Book Review: Black Fly Season - a Murder Mystery with a Twist

A woman appears in a bar, and is talking to everyone. Is she friendly, is she flirtatious, is she drunk, or is she just downright needy? Maybe, just maybe, she has a bullet in her head, and can't remember who or where she is. This is the plot of Giles Blunt's chilling novel "Black Fly Season." No one knows who this beautiful red head is that shows up in a bar in Algonquin Bay, Canada. She is making her way around the bar, conversing with all of the patrons. Lucky for her, a police officer just happens to be there, and rescues her from the drunkards. What does he rescue her from? Where does he take her? She doesn't even know her own name. Investigators are baffled as the plot thickens.

While trying to figure out who this unknown woman is, police discover some brutally murdered bodies around town. In a small, secluded are like Algonquin Bay, murder and attempted murder are not a common occurrence. Are these murders in any way connected to their "Jane Doe"?

This novel incorporates an ancient form of voodoo, heroin trafficking, and intense scientific investigation to bring together a story that is not for the weak of heart. The graphic descriptions of torture and torment are almost too much for this reader to handle. After reading only half-way through, I felt nauseated by some of the descriptive narrative, however, these disturbing images were few and far between. In looking past these difficult parts, the book was definitely worth reading. The plot was imaginative, and the characters interesting. The manner in which the investigators collected evidence and put the pieces of this convoluted puzzle together was amazing. They were able to connect the shooting of their "Jane Doe" with the mutilated bodies that were popping up by calling on firearm experts. Forensic entomologists were also consulted regarding some of the strange clues found on the murder scenes.

Will the girl get her memory back? Can they catch the perpetrator before someone else ends up killed? Investigators must interview members of a dangerous biker gang when clues lead them in that direction. Are they involved? Why does it seem like there is a more demonic entity at work here?

For those who love crime scene investigation types of movies and books, this is a terrific read. There is an overwhelming amount of evidence collected, and the way that it all ties together to identify the killer is astonishing.