Bernard Doucette’s BLOOD MOON OVER BETONVILLE focuses on Tom, whose family spent three years in Betonville when he was young. After barely making ends meet and Tom encountering something terrifying and unexplainable one night, the family moved back to the city. Tragedy struck, influencing Tom’s decision to join the FBI as an analyst profiling serial killers. Years later, he finds himself back in Betonville when a crime scene with multiple sets of human remains is uncovered. Will Tom be able to discover who is responsible for these murders, or is there something much more nefarious going on?
This work begins with an older narrator telling readers about his younger years before shifting to the primary plot. Because of this setup, Doucette relies heavily on telling readers what's happening and what characters feel, rather than showing it through the writing. This stylistic approach continues throughout the novel, causing the narrative to feel distant, somewhat flat, and relatively unsuccessful at establishing emotional connections with the characters. They lack the extra depth they need to truly come alive.
One of BLOOD MOON OVER BETONVILLE's biggest drawbacks is the author’s writing style. Run-on sentences are prevalent, as well as an overuse of commas. During conversations, there are no dialogue tags, which contributes to conversations feeling emotionless and dull. Take this exchange between Tom and his boss, who is exasperated at his tardiness for a meeting:
“I get it, Beth. I was out with some of the team last night; I just overslept."
"Yeah, I know you were out, but, you see, the whole team made it here for the eight-thirty briefing."
"On my way."
While readers can tell from context who is speaking, dialogue tags such as “she sighed” would add some much-needed texture to the scene.
Much of the book focuses on the case, which will be enjoyable for readers who like police procedurals. A supernatural aspect also gets incorporated into this mystery, and the inclusion of folklore relating to blood moons is interesting. The narrative flows smoothly and at a steady pace, which helps keep readers engaged as the facts are slowly uncovered. For fans of the genre, that might just be enough.
Despite some weaker technical aspects, Bernard Doucette’s BLOOD MOON OVER BETONVILLE can still be an engaging adventure for readers who enjoy police procedurals with supernatural elements.
~ Abigail McCoy for IndieReader