CAIN'S BLOOD – Geoffrey Girard
Cain Series , Book 1
Touchstone
ISBN: 978-104767-0404-3
ISBN: 978-1-4767-0406-7 (eBook)
September 2013
Thriller/Horror

Radnor, Pennsylvania and Elsewhere in the U.S.

Someone came up with the idea to get the DNA of notorious serial killers and raise clones of them. Why? To locate the gene for evil to look for a cure? To study the influence of nature versus nurture? Or, as in the case of the Department of Defense, to raise biological weapons? In a few years, identical reproductions of Ted Bundy (rapist and killer of young women), David Berkowitz (Son of Sam), and several others, including Jeffrey Dahmer (who killed and dined on young men) were growing up under various conditions. Some were adopted out to couples, both abusive and benign. Some of them, ages ten to eighteen, were placed in a group “home” for study. None of them were aware of “who” they really were.

Dr. Jacobson, one of the principals behind the cloning who believes himself a descendant of Jack the Ripper, took it into his head to set free a half dozen of the most violent teens, informed them of their origins, and took along a couple of nurses as hostages. It seems he also took three canisters of a chemical weapon.

Retired black ops soldier Shawn Castillo is hired by a former connection to track down the boys, who by this time are on a spree of violence to match their forbears. When Castillo checks out Dr. Jacobson, he discovers that Jacobson had himself adopted one of the Jeffrey Dahmer clones. Young Jeff Jacobson doesn't know who he is, either, and wants to find his father. Castillo is not happy about letting Jeff accompany him, but finally relents. He's not quite sure the boy knows his origins or how far he can be trusted.

What follows is a bloody and dangerous trail they follow to find the escaped boys. Castillo's past is far from pristine, but he's disgusted by the cloning and the possible motives by all those behind it.

CAIN'S BLOOD is a far from happy book, certainly not the first choice of romance readers, though it might appeal to fans of true crime and the like. Were it not for one fact, I probably would not have finished it. Mr. Girard, who teaches in a boys' high school, is also coming out with a sort of sequel. While CAIN'S BLOOD is shown from various viewpoints, PROJECT CAIN (see review below) is Jeff's story told only from his point of view and is aimed at teen/young adult readers. I definitely need to see what becomes of Jeff. Can he overcome his DNA? Can any of the boys be saved? Does the author tone down the gruesome factor for young readers? In the end, I must admit that's it's a heck of a tale.

Jane Bowers