Blood Cove

Raymond J Belcourt’s novel follows an eighteen-century Romanian man transformed into a vampire who struggles with uncontrollable bloodlust. He journeys across Europe seeking vengeance and then searches for a childhood sweetheart before crossing the Atlantic Ocean. His long life includes work as a fur trader, helping to construct Casa Loma in Toronto, and supplying liquor to Al Capone during Prohibition. By 1980, he works as a teacher in the small British Columbia town of Blood Cove. There, he kidnaps a young Haida boy to use as a blood source. The entire town, supported by Haida folklore spirits, attempts to solve the disappearance. The vampire remains unaware that a forgotten enemy has hunted him through all his travels, leading to an inevitable confrontation. This narrative blends historical fiction with supernatural horror. It draws on Romanian vampire lore, Canadian history including the building of Casa Loma, and American Prohibition era gangster culture. The story also incorporates Haida folklore traditions. Belcourt structures the plot across centuries, moving from Eastern Europe to North America. Readers who enjoy long-spanning vampire tales that mix historical events with mythic elements will appreciate this work. Those seeking short, contemporary urban horror may find the pacing too slow or the historical details too dense.