Flash and Bones

Stars:5/5

Author: Kathy Reichs

Subjects: Murder, mystery, NASCAR, Charlotte, Anthropology, Bones, Forensics, Police, FBI, Right-Wing Extremists, cover up, conspiracy, bio hazards, suspense, science, Temperance Brennan, novel

ISBN: 978-1-4391-0241-1

Copyright Year: 2011

Other Comments: Kathy Reichs does it once again! This was an outstanding novel, complete with plot twists and turns that keeps the reader guessing until the very end. We meet up again with the protagonist, forensic anthropologist, Dr. Temperance Brennan, in her hometown of Charlotte, NC just as race week is about to begin. Just as fans are filing in for the NASCAR event a body in unearthed in the landfill adjacent to the speedway. Sure enough, Tempe is called in to complete the autopsy. The discovery then leads to a complex investigation involving multiple bodies, the FBI, a disgraced ex-cop, extremists, and bio hazard scares that all keep the pages turning.

House of Mist

Stars: 1/5
Author: María Louisa Bombal

Subjects: pre-magical realism, mystery, South America, Latin American women, Latin American men, Chile
ISBN: 0374531366
Copyright Year: 2008 (first edition by Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
Other Comments:  I rated this book so low because I felt like this mystery had plot holes and the characters seemed really flat.  They didn't seem to change in any extremely significant way.  Also, the ending didn't seem to fit.  This book deconstructs the romantic fairy tale through Helga and her marriage.  This novel is a precursor to magical realism, so it's interesting in that respect.  I did think the deconstruction of the romantic fairy tale worked as well.