I’m thrilled to welcome you today to my stop on the blog tour for unique crime debut The Colours of Death by Patricia Marques. Thank you to Jenny Platt and Hodder & Stoughton for giving me the opportunity to read and review this very different and mesmerising new novel.
About the book:
Introducing a fresh, unique and smart speculative crime debut set in an alternative present-day Lisbon.
THE MURDER
In the Gare do Oriente, a body sits, slumped, in a stationary train. A high-profile man appears to have died by throwing himself repeatedly against the glass. But according to witnesses, he may not have done this of his own accord.
THE CITY
Lisbon 2021. A small percentage of the population are diagnosed as Gifted. Along with the power comes stigma and suspicion.
THE DETECTIVE
In a prejudiced city, Gifted Inspector Isabel Reis is hiding her own secrets while putting her life on the line to stop an ingenious killer.
A violent and mysterious crime. Suspected Gifted involvement. A city baying for blood. And a killer who has only just begun . . .
About the author:
Half-Angolan and half-Portuguese, Patricia was born in Portugal but moved to England when she was eight. As well as an MA in Creative Writing from City University, she holds a BA in Creative Writing from Roehampton. She lives in London and The Colours of Death is her first novel.
My Review:
The Colours of Death by Patricia Marques is a very different and unique crime novel that drew me in from the very first page and didn’t let go until the final page had been turned. I love crime novels with a fantasy or supernatural element so when I read the premise of this book I knew straightaway that it was going to be my kind of read. And I was not disappointed! A compelling and intriguing story that held me captive from beginning to end, this is one of the most unique debuts I’ve read and I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent within its pages.
Beautifully written by Patricia Marques this is a mesmerising book that tells the story of an alternative present day Lisbon in which ‘The Gifted’, a small number of the population who are either telepathic or telekinetic, are viewed with suspicion and mistrust. Inspector Isabel Reis is one such person, able to hear people’s thoughts inside her head, something that isn’t always a blessing. But it certainly comes in useful when interviewing witnesses as part of her investigation into the death of a high profile man on a train. Isabel is able to see their memories in her quest to piece together the truth of what they actually saw, but as one of The Gifted she isn’t trusted enough to do this alone, so is partnered with Aleks Voronov, a Regular person who is there to ensure that she doesn’t misuse her ability.
It is the relationship between Isabel and Aleks that truly brings this novel to life and I found myself captivated by their story. There are many twists and turns as the pair try to get to the bottom of what happened on the train, with this unusual tale keeping me enthralled from beginning to end.
The Colours of Death is a unique and original book with complex characters that capture your imagination, leaving you wanting more as you turn the final page. I loved this book and hope it is only the first of many to feature Isabel Reis and Aleks Voronov. Patricia Marques has written an impressive debut that I would highly recommend, especially to those readers who like something a little bit different mixed in with their crime.
The Colours of Death by Patricia Marques is available to purchase now.
Check out what these other fabulous bloggers have to say about this book:
Cal Turner Reviews 
I love the sound of this one x
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