We had our first snowfall of 2021 yesterday. It wasn't a large amount. The roads are clear today and it's mostly melted on the lawns. Just cold enough to keep it from melting too quickly.
I finished a book yesterday so I'll provide my review for you. I'll also add the synopsis of the next book in line. Finally I'll continue with my look at my favorite authors.
Just Finished
"So Much Blood is the 2nd book in Simon Brett mystery series featuring struggling actor Charles Paris. I've enjoyed a few of the books in this series already but have determined to work through them in order from now on.
Paris takes a job at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival when an opening comes up. He decides to perform his one man show featuring the works of English poet / humorist Thomas Hood. He is staying with the Derby University Dramatic Society (yup, DUDS) who are also performing in the same theater.
While practicing their play Mary Queen of Sots, one of the actors is killed when one of the fake knives turns out to be a real knife. Paris thinks that, in fact, it might not have been an accident and for some reason that Willy Mariello was murdered. Thus begins a somewhat half-hearted investigation by Paris, trying to determine if Mariello was murdered, by whom and for what reason. Along the way he is assisted by the owner of the building where the DUDS are residing, one Laird James Milne and also his lawyer friend Gerald Venables (a crime enthusiast). James also has an affair with beautiful young actress, Anna. (Let it be known that Charles is still married to France but in an on again / off again relationship)
The story follows Paris's investigation. He has a couple of suspects but can find nothing specific to solve the case. Even Anna comes under his scrutiny. What is also interesting is Paris's preparation and performance of his one man play. It adds a nice quality to the story, making it more than just a murder mystery.
Paris is an interesting character; middle-aged, disappointed in his acting career, a bit of a drunk and womanizer, but thoughtful and creative. It's a wandering story and mild, but still entertaining and a well-crafted mystery. Most enjoyable. Brett has created 3 excellent mystery series; Charles Paris, Fethering Mysteries and Mrs. Pargeter, each different and unique. He's well worth checking out (3.5 stars)"
Currently Reading
"The star is Christopher Milton in the lead part of a new musical.The trap is a door through which Charles Paris falls accidentally. Or was it an accident?
The plot thickens when the rehearsal pianist is shot in the hand by an air gun pellet. Then one of the actors tumbles down some stairs and breaks his leg. Or was he pushed?
The finale comes when Charles Paris, actor/amateur detective, saves the show and reveals the saboteur with a mixture of luck, experience and sheer talent."
My Favorite Authors - Kathy Reichs
Kathleen Joan Toelle Reichs is an American crime writer, forensic analyst and academic born in 1948 in Chicago Illinois. Back in the early 2000's when I first moved to the Valley and was exploring local book stores, I started to explore various forensic mystery writers; Patricia Cornwell, Karin Slaughter and also Kathy Reichs. I seem to recall that I was first attracted to her books by the book covers. But once I started reading them, I was quickly hooked on her stories. They are gritty and interesting and I also like how they wander from the US to Canada and other locations where her main character, Temperance Brennan goes as part of her forensic work. The books were turned into a TV series, Bones that was also very successful. Since 1997, she has written 21 books in the series. I've completed 9 so far, not in any particular order. I'll highlight the last 5 books I read to give you a feel for the series.
Kathy Reichs
"Her life is devoted to justice; for those she never even 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..." (5 stars)
"In a house under
renovation, a plumber uncovers a cellar no one knew about, and makes a
rather grisly discovery — a decapitated chicken, animal bones, and
cauldrons containing beads, feathers, and other relics of religious
ceremonies. In the center of the shrine is the skull of a teenage girl.
Meanwhile, on a nearby lake-shore, the headless body of a teenage boy is
found by a man walking his dog.
Led by a preacher turned
politician, citizen vigilantes blame devil worshipers and Wiccans and
begin a witch hunt, intent on seeking revenge. Forensic anthropologist
Temperance Brennan — “five-five, feisty, and forty-plus” — is called in
to investigate, and a complex and gripping tale unfolds in this deadly
mix of voodoo, SanterĂa, and devil worship." (3 stars)
"It's been 5 years or so since I visited the forensic world of Temperance Brennan by Kathy Reichs. I thought she'd been kind of going through the motions with the book I read at that time. I just finished Break No Bones, the 9th book in the series, and I'm sorry that I've been neglecting the series. This was quite excellent.
Temperance is leading a class of archaeology students at a Native American dig on an island near Charleston, SC to ascertain whether there are archives of any sort there. A developer plans to build homes on the site and the dig is necessary to ensure no historical relics are being disturbed. While there, her students find a body, a recent one. This is the start of an interesting mystery.
Tempe is asked to help the local coroner, a friend of hers, Emma Rousseau, as Emma is dealing with the effects of treatment for lymphoma. She asks Tempe to help with the case and as more bodies begin to crop up, Tempe becomes the lead for the coroner's office. This is a complex, entertaining story. Tempe's ex-hubby, Pete, a lawyer, arrives in town to investigate the financials of a local religious group. Ryan, Tempe's current boyfriend, also shows up and while there is steady friction between the two men, he helps Tempe with the investigation. Throw into the mix, local sheriff Gullet, who is somewhat distrustful of her involvement and you've got an all-round entertaining story.
There are many twists and turns in this story; there are threats to Tempe. There is the involvement of a missing PI who seems to be checking out a local medical clinic as part of an investigation into the missing daughter of a local well-to-do. As more bodies show up, Tempe and the others investigate whether there are links between them. Tempe also tries to deal with her feelings for her two beaus and also with her concern for Emma's health.
I enjoyed this story very much. I liked all of the characters. I have always liked Tempe, she's spunky, irritable, hard - working, funny, just one of the great characters. As always, the forensic aspects of the add to the interest. It's a tensely developed story and the intensity grows as the story moves to the climax. Most enjoyable. (4 stars)"
"Kathy Reichs's Temperance Brennan forensic mystery series is always entertaining. I have felt at times that she is dialing in her story. This was not the case with Fatal Voyage, the fourth book in the series. I think this was one of my favorites so far, of the 9 that I've read.
Temperance is part of North Carolina's DMORT, a disaster response team, and is called to the hills of North Carolina to help in the investigation of a plane crash. This is a major effort, of course, involving local, state and federal investigators. Temperance is surprised to even find her partner from the Montreal police force, Detective Ryan, involved. His partner had been on the flight, escorting a criminal back to Montreal and Ryan is now part of the investigation.
At the outset, something strange occurs. Tempe discovers a foot that she must take from a coyote (with Ryan's assistance). The foot doesn't seem to be part of the crash remnants. Quite suddenly, Tempe is accused of disrupting the air crash investigation, especially by the lieutenant-governor and as the story moves along, she is removed from that investigation.
Some people don't believe what has taken place and continue to help Tempe with her efforts to prove that she didn't commit any wrongs. These include Ryan, an FBI agent, McMahon and a local police chief, Lucy Crowe. As well, Tempe is baby-sitting a dog for her ex-husband, Pete. Boyd is a great character. Anyway, the efforts to investigate this foot, and also to get into a hidden cabin located near the crash site, are stymied consistently, even to the point of a friend of Tempe's being murdered.
It's a tense, rich story. The people are well-crafted (I particularly liked Sheriff Crowe, smart, independent, down-to-earth) and the story moves along very nicely, especially considering its length. There are frustrations, but they are minor and don't take away from the overall enjoyment of the story. I like her relationships and her stubbornness, even though it does get her into trouble. But she is an intelligent, passionate, relentless investigator. There is some development of her relationships with her ex and with Ryan but this part of her life doesn't play too much of a role in this story. More to follow in the others. All in all, an excellent, enjoyable mystery / thriller with a pretty darn satisfying ending. (4.5 stars)"
"Cross Bones is the 8th book in Kathy Reichs's Temperance Brennan forensic mystery series. I found it to be one of the more interesting ones so far.
Temperance is working at her 2nd job as forensic anthropologist assisting the Montreal coroner. (For those not familiar with the books, Temperance works in South Carolina most of the time, but spends time also in Montreal as part of an arrangement.) This story starts off with Temperance assisting with two bodies, one who is found in a chimney and another who may have committed suicide. His autopsy is witnessed by members of the Jewish community as well. During this autopsy, Tempe is given a photo of a skeleton and is advised that is the reason for the victim's 'murder'.
Thus starts an adventure that will take Tempe and her lover, police detective Andrew Ryan to Israel in search of further evidence and also to discover if the bones might be those of Jesus Christ. It's an intriguing story; a murder mystery and an investigation into the history of Jesus' family. The story moves along very nicely and provides an interesting history of the archeological digs in Israel as well as a nice glimpse of the country itself.
I did find some of it confusing, especially the story (which is based on a true one) of the discoveries in Masada. As well, the possible implications of discovering the body of JC, if it turns out to be the case in this story, and its impact on Christianity, Judaism and even Islam are examined, sometimes a bit too much. There is lots of action and the interactions between Tempe and Ryan are excellent. All in all it was a fascinating mystery and a joy to read. I have found that sometimes Kathy Reichs seems to be going through the motions, but not in this story. (4 stars)"
So there you go. The complete listing of Reichs' novels can be found at this link. Enjoy your week. Stay safe. đŸ˜·
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