Search - Devil Bones (Temperance Brennan, Bk 11)

I always love Reichs. I've read every book in the Tempe Brennan series. However, while the story was very interesting, I really felt Reichs "dumbed down" her writing on this one. Yes, she always explains the science behind what she's doing. This time though there were lots of "This is how it works:" Also, on EVERY SINGLE rhetorical question one character asks another character, she points out that it was a rhetorical question. It was very very annoying. I got to the point where I was saying - "Okay - I'm a reader. I GET IT ALREADY!!!!!" There were other things that are harder to put my finger on, but the book was definitely a different "you can't figure any little thing out on your own" style.

I think part of the mystery (no pun intended) was solved when I got to her interview at the back of the book. Many questions dealt with the TV series. I *love* TV, don't get me wrong, but I think that is why her style changed so abruptly in this book - she's writing to her TV audience and who knows how much they read. I hope she does not continue to write this way.

Otherwise, the story itself was interesting and if you haven't read many of her books, you might not notice. The story itself carried me along as her plots usually do. I recommend this book with the caveat mentioned above - which anyone may or may not notice. Enjoy!

Great book A real page turner

Normally a fan of Reichs' writing, this time I feel it fell flat of her usual twists and turns. It wasn't particularly surprising or intriguing and really didn't live up to previous novels. The in depth look at Paganism, Santeria, Wicca and other religions was very inclusive and I think demonstrated how the Satanic underpinnings that society places upon these religions is completely false. But the actual plot line just didn't leave me desperately wanting to know what happens next. It normally take me about 2 days to devour a Reichs book, this one I read very slowly over about 2 weeks.

Interesting multiple murder mystery with possible Santeria, voo-doo, satanism, and wicca tie-ins. Reichs explains the differences between them with political comment on the intolerance of Americans towards "different" religions. In this story Tempe stays put in N. Carolina and starts dating again during her separation from Ryan, thus this novel avoids the bedroom romps which so often drag down Reichs' books. Sadly, Tempe falls off the wagon following the on-duty death of someone she works with on cases which has possible career-ending consequences.

Tempe Brennan is a woman conflicted at the begining of this book. Her Montreal love interest Ryan has gone back to rebuild his relationship with his ex-wife and their daugher. And her latest collection of cases involved a headless corpse and a cauldron with a head. Do the two match? The action is rapid but it is a little confusing to keep up with the characters floating in and out of the plot line. And the last page of the book has flavor of to be continued.

Good Book. Ms. Reichs does not disappoint.