Blood Sister

by Kenna McKinnon, Morgen Bailey (Editor)

Annie Hansen, a schizophrenic private eye, is tasked with solving the murders of the town mayor and a local doctor in the small town of Serendipity, Canada.

Together with handsome detective Mark Snow, they set to bring the killer to justice. But Annie is haunted by her past, unable to overcome the darkness she's been carrying for her whole life.

Soon, the investigation takes a surprising turn when Annie and her boyfriend find themselves among the suspects. What is the cryptic message left on the late doctor's charts, and who is responsible for the crimes?

Genres: Mystery, Ebooks

325 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 6, 2015

About the author

Honey lover, Kenna McKinnon, is the author of SpaceHive, a middle grade sci-fi/fantasy novel replete with giant alien bees; her mental health is revealed in The Insanity Machine, a memoir with co-author Austin Mardon, PhD, CM; and her life and times with DISCOVERY – A Collection of Poetry, all released in 2012. A children's chapter book, Benjamin & Rumblechum; A quirky mystery thriller starring a female schizophrenic private eye, Blood Sister (did SHE do it?); Short Circuit and Other Geek Stories in memory of her son. Recently published is a paranormal/fantasy trilogy of dark, dark novellas, Den of Dark Angels; and a fantasy dragon adventure, Engaging the Dragon. A superhero hair stylist tale of Timothie Hill and the Cloak of Power is her most recent book, based on a real character in Edmonton, Canada. Her books are crouching at Amazon KDP and in selected local bookstores and public libraries.

Her most memorable years were spent at the University of Alberta, where she graduated with Distinction with a degree in Anthropology (1975). She has lived successfully with schizophrenia for many years and is a member of the Writers' Guild of Alberta and the Canadian Authors Association. She has two children and three grandsons.

Her author's blog: http://KennaMcKinnonAuthor.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KennaMcKinno...
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/KennaMcKinnon
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/kennamckinnon

Reviews

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why This Book
I'd heard a few good things about Blood Sister by author Kenna McKinnon from some fellow readers and decided to take a chance on it. It was published in 2015 by Creativia and has a very unique set of characters and multiple voices (you'll get this joke later on)... let's get on to the review.

Plot, Characters & Setting
Set in contemporary Canada, this quirky novel tells the story of two vicious murders of the town mayor and doctor in Serendipity. While the police lead the investigation, they've called in a consultant private-eye who has a unique relationship with the detectives working on the case. She's a schizophrenic who still hears voices and is currently on a stress leave while she re-adjusts to new medication levels. As if that's not enough of a reason to draw you in, Annie is married to another interesting fellow, Samir, a Sudanese man who has a few issues of his own to deal with, but they may just be trying to pull the wool over their guardian's eyes... as they're barely in their early 20s and not quite ready to be on their own based on a few crimes they too committed in the past. Add in a sexy new detective named Mark Snow who just happens to have the same initials as the possible murderer and you've got yourself quite a corker to figure out!

Approach & Style
I read this 294-page mystery and suspense novel over ~4 hours on my iPad via Kindle Reader. It's broken into ~90 chapters which means each one is relatively short around 3 to 4 pages. While it could be difficult to tell who's talking, given all the personalities sometimes taking control of Annie, author McKinnon has kindly italicized those moments so readers are quick to follow along. The story is told in third-person POV with a perspective focusing on the main character, Annie, and her adventures not only in solving the crime, but deciding how to handle her relationship with Samir and feelings for Mark.

Key Thoughts
Let's focus on the mystery first. Two dead people always make a story more complicated. Was it a single murderer, a serial killer with more victims in his/her plan, or just two very unrelated incidents. Lots of red herrings and different motives, both real and faked, help move this plot along nicely.

You'll either love or hate the characters. They are portrayed quite well, so it'll really come down to your ability to see through the quirks and nuances versus the games they seem to be playing with each other and within poor Annie's mind. I'm in awe of how the author kept this all in line!

There are a lot of side-stories going on which help keep readers interested in all the action and characters. Between birds and cats, foreigners and natives, old historic beliefs and medical approaches, the novel seems to have a bit of everything. It's a lot to keep track of, but imagine what that's like for Annie who has to try to assemble all the clues while her schizophrenia idles up and down depending on her adjustment to the medicine.

Throw in a bit of romance, some Canadian humor, and the potential for some fun and silliness, you've got yourself quite a unique read. If you're looking for something different and logical in its own right, this would be a great choice to push your reading comforts. The best part is following Annie's mind and voice throughout the story. She's got a lot of charm and intelligence, and you never quite know what she might say out loud unintentionally. I know a few people like that!

Summary
This was a unique book and I don't think I expected it to be what it turned out to be -- but that's certainly not a bad thing either! It has all the drama, mystery and suspense you'd expect in this type of novel, but it gives you a very different setting and tone as part of the ride. I like when books throw me for a loop, especially when you need to re-orient how you think in order to align your reading style. Kudos to the author for finding great formatting, approaches and character descriptions to help make everything pop on the page.

About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I’m Jay, an author who lives in NYC. My debut novel, Watching Glass Shatter, can be purchased on Amazon. I write A LOT. I read A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll find the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge – words and humor. You can also find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.

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[Coco.V]

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Blurb:
A serial killer is loose in the small island town of Serendipity, Canada.

Annie Hansen, a young schizophrenic private eye, is tasked to solve the grisly murders of the town mayor and a local doctor. After detective Mark Snow is called in to investigate, he teams up with Annie to solve the murders.

The investigation takes a surprising turn when Annie, along with her boyfriend Samir, finds herself to be one of the suspects. Could Annie, or one of her friends, be responsible for the horrendous crimes?

[Gisela Hausmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I read this book March 2015, published under the title, "Red Herrings: Solving Streetwise Crime"

It’s an interesting and ‘different’ kind of murder mystery. Where typically hard nosed detectives rule Annie is ‘the star’.

Annie not only suffers from schizophrenia she also has not really overcome her beloved mother’s death as well as her father’s taking off and deserting the family (for a younger pretty woman). All of this leads to Annie meandering through life even though she has a part time job working as a private eye.

When two well known residents of Serendipity, a doctor known to drug addicts and the mayor get killed Annie is being put on the case. Both murders are grisly, actually in a way disgusting. Was the killer a whacko drug addict or did the killer try to blame a whacko drug addict? Even more complicated… Were both victims killed by the same killer? (Sorry, I do not post spoilers.) And, is it a coincidence that all of this happens, right before the elections (for mayor)?

Annie will make a transformation when she meets handsome detective Mark. Will they solve the murder (oh, wait… Is Annie a suspect too?)

It took me a bit to get into the book because typically I read ‘Law and Order’ type murder mysteries. This one is a bit different and that’s because Kenna McKinnon has captured the style how schizophrenic people think, a bit ‘all over the place’. For me this made the book a charming murder mystery, never mind the grisly murders.

“… Memories of Mark two days ago surfaced, his lips brushing mine, his tongue searching my mouth. I felt like a whore looking at Samir the way I did now. If Amy Winehouse sang ‘Back to Black’ that would have been perfect, but instead there was the two of us chatting in my little rooms…”

It’s these little thoughts in between, “… if Amy Winehouse sang….”, which add an interesting feminine touch.
On a side note, I figured out Doc’s murderer but the many twists kept me guessing and almost reconsider.

Gisela Hausmann, Author & blogger

[P.S. Winn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read that combines the stigma of dealing with mental illness with murder and mystery. That is what happens to Annie Hansen, who works with the police and is called in to help when the mayor and then a doctor are murdered. This is the only book I have read by this author. who, by reading her comments at the end of this book, knows about problems when dealing with mental illness and by reading the book, about murder and mystery

[Mary Deal · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Exceptional Story of Overcoming Life’s Foibles

I loved this story for so many reason. The first is that it is truly an expose of the struggle of a troubled mind. The story is told in 1st Person. The personality of the main character, Annie Hansen, as established by this author, never wavered. Annie is a strong young woman who suffers with schizophrenia, OCD and hallucinations, not to mention a few suspected other malaise and a deeply troubled family past. She does, however, have enough wits about her to intend to improve her lot. She realizes she’s the only one who can bring herself a degree of stability. Through the story we watch her grow both psychologically and physically. Despite her weaknesses, she becomes wiser and healthier.

The story of Blood Sister is that Annie works for Private Investigator, Lorne O’Halloran. Due to her reputation for helping to solve cases, she is widely accepted by the Justice Department on Serendipity Island where the story take place. Yes, people with these afflictions can function in this type of setting, as long as they have enough wits about them to make something of their life. That is the way the author has so intricately established. Annie is a very colorful character and, at times, unpredictable. I kept reading to learn what she might do next and hoped her life would turn around.

Other characters and closest friends are Samir and Pepsi, two men from the Sudan. She loves and fears them because strong clues tie them to two murders. Her boss, Lorne, is also found to be a suspect because he had wanted to become Mayor in the upcoming election. The present Mayor was one of two men brutally murdered. The real killer in the two murders surprised me. It wasn’t revealed till the very end – just the way I love stories – the ones that keep me guessing till the past few pages.

In all, not only does Annie have a great character arc (make great changes in life and personality) but all the character transit changes in one fashion of another, some for better, some for worse. The settings are well-established. The characters and their dialogues are unique. Details are well-described but never bog down the flow of the story. In fact, it moves quite swiftly. I thoroughly enjoyed this plot, told through the mind of Annie Hansen. The author shows great knowledge and understanding of a diseased pathology and the strength it takes to overcome these health issues. Did I say I loved this story? I will definitely be reading more from this author.

[Peter Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Paranoid Schizophrenic, recovering drug addict, private investigator with OCD – what’s not to like.

This is a wonderfully told and written book.
It is a crime story, yes, two brutal murders, a doctor with his head drilled and brains sucked out and, the Mayor of this small town, small island of Serendipity, off Victoria, Vancouver Island, is shot in his goolies and left to bleed to death. However, there is depth and sensitivity in this book which in my view is the essence of the narrative and, I loved it.
Annie Hansen is a young woman on the edge of society and was drowning in a sea of politically correct prejudice against mental health once she lost her mother, the only person who truly understood her. She had swirled down the drain hole of despair and, living on the streets, she found kindred spirits; other people who did not fit. People who had their own problems, not least a small Sudanese group of asylum seekers.
After many infractions with the law, she finds herself in a half-way house with a kindly landlady. A sanctuary that she feels is a matter of time before her demons rise up and destroy for her. And here is where it gets really interesting. Annie has a natural propensity to solve mysteries, was offered work by a local private investigator and even did work for the police and now, here were two brutal murders with no leads.
Annie, however, can see too many clues, too many suspects, not least herself – did she do this during a psychotic episode? It was certainly possible and, did she let her landlady’s beloved parrot out of it’s cage to be killed by the cat. It was certainly possible.
Annie is treated as a resource by the police, liked in a way, so long as she was kept at arm’s length, but a detective from the mainland sees more and is not afraid to get close to Annie and this is another of the many storyline threads that subtly develop. With the trust of the detective Annie grows. She still has her demons but the detective accepts her for who she is. She starts to take care of herself, dresses differently, builds a little self-esteem and slowly the mysteries are analysed and eventually the murderer brought to book, which is almost incidental to the beautifully tender love story.
I loved the way this was handled. It felt real and I felt the pain as well as Annie’s joy. I loved how McKinnon built Annie from inside, pulling no punches but written almost colloquially; not easy to do, but it worked for me. So, we saw a real woman slowly dealing with her mental health issues and a man who was with her, bonding.
A heart-warming story so well written and I recommend it – 5 stars.

[Berk Rourke · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story line of this murder mystery is well drawn and though you might guess the culprit you will not know for sure who it is until the last pages have been read. That is why I say Keep Reading. The characters are interesting and vital, especially the main character whose experiences with schizophrenia might well be mirrored in those of the author. I wondered if this was autobiographical for a while. Whether it was or not, great job with her character makes a very interesting and challenging piece of work.

[Malcolm Archibald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blood Oath by Kenna McKinnon is an expertly-written tale on many levels. The immediate impact is a crime novel in the ‘North American’ hard-boiled style, but the author’s Scottish blood shines delightfully through in the occasional gleaming phraseology. Which suits me, as I am Scots myself. Phrases such as “hands cupping the coolness of it,” could hardly be more Gaelic in origin.
Indeed the entire character of the main character, a female detective with multiple voices, could have come from the pen of Robert Louis Stevenson. Long John Silver and Dr Hyde has a Canadian Companion worthy to be called sister, Blood Sister, indeed. The coalesced personalities create an ability to question beyond the obvious, a gift for a detective.
In saying that, the book bristles with Canadian culture and the anthropological knowledge of the author; there is music in the words and intelligence in the content. Clever, clever writing with hidden meanings in the open, double meanings in broken phrases, as schizophrenic as the main character herself. Some of the superstitions mentioned are common to many cultures, such as the belief in the evil eye and although the main character has a Norse name. There is blood in the red herrings, blood in the scarlet pimpernels that tie in aristocrats escaping the Terror of Republican France and refugees fleeing the horror of war-tortured Sudan, sunrises in the west and upside down oceans in a world turning on its head.
It is a book with the pain of loneliness in a woman who was never alone, a juxtaposition of superstition and hope. Some passages remain with the reader:
“The music of its mourning”
And “preparing to pick my cold bones.” Compare that line with the centuries old Scottish classic: “O'er his white banes when they are bare, the wind shall blaw for evermair.”
Kenna McKinnon, do you have any idea how good you are?

[Carlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hauntingly beautiful tale of a young, schizophrenic woman, Annie Hansen, who lives on a small island near Vancouver, BC. She has been on probation for petty crimes and "sentenced" to work with a private eye. Her illness manifests in voices and beautiful hallucinations that enable her to see things others don't. She is also OCD and needs to count things to calm her voices. The fact the author has had to deal with her own mental illness for many years added verisimilitude to Annie's symptoms (verisimilitude is an example of one of Annie's big words).

Although there hasn't been a murder on the island in 40 years, two occur in the space of a couple of days, a pill/drug pushing, womanizing doctor and the corrupt mayor, neither of whom were missed (except by the homeless addicts counting on the doctor's handouts). There are only two local cops so Victoria law enforcement has sent a young detective, Mark, to work with the locals, including Annie. Annie's friends include two Sudanese refugees, both of whom become suspects along with several other characters.

As the mystery progresses, Annie continues to deal with her symptoms and the medications she needs to control them. I loved this brilliant but flawed character and couldn't help cheering her on, both in solving the case and in dealing with her personal relationships. She discovers she has feelings for Mark in beautiful images:

"We were attracted to each other. That's the truth. It was… it was electricity. Like walking into a room after a  thunderstorm, all drenched and snapping with ozone. Like a party where you're half lit and having the  time of your life, even when you leave, even when you go home, you're dancing together with golden boots and diamonds in your eyes."

Beautiful book!

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

😊

An assistant detective, schizophrenic and ocd make up Annie Hansens life. Starting off with a murder of a doctor, but who did it? Did annie do it? Did Annie's boyfriend (?) Do it? Sometimes Annie doesn't know what's going on in her life due to her mental illness that she has battled since childhood. A childhood fraught with being told by her father that's she's normal and there's nothing wrong with her even when she starts to burn the curtains in her home. He's father abandons the family and takes up with another woman half his age and her daughter. Her father tends to be absent for most of her life and as an art she literally no contact with him. Her mother dies and becomes something else she has to struggle to deal with.
In comes Mark Snow who she's the assistant to. By the end of the book and the murder solved they have the best beginnings of a relationship.

I thought the book was a little confusing between Annie and her voices in her head until I got into the swing of the book. The written g style was easy to get into. Posts of twists and turns which give for an exciting read. I found the relationship between Annie and her supposed boyfriend kinda annoying if am honest and I don't think it added anything to the story at all.

[A.J. Griffiths-Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Annie has issues & plenty of them. Voices in her head and OCD cause havoc as she struggles to hold down her job as assistant detective on Serendipity Island but she carries on regardless, determined to bring Doc’s killer to justice. I absolutely loved the light-hearted way in which the author carried the story forward, yet could also appreciate the difficult mental health problems & disabilities that are handled within the tale. This is a perfect example of empathetic writing, where bold, vibrant characters have been created, yet realistically touching upon otherwise taboo subjects. A must read for any crime lover.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book more than I expected. The author has a different way of writing to what I am used to. Sometimes I found the story repetitive and disjointed. There were a few contradictions too. I didn't check until after the end, but I began to suspect the author suffered the same condition as the main character Annie. I am glad that I read this book. By the end I was getting used to the writing and I was kind of disappointed I was going to finish the story. I would read another in the future :)

[BARBARA DYER · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!!!

This was a captivating read, so much so that i spent my only day off this week reading it.

Marvelous insights into what must be horrific :
living with schizophrenia
Sudanese refugees prior lives before rescue

To top it all off, a well thought out and intriguing murder mystery, with romance & humour interspersed for leavening.

Thoroughly enjoyable read, including what it would be like to live on a small island 5 stars rated, deservedly.

[N Fuller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely interesting

Great story of schizophrenic young woman makes no her way in the main stream world. Oh yes, and she is a deceive. It was written by a woman as diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia as a teenager and manage to live successfully. It was interesting to live with Annie as she managed her illness at the same enjoying some of it. I am now looks at the memoir Ms. McKenna wrote.

[Angela Durrett · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty good book about a young woman who is a schizophrenic who has the opportunity to help out the police force part time. She’s a good detective! I just kept wanting to know who did it— the author was clever in letting you think the killer had been found but then another suspect would materialize!

[The Rev. Cheryl Pero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable!

I would recommend that anyone who recognizes the stress that mental impairment causes read this book. The narrative is compelling as the reader roots for the heroine through her struggle for self-fulfillment, authentic relationships, and personal success.

[Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully good to read

Fascinating and mysterious, at times humorous and completely well worth reading. A story so complex in many ways yet at the same time simply a detective mystery. Thoroughly enjoyable.

[Pam Cunningham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

I thought this was a very well written book. The story kept me guessing about who did it. When I found out who did it I was surprised but kind of thought it was them. I enjoyed reading this book.

[Linda Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definetely not a disability

Pretty good read, No TV on at my house in last couple of days, It kept me busy following a young detectives struggle with schizophrenia and trying to solve a murder..even if it led to her friends.

[Randall Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it very much thanks to the author and Amazon

Kelp me interested never a boring minute in this book very nice plot thank you would like to read more books like this

[Clarissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.75 stars

[MARY Stepp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leaves you wanting

Great book, educational storyline, funny and intriguing characters. Will read more of this author's books. This,one leaves you wanting a different ending

[Lise · Rating 3 out of 5]

After a sentence which involved community service working with a private investigator, Annie Hansen is finally cleared to make her own choices in terms of employment and places to live. When a local doctor and then the mayor are killed, Annie employs her PI license, hoping to bring a murderer to justice.

The narration of this book did not resonate with me. Though the telling was clearly an accurate representation of Annie's struggles with schizophrenia and OCD, it led to repetitive descriptions and a slow-moving plot. More than anything else, though, I did not like the main character who swung back and forth on her loyalty.

[Eileen Schuh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful Read!

I fell in love with the story. It takes exceptional writing skill to bring characters to life as McKiinon does in Blood Sister...and then to intricately entwined them in the plot. Additionally, the writing style is perfect for the story, twisting around, becoming part of the convoluted mystery, part of the character's tortured psyche. Looking forward to the second book in the series.

[Samuel Flanigan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not really sure how I ended up with a copy of this book. I either won it as a give away or got it while it was free. It was an interesting story but I just don't think it was my cup of tea. Even after finishing it I'm not sure if I really liked it or not. At times it was hard to follow as the story is told from the main character's point of view and she has schizophrenia. As such I'm not sure if the spelling errors were intentional or just missed during the proof reading.

[Faye Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a slow bleed

I get where the author was going with this one but I feel the story just went on for too long. In the book itself it took almost a year to solve the murders! Too much back and forth, too much uncertainty, almost too the point of unrealistic. It just went on for too long. Some obvious things were also missed which -if addressed earlier on- would have shortened the book substantially.

I can't say it was one of my favorite books. It was lacking.

[carla abel-zieg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provided a real insight into mental illness and how symptoms can be very intrusive with day to day life. I found the author very brave to be able to share with us. I would encourage people to read this book.

[book readin’ momma · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF - I tried getting through the book but couldn’t get past chapter 8.

Annie has schizophrenia and in the middle of conversations with people, the author puts what voices in her head are saying at the same time. Very hard to follow. Extremely poor grammar and spelling. Do not recommend.

[Dee L · Rating 1 out of 5]

Awful grammar, simple spelling mistakes. Hard to read.

[Dan A. Foster · Rating 2 out of 5]

Blood

Although the storyline was interesting, the book drug on. Clean book, but having to wade through the nonstop psychosis about voices in the heroines head was annoying.