DEJA DEAD: A NOVEL CASSETTE : A Novel

Rating:
Summary: Great read - hooked from page 1
Review: I really enjoyed this book - I don't read crime books much, but this one was laced with authenticity, anglo/french male/female competition in the workplace, and of course gory details. I enjoyed the fact that the novel was set in Canada, Reichs managed to convey a different 'feel' to the storyline (much different to English or US novels). I look forward to Reichs' next book!

Rating:
Summary: Very good characters and sense of place-hard to put down
Review: I very much enjoyed this book. It was hard to put down since there were so many twists. The characters were very believable, and the author's sense of Montréal and Montréalers was excellent. I hope that she continues to write more mysteries like this one.

Rating:
Summary: Top Rate!! A must-read for mystery lovers!!
Review: Kathy Reichs grips her audience with the first chapter of Deja Dead and doesn't let go until the end. She mixes her expertise as a forensic anthropologist with a great story and the combination makes for a most delightful read. If you like Patricia Cornwell, you'll LOVE Kathy Reichs.

Rating:
Summary: not bad for a first book
Review: This book is filled with all the gore of a forensic mystery but the dialogue is often forced, and unnaturally witty. I couldn't get into, or feel, for the character as I did with Kay Scarpetta. Unfortunately, Reichs has the misfortune of having to live up to Cornwell.

Rating:
Summary: suspenseful and interesting mystery
Review: Kethy Reichs has called upon her own experiences as a forensic anthropologist to write this novel set in Quebec. Tempe Brennan is a determined, professional investigator, even without the support of the police. She's called to investigate the brutal dismemberments of several women. The deeper Tempe digs, the closer the murderer seems to get - to Tempe, to her longtime friend Gabby, to her daughter. The story is good, but the writing is stilted at times, particularly during conversations between Tempe and other key characters. The plot either races or limps along, and the ending is somewhat abrupt, as though Reichs knew she had to wrap things up soon or lose the reader's interest. All in all, though, the book is good. Reichs has entered Patricia Cornwell's arena, but she's not quite ready to compete at Cornwell's level. If you like Patricia cornwell, then skip Deja Dead, but if you haven't read any of Cornwell's work you might enjoy Kathy Reichs. If you do, it makes a nice warm-up act to Cornwell's Postmortem.

Rating:
Summary: Stick to the story
Review: This is a reasonable attempt at a first novel. The story was good and the author was at her best when giving us the gruesome details of the autopsies. Unfortunately her awkward attempt at trying to work every Montreal landsite and idiosyncrasy into the book wore me down real quick and almost destroyed the book completely. It was written like she'd spent a week there once and thought it would provide a nice backdrop to her book. Anyone wanting an excellent novel with the real Montreal in the background should check out Barney's Version. With a new editor I'd give Reichs' inevitable sequel a "one more chance" read.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent reading for those who enjoy the (gory) details.
Review: Kathy Reichs is a forensic anthropologist in her real life. She also has a talent for putting her passion for her work into words. Because her writing comes from her actual experiences, it has a reality factor that is not usually found in murder mystery novels. You will enjoy this book more if you have a penchant for the gory details of the activities of a forensic pathologist working with real police in real murder scenarios. This is not a book for the weak hearted. Kathy mixes in some extraordinary verbal tours of Montreal with the facts which makes for excellent pacing of the action sequences. I enjoyed it a lot.

Rating:
Summary: Deja Dead or Deja Vu
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed Deja Dead but kept wondering if Kathy Reichs and Patricia Cornwell are one and the same person. Tempe Brennan was an intriguing character, rather more ballsy (and slob like) than the elegant and refined Kay Scarpetta. Being a fan of Kinsey Milhone and V.I. Warshawski I enjoyed the wryness of Tempe. I also enjoyed learning a little about Canada's history and politics. Most books I read are either British or American so this made a pleasant change. I actually read this book in a day, so absorbed did I become, and was therefore most disappointed that I did not have any other books to carry on with. I look forward to any future books Ms. Reichs may come up with.

Rating:
Summary: Hurry up, I want another!
Review: Great book! I could not put this one down. She will give Patricia Cornwell something to chase after. Keep them coming Kathy.

Rating:
Summary: Author's background made Brennen predictable
Review: Yes, like the others who reviewed this book, I liked it. And yes, Tempe Brennen can be called Kay Scarpetta's equal. However, in the creating of this character, Kathy Riechs showed no imagination. She is a pathologist for NC and Montreal, and so is Tempe. And many other details were the same as well. Yes, the book was good, in fact, I liked it quite a bit. However, knowing that the writing of this charcter was not much of a literary stretch for Kathy Riechs, reduced the literary value in my mind. In short, the twists were good, the plot was good, but unlike Patricia Cornwell, Riechs did not take any chances when it came to her character. That I didn't like at all.