Deadly Decisions Kathy Reichs is a mystery book that brings together mystery, investigation, and suspense. The book is suited to readers who enjoy uncovering clues, following investigations, and piecing together unanswered questions.
Deadly Decisions by Kathy Reichs is in the public domain, so you can read it online here in short, easy pages or save a copy for your phone, tablet or computer.
"Fans of TV's CSI: Crime Scene Investigation should be in heaven" (People) stepping into the world of forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance Brennan, star of Kathy Reichs' electrifyingly authentic bestsellers.
When innocent blood is spilled, she deciphers the shattering truth it holds.
Nine-year-old Emily Anne Toussaint is fatally shot on a Montreal street. A North Carolina teenager disappears from her home, and parts of her skeleton are found hundreds of miles away. The shocking deaths propel Tempe Brennan from north to south, and deep into a shattering investigation inside the bizarre culture of outlaw motorcycle gangs -- where one misstep could bring disaster for herself or someone she loves.
Amazon.com Review
Temperance Brennan is a forensic anthropologist with one of the longest commutes in fiction--from North Carolina to Montreal. She works in both places, and in this third outing (after Déjà Dead and Death du Jour) she manages to make a riveting (if a bit too coincidental) connection between a skull in Montreal and the partial skeleton of a teenager--dead since 1984--in North Carolina. Linking them is a 9-year-old girl shot on a Montreal street, the victim of a war among members of an outlaw motorcycle gang in eastern Canada. Another piece of the puzzle is provided by Tempe's visiting nephew, who is fascinated by the biker culture and is drawn into the mystery Tempe's trying to solve:
"Know anything about Slick?" asked Kit.
"He doesn't look like the pick of the litter."
"Yeah, even from that motley litter." He flipped the picture. "Heck, this guy croaked when I was 3 years old."
There were two more photos of Slick's funeral, both taken from a distance, one at the cemetery, the other on the church steps. Many of the mourners wore caps riding their eyebrows, and bandannas stretched to cover their mouths.
"The one you've got must be from a private collection." I handed Kit the other pictures. "I think these two are police surveillance photos. Seems the bereaved weren't anxious to show their faces."
The science is as accurate as the author can make it. Kathy Reichs's own background--as forensic anthropologist for the chief medical officer of North Carolina and director of forensic anthropology for the province of Quebec--ensures verisimilitude of place and procedure and creates a believable milieu. Fans of Patricia Cornwall will enjoy this solidly written suspense thriller, while those of a less scientific bent, who don't mind a somewhat lagging pace, will skip the details and concentrate on Reichs's fluid writing. All readers will enjoy the way Tempe puts the pieces of the puzzle, as well as the bodies, together. --Jane Adams
From Publishers Weekly
Critics (and publicists) often compare Reichs to Patricia Cornwell, as both are women who write bestselling thrillers featuring a female forensic expert. There's a significant difference between them, though. Reichs brings to her grisly novels a scientific detail and authenticity that Cornwell rarely matchesAa virtue arising from Reich's background as a top forensic anthropologist for the governments of North Carolina and Quebec, a background mirrored by that of her heroine, Tempe Brennan. But CornwellAa journalist before she turned novelistAis a more accomplished writer than Reichs, and her more fluid prose and plotting support a heroine who exudes a vitality that Brennan doesn't. Reichs's strengths and weaknesses are apparent in this third novel (after Death du Jour) featuring narrator Brennan, which finds the crime fighter tangling with outlaw motorcycle gangs in Montreal. The novel opens as Brennan, "sorting badly mangled tissue" in an autopsy room, is interrupted by the arrival of another body: that of a girl, nine, caught by a bullet that one gang, the Heathens, had intended for a rival Viper. The mangled tissue belongs to two Heathens who'd been en route to bomb the Vipers' headquarters: war is raging among bikers in Montreal, and Brennan is soon caught in the battles, not least because her visiting nephew, Kit, is enamored with bikersAincluding some involved in the war. The narrative carries Brennan to assorted bikers' hangouts, and to much forensic digging, all of which Reichs handles with an admirable intensity and veracity. Still, the novel has a stiff, storyboarded feel, with a subplot involving Brennan's cop loverAhas he turned gang member?Aparticularly intrusive. The pacing is lopsided, laborious in front and action-stuffed at the back, and the narrative spreads its message about the malfeasance of outlaw bikers with a heavy hand. Overall, the novel works, but the gears show one time too many. Agent, Jennifer Rudolph Walsh at the Writer's Shop. Major ad/promo; 6-city author tour. (July) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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About Kathy Reichs
Kathy Reichs is a bestselling American author, forensic anthropologist, and academic best known for her gripping crime thrillers featuring the brilliant forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan. Renowned for combining real-world forensic science with suspenseful storytelling, Reichs has earned a devoted readership among fans of crime fiction, murder mysteries, detective novels, and scientific thrillers. Her professional experience in forensic anthropology gives her stories a distinctive sense of realism, taking readers beyond conventional detective fiction and into the fascinating world of human identification, skeletal analysis, criminal investigations, and the scientific clues that can help uncover the truth. For readers who enjoy intelligent mysteries, complex investigations, unexpected twists, and compelling female protagonists, Kathy Reichs offers a captivating reading experience that balances scientific detail with fast-paced suspense.
Early Life, Education, and Forensic Science Career
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Kathy Reichs developed an academic career that eventually brought her into the specialized field of forensic anthropology. She earned her undergraduate degree in anthropology from American University before completing her master's degree and Ph.D. in physical anthropology at Northwestern University. Her extensive education and professional experience helped establish her as a respected expert in the examination and identification of human remains. Unlike many crime writers who rely primarily on imagination or research, Reichs draws on practical experience in forensic investigations to create convincing fictional cases. Her work has included consulting for medical examiner offices in North Carolina and Quebec, teaching forensic anthropology, assisting with the identification of human remains, and contributing to investigations involving mass graves and disaster victims. She has also worked with international forensic investigations, including efforts connected to the United Nations Tribunal on Genocide in Rwanda and the recovery of victims following the September 11 attacks. These experiences have influenced the authenticity of her fiction, allowing her to explore not only the scientific challenges of identifying the dead but also the human stories, unanswered questions, and emotional consequences behind criminal investigations.
How Kathy Reichs Created Temperance Brennan
One of the most important milestones in Kathy Reichs's literary career was the creation of Dr. Temperance Brennan, a highly skilled forensic anthropologist whose scientific expertise becomes essential to solving complex crimes. First introduced in Reichs's debut novel, Déjà Dead, published in 1997, Brennan quickly became one of the most recognizable protagonists in contemporary forensic crime fiction. The character reflects aspects of Reichs's own professional world while remaining a fictional personality with her own investigative challenges, relationships, and personal...Read More