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"The characters in the book are all too human
- Rachel is a recovering alcoholic, her father a habitual gambler, with
all the attendant problems to which that addiction gives rise. Rachel's
friends are also very interesting creations: one is a street person, an
elderly woman who for some reason has a cell phone, the other the head
of a cleaning service who knows - or can find out - much of what there
is to know about the neighborhood. The author has given us a believable,
well-plotted mystery people with fascinating characters, including a
couple of red herrings. Suspenseful and thoroughly enjoyable, the book
is recommended. "
Allison Block, Booklist
"A quality follow-up to Rachel's first
adventure."
Kirkus Reviews
Rachel
Chavez owns and operates a parking garage in downtown Los Angeles
where her only problems are keeping the parking spaces leased and her
gambling-addicted father out of trouble. She's a recovering alcoholic
and plenty tough, but when she discovers two unconscious kids locked
inside a van in her garage, she is horrified. Rushing them to the ER,
she's told that one is already dead but the other is to be admitted.
When Rachel returns the next day, the hospital says it has no record
of either child. She persists and is roughly evicted.
There's a
DWI and an arrest for drug possession on her record, so Rachel is wary
of police involvement, but she can't let the disappearance of the kids
rest. Determined to learn the truth, she investigates and stumbles on
a hidden hospital ward and a corrupt money-making scheme that very
high-powered people will kill to keep secret.
With help
from a gang of unlikely friends, including a homeless fortune-teller,
a big- hearted leader of a late night cleaning crew, a pharmacist, and
a gangster, Rachel risks her freedom and her life to expose the
scandalous business.
Peopled with
a fresh, strong protagonist and a cast of fascinating secondary
characters, Life Blood pulses with enough thrills and plot twists to
keep readers anxiously reading until the final page. Rudolph's
research and expertise in the field of medical crime and politics make
her book both believable and chilling.
Jackie Houchin, Mystery Scene Magazine
Things are looking up for
recovering alcoholic Rachel Chavez. The pretty Angelino has a steady
boyfriend and a steady job managing a downtown parking garage. But her
peaceful existence is rattled when she discovers a pair of young Mexican
boys locked in an abandoned van. She hurries them to the emergency room
of a nearby medical center where one is declared dead, the other barely
alive. Twenty-four hours later, she returns to discover that the hospital
has no record of admitting either child...Rudolph's heroine, assisted by
a good-hearted cleaning lady and a cell-phone-toting homeless person, is
a refreshing original addition to the ever-growing list of female
sleuths.
Fans will be thrilled to see Rachel Chavez return
in Penny Rudolph’s latest book “Lifeblood.” The plot of “Lifeblood” is
a rewarding story filled with suspense. I eagerly turned page after
page to see what would happen next. The characters are well‑defined.
Rachel is sure to be a favorite with all readers. She is an imperfect
and invigorating heroine. Hank is lovable and adds dimension to the
storyline. The unconventional supporting characters add to the ambience
of the tale. Who wouldn’t love Goldie, head of night‑shift cleaning
crew? Fans of suspense will love this one.
Debra Gaynor, Reader Views
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