Book Review: Black Fly Season

Reviewed By: Woodstock - RAM

Black Fly Season     Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Giles Blunt
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Police Procedural
Series: John Cardinal and Lise Delorme
G P Putnam's Sons, 2005, 339 pages

Early summer in the Northern hemisphere means enduring a few weeks of "black fly season," when hordes of the pesky insects descend on all inhabitants with their vicious capacity for biting. A young woman wanders into a bar, covered with bites and unaware of where she is and the significance of the overly physical attention she receives from a group of male regulars.

When an off duty cop moves from his glass of beer to the young woman's defense, the extent of her disassociation becomes obvious to everyone, and the cop takes her to a local hospital. Before long, John Cardinal is involved as well - the woman has a bullet in her brain, causing her amnesia and providing a significant threat to her health.

Blunt's protagonist Cardinal, along with his partner Lisa Delorme, are two of my favorite continuing characters in suspense fiction today. Their partnership began when Delorme was reassigned from Internal Affairs to homicide. The fact that Cardinal had a significant misstep in earlier years of his career meant that they got off to a rocky start as they learned to work together. But three volumes into the series, they have begun to smooth things out, appreciate each other's strengths, anticipate each other's wrong moves, and work well as they sort out the truth of a situation.

After surgery to remove the bullet, the young woman's memory begins to return. However she is unwilling to share everything she recalls with the investigating officers. Classic police procedure leads Cardinal and Delorme closer to the truth. A truly monstrous criminal is working in the area - seeking to take over the distribution and sale of heroin, and as intimidation over his accomplices, practicing a grim style of spirit religion, involving mutilation and murder.

Woodstock - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Woodstock - RAM