers, Angelina Bonaparteâs unique approach did eventually sink in for me, giving me a deeper appreciation of her style and I was rather excited to get my hands on this novel.
Angelina Bonaparte stays the course as a strong protagonist, forced to take on a great deal yet again. While there are some moments of familial backstory peppered throughout, the main focus appears to be character development, both professional and personal. Bonaparte is a risk taker, but she appears to ground most of her actions on fact-finding and strong sleuthing. Pulled into the case, she uses many of her connections in the field to reveal truths, though her stubbornness does sometimes lead to some hot water moments. Flirty and focussed on rekindling her love affair, she has her moments of cringe-worthy saccharine one-liners, but those are par for the course.
Rathbun continues with a strong collection of secondary characters, many of whom she admits come from people she actually knows. Those who grace the pages of the book help push the story forward and keep the reader entertained throughout. While there are always criminal elements in the novels, much of the plot development comes from understanding various angles these seemingly minor characters provide the story, only adding to the greatness of the overall piece. Rathbun has some recurring characters and a bunch of new faces, keeping the reader intrigued while learning whatâs going on as well.
I can finally admit that Nanci Rathbunâs novels are growing on me. While it took me some time to find my niche, trying to wrap my head around this middle-aged PIâs obsession with undergarments, the fact that there is a strong thriller is not lost on me. The book added some grit and looked again into some recent history to add a depth and flavour to the plot, while keeping the action coming in each chapter. Rathbunâs writing is engaging throughout, usually able to steer away from predictability, though there is an undertone of slight hokines, which works in this regard. Thereâs a decent balance of short and longer chapters to whet the readerâs appetite throughout, with wondering pacing. I enjoyed the mix of backstory from previous novels and the newness of this mystery, a great balance that is sure to keep the reader wondering whatâs to come. While it was an advantage to binge the series, I know I will have to wait for a while now to see if Angelina Bonaparte is back with more Milwaukee fun!
Kudos, Madam Rathbun, for a winner. I am glad I took the gamble on the series and feel you have a fan in me!