Patricia Traxler

Blood was published by St. Martin’s Press in the US, and in the UK by Piatkus Press. Translations of Blood were published in Spanish (Sangre, Emece Editores), Swedish (Blod, Walstrom & Widstrand), and German (Blutrot, Droemersche Verlag/​Knaur). It was a bestseller in Latin America. Blood is now available on Kindle, Nook, Apple iBooks, Google eBooks, and Borders eBooks.

From the publisher:

"From talented newcomer Patricia Traxler comes a brilliantly written literary suspense novel about how desire can become jealousy, obsession, and finally murderous rage. Blood is equal parts auspicious literary debut, page-turner, and erotic novel about four people whose lives become irrevocably intertwined during one year at Radcliffe College. Blood captures the reader with its opening line, 'Though it’s true there’s a killing in my story, its principal violence is, I think I’d have to say, the violence of love.'"

Some reviews of Blood:

“With her stunning first novel, Blood, Patricia Traxler plunges the reader into a world both familiar and eerie. Seldom have the twin obsessions of love and art been more vividly or intelligently portrayed...More than almost any other novel I've read, Blood captures the relationship between an artist and her work, a relationship that is also susceptible to jealousy and revision and love...What an elegant, suspenseful debut.”

For an extended review of Blood by Margot Livesey:
http:/​/​www.newtonvillebooks.com/​anthSelections/​06_livesey.pdf


“Patricia Traxler’s brainy erotic thriller probes the rich ways in which this life substance intersects with love, desire, friendship, sex, and spirituality.”

“Traxler’s evocation of the ecstatic waking nightmares of love, friendship, and artistic creation rings true to the end.”

"Traxler's language and her especially vivid descriptions benefit from her poetic abilities, while her plot and character development are also strong; a sense of loss and the quest for self-knowledge are as present here as in her poetry."

"Blood is a thrilling read and keeps the suspense going right to the end, making the reader turn each page in eager anticipation."


“A sensitive and suspenseful story about love, passion, [and] jealousy...compelling and beautifully written.”

“At the heart of art there is Blood.”

“A remarkable accomplishment.”

“Eerie, high-voltage! For those of you who yearn after a psychological thriller with lust, treachery, murder, and art.”

“Powerful psychological thriller!”

“Blod is powerful and harrowing, and I still find it in my thoughts after much time has passed.”

"Suspenseful and intriguing, Traxler's first novel is a fine literary thriller, eloquent on the power of desire and the dangers of obsession. She writes vividly about the creative process, as well as observing the nuances of love, repulsion, and fear."

“It's a real winner! Traxler’s writing is vivid and full of great imagery. You will never think of the color red in the same way.”

“Traxler keeps things fresh, due in equal parts to her own storytelling skills and to our curiosity about who’s gonna get it. It all works nicely.”

“Obsession is always a good plot device, but in the wrong hands it descends to cheap melodrama. In this first novel, Patricia Traxler proves she can handle the passion and the nuance. This is a book that depends totally on character to keep us reading, and it works.”

"Some books are so good that one reads them with pleasure and then recommends and hands them along to a friend. And then there are the books that one must keep near at hand and simply cannot let go. Such a book is Patricia Traxler’s substantive novel that follows the search of one painter after love, friendship, and inspiration. Anyone who may surmise from the title that this is a detective novel is mistaken. From the start, the reader is pulled into the story by the desire and the pain--one cannot avoid it and does not want to. Take this book to bed with a good red wine, and don’t forget to unplug the phone!"

“Patricia Traxler has been on my mind; I just finished her suspenseful novel about art, love, desire, and loss and I am as obsessed with the book as she must have been while writing it...In Blood, her first novel, Traxler accomplishes much. She explores the nature of erotic desire and obsession through a cast of incredibly drawn characters; the depiction of the intense process of ‘making’ a painting; the morality and complexities of romantic love and adultery. All that and a masterful plot, complete with murder, suspicion, and suspense.”

“Patricia Traxler’s mastery of the literary language is quite in evidence in her first novel. It is rare to see a debut writer who has such profound insight into the human psyche... a superb psychological suspense novel. I would urge all readers to seek out this wonderful book—easily one of my favorites of the year.”

“Patricia Traxler has fashioned an impressive debut that offers many things to the reader. First and foremost, it is a well-written and compelling novel. Second, Blood provides a study in desire, obsession, and the murky boundaries which may define but certainly cannot contain intense emotion. Third, the novel presents a riveting portrayal of its protagonist, Honora (Norrie) Blume, as an artist.”

Blood is now available on Kindle, Nook, Apple iBooks, Google eBooks, and Borders eBooks.