Blood Kin (Pinnacle Horror) [Paperback]

Ronald Kelly (Author)

Book Description

Series: Pinnacle Horror | Publication Date: May 1, 2001

The vampire curse of the Craven family is reborn, and the inhabitants of the backwoods town of Green Hollow, Tennessee, encounter unexpected horror as a bride turns on her husband, a pet rat develops a murderous streak, and an insane preacher slaughters his congregation. Original.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 381 pages
• Publisher: Pinnacle (May 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 078601413X
• ISBN-13: 978-0786014132
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #144,466 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Tennessee Gothic!, May 9, 2001

By 

Eric L. Hoheisel (Haslett, Mi United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Blood Kin (Pinnacle Horror) (Paperback)

The vampires in this book are frightening, supernatural monsters; in other words this is not Anne Rice. Ronald Kelly does a particularly good job here of evoking the culture of rural Tennessee, and also creates sympathetic, three dimensional characters to be menaced by the [vampires]. If you like fast paced horror you could do much worse than this. Recommended for fans of Richard Laymon and Ruby Jean Jensen.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Down home vamps, May 25, 2002

By 

mellion108 (Michigan, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Blood Kin (Pinnacle Horror) (Paperback)

I cracked a big grin in the first few pages of this novel. I grew up at the base of the Smokies, and I have very fond memories of "home." Kelly sets his vamp novel up in these mountains and populates it with some interesting, quirky, heroic, and creepy characters. I could almost hear these characters through the dialogue. These are mean, ruthless vamps; not the wimpy, whiny ones that seem to abound in today's vampire stories.

Nearly 100 years ago, local preacher Josiah Craven was up to no good. He was already a cad in real life, but then he stumbled upon a creature who seduced and bit him, and his sinning really began. His family knew it, but it wasn't so easy to convince the locals who adored Craven. When he "accidentally" dies, his wife and children insist on burying him with the broken stalk of a bean pole imbedded in his chest. They think they've put to rest the evil creature Josiah had become. Now, Grandpappy Craven is unearthed by his great-grandson and sets out to wreak the havoc denied to him a century ago.

There's a slew of great characters in this novel. Boyd Andrews becomes the reluctant hero of the tale. He's been busy trying to kick his drinking habit so he can win back his wife and kids. Dud Craven is the not-so-bright grandson who becomes Grandpappy's lackey. Wendell Craven is the stern preacher who encounters Grandpappy and then begins to create a congregation of a different kind. His wife, Tammy, is the mousy, bookish woman who discovers some hidden strengths in some very scary moments. Caleb Vanleer is the rugged mountain man who has spent the last couple of decades trying to remember some very scary moments in a remote cave of Vietnam. Put 'em all together, and you get a really fun story that makes up for in excitement what it might lack in depth.


This isn't meant to be a thought-provoking moral tale. But it is fun, and I read the book quickly because I wanted to find out what happened next. I eagerly await the chance to read FEAR, another Kelly novel that is in my to-be-read pile. If you like vampires, and if you want something fun and quick to read, pick up BLOOD KIN. Then sit back, smell the mountain air, and let the carnage begin!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars RONALD KELLY DOES IT AGAIN!, July 23, 2002

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Blood Kin (Paperback)

Discovered Ronald Kelly when I picked up his book "Fear" on a whim and just loved it. Just got done reading "Blood Kin" and couldn't put it down. I normally don't enjoy vampire novels because they are usually slow and uninteresting. Ronald Kelly keeps your interest in this book because it is fast paced and bloody and you never get bored!
If you like Ann Rice's writing this book is not for you...
If you like a fast read with alot of action and blood you will enjoy Blood Kin!!
Would highly recommend his other books if you like horror!