A Blood Thing

A glut of two-dimensional characters mars this meticulously plotted thriller from Hankins (Shady Cross). Andrew Kane, the governor of Vermont, and his siblings have lived a life of privilege. Their father and grandfather were both state senators, and their great-grandfather was a federal judge. But when Kane’s mentally challenged younger brother, Tyler, is framed for the brutal murder of a local woman, a mysterious blackmailer demands a pardon for a violent criminal. If Kane refuses, the extortionist will reveal more damning (albeit false) evidence. Kane, who has built a career on integrity, reluctantly agrees in the hope this act will lead to Tyler’s freedom. More demands follow. Too late, Kane realizes that his brother’s arrest was just part of a much larger, more nefarious plan to destroy him. But with no emotional investment in the characters, readers won’t care what happens to Kane and his family. [em]Agent: Michael Bourret, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret Literary Management. (June) [/em]