Blood and Circumstance

The pretrial interview sessions between a killer and a doctor create an intricate tale of murder, mercy, and madness.Joel Stabler takes the life of his beloved brother Danny in what appears to be a mercy killing. When Joel’s lawyers assign a psychologist to determine his sanity at the time of the shooting, the full story of the brothers’ past — and long family history of mental illness — begins to unfold.

Told entirely through Joel’s pre-trial interview sessions with Dr. Andrews, Blood and Circumstance takes on the argument of nature versus nurture, closely examining the factors that prompted this murder. And as Joel responds to the doctor’s probing questions, he, in turn, begins to evaluate the doctor, stealing glimpses of his notes and speculating about his personal life. Listening in on their conversations, it becomes less and less clear whom to trust, what is certain, and where the truth actually lies.

With his signature prose and unwavering attention to detail, Frank Turner Hollon’s latest achievement examines the uncertain search for identity through the crisscrossing paths of blood and circumstance.