Of Blood and Water: A Virgil McLendon Mystery

Virgil McLendon Mystery #1

by Catt Dahman

In 1974, a crime wave shakes a small town as children are murdered while camping with their scout troops or parents; a few were kidnapped. A young deputy, Virgil McLendon, is forced to lead an investigation into the brutal murders while a nation watches, wondering at his new techniques. No one has heard of profiling and few know how to read a crime scene. Eventually, these methods will shape the new Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI, but in 1974, they are thought to be strange. Virgil McLendon feels he is chasing ghosts as the killers kidnap young people, torture victims, leave a trail of dead campers, and seek to shock an entire town with the bloodshed and cruelty. As the body count rises, he feels the answers are close. Maybe far too close. Each act is more violent the last, and the serial killers decide to go after the local law enforcement department as well. It's a battle of brains, and nothing is as it seems. Of Blood and Water explores "nature vs. nature," family traditions, the beginnings of a new way to track criminals that will be called behavioral analysis, and the last of the innocence, as a nation changes. The face of justice will be turned aside, and vengeance may rule the case. The Oklahoma campground murders, a true crime case, adds reality as McLendon pushes self-doubt away, and chases the killers. The first in the Virgil McLendon series, Of Blood and Water, is where the deputy begins learning how to hunt criminals...and where he gains a taste for the chase.

176 pages, Paperback

First published February 20, 2014

About the author

catt dahman is now under contract with Severed Press publishing house for the 9 Z is for Zombie books.

catt dahman has been writing for more than 30 years, has taught in public schools, private schools, home school, and college. Her B.S. and M.S. degrees are from Texas A & M. She is a native of North East Texas, has lived all over the US, (and tries to claim Jamaica as a second home) but is currently back in the Fort Worth, Texas area where she lives with her husband, David (a retired Marine), son Nic, cats, a ferret, and dog. She has also been a public speaker, artist, director for a charity, dabbled as a PI, and more. When not working, she enjoys SCUBA diving (PADI), reading, ruining movies for her family by pointing out mistakes, collecting Tarot card sets , playing Legos with her son, and growing herbs. She now writes full time, working on a zombie series of nine books, short stories, horror, splatter punk, thrillers, vampire books, and westerns.

Reviews

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok I picked this book up as a friend of mine recommended it . I was in between books and didn't want to read a romance book so I decided to Catt's book . Well lets just say I started reading it and couldn't put it down . It was one of those books where once you start you just don't want to put down . I had book hang over big time .

We are introduced to Virgil McLendon , a young deputy that has to solve a very gruesome murders that happened at a camp site. He is under a lot of stress to solve the murder while the whole nation watches . As the team starts to figure what happens there are more murders . Each one more gruesome and move violent then the last one . The department is under stress and they seem to be chasing ghosts . As they are work the cases they become more inept on behavioural analysis and fight the need for vengeance as they work to find the serial killer .

The characters in this book are so well written , Virgil is my favorite character by far . He takes control of the investigation when the sheriff is hospitalized. He uses his profiling techniques to find the murders . He is the type of man that you want protecting you in a crises . He is a man that is flawed but also very strong . He is the good guy and shows it. The bad guys in this book are evil and I mean evil. They are the epitome of nature versus nurture. The child hoods that these four characters weren't the greatest . So you know that is just going to get bad and bad fast . There is no way that you could have any feelings of sympathy for the bad guys in this book.

Catt takes us on such an emotional roller coaster ride in this book. I was reading and thinking at the same time . OH MY GOD it can't get any worse can it . And trust me you go to places that will scare the faint of heart . You want to scream at your kindle so many times . Its a wonder that I didn't throw my kindle at one point. You think you know that they are going to catch them but then Catt throws a twist in .Then you go Oh my god . I am dubbing Catt the queen of true crime fiction. She takes us all to places where a lot of people won't go. She isn't scared to go there . This book gave me such a book hangover . I couldn't put it down until I knew what happened and if they got the bad guys . So if you want a great read that is full of suspense and will take you to places of dark parts of your heart . Check out OF BLOOD AND WATER . I will tell you right now you will not be disappointed and be careful you might want to sleep with the lights on after reading this book .

[Denise Keef · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very chilling and disturbing story of a serial killer that takes place in a small town. A town that doesn’t see many murders. Sheriff Jess Harding turns to his deputies to help find the killer or killers before any more lives are lost. Deputy Virgil McClendon who is thrown in to lead this case due to circumstances beyond his control will use his profiling technique that he feels will not only find the killer but bring him or her to justice! With the help of the deputies and a group of vacationing officers from another town he will use the information and crime scene photos and gather evidence leading him hopefully to the culprit and an end to the killings. With a twisting story and gore beyond comprehension…I found this story to be both engrossing and terrifying at the same time. Ms. Dahman is a very graphic writer and is also a very amazing story teller. I have read quite a few of her stories and with each one I am amazed at the amount of detail and research she puts into each and every one. Her way of writing draws the reader deeper and deeper into the story, visualizing each scene as it plays out in your head. Be forewarned…this is a very dark story of a killer. A killer set out to cause terror and alarm to those in the area. A killer who will stop at nothing to give a shock factor to those who happen upon the bodies and you will picture every one of them. Catt Dahman will make sure of that! So…if you are not one to watch any of the shows on TV like CSI or Criminal Minds and you do not like a story that will have you looking over your shoulder at night then…do not read this. But…if you love a really great mystery…one that has you wanting to read faster and faster to find out the…who…what…when…where and why then this is definitely one you do not want to pass up!

[Julie Greig · Rating 3 out of 5]

How to review this book almost as difficult as reading it if I'm honest.
A really interesting story and concept but the writing in sections was a bit naïve, almost as if there was not research done which was a shame as it could have been a really great read.