Ancient evil comes in many forms…

School principal Emily Taylor is caught up in the inexplicable disappearances of two well-known women and the violence linked to a disputed land claim.

When the legendary Walking Bear appears, she must also deal with the resurrection of an ancient legend and the terrified and unnerved villagers of the sleepy town of Burchill.

Once again, Emily is drawn into the unknown and must battle her own secret demons and fears. Only then can she unravel these mysteries—before there is more bloodshed.

Phyllis Smallman Author of the Sherri Travis Mysteries: "With a clash of cultures, greed, and secrets, Victim will keep you out of the woods for a long time to come."

Donna Carrick, author of The First Excellence: "A disappearance...a Native legend...a murder...a terrific read!"

Don Graves, The Hamilton Spectator: "A deftly conceived, multilayered story told with a compassionate voice…The plot leads you to a conclusion with skillfully planted clues, employs a sense of the setting so real that the reader feels a part of the place and uses dialogue that reveals the minds and souls of the characters in it. Victim will linger in your mind long after you've closed the book…a gifted piece of writing."

Rosemary Aubert, author of the Ellis Portal mystery series: "VICTIM, by Catherine Astolfo, is an enjoyable, engaging read—a fine book full of suspense with lively, and intriguing characters. This is good, strong, clear writing that keeps the reader waiting for more. Along with a complex mystery, there's even a few sensual love scenes and a darling dog! Best of all—the mystery at the heart of this story seamlessly combines Aboriginal myths and legends with a precise rendering of small-town Canadian manners and mores. VICTIM is original, sensitive and satisfying."

AUTHOR BIO:
Catherine is a past President of Crime Writers of Canada and a Derrick Murdoch Award winner (2012). She was a Zonta Club 2012 Nominee for Women of Achievement.

Writing is Catherine’s passion. She can recall inventing fantasy stories for her classmates in Grade Three. Her short stories and poems have been published in a number of literary Canadian presses. In 2005, she won a Brampton Arts Award. Her short stories won the Bloody Words Short Story Award (second and first) in 2009 and 2010. She won the prestigious Arthur Ellis Best Short Crime Story Award in 2012.