by Shelley Civkin Richmond Public Library

Reichs slows down the pace

After reading Kathy Reichs' latest suspense thriller, Fatal Voyage, I got the feeling she was trying to cash in on the fact that she's had three sizzling-hot bestsellers in just over four years. Don't get me wrong, Fatal Voyage isn't a bad book, but it sure isn't as high caliber as her first three novels, Deja Dead, Death du Jour, and Deadly Decisions. While her others scared the bejeebies out of me (that's a good thing), it took 326 pages until the pace and suspense of - reached fever pitch.

The story is about forensic anthropologist Tempe Brennan, and the suspicious aftermath of a fatal air crash that killed 88 passengers, many of who were college kids. Oh yeah, and there was also a police officer escorting a convicted mob biker on the plane. Naturally everyone and his dog is speculating about the cause of the plane crash. Tempe, the Martha Stewart of forensic anthropology, is called in to share her expertise in body identification. Shortly after she starts working though, she is summarily and unaccountably dismissed. Confused, angry and frustrated, Tempe pokes around anyway, and finds a dismembered foot.

Thinking she has a leg up (sorry) on the other plane crash investigators, Tempe runs with it, even though she is formally no longer part of the team. In her own personal investigation, she stumbles upon a hidden and mysterious mountain house/lodge. The secrecy surrounding the place is monumental, and Tempe keeps running up against people who want to stop her from snooping around.

The plot plods along at a snail's pace, with a seemingly endless cast of characters and little suspense. There is also way too much forensic detail and confusing science talk in Fatal Voyage. For instance: "Now see if there's a table that gives the unstandardized canonical discriminant function coefficients for American Indians, blacks, and whites." Or try this one: "Volatile fatty acids include forty-one different organic compounds, of which butyric acid is one. Butyric, formic, acetic, propionic, valeric, caproic, and heptanoic are detectable in soil solution because they're soluble in water." What are we, scientists or lay people?

The plot turns from scattered to downright absurd near the end, which is disappointing coming from a talented writer like Reichs. What put me over the edge was Reich's vitriolic portrayal of the fictional librarian who runs the Marianna Black Public Library in Bryson City, North Carolina. Referring to her as "the lilac-haired dragon", Reichs sets up a scenario in which Tempe gets caught using her cell phone in the library and is asked to leave. Following this, the librarian is described as "the gestapo protectress of the printed word." Geez - give me a break!! Shame on you Ms. Reichs, for that dramatically ridiculous portrayal of librarians! I'd give the book a six out of ten.

For other popular reading suggestions, be sure to check out Richmond Public Library's Web site at www.yourlibrary.ca/goodbooks/.

Shelley J. Civkin is the head of the Readers' Advisory Department at the Richmond Public Library.