Bloodlines
Author: Peter Hartog
“While I find your race to be irrational, incorrigible and, at times, quite dangerous, I wanted to show him how the human spirit remains indomitable despite the horrors of your past.”
Review
I took a week off from reading over the holidays after only finishing a few chapters of Bloodlines, intending to start fresh when I got back. But while visiting family, I realized the book already had its hooks in me—I couldn't stop thinking about the girl drained of blood, the futuristic dystopian skyline, and the underlying thread of magic. I knew right then I was in for something special.
Peter Hartog pulls off no small feat here: he seamlessly blends science fiction, the paranormal, and magic into Empire City without a single element feeling forced or overused. When former hotshot homicide detective Tom “Doc” Holliday gets pulled from his pencil-pushing desk job to investigate a baffling murder, you get a story that respects the actual procedural legwork. Instead of rushing to a reveal, Hartog makes the ride itself thrilling—following leads, collecting evidence, and interviewing witnesses while keeping you guessing and grasping at straws.
What really cemented this as an amazing read was the character work. Early on, I worried Holliday’s backstory was just another trope, but watching him slowly unravel with real depth made me so happy to be proven wrong (his intense coffee addiction certainly didn't hurt, either). His dynamic with the rest of Special Crimes completely won me over: Besim's rhythmic speech patterns and fascination with death as a non-human medical examiner, Deacon's chain-smoking presence that evolved from unlikable to deeply endearing, and Leyla holding her own among them. By the end, the looming conspiracy took a backseat to just hoping nothing bad happened to this crack team of misfits. Backed by lived-in world-building—from robotic lifts cruising past holographic ads to the quirky charm of Armin’s Coffee House—Bloodlines is a phenomenal debut with an ending that left me completely satisfied.
Curator’s Notes
Procedural Authenticity in a Wild World: Despite the presence of vampires, magic, and advanced tech, the plot functions like a true gumshoe procedural—grounded by boots-on-the-ground witness interviews, evidence bags, and deductive legwork rather than hand-waving conveniences.
Lived-In Dystopian Charm: Empire City balances cold electromagnetic transit and towering neon with eccentric street-level detail, best exemplified by Armin’s Coffee House with its string lights, rusty pipes, and chaotic menu featuring items like the Triple Mocha Pumpkin Spike Polka Latte.