Member Reviews
With thanks to the author, publishers Michael Joseph and Penguin Random House, and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
“All the Blood We Share” tells the story of one of America’s most infamous serial killer families. While initially some members of the family appear to be reluctant to get involved, by the end all are as implicated as each other, and this books tells the stories of those people unfortunate enough to cross their paths during the 2-3 year period in which they were actively committing their crimes.
This was the first book I have read by Camilla Bruce and, while some of the content was hard to call enjoyable, I thought she did a really good job of transporting the reader to 1870s Kansas to experience the tale. Her technique of telling the story from the points of view of the different family members and neighbours was also very effective.
A fictionalised imagining based on a true crime story, All The Blood We Share is a darkly gothic tale of the Bender family, a group of sociopaths who over a period of about two years, set about committing murders for profit. Unsurprisingly this makes for a grim and heavy read, both in the style of writing and the subject matter. It's an interesting story, particularly when you consider the part each family member has to play and the attention that daughter Kate gets (the afterword is particularly insightful regarding this) but I couldn't go so far as to say that I enjoyed reading it.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Random House for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
"All The Blood We Share" by Camilla Bruce follows a family of killers in a small town.
I would give "All The Blood We Share" by Camilla Bruce a 2 star review because I was anticipating this to be interesting from the concept but while reading I found the narrator to be unreliable and everything to be confusing.
This was a lot of fun, very serial killer/slasher with the body count rising and guessing when they were going to get caught.
The authors note at the end about how much of the story has been fictionalised was rather interesting too and the newspaper coverage that kind of made them "celebrities" and Bender sightings throughout the country.
The story itself was a simple one, a family with previous history for taking things a little too far move to a new town and build an inn to take in the weary and tired traveller. Mayhaps they look shifty and mayhaps they look rich, either way, the Benders are going to show them a warm welcome with a "red necktie" and a trip through the trap door!
Atmospheric, gripping and really enjoyable. I would highly recommend this book to fans of true crime. It had me captivated until the end.
Unfortunately I struggled a lot with this one. It may well be the type of 'reading mood' I'm in at the moment though. I knew going in that this was not going to be a nice book - that much is obvious. What I didn't expect was for the whole feel of it to be so unrelentingly grim - and not in a way that made me feel for the characters either but in a way that just made me want to put the book down. I wasn't prepared for the family to be so awful to each other.
I found the change in narrator difficult as well, there wasn't enough distinction of 'voice' between some of them and I kept losing track of who's head I was in.
Apart form that the writing flowed nicely and the sense of place and descriptions were strong (which may also be why I struggled a bit - I can't visualize when I read so I find very descriptive books often don't work for me well.)
AllThe Blood We Share by Camilla Bruce
3.5 STARS
A haunting, gritty, disturbing story of a family of series killers. I didn't realise this was based on a true story before I requested it and let's just say, I'm relieved I wouldn't have to come across this particular family. The mother and daughter relationship is particularly disturbing.
Worth a read for any horror/crime fans.
Camilla Bruce's previous book took the narrative of women marrying for security rather than love - and turned it on its head in 'Triflers Need Not Apply'.
The follow up - 'All The Blood We Share' - is equally as rebellious, retelling the story of one of America's most famous serial killer families, The Benders, and presenting their tale in a way we haven't seen before. Sharp intelligent writing helps to bring this story to life, I was intrigued to see what would happen next and would recommend this to crime fiction fans.
This was my first Camilla Bruce book and it didn't disappoint. The story is brimming with atmosphere, it transports you 19th century Kansas and you experience the hardships that went alongside living during this period.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read All the Blood we Share.
Well written, addictive and unpredictable. This is a book I have really enjoyed and devoured. i definitely want to read more from this author. Full Review to follow.
So this one took a while for me to get in to. I read the blurb and instantly interested in reading this book. It took about a quarter of the way through for me to start enjoying it some what but still at half way through I found it very slow going and I wasn't reqlly feeling it. After half way it definitely picked up for me and I reqlly got in to it.
A historical thriller based on the true story of the Bender family, German immigrants who in rural Kansas in 1871 embark on serial killing Although a slow start, the pace picks up and the ending was satisfying. Well researched, atmospheric and a thoroughly good read. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.
Set in Kansas, 1871, this story is based on the infamous 'bloody Benders' family. Not much is known about the family and what happened to them, but this historical fiction tale gives an eerie back story to one of America's worst families. Told from various points of view, the story begins with the family moving to Kansas, seemingly on the run from some awful events which become clear later, and the awful events will follow them. I really enjoyed the story being told from multiple members of the family as the feeling of mistrust between the members of the Bender family was amplified with each chapter. Kate Bender was a fantastic central character and I enjoyed the contrast of her brutal acts and the life she could envisage for herself if she wasn't a member of this awful family. I loved this book and would definitely recommend!
My thanks to the Author publisher's and NetGalley for providing me with a Kindle version of this book to read and honestly review.
This is well written and researched or at least as much as possible, in the Authors notes she explains almost nothing is known of the Bender family so the book is almost wholly fictional. Set in Kansas in 1871 this is an atmospheric brooding chilling story of a murderous rampage. Character driven and told from various characters points of view. Bleak compelling and dark from start to finish.
Totally recommended.
Kate Bender, her mother Elvira, her step-father William and step-brother John are on the run. Hiding out in Cherryvale, they are waiting for the dust to settle after Kate killed a man and although not caught straight away, it would have been clear to everyone who was responsible. However, the quiet prairie lifestyle doesn't suit Kate, and it isn't long before her dark urges begin to surface again. The difference now is that the murders have become a family affair, a way to make money and profit from their forced predicament. Despite not wanting to draw attention to themselves, killing travellers for their money as they travel through the town becomes a regular occurrence and it seems that greed, madness and lust are all good enough reasons for the family to carry on killing!
I knew before I started reading All The Blood We Share that it was based on a true story, but I decided not to look anything up first as I wanted to read the story in an unbiased way. The story was quite horrific in places and it definitely had the shock factor, but it was also quite a subtle and quiet observation of this family and the terrible things they had done. It was one of those stories where one bad thing leads to another and before you know it things have started to snowball and then it had gone too far to be able to stop. I was just taken along for the ride, witnessing the downfall of Kate and her family and I believed every event, every bit of dialogue and everything in between. When I read the author's note at the end explaining which parts were true and which parts had been embellished or made up for the story I was completely surprised that some things I thought would have been true were actually fiction and vice versa.
I am a big fan of Camilla Bruce and I was particularly excited about this book having so many elements of crime fiction that I love - serial killers, true crime, spiritualism, gothic historical crime. There was a lot to love!
My rating 4 of 5 stars
My Five Word TL:DR Review : Reimagining of Sinister Serial Killers
Well, if it doesn’t sound too hideous to say that I enjoyed a sinister reimagining of a family of serial killers, I will say that this was a very good read. Perhaps not the kind of read that’s going to bring a smile to your face or give you any laugh out loud moments, but definitely a compelling tale that you read with ever increasing shock that is heightened even more with the realisation that this family really existed and spread misery across the Kansas plains with their low regard for life.
This is a reimagining of real life events penned by a wonderful author who clearly has an interest and has researched the subject well. It’s positively gripping and a little bit like watching a dreadful trainwreck.
It was a sad day for Cherryvale, Kansas when the Benders came to stay. Trying to leave a dark past behind they arrive on the prairie where they set up an Inn and dry goods store. The females of the family are not entirely happy with this new start, wanting to go further afield, but William Bender believes they can make a living being so near to a frequently used trail and so begins a short and bloody spell in America’s history.
The Bender family consist of a young woman, attractive and persuasive, known as Kate. Her mother Elvira who shares a love/hate relationship with her daughter, Elvira’s new husband William and William’s son John. Although the four originally intend to keep a low profile in Kansas they soon become impatient with the slow progress of their savings and begin to murder and rob the travellers who stop at their Inn seeking a room or sustenance. Put bluntly they soon become greedy, Kate, as I mentioned is a persuasive character and convinces her step father that the angels talk to her, her bloodlust needs satisfying and William is happy to be persuaded. Elvira, whilst not entirely happy with the killings and unkeen to draw attention, is at the same time greedy enough not to make a real stand. Then we have John. Besotted with Kate he plays a moody and aggressive character who is capable of shocking violence in order to impress. Along with the Benders we have an alternative voice in Hanson who lives at the nearby trading post. He visits the family regularly and gives a great outside perspective, particularly as he goes from the blushing boy who has a crush on his attractive new neighbour, to a frightened boy scared by the killings, to a suspicious boy who doesn’t want to believe the worst.
I’m not going to really go into the plot but look at what worked well for me.
Well, firstly, this is a gripping story, it’s bloody and shocking and doesn’t hold back the punches so be aware of that. I found it pretty horrific but at the same time unputdownable. On top of this I think the author does a first rate job of creating a tense atmosphere what with the bloodlust and fear and on top of that the fact that the family don’t absolutely trust each other, definitely makes for an edgy read. And there’s a great sense of place, the open plains and remoteness all playing into the story and lulling the family into a false sense of security.
Without doubt though I think Kate is the winning element of the story. She’s so bad. Always ready with an easy lie and a sweet smile she has no problem wrapping people around her finger and coupled with her constant scheming, dark moments of lust and remarkable lack of empathy she makes for a very strong leading lady. Happily though, although Kate steals the show the other characters are a strong supporting cast.
Overall this was a quick read, the pacing was really well done and Bruce manages to give you that feeling of ever mounting dread. The murders themselves are almost coldly and cleanly delivered which probably makes them a bit less gruesome than they already are and the characters create an immediate hook to keep you reading.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
This was my first Camilla Bruce novel and it was really good!
It was a really slow burn historical fiction but with a dark and twisted tale. I definitely prefer dark historical fiction and this was brilliant.
There was a lot of murder and gruesomeness that I obviously adored, and there were some bits that I found so dark it actually shocked me!
I really enjoyed this one, despite the first 70% being very slow. But the last section of the book definitely ramped up the tension and drama and I really liked it!
Camilla Bruce has knack for writing story based on true crimes and she delivers another story quite gruesome and gripping.
I never heard about this crime and was fascinated by the strong women and the setting.
I suspended the judgement and was left with some question but i liked it.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine
I read and enjoyed this author's previous book, Triflers Need Not Apply, so I was quite excited to get my hand on this one as it is of the same ilk. TNNA featured Bella Gunness, a real person and seamlessly wove fiction around fact. Here, the Benders get the same treatment. Now, you may already have heard of them or, like me, be starting from scratch so, you'll have to appreciate that I read this book with no initial preconceptions, nor was I able to separate the fact from the fictional elements. I did toy with the idea of googling the story but, in the end, rightly or wrongly (we'll never know) decided not to do that, but to go in cold.
We start with Kate and her mother joining the rest of the family after fleeing their previous life due to, shall we call them, shenanigans. They welcome a fresh start but it's not long before their past catches up with them in their behaviour and it all starts up again.
The facts that surround Kate, mother Elvira, William and son John, are embellished and enhanced by the addition of a completely fictional character to jointly narrate the story, Hanson a young boy from the town. His parts add colour and clarity to the factual stuff that the author (now I have done more reading into the case) has followed mostly faithfully.
As with TNNA, the author puts, or tries to put, a human face on the most heinous of killers. And judging by the fact that I did connect to them, she managed that very well. She also pulls no punches with the description of said heinous crimes and even I, a hard hitting crime aficionado, had to take the occasional 5 to reset.
It's gripping and dark and thrilling and the build up to what happens each time is chilling. It had me on the edge of my seat throughout. It's also well worth reading the author's notes at the back of the book where she explains a lot of what you have just read.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
I really enjoyed the unique style of the first book, Triflers Need Not Apply, and this second novel is set in the same vein, pun intended!
Set in 1871, the Bender family are lying low in Kansas, for reasons that seem too horrific to believe.
Kate, the daughter, is a spiritualist, and gives hope to those bereaved by holding seances, these prove to be very profitable in so many ways!
Elvira is her mother, she appears fearful of Kate and her ‘ dark ways’, she seems to have a scared and morbid disposition. William Bender is the stepfather, and he has a son, John, who has an unhealthy attraction to his step sister, Kate.
The family open an Inn near the Osage trail, and offer weary travellers bed and breakfast, they prefer those who journey alone, with wealth and will not be missed by friends and family members. The loneliness of such an area, and a small population allow the Benders to indulge in their evil schemes, without the alarm being raised, until, one day, a mistake is made.
This is a family not to be crossed. There are deaths aplenty, with plenty of gore and ingenuity involved. Gothic in tone, Kate and her seances make quite the impression. The Wild West really was one full of lawlessness and murderous intentions.
This is a fictional retelling of real events. Any gaps in the truth have been imagined, and the resulting novel is enjoyable.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers Michael Joseph, Penguin, Random House, for my advance digital copy , given in exchange for my honest review. A five star rating. I will leave reviews to Goodreads and Amazon when the pages are open.