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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
Reeling from neurosurgery for a discovered brain aneurysm, her mothers cancer diagnosis and the decision to finally co-habitate with long time beau Andrew Ryan, everyones favourite forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan is back.
In this 19th edition of the series Tempe is shut out of a case that comes into the Charlotte lab by new chief medical examiner Dr. Margo Heavner also nick named Dr Morgue. But as usual that doesn't stop the tenacious Dr Brennan from forging on trying to solve the case herself. With the help of recently retired detective Skinny Slidell and some computer tips from her mother, Tempe begins to slowly unravel the mystery surrounding the man in the trench coat stalking outside her apartment. And how he's connected to several missing children, underground bunkers and the lurid world if internet child pornography. Forced to fall back on good old hard work as she doubts all of her conclusions and instincts while dealing with headaches and hallucinations repercussive of her aneurysm, we get to see a softer more conflicted side of the good doctor.
While I found the novel to start a bit slow and had to dig deep to remember some of the past events referenced in the beginning of the book due to the lapse of time between novels, Reichs still managed to engage me in the story and make me remember why she has always been one of my favorite authors. It was also nice to finally see Dr Brennan finally stop waffling over her relationship with Ryan and make a commitment.
In this 19th edition of the series Tempe is shut out of a case that comes into the Charlotte lab by new chief medical examiner Dr. Margo Heavner also nick named Dr Morgue. But as usual that doesn't stop the tenacious Dr Brennan from forging on trying to solve the case herself. With the help of recently retired detective Skinny Slidell and some computer tips from her mother, Tempe begins to slowly unravel the mystery surrounding the man in the trench coat stalking outside her apartment. And how he's connected to several missing children, underground bunkers and the lurid world if internet child pornography. Forced to fall back on good old hard work as she doubts all of her conclusions and instincts while dealing with headaches and hallucinations repercussive of her aneurysm, we get to see a softer more conflicted side of the good doctor.
While I found the novel to start a bit slow and had to dig deep to remember some of the past events referenced in the beginning of the book due to the lapse of time between novels, Reichs still managed to engage me in the story and make me remember why she has always been one of my favorite authors. It was also nice to finally see Dr Brennan finally stop waffling over her relationship with Ryan and make a commitment.
Very solid Reichs, like usual. The plot is interesting and the twists are keeping it engaging. Like a true Tempe story, we learn a lot of things along the way. I also think the subject matter is very accurate, with the rise of conspiracy theories and the increasing place theorists are taking on the public place. I flew through it, wanting to know what happened to the faceless man. Brennan is a bit untamable or careless with her health concerns and her lifestyle and it got a bit under my skin, but she states it herself and acknowledges it within the narration. I just felt like she did not give a s**t, but it's neither good or bad, just an observation. The only downside for me is that I thought there were too many acronyms within the writing. I would definitely recommend to anyone with an interest in medico-legal crime fiction!
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Kathy Reichs, and Simon & Schuster for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
After a long wait, Kathy Reichs is back from her hiatus with a new and exciting novel in the Temperance Brennan series. Fans will be happy to have the forensic anthropologist back, whose grit and gumption are even more heightened. After suffering a brain aneurysm that required surgical intervention, Temperance is on the mend and trying to find her feet. She is still contracted to work both in Montreal and Charlotte, but has not been working much. At home in Charlotte, Temperance has horrible dreams and witnesses a mysterious man along her property, but there is no one there when she makes her way outside. A week later, an odd text message arrives, with photos of a body, without head or limbs. Trying to get herself on the case, her new boss shuns her and demands that she stay away. They have a history, one in which Temperance has no doubt has led her her being ostracized. Deciding to do a little rogue work, Temperance works alongside an old colleague and discovers some odd pieces of evidence, including cryptic writing on some paper that includes her phone number. The case takes an odd twist as Temperance seeks to find out who the body was in those text photos, and where the body might have been found. Working as best she can, Temperance finds herself delving down into the dark web to find answers that may help. Her explorations lead to many conspiracy theories, as well as a few twists that could tie into a few missing children from years ago. Armed with her determination and pieces of the puzzle slowing coming together, Temperance uses her deductive reasoning to determine that there are some bad people on the loose, seeking to silence her before the aneurysm can do the same. A great new thriller in this captivating series, sure to impress readers as they find themselves in the middle of this intense novel. Recommended to those who love Reichs’ forensic anthropology stories, as well as the reader who wants something a little more mentally challenging in their mysteries.
I have been following Kathy Reichs through the Temperance Brennan series since the debut novel. While the books differ greatly from their television show spin-off, Reichs is able to present forensic anthropology in such a way that it is both entertaining and informative. As Reichs as readily admitted, she sometimes mirrors Brennan in her own experiences, which left me to wonder if the recent aneurysm development for the protagonist might explain why the delayed release of this book by two years might also be related to a similar medical issue. Brennan works through this medical hurdle effectively, showing off her rebellious side with increased intensity. Still sharp when it comes to solving mysteries, Brennan uses what tools she can to make sense of the situation before her. With little mention of others, save some minor updates for other familial characters, the focus is on Brennan and some of her stumbling blocks. Others help to complement her desire to overcome limitations, while also show that no brain aneurysm can stop her. In a story that sees Brennan working from the outside of the goldfish bowl, the reader is able to see how her field work and reliance on others help uncover one of the more disturbing cases of her career. I hope that there are other stories in the Temperance Brennan series before tying things off, as I have come to really enjoy all she has done and overcome in the years, especially when she makes her way to Canada!
Kudos, Madam Reichs, for a great return. I can only hope that you have some ideas to keep your fans from going stir-crazy.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons
After a long wait, Kathy Reichs is back from her hiatus with a new and exciting novel in the Temperance Brennan series. Fans will be happy to have the forensic anthropologist back, whose grit and gumption are even more heightened. After suffering a brain aneurysm that required surgical intervention, Temperance is on the mend and trying to find her feet. She is still contracted to work both in Montreal and Charlotte, but has not been working much. At home in Charlotte, Temperance has horrible dreams and witnesses a mysterious man along her property, but there is no one there when she makes her way outside. A week later, an odd text message arrives, with photos of a body, without head or limbs. Trying to get herself on the case, her new boss shuns her and demands that she stay away. They have a history, one in which Temperance has no doubt has led her her being ostracized. Deciding to do a little rogue work, Temperance works alongside an old colleague and discovers some odd pieces of evidence, including cryptic writing on some paper that includes her phone number. The case takes an odd twist as Temperance seeks to find out who the body was in those text photos, and where the body might have been found. Working as best she can, Temperance finds herself delving down into the dark web to find answers that may help. Her explorations lead to many conspiracy theories, as well as a few twists that could tie into a few missing children from years ago. Armed with her determination and pieces of the puzzle slowing coming together, Temperance uses her deductive reasoning to determine that there are some bad people on the loose, seeking to silence her before the aneurysm can do the same. A great new thriller in this captivating series, sure to impress readers as they find themselves in the middle of this intense novel. Recommended to those who love Reichs’ forensic anthropology stories, as well as the reader who wants something a little more mentally challenging in their mysteries.
I have been following Kathy Reichs through the Temperance Brennan series since the debut novel. While the books differ greatly from their television show spin-off, Reichs is able to present forensic anthropology in such a way that it is both entertaining and informative. As Reichs as readily admitted, she sometimes mirrors Brennan in her own experiences, which left me to wonder if the recent aneurysm development for the protagonist might explain why the delayed release of this book by two years might also be related to a similar medical issue. Brennan works through this medical hurdle effectively, showing off her rebellious side with increased intensity. Still sharp when it comes to solving mysteries, Brennan uses what tools she can to make sense of the situation before her. With little mention of others, save some minor updates for other familial characters, the focus is on Brennan and some of her stumbling blocks. Others help to complement her desire to overcome limitations, while also show that no brain aneurysm can stop her. In a story that sees Brennan working from the outside of the goldfish bowl, the reader is able to see how her field work and reliance on others help uncover one of the more disturbing cases of her career. I hope that there are other stories in the Temperance Brennan series before tying things off, as I have come to really enjoy all she has done and overcome in the years, especially when she makes her way to Canada!
Kudos, Madam Reichs, for a great return. I can only hope that you have some ideas to keep your fans from going stir-crazy.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons
adventurous
funny
sad
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I have enjoyed this series but for some reason this one just didn't excite me as much, not sure why.
Tempe is having problems with her new boss and is basically shut out of a case she feels she should be working on and also questions her boss's results. She then decides to figure it out on her own. She gets her cop buddy 'Skinny' to help her out. He keeps telling her not to do certain things that he will take care of it but she does anyway and gets in over her head. She has an aneurism and everyone keeps checking on her and it is really frustrating for her. She wonders whether some of the things she is going thru is because of her condition or something else.
The mystery involves a sleazy shock jock, a faceless man, underground bunkers, and missing children. She thinks finding the identity of the man who was killed is linked to a cold case of a child who is missing. Along the way she gets beat up and her home is set on fire.
It was a bit convoluted and not quite the usual more science based story.
Tempe is having problems with her new boss and is basically shut out of a case she feels she should be working on and also questions her boss's results. She then decides to figure it out on her own. She gets her cop buddy 'Skinny' to help her out. He keeps telling her not to do certain things that he will take care of it but she does anyway and gets in over her head. She has an aneurism and everyone keeps checking on her and it is really frustrating for her. She wonders whether some of the things she is going thru is because of her condition or something else.
The mystery involves a sleazy shock jock, a faceless man, underground bunkers, and missing children. She thinks finding the identity of the man who was killed is linked to a cold case of a child who is missing. Along the way she gets beat up and her home is set on fire.
It was a bit convoluted and not quite the usual more science based story.
This is the 19th book in the series, it can be read as a standalone as I have not read some of the preceding books as I was to upset by the T.V series (Bones) ending! But the Temperance Brennan hole in my life was just too great and so I decided to dive back in.
Overall, the plot was absorbing and exciting. I thought it was well written and love the characters direct nature which means interactions with others are amusing and also helped the plot to move quicker.
This novel felt a lot more like a private detective working the case alongside the police that the way the books used to read but I don’t feel that this takes away anything it just maybe felt a little slower paced in the first few chapters.
It was also fascinating to read the authors note at the end where we find out that the author has gone through similar experiences recently, a fact that really shines through in the detail writing.
Overall, the plot was absorbing and exciting. I thought it was well written and love the characters direct nature which means interactions with others are amusing and also helped the plot to move quicker.
This novel felt a lot more like a private detective working the case alongside the police that the way the books used to read but I don’t feel that this takes away anything it just maybe felt a little slower paced in the first few chapters.
It was also fascinating to read the authors note at the end where we find out that the author has gone through similar experiences recently, a fact that really shines through in the detail writing.
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes