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Deja Dead (Temperance Brennan, Bk 1)
Deja Dead - Temperance Brennan, Bk 1
Author: Kathy Reichs
In the year since Tempe left behind a shaky marriage in North Carolina, work has often preempted her weekend plans to explore Quebec. But when an unidentified female corpse is discovered meticulously dismembered and stashed in garbage bags, Tempe detects an alarming pattern within the grisly handiwork -- and her professional detachment gives way...  more »
ISBN: 730
Publication Date: 1997
Rating:
  • Currently 3.9/5 Stars.
 5

3.9 stars, based on 5 ratings
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover, Audio Cassette, Audio CD
Members Wishing: 0
Reviews: Member | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

reviewed Deja Dead (Temperance Brennan, Bk 1) on
Helpful Score: 13
I enjoy the "Bones" television series and wanted to read the books the show was based after. Don't expect too many similarities between the characters. I found them quite different in personalities. Though, that's not to say I didn't enjoy the book. I found it a very good book. The characters were interesting to read about and the storylines all tied in very well. It was a great book and I'm looking forward to reading all the others in this series!
algernon99 avatar reviewed Deja Dead (Temperance Brennan, Bk 1) on + 418 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 12
Tempe (for Temperance) Brennan is an interesting character. In this, the first novel in the series, she is working in Montreal as a forensic anthropologist. Murder victims are found, she is caught up in the search for the killer, and circumstances get quite dicey for her.

It is well written. I had a quarrel with the story, however. I know I am in the minority here--vastly in the minority, I might add. It seems that one of the main ingredients of a modern bestseller thriller novel is that the main character must be in deadly peril. The serial killer somehow becomes fixated on the detective or medical examiner or whoever is the focus of the novel. I hate that. I had to stop reading Patricia Cornwell because of it--I mean, really, how many dang serial killers can there be in Raleigh, NC? One a year it seems, which is how often a new novel came out. And what are the odds that every one of those serial killers would decide they wanted to kill the medical examiner?

So in this first novel, the killer is looking to do away with the medical examiner! Talk about deja vu!

I decided that although the book was fun to listen to, I was through with this series for the same reason I had to quit Cornwell. Then I ran across a taped version of one of the later novels in the series for a very low price when I had just run out of tapes to listen to. I bought it, and am now 3/4ths of the way through listening to it. It's good. It doesn't (exactly) involve the killer(s) trying to kill Tempe, so maybe Reichs isn't a victim of thriller-writer syndrome after all.

At any rate, this is a good story and the ones that follow seem to be even better.
cosmichomicide avatar reviewed Deja Dead (Temperance Brennan, Bk 1) on + 134 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 11
I'd really like to say that I loved this book, but I didn't. Generally, medical and science mysteries are among my favorites and, while I will probably continue with this series, I found this book rather rough. The science was excellent and well done, obviously showing the author's knowledge and experience in the field, but neither the characters nor the plot particularly engaged me. Worth reading, just not a great first entry into a series.
Tommy avatar reviewed Deja Dead (Temperance Brennan, Bk 1) on + 7 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 8
Not sure about this one. It is my first Kathy Reichs book, and I think I was expecting something more like the "Bones" TV series which is based on these books. I found Brennan to be a much less sympathetic character in the book than on the TV series. While the story was compelling, I found the book to be overly dark and violent. Some may like that, but I would have preferred to see more of the brilliant, but socially inept Tempe that we know from "Bones". I may try another in the series, but not for a while.
reviewed Deja Dead (Temperance Brennan, Bk 1) on + 80 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 7
I didn't feel much sympathy for Tempe; I'm not middle-aged, I'm not a recovering alcoholic, I don't have children. I didn't learn much of use about the book's setting; street name upon street name does not a description make. I wasn't frightened at any point; the book is the first in a series, so we know Tempe makes it through the book alive. Finally, the writing was a bit over-the-top in places, as is typical of the genre. I won't continue with this series.
Read All 111 Book Reviews of "Deja Dead Temperance Brennan Bk 1"

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reviewed Deja Dead (Temperance Brennan, Bk 1) on + 13 more book reviews
i went into the book having been drawn to the television series "Bones". i had a preconception of the protagonist Temperance, and i found myself disliking the woman found in this book immediately. However, as i continued to read through it, i could see some of the wonderments that attracted me to the character coming through. i do however miss the rest of the team from "Bones". The book itself was a pretty good murder mystery with a decent conclusion.
algernon99 avatar reviewed Deja Dead (Temperance Brennan, Bk 1) on + 418 more book reviews
Tempe (for Temperance) Brennan is an interesting character. In this, the first novel in the series, she is working in Montreal as a forensic anthropologist. Murder victims are found, she is caught up in the search for the killer, and circumstances get quite dicey for her.

It is well written, but I had a quarrel with the story. I know I am in the minority here--vastly in the minority, I might add. It seems that one of the main ingredients of a modern bestseller thriller novel is that the main character must be in deadly peril. The serial killer somehow becomes fixated on the detective or medical examiner or whoever is the focus of the novel. I hate that. I had to stop reading Patricia Cornwell because of it--I mean, really, how many dang serial killers can there be in Raleigh, NC? One a year it seems, which is how often a new novel came out. And what are the odds that every one of those serial killers would decide they wanted to kill the medical examiner?

So in this first novel, the killer is looking to do away with the medical examiner! Talk about deja vu!

I decided that although the book was fun to listen to, I was through with this series for the same reason I had to quit Cornwell. Then I ran across a taped version of one of the later novels in the series for a very low price when I had just run out of tapes to listen to. I bought it, and am now 3/4ths of the way through listening to it. It's good. It doesn't (exactly) involve the killer(s) trying to kill Tempe, so maybe Reichs isn't a victim of thriller-writer syndrome after all.

At any rate, this is a good story and the ones that follow seem to be even better.
reviewed Deja Dead (Temperance Brennan, Bk 1) on + 12 more book reviews
I enjoy all of her books.
Readnmachine avatar reviewed Deja Dead (Temperance Brennan, Bk 1) on + 1435 more book reviews
Similar to Patricia Cornwall's stuff. Temperance Brennan is a forensic pathologist working in Quebec. The writing is good and the character likeable, but this first book in the series is marred by the main character going all Nancy Drew and doing really dumb things in her pursuit of a serial killer the cops don't believe exists.
eadieburke avatar reviewed Deja Dead (Temperance Brennan, Bk 1) on + 1609 more book reviews
TV show, Bones, is based upon this series. Tempe Brennan, Quebecâs director of forensic anthropology, is in search of a serial killer which has killed her best friend and has her daughter in mortal danger. A slow beginning but fascinating look of working in a coronerâs office. Harrowing plot and characters. Impeccable writing and suspenseful. Looking forward to book 2 and recommended to those who love gripping thrillers.
reviewed Deja Dead (Temperance Brennan, Bk 1) on + 5 more book reviews
The book was very captivating with many twists and turns. I really enjoyed it.
algernon99 avatar reviewed Deja Dead (Temperance Brennan, Bk 1) on + 418 more book reviews
Tempe (for Temperance) Brennan is an interesting character. In this, the first novel in the series, she is working in Montreal as a forensic anthropologist. Murder victims are found, she is caught up in the search for the killer, and circumstances get quite dicey for her.

It is well written, but I had a quarrel with the story. I know I am in the minority here--vastly in the minority, I might add. It seems that one of the main ingredients of a modern bestseller thriller novel is that the main character must be in deadly peril. The serial killer somehow becomes fixated on the detective or medical examiner or whoever is the focus of the novel. I hate that. I had to stop reading Patricia Cornwell because of it--I mean, really, how many dang serial killers can there be in Raleigh, NC? One a year it seems, which is how often a new novel came out. And what are the odds that every one of those serial killers would decide they wanted to kill the medical examiner?

So in this first novel, the killer is looking to do away with the medical examiner! Talk about deja vu!

I decided that although the book was fun to listen to, I was through with this series for the same reason I had to quit Cornwell. Then I ran across a taped version of one of the later novels in the series for a very low price when I had just run out of tapes to listen to. I bought it, and am now 3/4ths of the way through listening to it. It's good. It doesn't (exactly) involve the killer(s) trying to kill Tempe, so maybe Reichs isn't a victim of thriller-writer syndrome after all.

At any rate, this is a good story and the ones that follow seem to be even better.
reviewed Deja Dead (Temperance Brennan, Bk 1) on
I bought this book over a year ago, but it sat on my shelf. Then I happen to be watching "Bones" on Fox and saw that it was based on her books. I really enjoyed it!
ColdSnap avatar reviewed Deja Dead (Temperance Brennan, Bk 1) on + 13 more book reviews
I read this book on a recommendation of a friend, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I found that it took me a few chapters to get into both the characters and the forensics lingo, but was unable to put it down after I had gotten through that. I would say that if you are expecting the characters to be the same as the t.v. show Bones I didn't see it in this book. The main character's name is Temperance Brennan, but that was where the similarity stopped. (This is the only book I've read in the series, so bear that in mind.) Altogether a fun read, well written and difficult to put down.
reviewed Deja Dead (Temperance Brennan, Bk 1) on + 17 more book reviews
First in this series; very well-written.
reviewed Deja Dead (Temperance Brennan, Bk 1) on + 6 more book reviews
One word- Excellent
reviewed Deja Dead (Temperance Brennan, Bk 1) on + 9 more book reviews
Good story, but overly wordy.
reviewed Deja Dead (Temperance Brennan, Bk 1) on + 22 more book reviews
The main character, Temperance Brennan, is very different than how she is portrayed on the TV show "Bones". Once I got past that, I really enjoyed the book. I like this version of Tempe Brennan better!
reviewed Deja Dead (Temperance Brennan, Bk 1) on
After seeing the program "Bones," based on Kathy Reichs's book I wanted to "hear" "Deja Dead" while I am doing my crafts. I was a little disappointed the audio tape was an abridged version.
algernon99 avatar reviewed Deja Dead (Temperance Brennan, Bk 1) on + 418 more book reviews
Tempe (for Temperance) Brennan is an interesting character. In this, the first novel in the series, she is working in Montreal as a forensic anthropologist. Murder victims are found, she is caught up in the search for the killer, and circumstances get quite dicey for her.

It is well written, but I had a quarrel with the story. I know I am in the minority here--vastly in the minority, I might add. It seems that one of the main ingredients of a modern bestseller thriller novel is that the main character must be in deadly peril. The serial killer somehow becomes fixated on the detective or medical examiner or whoever is the focus of the novel. I hate that. I had to stop reading Patricia Cornwell because of it--I mean, really, how many dang serial killers can there be in Raleigh, NC? One a year it seems, which is how often a new novel came out. And what are the odds that every one of those serial killers would decide they wanted to kill the medical examiner?

So in this first novel, the killer is looking to do away with the medical examiner! Talk about deja vu!

I decided that although the book was fun to listen to, I was through with this series for the same reason I had to quit Cornwell. Then I ran across a taped version of one of the later novels in the series for a very low price when I had just run out of tapes to listen to. I bought it, and am now 3/4ths of the way through listening to it. It's good. It doesn't (exactly) involve the killer(s) trying to kill Tempe, so maybe Reichs isn't a victim of thriller-writer syndrome after all.

At any rate, this is a good story and the ones that follow seem to be even better.
reviewed Deja Dead (Temperance Brennan, Bk 1) on + 72 more book reviews
You can always count on Kathy Reichs to give you a fun and exciting read. Deja Dead is no exception!
reviewed Deja Dead (Temperance Brennan, Bk 1) on + 31 more book reviews
First book of the Temperance Breenen series and a great starter too.

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