If you’re interested in reading my academic work about detective and crime fiction (free PDFs available), check it out here. Or take a look at my short story collection featuring Victorian “lady detective” Meinir Davies; order now!
See also
These lists capture other detective/crime stories and characters that I thought of as I was reading this piece. I won’t explain why, to avoid spoilers, but they’re associations and not ‘if you liked this, then you’ll love…’ recommendations!
Review
This isn’t necessarily high art, but I enjoyed it thoroughly!
The set-up is a great concept; family tension aligns with the tension between criminal and criminologist, but which will out, family or duty? For DI Tess Fox, this is complicated by a dark secret of her own and a competition for promotion, both of which mean she cannot afford to fail.
This is particularly in my wheelhouse because it relies on an extraordinary sidekick premise, which I’ve written about extensively, particularly with C21 TV series in mind. Three Card Murder combines the themes of several of these (particularly White Collar and Deception) to bring together the set-up of Tess’ con-artist half-sister Sarah helping her with her investigation. At one point, Blackhurst manages to encapsulate the contradiction with these types of tales. Tess says of Sarah: “She’s clever. Thinks differently to most people. It’s like her brain connects things in ways normal people’s brains wouldn’t.” But this is, in fact, exactly what the professional police force is intended to be for, their professional experience and training circumventing “ways normal people” think. So, I’m interested, and I’ll read this again for my own professional purposes, and any more that Blackhurst publishes in the future.
The writing is snappy, with a great opener. Short chapters and a generally tight focus keep this novel moving along neatly, and the twist is well foreshadowed and yet still twisty. I enjoy the characters, who are drawn economically but with care. There is a certain precision here, writing to some familiar tropes and types, which can sometimes feel cold or false, but Blackhurst manages to keep it interesting.
Take a look at my short story collection featuring Victorian “lady detective” Meinir Davies; order now!
Dominique Gracia 
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