Two Halves, One Brian

Just two besties pretending to be literary critics (AKA we like to rant)

No Memory for Murder: The Incredible Story of a Sadistic Murder in Halifax’s Point Pleasant Park by Blain Henshaw

Book Stats

  • Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley
  • Publication Date: May 12, 2026
  • Format: ebook
  • Chapters: 19 plus epilogue
  • Narrator POV: Told from the perspective of the journalist writing the story
  • Rating: 4/5

No Memory for Murder is the first non-fiction work I’ve read in a while. I have loved everything true crime since I was a small child, but, for some reason, it’s difficult for a true crime novel to hold my attention. I believe that this was not the case for this story because it wasn’t one I had heard of previously.

No Memory for Murder tells the story of Jimmy Odo and the two brutal murders he was connected to in Halifax. In 1975, Jimmy was charged with the brutal slaying of fourteen-year-old Tony Cluett. In 1981, he was again charged, this time with the bludgeoning death of his ex-girlfriend’s five-year-old daughter, Darlene Davidson.

This story follows both cases and examines the flawed justice and parole systems that allowed Jimmy access to commit the crimes he did. Henshaw provides a chilling and thorough account of the life of Jimmy, both before he was accused of these crimes and after. Without this work of art, this case would likely be lost to the archives. A brief Google search brings up very little.

Henshaw brings us facts in an unbiased manner, allowing us to form our own thoughts and opinions on the twisted inner workings of Odo’s mind. I quite liked the way Henshaw wrote this novel. He didn’t spare any details, but it wasn’t written in a way that bored me to tears.

If you like true crime and have an interest in how a man could lie his way out of a conviction for a brutal slaying, only to go on to commit another, this story is for you. Odo’s story is a sad one, but not sadder than that of his victims. This is a case I will be thinking about for a while.

Two Halves, One Brian

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4 responses to “No Memory for Murder: The Incredible Story of a Sadistic Murder in Halifax’s Point Pleasant Park by Blain Henshaw”

  1. Karen Thorne Avatar
    Karen Thorne

    It was only in 2018 I was able to return to Point Pleasant Park after Tony was murdered. It was a difficult journey. Tony spent the summer prior to his death with us in East Chezzetcook., NS where I grew up. He was a great nephew to my Step Father and it was a sad night when Mom called us together to tell us of Tony’s murder. I still feel sick when I recall this awful memory & am unsure if I will be able to read this book or not. There came to be even more connections to Tony as the years went on.

    Reply
    1. Two Halves, One Brian Avatar
      Two Halves, One Brian

      Karen, I am so sorry for your loss. As someone not connected in any way to the case, the people, or the area, the details were tough to stomach. It sounds like you lived enough of it not to have to read the details in this book. I will say that it felt tastefully written if you do decide to attempt it, but it might make you angry at the justice system if you read and have to relive it.

      Reply
  2. Denise Avatar
    Denise

    My father was a detective on this case. It changed him forever.

    Reply
    1. Two Halves, One Brian Avatar
      Two Halves, One Brian

      Just reading the details was difficult; I can’t imagine the toll it took on your father as a detective on the case! They truly do such hard work and carry heavy responsibility in that role.

      Reply

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