Cameryn's Murder In 'Circle Of Blood'

Cameryn, the main protagonist in the Circle of Blood must solve a who done it mystery explaining the events of a young girls death. Cameryn assistant to the Coroner must deal with countless of issues concerning her livelihood and personal agendas. I wanted Cameryn’s box to be representative of the issues and struggles she faced throughout the novel. Cameryn is always yearning for a chance to work, so she is always surrounded by blood. I wanted to portray the Colorado snow covered in blood to show the seriousness of the cases she dealt with. Cameryn handles the blood of many Jane does passing through the coroner, thus blood is a significant detail in her and everyone's life. The main theme is the novel is mystery which Cameryn must deal with throughout the novel.

My second item in the memory box is a camera. When Cameryn arrives to a case, she always takes many photos that may help solve the mystery. Every detail is on Cameryn's camera meaning there is no privacy. Cameryn states, “There is no privacy in death” 115. When the, “suicidal,” baby doe is brought with a bullet in her head, the coroner team wanted to find the bullet's trajectory. In order to find the trajectory you must do a brain bucket. My third item is a brain, an important organ can lead to an important decision, homicide or suicide. The brain represents how everyone can be broken down after they have died. I believe it’s a message to not push people to their breaking point because they will fall apart. Cameryn finally states,”I truly felt sorry for baby doe” 126. My next item is a picture of her partener Justin Crowley. Cameryn having lovelife is never her goal in the novel. However Justin loves Cameryn and tries to make her see his “obvious” moves. Justin shows that even when times are stressful you can always make room for yourself. The next item will be a prescription bottle, a reminder of Cameryn;s mother, Hannah. Hannah is prescribed pills for Bipolar Disorder after being institutionalized for manslaughter of a minor. Hannah has just reapered into Cameryn's life giving Cameryn mixed emotions. Cameryn's father, Patrick never visits or speaks to Hannah after the incident with manslaughter. I believe Hannah represents the fears we don’t want to face in the moment. Patrick doesn’t want anything to do with Hannah, while Cameryn won't stop asking questions about her. Sooner or later Patrick must open up about Cameryn's mother. The most important case in the novel is the baby doe, suicide or murder. Cameryn is convinced it is a suicide, until the brain bucket shows otherwhile.

Earlier is the novel Cameryn and her mother encounter the baby doe by the name of Mariah. When Hannah is suspected of murdering the young girl, Cameryn sets out on a mission to prove her mother's innocence. Cameryn, after long days, figures out that ‘“Mariah” is a runaway fundamentalist polygamist/Mormon. If you runaway from the arranged marriage the punishment is usually death. I thought cameryn would keep a cross and bullets to remind her of the case between religion and death. Lastly, I would place a photo of Cameryn's murderous ex-boyfriend, Kyle, in the box. Kyle is on the run after being convicted of murdering their teacher in the previous novel (also mentioned in Circle of Blood) and almost murdering Cameryn when she solves the case. Kyle reenters into Cameryn's life in the very end of the novel,when she realizes the college professeur she has been email, has been Kyle all along. When emails coming in with, “I C U,” Cameryn looks outside her window to find out the college professor has been Kyle to whole time. I believe Kyle is symbolized to be the fears that we cannot escape from and that linger in the back of our

minds. After the last line, “In the drifting snow stood Kyle O’Neil” 236, the reader is left with many questions in the end of the novel.