Deja Dead by kathy Reichs

Friday, July 11, 2008

Challenges
1st in Series
Heard It Through the Grapevine
Canadian Challenge II
I first read about this book on SuzieQ's blog and then it turned up on several other blogs. I was in the mood for a good mystery so I jumped right in. Temperance Brennan is a forensic anthropologist who works in both South Carolina and Montreal. Deja Dead takes place in Montreal and involves a series of killings that Tempe is sure are the work of one monster. The police are not convinced since there are discrepancies with each murder. As she investigates the crimes, trying to find how they tie in, the killer starts to focus attention on her. There are lots of gory details and a terrifying confrontation at the end. Two or three years ago, I devoured books like this, but this one missed being a hit with me. The story is just as gripping as Patricia Cornwell's forensic mysteries, and I like Tempe as much as Kay Scarpetta, but maybe the genre has run its course with me. It bothered me when Tempe had lecherous thoughts about one of the detectives. They seemed out of character to me. And there were several times, when she was being stupid and investigating on her own and in danger, I thought, "Where's your damn cell phone?" Then I would remind myself that the book was published in 1997. I did like the details that Reich included about Montreal, the language differences, and different locales. And there is a map, but the writing is too small for me to see. Anyway, I am surprised I didn't like this book better, but I think it was just the wrong book at the wrong time for me. I was probably sated by all the crime and inhumanity involved in The Fatal Shore.
Rating: 3
Posted by Framed at 9:02 PM

4 comments:
Nicola said...
Aww, I'm sorry you didn't like this much. She is one of my favourites. But it's probably because her books were the very first forensics I ever read so I have a soft spot for her.
7/12/2008 6:23 AM
Stephanie said...
I picked this one up at a library sale for about $.50, but I haven't read it yet. I can only take books like this in small doses. I read the first handful of Scarpetta books, and really liked them. And the first two Body Farm books. One of these days I'll get to it!
7/12/2008 9:38 AM
Lisa said...
This one was so unremarkable for me that I'd read it halfway a second time before it seemed familiar. That is NOT something I ever do. I'd heard that the series gets better though, so have considered giving her a second chance.
7/12/2008 1:23 PM
Tristi Pinkston said...
Hey, I'm setting up a virtual blog tour for a friend and wonder if you'd like to be a host. Would you pop me a note at tristi AT tristipinkston.com and I'll share details?