Blood Passage

By Michael J. McCann

The first novel in the Donaghue and Stainer Crime Novel series. Would you believe a small boy who claims he was a murder victim in his previous life? Homicide Lieutenant Hank Donaghue and Detective Karen Stainer investigate a cold case in which little Taylor Chan begins to spontaneously recall memories of his previous life as Martin Liu, the victim in their case. Skeptical, Donaghue and Stainer are forced to play catch-up to the boy's Uncle Peter, a deadly Triad enforcer seeking vengeance!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Michael J. McCann
• Release date: Jul 11, 2011
• ISBN: 9780987708717

Michael J. McCann

Michael J. McCann lives and writes in Oxford Station, Ontario, on seven acres in the Limerick Forest south of Ottawa, Canada. He is the author of the Donaghue and Stainer Crime Novel series and The Ghost Man, a supernatural thriller.

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Reviews for Blood Passage

[darcia_10 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

With Blood Passage, McCann introduces us to polar opposite detectives who have a surprisingly effective partnership. Donaghue is reserved, calm, and thoughtful, while Stainer is brash and quick-tempered. There is no sexual tension between them, which I liked. This is a partnership that proves men and women can work together without one having constant erotic fantasies about the other.This is very much a plot-driven novel. While we do get to know the characters as the story unfolds, we spend no real personal time with any of them. Even so, each character stands out as unique. The dialogue is realistic and we learn a lot about the characters' personalities just by the way they speak.The plot is complex. The author clearly did his research, which shows as he takes us through the intricacies of the Triad culture. We also have the undercurrent of a young boy recalling a past life as a murder victim, which plays a major and thought-provoking role in story.Initially I found it challenging to keep up with the names of all the characters and their relationships, particularly within the Triad. McCann does a good job with the setup, it's just that the complexities of the crime and the entanglements of the people involved require a lot of attention to detail. The pace is mostly steady, except for a few sections where long segments of narration read a bit too much like a character sketch. This was designed to give us history on the characters, but slowed the pace and felt a little out of place. Overall, though, the story is engaging.If you like solving crimes alongside the characters, this book is a great start to the series.

[rowingrabbit · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

3.5 stars

I'm a sucker for a good police procedural so when a friend recommended this series, I picked up book #1. Glad I did.
Lt. Hank Donoghue & Det. Karen Stainer of the Glendale PD team up when new information surfaces concerning a cold case. Four years ago, a young Asian man named Martin Liu was murdered. Hank was briefly at the scene & remembers thinking something didn't feel right. In present day, a grad student has been assaulted after asking questions about the murdered man but for a different reason.
Josh, a PhD candidate in child psychiatry, is investigating Taylor, a 3 year old boy who claims to remember being Martin. His "memories" include people like his cousin Peter Mah, now a powerful figure in the local Triad or Asian crime brotherhood. He also remembers who killed him.
Hank & Karen aren't sure what to make of the kid but are chilled by his stories & by the fact that his mother Grace, Peter & Martin are cousins. The case is reopened & before they know it, they are competing with shadowy men from the Triad as they search for the killers. The cops want to arrest them, the Triad wants them dead.
That's all I'll say about the plot as it is complex with lots of twists to keep you guessing. Both cops (and the reader) get a crash course in Asian gang politics & it's not long before the bodies start to pile up. Side stories include conflicts inside the Triad, a possible leak within the police department & Karen's relationship with an FBI agent. Hanging over everything is Hank's continuing issue with IAD. He rose quickly through the ranks & made enemies among the old guard. One powerful superior in particular would like nothing better than to see him taken down a notch, a story line that continues into the next book.
It's a crowded genre full of recognizable names...Rankin, McDermid, Nesbo, Sanford, Connelly...and we all have our favourites so it can be difficult for a new author to get attention. Police procedurals have a lot in common so whether or not you continue a series may come down to how much you enjoy the characters.
I liked these two. They make an odd couple. Hank comes from money & managed to accumulate 3 university degrees by the time he was 25. Then, to his mother's despair, he became a cop. Quiet, smart & introspective, he approaches each investigation as a puzzle to be solved. Karen is a brassy Texan who has all the subtlety of a bull in a china shop. Foul mouthed & fearless, she pushes Hank's boundaries but somehow they compliment each other. For the most part, he's more brains & she's more brawn.
Each is dealing with prospective changes in their personal lives, as well. Hank is smitten by a lovely widow with ties to the case while Karen's fed boyfriend is pushing to make things more permanent.
All in all, a smart & well paced cop story that keeps you turning the pages to see who's left standing at the end. The cold case is tied up but several plot lines go unresolved & I'll definitely pick up the next one to see where they lead this entertaining pair.

[michaelallanscott · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Mystery of a Past LifeMcCann tells us "There are more than 2,500 documented cases of young children who have reported memories of a previous life." Imaging how many go undocumented. Enter the homicide detective team of Donaghue and Stainer. The pair are pulled into a four year old Chinatown murder by odd circumstances. A child psychology researcher has new testimony from the victim—a young boy named Taylor Chan. From there an enticing story unfolds.Michael J. McCann keeps us turning pages with gritty realism, well-drawn action sequences, and multifaceted characters. His mystery draws us in, twisting and turning its way to unexpected revelations. Blood Passage is at once a thought-provoking read and thoroughly entertaining. I highly recommend it!