Deja Dead by Kathy Reichs

It's been a long time since I first read this one. My then stand partner in the then still extant symphony orchestra, was working on a master's in forensic anthropology and recommended it (and the others already written) very highly. I thought that her recommendation ought to count.

I've recently read a fairly recent one (Devil Bones) and have to grant that it was much more polished than this one. Tempe and her cast of associates are very much still under development. The science is laid on thick, not a bad thing at all, but the transitions between frantic, furious Tempe and Tempe the scientist are a little abrupt. But all of that is to be expected in the beginning.

The science points to a serial killer that the overt evidence does not necessarily indicate and the persistent conflict in the book is between Tempe and officers of the two involved branches of the police in Montreal who are not willing to crawl out on that particular limb. And let us not forget the charming and enthusiastic cadaver dog, Margot - she was willing to go the distance with Tempe!

A good many of the Tempe/police confrontations arise from her insistence to "run and find out" for herself, when the cops don't step up as quickly as she thinks they should. A nice bit of irony is that when the killer comes for Tempe, she is doing exactly what she was supposed to be doing. And another thing I like about that part is that Tempe saves herself, instead of having Ryan and Claudel burst in at the last moment to save her. Speaking of whom, Claudel is just a bit too sexist and condescending and Ryan is just a bit too gorgeous - and Brennan just a little too appreciative of said gorgeousness - to fit in with the story progress, but still a minor problem.

I have always liked that Tempe is fortyish and concerned about aging, but I thought that her daughter Katy was younger at the beginning - she is already in college - and preparing to drop out and follow a rock band to Europe.

Reichs does like her critters. Bird the cat is very much a presence, and, honestly, Margot the cadaver dog has more personality that any of the police officers. And there is Alsa, the murdered capuchin monkey, the sense of mourning for Alsa seems more real than for any of the murdered women.

On rereading in the context of a significant series, it still presents as a very strong beginning.