Death Du Jour (Temperance Brennan 2)
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Amazon.co.uk Review
After one of the more startling crime debuts of recent years, Déjà Dead, Kathy Reichs has found herself, at a stroke, regarded as a possible contender for Patricia Cornwell's crown as queen of forensic detection novels. As the new book opens, her forensic anthropologist heroine Temperance Brennan is doing what she usually does--helping to identify remains about which there is almost nothing suspicious. In this case she is dealing with a 19th-century nun of vast sanctity, for whose beatification her relics and burial site need authenticating. What could be simpler or less menacing? Almost immediately, Tempe is called in on a bad case: arson, which has left remains so damaged that a normal pathologist cannot cope--and the victims that pathologists normally cope with include infants stabbed to death.
Something sinister is going on, and whether in Quebec, where she has her practice, or the sleepy South, where she teaches, Tempe is not safe. Reichs' first book was good on the domesticity and friendship to which Tempe retreats--and this time we meet her younger sister, Harriet, who has just got rid of her balloonist lover and is looking for a new interest. --Roz Kaveney --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Review
"Brennan is a winner, and so is Reichs."
-- "Daily News" (New York)
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Striking a balance between informing a reader and preaching to them is a difficult one. I have found in the previous Kathy Reich books that I have read that she seems to preach a little too much for my liking. In `Death Du Jour' this reaches new and book ruining heights.
Dr Temperance Brennan returns and for once is not involved in recent murder and mayhem. Instead she has been asked by a group of Nuns to look in the ruins of a church for one of their long dead sisters who is to be potentially canonised. However, as usual trouble follows Temperance and when a local house goes up in flames she is asked to identify the bodies. It seems that several people have died and that it was arson. If these two cases were not enough Brenan becomes involved in a third when two corpses are found on a wildlife sanctuary. Can Brenan juggle all three cases and her personal life which appears to be under threat by a mysterious stranger?
I found `Death Du Jour' a stagnant novel. Firstly, this was due to the fact that there were too many ongoing cases and it became confusing. The worst problem is the patronising tone that Reichs takes when describing things. One minute Dr Brennan is an expert giving in-depth details, the next she is apparently a novice and asking for them. It is too obvious that Reichs is trying to force feed the reader in-depth analysis, it all felt a little hollow to me and far too over analytical. Reichs is probably one of the pioneers of the detailed modern crime novel and as this was an early book in the series perhaps she has refined her skills. As it is this book felt very dated in its style as other authors have gone on to copy her style and improve on it.
Dr Temperance Brennan returns and for once is not involved in recent murder and mayhem. Instead she has been asked by a group of Nuns to look in the ruins of a church for one of their long dead sisters who is to be potentially canonised. However, as usual trouble follows Temperance and when a local house goes up in flames she is asked to identify the bodies. It seems that several people have died and that it was arson. If these two cases were not enough Brenan becomes involved in a third when two corpses are found on a wildlife sanctuary. Can Brenan juggle all three cases and her personal life which appears to be under threat by a mysterious stranger?
I found `Death Du Jour' a stagnant novel. Firstly, this was due to the fact that there were too many ongoing cases and it became confusing. The worst problem is the patronising tone that Reichs takes when describing things. One minute Dr Brennan is an expert giving in-depth details, the next she is apparently a novice and asking for them. It is too obvious that Reichs is trying to force feed the reader in-depth analysis, it all felt a little hollow to me and far too over analytical. Reichs is probably one of the pioneers of the detailed modern crime novel and as this was an early book in the series perhaps she has refined her skills. As it is this book felt very dated in its style as other authors have gone on to copy her style and improve on it.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Having read Deja Dead I was expecting a strong, if not stronger follow up. For the first three-quarters of the novel that was what I got. But something went badly wrong in the final scenes.
It seems to me that Ms Reichs lost her way towards the end; two characters talking through all the loose ends" routine to resolve all of the outstanding plot lines. It is simply not credible that two characters would, following a traumatic event, sit down together some days or weeks later and discuss things as though coming to them for the first time. In simple terms, she was "telling me" rather than "showing me".
To have such a good book spoilt by the terrible ending disappointed me greatly.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is the 2nd book from Kathy Reichs which features Temperanace (Tempe) Brennan.
Kathy Reichs is often benchmarked against Patricia Cornwell and also compared with Karin Slaughter. IMO Kathy Reichs just pips the the other two although I have enjoyed much of Slaughter's output.
Many reviews have explained Tempe's role/character which is one of a forensic anthropologist.
She flits between Charlotte in South Caronlina summer and Quebec/Montreal, which makes for interesting and contrasting scenery!
Death du Jour starts off with Tempe being asked to examine the remains of Sister Elisabeth Nicolet a reveered nun who died in the late 1880's and is now proposed for sainthood.
However it is necessary to authencate her remains as her body was moved to a different place within the cemetry.
As she is in the process of doing this Tempe is asked to attend a horriffic arson attack on a house with children suspected being involved along with adults.
The events of this arson attack are described in graphic detail, so not for the squeamish.
For those who have read other Reichs novels the romance comes in the shape of Homicide Detective Andrew Ryan who is assigned to the Canadian Police.
"Death du Jour" involves multiple cases weaving from Montreal to North Carolina and takes you into the twilight world of satanic cults.
My only criticism is that Reichs uses too many different strands within this plot, some of which impact on its overall credibilty.
For example her sister Harry gets involved and mysterioulsy goes missing and her Daughter (Katy) also muscles in on the scene.
Ultimately all the disparate elements come together in an interesting way which is managed extremely cleverly by KR.
What makes Reich's books interesting is that she is a forensic anthropologist and draws on her own experence which makes it all the more vivid and at times, spine tingling.
Kathy Reichs is often benchmarked against Patricia Cornwell and also compared with Karin Slaughter. IMO Kathy Reichs just pips the the other two although I have enjoyed much of Slaughter's output.
Many reviews have explained Tempe's role/character which is one of a forensic anthropologist.
She flits between Charlotte in South Caronlina summer and Quebec/Montreal, which makes for interesting and contrasting scenery!
Death du Jour starts off with Tempe being asked to examine the remains of Sister Elisabeth Nicolet a reveered nun who died in the late 1880's and is now proposed for sainthood.
However it is necessary to authencate her remains as her body was moved to a different place within the cemetry.
As she is in the process of doing this Tempe is asked to attend a horriffic arson attack on a house with children suspected being involved along with adults.
The events of this arson attack are described in graphic detail, so not for the squeamish.
For those who have read other Reichs novels the romance comes in the shape of Homicide Detective Andrew Ryan who is assigned to the Canadian Police.
"Death du Jour" involves multiple cases weaving from Montreal to North Carolina and takes you into the twilight world of satanic cults.
My only criticism is that Reichs uses too many different strands within this plot, some of which impact on its overall credibilty.
For example her sister Harry gets involved and mysterioulsy goes missing and her Daughter (Katy) also muscles in on the scene.
Ultimately all the disparate elements come together in an interesting way which is managed extremely cleverly by KR.
What makes Reich's books interesting is that she is a forensic anthropologist and draws on her own experence which makes it all the more vivid and at times, spine tingling.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Dead boring
If I had wanted a forensic science text book I am sure I could have bought an appropriate one. It irritates me intensely to be lectured to particulary as it is a text book topic... Read more
Published 24 days ago by Molly Davidson
Slow start but fantastic end!!!
Unlike other temperance brennan books i have read (not read them in order!) this one seemed to take a little longer to kick off, And at one point reading about the twin babies with... Read more
Published 1 month ago by L. J. Benham
Different and so divisive
This is the second book in Kathy Reichs's Temperence Brennan series set in both Montreal and North Carolina, thus following the authors own experiences. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Christian
Kathy Reichs Novel
The Tempe Brennan books are NOT what you'd expect from watching the TV series, so if you get that out of your mind, you'll enjoy this and all the other Tempe Brennan books a lot... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Ms. Elise Hey
Must read
This is a great read. A real page turner and wanting to find out what happens next
Published 20 months ago by T. Hall
Kathy Reichs - Death Du Jour
This is the second in Kathy Reichs series featuring forensic Anthropologist Dr Temperance Brennan. And unfortunately it's the second time a Reichs book has failed to fully... Read more
Published on 29 Aug 2009 by molko
Get the ironing done!!
This audio book came through very quickly and in excellent condition. I like to listen when I am doing mundane tasks and can listen to a book. Read more
Published on 23 July 2009 by Mrs. Patricia Stevens
Mystery, Danger, Action and Suspense
Once again I was bowled over by Kathy Reichs. She manages to give her readers a wealth of information without ever talking down to them. Read more
Published on 7 Jan 2008 by Laurel Whitehead
Gruesome but totally absorbing
Another solid offering from Reichs. I love the way her books engage your concentration from the very first pages. Read more
Published on 6 Jan 2008 by Net
The equal of Deja Dead
Death Du Jour - Kathy Reichs second offering is easily as good as, if not better than Deja Dead. Thickly layered plot, effective pen work and a complex and entrawling journey into... Read more
Published on 27 Oct 2007 by Mr. R. Hadfield
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