Genre: Suspense, Mystery

I haven't read any of Kathy Reich's previous books, a fact which had me somewhat leery as I picked up this one. Sometimes, especially with books in a long series, it is almost impossible to understand what is going on if you try to jump in mid-series. I was pleasantly surprised to find that in this instance my fears were unfounded. 206 Bones is a great read, plain and simple, with lots of action and great characters.

Reich's series is very popular, so much so that it has in fact led to the creation of Bones, a television series based on the books. I've seen a few episodes of Bones, so I was a bit surprised to find that the books take place in Canada. I actually preferred the setting of the novel, and found myself wondering why they changed it. Attempting to further fuel our egocentric Americanism perhaps? But, I digress.

206 Bones begins with the main character, Dr. Temperance Brennan finds herself buried alive. She has no memory of how or why she is in this situation, and only slowly do the memories come flooding back to her mind. Recently, Tempe has been investigating the mysterious deaths of several older women; victims of violent attacks which may or may not be the work of a single individual. Her focus on the cases has been somewhat compromised by some troubling mishaps that have occurred in Tempe's own autopsy suites. These mishaps have begun to undermine the confidence of her superiors, and have eventually result in Tempe even beginning to question her own competence. Meanwhile, her relationship with her longtime co-worker/love interest Lieutenant Ryan has moved into undefined and unresolved territory. What these circumstances have to do with Tempe's own deadly situation remain to be seen.

I really enjoyed the dual mystery aspect of this novel. It was interesting to read as Tempe tried to piece together the reasons for her situation. Reich's pacing was excellent, as she never gave too much away, but she didn't unravel the story so slowly that it was frustrating. I found myself really getting emotionally involved with the characters, especially Tempe. I don't want to give anything away in this review, so I will simply say that Tempe is suffering from some co-worker related troubles throughout the novel. Reichs had me fuming right along with Tempe against the injustice of it all. In short, if you haven't read any of Reich's books and are looking to give one a try, you can't go wrong with this one.

I'm giving my slightly dented ARC copy to one lucky reader. Simply leave a comment below stating why you think I should pick you! Include your email address, or I won't!

Rating:

Genre: Adult Fiction, Thriller, Mystery

Reading Challenges: 26 for 100+ in 2009

I am a big fan of the Lincoln/Child Penderast novels. They are always fun, full of action, and of course, they feature Agent Pendergast, who happens to be a favorite character of mine. You can learn more about Agent Pendergast here. All that being said, I did enjoy this novel, but not as much as previous offerings from the authors.

Cemetary Dance begins with an attack on a pair of familiar characters (one of my favorite things about these guys, they are never afraid to do away with someone for the sake of the story), William Smithback and Nora Kelly, which leaves Smithback dead. This isn't much of a spoiler as it happens in the first ten pages of the novel. D'Agosta and Pendergast quickly find themselves investigating the case in an effort to protect the bereaved Nora, and to find justice for their murdered friend. Their investigation will lead them to a mysterious religious community located in the forgotten and isolated wilderness of a New York city park; a community which seems to have ties to the mystic beliefs of Obeah. They also find themselves forced to confront the notion of modern day zombiis as the body count mounts.

Personally, I didn't find the mystery as compelling in this novel, as compared to previous story lines. Still, the authors did do a great job of keeping me turning pages. Pendergast was certainly in fine form, and there were plenty of his trademark antics to keep me smiling and anxious for more. The book ended with the promise of more to come, and it is safe to say I'll be running to the bookstore for their next Pendergast novel when it arrives.

If you haven't read a Lincoln/Child novel previously, I'd recommend The Cabinet of Curiosities, which in my opinion is their best.

Genre:  Historical Fiction, Coming of Age, Mystery

Reading Challenges:  15 for 100+ in 2009

Sally O'Malley knows what's really going on.  At least, she knows more than any of the adults in her life would believe possible.  It is 1959, and Sally is missing her father, who recently died in a car accident which occurred in the company of Sally's uncle and her little sister Troo.   Sally made some promises to her father before he died, and the most important is that she would look after her sister.  Sally, who is delightfully earnest, has every intention of following through to the letter.  In the meantime, someone is murdering and molesting little girls on Vliet street, the street where Sally is now living after her mother's hasty remarriage to her new stepfather, Hall.  Sally thinks she knows who is up to no good, and all she is hoping for is to protect her sister and herself.  This will be difficult, as Sally's mother is in the hospital, and the rumors are that she might never be coming out.  Sally and Troo are on their own.

I so enjoyed this book.  Sally was a wonderful character.  As with all children, Sally was aware of so many of the things going on in the community.  She might have drawn the wrong conclusions, but only because of her lack of experience.  The most difficult part about reading this book was that I longed to throw my arms around both Sally and Troo (they were so lovable), and bring them to my house to protect them from the things that threatened them.  The book is less a mystery than a coming of age story, but the mystery aspect of the story was satisfying as well.  There were also many poignant moments in this book that brought the hint of tears to my eyes, especially those related to parents and children.  I don't want to give anything away as far as storyline, so let me just say, read this book!  You won't be sorry.