Rating: 
Summary: Great Beginning than Slows Down Fast
Review: The first half of the book was a great ride - well written and a true thriller. The last half was not well written and you can see through the plot. I figured out the "mystery" with about 100 pages left in the book - and left me disappointed.
Rating: 
Summary: Worth winning the Edgar
Review: I picked up this book for the cover, reminiscent of Silence of the Lambs, and when I saw that it had won the Edgar award, I definitely had to read it then. The book starts out with a horrific bang and doesn't let up until the end. Irene Kelly, crime reporter, sucked into the story of Julia Sayer who disappeared five years ago. Julia's daughter is struggling to keep the story alive to try and find out the truth. Nicolas Parrish, one of the most horrific serial killers in fiction today, makes a deal with police to lead them into the desert to uncover the bodies of more victims he has killed, including Julia Sayer. I was truly horrified by the event of this novel and by the creepy ending. Worth buying in hardcover, pick this one up in the paperback, it is not disappointing!Thanks for reading! **Pandora
Rating: 
Summary: Don't waste your money on this book
Review: This book starts out exciting enough, but the further along I read, the more I wondered whether the author has a clause in her contract that stipulates the more pages she fills, the more she gets paid. And pages she did indeed fill, but with ever more boring drivel, the closer I got to the end of the book. This book starts out with a bang, but ends with a fizzle.
Rating:
Summary: Edgar Winner?
Review: Bones is definitely a page turner. Jan Burke does a fabulous job of grabbing the reader's attention beginning with the first page.... but, somehow manages to lose it by the end. The hike into the mountains to uncover the victim's grave and ensuing action is fabulous ... then once the survivors return home and Irene returns to work ... the monotony strikes in (too similar to a real vacation for me). The potential to wow the reader was there, but was unfortunately squandered somewhere along the way. However, this IS an award winner and deserves to be read.
Rating:
Summary: Starts with a bang, ends with a whimper...
Review: I was so excited. I began 'Bones' and was immediately taken in by the story and the circumstances. But what began as a tense, interesting game of cat and mouse, ends up preachy and predictable. Bones is comprised of two basic sections. The first section is very enjoyable. The screws tighten, the tension builds, and the events are engrossing. However, the second passage is dull and lifeless, with a climax that induced an expression of disbelief from this reader. Jan Burke writes in short little 3 page scenes (chapters), some of which are quite evocative in the manner intended. However, I disliked this 2 stories for the price of one approach. I also dislike the habit of many thriller writers (Burke included) to have superhuman good and evil characters. Even when Burke tries to imbue feeling in her characters, they come across as flat. And for such a superhuman baddie... Nicky Parrish turns out to be just another wimp.
Rating:
Summary: I must be missing something.
Review: Winning an Edgar gets my attention...especially when the competition includes Robert Crais' "L.A. Requiem." I can easily come up with another half dozen 1999 releases in the mystery/thriller genres that I read that did much more for me. Michael Connelly's "Void Moon", Lee Child's "Tripwire", Vince Flynn's "Transfer of Power", Michael McGarrity's "Hermit's Peak", "Hart's War" by John Katzenbach and Daniel Silva's "The Marching Season" all rate much higher on my enjoyment scale than "Bones." And, "L.A. Requiem" was certainly the most compelling read for me of the '99 issues I read. Jan Burke is surely a fine writer. "Bones" is well crafted and carefully plotted. For my money, Stephen Hunter has given us far more loathsome killers, Michael Connelly more diabolical villains and Nelson DeMille characters more ruthless. I liked and cared about Irene and her husband as well as some of the minor players such as Leonard (the security guard) and will read more of her body of work. As "Hocus" shows up as Terry McCaleb's friend Buddy's book of choice in Michael Connelly's "Bloodwork" I will be reading that one shortly. Its subject matter is more in my ballpark. It seems I am missing something that grabbed others in "Bones", but I enjoyed the writing etc.; however the characters didn't do it for me. Just seems there were lots more impressive reads debuting in 1999.
Rating:
Summary: Bones
Review: What a dreadful book! Poorly written with long boring descriptions and too many characters right up front. By the time I got to the gist of the story line, I had lost interest in either the villain or the heroine. From all the reviews I've seen, Burke must be a fairly good writer. However, she deserves a better editor for this book.
Rating:
Summary: A definite winner!
Review: With BONES, Jan Burke has truly entrenched herself in the ranks of the best of mystery fiction writers. A tense, gripping, thriller, this novel lures you in from the start and leads you on a no-holds-barred ride to the fascinating conclusion. The reality with which Burke draws her characters and her settings only enhance the experience. If you haven't read any of the Irene Kelly books - don't wait!
Rating: 
Summary: Bones by Jan Burke
Review: I loved this novel. It is pretty rare for me to read forensic anthropology novels but I am glad I happened upon this book. My favorite characters were "Bingle" the cadaver dog of course and "Ben Sheriden" who reminds me of a forensic anthropologist I know. Needless to say, I am looking forward to another book along these lines. I would like to see a book based upon Ben's life and since he still has Bingle, well that is even better. I am looking forward to the release of "Flight" in 2001, a novel written in the third voice of Frank Harriman. Can't wait!
Rating:
Summary: Bones by Jan Burke
Review: I hated this book. I was so terrified that I could not put it down. I just had to finish this book in one sitting. I was afraid of nightmares. I would not normally read a psychological thriller, so I do not believe that I will buy another of this author's books. But if this is your kind of thing, then this is an excellent writer and a thriller for sure.
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