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WORK TITLE: Bloodwalker
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S): Cain, Lexa
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://lexacain.blogspot.com/
CITY:
STATE:
COUNTRY: Egypt
NATIONALITY:
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/LXCain2
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born in the United States.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
L.X. Cain, also known as Lexa Cain, is a writer based in Egypt. Born in the United States, Cain writes in a variety of genres, including horror, thriller, mystery, and romance.
In 2016, Cain released a novel called Bloodwalker. The volume tells the story of two supernaturally gifted people investigating a series of disappearances among children in Eastern Europe. One of those people is Rurik, a man who was struck by lightning and gained unique abilities. Rurik believes the disappearances are somehow linked to his employer, the Zorka Cyrka circus. Rurik has served as a security guard for the circus. He is assigned to maintain the peace at a group wedding the circus is hosting for the Skomori, a secretive culture. Sylvie, a bloodwalker, is one of the betrothed. She dreads marrying her abusive fiancé. When she discovers the body of a missing child, Sylvie begins investigating the disappearances on her own. Eventually, she and Rurik join forces to solve the mystery.
Bloodwalker received mostly favorable assessments. A Publishers Weekly critic remarked: “A series of rising threats overextends the climax.” However, the same critic concluded: “The likability of the protagonists is enough to keep readers going.” A contributor to the GC Macquarie Reviews Web site commented: “The chapters flow so well you won’t want to put this book down. Cain’s ability to create a sense of suspense not only makes this novel, it’s an insight into just how talented she is as a writer.” Referring to the novel, the same contributor added: “It’s eerie, action-packed, thought-provoking and well written.” “The story is well-written and evenly paced. Importantly, Cain pulls the reader in from the start with a great opening chapter that asks numerous questions,” asserted a reviewer on the Grim Reader Web site. A writer on the Whispering Stories Web site stated: “Bloodwalker is a fascinating book. It engages the reader and places you slap bang in the middle of the story. You are tantalised with the mysterious circumstances.” The same writer also opined: “There is also a large cast, but this works really well in this book, not something a lot of books can get away with.” A critic on the Mark My Worlds Web site suggested: “This book is a truly unique piece of fiction. A mix of genres, a cast of diverse and complex personalities, and writing that transports you into the events of the book.” The same critic continued: “It made a nice change to have a book set in a location not often used. The pacing of the plot was spot on.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Publishers Weekly, August 15, 2016, review of Bloodwalker, p. 55.
ONLINE
GC Macquarie Reviews, http://www.gcmacquarie.com/ (October 4, 2016), review of Bloodwalker.
Grim Reader, https://beavisthebookhead.com/ (October 2, 2016), review of Bloodwalker.
L.X. Cain Blog, http://lexacain.blogspot.my/ (May 22, 2017).
Mark My Words, http://marktilbury.com/ (August 8, 2016), review of Bloodwalker.
Smashwords, https://www.smashwords.com/ (May 22, 2017), author profile.
Whispering Stories, http://whisperingstories.com/ (October 5, 2016), review of Bloodwalker.*
L.X. Cain was born in the U.S. but now lives on the Red Sea and busily taps away at a laptop, coming up with stories to thrill and entertain readers.
Author of novels Bloodwalker (Thriller/Mystery), Soul Cutter (YA Horror/Paranormal), and upcoming novels Coldest Night and Paris Underworld.
Also author of Horror short stories "Biggun," "The Mission," and "The Inter-Galactic Gourmet" for sale on a different vendor.
Contact L.X. Cain at:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LXCain
Facebook Author: https://web.facebook.com/LX-Cain-Author-504432766289367/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lx.cain
L.X. Cain lives a stone’s throw (if you throw it really hard) from the beautiful beaches and turquoise waters of the Red Sea. Despite the scenic delights, she’s an indoor gal *cough* couch potato *cough* and spends most of her time happily tapping away on her laptop keyboard, coming up with thrilling story ideas to entertain you!
I'm a Thriller/Horror writer, author of novel SOUL CUTTER (YA Horror/Romance), of BLOODWALKER (Thriller/Mystery releasing Oct 4), and of short stories "Biggun," "The Mission," and "The Inter-Galactic Gourmet."
More Thriller novels coming soon!
I've lived in Egypt for 20 yrs. Read my Egypt Pages for info about the Land of the Pharaohs.
QUOTED: "A series of rising threats overextends the climax."
"The likability of the protagonists is enough to keep readers going."
Bloodwalker
263.33 (Aug. 15, 2016): p55.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Bloodwalker
L.X. Cain. Freedom Fox, $18.95 trade paper (284p) ISBN 978-1-939844-25-5
YA horror novelist Cain (Soul Cutter) steps right up to the center ring in this captivating shocker of children disappearing after the circus comes to town. While touring present-day Hungary, Slovakia, and Romania, Rurik, the lightning-scarred security chief and former strongman of the Zorka Cyrka circus, investigates the disappearances and mediates conflict when the insular Skomori folk hold a wedding at the circus. One of the brides, Sylvie, plagued by misfortune (including an arranged marriage to a man whose abusive and philandering ways are condoned by Skomori culture) and forbidden to use her skills as a bloodwalker (one who prepares corpses for burial), uncovers the remains of a child in a circus trailer and becomes a target for the killer. Using their unusual talents, first separately and then together, Sylvie and Rurik uncover the circus's horrifying secret and put to rest the curse that haunts both their peoples. Cain immerses the reader in the working life of a struggling circus and in the daily chores of a fascinating, albeit fictional, Slavic folkway. A series of rising threats overextends the climax, but the likability of the protagonists is enough to keep readers going. (Oct.)'
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Bloodwalker." Publishers Weekly, 15 Aug. 2016, p. 55. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA461444545&it=r&asid=72090268863458c0090def4433105ff3. Accessed 8 May 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A461444545
QUOTED: "The chapters flow so well you won't want to put this book down. Cain's ability to create a sense of suspense not only makes this novel, it's an insight into just how talented she is as a writer."
"It's eerie, action-packed, thought-provoking and well written."
Bloodwalker by LX Cain - A Review
10/4/2016
0 Comments
Picture
Lightning flashes. Another child disappears...
Zorka Circus’s big top roars with laughter and cheers, but when it moves on, children vanish.
Circus Security Chief Rurik suspects a killer hides among the performers, but they close ranks—they’ve always viewed lightning-scarred Rurik as the monster. He must find the culprit before anyone else disappears and his home is destroyed by the murders.
Into Zorka Circus comes the Skomori clan, despised as gravedigging ghouls. A one-day truce allows bloodwalker Sylvie to marry. Instead, she finds a body. Alerting others will defy her clan’s strict code, break the truce, and leave her an outcast.
When more bodies turn up, the killer's trail becomes impossible to ignore. Rurik and Sylvie must follow the clues—even if they lead to something unimaginable…
Author - LX Cain
Length - 284 Pages
Rating - 5 Stars
One of the many joys of reviewing when you are a bibliophile is finding brand new authors that write stories that you can't put down. Writers that take everything it means to be a writer and create something not just exciting, but memorable.
Bloodwalker is the first novel I have read of Cain's, and little did I know what I was in for. Centered around a murder mystery, this story keeps the reader pinned in place. You won't want to put this book down, although it may prove to be nightmare inducing - myself included. That said, I would recommend this book to lovers of a thrill or two, as well as those who wouldn't usually find themselves reading this genre.
The story is centered around the murder of children and of protagonists, Rurik - a circus strongman turned security guard, and Sylvie - a bloodwalker. These two characters initially cross paths, yet are thrown together again once a string of murders unfold. There's a lot to be said about these protagonists, especially in regards to Cain's ability to write characters with such enticing backgrounds. There is no doubt these two will capture you.
The story itself moves with ease. The chapters flow so well you won't want to put this book down. Cain's ability to create a sense of suspense not only makes this novel, it's an insight into just how talented she is as a writer. The scenes are set perfectly. The suspense is heightened. Readers will no doubt find themselves second guessing what they have read just to crack the mystery.
And then there's the prose. Cain has an apt ability to stop the reader dead in their tracks if only to re-read a perfectly thought out sentence. There were so many moments in this novel I thought: 'Yes.' Moments that made the bibliophile in me grin with delight.
Bloodwalker is a novel I highly recommend. It's eerie, action-packed, thought-provoking and well written.
GC
QUOTED: "The story is well-written and evenly paced. Importantly, Cain pulls the reader in from the start with a great opening chapter that asks numerous questions."
October 2, 2016
Book review: Bloodwalker – L.X. Cain
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‘Bloodwalker’ is my first read by L.X. Cain. You may think from the title that the book is about vampires, but that would be incorrect. ‘Bloodwalker’ is the story of Rurik (former circus strong man and security chief), and young Sylvie who is a Skomori. The Skomori are sort of carers of the dead and Sylvie is on her way to an arranged marriage, though against her wishes. She becomes involved in the plot arc when she discovers a body, leading to her becoming an outcast among her people . The two story arcs intertwine between Rurik and Sylvie on a quest to discover who is abducting children from the towns the Zorka circus visits.
The word “page-turner” is often overused and sometimes used incorrectly, however, I’ll use it now and say that ‘Bloodwalker’ is indeed a page-turner! It is a mash-up of genres and one that I believe will appeal to readers interested in a variety of different genres, whether you like thrillers, mystery novels, horror, there is something here for you to keep you entertained.
The story is well-written and evenly paced. Importantly, Cain pulls the reader in from the start with a great opening chapter that asks numerous questions. I really enjoyed the mythology behind the Bloodwalkers. It seems they have elements of many different cultures and it is refreshing to read. As for the characters; Rurik is a rugged, heroic, flawed sort of character and I enjoyed the part he plays in the book. The chapters with Sylvie a little less so, but that’s simply my preference. The setting of eastern Europe (mainly Hungary and Romania) is a welcome change from the usual places and the look into the lives of circus performers is also interesting.
I certainly did enjoy ‘Bloodwalker’ and have no hesitation in recommending it to fans of dark fiction looking for something a little different. Great cover art too!
Pick up a copy of this novel from here.
QUOTED: "Bloodwalker is a fascinating book. It engages the reader and places you slap bang in the middle of the story. You are tantalised with the mysterious circumstances."
"There is also a large cast, but this works really well in this book, not something a lot of books can get away with."
Bloodwalker by L.X Cain – Review
by whisperingstories · Published 5th October 2016 · Updated 5th October 2016
Bloodwalker by L.X Cain – Reviewed by Stacey
bloodwalker-by-l-x-cain
Bloodwalker
Author – L.X. Cain
Publisher – Freedom Fox Press
Pages – 284
Release Date – 4th October 2016
ISBN-13 – 978-1939844255
Available in ebook and paperback formats
I received a free copy of this book
synopsis of a witch
When Zorka Circus performs, its big top roars with laughter and cheers, but when it moves on, children vanish from the European towns it leaves behind.
Circus Security Chief Rurik suspects a killer hides among the international performers, but they close ranks–they’ve always viewed lightning-scarred Rurik as the monster. Nevertheless, he’s determined to find the culprit and stop them before anyone else dies and the only place he can call home is ripped apart by the murders.
Into Zorka Circus comes the Skomori clan, despised as gravediggers and ghoulish bloodwalkers. A one-day truce allows bloodwalker Sylvie to marry. Instead, she finds a body. Alerting others will defy her clan’s strict rules, break the truce, and leave her an outcast.
When more bodies turn up, the killer’s trail becomes impossible to ignore. Rurik and Sylvie must follow the clues–even if they lead to something unimaginable.
Review of a witch
Zorka Cyrka, (Travelling Circus), travels through eastern Europe, bringing joy to the townsfolk that they visit. That is, until they leave, and the children of the town go missing.
Rurik is a former member of the circus. With his strong man act, he is now their security chief. After noticing what is happening to the children after every town they have visited, he sets out on a mission to discover who the suspected killer is, in their midst.
Sylvie is a young Skomori, she cares for the dead – although she isn’t very good at her job.
The Skomori clan and the Zorka do not get along, but after an arranged marriage has been made between the two, they call for a one-day truce. Sylvie is the bride to be, but after she discovers a body, she has a big dilemma about what to do, with a decision that will bring no good outcome for her.
Bloodwalker is a fascinating book. It engages the reader and places you slap bang in the middle of the story. You are tantalised with the mysterious circumstances, and whilst some details may not sit comfortably with some people, I found it hard to put down.
The alternating chapters between Rurik and Sylvie, really let you feel what each of them was going through, and you get to stand in their shoes, see and hear what they hear, and be there for their discoveries into the murders. There is also a large cast, but this works really well in this book, not something a lot of books can get away with.
Bloodwalker isn’t something I would normally have chosen to read, but I am so glad that I did, as it had me on the edge of my seat at times, and entertained me from beginning to end.
Reviewed by Stacey
QUOTED: "This book is a truly unique piece of fiction. A mix of genres, a cast of diverse and complex personalities, and writing that transports you into the events of the book."
"It made a nice change to have a book set in a location not often used. The pacing of the plot was spot on."
Book Review of Bloodwalker by L. X. Cain
Posted on August 8, 2016
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bloodwalkerBook Description:
Lightning flashes. Another child disappears…
When Zorka Circus performs, its big top roars with laughter and cheers, but when it moves on, there are fewer children in the European towns it leaves behind.
Circus Security Chief Rurik suspects a killer hides among the international performers, but they close ranks—they’ve always viewed lightning-scarred Rurik as the monster. Nevertheless, he’s determined to find the culprit and stop them before anyone else dies and the only place he can call home is ripped apart by the murders.
Into Zorka Circus comes the Skomori clan, despised as gravediggers and ghoulish bloodwalkers. A one-day truce allows bloodwalker Sylvie to marry. Instead, she finds a body. Alerting others will defy her clan’s strict rules, break the truce, and leave her an outcast.
When more bodies turn up, the killer’s trail becomes impossible to ignore. Rurik and Sylvie must follow the clues—even if they lead to something unimaginable.
Book Extract:
On nearby streets, people left their offices and entered parked cars or waited at the bus stop. If any glance up at the peculiar form crouched on the church parapet, they’d betray no curiosity. That would be impolite – a violation of the keep-to-yourself code that held the country of radically diverse ancestries and cultures together. He’d be written off as trick of the light of maybe an extra gargoyle. The stone monsters sat atop the old facades in Budapest any way. Being mistaken for a monster was nothing new. Rurik was used to it.
The police presence and general alarm would be greater if they knew it was actually four children missing, not just one.
A little girl taken from a park in Northern Italy. A boy taken from a playground in Slovenia. A girl taken from an abandoned Slovenian train station a week later. And now a girl from Budapest.
No one had put it together except Rurik. No one realized that each child had vanished on the day of the final performance of the Zorka Cyrka.
And the killer’s appetite was increasing. Tomorrow was the circus’s last show in Budapest, and already a little girl was gone. Dora Tolnay had vanished on her way to a friend’s house. Her parents told the newspaper she often cut through the train yard to get there. This time, however, she never came out.
Tension crept into Rurik’s shoulders, and he rolled the stiffness out. He didn’t have much time before he needed to leave. The killer had to make his move soon. Then Rurik heard it. The tiniest jingle, cutting through the sunset’s stillness, like a cat’s bell of warning.
A shape emerged from the trees on the far side of the warehouse. White silk shrouded the figure, giving it a ghostly glow in the dimness. But it wasn’t a ghost. Far from it. It was a clown. The oversized tunic and baggy pants bore a checkered harlequin motif although clowns rarely wore that style anymore. And Rurik hadn’t seen the stiff fabric of the Elizabethan neck-ruff anywhere but old pictures. Yet there it was, like it had stepped from a silent film, accompanied not by an organ, but by bells tinkling from the tips of it’s three pronged jester hat. The figure loped in a strange see-saw motion, somewhere between a limp and a gorilla’s hunched gait, it’s legs carrying it along almost as if they weren’t jointed like a normal human’s.
5* Book Review:
This book is a truly unique piece of fiction. A mix of genres, a cast of diverse and complex personalities, and writing that transports you into the events of the book. Main character, Rurik, is far from perfect. Having been through some tough times and experienced things he’d rather forget, it’s his job to keep a travelling circus safe – and keep the lurking evil out.
Children disappear from wherever the circus performs, and Rurik is determined to try and stop it happening any more. There are some dark disturbing moments due to the subject matter, but nothing that seems out of place, or just there for the sake of it. I found some of the darker characters to be the most interesting, as they added such a foreboding atmosphere to the story.
Each chapter of the book begins with a small extract from The Bloodwalker Book. Bloodwalkers are those who follow the old traditions from Romania (where they’re originally from,) in order to honour the dead. The plot successfully mixes up the investigation into the missing children and the circus performers negative opinions of the Bloodwalkers.
I really enjoyed the setting of the story in Romania and Hungary. It made a nice change to have a book set in a location not often used. The pacing of the plot was spot on. It kept my interest throughout, and often surprised me with the directions it took. I’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoys suspense and mystery thrillers with a twist of darkness and horror.
You can find more advanced review copy (ARC) reviews of Bloodwalker here on Goodreads.
And you can find L. X. Cain online on Goodreads, Twitter, and Facebook.
Bloodwalker is available to pre-order on Amazon and will be published 4th October 2016.
As always, thank you for reading.
All the best,
Mark.