The year is 1942 and the war is raging in Europe, but it seems the Yanks have taken over Melbourne, much to William Power's disgust. He has arrived home from Queensland putting the earlier nasty events behind him and still believing that he may just have an aptitude for detective work, regardless of how many people assure him otherwise.

Accompanying him home is his brother Brian and they are greeted at his mother's house by his sister-in-law, Darlene, a woman he despises, a feeling she returns in kind. He has barely settled back in to home life when the household is roused from it's sleep by smashing crockery, a scream and an ominous bloodstain on the kitchen floor. Darlene has been kidnapped, brother Brian is an unlikely suspect and the Power household is in uproar.

While not completely unmoved by the events, Will isn't particularly concerned by the removal of his arch-enemy, although he is curious to know why Darlene would be the object of a kidnapping. If anything, he's excited to have an opportunity to use the detective skills that he alone holds in such high regard.

In the meantime, he has also found time to secure himself some independent accommodation, lodging with a man named Paul Clutterbuck, a well-presented young man at first glance, but with a mysterious air about him. Of course, Will misses this, due mainly to the fact that Clutterbuck immediately hires him for a spot of private detective surveillance work. As becomes quickly obvious with Will Power, nothing blinds him quicker than a spot of ego stroking.

So Will goes off on his merry way, playing the part of a private detective and, according to his own reports, doing very well at it too. Not only does he have time to do his surveillance for Paul Clutterbuck, but he also finds time to mull over the disappearance of his sister-in-law, put in a spot of modelling, fall in love and dig himself deeply into one of the most frightening terror plots he has ever been faced with. Before we know it, there are bodies and body parts everywhere and the private detective game doesn't seem all that fun any more.

The story is told as a first person account by Will Power, but it becomes all too apparent that we are getting an unreliable narrative thanks to Will's delusions of adequacy. He is of the profound belief that he is a sensitive man with strong deductive abilities and perception that makes him suitable for his role. Everyone else thinks he is a self-absorbed prig who is blind to things that happen right before his eyes.

Subtle suggestions to this end - and Will's resulting inability to pick up on the hints - can be illustrated by the following couple of extracts:

"He's competent but he thinks he's an artist. I'm sure you know the type." A small smile escaped her reins, and for a moment I thought she was referring to me. This was of course absurd, and merely the oversensitivity one feels when one is in the grip of a strong, unreciprocated attachment.

And then later, when Will was talking to his brother, Brian:

Will: "...there's someone out there who really hates you." Brian: "That's not a good feeling. Not that I have to tell you that." I would have asked him what he meant by that last remark but...

These types of exchanges are dotted throughout the book and are important in establishing Will's true nature (as opposed to his belief in what his true nature is). It also provides numerous amusing moments, occasionally subtle, often times not. The universal character assassinations and Will's utter disregard for them is an ongoing joke that will possibly grow tiresome, but that is yet to happen for me.

A Thing Of Blood is another sharply amusing mystery that, for all of the early humorous moments and borderline comedy farce that surrounds the Will Power persona becomes desperately ominous. A well-designed conspiracy and a tension fuelled ending provides a rewarding finale to the story. This is the kind of easy beach read type of story with which it is just a pleasure to stick the brain in neutral, kick back and enjoy.