Deadly Decisions

by Kathy Reichs

Book Overview

When innocent blood is spilled, forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan deciphers the shattering truth it holds in this exciting thriller from New York Times bestselling author Kathy Reichs.... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0684859718
• ISBN13: 9780684859712
• Release Date: July 2000
• Publisher: Scribner Book Company
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 1.32 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.3" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Another Reichs triumph

Forensic anthropologist Kathy Reichs creates another brilliant scenario in this novel. Protagonist Temperance Brennan (also a forensic anthropologist) finds herself embroiled in the Montreal "biker wars" as a result of an unusual burial find - a skull and two femurs. Brennan's investigative skills help her find the identity of the deceased, a 16-year-old girl, and also lead her to identify the killer. I am reluctant to give a way plot details as this is an absolutely wonderful police procedural/mystery novel and I would not want to spoil it for anyone. Reichs draws upon her own experience in forensics to create a factually accurate investigation, down to descriptions of scientific procedures. This novel is one of the best I've ever read.

Choosing this book is NOT a Deadly Decision

This is the best Kath Reichs to date. She has written another highly readable, perfectly timed, and well-plotted book. The characters are real, the story is believable, and the plot if rapid. The story starts with a a bit of work dissonance for tempe; two bikers would be murderes are murdered and a 9-year old little girl gets killed in the cross fire of the revenge follow-up. Careful research, intense plot turns, high-tech gizmos --- it all adds up to a wondrful page turner. This is absolutely a book not to miss., The only deadly decision you could make would be to miss this book. Buy it, read it.

As good as Cornwell

Forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance Brennan handles the case that coroners cannot handle. She provides consulting services to the Laboratoire de Sciences Judiciaires et de Medecine Legale and to the North Carolina Chief Medical Examiner. She also teaches body recovery workshops at the FBI academy.Currently, Temperance is looking at the remains of two identical twins killed in an explosion. Due to the genetic match of the siblings DNA testing cannot help her. Temperance joins a multiagency task force investigating this case. Law enforcement official arrest a biker, who in exchange for a lighter sentence leads the group to other buried members including a teenage girl. As Temperance gets closer to he truth her about the latest biker wars, her own life is placed in jeopardy from the killers who prefers to remain in the cold murdering targeted bikers.On any reader test scale, Kelly Reichs' latest work, DEADLY DECISIONS, matches up well with the best of Cornwell. The tale centers on biker gangs that engage in criminal activities rather than the hobbyist enjoying their motorcycle. The frightening story line focuses on a fascinating depraved world that is a thrill a page as the terrific Temperance tries to solve an impossible case without becoming a coroner's next evaluation.Harriet Klausner

FORENSIC THRILLS OF THE FIRST ORDER

Forensic anthropologist, Tempe Brennan, has always taken her feelings out of her work, this case is different. The death of a nine year-old girl, caught in the crossfire of rival biker gangs, sends Tempe on a mission...bring the killers to justice.As Tempe begins her case she will be thrust into a dark world, where every truth in masked in a lie. As her case takes shape, she will find the skeleton of a missing teenager, a young girl who was running with the bike gangs. She will also confront awful truths about her friend Andrew, who has disappeared after being wanted by the police. Using her forensic skills, and some of the latest technology, Tempe, must solve this puzzle, and catch the killers, before the next death is her own."Deadly Decisions" is a first rate forensic's thriller. The pace is fast, the plot is complex, and the writing, top-notch.Kathy Reichs has created a character who stomps on "Scarpetta" territory, and more than gets a way with it. Fans of well-written, suspense novels should dive into this one.A MUST read!Nick Gonnella

Easy Decision- Read It

In this, Kathy Reich's third book, Tempe Brennan, a forensic anthropologist, splits time between North Carolina and Montreal. She has been assigned as liaison to Operation Carcajou, a task force on criminal activities of motorcycle gangs.The setting for the story occurs mainly in the Canadian spring " when the thaw offers up the dead, hidden by the snows of a long winter". Two skeletons are found as well as the skull and leg bones of a teen whose body had been lain to rest in North Carolina in 1984. The mystery facing Tempe is to determine how the skull ended up in Montreal and what is the connection to the skeletons of the two motorcycle gang members buried with it.To complicate her life and add depth to the story, Tempe's love interest , Andrew Ryan, has been arrested for selling drugs. Her nephew Kit, whom she treats like her own son, has come to visit and is fascinated by Harley Davidsons. As the story progresses, she becomes more concerned and worried as Kit becomes involved with intrusive slime-ball reporter Lyle Crease, who also has a love for motorcycles. She becomes afraid for Kit and feels a sense of urgency as bikers are killing each other in a power struggle for the drug trade. The decisions faced by these characters is the underlying theme of the story.Tempe is presented as a three- dimensional, increasingly complex and sensitive woman expressing her beliefs, fears, attitudes, and feelings. The book is written in the first person so we are privy to Tempe's innermost thoughts. She is a serious and dedicated scientist but we also learn of her feelings toward victims, perpetrators, co-workers, family, and herself. From the beginning, she describes how she feels about children and how she respects victims of violence. She has vowed to use her talent of interpreting evidence and "reading bones" to identify and convict the perps of violent crime especially against children. As Kathy Reich continues to write, she creates plots and characters with depth while using creative techniques that add to the suspense. For example, I found myself looking forward to the end of most chapters. They usually contained a surprise or made a point that moved the story, making it difficult to "put down the book ". She ties the story together brilliantly at the conclusion while leaving an openning and running a common thread to the next book if she wants to use it.Highly Recommended!