Deadly Decisions (Chivers Sound Library)

Rating:
Summary: FORENSIC THRILLS OF THE FIRST ORDER
Review: Forensic anthropologist, Tempe Brennan, has always taken her feelings out of her work, this case is different. The death of a nine year-old girl, caught in the crossfire of rival biker gangs, sends Tempe on a mission...bring the killers to justice.

As Tempe begins her case she will be thrust into a dark world, where every truth in masked in a lie. As her case takes shape, she will find the skeleton of a missing teenager, a young girl who was running with the bike gangs. She will also confront awful truths about her friend Andrew, who has disappeared after being wanted by the police. Using her forensic skills, and some of the latest technology, Tempe, must solve this puzzle, and catch the killers, before the next death is her own.

"Deadly Decisions" is a first rate forensic's thriller. The pace is fast, the plot is complex, and the writing, top-notch.

Kathy Reichs has created a character who stomps on "Scarpetta" territory, and more than gets a way with it. Fans of well-written, suspense novels should dive into this one.

A MUST read!

Nick Gonnella

Rating:
Summary: Just average
Review: I enjoyed Kathy Reichs first Tempe Brennan books Deja Dead and Death Du Jour. Tempe Brennan was a welcome change from Kay Scarpetta, a strong, well written character and warmer character, with lots of potential for growth in character and her relationships. Unfortunately that doesn't happen here. Although the forensics were interesting, there were long boring sections of lectures masquerading as conversations, particularly the 9 pages of blood splatter theory. This is a bit of overkill for the average reader like myself. I also found the motorcycle gang storyline quite confusing with names thrown out and no characters to attach them to. Tempe's character appears to be changing too. She makes one incredibly stupid decision to go to a biker bar in the middle of the night, that served as nothing more than a way to bring a character who had been absent throughout most of the book back into the storyline however briefly. And the identity of the person in her office who may be an informant is so blatant and obvious, when she finally catches on, you wonder what took her so long. Brennan is also beginning to whine a bit, in the Scarpetta mode, with everyone she works with seeming to be against her or unwilling to work with her. It is also very strange that everyone in her family seems to draw crime to them like a magnet. One of the most boring parts of the book were conversations between characters that were word for word restatments of information already relayed to the reader. Here's hoping that Fatal Voyage is better, since I had already purchased it, or the title may become a self fulfilling prophecy for me and Tempe Brennan.

Rating:
Summary: It's O.K.
Review: I read Ms. Reich's first two novels, Deja Dead and Death DuJour. I was interested to learn about forensic anthropologists, found the stories exciting, and thought the personal relationship development between the characters of Tempe Brennan and Andrew Ryan, was well done. However, this third novel left me a little disappointed.

Ms. Reich did a good job of introducing all of the returning characters for those new to her books and without overkill for those familiar with them. However, for the third time to have a mystery connected to her roots in the Carolinas was unbelievable and for the third time to have her best friend or a family member directly involved with the crime and/or danger was unbelievable. So many recounts of Tempe returning phone calls, exercising, fixing dinner, and French geographical references became tedious. The developments (or lack thereof) with Tempe and Andrew were o.k., but left me hanging and annoyed at the end.

I'll probably read book #4, but mostly to find out what happens with Andrew Ryan and with hope that the next story will get back to more anthropology details. I like Ms. Reich's characters and the plots are varied and interesting. I hope she keeps writing.

Rating:
Summary: The biker gangs of Quebec
Review: In "Déjà Dead" Dr. Tempe Brennan tried to solve the murders of several prostitutes that were left for dead in Montreal's red-light district. In "Death du Jour" Tempe investigated a series of bizarre murders by religious cults in Quebec and in the Carolinas. In this third installment of Kathy Reichs' series, Tempe becomes immersed into the biker circuit of Montreal. Quebec has long been a haven for biker gangs. Outside of the California Bay Area, Quebec is the North American area with the highest number of Hells Angels chapters and in the years leading to the publication of this year-2000 novel, home to the biggest biker turf war in the world. When several biker-related shooting deaths occur in the same week (including the accidental death of a nine-year old girl) Brennan and the Sûreté du Québec begin investigating and drawing leads from several biker gangs including The Rock Machine, The Heathens and The Vipers, a Hells Angels Puppet club. In the midst of these investigations Tempe receives a surprise visit from her nephew Kit, who moves in with her temporarily. But is Kit's visit really attributed to Auntie love and wanting to see Montreal sites? Or is it that Kit's undying love of the Harley Davidson has made him some questionable new friends?

The tone set by Deadly Décisions is quite different than that of its predecessors. This time Reichs is less interested in providing the viewers with hands-on academic knowledge of forensic and medical procedures instead giving us a fast-paced and action-packed mystery thriller that focuses more on its characters. The usual suspects are here; Claudel, Charbonneau and Ryan but the novel most benefits from the addition of Kit, Tempe's visiting nephew from Texas. Kit likes to indulge in the usual 19 year old pleasures like girls, drinking, partying, rock music, sony playstation, etc. but possesses a Southern charm and gentleman manners that are most endearing. It was also great to see Tempe for once finally place some of her trust in discussing her case with a personal acquaintance, and Kit being able to help due to his wealth of knowledge on motorcycles. Reich's descriptions of the structure of outlaw motorcycle clubs is highly entertaining and very well researched as she explores some of the connections between the "big four", The Hells Angels, The Outlaws, The Bandidos, The Pagans, and their many sub-clubs.

All of Deadly Décisions takes place in and around Montreal and as usual Reichs delivers a hands-on crash course of this French Canadian city's sites and culture for the unitiated. A native Montrealer, I couldn't help but marvel at the accurate portrayal of the city, especially the East-Side and Rue Hochelaga which has long been a nest of biker gangs and biker bars. However although Reichs obviously knows the city very well, it does show sometimes that she is a transplanted American and not a "pure laine" member of La Belle Province. For one, French Canadians do not say "Chien Chaud" when ordering a hot-dog. They might in France but not in Quebec. Also, any Montrealer the least bit familiar with the province's huge biker circuit will be able to tell you that there are a lot more of these clubs in neighbourhoods such as NDG or Côte-des-neiges than in St-Basile-Le-Grand. I also found it strange that Reichs failed to mention anything about Satan's Choice, who were Quebec's second largest biker gang before losing a well-publicized turf war against the Hells Angels in the later part of the 1990's.

I found Reich's third item in her series to make for truly fast and compulsive reading. I must admit to being quite surprised at the low reviewer rating this novel has and the opinion of many fans of this being the weakest entry in Reichs' series. Instead of sending the reader on a wild goose chase of improbable coincidences and links like she did in "Death Du Jour" Reichs keeps it straightforward and the results are highly entertaining.

Rating:
Summary: Another Engrossing Outing for Tempe Brennan
Review: Kathy Reichs third Tempe Brennan mystery, following Deja Dead and Death du Jour, keeps to the same successful formula--engrossing plot, detailed forensics description, involving character development, and a slam-bang climax. In the previous books, Reichs' protagonist has taken on serial killers and killer cults; in this book, forensic anthropologist Tempe Brennan's services are needed to help police put an end to deadly warring between biker gangs in Montreal. It seems the bikers are Montreal's answer to America's "wiseguys." Always acting as a voice for the innocents who are victimized, Brennan this time also has to keep her headstrong, motorcycle-obsessed nephew out of harm's way while solving the mystery surrounding the bizarre actions of her significant other, Detective Andrew Ryan. A great read, leaving fans looking forward to a fourth outing.

Rating:
Summary: Hell's Angels A La Montreal
Review: When I read both of Kathy Reichs earlier Tempe Brennan stories I enjoyed them very much. However, something in the cover blurb for "Deadly Decision" put me off though, and I postponed buying it. A rash of negative reviews on Amazon reinforced this, and I only decided to read this book at last because the next in the series, "Fatal Voyage," is now out and I wanted to catch up. While "Deadly Decisions" isn't Reich's best, it is still a well told story. This is the inevitable plight of good writers that reviewers often over-react when their quality dips. I've done this myself.

The book turns on Tempe Brennan's reactions to the accidental killing of a 9 year old girl during a motorcycle gang killing. She feels so strongly that she volunteers to be the Forensic Lab's liaison with the police team working on motorcycle gang crime, called Carcajou. As a forensic anthropologist she is asked to help with the discovery of an old gang slaying site and in doing so also turns up the skull and crossbones of another young girl. These remains lead her to gang activities back in North Carolina. Tempe is drawn into a complex, deadly game with high powered, deadly opponents.

Tempe is devastated when her lover, Detective Andrew Ryan, is arrested for complicity in the drug deals and illicit trade of the gangs. Another blow comes when her nephew Kit is also drawn into the gang lifestyle by a newscaster, Lyle Crease, who is also extremely interested in Tempe's laboratory findings. There is yet another gang-style killing which arouses the anthropologist's suspicions that all is not well. Now Tempe finds herself in conflict on all sides, with gang members, Kit, and even other members of Operation Carcajou. She finds herself in danger as well, as the action mounts towards a graveside confrontation of awesome dimensions.

I found Reichs' writing up to her usual standard; terse, yet full of the details that make the forensic genre one of the most fascinating of the police procedurals. There is also a wealth of information on the operation of motorcycle gangs in Canada and the United States. Characterization is good as well. Reichs takes the time to breathe life into characters that many other writers would leave two dimensional. It is this and the fine details that make Kathy Reichs a successful writer.

I do have some reservations, though. As other reviewers have pointed out Reichs has settled into a formula of part Montreal, part North Carolina with a dash of family involvement. This is the third such story. While it is not blatant, it becomes noticeable if her novels are read rapidly, one right after another. Another thing that irritated me a bit was Tempe's knack for doing stupid things under pressure. This makes her look weak at critical moments, and introduces plot elements that are not really necessary. Yet, even with these flaws, this is a good, eminently readable novel. One that turned out much better than I had been led to expect.