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John Cardinal and Lise Delorme Mystery #3
Blackfly Season
According to detective John Cardinal, the truly diabolical thing about blackflies is their stealthy silence; there is no warning and no chance to make a pre-emptive strike to prevent a bite. Every year at the beginning of May, they take over Algonquin Bay in Ontario, Canada.
This spring, the blackflies aren’t the only visitors. A self-proclaimed shaman and card-carrying member of the Chippewa First Nations has also arrived. Known as Red Bear, he has recruited three young men who share a history of drug use and living on the fringe.
There's another mysterious visitor. At the World Tavern, the least reputable bar in town, OPP officer Jerry Commanda is enjoying his regular Friday night Diet Coke with a squeeze of lemon. He meets a young, red-haired woman who is unable to tell him her name, where she lives, or how she came to be there. It’s not until a hospital X-ray reveals a bullet lodged in her brain that the reason for her amnesia becomes clear. Detectives Cardinal and Delorme get the call.
What do they find? Bikers, bizarre hieroglyphics, and a rising body count.
Librarian's note: the characters, settings, pub dates, etc. have been done for the six novels in the author's John Cardinal series. They are: 1. Forty Words for Sorrow (2000), 2. The Delicate Storm (2003), 3. Blackfly Season (2005), 4. The Fields of Grief (2006), 5. Crime Machine (2010), and 6. Until the Night (2012).
This spring, the blackflies aren’t the only visitors. A self-proclaimed shaman and card-carrying member of the Chippewa First Nations has also arrived. Known as Red Bear, he has recruited three young men who share a history of drug use and living on the fringe.
There's another mysterious visitor. At the World Tavern, the least reputable bar in town, OPP officer Jerry Commanda is enjoying his regular Friday night Diet Coke with a squeeze of lemon. He meets a young, red-haired woman who is unable to tell him her name, where she lives, or how she came to be there. It’s not until a hospital X-ray reveals a bullet lodged in her brain that the reason for her amnesia becomes clear. Detectives Cardinal and Delorme get the call.
What do they find? Bikers, bizarre hieroglyphics, and a rising body count.
Librarian's note: the characters, settings, pub dates, etc. have been done for the six novels in the author's John Cardinal series. They are: 1. Forty Words for Sorrow (2000), 2. The Delicate Storm (2003), 3. Blackfly Season (2005), 4. The Fields of Grief (2006), 5. Crime Machine (2010), and 6. Until the Night (2012).
448 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
45 people are currently reading
1148 people want to read
About the author
Giles Blunt
17 books408 followersGiles Blunt (born 1952 in Windsor, Ontario) is a Canadian novelist and screenwriter. His first novel, Cold Eye, was a psychological thriller set in the New York art world, which was made into the French movie Les Couleurs du diable (Allain Jessua, 1997).
He is also the author of the John Cardinal novels, set in the small town of Algonquin Bay, in Northern Ontario. Blunt grew up in North Bay, and Algonquin Bay is North Bay very thinly disguised — for example, Blunt retains the names of major streets and the two lakes (Trout Lake and Lake Nipissing) that the town sits between, the physical layout of the two places is the same, and he describes Algonquin Bay as being in the same geographical location as North Bay.
The first Cardinal story, Forty Words for Sorrow, won the British Crime Writers' Silver Dagger, and the second, The Delicate Storm, won the Crime Writers of Canada's Arthur Ellis Award for best novel.
More recently he has written No Such Creature, a "road novel" set in the American southwest, and Breaking Lorca, which is set in a clandestine jail in El Salvador in the 1980s. His novels have been compared to the work of Ian Rankin and Cormac McCarthy.
Series:
* John Cardinal and Lise Delorme Mystery
Awards:
Arthur Ellis Award
◊ Best Novel (2004): The Delicate Storm
Crime Writers' Association Silver Dagger
◊ 2001: Forty Words for Sorrow
He is also the author of the John Cardinal novels, set in the small town of Algonquin Bay, in Northern Ontario. Blunt grew up in North Bay, and Algonquin Bay is North Bay very thinly disguised — for example, Blunt retains the names of major streets and the two lakes (Trout Lake and Lake Nipissing) that the town sits between, the physical layout of the two places is the same, and he describes Algonquin Bay as being in the same geographical location as North Bay.
The first Cardinal story, Forty Words for Sorrow, won the British Crime Writers' Silver Dagger, and the second, The Delicate Storm, won the Crime Writers of Canada's Arthur Ellis Award for best novel.
More recently he has written No Such Creature, a "road novel" set in the American southwest, and Breaking Lorca, which is set in a clandestine jail in El Salvador in the 1980s. His novels have been compared to the work of Ian Rankin and Cormac McCarthy.
Series:
* John Cardinal and Lise Delorme Mystery
Awards:
Arthur Ellis Award
◊ Best Novel (2004): The Delicate Storm
Crime Writers' Association Silver Dagger
◊ 2001: Forty Words for Sorrow
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 228 reviews
August 16, 2016
I very much enjoyed this book without being aware that it was number three in a series until I was reading the reviews after I finished it! Now I will have to go back and read the first two.
This is an excellent police procedural with several really appealing main characters on the side of the law. On the other side, the baddies are really bad and some of the events gruesome in the extreme. It all made for excellent reading and I raced through it.
A really good book from a new to me author with the promise of more fun with the rest of the series. Excellent:)
This is an excellent police procedural with several really appealing main characters on the side of the law. On the other side, the baddies are really bad and some of the events gruesome in the extreme. It all made for excellent reading and I raced through it.
A really good book from a new to me author with the promise of more fun with the rest of the series. Excellent:)
October 2, 2025
4 Stars. I had watched this entry in the policing adventures of John Cardinal and Lise Delorme on TV before my read. Enjoyed both immeasurably. A mysterious man, Red Bear of the Chippewa First Nations out of Red Lake in north-western Ontario near Lake Superior, comes to Algonquin Bay and decides to crash the drug distribution business of the local bikers, the Viking Riders. One member, Wombat Guthrie, finds himself dead and dismembered, although his club appears to be more concerned about the missing cash. When investigating strange hieroglyphs at the murder scene, Cardinal discovers a lead pointing in another direction, towards an African-originated religion like Voodoo and Santeria called Palo Mayombe. At the same time a lovely young woman shows up in a local bar with amnesia. When her head is X-rayed, a bullet is found! Who is she and how did she even survive? It all comes back to Red Bear. My verdict? The book is very good, but I liked the 6-part TV adaptation even better. Could it be that Karine Vanasse of Drummondville, Quebec caught my eye with her excellent portrayal of Lise Delorme? (Se2022/Se2025)
January 26, 2019
After not hugely enjoying the second book in this series, Blackfly Season was a welcome return to the form that I enjoyed so much in the first book.
It all begins when a confused young woman is found, memory-less and unconcerned. After discovering she's somehow survived a horrific attack, John Cardinal and Lise Delorme find themselves hunting down a man with a power they've never imagined.
Giles Blunt really excels at bringing his books to reflect real-life scenarios; Palo Mayombe really was used (or misused; practitioners argue it was warped from true Palo) by at least one Mexican cartel to absolutely horrific effect. While a lot of that horror is minimised in this book by vastly downscaling the body-count, there are still some chilling moments; especially in the very well-portrayed moments where a psychopath slips and shows his true colours.
The outskirts of the story were just as well done as the central mystery. Catherine Cardinal continues to be a nuanced and supremely thoughtful portrayal of a person living a life compromised by the issues accompanying her mental illness. The police force is still full of characters who could walk away with a spinoff novel at a moment's notice (more Jerry, please!). My one complaint is that Lise is very much taking a backseat for this novel. Hope to see more of her in the next few.
It all begins when a confused young woman is found, memory-less and unconcerned. After discovering she's somehow survived a horrific attack, John Cardinal and Lise Delorme find themselves hunting down a man with a power they've never imagined.
Giles Blunt really excels at bringing his books to reflect real-life scenarios; Palo Mayombe really was used (or misused; practitioners argue it was warped from true Palo) by at least one Mexican cartel to absolutely horrific effect. While a lot of that horror is minimised in this book by vastly downscaling the body-count, there are still some chilling moments; especially in the very well-portrayed moments where a psychopath slips and shows his true colours.
The outskirts of the story were just as well done as the central mystery. Catherine Cardinal continues to be a nuanced and supremely thoughtful portrayal of a person living a life compromised by the issues accompanying her mental illness. The police force is still full of characters who could walk away with a spinoff novel at a moment's notice (more Jerry, please!). My one complaint is that Lise is very much taking a backseat for this novel. Hope to see more of her in the next few.
September 2, 2021
Another great read.
Once again I enjoyed the chemistry between Cardinal and Delorme as they solved this case. It was also nice to see the return of the secondary characters from the police and forensics departments that were introduced to us in the first two books of the series (nice to have that continuity, I think) as well as new ones as they worked to solve the murders.
The "life" of drug addicts was a bit disturbing and the voodoo story line was creepy.
Recommend for fans of Giles Blunt and those who like crime related books.
Once again I enjoyed the chemistry between Cardinal and Delorme as they solved this case. It was also nice to see the return of the secondary characters from the police and forensics departments that were introduced to us in the first two books of the series (nice to have that continuity, I think) as well as new ones as they worked to solve the murders.
The "life" of drug addicts was a bit disturbing and the voodoo story line was creepy.
Recommend for fans of Giles Blunt and those who like crime related books.
December 30, 2015
The third in Blunt's series and each one gets better. Really like his writing style and great characters. A real page turner.
June 17, 2023
Not as good as the first two, quite drags.
February 3, 2024
Finished! It was really good. I enjoyed his writing. This is the second title by this author that I had the chance to read and that is thanks to the TV series “Cardinal”. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series. I have at least 5 sitting on top of the night stand.
(Edited to correct spelling - originally posted on December 23, 2017)
(Edited to correct spelling - originally posted on December 23, 2017)
August 23, 2023
A welcome return to form for Blunt after the disappointing 'delicate storm'. Cardinal and Delorme, drug deals, biker gangs, arcane magic and good characters. Its all here.
Blunt satisfyingly moves on the general plot with Cardinal and his family while also giving us a good story. Red Bear is a great villain, making you ask questions about whether evil is born or made, and the characters of Leon, Kevin and Terri really add to the story. Well fleshed out and believable, this ensures that, no matter what perspective is used, the story never drags. The plot doesnt disappoint, and neither does its execution, a real page turner. The subplot of Cardinal and Catherine's issues are also well done, Blunt avoiding the pitfall of using mental illness in a fantastical and unrealistic way, instead showing pretty accurately what a descent into a manic episode can be like and just how scary it can be for both the person and their loved ones.
One point i would make that i wondered about is the potential exoticism and fetishisation of Red Bear. While he is certainly a good character, and the aspects of his beliefs appear to be well-researched, i couldnt help but feel there was a bit of 'evil exotic person that isnt white' stereotype. His ethnicity is a central plot point and while i think Blunt deals with native Canadian issues pretty well, with good native characters, this sometimes felt a bit unsure in this book. The baddy is a dark skinned witch and drug dealer, pitched against our heroic white coppers...
A good thriller and page turner, looking forwards to reading the next one!
Blunt satisfyingly moves on the general plot with Cardinal and his family while also giving us a good story. Red Bear is a great villain, making you ask questions about whether evil is born or made, and the characters of Leon, Kevin and Terri really add to the story. Well fleshed out and believable, this ensures that, no matter what perspective is used, the story never drags. The plot doesnt disappoint, and neither does its execution, a real page turner. The subplot of Cardinal and Catherine's issues are also well done, Blunt avoiding the pitfall of using mental illness in a fantastical and unrealistic way, instead showing pretty accurately what a descent into a manic episode can be like and just how scary it can be for both the person and their loved ones.
One point i would make that i wondered about is the potential exoticism and fetishisation of Red Bear. While he is certainly a good character, and the aspects of his beliefs appear to be well-researched, i couldnt help but feel there was a bit of 'evil exotic person that isnt white' stereotype. His ethnicity is a central plot point and while i think Blunt deals with native Canadian issues pretty well, with good native characters, this sometimes felt a bit unsure in this book. The baddy is a dark skinned witch and drug dealer, pitched against our heroic white coppers...
A good thriller and page turner, looking forwards to reading the next one!
March 28, 2016
The third John Cardinal novel is as good as the first two. It begins with quite a narrative hook: a young woman is brought in who has no memory of her life or identity. It soon becomes clear that she was shot in the head with a handgun using old ammunition. Who is she? Who shot her? Why? Not long after her shooting, the dismembered body of a biker (member of a really ugly motorcycle gang) is found behind a waterfall at a provincial park. Is there a connection between the two events? Cardinal and his partner, Lise Delorme, work on the case with their usual doggedness. As it happens, the connection rests in the young woman's past.
The central set of bad guys are made up of three or four losers and one really charismatic leader. Hthe leader is a pretty scary character, especially given his exterior calm. The bicycle gang members are what you'd expect, though their leader is rendered as smarter than his followers. I guess that both groups share that dynamic. There are also some interesting minor characters along the way. Blunt introduces one of those characters--someone who knows where his stolen gun has gone and who lies to Cardinal and Delorme about it--as a quick and merciless sketch about ineffectiveness (not on the cops' parts).
Blunt creates believable characters, even among the bad people in his books. There's a great piece of writing involving Cardinal and Delorme telling a woman that her loser son has been murdered, and another in which Cardinal tries to deal with his manic-depressive wife's latest manic episode while both are on the eighth floor of a construction site.. He is really very good.
The central set of bad guys are made up of three or four losers and one really charismatic leader. Hthe leader is a pretty scary character, especially given his exterior calm. The bicycle gang members are what you'd expect, though their leader is rendered as smarter than his followers. I guess that both groups share that dynamic. There are also some interesting minor characters along the way. Blunt introduces one of those characters--someone who knows where his stolen gun has gone and who lies to Cardinal and Delorme about it--as a quick and merciless sketch about ineffectiveness (not on the cops' parts).
Blunt creates believable characters, even among the bad people in his books. There's a great piece of writing involving Cardinal and Delorme telling a woman that her loser son has been murdered, and another in which Cardinal tries to deal with his manic-depressive wife's latest manic episode while both are on the eighth floor of a construction site.. He is really very good.
October 21, 2024
Wie schon im ersten Fall werden wir hier mit Ermittler-, Opfer- und Täterperspektive versorgt (der zweite Fall bildet erzähltechnisch eine Ausnahme). Cardinal hat alle Hände voll zu tun, privat kommt einiges auf ihn zu und die Drogendealer der Gegend haben sich ein Exemplar eingehandelt, dass von üblen Eltern ist. Hier liest man einen Krimi, der auf Wie-Spannung baut und bei dem man als Leser*in der Lösung entgegenfiebert. Außerdem schadet es auch nicht, einen guten Magen zu haben. Es geht hier ganz schön unschön zu mit Drogen, Mord und schwarzer Magie.
"Kanadische Jagd" ist ein toller Krimi mit gut gezeichneten Ermittlerfiguren, guter Storyline und man kennt den Büchern auch ihre Erscheinung in den 2000ern an (was ich persönlich mag). Manche Sachen sind mir allerdings doch zu antiquiert übersetzt, das betrifft auch manchmal nur Wörter, die ich so in Büchern dieses Genres garantiert noch nie gelesen habe. Alles in allem ein sehr lesenswerter Krimi, der einem das Grausen lehrt. 4,5 🌟
"Kanadische Jagd" ist ein toller Krimi mit gut gezeichneten Ermittlerfiguren, guter Storyline und man kennt den Büchern auch ihre Erscheinung in den 2000ern an (was ich persönlich mag). Manche Sachen sind mir allerdings doch zu antiquiert übersetzt, das betrifft auch manchmal nur Wörter, die ich so in Büchern dieses Genres garantiert noch nie gelesen habe. Alles in allem ein sehr lesenswerter Krimi, der einem das Grausen lehrt. 4,5 🌟
February 25, 2013
Someone in an onlne writers' group recommended Giles Blunt and I'm happy he did! John Cardinal is a multi-layered protagonist in the northern wilds of Ontario and Blunt makes the geography of this area come alive.
August 24, 2022
I read this out of order of the series (first) and despite it being of the mystery thriller genre, it is quite good. Some history lesson/investigation revealed as well. Over time I stopped following the series, as I've no real interest to get to the last, but this one is my favourite.
November 21, 2013
I more than "liked" this book, but I "really like" the author and his writing. So this was a mostly enjoyable read for me. I always enjoy the descriptions of life in northern Ontario because my family has a cabin there and I can relate to what it's like there. One thing I'd heard about but not experienced is "blackfly season," and now I know I never want to experience it! We always avoid it when we go to our cabin (or cottage, as Canadians would call it).
I wasn't crazy about how over-the-top the main antagonist was, but I have to admit that he was different from the usual serial killers (if there is such a thing!). Pretty sick stuff actually, which normally doesn't bother me, but this was particularly gruesome.
Not much changes in the characters of John Cardinal and Lise Delorme and John's wife, Catherine. Even John's relationship with his daughter is at a standstill. I see this as a "bridge" novel--it more or less sets the stage for the next novel in the series, which I read immediately after this one. (By the Time You Read This)
As much as I enjoy this series, I wish the author would try his hand at some stand-alone novels or even nonfiction. I have a feeling he has a lot to say and would say it eloquently.
I wasn't crazy about how over-the-top the main antagonist was, but I have to admit that he was different from the usual serial killers (if there is such a thing!). Pretty sick stuff actually, which normally doesn't bother me, but this was particularly gruesome.
Not much changes in the characters of John Cardinal and Lise Delorme and John's wife, Catherine. Even John's relationship with his daughter is at a standstill. I see this as a "bridge" novel--it more or less sets the stage for the next novel in the series, which I read immediately after this one. (By the Time You Read This)
As much as I enjoy this series, I wish the author would try his hand at some stand-alone novels or even nonfiction. I have a feeling he has a lot to say and would say it eloquently.
April 12, 2021
So I didn’t even know this was a series until just now looking at others reviews. This appears to be the third. Lol
This was a surprisingly well written book! Never heard of him or this book, just grabbed it on a clearance day at second and Charles hoping it was as good as the back of the book made it sound! And it was!
He sneaks you in to a huge plot with one character who cannot remember her name or where she is from and is covered in black fly bites. You think the book is going to be mostly about this woman and finding whoever put the bullet in her head, and while it is about that she is not the main character. she is just used to introduce you to a much larger situation that includes, violent biker Gangs, Caribbean Voodoo, dealing with a wife with mental illness, ritual sacrifices (not overly graphic), and drug trafficking in Canada.
Blunt stays a little longer, but not too long, on all the right situations, and quickly moves on from all the right situations. No over describing, never feeling like I didn’t get enough. I loved this book very much, needless to say I did not NEED the other two books before to enjoy this one!
This was a surprisingly well written book! Never heard of him or this book, just grabbed it on a clearance day at second and Charles hoping it was as good as the back of the book made it sound! And it was!
He sneaks you in to a huge plot with one character who cannot remember her name or where she is from and is covered in black fly bites. You think the book is going to be mostly about this woman and finding whoever put the bullet in her head, and while it is about that she is not the main character. she is just used to introduce you to a much larger situation that includes, violent biker Gangs, Caribbean Voodoo, dealing with a wife with mental illness, ritual sacrifices (not overly graphic), and drug trafficking in Canada.
Blunt stays a little longer, but not too long, on all the right situations, and quickly moves on from all the right situations. No over describing, never feeling like I didn’t get enough. I loved this book very much, needless to say I did not NEED the other two books before to enjoy this one!
November 19, 2025
One of the most original mysteries you’ll ever read begins with a friendly redhead mingling in a bar. She bounces from table to table exuding affability. Her overly kind affect is due to a .32 caliber bullet lodged near her midbrain - she has no idea who she is.
In another early chapter, a body is discovered near a cave. While the relentless black flies of the region viciously stalk people, they are likely not responsible for a corpse missing hands, feet and head. Homicide detectives John Cardinal and Lise Delorne have much to understand.
Black Fly Season features a nicely paired crime solving duo and an exceptional cast of baddies. We get ferocious bikers, wily drug dealers, and even a seriously sadistic witch. One character. a wannabe poet, imagines himself being interviewed by David Letterman and the writer Martin Amis when he is high on herion. The author applies utmost creativity designing every character, no matter how good, bad, big or small. It is the characterization, along with sharp writing and perfect pacing, that makes Black Fly Season an unforgettable reading experience.
Highly recommended to fans of Greg Iles or Dennis Lehane. Eccentric characters in a small Northern town with mystical evil - will remind those of us of a certain age of David Lynch classic Twin Peaks.
In another early chapter, a body is discovered near a cave. While the relentless black flies of the region viciously stalk people, they are likely not responsible for a corpse missing hands, feet and head. Homicide detectives John Cardinal and Lise Delorne have much to understand.
Black Fly Season features a nicely paired crime solving duo and an exceptional cast of baddies. We get ferocious bikers, wily drug dealers, and even a seriously sadistic witch. One character. a wannabe poet, imagines himself being interviewed by David Letterman and the writer Martin Amis when he is high on herion. The author applies utmost creativity designing every character, no matter how good, bad, big or small. It is the characterization, along with sharp writing and perfect pacing, that makes Black Fly Season an unforgettable reading experience.
Highly recommended to fans of Greg Iles or Dennis Lehane. Eccentric characters in a small Northern town with mystical evil - will remind those of us of a certain age of David Lynch classic Twin Peaks.
October 20, 2020
You ever love with a main character so much you just want to give them a huge hug? This is how I felt reading this book. John Cardinal is definitely a character. This book had a little bit of everything. Murder, mystery, love, addiction, mental illness, dark magic(which I’m not usually a fan of but it was okay in this book). The book starts out with a young woman wandering around town with a bullet in her head, like come on now?! This book was definitely a page turner. I will be going back and reading the rest of the series. I had no clue this was the 3rd book!
April 30, 2019
I love this series.
May 2, 2010
PROTAGONIST: John Cardinal and Lise Delorme, homicide detectives
SETTING: Ontario, Canada
SERIES: #3 of 3
RATING: 4.75
Located far north in the province of Ontario, Algonquin Bay is normally a placid place of scenic splendor. However, there's one time of year that's a trial for every person that dares to go outside of their home, and that's "black fly season". The flies attack viciously, covering the victim in bites and bloody red marks. Most people don't voluntarily expose themselves at all during this perilous time of year.
So there's lots to wonder about when a beautiful young red-haired woman covered with fly bites enters the local tavern. She acts strangely, telling everyone how "nice" they are when they aren't nice at all. The first impression is that she is either high or mentally challenged. Neither is true—it turns out that she has a bullet lodged in her brain and is temporarily unable to recall who she is, why she is in Algonquin Bay and how she got shot. Someone wants her dead—but she has no idea who or why.
The case is assigned to John Cardinal and his partner, Lise Delorme. They are only able to help "Red" when her memories start to return. But when that happens, she begins to cover up some of what she is remembering in order to protect her drug addict brother, Kevin. Kevin is involved in a drug running scheme which was created by a very charismatic newcomer to the area, Red Bear. Red Bear practices a form of shamanism called Palo Mayombe which is akin to Santeria and Voodoo, but more violent. It's more than black magic – it's noir magic.
BLACK FLY SEASON is an engrossing tale on several fronts. The narrative thread winding around Red Bear and his machinations is very well developed. The hold he has on others is frightening. The actual rituals he practices when he feels it necessary to kill someone are disgusting and repellant.
Then there's a forensics scene, which in most books of this type are overwhelmingly technical and force the reader to skim over the arcane scientific factoids. In a masterful stroke, Blunt has two scientists playing off of each other with the information being presented in a humorous interaction.
The main enjoyment of the book for me was the characterization of John Cardinal. He's a fine detective; but more than that, he is a fine human being. His wife of many years, Catherine, is a manic depressive. Just as the professional aspect of his life is making tremendous demands on him, Catherine begins to enter a manic phase. That has always resulted in hospitalization in the past. Living with someone who has this disorder is extremely difficult; she blames John even as he struggles not to be over protective and trust her.
Blunt's descriptive writing skills are exceptional. His descriptions of drug addiction and withdrawal are extremely realistic and tactile. The same is true of the setting—I felt like slapping flies a few times myself as the characters were out in the wild. Each character is meticulously delineated; the dialogue credible, and the story moves on at just the right pace. In fact, I only have one complaint about the book, and that is that Terri ("Red") does a few stupid things that smack of fem jep (female jeopardy). I didn't feel that was necessary in such an intelligent book.
It was a pleasure to read a book that had so much heart in addition to being a first rate police procedural.
SETTING: Ontario, Canada
SERIES: #3 of 3
RATING: 4.75
Located far north in the province of Ontario, Algonquin Bay is normally a placid place of scenic splendor. However, there's one time of year that's a trial for every person that dares to go outside of their home, and that's "black fly season". The flies attack viciously, covering the victim in bites and bloody red marks. Most people don't voluntarily expose themselves at all during this perilous time of year.
So there's lots to wonder about when a beautiful young red-haired woman covered with fly bites enters the local tavern. She acts strangely, telling everyone how "nice" they are when they aren't nice at all. The first impression is that she is either high or mentally challenged. Neither is true—it turns out that she has a bullet lodged in her brain and is temporarily unable to recall who she is, why she is in Algonquin Bay and how she got shot. Someone wants her dead—but she has no idea who or why.
The case is assigned to John Cardinal and his partner, Lise Delorme. They are only able to help "Red" when her memories start to return. But when that happens, she begins to cover up some of what she is remembering in order to protect her drug addict brother, Kevin. Kevin is involved in a drug running scheme which was created by a very charismatic newcomer to the area, Red Bear. Red Bear practices a form of shamanism called Palo Mayombe which is akin to Santeria and Voodoo, but more violent. It's more than black magic – it's noir magic.
BLACK FLY SEASON is an engrossing tale on several fronts. The narrative thread winding around Red Bear and his machinations is very well developed. The hold he has on others is frightening. The actual rituals he practices when he feels it necessary to kill someone are disgusting and repellant.
Then there's a forensics scene, which in most books of this type are overwhelmingly technical and force the reader to skim over the arcane scientific factoids. In a masterful stroke, Blunt has two scientists playing off of each other with the information being presented in a humorous interaction.
The main enjoyment of the book for me was the characterization of John Cardinal. He's a fine detective; but more than that, he is a fine human being. His wife of many years, Catherine, is a manic depressive. Just as the professional aspect of his life is making tremendous demands on him, Catherine begins to enter a manic phase. That has always resulted in hospitalization in the past. Living with someone who has this disorder is extremely difficult; she blames John even as he struggles not to be over protective and trust her.
Blunt's descriptive writing skills are exceptional. His descriptions of drug addiction and withdrawal are extremely realistic and tactile. The same is true of the setting—I felt like slapping flies a few times myself as the characters were out in the wild. Each character is meticulously delineated; the dialogue credible, and the story moves on at just the right pace. In fact, I only have one complaint about the book, and that is that Terri ("Red") does a few stupid things that smack of fem jep (female jeopardy). I didn't feel that was necessary in such an intelligent book.
It was a pleasure to read a book that had so much heart in addition to being a first rate police procedural.
June 21, 2013
Giles Blunt's "Blackfly Season" is the third novel in the Cardinal/Delorme series (and the fourth that I have read). While the first book in the series, "Forty Words for Sorrow", is a good and engaging police procedural, this novel is again quite unspectacular, despite the author being out of the usual "sophomore slump".
Detectives Cardinal an Delorme are now trying to solve the case that begins when a young woman who seems to have lost her memory and does not know who she is wanders into a bar in Algonquin Bay. The case soon morphs into something much more sinister. Brutal murders happen, and the story veers in a rather surprising direction. There are no hints about this plot twist in the blurb on the book cover, so I will avoid spoilers as well. Let me just say that one would not expect this particular plot direction to occur in Northern Ontario.
I do not find the plot particularly interesting. What's worse, the novel does not tell me anything about Cardinal, Delorme, or Cardinal's wife that I have not already learned from the other books. At the risk of sounding callous, I will confess that I have had it with the thread of Catherine's mental illness. Hints of Cardinal's patronizing tone as well as several false notes in an otherwise excellent portrayal of a manic attack of manic-depressive Catherine bother me. The main bad character is rather cartoonishly evil. On the other hand, Kevin's imaginary talks with celebrities are pleasantly off-beat and the author provides some refreshingly non-pop-psychology insights into the dynamics of addiction.
It is difficult to write a book series featuring recurring characters without being repetitive. Most authors flunk this test and, basically, rewrite the same novel over and over again. This is definitely not something that I am looking for in books. I have to admit, though, that Mr. Blunt's writing is skillful and that reading this novel has been a painless waste of time.
Two and a half stars.
Detectives Cardinal an Delorme are now trying to solve the case that begins when a young woman who seems to have lost her memory and does not know who she is wanders into a bar in Algonquin Bay. The case soon morphs into something much more sinister. Brutal murders happen, and the story veers in a rather surprising direction. There are no hints about this plot twist in the blurb on the book cover, so I will avoid spoilers as well. Let me just say that one would not expect this particular plot direction to occur in Northern Ontario.
I do not find the plot particularly interesting. What's worse, the novel does not tell me anything about Cardinal, Delorme, or Cardinal's wife that I have not already learned from the other books. At the risk of sounding callous, I will confess that I have had it with the thread of Catherine's mental illness. Hints of Cardinal's patronizing tone as well as several false notes in an otherwise excellent portrayal of a manic attack of manic-depressive Catherine bother me. The main bad character is rather cartoonishly evil. On the other hand, Kevin's imaginary talks with celebrities are pleasantly off-beat and the author provides some refreshingly non-pop-psychology insights into the dynamics of addiction.
It is difficult to write a book series featuring recurring characters without being repetitive. Most authors flunk this test and, basically, rewrite the same novel over and over again. This is definitely not something that I am looking for in books. I have to admit, though, that Mr. Blunt's writing is skillful and that reading this novel has been a painless waste of time.
Two and a half stars.
September 14, 2009
I was expecting a lot more after Forty Words for Sorrow, but with this novel Blunt moves a little closer to the paint-by-numbers “genre novel” and a little farther away from what would be a true innovation: the literary detective story. Blunt gets carried away here with plot elements that seriously strain credibility, and he replaces the psychological depth of Forty Words with splatter-film detailing that you can read in any of about 32,281 other serial-killer novels. There are also continuity errors that a decent editor should have fixed. As one example, ***SPOILERS FOLLOW*** a detective describes a body whose feet and hands have been amputated by saying words to the effect that "someone cut off his fingers and toes first." If the hands and feet are gone, there's no way for the police to know whether the toes and fingers were also removed separately. ***END SPOILERS*** I’m hopeful, finally, that not every future Cardinal novel will contain the “wife threatening a psychiatric relapse” subplot. It’s a lot less effective at humanizing Cardinal (I assume that’s the point) than Blunt may think. Blunt also misses an opportunity in Black Fly to do something less cardboard with the Lisa Delorme character, who every so often threatens to be more interesting than Cardinal, and there are about five too many scenes in which she and Cardinal basically grunt at each other while “deeply understanding” one another’s motivations and personalities (the way cops do) and “profoundly communicating” despite the fact that certain things Can Never Be Said and certain questions Must Never Be Raised (as true partners always know). The cliché, by now, is about as interesting as lint, and Blunt is capable of much better.
October 16, 2012
This third police procedural in the Detective John Cardinal, Algonquin Bay, Canada, has a lot of potentially intriguing things going on at the same time, and a good semi-rural Canadian setting to recommend it. But the pacing is patchy, at times becoming almost incoherent as the reader tries to figure out just who is speaking, and where/when they are. It’s a major flaw in an otherwise strong mystery story about a nice guy policeman and one of his more interesting cases.
A young stranger with a bullet in her brain, dead bodies without heads and feet, dope-dealing motorcycle gangs, AND a personally conflicted policeman, create lots of potential tension. The sections dealing with John’s wife’s problems are some of the best-written in the book IMO, gut-wrenchingly powerful. Most of the rest of the book feels ordinary, a decent-to-good police procedural with all the usual bases covered - and then some.
Lets see, we’ve got your crazed Cuban VooDoo-ish priest (passing himself off as a Native American called “Red Bear”), your dope-dealing motorcycle gang-bangers, a superior officer who “has it in for” Cardinal, John’s angst at his wife’s illness and his daughter’s unkindness, his own past mis-deeds, a loose-cannon serial-killer-wannabe who learns interesting new techniques when he meets up with Red Bear, and as the pivot for all this, a gorgeous young woman who’s connected to one of RB’s gang, a sweet nebbish who seemingly loves his high more than life itself. Her love for him and Cardinal’s love for his wife are the most authentic bits in the mix.
A young stranger with a bullet in her brain, dead bodies without heads and feet, dope-dealing motorcycle gangs, AND a personally conflicted policeman, create lots of potential tension. The sections dealing with John’s wife’s problems are some of the best-written in the book IMO, gut-wrenchingly powerful. Most of the rest of the book feels ordinary, a decent-to-good police procedural with all the usual bases covered - and then some.
Lets see, we’ve got your crazed Cuban VooDoo-ish priest (passing himself off as a Native American called “Red Bear”), your dope-dealing motorcycle gang-bangers, a superior officer who “has it in for” Cardinal, John’s angst at his wife’s illness and his daughter’s unkindness, his own past mis-deeds, a loose-cannon serial-killer-wannabe who learns interesting new techniques when he meets up with Red Bear, and as the pivot for all this, a gorgeous young woman who’s connected to one of RB’s gang, a sweet nebbish who seemingly loves his high more than life itself. Her love for him and Cardinal’s love for his wife are the most authentic bits in the mix.
June 8, 2023
John Cardinal and Lise Delorme have been assigned to the case of a woman who doesn’t know her identity. Once they transport her to the hospital, they realise she has a bullet lodged in her brain that is causing the amnesia. Cardinal and Delorme begin to investigate how the woman ended up being shot, finding a few bodies along the way.
I initially picked this up because it is set in North Bay, the town where I went to university and lived afterwards for a few years. Blunt has called it “Algonquin Bay” in the book, but has left literally everything else the same, down the street names. It made me pretty nostalgic for the beautiful city I called home for a while, and I got a thrill out of knowing all of the locations. There is also a detective TV series based on it, called Cardinal! I liked Cardinal’s back story, his struggles with his wife and her mental illness made me really sympathetic to him. The case was pretty interesting too! I don’t know if I will read the others as it didn’t quite grab me enough.
I initially picked this up because it is set in North Bay, the town where I went to university and lived afterwards for a few years. Blunt has called it “Algonquin Bay” in the book, but has left literally everything else the same, down the street names. It made me pretty nostalgic for the beautiful city I called home for a while, and I got a thrill out of knowing all of the locations. There is also a detective TV series based on it, called Cardinal! I liked Cardinal’s back story, his struggles with his wife and her mental illness made me really sympathetic to him. The case was pretty interesting too! I don’t know if I will read the others as it didn’t quite grab me enough.
January 8, 2016
I have happily moved into Giles Blunt's world, and with the rest of his books on order I may stay there for awhile. By now, I feel completely invested in John Cardinal's life - personal and professional - and there is enough at stake that I want to see the outcome. But, more than that, Blunt is a born storyteller with a gift for atmospheric description and the ability to carry the action through all the way to the end. "Black Fly Season" finds our cold weather characters enduring Spring, which is, as you may have guessed, fraught with black flies. A small thing, but such a lovely detail, and I think this is part of this author's gift - to create so vividly a setting for his story to play out in. He begins here with the arrival of a stranger in town - a young girl with no memory, who, incredibly enough, has a bullet lodged in her brain. Fantastic hook, and the story just builds from there. Loved this and will keep reading!
May 17, 2019
A nifty police thriller that makes a more enjoyable read than many in the genre. The plot and pacing are spot on. The setting, a barely fictionalized version of North Bay, Ontario, is appealing. Haven't read the others in the series so can't say how this one fits in or compares.
There are several irritations: unreasonable coincidences that grow in number toward the end; an outrageously drawn main bad guy; conventional (almost de rigueur) complications in Detective John Cardinal's family life; blatant lecturing about forensic techniques and the geography of North Bay; at least three moments that prompt something like the reaction common to tension-filled moments in many horror movies: "You idiot, don't go down into that basement." A number of these problems likely have something to do with Blunt's background as a script writer for TV dramas, as well as readers' expectations.
I'll round it down. But it's polished enough to rate a solid 3.5 stars.
There are several irritations: unreasonable coincidences that grow in number toward the end; an outrageously drawn main bad guy; conventional (almost de rigueur) complications in Detective John Cardinal's family life; blatant lecturing about forensic techniques and the geography of North Bay; at least three moments that prompt something like the reaction common to tension-filled moments in many horror movies: "You idiot, don't go down into that basement." A number of these problems likely have something to do with Blunt's background as a script writer for TV dramas, as well as readers' expectations.
I'll round it down. But it's polished enough to rate a solid 3.5 stars.
January 25, 2016
This is the third John Cardinal story I've read so far. None of them have let me down and this one in particular was excellent. It was a bit grittier than the others, nicely suspenseful and well-paced. I enjoy the main characters, John Cardinal is an interesting protagonist, a good cop, with personal issues as well. Lise Delorm, his partner, is also one I want to be developed more in future stories. The surrounding characters add to the plot and keep the story moving nicely. I especially like that the stories are set in my home town of North Bay, even if he has named it Algonquin Bay in his stories. It's great recognizing the area and locales. The title of this one rings very true; Blackfly Season is well-remembered from my time there and not at all missed. Excellent story and excellent series.
January 16, 2019
This thriller/police procedural featuring small town Canadian police detectives John Cardinal and Lise Delorme begins with the appearance of an unknown young woman in a local bar. The bartender takes note as she moves from one table of people to another before coming up to the bar. When she speaks to the barkeep, it becomes apparent that something is off about her.
"Off" turns out to be an understatement. The young woman, Jane Doe, doesn't know her name let alone where she is or where she's come from. A trip to the hospital's emergency room reveals the origin of her memory problems and heralds what becomes a most twisted and perplexing series of events.
Cardinal and Delorme need all their skills and then some to first protect Jane Doe and then to unravel the murders that follow her appearance in town.
"Off" turns out to be an understatement. The young woman, Jane Doe, doesn't know her name let alone where she is or where she's come from. A trip to the hospital's emergency room reveals the origin of her memory problems and heralds what becomes a most twisted and perplexing series of events.
Cardinal and Delorme need all their skills and then some to first protect Jane Doe and then to unravel the murders that follow her appearance in town.
October 25, 2016
Giles Blunt truly comes into his own with his third novel. His rich characterization of the setting and citizens of northern Ontario is top of form.
Having dispensed with many cliched complications for hero John Cardinal, this book focuses less on advancing ground with his main characters and more on depicting the crime, its perpetrators and victims.
Particularly noteworthy are his continued excellent depiction of mental illness and its impact on the victim's loved-ones, and his portrayal of heroin addiction.
Four stars.
Having dispensed with many cliched complications for hero John Cardinal, this book focuses less on advancing ground with his main characters and more on depicting the crime, its perpetrators and victims.
Particularly noteworthy are his continued excellent depiction of mental illness and its impact on the victim's loved-ones, and his portrayal of heroin addiction.
Four stars.
April 24, 2017
John Cardinal has to be one of my favourite detectives of any series. This is the third book in the series and probably my favourite on so far although I rated the other high as well. You can always count on a really good mystery with interesting characters while following the lives of John Cardinal and Lise Delorme. Can't wait to get my hands on the next one but hoping to save some for the summer. Would be a great cottage read because I would have time to read beginning to end in one sitting. Highly recommended!
February 4, 2011
Oh man! What a good book. I had never read Blunt before (my wife recommended him), but you can bet I will from now on whenever I get a chance. It is a Canadian murder mystery supposedly based on a true story. It is sometimes gruesome, but I doubt that murder is ever very pretty. The series characters are well drawn and very believable. Highly recommended.
July 15, 2017
I like the cops in this series: they're not geniuses but diligent. This was another repulsive case.....this time with human sacrifice. That was stomach turning, but the constant presence of biting black flies was too much for me. I had imaginary itches throughout the book and I'm still scratching at nothing while I write this.
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