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At first glance, the sedate world of university rowing isn't the most obvious backdrop for a brutal murder, yet Victoria Blake makes such a situation seem quite feasible.

Cutting Blades sees Sam Falconer - part private eye, part self-defence instructor - investigate the disappearance of Harry Cameron, a gifted rower from Oxford University. During a cold, snowing January, Sam finds herself following the course of the Thames from her home in Putney up to Oxford. Along the way, she discovers that the sport is as competitive as any other, with more than its share of backstabbing and gossip mongering - and worse. Sam, while displaying the usual raft of female 'tec clichés (private angst, therapy, cuddly moggie) is pleasant company, as is her ex-policeman colleague Alan. Edie, the OAP smuggler next door, adds humour to the mix. But the best thing about the book is Blake's description of a depressing wintry England, which grounds the whole murder story in reality. The intricate plot may have a few too many characters, and the surprises are mostly guessable before they happen, but there's no doubting that Cutting Blades builds on the promise of Blake's debut, Bloodless Shadow, to provide a very enjoyable read.