Blood Warning: The true story of the New Orleans slasher [Hardcover]

John Dillmann (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 11, 1989

1st edition hardcover,

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Dillmann's third classic police procedural (after Unholy Matrimony ) describes another real case, although some of the characters have been given fictitious names. A signal over the car radio informs veteran New Orleans detective John Dillmann that a murder has occurred; it is a crime of sensational violence that will be the most difficult case of his career. A few days after the murder of William Hines Jr., a gentle, much-loved proofreader for the New Orleans Times Picayune , there's another homicide, but this time the victim is black, an up-and-coming hotel executive who is young, not middle-aged. The only thing connecting the crimes is the modus operandi of the knife-wielding perpetrator. With Det. Fred Dantagnan and Patrolman John Reilly, Dillmann searches among the dregs of New Orleans society and finally comes up with a short list of unsavory suspects. How Dillmann sets about making the arrest, and how the murderer is finally brought to justice, make a riveting tale. A natural storyteller, Dillmann conveys considerable suspense--no mean trick when the story's a true one, already resolved. Literary Guild, Doubleday Book CLub and Mystery Guild alternates.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

This is the true story of two horrifying murders, told by the man who ultimately caught the killer. Dillman, a former New Orleans police detective and author of Unholy Matrimony ( LJ 11/1/86), has written a police procedural that grabs the reader almost instantly and does not let go. Dillman paints a picture of the gritty French Quarter and the people who populate it. His deep knowledge of the alleys and byways of New Orleans leads him to an informant who ultimately identifies the killer. Intermixed with the police work is Dillman's personal life, such as it is. He shows the impact of police work on families and the stresses such jobs cause. Written in a breezy, chatty fashion, this will be very popular. Highly recommended. Doubleday Book Club, Literary Guild, and Mystery Guild alternate selections. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 5/1/89.
- Sandra K. Lindheimer, Middlesex Law Lib., Cambridge, Mass.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 255 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Adult; 1St Edition edition (September 11, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399134859
• ISBN-13: 978-0399134852
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,818,608 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Catching a Killer, March 26, 2009

By 

Acute Observer (N. Jersey Shore) - See all my reviews

John Dillmann became the youngest homicide detective in New Orleans. He won the highest honor for bravery five times, and is now the head of a private investigation firm. This is the story of a psychopathic serial killer who left no clues, witnesses, or apparent motive. Names have been changed for privacy. On 11-26-80 Dillmann received a call for a murder. The victim was slashed to death, there was blood all over the apartment. This level of violence suggested emotional hatred. Two days later there was a similar slasher murder in a posh hotel. A guard provided a rough description of a running man. The chapters tell of the investigation. In fiction killers are shown to be clever, in real life they act on impulse to get money, drugs, sex, etc. (Chapter 9). Most of them brag about what they did, and the stories get around.

Dillmann and Reilly find their suspect and bring him in for questioning (Chapter 13). He confessed to the murder and provided incriminating details. Louisiana law allows the presiding judge to appoint a defense lawyer in a capital case for an indigent defendant. This case relied on a confession and lacked physical evidence (p.204). The expert witness for the defense said the defendant's use of drugs and alcohol made him vulnerable to suggestions. Chapter 15 has the testimony of the psychiatrist and a clinical coordinator at a hospital. The defendant's blood type did not match the blood found in the hotel room (p.225)! Did somebody mix up the blood samples? The judge delivered his verdict (Chapter 17).
This book lacks a Index, photographs, and map.