Blood in the Water

Shortlisted for The 2021 Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence. “Loving, intimate look at Acadian culture… [and a] courtroom drama [that] asks big questions beyond simply ‘Who done it?’”–The Minneapolis Star Tribune“This is an instant true crime classic.”–Publishers Weekly (starred review) “…an absorbing study of the way an isolated community handles conflict as well as the failures of the Canadian legal system.”–Booklist“How a small fishing community responded to the violent death of one of its most notorious citizens … Cameron artfully links the central drama to broader discussions about socio-economic inequality, natural resource management, police interrogation tactics, and the consequences of a loss of faith in law and order … An often gripping, insightful examination of a well-known crime and the Acadian milieu in which it took place.”–Kirkus Reviews“Silver David Cameron knew intimately the Cape Breton community where the brutal murder of a local who was vandalizing lobster traps took place. But instead of that insider knowledge giving him too narrow a focus, it enables him to see beyond the broad strokes of the story – and so bring to life ideas about power, law, vigilantism and community.”–Toronto Star A “masterful true account of a celebrated small-town murder.”–The Globe and Mail“It became known as the ‘murder for lobster’ case. But that description … comes nowhere near capturing the complexities of the crime and its effects on the local community. [Cameron] successfully weaves together courtroom drama, memoir, and an insightful exploration of people and place … While much time is spent in a courtroom, Blood in the Water is not particularly concerned with innocence and guilt. It’s a book about place, relationships, and our responsibilities to each other.”–Quill & Quire“A dramatic narrative set in a unique, lovingly drawn setting, where a story about one small community has universal resonance. This is a story not about lobster, but about the grand themes of power and law, security and self-respect.”–CBC“A vibrant portrait of a hardscrabble town … Blood in the Water demonstrates how even the quietest towns are capable of explosive violence.”–Foreword Reviews

SILVER DONALD CAMERON’s literary works included plays, films, radio and TV scripts, hundreds of magazine articles, and nineteen books. Cameron had also been a professor or writer-in-residence at seven universities and Dean of Community Studies at Cape Breton University. In 2019 he was appointed the first Farley Mowat Chair in Environment at Cape Breton University. He died in June 2020, soon after completing the manuscript of Blood in the Water.