Book Review: Fatal Voyage (Tempe Brennan #4) by Kathy Reichs

Fatal Voyage (Tempe Brennan #4) by Kathy Reichs
Release Date: 25th June 2002

Publisher: Random House
Format: eBook
Pages: 448
Rating: 4.5/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2013 OTS, 2013 ODY, 2013 EBC and 2013 BSR

Summary from Amazon:

"She has a passion for the truth . . . and this time, it's taking her down.

A commercial airliner disaster has brought Tempe Brennan to the North Carolina mountains as a member of the investigative agency DMORT. As bomb theories abound, Tempe soon discovers a jarring piece of evidence that raises dangerous questions -- and gets her thrown from the DMORT team. Relentless in her pursuit of its significance, Tempe uncovers a shocking, multilayered tale of deceit and depravity as she probes her way into frightening territory -- where someone wants her stopped in her tracks."

Review:

**This review has spoilers! (Sorry, I couldn't help myself). Read at your own risk!**

These books never cease to be fascinating. Yet again Kathy Reichs has pieced together a complex murder mystery that will keep you guessing until the last page. I will admit, I was convinced that the centre of our mystery would be the place crash. We opened with it, it was established pretty early on that a bomb could have been involved, and they were following lots of leads. Then Tempe leads us to the cabin, and I was sure that whoever lived at the cabin had something to do with downing the flight. It wasn't until I was quite a fair bit in that it because pretty obvious that the cabin had nothing to do with the plane crash, but involved something else entirely. 

And boy, that storyline. I have to hand it to Reichs, she writes some of the most compelling, but also disturbing, mysteries that I've ever read. (That being said, I'm sure there's more disturbing stuff out there). This is the fourth Tempe Brennan book I've read, and I still can't figure out the ending until it happens - Reichs is good a throwing you red herrings, which send you down the wrong path. 

Whilst I immensely enjoyed this read, it was confusing at times. Lots of people involved, lots of details to remember - if too much is thrown at me at one point, I can get confused quickly. That being said, Reichs is pretty good at explaining things as she goes. Another thing that bothered me was the excessive description at times - Reichs wants to make sure that you understand everything completely, but a full description of a diner isn't really neccesary if nothing of importance if going to happen there. Also, I've read the description of the Laboratoire des Sciences Judiciaires et de Médecine Légale (where she works in Montreal) 4 times now. I guess with the books being able to be read as stand alone novels with little back story confusion, Reichs feels the need to include these descriptions everytime in case someone picks up a novel midway through the series. All the same, it bugs me. 

Overall, a strong 4th book for the series, and a really interesting read. I would highly suggest this series. 

Book Review: Deadly Decisions (Tempe Brennan #3) by Kathy Reichs

Deadly Decisions (Tempe Brennan #3) by Kathy Reichs
Release Date: 26th June 2001

Publisher: Random House
Format: Paperback 
Pages: 368
Rating: 4.5/5.0


This book was read as part of the 2012 ATS Challenge


Summary from Amazon:

"Nine-year-old Emily Anne Toussaint is fatally shot on a Montreal street. A North Carolina teenager disappears from her home, and parts of her skeleton are found hundreds of miles away. The shocking deaths propel Tempe Brennan from north to south, and deep into a shattering investigation inside the bizarre culture of outlaw motorcycle gangs -- where one misstep could bring disaster for herself or someone she loves."

Review: 
It's been so long now since I read this book that not only can I only very slightly remember the storyline, but I can't think of anything new and interesting to say about this book and the series as a whole that wouldn't be a repetition of my reviews for Deja Dead and Death du Jour. What I will say is this - Kathy Reichs continues the Tempe Brennen series effortlessly, sticking to a solid formula for plot structure and character development. A solid addition to a series that is shaping up to be one of my favourites. 

Book Review: Deja Dead (Tempe Brennan #1) by Kathy Reichs

Deja Dead (Tempe Brennan #1) by Kathy Reichs

Release Date: 1st June 1998
Publisher: Random House
Format: Paperback 
Pages: 509
Rating: 4.5/5.0

Book Blurb:

"The meticulously dismembered body of a woman is discovered in the grounds of an abandoned monastery. Too decomposed for standard autopsy. Request anthropological expertise.

Enter Dr Temperance Brennan, Director of Forensic Anthropology for the province of Quebec, and expect in the identification of bodies too old or damaged for routine examination. Tempe has been researching recent disappearances in the city, and despite the deep cynicism of Detective Claudel who heads the investigation, she is convinced that a serial killer is at work. Her forensic expertise finally convinces Claudel, but only after the body count has risen...

Tempe takes matters into her own hands, but her determined probing places those closest to her in mortal danger. Can Tempe make the crucial breakthrough before the killer strikes again?"

Review:

I really, really enjoyed this book, and Kathy Reichs is shaping up to be one of my favourite authors. After reading Death Du Jour a little while ago, I went back to the first book of the series to get the back story straight. Now, I'm determined to read all of the books in the Tempe Brennan series, in order, because they really are just that good.
The book pretty much had me gripped from the beginning, and managed to hold my attention most of the way through. I did, however, find this book harder to read than Death Du Jour, which is why I'm giving it a 4.5 out of 5. But honestly, that's the only reason - not because the story was flawed, just because the book was too long for my liking. 

Most of the rest of my review is along the lines of what I wrote in my review for Death du Jour, so instead of bore everyone who already read that review, I'll just create a link to it here. The last thing I'll say is this - if you're a fan of crime, mystery and thriller books, then you can't go past this series.

In My Mailbox (3)

In My Mailbox is a weekly Meme hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren 
*Note: all links go to Amazon

 

This week I went Christmas shopping, and while I was in Target I noticed a whole section dedicated to Kathy Reichs. If you've been reading the blog, you probably know that I bought 3 Kathy Reichs books from Target not too long ago, and I've become a bit obsessed with them since. So when I saw that one book was only $10, I really had no choice - I had to buy it!

Mortal Remains by Kathy Reichs

WWW Wednesdays (4)

WWW Wednesdays is a weekly Meme hosted by Mizb @ Should Be Reading. To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions:

1. What are you currently reading?
2. What did you recently finish reading?
3. What do you think you'll read next?

*Note: all links go to Amazon

My Answers:

1. I'm currently reading, Deja Deadby Kathy Reichs. I bought this book along with 2 other Kathy Reichs books because they were in a box set for only $19 (can't pass up a bargain like that!).
   
   
2. Last Friday I finished reading Death Du Jour by Kathy Reichs {my review here}
   
   
3. Julietby Anne Fortier - it's been on my TBR pile for almost a year now...

Teaser Tuesday (4)

Teaser Tuesday is a Meme hosted by Mizb @ Should Be Reading. Anyone can join in, as long as they do the following:

• Grab your current read. 
• Open your book to a random page
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page. 
• Warning:  Avoid spoilers in your teaser as not everyone has had the pleasure to read your current read
• Share the Title & Author so anyone can add your current read to their list if they wish to do so. 
• Note: links go to Amazon

Deja Dead by Kathy Reichs
Release Date: 1st June 1998
Publisher: Random House Australia
Pages: 509

' "There may be a serial killer out there, Jewel. Someone murdering women and slicing them up. Jewel, is my friend in danger?" 

Our eyes locked.

"She female, chere?" '  pg 231

 

Book Review: Death du Jour (Tempe Brennan #2) by Kathy Reichs

Death du Jour (Tempe Brennan #2) by Kathy Reichs

Release Date: 1st August 2000
Publisher: Random House
Format: Paperback
Pages: 436
Rating: 5.0/5.0

Summary from Amazon:

"Forensic anthropologist Kathy Reichs exploded onto bestseller lists worldwide with her phenomenal debut novel Déjà Dead -- and introduced "[a] brilliant heroine" (Glamour) in league with Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta. Dr. Temperance Brennan, Quebec's director of forensic anthropology, now returns in a thrilling new investigation into the secrets of the dead. 

In the bitter cold of a Montreal winter, Tempe Brennan is digging for a corpse buried more than a century ago. Although Tempe thrives on such enigmas from the past, it's a chain of contemporary deaths and disappearances that has seized her attention -- and she alone is ideally placed to make a chilling connection among the seemingly unrelated events. At the crime scene, at the morgue, and in the lab, Tempe probes a mystery that sweeps from a deadly Quebec fire to startling discoveries in the Carolinas, and culminates in Montreal with a terrifying showdown -- a nerve-shattering test of both her forensic expertise and her skills for survival."

Review:
I really, really enjoyed this book. Unfortunately, I took this book away with me to read on holiday, and it wasn't until I opened to the first page that I realised the first book in the Tempe Brennan series was sitting on my bookshelf at home. Nonetheless, I persevered onwards, and whilst I may have had trouble understanding the back story (because this was the second book in the series and also because the TV show Bones, which is based on the books, is completely different), the story itself was amazing.

At the beginning, I was a bit wary - starting off by digging up a corpse to examine for sainthood didn't really appeal to my tastes - but as the story progressed it just became so complex and intense. **Possible spoiler alert** What began as seemingly unrelated stories became an intricate and complex narrative, with each individual story expertly woven to another so that at the end of the novel, every incident that occurred was somehow related to every other incident. Nothing was included just for the sake of it - Reichs has been superior in her writing and created a mystery that is captivating.

If you're a fan of crime and mystery, then you can't go past these books. But, if you're interested in reading the books because you've seen the TV show, don't get your hopes up - whilst the books are amazing, the only similarity between them and the TV show is that the main characters share a name. Once you get past that though, I'm sure you'll enjoy the books just as much as I did.