It seems I have a habit of requesting books that I don't realize are a part of a series. I was still able to enjoy this and will read the rest of the series as well, but I think reading in order is always preferable.

**First, I highly recommend reading the series in order or you'll be a bit lost.

The overall story isn't bad - the plot is good. The book does seem to drag and get a little slow at times, like it's too focused on descriptions and telling me things than getting me, the reader, involved.

I read book 3 in this series but have not read book 4 yet. I felt I missed some things and I noticed it in this book. I believe I really like the character, Kala Stonechild. I would read these books in order for this series to make the most sense. All in all, it was a pretty good suspense mystery book for me. "This book was given to me for free at my request from Netgalley and I provided this voluntary review."

I did like where this book went in the direction it did. The only thing I would suggest is you may want to read this book in order first. I felt that I did miss a lot of different small things that Stonechild had gone through and it seemed to play a role in this book.

A murder happened fourteen years ago in this town and the cops had a suspect but really couldn't pin it on the boyfriend. When the family comes together for their father who is not doing good it seems that tensions will run high along with secrets that have been kept hidden. When Tristan's wife disappears it seems that everything is happening all over again. This family isn't a happy family so it makes you wonder will they be able to come together with this happening?

When everything comes out in the wash it was a bit of a surprise I thought I had the killer pegged but I was far from off.

As far as police work it was good and I liked Stonechild's approach on handling the speaking with the people she really has a knack for it. Though you can see there is something going on within the force as far as people being in charge and possibly some romance? I do believe I will be reading the first book in this series.

This latest in the Stonechild and Rouleau series picks up with the same characters a few months after the action of the last volume. The primary people are in the same places except that Rouleau is now acting head of the department. His superior essentially ran off with his mistress for an undetermined length of time so Rouleau is removed from day to day police work and is full time pushing paper.

Meanwhile, a local family has gathered from around the country as the father is nearing death. The family, mother, two sons and one daughter, are fractured and not coping but not due to this impending death. Rather it’s due to old issues that have never cleared, including a murder 14 years ago, blamed on one of the sons but ultimately never proven. The toxic family could win an award in not coping. But there are moments of connection among the siblings.

Then there is another murder in the present day. And the spite, fear and anxiety are flowing.

Once again, I recommend this book and series to mystery readers. The Canadian setting is interesting, here with the terrible winter weather, the distances, etc and differences in law from the U.S. I believe this book could be read on its own, but for full background, it would be better to read some of the earlier books. Another good series!

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review

As David lies dying in the hospital, his family gathers in Kingston, ON, to say good-bye ... along with his wife, Evelyn, are his daughter, Lauren, from Toronto, his son, Tristan, and his wife, Vivian, from Edmonton, and his son, Adam, and his wife, Mona, from Vancouver. The family is still living under the shadow of the unsolved murder of Tristan's high school girlfriend, Zoe, years ago ... many think Tristan did it because Zoe had broken up with him. When Vivian is found murdered shortly after David passes away, the police find it too coincidental that two loves of Tristan have been murdered so look to the family, even though they are grieving.

Police officer Jacques Rouleau is temporarily in charge while his boss is on an extended vacation. Not only does his team have to solve Vivian's murder, Rouleau also has to manage the different personalities and ambitions of his team.

Police officer Kala Stonechild is taking care of her teenage niece, Dawn, while Dawn's mother is in prison. Dawn's father has recently been released from prison and Kala uses her contacts to try to find out where he is. Dawn has always been a loner and is wondering why a popular girl is suddenly paying attention to her.

This is the fifth (and latest) in the Stonechild and Rouleau series and I enjoyed it. Though it is part of a series, it works as a stand alone and you don't need to have read the previous ones to read this one (there is enough background given). It's always nice to read a book that is happening in Ontario (these characters live in Kingston and the author doesn't hide this fact). I liked the writing style and found the storyline interesting. It is written in third person perspective with the focus on the various characters wherever the action was happening. As a head's up, there is swearing.

I look forward to reading future books in this series and by this author.

As David McKenna lies dying in a Kingston, Ontario hospital, his dysfunctional family members return to say a final goodbye. But before David dies, son Tristan’s pregnant wife Vivian disappears and the Major Crimes Unit is called in to help find her. Then a woman's strangled body is found frozen on the Rideau Trail and her murder reopens old wounds. Daughter Lauren's best friend Zoe Delgado had been killed fourteen years ago and the case was never solved. Suspicions have remained that Zoe's ex-boyfriend Tristan was the killer. Are the two murders connected?

Officer Kala Stonechild looks into the cold case while the rest of the team focuses on Vivian's murder. This was another strong entry in the Stonechild and Rouleau mystery series.

I received an eARC via Netgalley and Dundurn with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

This is my first book in this series and although, I didn’t know the history of the characters, I was able to follow along in this suspenseful mystery and get inside the family dramatics. I felt the novel was a slow burn, building in intensity and like most families, there were some individuals that I found more likable than others. I liked how the author showed me the many sides of some of these individuals by the time I finished the novel, as it helped me see the errors of my thinking and it made me see the whole person. They had come home to pay respects to their dying father but as they gathered together, there was so much more on their minds, his passing was just the beginning.

The diversity underneath this roof was entertaining and I knew once I met everyone that I wanted to be a fly on the wall and watch everything unfold within the walls of this house. From the individual who liked to talk about herself, to the one who liked her drink and late nights, to the one who was blamed for the murder many years ago, to a few others who had their own unique personalities, I liked this ragtag group of individuals. Oh, I can’t forget the mother, who I didn’t really care for, who cared a great deal about her image and liked to play the favorite child card. They were there for father, who had only a few days remaining with them, when suddenly Vivian is missing. The daughter-in-law had never returned from her walk and in her condition, everyone is concerned. When her body is finally discovered, it was located where Zoe’s body was uncovered years ago, a murder that Vivian’s brother-in-law was under investigation for. Are the two murders related? Why would someone murder Vivian and her unborn child?

Everyone gets involved and everyone has their own opinion. I wasn’t sure who the culprit was but I wanted to pin it on the mother as she was a cold woman and I didn’t care for her the minute I met her. I liked Lauren as she seemed like the only sane one, her escapes to the bar helped her unwind and it got her away from the commotion occurring back at the house.

I would like to go back and read this series from the beginning and get to the know the story from the beginning. It was an interesting and captivating novel.

I received a copy of this novel from NetGalley and Dundurn in exchange for an honest review.

Whoo-hoo…book #5 has cemented this series as one of my faves. There’s always a well plotted police investigation to puzzle out while you catch up with the MC’s personal lives & that combination continues here.

The book synopsis sums up the investigative angle. One cold case, one fresh body. Both are connected to one of the most dysfunctional families you’ll come across. It’s clear early on that the recently deceased patriarch kept a big secret from the rest of them & as they gather at his bedside, all the old jealousies (and claws) come out.

We spend most of our time with Lauren, who grew up with her father’s love & her mother’s disdain. She just wants the funeral to be over so she can get the hell out of Dodge & back to her life in Toronto. Dealing with Mother is bad enough but the recent murder is bringing up memories of another death years ago that haunts her to this day. She’s under pressure from the family to tow the party line but when she meets cop Kala Stonechild, she’s tempted to tell her story.

When Kala & Paul Gunderdund are called to the crime scene, the body leads them directly to the McKenna’s, a family with another murder in their past. While colleague Woodhouse is assigned the new case, Kala begins to dig into the death of Lauren’s childhood friend.

The timing’s not great. Kala is taking care of her best friend’s teenage daughter & gets word the girl’s estranged father is looking for her after his release from prison. He’s a real piece of work & the last thing they need as Kala helps Dawn settle into her life. She also has a budding friendship with colleague Bennett…much to Gundersund’s dismay. But he’s hardly in a position to step in. He’s still married to Fiona, the she-devil from hell * (* all crabby comments are property of the reviewer).

Meanwhile, boss Jacques Rouleau has been forced to take on a more managerial role. The endless cycle of meetings & office politics is driving him crazy & Woodhouse continues to be a thorn in his side. The only bright light is a possible romance with reporter Marci Stokes. Could she be the one? (NOOO! For Pete’s sake, look right in front of you, Jacques!)

What a great read. Getting to know the McKenna’s is like spending time in a pit of vipers. Lauren is the exception. She’s a sympathetic young woman just beginning to find her spine and might just be ready to give up a few bad habits. But hey….who hasn’t slurped down a few cocktails after too much “family time”? Her need to finally break free of the past leads to a tentative relationship with Kala through which we slowly learn what happened all those years ago. Still, I wasn’t prepared for the final reveals. I had an inkling about one of the who-dunnits but the other left me gaping.

Several story lines are ongoing through the books & they continued to evolve in this one. I like these characters & I’ll be waiting on book #6 to see where the author steers them next.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review "Bleeding Darkness" by Brenda Chapman.
This is the fifth book in the series featuring Jacques Rouleau and Kala Stonechild - two of the most likeable characters to come along since Louise Penny's Armand Gamache and Jean-Guy Beauvoir - the main characters in this murder(s) mystery set, once again, in Kingston, Ontario Canada.
This time there are two mysteries - one from years ago and one current. Both feature the McKenna family (Adam, Tristan, Lauren and parents Evelyn and David). David McKenna is dying, and his family has returned from Toronto, Edmonton and Vancouver to support their mother - Evelyn - at this time.
But David McKenna has carried a secret these many years about the death of his son Tristan's childhood girlfriend Zoe. Tristan was suspected (and still is), but never convicted.
Now, Tristan's pregnant wife is found murdered in the same area as Zoe. And he's once again suspected.
Our least-favourite cop, Woodhouse, is given the current case, and sets out to convict Tristan; Kala is given the job of investigating the cold case.
Added to the mix are an extremely reclusive neighbour couple - the Orlovs, who escaped Romania in the aftermath of Ceaucescu, and this figures in to the plotline along the way.
Twists and turns abound, but the story is brought to a satisfying conclusion - but not before the deaths of two more characters.
Recommended for anyone looking for a well-written and well-crafted mystery.

Brilliant murder/mystery fleshed out to perfection

Bleeding Darkness is one of the best murder mysteries I have ever read because each unit of characters has an interesting life story, all of which make up the whole picture of the book.

The McKenna family, David and Evelyn, with their three children, Tristan, Adam and Lauren, are the centre of the plot. The McKennas have never recovered from the unsolved murder of Lauren’s friend and Tristan’s girlfriend Zoe Delgado. Fourteen years later they gather in their hometown around the bed of their dying father, when Tristan’s wife, Vivienne, goes missing. David dies but, before he does, his old friend and neighbour Boris Orlov visits him and during the visit, it becomes clear that they have a secret.

Because Vivienne is missing, the local police become involved. The police force makes up another unit within this amazing book that has stories of their own. Particularly Kala Stonechild, the first female First Nations Detective in Canada, who has much to deal with in her private life. The drama and politics of the town’s police force make exciting and riveting reading as well within the big picture of the story.

Chapman cleverly weaves historical influences into this community. Particularly the Orlovs who came from Romania with many secrets of their own. This angle makes up another interesting and exciting unit that has past and present woven into the whole story.

Indeed a “gripping read” (Publishers Weekly), which is well worth it! I look forward to more books from Brenda Chapman

BonnieK

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Dundurn for an advance copy of Bleeding Darkness, the fifth novel to feature Canadian detectives Kala Stonechild and Jacques Rouleau.

As David McKenna lies dying his dysfunctional family returns to Kingston to say their final goodbyes. This difficult time is overshadowed by the disappearance of his pregnant daughter-in-law, Vivian, and when her body is found close to where Zoë Delgado's body was found 14 years ago all eyes turn to Tristan as Vivian's husband and Zoë's recently ex-boyfriend and prime suspect at the time.

I thoroughly enjoyed Bleeding Darkness which is a good mix of mystery, procedural and the personal. Mostly told from Kala and Lauren McKenna's perspectives it builds slowly but steadily to a resolution with the dual voices giving the reader a wider and at the same time more intimate overview of the two cases and the politics involved. The solution is unexpected and unusual in some ways, ages old in others.

Kala is more or less convinced that Tristan is guilty, if only due to circumstances, i.e. no other suspect but works the Zoë Delgado cold case diligently to prove a link with Vivian's case which, due to office politics, is being led by someone else. Any facts she uncovers can be interpreted in several ways so the whodunnit element held my attention throughout. Personally I had no idea but Ms Chapman holds back her reveals until close to the end, giving the reader little to work with.

Lauren McKenna is the strongest character in the book. With two favoured brothers she can do no right in her mother's eyes despite running a successful business in Toronto. Her personal life, faced with this constant disapproval and the continual uncertainty over best friend Zoë's murder all those years ago, is a car crash with too many men, drugs and booze and yet, she is a survivor, tough and honest. I really enjoyed her narrative, from her struggles with her family to her suspicions of her neighbours. It makes the novel.

Bleeding Darkness is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

Thank you Netgalley and Dundurn for the eARC.
What a fantastic book this is, I loved it. Set in my beloved Canada, this series has become one of my favorites and I'm thankful for the chance to read it.
The main character, Kala Stonechild, an indigenous Canadian, is one of the most interesting and likeable characters in mystery fiction. Her story is threaded through the series and she is once again looking after her niece Dawn, their relationship getting stronger and stronger.
When the McKenna family unites in Kingston as their father lies dying in hospital, his pregnant daughter-in-law is murdered. Suspicion falls on the husband, who was also thought to have murdered his ex-girlfriend 14 years ago, but never charged, plunges the family into another nightmare.
The couple next door, the Orlovs, who came to Canada from
Romania, feature heavily in this story. Their shadowy past under Chauchesku's rule comes to the forefront towards the end...fascinating!
The McKenna's daughter, Lauren, is a conflicted woman who lives in Toronto and can't wait to get back, away from her family, especially her mother. She hides a lot of pain, exaserbated by her nasty mother's obvious dislike of her. I liked Lauren a lot.
When the 2 murders are finally solved, it was quite a shock, I really didn't see that coming! Great book...I highly recommend this wonderful author and this series.

Brenda Chapman is one of my favourite mystery authors and I was delighted to read this fourth book in the Stonechild and Rouleau series. That they are all set in Canada is a bonus.
Disclosure: Dundurn is my publisher too, but I write nonfiction.

As grown children gather at their dying father's bedside in Kingston, ON, the pregnant wife of one of his sons is found murdered. His only daughter had never recovered from her best friend's murder fourteen years previously.
Chapman has deftly twined the two deaths into a dysfunctional family riven with strife and in fresh mourning. (To say more will spoil the story.) Each character is well defined and believable.
The protagonist is an indigenous RCMP officer who is the guardian of a teen and her story is woven through all books in the series. How she unpacks these two murders is fascinating to the point that I lost much sleep enjoying "Bleeding Darkness". I was sorry when the book ended — always a good sign. The author always creates excellent settings, plot, and sub-plots, which are evident again in this latest in the series.
Highly recommended to any murder mystery enthusiast.

Bleeding Darkness is gripping and intense. I wasn’t sure how much I would like this book when I started reading it, but it pulled me in. It was intriguing and dark, with twists and turns. I would recommend it.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars

David McKenna is in the hospital dying. His family has come home to see him. David and his neighbor Boris Orlov have a secret. Boris and his wife Antonia are from the war torn years of Romania. They moved to Canada in 1990 following the deaths of the brutal dictator and his wife there.

When his four-month pregnant daughter-in-law Vivian goes missing, the police in the form of Kala Stonechild and Paul Gundersund are called in to investigate. Her husband, Tristan McKenna is still under suspicion for the murder of a young girl named Zoe Delgado fourteen years earlier. Tristan and Zoe had broken up a short time before she went missing. Zoe was David’s daughter Lauren’s best friend. Lauren has never gotten over her death. Lauren has always supported her bother Tristan, but harbors a small doubt over his innocence. Lauren is her father’s favorite child, but her mother Evelyn has little tolerance for her.

Kala and another officer named Tanya Morrison go to the location where Zoe’s body was found. The come upon Vivian’s body in the snow not far from where Zoe’s body was found. The reprehensible Zach Woodhouse has been given the lead on Vivian’s case. Woodhouse is convinced that Tristan is guilty not only of Zoe’s death, but of Vivian’s as well. He gets tunnel vision and pursues on Tristan. Kala is investigating the older case of Zoe.

David McKenna passes away. Lauren intends to head straight back home when she is sidetracked and winds up staying. She meets with Kala and Tanya and tells them that her father told her that he moved Zoe’s body from behind their house to where she was found. What she doesn’t tell her is that he also found the knife used to kill her, but threw it in the river.

Lauren is worried about Antonia. She has been ill with the “flu;” so why hasn’t Boris taken her to the hospital? She goes over to see her and Antonia is in bed and lets slip that she is Boris’ sister, not his wife. She begins to obsess about the whole Boris/Antonia situation.

Meanwhile, Kala is sent to interview Vivian and Tristan’s neighbors, friends and relatives. She learns quite a lot from them. She and Rouleau go to Montreal to interview a Romanian detective who has information about the Orlovs. The police officer tells them some very important news.

Lauren is getting her own suspicions. She sneaks over to see Antonia again and learns that she has not been taking the pills that Boris used to drug her. She pretty nearly tells her some devastating news. Could it be real? Is she having a drug-induced hallucination? Boris comes home and Lauren must hide in Antonia’s closet.

The identity of Zoe’s killer comes as a surprise. The reason for the killing is a very sad one. The identity of Vivian’s murderer is another surprise. Their motive is as old as the hills.

This is a very well written and plotted novel, as are all of Brenda Chapman’s Stonechild novels. They are a great addition to the current mystery/police procedural body of literature. I truly enjoy reading these books. I like Kala, and her relationship with her niece Dawn is strengthening all the time. I appreciate the added color that having a First Nations protagonist brings to the story. I like how she gets along will her colleagues, with the exception of the rude and boorish Woodhouse. The tension in this story begins almost immediately. The reader is kept guessing who killed Zoe and Vivian. While the focus seems to be mostly on the McKenna family, there are other viable suspects as well. The characters are very well fleshed out, but not too much so. The additional background information did not detract from the story at all. In fact, it added to it by making the people more real. Very well done, Ms. Chapman! Keep writing.

I want to thank NetGalley and Dundurn for forwarding to me a copy of this absolutely great book for me to read and enjoy.