THE BLOOD LABYRINTH

A woman’s hunt for the truth about her history may unravel a mystery bigger than she ever imagined in Bentley’s novel.

Rachel Burton has lived a life feeling constantly let down by those around her. Her father abandoned her mother while she was pregnant with Rachel; her mother, a drug addict, disappeared, leaving Rachel to grow up in foster care; and her boyfriend betrayed her when he had an affair with her boss. She turns to psychologist Abigail Wixley for help with her anxiety and paranoia; Wixley then discovers something unexpected about Rachel: she has a mind made for numbers, patterns, and codes. Wixley agrees with Rachel’s suggestion that there may be a hereditary component. Rachel accepts the aid of ex-boyfriend Hayden Jones, an investigator reporter and undercover Canadian Security Intelligence Service agent, to help her find answers. First, Rachel finds her mother in a psychiatric facility, where the older woman rarely experiences lucidity. Unfortunately, she doesn’t recognize her daughter, who must undergo a DNA test to access information pertinent to her family history. Rachel discovers that her DNA connects her to a man killed in 1948 who was never identified and whose strange death has been the center of an insurmountable mystery. Bentley has taken a cold case premise inspired by real events and crafted it into a fantastic mystery with intrigue, an enticing cast, and a fast pace all making for an exhilarating story. Rachel is a relatable and grounded character who drives the action forward. (When Rachel meets her mother for the first time in years only to not be recognized, she is emotional but restrained: “It was only as Rachel brushed away an unexpected tear from her cheek that any acknowledgement of their presence was made.”) Her troubled history pulls at the heartstrings and provides an emotional core for the mystery, lending it a sincere quality that adds nuance to the narrative.

An engrossing mystery with heartfelt characters.