Publishers Weekly

Fiction Reviews 7/20/09
In Their Blood Sharon Potts. Oceanview

At the start of Potts's debut, a red-hot suspense novel, a midnight intruder murders D.C. Stroeb, an economics professor at Miami Intercontinental University, and his CPA wife, Rachel, in their exclusive Lotus Island, Fla., estate. Oddly, the killer takes only the couple's laptops. Their 16-year-old daughter, Elise, who was home at the time, suffers emotional trauma in the aftermath. Their 22-year-old son, Jeremy, who can't believe anyone could kill his parents, returns from backpacking abroad to assume the guardianship of Elise, against the wishes of his lawyer uncle, Dwight Stroeb. Jeremy connects with a sympathetic Miami detective, gets a job at his mother's CPA firm and enrolls at his father's university, where he becomes involved with his father's female graduate assistant, a Peruvian-French sexpot. The clue hunt sizzles in a plot driven largely by shifty accounting. By the end, the dangers of creative number crunching are all too apparent.

BOOKLIST

IN THEIR BLOOD
By Sharon Potts
Sept. 2009. 368p.Oceanview.$25.95

Directionless and constantly at odds with his parents, twentysomething Jeremy Stroeb elects to remain in Europe when his parents and sister return home to Florida. He’s hardly said good-bye when he’s told that his parents have been murdered, his sister narrowly avoiding the killer. In shock, Jeremy returns home to find his sister distraught, his predatory uncle poised to become her guardian, and the police investigation at a standstill.  In a burst of selflessness, Jeremy steps up: he enrolls in the college where his father taught, takes a job at his mother’s accounting firm, moves back with his sister—and determines to solve the crime. Unfortunately, his resolve falters when he begins to uncover uncomfortable truths about his parents, about the sexy coed he’s fallen in love with, and about himself. 

The youthful protagonist, unusual in a genre that cleaves to older characters, is a refreshing surprise; the action unfolds in a crisply paced, unpretentious narrative; and an abundance of red herrings gives readers plenty to chew on as they try to figure out whodunit.  A satisfying debut.—Stephanie Zvirin

YA/M: Steamy sex aside, teens will recognize much of the self-doubt evident in the young protagonist here. SZ

South Florida Sun Sentinel

Mystery fiction review: 'In Their Blood'  by Sharon Potts
By Oline H. Cogdill Mystery Fiction Columnist
September 6, 2009

Miami author Sharon Potts' debut shows the skills of a seasoned writer as she delivers a complex plot that builds believable suspense on every page.

In Their Blood creates the kind of sophisticated tension that was the foundation of the late Barbara Parker's novels. In Their Blood also examines the meaning of family.

At the center is Jeremy Strobe, a 22-year-old college dropout who has been backpacking in Europe. No permanent address ties him down; sometimes it's days before he checks e-mail or answers his phone. Jeremy is not estranged from his family — he loves them — but, like many young people, he wants to find his own purpose in life. He needs to get out from under the shadow of his mother, Rachel, a partner in a prestigious accounting firm, and of his father, D.C., an economics professor famous for his political activism.

But Jeremy is forced to grow up and deal with grief and guilt when his parents are murdered in their home on Miami's exclusive Lotus Island. Now Jeremy has to be the guardian of his 16-year-old sister, Elise, who is suffering from emotional trauma. He also has to contend with his slimy uncle Dwight, a judicial candidate too eager to be Elise's guardian and who can't wait to move into his dead brother's mansion.

Jeremy also wants to know who would kill his well-liked parents. Jeremy believes the answer lies in his parents' professions, so he enrolls in the university where his father taught and takes a job at his mother's firm. As he pursues the clues, he also uncovers his parent's myriad flaws.

Potts expertly depicts Jeremy maturing as well as how he still can behave like a kid. The author credibly explores how Jeremy wants to be the man his parents would be proud of, while sometimes falling short.

Potts also is careful to make the villains realistic.

Potts' affinity for characters and brisk pacing make In Their Blood an exciting debut.

Entertainment Weekly, August 7, 2009

CRIME WAVE:  The Latest Mysteries
August brings three worthy additions to the genre… from first-time authors who look like they plan to stick around for a while.--TJ 
In Their Blood
By Sharon Potts

The Story: He's just another rich kid bumming around Europe when 22-year-old Jeremy Stroeb  finds out his parents  -- an accountant and a professor -- have been murdered, so he heads home to Florida to find out why.

TV Pitch: Stroeb's a male Veronica Mars.

Lowdown: Potts' debut is littered with a few too many red herrings but no matter. The plot still sizzles.

Bookpleasures

Book Title: In Their Blood
 Author: Sharon Potts
 ISBN: 978-1-933515-62-5
 Publisher: Oceanview Publishing

The information that accompanied my copy of In Their Blood said that the book was Sharon Potts’ debut novel.  In that case, readers have much to look forward to in future books.

The book opens with the brutal murder of a couple, Rachel and D.C. Stroeb, who have just returned to the U.S. from Europe.  They had gone to Spain, taking along their sixteen-year-old daughter, Elise, to try to convince their son, Jeremy to come home.  

Jeremy had refused to come home and had remained in Europe and was in Portugal seeking to “find himself.” When the killer came into the house, Elise was—without permission—visiting her boyfriend next door.  She barely eluded the carnage.

After the opening six pages, the book takes us through Jeremy’s return to America for his parents funeral and the realization that he now has responsibilities. He, at twenty-two, is the legal guardian for his teenage sister.  Although In Their Blood is by no means a coming-of-age novel, it tracks the process of a young man beginning to mature as he accepts responsibility. Jeremy sets out to find his parents’ murderer.

Shortly after his parents’ funeral, Jeremy learns that his sister has been staying with his uncle, Dwight.  In an immediate confrontation, Jeremy finds that Dwight has not only assumed control of his sister, he has designs on moving into the Stroeb family home.  He informs Jeremy that he is Elise’s guardian.  This is a lie that is soon exposed by Jeremy and Elise’s grandfather. When confronted with the truth and Jeremy’s insistence on remaining in the United States and fulfilling his obligation as guardian, Dwight explodes and orders Jeremy out of his office. 

Rachel Stroeb had been a CPA and a partner at a prestigious accounting firm and D.C. Stroeb had been a professor of economics at Miami Intercontinental University.  Jeremy’s plan to find the murderer leads him to enroll in the university where his father had taught and to seek employment at the accounting firm where his mother had worked.

Jeremy’s questions about his father and the university turn up the fact that D.C. Stroeb had quite a following among the student body, but was a maverick and, except for his tenure, would probably have been fired by his nominal boss.  Jeremy also meets his father’s graduate assistant, Marina Champlain, who will soon occupy much too much of his time.

Sharon Potts leads us, along with Jeremy and a female detective, Judy Lieber, through investigation of several possible suspects and keeps her readers guessing until the very end.  In Their Blood is a thumping good read and heralds a very likely future star of the mystery genre.

TCM Reviews

http://www.tcm-ca.com
In Their Blood by Sharon Potts
Reviewed by Victoria Kennedy

Rebellious, spoiled and self-centered Jeremy Strobe returns home after the murder of his parents. He finds himself named guardian of his sister, Elise, but Jeremy’s obnoxious, self-serving uncle wants him out of the way so he and his wife can move into the posh digs of his late brother.

Jeremy’s stubborn innocence and naivety causes him to find a job with his mother’s old firm where he starts poking around trying to find out what he can about his parents’ deaths. He soon discovers there’s much more to his parents’ lives than he ever dreamed.  They weren’t the people he thought they were. To make matters worse, his obvious nosing around may put his own life in danger.

The story allows us to see Jeremy grow up as we follow him on his search for the truth. The tale’s fast paced, entertaining and suspenseful from first page to last.

The Friendly Book Nook

Review: In Their Blood by Sharon Potts

My Review:  Honestly once I began this book I had a hard time putting it down.  The book was full of twists, first it led you one way to the killer then another.  The main family was interesting and complicated.  Jeremy, who is young and somewhat irresponsible steps up to the plate and is obsessed with finding his parents’ murderer.  He goes through many dangerous paths to do so and meets several twisted people.  He finds out that his parents were not who/what he thought they were.  This was a great first novel and I hope we see more from Sharon Potts.  Let me warn those of you who be offended though,  there is some language and sexual content.

Murder on the Beach Mystery Bookstore 

In Their Blood
By Sharon Potts
Reviewed by Joanne Sinchuk

It’s tough reviewing a book written by a friend.  If it’s not any good, what on earth could I say in the review?  And so I picked up In Their Blood by Sharon Potts, with some definite trepidation.  But, thankfully, my fears were unfounded.  This is a good book.

Jeremy Stroeb is a spoiled Miami rich kid, who drops out of college, rejects his parent’s lifestyles as accountant and university professor, to begin a journey backpacking all over Europe.  While he is unavailable by phone or email, his parents are killed in their beds, in a double homicide that is sensational, even by Miami standards.  Returning home after the funeral, he finds his younger sister traumatized, and his uncle ready to move in to take over his parents’ home and family.  Everything in his life has been turned upside down.

Wracked with guilt, Jeremy starts another journey, to find his parents’ killer and see that justice is served for them.  He assumes guardianship of his sister, gets a job at his mother’s accounting firm, and enrolls in the local university to finish his degree.  Along the way, he completes a third journey, one to responsibility and adulthood.

Sharon Potts does an excellent job of telling a story, and building the suspense to keep the reader coming back for more.  This coming of age thriller set in the violence and beauty of the affluent Miami suburbs, will keep you riveted throughout.

Well done, Sharon.  I’m proud of you!

Vicki Landes Review

In Their Blood
Sharon Potts
Oceanview Publishing
Ipswich, Massachusetts
www.oceanviewpub.com
978-1-933515-62-5, $25.95, 2009

Reviewed by Vicki Landes, author of “Europe for the Senses – A Photographic Journal”
Author Sharon Potts releases her new novel, “In Their Blood” with Oceanview Publishing.  Oozing with unending suspense, bombshell after explosive bombshell, and a fascinating, complex plotline, Potts’ story is a thrilling read from beginning to the very end.  The most shocking part however, is learning this is her first book. 

 Protagonist Jeremy Stroeb is a reluctant prodigal son, wayward and unwilling to come home and admit his rebellious mistakes.  That is until he gets word that both his parents have been brutally murdered in their sleep and his younger sister is psychologically traumatized by the gruesome events.  Armed with more questions than answers, Jeremy must decide whether to take on the responsibility of his sibling and find his parents’ killer or to escape back into the carefree world he enjoyed before their untimely deaths.  And with a growing list of suspicions, neither choice will be an easy one.

 “In Their Blood” is truly a captivating read – I simply couldn’t put it down.  Those adult fans of thriller, suspense, mystery, and crime novels will quickly be adding Sharon Potts’ name to their lists of ‘absolutely must read’.  The plot flows quickly from one chapter to the next and I was so caught up in the story, I just couldn’t read it fast enough.  Further, her crisply vivid descriptions about the Floridian setting put you right there in the middle of the sticky heat and the heart-pounding action.  Potts is a perfect fit within Oceanview Publishing’s catalog – a new find with a definite future in the industry. 

 First-time author Sharon Potts definitely proves that writing runs in her veins.  Although a fresh name on the fiction scene, she weaves a fascinating story as proficiently as any experienced best-selling novelist.  “In Their Blood” drips of unfathomable conspiracy, ultimate betrayal, family secrets, and the quest for redemption.  I don’t know how Potts plans on topping this debut work, but I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!  Outstanding.

Mystery Reader Discussion

NEW RELEASE by Sharon Potts - In Their Blood COMING IN SEPT 2009. It's a new release by Sharon Potts. And you can see it is called In Their Blood.

This is a very special book for the author. The reason it is so special is because it is her first novel. After getting the opportunity to read the book before it is actually released, I must say I was impressed. The author definitely put her best foot forward and spent a lot of time getting it right.

Let me tell you a little about the story. First, the protagonist is Jeremy Stroeb - a son. He dropped out of college in his senior year and went travelling in Europe because he was dissatisfied. He was not ready to be responsible and live a life like his parents did. He once had a good relationship with his father but the relationship was now strained because his dad wanted him to come back home and be responsible.

His mom and dad (and sister) just return from a trip to Europe - after trying to convince him to return home. It takes the events that occur that night to bring the young Jeremy back home.

His sister, Elise snuck out of the house that night to go see her boyfriend. While she was gone, somebody came into the house and kills the parents. It was the death of his parents that makes Jeremy come back home. But Jeremy half suspects the joke is on him and that he will return to find out his parents are not dead - and this only angers him.

When he discovers his parents are indeed dead, he experiences some remorse and is determined to find out who murdered his parents and why. To top it off he learns that his Uncle Dwight has been named as the alternate guardian for his sister - provided Jeremy does not take that responsibility. Why does this frustrate him? One because his parents have placed him in this position. Also because his uncle says Jeremy can not handle the responsibility. His uncle and aunt never had kids because they chose not to. Now they are going to accept this responsibility (and the estate that come with it).

By all appearances it seems Jeremy is going to accept responsibility and his uncle vows to prove he is irresponsible. Jeremy gets a job with the accounting firm his mother had worked at and he registers for evening classes at the school where his dad was a professor at. He was intent on finding out if the murderer was somebody who worked with either his mom or dad. What he did not expect was to discover things he did not know about his parents.

Needless to say, there are a number of potential suspects. And there are a number of things Jeremy has to learn along the way.

This is all I am going to say about the story - don't want to give it away. But there is a quotation I have heard before - Keep your friends close and your enemies closer!! Good quote but sometimes it may be difficult to distinguish between the two.

A final thought - this review cannot do justice for the book - it's merits stand on it's own!!! Great job by a new author.

Kristie Loves Books

In Their Blood by Sharon Potts

In Their Blood is a suspense book by new author Sharon Potts. I heard about this on several different blogs, I believe, though of course I didn't use my handy-dandy little notebook to record it. It was a good book and one that I flew through, even with completing some of my projects I had to do. I give it a B+.

Jeremy is a difficult character to like. He is very selfish, and though he says he is going to take care of his sister, some of the decisions he makes do not add up to that. Jeremy also has a tough time learning about his parents and discovering who they really are and discovering some of the mistakes they have made in their lives. Because of these two things, this story is very true to the heart. I think I would have had a hard time believing things if Jeremy just came back from Europe and became Mr. Mom to his younger sister Elise. The suspense was done well, and several times I was running back and forth to who I thought the killer was. I eventually figured out the why, but was a bit unsure of the who. If you enjoy a good suspense book, I would strongly suggest you pick up In Their Blood.

BARYON REVIEW OF BOOKS

IN THEIR BLOOD, Sharon Potts, Oceanview, $25.95, 354 pages, ISBN: 9781933515625, reviewed by Barry Hunter.

Jeremy Stroeb's parents have just returned from visiting him in Spain and are spending their first night back at home when they are murdered in their beds. They are discovered by his sister, Elise, who had snuck out to see her boyfriend.

Jeremy arrives home after the funeral because his uncle did not want to wait for him. This only adds to his distrust of his uncle, especially when he announces he will become Elise's guardian. Jeremy vows that his will not happen.

Jeremy takes a job at his mothers CPA firm and enrolls in night classes at the college where his father taught in order to search for clues as to who wanted his parents dead. He hooks up with his father's graduate assistant in putting together a list of suspects due to his political leanings. Jeremy initially feels that his father was the target and his mother was collateral damage.

At the CPA offices Jeremy finds that his mothers office has not been touched and as he begins looking at her files while boxing them up, he begins to wonder about one of his mother's clients who also happens to be the father of Elise's boyfriend.
         
Sharon Potts has written a fast moving novel that is interesting and keeps you on the edge of your seat as it starts out running and keeps up the pace to the ending. It's an intriguing tale of a youth having to grow up too fast and keep his sister safe. This is a terrific first novel and I hope there are many more novels from Sharon Potts to come.

Author’s Note: And yes—there are those who didn’t like In Their Blood. See below...

Armchair Interviews

In Their Blood: A Novel
by Sharon Potts
Published by Oceanview Publishing
Reviewed by Jan Warren

The first six pages of the prologue of In Their Blood was the best part of the whole book. Getting that initial glimpse into the first two characters’ lives, the writing was fresh and fast moving. After that the story hit major speed bumps.

The liberal use of bad language and the “f” bomb were used so often that I wondered if the author was getting a bonus for every one she used. That indiscriminant use, as well as other problems, overshadowed the basic story and bogged it down to a laborious snail’s pace.

The pages used to extol illegal drug use for teens as a way of escaping from pressures were also a huge turn off, and did nothing to move the story forward.

The basic mystery was fair, but it was hidden so deep beneath uninspiring characters and cliché plot devices by the end I really didn’t care about the “whodunit.”

As someone who enjoys a good mystery or suspense I always have high hopes of finding a great read. Unfortunately there is nothing about this book I can recommend, except maybe the first six pages—they were good.

Armchair Interviews says: Heed this reviewer’s strong comments about this crime novel.

From our armchair to yours...