Blessed are the Dead by Kristi Belcamino

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Description:
To catch a killer, one reporter must risk it all …

San Francisco Bay Area newspaper reporter Gabriella Giovanni spends her days on the crime beat, flitting in and out of other people’s nightmares, yet walking away unscathed. When a little girl disappears on the way to the school bus stop, her quest for justice and a front-page story leads her to a convicted kidnapper, Jack Dean Johnson, who reels her in with promises to reveal his exploits as a serial killer. But Gabriella’s passion for her job quickly spirals into obsession when she begins to suspect the kidnapper may have ties to her own dark past: her sister’s murder.

Risking her life, her job, and everything she holds dear, Gabriella embarks on a quest to find answers and stop a deranged murderer before he strikes again.

Review:
A police reporter for a small newspaper in San Francisco for seven years, Gabriella suffers from the hazards of meeting deadlines and blowing off boyfriends by default – breaking news/stories demand attention. Lamentable, yes, but Gabriella thrives under the pressure. When 8 year old Jasmine goes missing, and triggers Gabriella’s own nightmare (her sister was kidnapped and murdered 22 years ago), the suspect in custody reserves his attention and story only for Gabriella. *Goosebumps* Blessed are the Dead, written by Kristi Belcamino, is a compellingthriller about murder and survival. I was stunned to learn this was a debut novel – Belcamino was clearly meant to be a storyteller!

When Jack Dean Johnson is arrested, but refuses interviews with every reporter except for Gabriella, I could hear warning bells sounding from the pages. Gabriella was so focused on luring Johnson in, gaining his trust– she never considered he could have been involved in her sister’s disappearance. Sociopath that is, however, he won’t outright admit to nefarious behavior so Gabriella has to endure his nonsensical, twisted philosophies:

“I interpret the religion as a quest to find what makes me happy. It gives me permission to do what makes me righteously happy.”

“Even if it that involves hurting a child?”

“Yes,” he says without hesitation. He leans forward eagerly. “Buddhism allows me to find out about me and what makes me happy…

I don’t know much about Buddhism, but I know enough to realize this guy is twisting a peaceful religion into a justification for murder.

Warning, you will become incensed when you read their scenes. The very situations parents dread, and try carefully to avoid, are what Johnson’s spouting off as strategy. I don’t envy Ms. Belcamino’s research of this disturbing topic, but she wrote it deftly. Their dialogue will entice you, shock you, and keep you in suspense to the very end! When Johnson is too scheming to incriminate himself, Gabriella has to dig deeper and more depraved to appeal to his vanity (even while hiding her nausea when he references her sister):

I glance at my watch. I need something, anything new to put in the paper tomorrow if I want to keep my job. Then I hit on it – I can write a story about how the mind of a child predator works.

Now as dark as that particular psychology may be to write, Ms. Belcamino doesn’t skimp on the romance aspect. It’s here, and I swooned for Detective Sean Donovan. Aside from his good looks and smarts, he is recovering from a divorce, so you can imagine how reserved he must be. Not these two. Their attraction is so natural… it terrifies them. Ugh! You’d think that similar backgrounds would be a common, empathetic fit? More like a feat they can’t overcome.

Not only was the writing style vivid and intriguing, the tension and competition at the newsroom frenetic (fist-clenching reactions!), the investigative efforts palpable (you desperately want clues/leads to find Jasmine alive!), but Gabriella’s approach was just as unnerving – becoming a predator’s confidant! I had to pause several times to shake off the disturbing images.

When pressures mount and intense events begin to unfold, propelling Gabriella into a pseudo-vigilante role, the possibility of double jeopardy kept blaring at me, but was ignored in the book. I found this oversight jarring and would really like to know why it wasn’t addressed? On a personal note, having lived in Northern California, Belcamino’s description of North Beach and the surrounding communities of the Bay area were so spot-on; visualizing the locales enhanced my enjoyment of the read.

Blessed are the Dead was awesome from beginning to end. As deliriously happy as I was with the culmination of the story, and that life-affirming visit involving Sean, I did scream out in simultaneous torture. Now what?! Lol…I’ll tell you what: Blessed are the Meek, the next installment in the Gabriella Giovanni Mysteries is on sale July 8, 2014. I’d be blessed to receive an ARC! 🙂 Kristi Belcamino, consider me your fan!

Reviewed by Carmen

Copy provided by Publicist

Kristi Belcamino is a writer, artist and photographer who makes a tasty biscotti. Her first novel, BLESSED ARE THE DEAD, was inspired by her dealings with a serial killer during her life as a Bay Area crime reporter. Her work has appeared in such prominent publications as Salon, the Miami Herald, San Jose Mercury News, and Chicago Tribune. She now works part-time as a police reporter at the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

Find out more about Kristi at the following links:
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