Alice Quentin is a forensic psychologist with the Forensic Psychology Unit (FPU) of the Metropolitan Police Department. Her very first day as the second-in-charge, she's assigned a case involving a mother, Dr. Clare Riordan, that has been abducted and her son, Mikey, apparently escaped. Alice has to contend with her new responsibilities as the Deputy Director at the FPU, her burgeoning relationship with DCI Don Burns, and her relationship with the traumatized child in Blood Symmetry by Kate Rhodes.

Alice Quentin's professional life is moving forward with her recent appointment as the Deputy Director at the FPU. Her romantic life is in a holding pattern. Don Burns is separated from his wife but not yet divorced. Alice isn't quite sure if she believes his commitment to her nor is she ready to fully commit to him. She feels backed into the proverbial corner, as their romantic relationship has been revealed to all and sundry and now they must work closely on this abduction case. Just when Alice thinks she has a grasp on this case, she realizes that the abducted mother might be just one in a series of abductions/murders and they all have ties to the Tainted Blood Scandal. (Tainted blood products were imported into the United Kingdom and provided to hemophiliacs causing a host of acquired medical issues including hepatitis C and HIV.) Once Alice realizes the full scope of Dr. Riordan's abduction, everyone she meets becomes a suspect. The abduction is featured prominently in the news and soon both Mikey and Alice become targets. Can Alice and Don find Clare Riordan before it's too late?

Blood Symmetry is the fifth book in the Alice Quentin series by Kate Rhodes. Although this is the first book in this series that I've read, I didn't really feel as if I missed out on anything (of course, I'll be reading the previous books in the series because I'm hooked). I thoroughly enjoyed Blood Symmetry and found it to be a fast-paced and engaging read. Ms. Rhodes has provided a mystery that kept me guessing until the bitter end, a bit of romance, some family drama, political drama, and more. I especially enjoyed the incorporation of a historic medical issue into the storyline as well as the idea of recipients of tainted blood products seeking revenge. I found the characters to be realistic and the action to be wholly plausible. If you enjoy crime fiction or mystery-thrillers, then you'll definitely want to add this series to your TBR list. As previously mentioned, I'll be reading the first four books then rereading Blood Symmetry while I eagerly await the next installment in this series. ( )