Rating: 
Summary: Too Many Characters Makes The Book Confusing
Review: Forensic anthropologist, Temperance Brennan, is back in another grisly, multiple death novel. In short order a newborn is found in a wood-burning stove, animal and human bones in a plastic bag are found in the woods while Tempe is at a pig-pull party, bones are found in a farm outhouse, and a plane crashes into a mountain bursting into flames. Tempe is involved in all the deaths and amazingly connects them all. Reichs ties it all up with a nice big red bow for the reader at the end, but not before throwing in a nice obvious red herring.I loved Reich's previous novels. I didn't dislike this one even though it is not up to her previous work. I expect more from Reichs than this book delivered. The main problem was each of the many deaths came complete with its own set of characters. I kept having to flip backwards to figure out who people were. There are just too many characters to keep track of. If I'd had known, I would have written down the character and the relationship to the story as I read along. To be fair, I usually read books within a day or two, but read this one over a week. On the plus side, Reichs tried to explore the relationships between Tempe and her college-age daughter and between Tempe and Quebec detective, Andrew Ryan. It made Tempe more of a full-fleshed, human character with a real life. I just wish more time had been spent on that instead of the barrage of death.
Rating: 
Summary: A gritty, gruesome read; but worth the grit.
Review: Long a Kathy Reichs fan, I found that Bare Bones delivers what her faithful readers expect.....lots of gruesome details, well developed characters, and a story line that keeps the reader's interest without insulting our intelligence. In a time of authors that don't know how to edit down their works, Kathy Reichs is a refreshing change. She puts in front of the reader only facts that are relevant to the story....that add to the story. In Bare Bones we find Temperance Brennan working hard to identify the remains of an incinerated infant. Before she can leave for her vacation she is called in to assist in the investigation of a plane crash near Charlotte. Never faced with a boring or mundane existence, Tempe manages to answer all the questions and tie up all the loose ends. What a breathtaking read. If you want a book to keep you interested on these hot summer days and you have a cool place to camp while you're reading, then Bare Bones is a book you won't want to miss.
Rating: 
Summary: confusing and unengrossing
Review: Like others, I found too many characters, sub-plots, and confusing detail to be able to get engrossed. I suspect the author did too, as she twice resorted to having her characters review the situation thus far, on one occasion, having Tempe write a character and event list - a device I found clumsy. Disappointingly she also seemed to end several chapters with a line that set the scene for an exciting big "event" to apparently immediately follow - that didn't. Well, not until later, by then too late, and a bit disappointing. The author also over uses the "eye rolling" lines - they are in almost every other chapter. Finally, the end rant was overkill (excuse the pun). As another reviewer suggested, it would have been better confined to an epilogue. I did however, very much like her descriptions of the dog, Boyd/Hooch, I thought those very funny, well observed, and uncontrived. Full of worthy aspirations, sorry to say I found this book quite a disappointing addition to an otherwise first class, enjoyable series.
Rating: 
Summary: Hands Accross the Grave
Review: This is another of Kathy Reichs painstakingly plotted stories about Dr. Temperance Brennan, who like the author, manages to be a forensic anthropologist practicing in both Montreal and Charlotte, North Carolina. This time Brennan is in Charlotte, coping with a burnt newborn infant, an unusual plane crash, bones in the privy, and a whole host of other misadventures that spell trouble no matter how you arrange them. To make things more complicated, Brennan is spending time with Andrew Ryan, a detective with the Montreal police. And lest I forget, Katy, her daughter is in love, and Temperance isn't sure if it's her intuition or mother hen instincts, but she is not completely sure of the suitor. Typical of Reichs, she gradually weaves these disparate threads together into a tightly linked whole, climaxing in an ending which isn't completely surprising, but which takes the reader through a bit of a rollercoaster rider on the way to the conclusion. Also typical of the writer, there are countless tiny forensic details to distract, baffle, and, eventually, illuminate the reader. Of course, people who read forensic mystery stories dote on details, and Temperance Brennan seems to have a library full of unusual information This story has a bit more action in it than is the norm for Reichs. It is so complicated that Brennan is perpetually changing scenes and crimes. The effect is to make the story interesting, although just a mite too hard to follow. The advancing love interest gives the tale an interesting spin. Her feelings for Ryan have never been particularly secret, but they come pretty much out of the closet in this story. I can't say that I personally enjoy all of Tempe's admiration for her handsome lover, but the relationship never becomes the driving force behind the story, as it has with other authors.. Reichs has always been compared to Pat Cornwell, and, despite obvious differences, appeals equally to the same audiences. Cornwell's fault was that she fell into the trap of making her character into the plot to the exclusion of the real plot. So far, Reichs has managed to avoid that pitfall while still managing to make Temperance Brennan into a real person. Hopefully she will keep this up, and we won't have to cope with the litany of woes that followed Kay Scarpetta.
Rating:
Summary: Brennan's in love----again
Review: One of Reichs best. Although there are a plethora of characters this serves to keep the identity of the worst bad guy pretty much concealed until the final page. Reichs manages to weave her love for animals into the story line but not in an overbearing manner
This time she doesn't stay in one locale altogether but vsits small towns in both North and South Carolina. She even manages to get another well concealed jibe at the University of S.C. Not a difficult thing to do as she is a UNC employee. Also interesting is the progression of her love interest with her Cnadian detective.
Rating:
Summary: Three Mysteries at Once, No Problem for Tempe
Review: In rapid succession three seemingly unrelated mysteries threaten overwhelm no-nonsense, workaholic, forensic scientist Tempe Brennen. First she has to examine the skeleton of a newborn baby found in a woodstove, the grandchild of a someone she knows. Second she has to make sense of a horrifying scene, a light plane crashed, pilot and passenger charred beyond recognition and covered with a weird black substance. And thirdly her dog sniffs out a cache of long-buried bones. Bear bones, at least most of them, but some seem to be human. While she plays detective, toiling away in the lab, her sometime love interest Andrew Ryan has arrived in town for a sensual vacation with her. However, Ryan must shift from lover to bodyguard, when Tempe becomes the target of a sinister stalker. And as usual Tempe sort of bumbles toward the final clue that will uncover the evildoers, defying death as she ploughs straight ahead to solve the crimes, and also as usual, by accident. Kathy Reichs works up a treat of a plot, intertwining these three mysteries in ever more puzzling circles, drawing her readers into her well woven web. Reviewed by Olivia Louise Lewis
Rating:
Summary: great story
Review: This is the first novel i have read by Kathy Reichs but i will certainly start looking for her other books. This was an enjoyable read. The technical jargon may be over some people's heads, but she explains all you need to know and if you have any medical background at all, you will love it. The pace is good. I love the way she incorporates a love interest without turning the story into a romance novel. There are twists and thrills to be had in the book's 306 pages. Ms Reichs writing is smooth and flows without getting bogged down in alot of nonsense you don't need or want to know. My only complaint is i feel she rushed the ending a little bit. She builds up a grand climatic ending and just sort of gushes it all out instead of letting the ending unfold on it's own. I will definitely catch up on her other books i have not read yet and i will continue to read her books in the future.
Rating:
Summary: Rambling, confusing and ultimately boring
Review: This was my first Kathy Reichs book and it was quite disappointing. Too many characters and subplots made this book confusing and rambling. The plot was interesting so I kept reading, but it was difficult to keep going and I had to resist the urge to skip to the last chapter. I have read the most recently published books of other "series" and enjoyed it so much that I read the entire series. But I would not read another Reichs book.
Rating:
Summary: Lots of Bones, Lots of Bodies
Review: Dr. Tempe Brennan is investigating the charred remains of a newborn. Detective Slidell suspects the teenaged mother's involvement, but Tempe feels there is more to this case than meets the eye. Then her dog Boyd discovers human bones at a picnic. This is the last thing Tempe needs as her long-awaited weekend with Andrew Ryan, is about to begin. A plane crash and two more bodies further complicate Tempe's already overworked existence. Tempe comes to believe that all this is related and the bad guys soon her her in their sights. As usual Kathy Reichs has delivered the goods, just the right blend of romance, action, suspense and grisly description.
Rating:
Summary: While not her best, still a page turner
Review: I should qualify that the first book I read by Reichs was Fatal Voyage, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Overall, Reichs continues to be a breath of fresh air in a world of formulaic "airplane books." I've read the other postings and agree with some of the comments, so be prepared: there were a lot of characters (not overwhelming), the plot lines were at times hard to keep straight, there was a somewhat erroneous subplot about a teenage mother and some serious wildlife conservation advocacy at the end. Yet, unlike some authors, her plots in this book are more unique. Take for example a war veteran who opens an adventure vacation program in the mountains becomes a drug dealer and animal poacher. Not bad since he serves as the central character connecting most of the story's elements and we never meet him, well, alive. Like Fatal Voyage, as the story progresses, you're not just reading for plot. I actually learned a fair amount about forensic science, North Carolina and wildlife which makes the book a richer read than a straight thriller. All of this was complemented by the well developed character of Temperance Brennen---single mom, dedicated to work, and still has to find time to walk the family dog. So while this book is not as great as some of her other work, if you're looking for a quick, light read with a slightly interesting spin you won't be wasting your time.
|
