Brianna Reviews - Death Du Jour by Kathy Reichs

Published: 2000 (first published 1999)

Publisher: Arrow Books

Format: Paperback

Synopsis: On a bitterly cold March night in Montreal, forensic anthropologist Dr Temperance Brennan is exhuming the remains of a nun in the grounds of an old church. Hours later, Tempe is called to the scene of a horrifying arson. A young family has perished, but there is no explanation, no motive, and no witnesses. From the charred remains of the inferno, to a trail of sinister cult activity, Tempe faces a nerve-shattering case which will test her forensic expertise - and her instinct for survival.

I picked up Death Du Jour to read quicker than planned to. I had wanted to leave a longer gap before reading the second Brennan book but I couldn’t help myself because I had enjoyed reading the first one so much and I wasn’t done with the characters; I wanted more of Brennan and Ryan.

I wasn’t as satisfied with this book by the end of it as I was with the first book. There were a few reasons for this: Firstly it hit me in the book just how much description there is and I prefer my descriptions to be more to the point. It’s okay when she is describing crime scenes and forensics but not when she is making dinner. Secondly there are parts of Brennan’s personality that are starting to jar with me; mainly the way she treats Ryan, he asks her out for drinks and she wants to go because she likes him but she rejects his offer on the grounds that she works with him (fair enough) but then she gets all jealous and treats him like dirt as if it’s his fault she turned him down. Also when she is hell bent on driving off in a snow storm and Ryan ends up driving her because his car would be safer -  he is risking his own safety and she still snaps at him when he makes sensible and safe decision’s and her recklessness ultimately puts them in peril. Thirdly I’m not sure if this is fair but I don’t think there is enough interaction between Brennan and Ryan in the book.

As for the case itself it was interesting and played out well I would add the warning that it is not for the faint hearted! And last but not least, I am a fan of the TV series so I’m still a little unsure if it is the love of the show or the books which is driving me on to read more. I suppose the next book will be the tipping point to find out if it’s the books as I don’t own the 4^th so I will only look for it if I feel that I am genuinely interested in the books.

P.s. These books totally suggest the idea of a Bones/Criminal Minds crossover, if you watch either of these shows look out of it.