Trace Evidence by Vanessa Robertson
Art crime investigator Kate Carpenter is back in this fast-paced and twisty follow-up to Don’t Blink, described by readers as “jam-packed with adventure and mystery”. This time it’s not a priceless painting that’s disappeared but her childhood best friend. Back in the town where she grew up, can Kate apply her professional skills to find a missing person?
Beatrice Copley and Kate were best friends all through school and although they’ve kept in touch, travel and jobs mean they’ve drifted apart. When Beatrice disappears without trace, her mother contacts Kate hoping that she might have heard something. Kate hasn’t, but feels under pressure to return to her home town and see if she can track her old friend down.
At first Kate only finds scraps of information but gradually she pieces together fragments of the life Beatrice tried so hard to hide and uncovers the secrets she was trying so hard to keep hidden. Where is Beatrice and what has she done?
Trace Evidence is the second full-length Kate Carpenter novel.
Author Bio:
Vanessa Robertson has lived in Scotland for over twenty years. A former publisher and bookseller, she won the Pitch Perfect event for unpublished writers at the Bloody Scotland Crime Writing Festival in Stirling in 2015.
Death Will Find Me, a crime novel set in 1920s Edinburgh featuring former spy, Tessa Kilpatrick, was her first novel, and Don't Blink, the first in a series set in the world of art crime investigator Kate Carpenter was published in May 2020, with the second, Trace Evidence, scheduled for later in the year. Vanessa has also published a short novella, Vanishing Point, introducing the character of Kate, which is available on Amazon and free via her website at www.vanessarobertson.co.uk.
Vanessa lives in a cottage in the middle of a Scottish wood with her family and ridiculously large dog. Currently, she's editing the third Kate Carpenter thriller, researching the next Tessa Kilpatrick 1920s novel, and trying not to be distracted by new plot ideas. Vanessa loves windswept beaches, the coffee-scented fug of Venetian cafes and wandering around art galleries.
Review
I just love this series. This is the second book in the series but you can easily pick this one up and read it has a stand-alone. Kate Carpenter is a great character - feisty, loyal, fashionable and a great detective. In this book we see her looking for an old friend who has gone missing and it quite the departure from her normal day job! Or is it? Surely, the skill set is the same.
The narrative for this one was intriguing. At first there weren’t enough clues to help Kate as it seems Bea leads a very non-descriptive life. Hardly any personal effects or even personal relationships. There might be a guy on the scene but neither Kate or Bea’s mum know anything about him. It’s like she has just vanished into thin air. The resolution of the story was unfortunately believable. I like how this series shows the manipulation that can occurs in relationships. It doesn’t shy away from them. The juxtaposition between Kate and Bea in this sense was a great balance in this topic though.
In particular I liked all the family scenes as Kate is in her home town. It shows her character off in a new direction and it’s great her new personal relationship is out in the open now with her family. But who is the relationship? Is she still dating the Russian or is it someone new? The whole older Russian ballet dancer has always given me Sex and the City final series vibes.
I am looking forward to Kate returning to her day job though. Don’t get me wrong I really enjoyed ‘Trace Evidence’ but what made the first book and the novella unique for me was the art detection. It’s something new for the Scottish writing scene, also an interesting subject choice. I’m fascinated by this area though and you feel as if you are learning something at the same time! So hurry Vanessa I’m eagerly waiting for book 3!
