Blogger's Blag :Keeping It In The Family, detectives with serial killer relatives.

Many crime fiction writers delight us by their exploration of the relationships between serial killers or psychopaths and their hunters.  What particularly interests me, is when that link is a familial one.  Read on to find out more about the theme of nature V nurture in crime fiction.  This includes paternal/maternal relationships between killer and hunter and the sibling relationship between killer and detective.

Nature V Nurture:  Parental Serial Killers

Barry Lyga in his teen crime novel I Hunt killers and Blood Of My Blood  explores the  whole Nature V Nurture issue from a completely different perspective. 
His young protagonist, Jasper Dent has been brought up by his serial killer father.  His father’s child-rearing philosophy centres on educating Jasper to develop the skill set necessary for a serial killer.  Fortunately, in this instance, Jasper’s nature wins the battle and he rebels. 

However, our young protagonist is left with lingering doubt
 about his ‘inherited genes’ and worries if he carries the potential to emulate his father. 

.  Lyga then takes this concept of ‘parental serial killer’ influence to a chillingly fascinating next level. 

Read the books to find out how!

Check out Barry Lyga’s Amazon page here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Barry-Lyga/e/B001IXNXL6/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1447840856&sr=1-2-ent

James Carol’s, Jefferson Winter books are another example of a serial killer hunter with a serial killer father.  Winter is an ex FBI behavioural analyst, who since his father’s execution has led a nomadic lifestyle hunting serial killers.  Winter is haunted by the fear that he has inherited his father’s propensity to kill and that he may be more like his father than he

would like.  This fear is exacerbated when his father’s last words on his execution day intimate that Winter is ‘his father’s son’.  This leads to Winter living an isolated existence and having limited ability to form lasting relationships.  Check out James Carol's Amazon page:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/James-Carol/e/B00IFFUJ08/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1447840935&sr=1-2-ent

Detectives with Serial killer siblings

The interesting concept of a detective with a serial killer sibling is explored effectively through Sharon Bolton’s Lacey Flint series.  Lacey’s sister, a serial killer is in captivity and Lacey is continually plagued by two things - Guilt that

she, the younger sister, was unable to prevent the series of
events leading to her sister’s derailment and subsequent
killings, and fear that her links to her sister will be exposed jeopardising her job as a detective.  The juxtaposition of Lacey as a police officer and her killer sister is poignant and emotional.  Flint, again, has difficulty forming and maintaining relationships.  This adds to the tension in Bolton’s stories but also has the reader firmly rooting for Lacey.  Check out Sharon Bolton's Amazon page:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sharon-Bolton/e/B001IR1M2E/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1447840729&sr=1-2-ent

M.J. Arlidge’s protagonist, DI Helen Grace is also tortured by the knowledge that her dead sister was a serial killer.  This guilt is further exacerbated by the knowledge that she was instrumental in her death.  In Grace's case, this guilt manifests itself in extreme sexual practices ( Grace is drawn to S&M to control her emotions).  These sexual practices could

jeopardise her police career yet she can’t control her urges. Grace is a beautifully tragic  character, desperately trying to be ‘normal’.
Click here to check out M.J. Alridge's Amazon page:  http://www.amazon.co.uk/M.-J.-Arlidge/e/B00MR000ZG/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1447840796&sr=1-2-ent

 
The idea of a serial killer family member makes our detectives stronger in their jobs, yet leaves them floundering in their social lives.  They are flawed characters that, ultimately, have huge appeal to the reader.  Why not give some of the books mentioned above a go.  I'm sure you’ll love them.