“In Their Blood” tells the story of one son’s journey to maturity. Jeremy Stroeb is a typical young adult who shuns responsibility and doesn’t get along well with his father. In a pique of rebellion he drops out of college and backpacks his way around Europe. His idyll is abruptly shattered when he learns that both his parents were murdered in their Miami Beach home.

Back in Miami he tries to understand the seemingly senseless murder. He is devoted to his younger sister and wants to assume guardianship of her, though he feels unequal to the task and doubts his own abilities. She has been deeply traumatized by the murders of her parents and feels vulnerable. He enrolls in the university where his father taught, and gets a job at the accounting firm where his mother worked in the hopes that he might find out what motivated the crime against his parents.

He enlists the aid of his father’s attractive graduate assistant. Together they attempt to piece together some sort of scenario leading up to the murders. One thing leads to another and they begin a torrid affair. The vast amount of time Jeremy spends with Marina places his guardianship of his sister Elise in a precarious position. His unlikable uncle Dwight maintains that Jeremy is not responsible and tries to assume guardianship of Elise for reasons that are less than altruistic.

As Jeremy eventually discovers more and more about his parents’ lives, he comes to realize that he knew very little of their private affairs and their experiences when they were younger. Jeremy’s life and the lives of those he loves are placed in jeopardy when he comes close to discovering the identity of the murderer. The suspense is turned up to high with an exciting plot climax worthy of what Hollywood has to offer.

This first effort by Sharon Potts is not without it’s flaws. The reader’s imagination is stretched to the limit on several occasions with what I perceive to be plot weaknesses. Elise just happens to have a photographic memory? The U.S. customs let a young man into the country with a firearm? Also, the nefarious Uncle Dwight seemed just a tad too unfeeling and nasty.

Flaws aside, the novel delivered some sound entertainment. Overall, “In Their Blood” is a page-turning debut novel which delivers a quick, enjoyable read. When all is said and done, isn’t that why we read suspense fiction?