The Cajun Cannibal has run rampant in Louisiana, feeding on the flesh of innocents and leaving a trail of destroyed lives in the process. This happened in 2008, and upon capture of the convicted, he ends up taking his own life. This is a great plot device, because it lends to the "mystery" component of this read. In 2018, forensic psychologist Dr. Vincent Blackburn finds himself closer to the deceased Cajun Cannibal than he ever thought possible. This, of course, opens up the possibility of investigating the victims' cases even closer to determine what actually happened and when. The timeline and characters involved here were a bit too often muddled for me to rate this one better, personally- the premise was more fun to me than what was actually delivered, because I felt it could have been a touch more toned down and simple? As a Louisiana resident, I did- and always do- love the Southern imagery that is as familiar to me as the very breath I breathe. I would definitely read more from this author, but sadly this just didn't give me what I hoped for. Thank you so much to both the author and the publisher for the chance to give an unbiased review of an early eARC.

"Of Flesh and Blood" blends folklore and true crime with Southern horror to offer a weird tale of serial killers, supernatural mysteries, crime investigations, and some truly chilling twists. I'm not going to spoil the precise nature of the supernatural element, which also explains the killings; but anyone who appreciates French-Cajun legends is in for a treat!

The novel is an easy read; I had no difficulty visualizing everything as if I were watching it on the big screen or at home binging the story as TV episodes. Premise, pacing and atmosphere are mostly well done (especially in the second half), though some red herrings thrown in felt a bit too much of a good thing and might have been avoided. The many, many turns in the story made it difficult for me to relate quickly to the protagonist - sometimes it felt like he was too much driven by a preplanned plot rather than struggling with a genuine forensic mystery.

That said, I urge everyone who enjoys Southern horror to pick this up; it has strong "Hannibal" and "True Detective" vibes, since the moral dilemmas it touches on are always filtered through the main character's very personal and subjective, even intimate, understanding of the whole situation, and this allows the supernatural aspects of the story to impact the readers' mind directly. This is one heck of a reading experience, rarely found in other similar true crime/horror attempts.

I adore the Southern folk horror elements and the moments of unease. Personally, I’m not always a fan of mixed media - I prefer being in the now rather than what feels like a retelling - and while the second half picked up in suspense, it wasn’t quite enough for a fully satisfying read. The short chapters were a saving grace in saving my engagement in the first half.

There’s a chapter I vividly remember from the early pages, the feeling of 'uh-oh, something bad is about to happen' was strong and the atmosphere was incredible, which is funny as overall I found the first half a bit slow.

For suspense readers who enjoy a bit of true crime elements, Of Flesh and Blood is a unique novel worth reading. It was just a bit uneven in its tension for my personal liking. There were a few too many layers of the onion to peel before reaching the good part.

"If monsters exist or if they’re all in our heads, it doesn’t really make much difference. Not if the pain we feel is the same either way."

I had high hopes for Of Flesh and Blood, drawn in by its chilling premise: a forensic psychiatrist investigating a notorious Louisiana serial killer, The Cajun Cannibal, only to discover—years later—that he shares a bloodline with the monster. As copycat killers emerge, Dr. Vincent Blackburn becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth behind the murders. Were they the work of a deranged man, or was something more sinister—something out of Cajun legend—lurking in the swamp?

The novel blends true crime with supernatural horror, weaving in the myth of the Rougarou, a werewolf-like creature from French-Cajun folklore. The premise is fantastic, and the book has a gripping, eerie atmosphere that would translate incredibly well to a TV series. In fact, the seamless narrative and pacing issues make it feel as though it was meant to be consumed on screen rather than in print. The writing is cohesive and the story is layered with shocking twists and red herrings that keep the mystery murky.

However, while the concept is compelling, the execution left something to be desired. The first half of the book suffered from disjointed pacing, and the constant perspective jumps made it difficult to fully settle into the story. The character introductions felt a bit scattered, and I struggled to connect with the protagonist in the beginning.

That being said, Of Flesh and Blood is still an engaging read, especially for fans of forensic mysteries with a horror twist. If you enjoy dark, atmospheric thrillers steeped in folklore, you may find this one worth picking up.

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, N.L. Lavin, Hunter Burke, and Crooked lane Books for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Eager to find new authors that I can enjoy, I tripped on this debut horror novel by N.L. Lavin and Hunter Burke. Told in a mish-mash of formats to convey their story, the authors take the reader on a journey deep into the darkest sides of a killer and the man who is trying to piece his crimes together from a psychiatric perspective. While there is something in there, I found myself getting tied up in knots and losing my way. Perhaps a little too scattered to have the impact I wanted.

The 2008 killing spree of the man labelled the Cajun Killer was like few others Louisiana had ever seen. His victims were murdered and brutally devoured by a killer round the Bayou, making headlines everywhere. He took his own life before he could be caught and sent away to rot in a prison cell, which proved both useful and almost anticlimactic.

A decade later, forensic psychiatrist Vincent Blackburn is studying the killing spree. He soon discovers that he’s more closely connected to the killer than he would like, which sends chills up his spine and yet piques his interest a little more. Dr. Blackburn’s exploration of the sociopathy of the man unearths truths about a small community that served as the murder grounds, as well as its blights that extend deep into the psyche. Racial tensions arose, as did local political skirmishes, all of which fuelled the killings and brutal reporting of events.

Now, the killings have begun again, surely at the hands of a copycat. Dr. Blackburn will have his work cut out for him, as he seeks to discover the truth behind the Cajun Killer, the pieces of his own family he left buried, and the safety of those around him. No one is safe and everything is up for grabs, as a killer seeks to make their mark once more. Lavin and Burke develop something impactful, though get lost in the meandering along the way.

Psychological thrillers are a great read, particularly when those writing them have a clear understanding of what’s taking place. N.L. Lavin’s history working in the psychiatric field left me eager to see how he would spin his experience into delivery on the written page. Hunter Burke's support would surely create a strong collaborative effort and impact the book in many ways. While the premise is there, I found the narrative to meander at times, keeping me from feeling the full chill of events as they transpired. I wanted more and yet the writing came across as jagged. While I can see this writing style as working in a psych thriller, it left me feeling confused over anything else. The characters had depth but again, popped up and left me feeling less impacted. Plot points were there and could have been stellar, though I did not feel them grip me and toss me around as much as they could. I needed something more.

Kudos, Messrs. Lavin and Burke, for a great effort and some decent story foundations.

Of Flesh and Blood isn’t typically the kind of book I would pick up, but the mystery surrounding it had me hooked from the start. The dark, twisted plot kept me guessing at every turn, and while it was definitely outside my usual reading preferences, I couldn’t help but be intrigued by the characters and the suspenseful atmosphere the authors created around the “creature.” The eerie sense of tension that built throughout the story kept me fully engaged, and with each new twist, I found myself more and more absorbed in the unpredictable journey. While not super dark, it still delivered plenty of suspense and an intriguing mystery, making it an exciting read for those who enjoy a story that keeps you curious throughout.

Anytime a plot mixes the words serial killer and psychologist I'm immediately drawn in. As such, as with Of Flesh and Blood where a forensic psychiatrist’s investigation into a Louisiana serial killer leads him down a dangerous path of obsession where he discovers they share the same cursed blood. The old southern gothic horror mixed with the serial killer cat and mouse thriller is a perfect combination but falls short with the slow burns and confusing first half of the book.

Of Flesh and Blood opens with forensic psychiatrist Dr. Vincent Blackburn explaining his reasons to the reader for why he decided to write papers and research into the Cajun Cannibal who ran rampant in 2008 for several months following a massive hurricane. Henri Elton Judice, Vincent's cousin, was the man accused of being the cannibal - butchering and eating eight victims including men, women, and children - that plagued the small Louisiana parish he grew up in. His adoptive mother Yvette Fuselier, the town sheriff, led the case to find the cannibal but missed that it could have been Henri the whole time. She was too busy trying to save her only remaining son - her other son, Dane, was the cannibal's second victim. As a copycat emerges in 2020, Vincent believes he's stumbled on a startling reality: Henri was innocent and the real killer is still out there. He slowly loses his grip on reality, and on his familial relationships, as he draws closer to uncovering the truth and exonerating his cousin and the family name.

I really, really wanted to enjoy this book - partially because it was more horror/mystery than thriller, but also because it was steeped in Cajun lore and featured the Rougarou which is a French diaspora version of the werewolf. Before I get into my more critical comments, I do want to say I did enjoy the plot. It's also clear that the two authors (1) have definitely worked together before, and (2) have written for television. The voice was cohesive the entire book, and this would have been so, so, SO, much better as a tv series. In a different medium, or with better execution, I would have absolutely ate this up (excuse the word choice, given the Rougarou!).

The execution is where I really struggled with this book and the entire reason for the rating I've given it. While I thought the true crime "multiple sources of information" tactic was best for this kind of storyline, the types of media weren't believable. I took the most issue with the chapters that were marked as "published in X international journal" mostly because these were written subjectively and with inner emotions no researcher would have been able to notate for a publication. If you're going to do a mixed media, make the mixed media true to form rather than all similar! I will say that I listen to a lot of true crime podcasts while I'm working on policy/papers/mundane tasks at work, so this probably hits me harder than it will for the average reader.

Now, alongside this aspect of the execution, there were other elements that didn't work on the execution side of things because they were either out of place or didn't get resolved. For example, why was Edward testing the victims for elevated porphyrin levels if this is tied to an inherited disease? At the end this is connected to the "RG Virus", but it's never explained why he thought to look into it so early or why he didn't tell anyone his findings.

So, even though I am not a fan of traditional mysteries, whodunnits, true crime, etc, from time to time, a book like this will keep my interest where it's the Benjamin Janvier novels of historical crime-solving detective, by Barbra Hambly, and because it's set in New Orleans of 19th century. It was with that approach that I decided I would go into reading "Of Flesh and Blood" by N.L. Lavin and Hunter Burke. It's about a forensic psychiatrist who is on the trail of a Louisiana serial killer, but finds out they share the same cursed blood -- and so it's that Hannibal Lecter trope that a number of shows have recently explored where a protagonist who finds out he's related to someone so horrible has to worry about whether he's going to turn into that person. When I saw the comparison that this book is going to appeal to fans of "True Detective" (and especially Season 1), I was intrigued because like I said, even though that type of traditional mystery is not my jam, if it's interesting enough, or there are supernatural elements, I'll give it a fair shake.

I could see right away the "True Detective" similarities with how the chapters start off with a flashback to when the protagonist first encountered a case (for this book, August 2008 seems pivotal) and then maybe seeing if we're going to get the present time point of view and to find out how much has changed since then. The author gives little clues, pieces of information of how the puzzle is to be solved, clues the reader will need later on, and it's in that style so if you like that as a reader, you'll enjoy it here.

The book is also interspersed with things that dispel the image as "happiest cities", contrasted with the grim realities, but -- one of the gripes I have as a reader, and the major reason why I don't tend to like books like this, is the clippy, disjointed aspects where you are told a lot of information. And I know that comes with the territory, it's a genre convention, it's a style, etc. I am not complaining about it, nor am I suggesting it's a "bad" style, but it's not for me. I personally don't like that style. The entries from 2008 are also of forensic reports which again, I know that's a big convention or style of the genre, but it's not for me.

So, ultimately, look -- it's a well-written book. It's got some interesting narrative aspects. But for me, I couldn't connect with any of the characters. I didn't feel pulled in or grabbed. I didn't find that vital connection where I'm rooting for someone or rooting against someone else. I didn't get a distinctive sense of "This is a character unlike any other" and that... was directly responsible for why I did not like this book.

What did I like, then: I did like some of the parts of the book where the protagonist talks about "See in those days in St. Landry Parish, things were like this" and just setting a bit more of the stage for the history of the place. I did like the mention of 'Rougarou' when I sought it immediately, because that means werewolf and I'm super into werewolves.

But again -- to sum up: well-written book, interesting plot elements, but didn't do it for me and I couldn't connect with any of the characters to care about what happens to them. I think that this book will be enjoyed a lot more by mystery readers.

Of Flesh and Blood follows the story of a forensic psychiatrist investigating the crimes of a Louisiana serial killer who is infamous for brutally murdering and consuming eight victims. The Cajun Cannibal takes his own life as he nears his arrest.

Fast forward 10 years, amidst a growth of copycat killers, the forensic psychiatrist Dr. Blackburn discovers that he is related to the Cajun Cannibal.

I was really hoping that this would be at least a 4 star read for me because I was extremely excited about this one after reading the blurb. Unfortunately, I had problems with the pacing and how this book was set up. I found the layout a bit confusing, specifically in the first half of the book with the character introductions and perspective jumps.

I did love the concept though. I graduated with a degree in psychology and briefly considered forensic psychology so when I read that the main character was a forensic psychiatrist, it really drew me in. I also enjoyed the character’s descent into madness driven by this case and the investigation into the supernatural.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc in return for my honest review.

TW: suicide, death, murder, injury detail, cannibalism, gore

When I read the blurb for this book, I was very eager to get my hands on it. I was fascinated with the plot, a forensic psychiatrist's investigation into 'The Cajun Cannibal' a notorious serial killer/cannibal, to whom he is 'closely' related. As if that isn't enough it's set in Louisiana, so I figured the bayou and all its intrigue would also play a part. The first half of the book, however, was not easy for me to follow. It was a bit confusing, and introduced so many characters and events, most of which I found unnecessary in contributing to the big picture. The level of details of people and events just seemed a bit much, especially when they hardly had an impact on the investigation. The second half was much easier to get through, and was captivating. And even though the investigation reveals who the Cajun cannibal was/is, the mystery allows you to speculate and form your own opinion. Like the bayou itself, nothing is as it appears to be; nothing is cut and dry.

I recommend this book to all mystery readers! Thanks to Crooked Lane Books publishers and the authors for this free eArc. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book. As someone who was studying to be a forensic psychologist, I found it fascinating.

I thought it was very clever and enjoyed Vincent's slow descent into madness, through his obsession with the case of the Cajun Cannibal.

My only criticism was that I feel like the first half of the book was too slow, and the second half was too fast. I found the first half was hard to follow due to the jumping perspectives, and whilst connecting all the characters was clever, I think it was a little too slow of a burn for my taste.

The second half was much better and I was engrossed and was eager to find out what had really happened and how it all connected. I found myself thinking I had worked it out a couple of times, but was wrong on both occasions (which made me like it even more). I just wish that there was a bit more fleshed out as it seems like "oh I figured it out, got the bad guy and the book is over".

Overall, though, I did enjoy it.

Such a great premise, Dr. Vincent Blackburn, a forensic psychiatrist investigating a Louisiana serial killer. The 'Cajun Cannibal' has killed and consumed the flesh of eight people. Before the killer can be caught, he took his own life. When a copycat killer emerges, Dr. Vincent Blackburn is determined to get to the truth before it is too late.

I really wanted to love this one. For me there were too many characters, not enough action, throughout the book, and some parts that were just too slow for my taste. I struggle with slow burns and while some may enjoy how the author builds the story and peels back the layers, I found myself getting impatient.

Things that I did enjoy were how the author created tension and a sense of dread. There are a few I-think-something-bad-is-about-to-happen moments which I enjoyed.

This is more of an issue that it was me and not the book. The book has some glowing reviews so please read them as well.

This was a good read. It kept me entertained and I enjoyed the book. This is the kind of book I read for the unravelling of a mystery, of finding out what is behind the set-up. It was a book that I enjoyed and I will keep an eye out for the author.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley.

An incredible novel where the stifling heat of the setting matches the tone perfectly. I was holding my breath, feeling tense in anticipation for each page to come.

Of Flesh and Blood by N.L. Lavin; Hunter Burke

Dr. Vincent Blackburn discovers evil lingers within his family tree. The Cajun Cannibal, Henri Elton Judice, is suspected of numerous killings. The victims’ deaths are of particular note, looking like the work of a starved animal. Sheriff Yvette Lemonia Fuselier, the mother of Jude Singleton and Henri Judice, is called to the scene of a horrific crime involving Jude, and things in her life begin to unravel. Why was Henri at the scene of the crime? Why would the location be that of a well-known drug dealer? Running for reelection sees Yvette struggle for answers and also pits her maternal instinct against a quick resolution. Her position in the community requires answers, and the opposition in the political race begins using this as ammunition. Time is the enemy. Barely having time to breathe, more murders begin to take place, exuding eerily similar grisly characteristics. Copycat murders? Time passes with the case being long-solved, but Vincent isn’t so sure. His obsession with the case is admirable, and the reader re-examines the information looking for irregularities. It is possible that there is another solution, one that calls for unconventional thinking.

A whirling dervish of unthinkable events. Each distinct characteristic of a killer, mannerisms leading the investigator towards the finish line. However, this isn’t always the case. The finish line plays with the reader's mind like a mirage. Popping up in the near distance, dissipating upon our arrival. N.L. Lavin, our author, has toyed with my senses. This was supposed to be an open-and-shut case. However, the tale provides more depth, family elements lending added flavor to the murderous gumbo. The novel sought out my attention and grabbed it, never letting go.

I devoured this book with gustatory abandon. Perhaps for the first time since beginning the novel, I wasn’t looking over my shoulder in terror. An ending that satisfied my cravings; feeling satiated, I was content. Now that it is finally over, I let out a sigh of relief. This was an extremely solid effort and one that I happily give 4 out of 5 stars for its creativity. Recommended!

Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books for the ARC through NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion.

This was a great story! Mixing true crime and monsters of lore in a detailed, convoluted plot that leads readers through a murky, fetid mystery, seeking the truth.

A forensic psychiatrist has ties to the notorious killer The Cajun Cannibal, and decides to do a forensic analysis of his crimes. The more he delves into the case, the more he begins to question what really happened out there in the swampy wilds. As the years pass, shocking leads and red herrings lead Vincent to begin to spiral: were people murdered by a sick man, or could a Rougarou be responsible? Either way, he’s determined to find the monster, be it human or mythical in form.

Partly told through Vincent’s perspective, other media like the forensic papers or Henri’s tapes, and narratives from other characters. The mix of formats kept things interesting as the puzzles evolved and got so much bigger. I was definitely in the dark about what was really going on; my theories kept changing and I really wasn’t expecting the ending! There were some moments that had my heart racing, the tension was so high it was palpable (Vincent & Mitch’s hunting trip!!! 😱).

Thank you to NetGalley, the authors, and Crooked Lane Books for a copy.

I didn't realize the formatting for this would be very similar to those of the true crime genre and was a bit thrown off and confused by the chapters. Some were very intriguing, and then I would be confused since this is a journal, rather than a story from a point of view. For this reason, I wasn't able to full connect and finish this book. It got a bit easier to follow about halfway through, but I wasn't able to get fully engrossed in this book. I know true crime fans will love this one! Thank you for allowing me to read this. This my honest opinion I am voluntarily leaving.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for gifting me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

If you are a True Detective season 1 fan, you will EAT. THIS. UP. I really, really liked this book. This was fast-paced, twisty, and really well-written. I loved the element of the copycat killer folded in because it added an additional layer of uncertainty. The writing style through case study notes was soooooo good and unique that it kept me incredibly interested right up until the last page. Highly recommend to any police procedural or true crime fans. Four stars.

Tense, graphic, and addictive - reads like true crime, butt with more substance and emotion. Could it be real? The conspiracy to hide it could, which gives it all the more impact. Relentless and not for the squeamish, solid mystery - definitely recommended.