Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
Arrow (1998), Paperback
Description
It's June in Montreal, and Dr. Temperance Brennan, who has left a shaky marriage back home in North Carolina to take on the challenging assignment of Director of Forensic Anthropology for the province of Quebec, looks forward to a relaxing weekend in beautiful Quebec City. First, though, she must stop at a newly uncovered burial site in the heart of the city. The remains are probably old and only of archeological interest, but Tempe must make sure they're not a case for the police. One look at the decomposed and decapitated corpse, stored neatly in plastic bags, tells her she'll spend the weekend in the crime lab. Something about the crime scene is familiar to Tempe: the stashing of the body parts; the meticulous dismemberment. As a pattern continues to emerge, Tempe calls upon all her forensic skills, including bone, tooth/dental, and bitemark analysis and x-ray microflourescence to convince the police that the cases are related and to try to stop the killer before he strikes again. Told with lacerating authenticity and passion, Deja Dead is both poignant and terrifying as it hurtles toward its breathtaking conclusion and instantly catapults Kathy Reich into the top ranks of crime authors.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member ijustgetbored
This was my first foray in this series, and I'm not sure who this book is targeted at. People who like hard-core forensic science coupled with damsel in distress scenerios? People who like brainy women who do incredibly stupid things? The ability to live with paradox is a must in reading this book.
It was a first novel. Maybe the series gets better. It has the workings for improvement: good setting, characters with potential for improvement (they're interesting enough; if some of their paradoxes and inconsisties could be resolved, then they could grow, and if there could be established a strong supporting cast, that would help all the more-- there's not one yet), interesting legal setup. Needs some editing in the forensics parts; we don't need a whole chapter on photo enlargement. Some forensics is good; we're pushing the threshold here.
I haven't seen the TV series and can't compare the book to that.
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Can you really believe that the woman who pulls off stunning, inventive forensic breakthroughs (described in excruciating detail) is the same woman who will go on a body-hunt at night . . . alone . . . in the middle of a storm?It was a first novel. Maybe the series gets better. It has the workings for improvement: good setting, characters with potential for improvement (they're interesting enough; if some of their paradoxes and inconsisties could be resolved, then they could grow, and if there could be established a strong supporting cast, that would help all the more-- there's not one yet), interesting legal setup. Needs some editing in the forensics parts; we don't need a whole chapter on photo enlargement. Some forensics is good; we're pushing the threshold here.
I haven't seen the TV series and can't compare the book to that.
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LibraryThing member marialondon
Why I didn't like this book (& why I can't explain its bestseller status):
1) Yes, this may be Kathy Reichs' first novel...but still, one can't get past the BAD WRITING, especially when it comes to the lack of character development. All main characters come out flat (especially Tempe, the forensic
2) Something else about the bad writing: what annoyed me especially was the constant use of flowery comparisons. Also, the extremely long-winded descriptions of actions & places, which made me skip whole paragraphs at a time.
3) OK, if we get past the lack of characterization issue & the bad writing, we get to the actual plot, which of course is essential in a crime novel: "Deja Dead" has a plot that makes you want to scream "I've read this book before- many many times!" It's a book that's far from original, especially the cliche of the main heroine getting in harm's way.
4)Again, concerning the plot: there are lots of holes in the plot, such as the monkey & the biologist (I kept turning back to see if maybe I'd missed crucial points). There are also loads of characters who keep appearing & disappearing, with no apparent reason--for example, Tempe's daughter, Katy, whose existence serves no other purpose than simply for the main character to...have a daughter!
5) Tempe Brennan oversteps the limits / boundaries of her job description all the time, during the investigation described in this novel. She is a forensic anthropologist, & yet acts as a detective, showing a disturbing lack of common sense: for example, she keeps going to dangerous places alone (always at night!) & then is surprised & annoyed when the detectives whose job description says they have to solve this case are angry at her! There's no background as to why Claudel dislikes her, some reader mentioned: but how can he NOT dislike her, when she keeps stealing his job from under his nose? It's such a cliche when all the detectives are stupid & our heroine is the only intelligent one...
6) French is thrown in casually from time to time. This I didn't mind. What I did mind was that it was apparent that this was done simply to show that Montreal is where the story takes place. No other descriptions of Montreal exist, no "feeling" of Quebec comes out of this story.
7) Another point that many readers have mentioned is that the book is FULL OF technical details. These are interesting, but tend to be far too many. 5 or 6 pages full of descriptions of how saws work? Please!!
8) Tempe's relationship with Gabby is inexplicable & annoying. The crazy scenes that take place between them (especially the ones where Gabby appears in the middle of the night, out of nowhere) are hard to understand, & are never properly explained.
9) Last point: Of course "Deja Dead" is being constantly compared to Patricia Cornwell's books. Even though the Scarpetta novels keep getting worse & worse, I still find them far more original & fast paced.
1) Yes, this may be Kathy Reichs' first novel...but still, one can't get past the BAD WRITING, especially when it comes to the lack of character development. All main characters come out flat (especially Tempe, the forensic
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anthropologist who is the main character).2) Something else about the bad writing: what annoyed me especially was the constant use of flowery comparisons. Also, the extremely long-winded descriptions of actions & places, which made me skip whole paragraphs at a time.
3) OK, if we get past the lack of characterization issue & the bad writing, we get to the actual plot, which of course is essential in a crime novel: "Deja Dead" has a plot that makes you want to scream "I've read this book before- many many times!" It's a book that's far from original, especially the cliche of the main heroine getting in harm's way.
4)Again, concerning the plot: there are lots of holes in the plot, such as the monkey & the biologist (I kept turning back to see if maybe I'd missed crucial points). There are also loads of characters who keep appearing & disappearing, with no apparent reason--for example, Tempe's daughter, Katy, whose existence serves no other purpose than simply for the main character to...have a daughter!
5) Tempe Brennan oversteps the limits / boundaries of her job description all the time, during the investigation described in this novel. She is a forensic anthropologist, & yet acts as a detective, showing a disturbing lack of common sense: for example, she keeps going to dangerous places alone (always at night!) & then is surprised & annoyed when the detectives whose job description says they have to solve this case are angry at her! There's no background as to why Claudel dislikes her, some reader mentioned: but how can he NOT dislike her, when she keeps stealing his job from under his nose? It's such a cliche when all the detectives are stupid & our heroine is the only intelligent one...
6) French is thrown in casually from time to time. This I didn't mind. What I did mind was that it was apparent that this was done simply to show that Montreal is where the story takes place. No other descriptions of Montreal exist, no "feeling" of Quebec comes out of this story.
7) Another point that many readers have mentioned is that the book is FULL OF technical details. These are interesting, but tend to be far too many. 5 or 6 pages full of descriptions of how saws work? Please!!
8) Tempe's relationship with Gabby is inexplicable & annoying. The crazy scenes that take place between them (especially the ones where Gabby appears in the middle of the night, out of nowhere) are hard to understand, & are never properly explained.
9) Last point: Of course "Deja Dead" is being constantly compared to Patricia Cornwell's books. Even though the Scarpetta novels keep getting worse & worse, I still find them far more original & fast paced.
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LibraryThing member eilonwy_anne
This book benefited from the author's specialized knowledge and had a genuinely creepy and twisty mystery plot. I was engaged and wanted to hear how it ended. However, it was somewhat unpleasant to read. Dr. Brennan's first-person voice includes excessive use of metaphor and florid portraits of her
Those are minor complaints however, and pale beside the fact that Dr. Brennan consistently and bullheadedly put herself into danger, even well after it was clear the stakes she was playing. Then she would angrily defend her right to be an idiot even to the policeman that did seem to be on her side. I realize it must difficult to write a procedural mystery with a non-cop protagonist, and some allowances must be made to let the main character play detective. However, in this case, Brennan came across as irrational, foolhardy and aggravating.
Note: not for the weak of stomach. I am fairly sturdy gore-wise, and I occasionally wished I was not listening to it over food-preparation.
Review of narration for audiobook version: Barbara Rosenblat does a good job on the French pronunciations, including accenting Brennan's French a bit, which was a nice touch. However, I found her reading to be a touch too broad, perhaps overdramatic.
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emotions. She also provides exhaustive physical descriptions of people, even when it's irrelevant and distracting (two teenagers walking by with a boombox, for instance.)Those are minor complaints however, and pale beside the fact that Dr. Brennan consistently and bullheadedly put herself into danger, even well after it was clear the stakes she was playing. Then she would angrily defend her right to be an idiot even to the policeman that did seem to be on her side. I realize it must difficult to write a procedural mystery with a non-cop protagonist, and some allowances must be made to let the main character play detective. However, in this case, Brennan came across as irrational, foolhardy and aggravating.
Note: not for the weak of stomach. I am fairly sturdy gore-wise, and I occasionally wished I was not listening to it over food-preparation.
Review of narration for audiobook version: Barbara Rosenblat does a good job on the French pronunciations, including accenting Brennan's French a bit, which was a nice touch. However, I found her reading to be a touch too broad, perhaps overdramatic.
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LibraryThing member MarcusH
First off, I love the television show Bones that finds its inspiration from these books. I also love mysteries. With that said, I didn't love this book. I liked a lot of things about this book, but I finished it feeling like I watched a slow movie that left the resolution for the last ten minutes
Reichs does an amazing job of detailing the science of forensic anthropology throughout this mystery. The story is told from a first person perspective and can drag, at times, through internal arguments Temperance Brennan has with herself over the case she's on, her love life or absence thereof, the Expo's, or what to eat. That first person perspective does allow the science and police work to be clear and relatable to the reader.
The mystery at the center of this novel is interesting, however, the lead up to the climax is drawn out and slow. People die, no one knows who, something happens that might be a clue, people die, about 100 pages of various investigative text, people die, more investigation, more investigation, more investigation, they figure something out, climax, the end.
Over all I felt like this book resembled an enjoyable weekend drive where the driver gets lost, but in a really nice area, and eventually as they are about to run out of gas, they find their way back make it home just in the nick of time. Again it's good, just a little tedious.
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(or in this case the last 20 pages of the book).Reichs does an amazing job of detailing the science of forensic anthropology throughout this mystery. The story is told from a first person perspective and can drag, at times, through internal arguments Temperance Brennan has with herself over the case she's on, her love life or absence thereof, the Expo's, or what to eat. That first person perspective does allow the science and police work to be clear and relatable to the reader.
The mystery at the center of this novel is interesting, however, the lead up to the climax is drawn out and slow. People die, no one knows who, something happens that might be a clue, people die, about 100 pages of various investigative text, people die, more investigation, more investigation, more investigation, they figure something out, climax, the end.
Over all I felt like this book resembled an enjoyable weekend drive where the driver gets lost, but in a really nice area, and eventually as they are about to run out of gas, they find their way back make it home just in the nick of time. Again it's good, just a little tedious.
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LibraryThing member cbl_tn
I first became acquainted with Kathy Reichs's fictional heroine, Temperance Brennan, through the television series Bones. I'm just now getting around to reading the first of the books in the series on which the TV show is based. The Temperance of the novel is quite different from the TV Temperance,
There are a few chronological problems in the narration. The descriptions of time passing weren't always consistent with the specific times referenced in the book. Once I became aware of it, it was a source of distraction through the rest of the novel.
More than anything else, I enjoyed the book's Montreal setting. I can't remember reading any other books set there. I remembered enough of my high school French to translate most of the French words and phrases scattered throughout the book (although the meaning was usually apparent from the context of the passages).
I'll certainly give Kathy Reichs another try, but at this point I prefer Aaron Elkins's Gideon Oliver to her Temperance Brennan.
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and so far I'd have to say that I like the TV Temperance better. The Temperance of the novel is much more impulsive than the TV Temperance, and she seems to be a maverick rather than a team player.There are a few chronological problems in the narration. The descriptions of time passing weren't always consistent with the specific times referenced in the book. Once I became aware of it, it was a source of distraction through the rest of the novel.
More than anything else, I enjoyed the book's Montreal setting. I can't remember reading any other books set there. I remembered enough of my high school French to translate most of the French words and phrases scattered throughout the book (although the meaning was usually apparent from the context of the passages).
I'll certainly give Kathy Reichs another try, but at this point I prefer Aaron Elkins's Gideon Oliver to her Temperance Brennan.
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LibraryThing member Antares1
It's difficult to review mysteries without giving some plot points away and possibly spoiling the mystery for others. You've been warned. If you read further, you may encounter spoilers.
Temperance (Tempe) Brennan works for the equivalent of the coroner's office in Montreal. I'd give the actual
The story is well plotted, but the pacing is a bit off. Reichs does a good job at creating a three dimensional main character that has strengths as well as weaknesses. I would have liked to see better development of some of the secondary characters. I could sort of understand her antagonism towards Claudel. I've known people that somehow just know how to push my buttons. I would have liked to know more about why Claudel always got to her. I never really felt much depth to the character of Ryan other than he had blue eyes and a nice rear with sort of a quasi romantic overtone. Her whole relationship with her best friend Gabby was probably the weakest in character development. She told about how long they'd been together, but I never felt the connection between them. I just couldn't really feel the emotional connection between them.
I feel the book could have been edited down further. There are a lot of details of street names and how they connect. For someone familiar with Montreal these may have been great details. For me it became a blur of St something leading into St something else. Although I was hooked by the story, I found towards the end I just wanted them to get to the climax already.
There were several times in the book when the lead character was TSTL (to stupid to live). I found myself willing the character to think a minute. Why was it necessary to visit a possible grave site at night during a thunderstorm?
I realize my nit-picking may make it seem that I didn't enjoy the book. I actually did enjoy it, and plan to look into further books in this series. I picked it up, because I've started watching the TV series Bones. Other than the name and profession of the lead character all resemblance to the book ends.
Temperance (Tempe) Brennan works for the equivalent of the coroner's office in Montreal. I'd give the actual
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name, but high school French was a long time ago, and I'd probably end up mangling it without the book to look at. She's called out to investigate some human remains found by groundsworkers. A short while later another victim is found. Something about the two deaths forms a link in her mind. She feels there is a serial killer out there, but the police authorities don't believe her. She sets out to prove the murders are linked along with the murders of three other woman. Some of the cops start to give her theories credence, and enough evidence is gathered to form a task force. Brennan's interference in the case has caused to killer to focus on her. Now the focus isn't just about catching a killer, but protecting herself and her daughter.The story is well plotted, but the pacing is a bit off. Reichs does a good job at creating a three dimensional main character that has strengths as well as weaknesses. I would have liked to see better development of some of the secondary characters. I could sort of understand her antagonism towards Claudel. I've known people that somehow just know how to push my buttons. I would have liked to know more about why Claudel always got to her. I never really felt much depth to the character of Ryan other than he had blue eyes and a nice rear with sort of a quasi romantic overtone. Her whole relationship with her best friend Gabby was probably the weakest in character development. She told about how long they'd been together, but I never felt the connection between them. I just couldn't really feel the emotional connection between them.
I feel the book could have been edited down further. There are a lot of details of street names and how they connect. For someone familiar with Montreal these may have been great details. For me it became a blur of St something leading into St something else. Although I was hooked by the story, I found towards the end I just wanted them to get to the climax already.
There were several times in the book when the lead character was TSTL (to stupid to live). I found myself willing the character to think a minute. Why was it necessary to visit a possible grave site at night during a thunderstorm?
I realize my nit-picking may make it seem that I didn't enjoy the book. I actually did enjoy it, and plan to look into further books in this series. I picked it up, because I've started watching the TV series Bones. Other than the name and profession of the lead character all resemblance to the book ends.
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LibraryThing member eyespy
Kathy Reichs is not a polished writer and her plots do tend to formulaic. You know at a certain point in the book you can expect Temperance to make a foolish and bullheaded choice that puts her in danger. You also know when romance will blossom or a fight with Ryan is likely to occur.
However, there
However, there
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is something very compelling to me about this book. Temperance has very relatable flaws and I understand her need to see justice served. The language doesn't really flow, but yet I find myself getting sucked into Tempe's world. I understand how things look, smell, and taste. I feel as though I'm there. I need to know what happened to the victims, and why. Even though I know the plot twists will be inexpert and a bit frustrating I can't stop reading. Overall, an enjoyable if uneven ride. Show Less
LibraryThing member cyderry
This book, set in Montreal, Canada, centers around the efforts of Temperance Brennan to solve the brutal murders of 5 woman. It probably would have been easier for her if the Quebec police, namely Luc Claudel, believed her when she pointed out that there was a serial murderer on the lose. But since
It was thrilling to go with Tempe as she struggled to find all the connections of the different victims, so that she could finally give these women and their families peace found in the criminal being brought to justice, however, she may need to rethink her process in the future.
The characterizations are interesting, showing a previous existence which expands the readers knowledge of the characters, but doesn't get in the way while enhancing the plot. We see the strengths of the Temperance as well as her weaknesses which only make you more interested as she battles to protect herself and those she loves.
The details that are used throughout this book are extensive but sometimes feel a bit overwhelming. Constantly relating street after street didn't improve the story, but got to a point where it drove this reader a bit nuts, some editing here could have helped. I liked the way that French was interspaced (never overdone) with the English, giving it a nice French feel, or should I say Quebec feel.
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she is just an anthropologist and a woman to boot, she has a hard time showing them the connections that her instincts tell her are there.It was thrilling to go with Tempe as she struggled to find all the connections of the different victims, so that she could finally give these women and their families peace found in the criminal being brought to justice, however, she may need to rethink her process in the future.
The characterizations are interesting, showing a previous existence which expands the readers knowledge of the characters, but doesn't get in the way while enhancing the plot. We see the strengths of the Temperance as well as her weaknesses which only make you more interested as she battles to protect herself and those she loves.
The details that are used throughout this book are extensive but sometimes feel a bit overwhelming. Constantly relating street after street didn't improve the story, but got to a point where it drove this reader a bit nuts, some editing here could have helped. I liked the way that French was interspaced (never overdone) with the English, giving it a nice French feel, or should I say Quebec feel.
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LibraryThing member aerinha23
I decided to read this book with the understanding that it would be completely different from the TV series "Bones". However, I've got to say I think the series is an improvement on its inspiration. This book read like the work of another forensics-focused writer from North Carolina...Patricia
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Cornwell. Having read many of Cornwell's books, I think she began a dramatic descent off a really tall cliff after about the third Scarpetta novel, so Deja Dead is, on average, better than the Scarpetta series. However, it's incredibly derivative. To summarize the plot: emotionally scarred forensics genius gets too wrapped up in a case, makes a lot of stupid decisions, gets stalked by a sexual sadist, and experiences a personal tragedy. That sounds like a Cornwell novel to me...oh wait, it sounds like every Scarpetta novel (not so original either) AND every other imitation-Scarpetta novel out there. And the lack of originality was only the first aggravating aspect of this book. I am not looking for my strong female protagonist to be a superhero, but I would prefer that she have a little more common sense. I can't have much sympathy for a character who's dumb enough to trail (solo, at night, unarmed--oh, can we say cliche!) a man she suspects might have murdered and dismembered five people, abducted her best friend, and planted a severed head in her garden. Nor can I have much sympathy for an author who expects us to root for this idiot.Sorry, Dr. Reichs, I'm going back to TV. Show Less
LibraryThing member Lexicographer
I picked this up in a buy 3 get one sale, intrigued by its setting in Montreal and figuring that it would be a good book to broaden my reading horizons. I liked it. There was some clunky technical exposition, but beyond that, it was an interesting, plot-driven book that reminded me of how stories
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work. Show Less
LibraryThing member lamour
Dr. Temperance Brennan is the forensic anthropologist for Quebec. Her specialty is bones. In the case that she is involved with her, a body is discovered buried in plastic bags and in an advanced status of decomposition. Reichs pulls no punches in her descriptions of what the technicians experience
Convinced that this murder is very similar to an earlier case from a year ago, Brennan starts to suspect a serial killer. However the police with whom she works do not agree and one detective takes a very hostile attitude her and challenges her at every turn. As she digs deeper into the murders that in her view have reached five, her life appears to be threatened.
While the narrative makes the book difficult to put down, the reader will also learn a great deal about the science of death, crime labs and forensic anthropology.
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as they carefully uncover and remove a body from a burial site. In this case, the bodies have been dismembered and some parts such as the hands and head may be missing.Convinced that this murder is very similar to an earlier case from a year ago, Brennan starts to suspect a serial killer. However the police with whom she works do not agree and one detective takes a very hostile attitude her and challenges her at every turn. As she digs deeper into the murders that in her view have reached five, her life appears to be threatened.
While the narrative makes the book difficult to put down, the reader will also learn a great deal about the science of death, crime labs and forensic anthropology.
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LibraryThing member npl
Temperance Brennan, an American forensic anthropologist working in Montreal, is personally offended by anonymity in death. If someone must die, at least let their name be known. After finding a dismembered and decapitated body dump site, warning bells ring in Tempe's head saying "Serial Killer".
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When she can't get the police, particularly Claudel, to even look into the possibility, Tempe decides to start her own investigation. Making herself the next target wasn't actually part of the plan. Reichs descriptions of Quebec ring true, and the French Canadian culture creates an interesting backdrop. The eleventh Temperance Brennan novel, Devil Bones, is currently on the best sellers' list. (FOX's Bones series is loosely based upon the life of Kathy Reichs, not upon the Temperance Brennan series.) Show Less
LibraryThing member miyurose
I’m a fan of the tv show Bones, and have had this series recommended to me numerous times, so I was looking forward to this book! I already knew that the tv show was only loosely based on the books, so I wasn’t surprised when I found out the book Tempe was older than the tv one, and that there
All of that aside, I did enjoy this, though I didn’t fall in love with it. It took me a while to warm up to Tempe, though I enjoyed the emotion she showed that the tv Tempe is often missing. There’s a lot of detail in this book so it’s not for the squeamish, but the plot is solid and keeps you guessing right up to the very end. It’s definitely a series I will read more of.
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is no Booth. Still, my knowledge of the show created a sort of disconnect for me, and I found myself reading this as though the book Tempe was an older version of the tv Tempe.All of that aside, I did enjoy this, though I didn’t fall in love with it. It took me a while to warm up to Tempe, though I enjoyed the emotion she showed that the tv Tempe is often missing. There’s a lot of detail in this book so it’s not for the squeamish, but the plot is solid and keeps you guessing right up to the very end. It’s definitely a series I will read more of.
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LibraryThing member celticstar
Excellent! Kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end.
LibraryThing member TheTwoDs
Patricia Cornwell, but with better writing. Reichs writes circles around Cornwell, and the story is better for it. The Montreal setting gives the book a different feel than other serial killer novels. Tried watching the TV show based on this book (Bones), but so many details have been changed right
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down to the age of Tempe that it's not even the same story. If you like the show, you should definitely try the book. Show Less
LibraryThing member DugsBooks
Nice novel, I like these books better than the TV shows. A good mystery tale with suspense and turns of plot that are surprising.
I bought this novel and "Grave Secrets" at Realeyesbookstore in Charlotte NC on 12/02/05 evidently from the receipt. Ms. Reichs had quite a group squeezed into the tiny
I bought this novel and "Grave Secrets" at Realeyesbookstore in Charlotte NC on 12/02/05 evidently from the receipt. Ms. Reichs had quite a group squeezed into the tiny
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bookstore and was actually promoting another novel which the bookstore only had in paperback. I grabbed two hardbacks in new condition off the used book shelf and bought them intending to give them as gifts. I kept them instead. Show Less
LibraryThing member Heptonj
An excellent read. All the drama, excitement and intensity you could want. A serial killer is on the prowl in Quebec with devastating consequences for his female victims. However, things get too close to home when forensic anthropologist Temperence Brennans friend is brutally murdered, her daughter
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threatened and Tempe herself has to fight for her life. Hard to put down. Show Less
LibraryThing member Alera
I've been meaning to pick up this book for ages, and I'm so glad I finally did. It was much faster paced than I thought it would be for a first novel and I look forward to continuing the series. There were some dynamics I wish had been better fleshed out like Tempe's relationship with Gabby, but
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it's not something that truly detracted from the story itself. And I adored the interaction with Claudel. That character entertains me in the same Javert does in Les Mis. I love bitter, proper cop types forced to do something they don't believe in. Show Less
LibraryThing member riverwillow
This was a good read, and a real page turner. This is not a book for the faint hearted as the forensic detail can be quite gruesome. Fantastic
LibraryThing member Djupstrom
If this had been my first foray into the works of Kathy Reichs, it would have been my last. Deja Dead was not well written, nor was it terribly entertaining. I like the television series Bones and some of her later works, but this one was a stinker.
LibraryThing member VKNask
A great read that I finally got around to after seeing the first few episodes of a really great (though as I discovered, very loosely based) TV series, Bones.
I had been meaning to read this first of the Temperance Brennan novels ever since hearing an interview on NPR with the author three years or
This book was a real change for me given the realism of a forensic anthropologist, written by an actual one who can keep the story's science honest, with no fantasy or supernatural elements like my usual fare. I really appreciated seeing the work unfold and being able to make my own guesses instead of the glazing over of skills in a more Holmesian-styled mystery where I would be unable to participate.
I did not care for the weakness of the main character, though it is perhaps more realistic, nor her constant annoyance with the detectives and lack of good judgment. Of course, this is the first book in a series, so it could be that this is merely the setup and we will get to watch her character grow and develop. I certainly hope so.
This was a wonderful well-paced mystery with a good grounding in science, opening my eyes perhaps to a whole new genre. I would recommend it to any lover of mystery who can handle a few thrills. I normally don't handle serial killer focused works well, but this is the second book in a month to keep me up reading into the wee hours of the morning, so I say this one is a win. Since most of the fun was the mystery, my desire to reread it is fairly low, but perhaps after reading further in the series, I'll want to go back and reread it all again. For now, I'm eager for another book, and lucky me, there's about a dozen of them.
I had been meaning to read this first of the Temperance Brennan novels ever since hearing an interview on NPR with the author three years or
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so ago about her then new eighth book, Cross Bones. While the show wows me more with its witty dialogue, strong female lead, and more realistic mysteries for the same person to keep stumbling into (given the 45 minute time frame as opposed to something deep enough to last 400 pages), this book was intriguing in its own way and I will certainly read more of the series.This book was a real change for me given the realism of a forensic anthropologist, written by an actual one who can keep the story's science honest, with no fantasy or supernatural elements like my usual fare. I really appreciated seeing the work unfold and being able to make my own guesses instead of the glazing over of skills in a more Holmesian-styled mystery where I would be unable to participate.
I did not care for the weakness of the main character, though it is perhaps more realistic, nor her constant annoyance with the detectives and lack of good judgment. Of course, this is the first book in a series, so it could be that this is merely the setup and we will get to watch her character grow and develop. I certainly hope so.
This was a wonderful well-paced mystery with a good grounding in science, opening my eyes perhaps to a whole new genre. I would recommend it to any lover of mystery who can handle a few thrills. I normally don't handle serial killer focused works well, but this is the second book in a month to keep me up reading into the wee hours of the morning, so I say this one is a win. Since most of the fun was the mystery, my desire to reread it is fairly low, but perhaps after reading further in the series, I'll want to go back and reread it all again. For now, I'm eager for another book, and lucky me, there's about a dozen of them.
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LibraryThing member StarofSophia
I picked this book up after getting hooked on the TV show, Bones. I found that I liked it for the same reasons that I like the show - the interaction between the characters and getting to look in on the life of a scientist doing her part to make the world a better place.
I found the mystery itself
There is a bit of gore in the book, but if that bothers you, it's easy enough to skim those parts.
I found the mystery itself
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to be not so much a mystery as waiting to see how the author would reveal things. The quest was to catch the killer more than trying to figure out who it was. I personally didn't mind - I found more to the book that I liked than getting a good twist out of it. Perhaps some of her later books will have a more hidden twist ... either way I'll probably read them.There is a bit of gore in the book, but if that bothers you, it's easy enough to skim those parts.
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LibraryThing member emhromp2
This book isn't easy to get into, and it isn't easy to finish it either. Like other reviewers, I expected to find a bit more humour and action in the story. I don't really see the connection between the television series and the book.
That said, the story is well written and has a neat ending. A
That said, the story is well written and has a neat ending. A
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very average book. Show Less
LibraryThing member smbmom
Despite the well crafted plot, meticulous detail, vivid imagery, and superb prose, I struggled to enjoy this book. Partly, this was because it was so well written. There was a lot of detail, too much perhaps. The main character's psychological underpinnings were drawn out well, perhaps too well.
No, none of that was truly the problem. I brought my own barrier to this novel, as I came to it after falling in love with the Bones television series. I wanted this book to be about the romance between Seeley and Booth, but it's not that at all. Although the main character's name and profession is the same, there is almost no other resemblance.
Deja Dead is a well written book, a thriller with substance, that should be judged on its own merits. I can't do it justice; however, with my Bones mindset.
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The language was engaging, to the point where I often stopped to admire it instead of remaining immersed in the story.No, none of that was truly the problem. I brought my own barrier to this novel, as I came to it after falling in love with the Bones television series. I wanted this book to be about the romance between Seeley and Booth, but it's not that at all. Although the main character's name and profession is the same, there is almost no other resemblance.
Deja Dead is a well written book, a thriller with substance, that should be judged on its own merits. I can't do it justice; however, with my Bones mindset.
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LibraryThing member lsknightsr1
this book was really interesting. One of my faves
Subjects
Awards
Dilys Award (Nominee — 1998)
Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence (Best (Winner) — First Novel — 1998)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1997
Physical description
544 p.; 17.2 cm
ISBN
0099255189 / 9780099255185
Local notes
Omslag: Damian Gillie
Omslaget viser lysindfald fra et kirkevindue ind i en mørk kirke
Indskannet omslag - N650U - 150 dpi
Tempe Brennan, bind 1
Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Quebec
Omslaget viser lysindfald fra et kirkevindue ind i en mørk kirke
Indskannet omslag - N650U - 150 dpi
Tempe Brennan, bind 1
Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Quebec
Similar in this library
Series
Pages
544
DDC/MDS
| 813.54 |