“We take care of our own. The rest can fend with themselves.”

This was unlike any historical fiction novel I have read. It’s loosely based on a true crime real life serial killer family that lived in the 1800s setting up an Inn killing random strangers stopping for rest and food. The family is a diverse mix of personalities, with the daughter being a narcissist brat (in my opinion) and leads the downfall of their welcome in this particular prairie town. The author made her own story of what she thought the family was like behind closed doors and created her own fantastic ending bringing a nice little bit of closure to the story. However, in real life know one really knows what happened to the Bender family, they just up and disappeared. Their crimes were gruesome and nightmarish and I’m so thankful this occurred such a long time ago, otherwise I may be found triple checking my locks! This was a fantastic read and I highly recommend for all historical fiction and true crime lovers alike. It was an excellent blend and difficult to put down!

I sure would love to know more about the author’s research and this family. I read the author’s note on this and it was just as fascinating as the book itself. True crime has always fascinated me and to read about a crazy murderous family from the 1800s is mind blowing and intriguing!

This western historical fiction novel is based on the Bloody Benders, a family of serial killers who lived on the Kansas plains in the late 1800s. The Benders have recently arrived in Kansas and Kate Bender has wasted no time in making a name for herself as a medium. Kate’s messages from beyond the grave and her mother’s potions cure the townsfolk little ills, for a price. However, the Benders aren’t getting rich fast enough, so they devise a shortcut to a better life. It’s only from those who are marked, those who travel alone and can disappear, that they demand their pound of flesh. But, even a gifted medium like Kate can make mistakes.

Their story is told through the points of view of Kate, her mother Elvira, and a work hand from a neighboring farm, Hanson. To say this family is dysfunctional is an understatement. Kate is the primary character with “the darkness”, but her step father, William believes “she talks to the angels” and they tell her who is marked, her step brother John is in love with her and his jealousy grows throughout the novel, and Kate’s mother Elvira has taught Kate from a young age to be a criminal and believes Kate has a debt to repay. This family of serial killers is definitely interesting. I recommend this book.

Fiction based on actual events always intrigues me, so I was drawn to All The Blood We Share by Camilla Bruce based on the real Bloody Benders, a family of serial killers in the old West. This twisted tale pulled me in. Grab a cup of cocoa and snuggle in. You won’t want to set it down once you begin...

Anyone else fascinated by serial killers? The Benders were a family of serial killers. They lived in Labette County, Kansas, from May 1871 to December 1872. John Bender, his wife Elvira, their son John Jr. and daughter Kate. It is believed they killed over eleven people, including one child.

I listened to the author’s previous novel, In The Garden Of Spite and was excited to try her latest offering.

Bruce did a wonderful job of introducing us to the Benders. John and John Jr. arrived in Kansas first, then Elvira and Kate arrived by coach. They set up a homestead near the road at the end of town where they took in travelers offering meals and space by the fire to sleep for the night. Elvira sold herbal remedies and Kate claimed to be a spiritualist.

We get their history as we get to know them and are given Kate’s perspective along with that of a neighbor. It makes you wonder how well you know your neighbor. The story was atmospheric and kept me enthralled.

The Bender family was twisted from Kate’s upbringing to John Jr.’s infatuation with Kate. Kate’s stepfather John believes Kate hears angels telling her who to kill to benefit the family’s coiffures. The relationship between Kate and her mother was odd and caused friction.

The tale was twisted and kept me on the edge as I waited for them to crack or be discovered. The author skillfully captured the period and the dangers, all while showcasing this dysfunctional family and its twisted family business. Not much is known about the Benders, but Bruce did a splendid job of imagining their darkness and the crimes that occurred. It was well researched and hit upon what we know of them while offering a dark and macabre tale.

Fans of stories based on serial killers will want to add this one to their bookshelf. I felt the author did a good job of keeping us slightly detached as she conjured up the murderous acts and depravity of this family.

In this historical fiction account of a true crime family, known as the Bloody Benders, the author introduces us to a world of loose morals, dark thoughts and bloodlust.

This story centers on the four members of the Benders, who have relocated to Kansas in 1871, following the tragedy at the daughter's hands. For a while, things are calm as the family adjusts to their new life, making acquaintances and building their modest business. However, soon the darkness within Kate resurfaces, and her step-brother, John Jr, is happy to join in.

What is so disturbing about this story is not necessarily the bloodshed, but how each family member is blase about it. Other than Kate, who clearly has issues, she has a creepy hold over John Jr, and she uses his infatuation with her for her own benefit. Then there are the parents, John and Elvira, who play more of a role in the coverup. And as a group, they show no remorse. That is until one murder goes sideways.

Does this family, who ultimately murders at least 11, ever get caught? I won't say but given the small town setting, I was surprised how things played out. Overall this was a gritty historical fiction that will appeal to true crime fans.

After reading Camilla Bruce's historical horror novel about serial killer Belle Gunness (In the Garden of Spite) I was excited to see she had a new book about another historical murderer AKA the bloody Benders!

All the Blood We Share exceeded my expectations with excellent world building and realistic feeling characters. I really love how this author always manages to make you feel for even the most despicable people. There's always a little feminist feel too and gruesome gory scenes!

Highly recommend reading All the Blood We Share if the Benders also fascinate you and you appreciate historical accuracy in your novels.

This book is the gruesome and sinister story based on the real Bloody Benders, a family of serial killers in the old West bound by butchery and obscured by the shadows of American history. I'll be honest, I haven't heard of the Benders Family before and after reading this I dug deep into their history! The stuff I found is truly disturbing and horrific. The author has captured all that darkness into the writing of this book and I bet that all the true crime fans will love this one. The story is told in multiple POVs and you kind of get from the beginning where this is going to end, but you won't stop. The story compels you to finish it!!
Its bloody and definitely not for the faint hearted. Highly recommend this to all dark theme loving people!!

Thank you Berkley via Netgalley for the reader’s copy!!

I’m going to keep this one short and to the point. I didn’t love this. Not because it isn’t a great historical fiction book. I just wasn’t in the right space for it. And there was a lot of graphic and chilling detail that I wasn’t prepared for that I am sure I should have been.
This is the story of the Bloody Benders, a family of serial killers who set up home in Cherryvale, Kansas in 1871.
This story alternates between the POV of Kate(the daughter), Elvira( the mother) and Hanson, who was a boy who worked at the nearby trading station. Kate poses as a medium and Elvira uses potions to cure the locals of their ailments but they want more from life. Soon people begin to disappear and then 3 are found dead. The townspeople want to know what happened to them and what happened to the others that are missing and if they are still alive or dead.
Thanks to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

This was a bloody good book!

I love when I learn things while reading. I had never heard of the Bloody Benders prior to reading this book. I had no idea that there was a family of serial killers who killed travelers who stayed with them at their home/Blender Inn. Camilla Bruce has brought the sadistic family to life and told a tale of a family of killers who had no problem taking their pound of flesh.

The family that kills together...

The family William Bender (husband), John Bender, (son of William), Elvira (married to William) and Kate (Elvira's daughter) arrived in Cherryvale, Kansas looking to put the past behind them. They needed to start over due to actions that Kate had taken. Running from trouble did not stop them from going back to their blood thirsty ways. You can't change the stripes on a zebra, and you can't stop this family from killing.

The family is welcomed to town, and they quickly set up shop. Elvira sells potions while Kate poses as a psychic. She speaks to angels after all. But soon, there begins to be a crack in the family. John is obsessed with his sister, William makes strange comments about Kate, both men are quick to temper, Kate is cunning and manipulative, Elvira is often angry and hostile. All of them are messed up. All of them help in their own way with killing.

Soon travelers begin to go missing. It’s a harsh world on the trail anything can happen. But if you make the mistake at staying at the Bender Inn, it just might be the last mistake you make!

This was based on the true story of the Bloody Benders. Online the father William is referred to as John, Sr. but the story remains the same. This family had no problem with killing, sure Elvira might vacillate about it, but she sure loved enjoying the fruits of their labor.

Camilla brought the pages to life with her description, Characterizations of the family members and through the POV of multiple narrators. The narrators are Kate, Elvira, and Hanson, a local boy who helped in the building of their home.

I found this book to be gripping, dark and atmospheric. There is a sense of unease throughout the book and in the family’s home. I could feel the darkness in the family members, their issues with each other, and their combined greed. I was fascinated that a family would kill together. I turned to the internet and found that several families have killed together- many luring and killing travelers.

Camilla Bruce wowed me with In the Garden of Spite and delivered in this riveting book as well. Fans of Camilla Bruce and true crime will not be disappointed.

This was fantastic! I picked this book up based on the cover alone and I don’t think that I ever read the book’s description before diving in. I was immediately enthralled by this story of the Bender family. To say this murderous family was dysfunctional would be an understatement. I hate to admit that I didn’t realize that this book was based on actual events until I read the author’s note at the end of the book. I was floored but it makes sense that criminals would have had a much easier time staying hidden during this time period. I am so glad that I decided to give this book a try.

This story is told from 3 points of view. Kate is a younger adult who helps the family by earning money as a medium. Her mother, Elvira, is not your typical loving mother and often comes across as bitter about the things her family has put her through. Kate and Elvira live with Elvira’s husband, William, and son, John. Hanson is a young man in town who ends up spending time with the family. It was clear from the start that this was not a normal loving family. They move to Kansas in order to hide from the crimes of their past only to commit more in their new life. This family of four had no problems murdering anyone that they thought they might benefit from.

This book was full of surprises. These characters could do anything at any moment so the story kept me on my toes. I loved that there were so many twists and turns. The historical setting was incredibly well done and it really illustrated the dangers of living during this time period. It was amazing how these characters were able to fool so many of the neighbors and got away with everything for so long. This story is probably not for the faint of heart since it is often bloody and violent.

I thought that the trio of narrators did an amazing job with the story. Teri Clark Linden, Cindy Piller, and Michael Crouch were all able to bring the story to life through their narration. I feel like they each captured the personalities of the characters they represented perfectly. I listened to this audiobook for hours at a time and found it almost impossible to set aside. I do believe that their narration added to my enjoyment of this story.

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this book to others. I found this to be a very entertaining and bloody story about a group of characters that kept me guessing. I hope to read more of this author’s work very soon.

I received a digital review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group and the audiobook from Penguin Random House Audio.

This historical horror novel is the fictional tale of the Bender family, notoriously known as the “Bloody Benders,” serial killers from the late 1800's. This story finds the Bender's taking refuge in the small town Cherryvale, Kansas after escaping the law in Pennsylvania.

The blood thirst in this family is haunting. The ease at which they kill is terrifying, and their callousness is chilling. All the Blood We Share alternates points of views from members of the family and a young lad working at the trading post near the Bender home. The story is suspenseful, lively and just down right creepy. It was honestly hard to put this book down - this story is the stuff of nightmares.

"A family that kills together stays together" - But no one actually knows what happened to this murderous family, their fate has been left to specutulation throughout history.

Thank you Berkley for the complimentary copy to read and review.

ALL THE BLOOD WE SHARE is a finely melded Historical Fiction character study with Frissons of Supernatural and Spiritualism, that fascinating fad and telling trend of the 19th century, on both sides of the Big Pond (Atlantic Ocean). The renamed "Bender" family, fugitives for their lives, remind me of an ill-driven team of oxen, in which it's every animal for itself, and nothing is accomplished. With these personalities and this degree of conflict, it's no surprise that tension and Suspense ratchet continuously, and self-destruction is the mode du jour.

Dang, this family is for real!?

Meet the "Bloody Benders". Not one serial killer, but four. Pa, Ma, John, and the alluring, and extrovert Kate.

It's 1871, The Benders had fled Pennsylvania and called Cherryvale, Kansas home. Pa and John built a one-room home on the Osage Indian trail. They used a canvas curtain to divide the home into two parts, the front as an inn and store and the back as family quarters.

A newcomer Kate was quite popular in town. Her looks and talents as a medium and healer often bring the attention she craves.

Ma! Ma is my least favorite character. I feel Ma is so conflicted. She complains about the killings yet she loves the loot! Maybe she hates the clean up.

Pa and John are just weird. I think they're quite sick in the head. John was obsessed with Kate. Pa claimed Kate speaks to angels. Did I say weird? The two men did the heavy lifting.

Travelers heading west who stop by the Bender's Inn mostly likely would never be seen again. A hot bowl of Ma's stew and drinks offered by Kate and ... pop goes the weasel.

This story just blows my mind. It just doesn't seem possible! The author did a fantastic job and tells the story so vividly so much so I think the stench came through the pages. 😆 I wish there are FACTS to read because I would love to know what really happened to the Benders. Recommend for those who are into true crime and mysteries.

All the Blood We Share is everything historical fiction should be. Camilla Bruce has taken a relatively unknown story of a family of serial killers nearly lost to history and given their story new life. I had never heard of the Bloody Benders before this book, but now I'm completely intrigued by them. I went down a Google rabbit hole of trying to find out everything I could, but lots of the details are just unknown. Camilla Bruce took what is available and gave it her unique spin, perfectly mixing historical facts with her incredible imagination. It's so masterfully done that, although it's a fictionalized account, at times it reads like true crime. I loved this one!

"We take care of our own, and the rest can fend for themselves."

Yes! Another fantastic book by Camilla Bruce and definitely one of my favourite thrillers this year! It is based on the real Bloody Benders, a serial-killing family who made Kansas their hunting ground in the 1800s. I've read the true crime book Hell's Half-Acre by Susan Jonusas before reading this book and I can honestly say that All The Blood We Share has the prefect blend of true crime, suspense, thriller and horror!

This slow-burn story is told from three different POVs - Kate, Elvira and Hanson - which added a lot of depth to the plot. It is a character driven story and I loved that it focuses more on the psyche of Kate Bender who was believed to be the mastermind behind these horrific crimes - and yes, there were graphic details of these murders.

In a nutshell, a MUST READ book and I look forward to reading this author's next book!

Pub. Date: Nov 22nd, 2022

***Thank you Berkley Publishing Group for this gifted review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.***

All the Blood We Share by Camilla Bruce is a historical fiction novel based on a real family of serial killers known at the Bloody Benders. While the names of the family aren’t consistent in the retellings, Bruce uses William Bender, father of John, his wife Elvira, and her daughter Kate. William and John arrived in Labette County, Kansas near the small town of Cherryvale in 1871. Once their home and barn are built, Elvira and Kate arrive by train.

The newcomers are welcomed and use part of their home as a general store and inn for those passing along the nearby trail. Kate poses as a medium while she and Elvira also use potions to cure ills of the local inhabitants (for a price). However, the Benders are greedy and want a better life. People begin to disappear, and three of them are found dead. What has happened to the others that have disappeared? Are they dead or alive? Where are they?

The characterization of this novel is terrific. The actions, reactions, and descriptions gave me a clear picture of the Bender family members and several of the locals. William is calm, a planner, and always thinking of the future. However, he goes through a significant personality change during the course of the novel. Elvira seems erratic, greedy, bitter, and abusive to Kate. Kate is bold, shows no regret or sadness, and shows enjoyment in evil deeds. John works hard, but is jealous and angry. This mixed bag of traits made for an interesting and frightening mix in the novel.

The story alternates points of view between Kate, Elvira, and Hanson, a boy from the nearby trading station. This worked okay but occasionally disrupted the flow. Additionally, the writing was fluent at times and felt stilted and stylistic at other times. The world-building was so realistic and atmospheric, but it also made me shudder in horror at times. The novel brings strong, startling, and stressful images to life. The suspense involves who will live and who will die, as well as what will happen to the Benders. I didn’t expect several twists. The ending isn’t as definitive as I would have liked. Themes explored include family dynamics, relationships, greed, secrets, murder, anger, and jealousy.

Overall, this story is startling, violent, horrifying, thought provoking, and emotional, with great world-building and characterization. It was a hair-raising and chilling read. The author has a note section at the end that explains some of the many questions that remain about the Benders and where she has fictionalized the story.

Berkley Publishing Group and Camilla Bruce provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for November 22, 2022. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

3 out of 5 stars (3 / 5) In 1871, The Bender family became notorious for their serial killings. In the book they are a mixed family with Kate, the daughter, taking the lead on the killings.

The story is set in the old west, which is a setting I’ve never read before. The people were humble and hard-working and did what they needed to survive. The Bender family just had a different way of achieving that.

“It just will not do to let people see the maggots that crawl inside you.”

They were atrocious people! I say that as I laugh but from the book’s standpoint, they really were horrible people. Kate was all about manipulation to get what she wanted. She did it to her family but also the people in town, especially men. John, her stepbrother, was in love with her and did all things for her in the name of love. I’m rolling my eyes here because he was terribly interesting in all the wrong ways. Sadly, the parents weren’t any better.

With a synopsis like that, I’m surprised I didn’t love this one. It just didn’t hold my attention. About halfway through reading, I received the audiobook and that helped a bit but not liking any of the characters kept me disinterested. I can’t say this will be the same for other people. Sometimes the story carries the book with very unlikeable characters, that just wasn’t the case for me.

AUDIO REVIEW: The audio held my attention much better than the book did. I loved the multiple narrator aspect, it made it feel like I was getting inside Kate’s head, which is a very interesting place to be.!

Thank you to Berkeley Books and PRH Audio for the complimentary copies!

The book releases November 22, 2022.

I decided to take a little break from the glorious beast of a book I picked out from my shelves at home in order to play some catch-up with my NetGalley shelf instead. Work has been crazy, this weekend will be crazier, and next week between work and the holiday and life will be absolutely exhaustingly insane ... so why not lead up to it with some serial killing? Even better? It's a true story ... or, at least, based on a true story. It is highly unlikely that Camilla Bruce was in Kansas in 1871 so the odds of it being a first-hand account are pretty much nil. I almost wish that I hadn't already known quite a bit about the Bloody Benders. I suppose there might be a downside to being a fan of gore and serial killers.

Might be.

Still, even with what I knew -- maybe especially with what I knew -- this is a compelling read and Camilla Bruce succeeds in bringing the family, their neighbors, and the poor unfortunate folks who ended up crossing their paths to life. She also succeeded in me wanting to find more of her books to add to the neverending TBR.

I received a complimentary advanced copy of ALL THE BLOOD WE SHARE by Camilla Bruce. Thank you to Berkley Publishing and PRH Audio for the chance to provide an honest review.

ALL THE BLOOD WE SHARE is a historical fiction novel with a dark story to tell. Based on a real family, this book begins with a family making a sudden move to live in Kansas on the run from the law. They aren’t just any family, they are the Bloody Benders, a family of serial killers. While they blame the daughter Kate for the need to move, the whole family gets in on the action as the calling to kill continues to hit.

The Benders have a few different solutions to making a living. Kate is a mystic, putting on performances to deliver messages from the beyond. They run the Bender Inn, taking in travelers for a night of lodging and good food. They also make money off those they kill, collecting what they brought with them on their travels. It doesn’t take long for the body count to build and for questions to be raised about those gone missing.

I didn’t know much about this one going in, but knowing it was based on a true story really had me intrigued. I didn’t imagine that the body count would be quite so high and there are a lot of dark turns to this particular story. From the author’s note, much of the story is entirely fiction, but it was interesting to hear what bits of truth filtered in from what little was known about this very unique family.

This isn’t a book for those not interested in a lot of darkness. There are quite a few trigger warnings which would be spoilers but feel free to ask or to look them up if you’re not sure about reading this one! It did make for a very interesting and very different story!

The Benders are a secretive family with their eyes on the prize. And anyone who gets in their way, pay the ultimate price. To find out this book is based on true events, even though it was fictional, is creepy as hell.

I loved how Camilla Bruce brought this story to life. The author has a wonderful writing voice and an easy way of weaving a story. I really enjoyed reading this book.

Thank you to Netgalley, Berkley Pub, and the author for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review!

The Benders were a family of serial killers in the old West who captivated the public and have remained shrouded in mystery all these years. The family of four appeared to be harmless homesteaders who took in boarders to make a little extra money. But when travelers start disappearing shortly after the Benders arrive in Kansas, the people of Cherryvale become suspicious and what they discover about their neighbors will send shockwaves throughout the West.

Apparently the “Bloody Benders” are well known serial killers, but this was my first time hearing about them. I found Bruce’s story to be very creative and well developed. Given there are only a handful of proven facts known about the Benders, the author did a wonderful job filling in the gaps to create a compelling narrative. I especially liked Kate and her work as a fake medium. The dynamics between the Bender family members was also very intriguing, albeit disturbing.

I couldn’t help but do some more research on this infamous family after I finished the book and I think Bruce did a great job creating a plausible and immersive story out of just a handful of facts. Fans of true crime and historical fiction will likely be transfixed by All the Blood We Share!