Bucket of Blood

by Kim Bannerman

Lizzie's mother is dead.

Now, left in the care of her prim older sister, Lizzie fears her carefree, adventurous ways are over. But when tragedy strikes once more, she discovers a sinister web of lies and deception, of murders past and present, where fierce resentments and racial tensions boil beneath the illusion of civilization. Soon, Lizzie finds herself ensnared in a secret that stretches from the opium dens of British Columbia and the alleys of San Francisco to the isthmus of Panama and beyond.

And it's a secret that the murderer will do anything to protect.

Bucket of Blood blends the dark spirituality of BC’s coast with Chinese mythology and the blossoming discipline of Victorian science. Part BC history, part gothic mystery, Bucket of Blood is a grim journey through loss, self-discovery, redemption, and vengeance.

Unknown Binding

First published October 13, 2011

About the author

Kim Bannerman's stories have appeared in anthologies like ‘She’s Shameless’ (Tightrope Books), ‘Teen Angst Poetry’ (St. Martin’s Press), ‘Wolf-Girls’ (Hic Dragones Press), and ‘When Birds Are Near’ (Cornell University Press). She received a Canada Council Grant to complete her novel ‘Bucket of Blood’ in 2008, and her novels include the Circus Salmagundi Mysteries series, beginning with ’Truly the Devil’s Work’, and the modern fairy tale, ‘The Tattooed Wolf’. She can be found online at www.kbannerman.com.

Reviews

[Miranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! I purchased this book because it was set in the area I grew up in and I was working on a challenge that asked you to read a book set in your hometown. I figured Cumberland was close enough and the book looked really interesting. I was not disappointed!

The book starts of slow, but is still interesting because of the historical elements of the era. It is set in the Victorian era in a town that is predominately run on coal. I studied the coal industry for a month in elementary school and was so fascinated by mining and the fact that people went into the ground to bring up coal. I even got the chance to tour some of the ruins of mines in the area (the same area that this book is set in) and it was all so interesting. Particularly interesting is the fact that chinatown and Japantown were separated from the rest of the miners. Although it is definitely racist the cultural aspects were preserved as a result which makes for some interesting historical finds if you are lucky enough to find some of the relics in the old Chinatown out by Comox Lake.

I loved the main character Amaryllis. She is spunky and defiant and it was fun looking at the world through her eyes. I would have probably been more like her sister Violet and tried to tow the line, but Amaryllis makes the story so much more interesting.

The murder doesn't happen until several pages after 300 but the last 100 pages takes you on a crazy whirlwind adventure and leaves you reeling. I read the last 100 pages so fast.

I would recommend this book to anyone from the Comox Valley, fans of the Victorian era and fans of historical fiction. It is not for the faint of heart and parts of the book are pretty gruesome but overall I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience.

[BiblioBabes.ca · Rating 5 out of 5]

9/10
....
Lizzie, our protagonist, is a modern minded 15 year old woman, and I do mean woman, stuck in an era and town not capable of understanding her lifestyle and strong mind. She is a feminist in a time when that kind of thinking and behaviour was not only discouraged but even categorized as a mental illness. Violet, her older sister, is the picture of femininity and correct social graces and is, of course, devastatingly embarrassed by Lizzie's complete disregard of proper etiquette. However, Lizzie could give two shits about her own reputation, Violet's reputation or the reputation of the family.


To read my full review click here: http://www.bibliobabes.ca/3/post/2012...

[Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful Tale

A wonderfully written tale full of history, love and murder. A real page tuner, I enjoyed it immensely, and wholeheartedly recommend reading it

[Crystal books_inthewild · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one pulled me in right away because of its setting — the coal mining towns near Cumberland, BC, not far from where I live!

I love when a story feels close to home, and Bannerman captures the gritty, atmospheric feel of the area so well. The mix of history, superstition, and the darker edges of Victorian life made for a fascinating read. Love reading about this time period!

I especially loved Bannerman’s ability to bring her characters to life — they feel layered and memorable, especially Lizzie, who has such a strong sense of curiosity and spirit even as the world around her darkens. She seems much older as you read, and I found myself imagining her as about 17-18 (and not 15), The story starts slow, rich with historical detail, but once the mystery deepens, it becomes impossible to put down….!

It’s haunting, beautifully written, and full of the kind of eerie coastal atmosphere that stays with you. A must-read for anyone who loves historical fiction set in BC and gothic mysteries.

[Anne Farrer · Rating 1 out of 5]

If I was being generous to a local author I would give 2 stars, but I just couldn't. Redeemable for the historical and locational relevance (to me), and for a mildly engaging (if not wildly unbelievable) plot. But so unrealistic for the first person narrator to think and talk like an overbearing 50 yr old when she was supposed to be 15. And it was so long, it needed a strong, healthy edit. But then the ending... OMG are you kidding me? My bookclub is going to hate this. haha

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very inventive. Well written. At the beginning I worried about it being a bit of high school history project-ish because there was some awkward exposition and historical narrative but once that was over with, my only complaints were typos and grammatical errors which should have been caught in editing. I’ve ordered the next in the series. Well done, fellow VIslander!

[Denny Broza · Rating 4 out of 5]

great writing, the author captures the era well, and keeps the tempo at an exciting pace. I enjoyed the mystery and the storyline, even the gruesome bits.

[Barth Siemens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an unbelievably tight narrative, not always seen in a self-published book. I'm so glad my Cumberland book club introduced me to this author.

[Eyelandgirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. My family had just hiked the old rail line that connected Cumberland to Union Bay, so it was cool to read about it. The fact that it was a once a week train to take people to the seaside, where we don't even think twice now about zipping between these communities was fascinating. We also just explored the site of Chinatown so it was very timely for me to read. I found the style a bit annoying at first; modern writing is more pared down and her style is of an era when things were described in more detail, but I soon got into the rhythm of it. Local friends have complained that this book should have ended 3/4 of the way through, and certainly an alternative ending might have been tighter and perhaps better. But Bannerman stretched for something more dramatic and did a fine job. The first half is certainly worthy of fans of Anne Of Green Gables, and might have become a classic if it didn't have the dark undertone of the last quarter. I thought I'd be interested in a sequel, which I just learned there are two of, but it seems they may continue in the darker tone of the last part of this book, which is not the part I liked best, so I may skip them unless I hear otherwise.

[Kathryn Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hesitated to read this book because I am squeamish about blood. 🩸 Then someone told me that “Bucket of Blood” was the name of one of the bars in the old village of Cumberland. Fortunately, I like bars so decided to read the book!

There was a fair bit of blood to be honest, however it was splattered across a story so captivating I couldn’t put it down. So many themes from a relatively recent west coast history are beautifully rendered in this novel. And there is a twist which I DID NOT SEE COMING.

[Jane · Rating 2 out of 5]

A local writer self published work. I read the book because it took place in the town of Cumberland back at the turn of the century. Good to get a bit of a feel of the China town and mining town of Cumberland at that time. The book desperately needed editing - too long. The setting was the redeeming aspect. The story line was unbelievable.

[Kai · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mysterious novel that keeps you on your toes, while also feeling connected to the characters. My favourite part was learning about the history of Cumberland while enjoying a story that kept me wanting to read more.

[Evelyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Read like a history book. How much history can I teach you with a little fiction in between. Not for me.

[Kari-lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Book took way to long to get going. I mainly read it because it takes place in my local area and the history was interesting.

[Martha☀ · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first half of this book held some interesting historical information about Cumberland, a small Comox Valley village where I go running many times each week. Learning the history of the area, the mining industry at the turn of the century and the many cultures who mixed there at that time was fascinating.
The second half of the book was a silly crime story that was both unbelieveable and childish. The 17 year old daughter of the upper class doctor goes missing. The 15 year old sister, who happens to be a knife-weilding tomboy, manages to find and destroy both evidence and crime scenes and goes on to solve the mystery before the local police. She develops a carnal relationship with a young Chinese apothicary and escapes from possible slavery by a brothel in Chinatown, to name a few of her exploits. She is portrayed as having no emotions yet has fits of unreasonable rage where she lashes out uncontrollably, which seems to make a mockery of true mental illness. In the end, she kills her own father for murders that he may have committed even though she has no proof at all.
In short, Bannerman has written a silly mystery but placed it in a fascinating setting. If you do choose to read it, the nonsense starts on page 250.

[Katie Arsenault · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story based on Cumberland