*Somewhere in this book is a hidden “Easter Egg,” a bold text link to 3 FREE Qwickie novellas by 3 bestselling authors. This is a time limited offer, so happy reading and hunting!
Ancient evil comes in many forms…
School principal Emily Taylor is caught up in the inexplicable disappearances of two well-known woman and the violence linked to a disputed land claim.
When the legendary Walking Bear appears, she must also deal with the resurrection of an ancient legend and the terrified and unnerved villagers of the sleepy town of Burchill.
Once again, Emily is drawn into the unknown and must battle her own secret demons and fears. Only then, can she can unravel these mysteries—before there is more bloodshed.
Editorial Reviews:
"A disappearance...a Native legend...a murder...a terrific read!" —Donna Carrick, author of The First Excellence
"A deftly conceived, multilayered story told with a compassionate voice…The plot leads you to a conclusion with skillfully planted clues, employs a sense of the setting so real that the reader feels a part of the place and uses dialogue that reveals the minds and souls of the characters in it. Victim will linger in your mind long after you've closed the book…a gifted piece of writing." —The Hamilton Spectator
"VICTIM, by Catherine Astolfo, is an enjoyable, engaging read—a fine book full of suspense with lively, and intriguing characters. This is good, strong, clear writing that keeps the reader waiting for more. Along with a complex mystery, there's even a few sensual love scenes and a darling dog! Best of all—the mystery at the heart of this story seamlessly combines Aboriginal myths and legends with a precise rendering of small-town Canadian manners and mores. VICTIM is original, sensitive and satisfying." —Rosemary Aubert, author of the Ellis Portal mystery series
"I very much enjoyed reading "Victim"...a suspenseful novel filled with interesting and well defined characters. As a mystery fan, I revelled in the mounting tension and the twists. Throughout the story, the mystery game is afoot and so I enjoyed guessing what the characters motives are and who had ulterior motives. "Victim" is an engrossing mystery that I would recommend as a mystery readers’ pick." —Jo-Ann Tremblay, author of The Self-Coaching Toolbox
**
Review
Don Graves' Review from The Hamilton Spectator
Victim: An Emily Taylor Mystery
Victim, by Catherine Astolfo, is a deftly conceived,multilayered story told with a compassionate voice. It's a haunting mystery: the disappearance of two villagers,a murder and arson generated by greed and fed by the evil drive to succeedregardless of the consequences.
Greed, pain and murder are timeless storylines, and Astolfoweaves them into a novel highlighted with ancient oral traditions that show usthat obsession is as unquenchable today as it was when the land was filled withprimeval beliefs and ceremonies.
Victim reaches into the hauntingly beautiful Ojibwafolklore, offering it here in story and poetry. An enduring feature of a goodstory is the author's capacity to spin not only a tale but also a vision -- asurrounding where good and evil play out their parts. The plot leads you to aconclusion with skillfully planted clues, employs a sense of the setting soreal that the reader feels a part of the place and uses dialogue that revealsthe minds and souls of the characters in it.
Victim will linger in your mind long after you've closed thebook. The greed of yesterday is really no different from today, neither are themethods, the intent, the lies, the cruelty and the cowardice. Perhaps only thetools are more deadly.
Filled with chilling realism, Victim is a gifted piece ofwriting.
From the Author
Although the legend of Walking Bearis fictional, I totally enjoyed reading various Ojibwa spiritual tales in orderto get the cadence and framework. I am fascinated and awed by Canadian FirstNation philosophies, which probably stems from the fact that my children arepart native. Not to mention the fact that my friend, Sandy Duplassie's motherwas full-blooded Ojibwa. In fact, Sandy's wife Helen told me about a newspaperarticle and circles around a tree...which started the whole story of Victimrolling.
Book Three will follow EmilyTaylor's character even further. After her conversation with Agnes, and therevelation to May and Alain at the end of Victim, she is readying for retirement. Only to have her entire life pathchanged and redirected once again. While Legacy focuses on some of the other Burchill characters(and some pretty fascinating new ones), Emily's life is directly impacted bytheir actions and journeys. You'll have to wait until Book Four to learn thefull story of her and Langford's dark past, though.
Description:
*Somewhere in this book is a hidden “Easter Egg,” a bold text link to 3 FREE Qwickie novellas by 3 bestselling authors. This is a time limited offer, so happy reading and hunting!
Ancient evil comes in many forms…
School principal Emily Taylor is caught up in the inexplicable disappearances of two well-known woman and the violence linked to a disputed land claim.
When the legendary Walking Bear appears, she must also deal with the resurrection of an ancient legend and the terrified and unnerved villagers of the sleepy town of Burchill.
Once again, Emily is drawn into the unknown and must battle her own secret demons and fears. Only then, can she can unravel these mysteries—before there is more bloodshed.
Editorial Reviews:
"A disappearance...a Native legend...a murder...a terrific read!" —Donna Carrick, author of The First Excellence
"A deftly conceived, multilayered story told with a compassionate voice…The plot leads you to a conclusion with skillfully planted clues, employs a sense of the setting so real that the reader feels a part of the place and uses dialogue that reveals the minds and souls of the characters in it. Victim will linger in your mind long after you've closed the book…a gifted piece of writing." —The Hamilton Spectator
"VICTIM, by Catherine Astolfo, is an enjoyable, engaging read—a fine book full of suspense with lively, and intriguing characters. This is good, strong, clear writing that keeps the reader waiting for more. Along with a complex mystery, there's even a few sensual love scenes and a darling dog! Best of all—the mystery at the heart of this story seamlessly combines Aboriginal myths and legends with a precise rendering of small-town Canadian manners and mores. VICTIM is original, sensitive and satisfying." —Rosemary Aubert, author of the Ellis Portal mystery series
"I very much enjoyed reading "Victim"...a suspenseful novel filled with interesting and well defined characters. As a mystery fan, I revelled in the mounting tension and the twists. Throughout the story, the mystery game is afoot and so I enjoyed guessing what the characters motives are and who had ulterior motives. "Victim" is an engrossing mystery that I would recommend as a mystery readers’ pick." —Jo-Ann Tremblay, author of The Self-Coaching Toolbox
**
Review
Don Graves' Review from The Hamilton Spectator
Victim: An Emily Taylor Mystery
Victim, by Catherine Astolfo, is a deftly conceived,multilayered story told with a compassionate voice. It's a haunting mystery: the disappearance of two villagers,a murder and arson generated by greed and fed by the evil drive to succeedregardless of the consequences.
Greed, pain and murder are timeless storylines, and Astolfoweaves them into a novel highlighted with ancient oral traditions that show usthat obsession is as unquenchable today as it was when the land was filled withprimeval beliefs and ceremonies.
Victim reaches into the hauntingly beautiful Ojibwafolklore, offering it here in story and poetry. An enduring feature of a goodstory is the author's capacity to spin not only a tale but also a vision -- asurrounding where good and evil play out their parts. The plot leads you to aconclusion with skillfully planted clues, employs a sense of the setting soreal that the reader feels a part of the place and uses dialogue that revealsthe minds and souls of the characters in it.
Victim will linger in your mind long after you've closed thebook. The greed of yesterday is really no different from today, neither are themethods, the intent, the lies, the cruelty and the cowardice. Perhaps only thetools are more deadly.
Filled with chilling realism, Victim is a gifted piece ofwriting.
From the Author
Although the legend of Walking Bearis fictional, I totally enjoyed reading various Ojibwa spiritual tales in orderto get the cadence and framework. I am fascinated and awed by Canadian FirstNation philosophies, which probably stems from the fact that my children arepart native. Not to mention the fact that my friend, Sandy Duplassie's motherwas full-blooded Ojibwa. In fact, Sandy's wife Helen told me about a newspaperarticle and circles around a tree...which started the whole story of Victimrolling.
Book Three will follow EmilyTaylor's character even further. After her conversation with Agnes, and therevelation to May and Alain at the end of Victim, she is readying for retirement. Only to have her entire life pathchanged and redirected once again. While Legacy focuses on some of the other Burchill characters(and some pretty fascinating new ones), Emily's life is directly impacted bytheir actions and journeys. You'll have to wait until Book Four to learn thefull story of her and Langford's dark past, though.