Off The Shelf: Cain’s Blood by Geoffrey Girard and a Giveaway

Today’s book I’m taking off the shelf to talk to you about has a chilling ‘real-life, what if’ feel to it. CAIN’S BLOOD by Geoffrey Girard was released this week by Simon & Schuster.

Thanks to Mariah and the good folks at Touchstone/Simon & Schuster, I have two copies of this thriller to giveaway. Please see the end of the post for details.

CAIN’S BLOOD is a terrifying debut novel about the evil in each of us: when clones of infamous serial killers escape from a secret government facility, it’s up to a former Army Ranger to stop them…with the help of a teenage killer clone.
 
More than a serial killer novel, Girard’s CAIN’S BLOOD is about the evil that runs in all of our veins, melding completely plausible science with terrifying horror that preys on our darkest fears of manipulation, secrecy, and murder. 

Developing new bio-weapons, the US Department of Defense has secretly cloned the world's most notorious murderers, to study their DNA and isolate the genetic of evil. The program contains dozens of young men who have no clue of their evil heritage -- including John Wayne Gacy, Ted Bundy, and the Son of Sam. Enacting a twisted game of nature vs. nurture, the scientists raise some of the clones with loving families and others in abusive circumstances to match their genetic forefathers. 

When the most dangerous boys are set free by their creator, escaping with three canisters of a mysterious chemical weapon that could destroy an entire city,  it’s up to a former Army Ranger to stop them…with the help of a teenage killer clone.

A man with demons of his own, former black ops soldier Shawn Castillo is hot on their trail. But Shawn didn't count on the quiet young boy he finds hiding in an abandoned house; a boy who has just learned he is the clone of Jeffrey Dahmer. As Jeffrey and Castillo race across the country as unlikely allies on the trail of the rampaging teens' increasing violence, Castillo must protect the boy who is the embodiment of his biggest fears and who may also be his last hope. 

Influenced by real serial killers Albert Fish, Dennis Rader, Ted Bundy, Henry Lee Lucas, David Berkowitz, and the deadliest of them all Jeffrey Dahmer, CAIN’S BLOOD is a disturbing and fascinating read that you won’t be able to put down until the very end.

Simon and Schuster will publish two Girard novels in 2013: CAIN'S BLOOD, a techno thriller, and PROJECT CAIN, a spin-off novel for teen/YA readers.  

Here’s some early praise for CAIN’S BLOOD:

    “I'm betting the name Michael Crichton will come up quite a bit as people talk about Geoffrey Girard's deeply-twisted debut, CAIN'S BLOOD. And with good reason: Girard appears to have some of Crichton's DNA in his system--along with the always-advantageous ‘Thomas Harris mutation’ thrown in for good measure. Girard knows how to tell a story; he knows how to bring in the necessary science; and he knows how to spill some blood. It all adds up to an awful lot of (very dark) fun for the reader.” — Scott Smith, author of THE RUINS

    “Here's a book that truly deserves to be called horrifying. Does near-future science really hold such appalling terrors for all of us? I swear, this book kept creeping me out long after I finished reading it!" — R.L. Stine

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

 Geoffrey Girard is an award-winning fiction author whose works have appeared in several best-selling anthologies and magazines, including Writers of the Future (a 2003 winner), Prime Codex, Aoife's Kiss, The Willows, Murky Depths, Apex Horror & Science Fiction Digest, and the Stoker-nominated Dark Faith anthology.

His first book, Tales of the Jersey Devil, thirteen original tales based on American folklore, was published by Middle Atlantic Press in 2005, followed by Tales of the Atlantic Pirates (2006) and Tales of the Eastern Indians (2007).

Born in Germany and shaped in New Jersey, Girard currently lives in Ohio and is the English Department Chair at a famed private boys' high school (his students are the inspiration behind the novel). Prior to teaching, he worked as an advertising copywriter, web developer and marketing manager. He has a BA in English literature from Washington College and an MA in creative writing from Miami University. He has presented seminars and workshops on creative writing at colleges, elementary schools, bookstores and various writers' conventions/events.

For more on Girard and his writing, visit his website and connect with him on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS: To enter this giveaway, please send me an e-mail (mcbookshelf@gmail.com) with the subject line, “Win Cain‘s Blood.” Your message should include your name and mailing address. The contest is open to residents of the U.S. only and no post office box addresses can be accepted. The deadline to enter this giveaway for a chance to win one of two copies of CAIN’S BLOOD is 8 p.m. (EDT) on Sunday, Sept. 15.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have you ever thought about what would have happened if two or more of these ruthless murderers had collaborated during their killing sprees?