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The Dark Gray Blanket
The winters of ’76 and ’77 in the greater Detroit and Oakland County area of Michigan were extremely harsh, with record snowfall, brutal temperatures, and incessant howling winds. During these winters, a deranged serial killer preyed upon preteen and early teen victims, both male and female. As snow would begin to fall, the killer would hunt and abduct them, keep them at a secluded location, bathe them, meticulously groom them, feed them their favorite meal, and then wait for the next snowstorm. Under the cover of the next snowfall, the killer would hide their corpses in snowbanks on secondary roads, where they would be found by passing motorists.
This story is a fictional account of an over-the-hill detective, Frank Pellegrini, and his strange obsession in the pursuit of that killer.
This story is a fictional account of an over-the-hill detective, Frank Pellegrini, and his strange obsession in the pursuit of that killer.
390 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 14, 2017
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21 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 4, 2017
In the winter of 76 and 77 in the area of Oakland in the county of Michigan four children aged between the ages of 10 and 12 were abducted, held for days before finally being brutally murdered their bodies being left either naked or partially clothed in the frozen landscape. The babysitter killer, as he came to be known, was never apprehended and The Dark Gray Blanket is a fictional novel about this event.
Frank Pellegrini, an experienced detective, works with the Child Victims Investigative Unit of the Detroit Police Department. He is tolerated by his boss Captain McDougal who knows that Frank has the best wishes of the greater community at heart even though at times his methods are somewhat unorthodox. He lives a lonely bachelor life having been greatly affected by events in his childhood disclosed later in the novel. His days are days of routine usually complemented with a visit to his favourite watering hole "O'Malleys"..."Frank's evening up until now had been predictable the medicinal shots of Wild Turkey 101 at O'Malleys, his favourite meal, two hours of mulling over his cases at his desk while dressed only in his underwear, and the final dose of Wild Turkey launching him into a deep, worry-free sleep." When the naked body of a child is found partly buried in snow Frank, together with his new partner Jimmy Wilson, is tasked with the job of bringing the killer to justice. As the body count rises, and the word serial killer is uttered, the good citizens of a frightened community are demanding answers exerting justifiable pressure on an overworked Detroit Police Dept.
The writing of The Dark Gray Blanket is sublime narrated in unhurried deeply descriptive prose. We learn a little of the history of the area made famous by the automobile industry in particular Henry Ford and also two renowned musicians; Vincent Damon Furnier and Robert Clark Seger better known as Alice Cooper and Bob Seger. The cold frosty snowbound Michigan winters of 76 and 77 add a frosty and chilly feeling to the developing nightmare...."The dark black night sky was being punctuated with the soft, fluffy, white falling snow, and the huge boughs, stretching in every direction from the gigantic Douglas firs, were gently swaying under their white burden and the gently blowing wind."....
Pellegrini's personal mission to solve a difficult case, his dogged unflinching determination and the relationship with his new young partner Jimmy Wilson create a spell bounding work of genius and a story that I found once started was very difficult to leave until completed. Throughout is a lingering uneasiness and a sense of morbid anticipation as we wait for the killer to strike again..."He still could not believe his eyes. In all his years, he had never viewed a scene quite like this-the solemn, cold, naked isolation of the frailest among us, having endured the most unimaginable horrors form something so evil."....
I always wonder when reading a detective novel if the author will have the ability to create a unique conclusion something that will be totally unexpected. The final chapters produced a sequence of events that thrilled me in their audacity and inventiveness, naturally I cannot disclose them to you (dear reader of my review!) for to do so would spoil your enjoyment of a novel that I rate as totally unique, and possibly the best book I have read this year. Many thanks to the good people of netgalley and publisher Howard Schrack for a gratis copy in exchange for an honest review and that is what I have written. Highly, highly recommended.
Frank Pellegrini, an experienced detective, works with the Child Victims Investigative Unit of the Detroit Police Department. He is tolerated by his boss Captain McDougal who knows that Frank has the best wishes of the greater community at heart even though at times his methods are somewhat unorthodox. He lives a lonely bachelor life having been greatly affected by events in his childhood disclosed later in the novel. His days are days of routine usually complemented with a visit to his favourite watering hole "O'Malleys"..."Frank's evening up until now had been predictable the medicinal shots of Wild Turkey 101 at O'Malleys, his favourite meal, two hours of mulling over his cases at his desk while dressed only in his underwear, and the final dose of Wild Turkey launching him into a deep, worry-free sleep." When the naked body of a child is found partly buried in snow Frank, together with his new partner Jimmy Wilson, is tasked with the job of bringing the killer to justice. As the body count rises, and the word serial killer is uttered, the good citizens of a frightened community are demanding answers exerting justifiable pressure on an overworked Detroit Police Dept.
The writing of The Dark Gray Blanket is sublime narrated in unhurried deeply descriptive prose. We learn a little of the history of the area made famous by the automobile industry in particular Henry Ford and also two renowned musicians; Vincent Damon Furnier and Robert Clark Seger better known as Alice Cooper and Bob Seger. The cold frosty snowbound Michigan winters of 76 and 77 add a frosty and chilly feeling to the developing nightmare...."The dark black night sky was being punctuated with the soft, fluffy, white falling snow, and the huge boughs, stretching in every direction from the gigantic Douglas firs, were gently swaying under their white burden and the gently blowing wind."....
Pellegrini's personal mission to solve a difficult case, his dogged unflinching determination and the relationship with his new young partner Jimmy Wilson create a spell bounding work of genius and a story that I found once started was very difficult to leave until completed. Throughout is a lingering uneasiness and a sense of morbid anticipation as we wait for the killer to strike again..."He still could not believe his eyes. In all his years, he had never viewed a scene quite like this-the solemn, cold, naked isolation of the frailest among us, having endured the most unimaginable horrors form something so evil."....
I always wonder when reading a detective novel if the author will have the ability to create a unique conclusion something that will be totally unexpected. The final chapters produced a sequence of events that thrilled me in their audacity and inventiveness, naturally I cannot disclose them to you (dear reader of my review!) for to do so would spoil your enjoyment of a novel that I rate as totally unique, and possibly the best book I have read this year. Many thanks to the good people of netgalley and publisher Howard Schrack for a gratis copy in exchange for an honest review and that is what I have written. Highly, highly recommended.
August 16, 2018
The winters of ’76 and ’77 in the greater Detroit and Oakland County area of Michigan were extremely harsh, with record snowfall, brutal temperatures, and incessant howling winds. During these winters, a deranged serial killer preyed upon preteen and early teen victims, both male and female. As snow would begin to fall, the killer would hunt and abduct them, keep them at a secluded location, bathe them, meticulously groom them, feed them their favorite meal, and then wait for the next snowstorm. Under the cover of the next snowfall, the killer would hide their corpses in snowbanks on secondary roads, where they would be found by passing motorists.
This story is a fictional account of an over-the-hill detective, Frank Pellegrini, and his strange obsession in the pursuit of that killer.
Update:
3.5 stars
This is the second time I've read it, because the first time I had to DNF it because it was impossible to read, there was a lot of spacing mistakes that need to be fixed, but as of now those mistakes have been fixed. After DNF it the first time around I wasn't sure if I wanted to try again but after I received an email from the publisher about how sorry they was because I can't read it , if I want to try again with a hardcopy or I could redownload it from NetGalley, I told them I would love to try it again, so I went and redownload it, this time I was able to read it and while it did tack me for ever to get into the story , I did like it a little bit better this time around,. So with that said I would like to think NetGalley and the publishers and the author for letting me give it a second try in a change for my honest opinion.
This story is a fictional account of an over-the-hill detective, Frank Pellegrini, and his strange obsession in the pursuit of that killer.
Update:
3.5 stars
This is the second time I've read it, because the first time I had to DNF it because it was impossible to read, there was a lot of spacing mistakes that need to be fixed, but as of now those mistakes have been fixed. After DNF it the first time around I wasn't sure if I wanted to try again but after I received an email from the publisher about how sorry they was because I can't read it , if I want to try again with a hardcopy or I could redownload it from NetGalley, I told them I would love to try it again, so I went and redownload it, this time I was able to read it and while it did tack me for ever to get into the story , I did like it a little bit better this time around,. So with that said I would like to think NetGalley and the publishers and the author for letting me give it a second try in a change for my honest opinion.
December 21, 2017
**Arc provided by Author for an Honest Review**
When we think of a blanket, we think warmth and comfort, not the chill and bitterness of snow. In The Dark Gray Blanket by H. Burns, we are taken on a rollercoaster of a ride. This historical psychological thriller deals with the murders of young children during the winters of 1976 and 1977. Being a Michigan native, captivated is one of many words I would use to express how this story kept me turning page after page. I not only learned a lot about my home state but also one of its founding cities and some of the history behind Detroit that spans more than automobiles. Henry Ford who?
The novel follows the mastermind of Frank Pellegrini, who works on high profile child murder cases for the Detroit Police Department, a seasoned veteran who solves everything that comes his way. Will these murders be the end of that streak? Is Franks’ mastermind the mastermind behind the killings? Or is it someone from his past who is attempting to make a wrong from so many years ago right? When everything clicks into place, you will definitely have your ah-ha moment. This novel keeps you engaged with each turn of the case, and rooting for the underdog the whole entire time. A bit of romance thrown in to seal the deal, yep it’s all there.
History, suspense and an HEA it’s all here. A fantastic read for fans of the genre, you will not be able to guess what's coming and that is a must for a psychological thriller. Five stars to H. Burns for a job well done.
When we think of a blanket, we think warmth and comfort, not the chill and bitterness of snow. In The Dark Gray Blanket by H. Burns, we are taken on a rollercoaster of a ride. This historical psychological thriller deals with the murders of young children during the winters of 1976 and 1977. Being a Michigan native, captivated is one of many words I would use to express how this story kept me turning page after page. I not only learned a lot about my home state but also one of its founding cities and some of the history behind Detroit that spans more than automobiles. Henry Ford who?
The novel follows the mastermind of Frank Pellegrini, who works on high profile child murder cases for the Detroit Police Department, a seasoned veteran who solves everything that comes his way. Will these murders be the end of that streak? Is Franks’ mastermind the mastermind behind the killings? Or is it someone from his past who is attempting to make a wrong from so many years ago right? When everything clicks into place, you will definitely have your ah-ha moment. This novel keeps you engaged with each turn of the case, and rooting for the underdog the whole entire time. A bit of romance thrown in to seal the deal, yep it’s all there.
History, suspense and an HEA it’s all here. A fantastic read for fans of the genre, you will not be able to guess what's coming and that is a must for a psychological thriller. Five stars to H. Burns for a job well done.
August 4, 2018
Sometime before Christmas of last year, I heard about this book, The Dark Gray Blanket by H. Burns. I added it to my "TBR" list, but unfortunately, I didn't have a chance to read it until now. I'm glad I finally had the opportunity so I could share the book with you.
This historical psychological thriller deals with the murders of young children during the winters of 1976 and 1977 in Detroit, Michigan. The author shares the events surrounding this horrific crime that took place within mere miles of his family's home. His daughters were the same age as two of the victims. Even more alarming to the author is the fact that the last victim was found less than three miles from his peaceful family home.
During a 13-month period, four children were abducted and murdered and their bodies left in various locations within the same county. All of the children were held captive anywhere from 4 to 19 days before they were ultimately killed. At the time, the investigation that ensued was one of the largest in the history of the United States. The murders are still unsolved.
This story is interesting because it is part true crime and part fiction. The true details of the Oakland County Child Killer crimes are these: The first victim was Mark Stebbins, a 12 year old boy from Ferndale who was last seen on February 15, 1976. Next was Jill Robinson, 12, of Royal Oak who packed a bag and ran away from her home on December 22, 1976 after she had an argument with her mother. The third victim was Kristine Mihelich from Berkley, a 10 year old who was last seen January 2, 1977. The final victim was Timothy King, an 11 year old who left his home in Birmingham on March 16, 1977.
Frank Pellegrini is the detective who works with the Child Victims Investigative Unit of the Detroit Police Department. He is assigned to this case, and it's clear that he obsesses over it. H. Burns builds a very suspenseful story in The Dark Gray Blanket based on an actual true local crime. The fact that Mr. Burns is familiar with the area and the crimes becomes very clear throughout this fictionalized version of the events.
I really appreciated that the author's intentions behind this novel is that he has a goal to make donations to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in remembrance of the victims. Very impressive!
I received an copy of this book from Smith Publicity in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to provide a positive review and this affected neither my opinion of the book, nor the content of my review. Thank you so much Smith Publicity!!
This historical psychological thriller deals with the murders of young children during the winters of 1976 and 1977 in Detroit, Michigan. The author shares the events surrounding this horrific crime that took place within mere miles of his family's home. His daughters were the same age as two of the victims. Even more alarming to the author is the fact that the last victim was found less than three miles from his peaceful family home.
During a 13-month period, four children were abducted and murdered and their bodies left in various locations within the same county. All of the children were held captive anywhere from 4 to 19 days before they were ultimately killed. At the time, the investigation that ensued was one of the largest in the history of the United States. The murders are still unsolved.
This story is interesting because it is part true crime and part fiction. The true details of the Oakland County Child Killer crimes are these: The first victim was Mark Stebbins, a 12 year old boy from Ferndale who was last seen on February 15, 1976. Next was Jill Robinson, 12, of Royal Oak who packed a bag and ran away from her home on December 22, 1976 after she had an argument with her mother. The third victim was Kristine Mihelich from Berkley, a 10 year old who was last seen January 2, 1977. The final victim was Timothy King, an 11 year old who left his home in Birmingham on March 16, 1977.
Frank Pellegrini is the detective who works with the Child Victims Investigative Unit of the Detroit Police Department. He is assigned to this case, and it's clear that he obsesses over it. H. Burns builds a very suspenseful story in The Dark Gray Blanket based on an actual true local crime. The fact that Mr. Burns is familiar with the area and the crimes becomes very clear throughout this fictionalized version of the events.
I really appreciated that the author's intentions behind this novel is that he has a goal to make donations to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in remembrance of the victims. Very impressive!
I received an copy of this book from Smith Publicity in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to provide a positive review and this affected neither my opinion of the book, nor the content of my review. Thank you so much Smith Publicity!!
January 11, 2018
Overall, I rather enjoyed this book. I liked Frank as a character with his constant pursuit of justice and that he always went with his gut feeling and trusted his instincts. I felt that the story was a little weak in the second chapter because it was basically just a history lesson about Detroit and not much storyline (if you like history, then you would really enjoy this chapter). But as soon as I got past the second chapter, I was in it till the end, adventuring along with Frank in his pursuit of the serial killer and solving the crimes! And the constant thought in the back of your head on why Frank chooses to take on the cases of children being murdered....what happened to him that makes him want/need to solve these cases and how does he do it while keeping his emotions in check?
January 24, 2018
The book started out very hard for me to get into. There were a lot of historical facts about Detroit in the beginning. Some of it was interesting information, but I ended up skipping a lot of it to get to the story.
I feel like the story could have used some work, but overall, it was a good thriller.
December 5, 2017
This needs MAJOR work! Not just the formatting problems with the ebook (words run together)...the writing is painfully amateurish in many places; the early, lengthy, “history lessons” throw off continuity; the ending is almost incomprehensible.
March 8, 2018
This book is a fiction story based on a true crime. I really enjoyed this book. I loved the way the author tied in the fiction characters to the story line. And really loved the unexpected twist. However. Duh duh duh duh... It was very slow in parts. I really struggled to get through the valleys although the peaks were fantastic. I would like to thank Smith Publicity for the opportunity to read this book.
January 12, 2018
This story just sucks you right into it so much you don't want to stop! It is about a serial killer who buries its bodies in snowbanks. The saddest part is all the victims are either pre-teenage or teenagers. Frank Frank Pellegrini is a detective who obesses over this case. He cannot let it go! You feel his emotions and you cannot help but cheer him on his quest. This story is based on actual events that happened. NOW that is really scary! I would like to thank Smith Publicity for a hard copy of this book. I voluntarily reviewed it and the review is of my own opinion. Look out James Patterson and the like....a new "kid:" is in town and knows his stuff!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews