River of Souls

River of Souls by Kate Rhodes
Publisher: Mulholland Books
Rating: 3 stars


                                                                                        Blurb: 
 
Jude Shelley, daughter of a prominent cabinet minister, had her whole life ahead of her until she was attacked and left to drown in the Thames. Miraculously, she survived. A year later, her family ask psychologist Alice Quentin to re-examine the case.
But then an elderly priest is attacked in Battersea, his body washed up at Westminster Pier. An ancient glass bead is tied to his wrist.
The river has always demanded sacrifices, and now it seems a killer believes it's calling out for more.
Alice is certain that Jude and her family are hiding something, but unless she can persuade them to share what they know, more victims will drown…

My view:

I was excited to read Rhode’s next chapter in her Alice Quintin series, but after finally finishing the book, I’m not sure what to think of it. While The Winter Foundlings was slow but tense, River of Souls is just aggravatingly slow and drags on in the beginning. You sort of end up feeling annoyed with the characters as no one is really doing anything or thinking up any solutions. Also, why does Alice’s sex life have to be so outlined? I think this aspect takes the murder focus away from the novel. This certainly could have been better especially as I enjoyed her previous book. A meagre 3 stars from me.

(A small thank you to bookbridgr for sending me this review copy!)