Déjà Dead
A Novel
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- $15.99
Publisher Description
From the New York Times bestselling author of Speaking in Bones, the first Temperance Brennan novel in the “cleverly plotted and expertly maintained series” (The New York Times Book Review).
Her life is devoted to justice—even for those she never knew.
In the year since Temperance Brennan left behind a shaky marriage in North Carolina, work has often preempted her weekend plans to explore Quebec. When a female corpse is discovered meticulously dismembered and stashed in trash bags, Temperance detects an alarming pattern—and she plunges into a harrowing search for a killer. But her investigation is about to place those closest to her—her best friend and her own daughter—in mortal danger…
“A genius at building suspense” (Daily News, New York), Kathy Reichs’s Temperance Brennan books are ripe with intricate settings and memorable characters” (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel).
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Get to know your new favourite bone collector. The first book in Kathy Reichs’ mystery series introduces us to forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan, who’s investigating the case of a decapitated female corpse found in downtown Montreal. The dogged Brennan begins to suspect that this is the work of a serial killer—the problem is, no one on the francophone (and very alpha-male) police force believes her. Still, she can’t help but follow her gut, even when her suspicions lead her perilously close to her own family. A forensic anthropologist herself, Reichs’ experiences and writing were the inspiration for the hit TV show Bones. Fair warning: Although the books are as scientifically precise as the series, they’re lighter on laughs—and they’re household-items-wedged-inside-ribcages-level gory. If you’re on board for that, Déjà Dead is a dark and wickedly compulsive read.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
With this assured and intelligent debut, Reichs introduces herself as a prodigious new talent in the crime game. Someone is murdering and dismembering women in Montreal, and forensic anthropologist Temperance "Tempe" Brennan, a middle-aged North Carolina transplant, is having a tough time convincing the Canadian version of the old boy network that the grizzly slayings are the work of a single killer. Since no one believes her theories, Tempe is left pretty much on her own to track the killer, following a trail that leads through demimondes of prostitution, religion and animal research. When a spreadsheet listing past victims--and including Tempe's name--is discovered in the home of a suspect, even the dyspeptic Constable Claudel is forced to admit that Tempe might be on the right track. Reichs handles the tension between Tempe and the men deftly, allowing the reader to despise their unfair treatment of her while understanding that an expert in such a field can be intimidating. A master of nimble phrasing, Reichs herself entertains readers even as she educates them in some of the finer points of forensics. Tempe is as comfortable negotiating the meaner streets of Montreal as she is talking about the myriadtypes of saws available to those with a penchant for dismembering their fellow human beings. The final confrontation scene is as gripping as anything in recent suspense fiction, and it is impossible not to like the vulnerable, observant and competent Tempe, who refreshingly admits to never having "gotten used to" the maggots that abandon corpses on the cutting table: "the seething blanket of pale yellow... dropping from the body to the table to the floor, in a slow but steady drizzle." Major ad/promo; simultaneous audio; foreign rights sold in 12 countries; BOMC main selection; author tour. FYI: Reichs, like her heroine, is a forensic anthropologist in North Carolina and Canada, and a professor.
Customer Reviews
Deja Dead
Really good book but lags a little at times. I'm interested to see if the author shortens some of her lengthy diatribes and sticks more to the story line. It is obvious that she has been a non- fiction writer up til now and is used to writing more fact filled academic books.
Eh. It's good enough for a first book
The book is really good, but I agree with many others, it lags at times. So far I have read only two of Kathy reichs books, and I have noticed that she tends to prolong the story. At times the story gets a little bland, but the ending of her books are always promising! Here books always end well enough to convince the reader to read on in the series.
Mysterious, thrilling, and just plain great!
Kathy Reich's first Tempe Brennan novel... a must-read. The plot is so intriguing and... I can't describe it, you've just got to read it!