No Memory for Murder: New book by former ATV journalist explores two brutal Halifax homicides

Author Blain Henshaw discusses his new book ‘No Memory For Murder’ – a true-crime story based in Halifax.

Nova Scotia author Blain Henshaw spent over a quarter century in broadcasting, including decades on air as a crime and political reporter for ATV. His latest book tells the true story of Jimmy Odo, a Halifax man connected to two killings in the city almost 50 years ago.

Henshaw says “No Memory for Murder” is both a true crime story and a tragedy.

“Two young people, innocent young people, lost their lives, were murdered. One was Tony Cluett, he was 14 years of age from Spryfield. And the second one was Darlene Davidson, she was only five years of age, so it’s a tragic story right from the start,” he told CTV News at 5’s Maria Panopalis.

“And even the life story of Jimmy Odo, who was convicted of the second murder, it was pretty dark. His life had not been pleasant.”

Odo testified that while he didn’t remember the killings, he lied to avoid being convicted for Cluett’s murder.

The teen was found strung up crucifixion-style in Point Pleasant Park in 1974.

Henshaw’s book also explores “a flawed parole system” that granted early release to Odo, who was a convicted sex offender.

“The parole system in this country, it needs some work, it needed work then in 1981,” he said.

“People who should be treated in a different way, by a different way I mean they should be treated as someone who is sick, with mind sickness, they should be treated in a different way. In a lot of cases, they are free to go, and they commit other crimes when they need more treatment.”

While “No Memory for Murder” hit book shelves this week, Henshaw first wrote it in back in 1981 while working as a court reporter during Odo’s trial for Davidson’s murder.

Henshaw says his daughter was the same age as the victim, who was bludgeoned to death in Dartmouth, N.S. – a fact that weighed on him.

“I was working… covering the story on a daily basis, then I’d go home and after the kids settled down and got to bed, I’d work on the book until the wee hours of the morning. No computers then, I wrote it on a manual typewriter, believe it or not,” he said.

A jury found Odo guilty of Davidson’s murder and he was sentenced to life in prison.

The book, which explores both cases, took about a year to finish and was the first Henshaw wrote.

“At the time I was writing it I didn’t know if I’d be able to finish a book or not, so I never approached a publisher. I wanted to write the book first, because you’d never go in and buy a car with just the steering wheel, you want the whole thing,” he said.

“I said, I’ll write the book, if I finish it, I’ll try and get it published. If I can’t finish it, I’ll just give up. So I did get the book finished and I remember the morning I finished it, it was about six in the morning, I’d been writing all night… and it was like I had just been climbing Mount Everest. It was a big climb.”

Henshaw adds that while he rewrote the book many times, he never gave up on it.

“And if there’s any advice I would give a new writer, or a young writer, or an old writer, it’s don’t give up,” he said.

“Believe in what you’ve written. If you believe in it, it’ll find its way. It might take a few years!”

Henshaw will host an official book launch for “No Memory for Murder” at Indigo in Bayers Lake in Halifax on May 29.

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