Deadly Decisions by Kathy Reichs

Deadly Decisions by Kathy Reichs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 416

Publisher - Arrow

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

A nine-year old girl dies on her way to ballet class, caught in outlaw biker crossfire. Violence is spilling on to the streets of Montreal and Dr Temperance Brennan, forensic anthropologist for the state, has to pick up the pieces.

She knows she shouldn't let emotion get in the way of her role as scientist, but when nine-year-old Emily's body is wheeled into the morgue she cannot help but react. Tempe's nephew, Kit, is mesmerised by motorcycles. Does he understand the dangers posed by the outlaw gangs?

An exhumation uncovers the bones of another innocent, hidden in a clandestine grave close to a biker headquarters. With her boss in the hospital and her sparring partner Andrew Ryan disturbingly unavailable, Tempe begins a perilous investigation into a lawless underworld of organised crime.


My review

This book has been on my shelves for years so it was really nice to reacquaint with Tempe, Doctor Temperance Brennan, bone doctor /forensic anthropologist. A nine year old little girl is killed when rival biker gangs target each other and she is caught in the crossfire. Tempe helps the team investigate and get answers on some bones linked with one of the gangs. Along with this her young nephew has come to town and has a keen interest in motorbikes but he wouldn't get caught up with the wrong people surely. Trying to do her job, look out for her family and then her relationship with her boyfriend takes an unexpected surprise.

I love the way you sink into some books, Tempe is very thorough in her job so we learn a wee bit of something with each body she examines. The book has lots going on, her and the cop rubbing the wrong way, her family life/relationships and then the unexpected turn with the boyfriend.

Rival gangs are dangerous territory and with Tempe being on the news that adds another level of danger for her. The book is busy, paced and keeps you hooked because there is so much going on at each turn. I have a fair few of these on the tbrm and although I have been known to read out of sequence but I think the next few are in order. Looking forward to picking the next one up, 4/5 for me this time.

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Cross by James Patterson

Cross by James Patterson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 393

Publisher - Little Brown and Company

Source - Poundshop

Blurb from Goodreads

Alex Cross was a rising star in the Washington, DC, Police Department when an unknown shooter gunned down his wife, Maria, in front of him. The killer was never found, and the case turned cold, filed among the unsolved drive-bys in D.C.'s rough neighborhoods.

Years later, still haunted by his wife's death, Cross is making a bold move in his life. Now a free agent from the police and the FBI, he's set up practice as a psychologist once again. His life with Nana Mama, Damon, Jannie, and little Alex is finally getting in order. He even has a chance at a new love.

Then Cross's former partner, John Sampson, calls in a favor. He is tracking a serial rapist in Georgetown, one whose brutal modus operandi recalls a case Sampson and Cross worked together years earlier. When the case reveals a connection to Maria's death, Cross latches on for the most urgent and terrifying ride of his life.


My Review

I love Alex Cross, I read the series as I come across them and not in order which results in spoilers, I really need to stop. Anyway, here we see Alex revist when his wife died, back to present day when he has a chance to finally leave the force and set up his own business. However we all know Alex can't be kept from his true calling and not when a carrot is dangling, could he actually find out about what happened all those years ago when his wife was brutally snatched from him?

We get a police care, Cross doing what he does best, an investigation, a bit of the past and Alex's family life. I love Nana, she is nobody's fool and the glue that keeps the Cross family together, we don't see her often but when we do it is usually ruling the roost with her wit and tongue!

If you like the previous books I don't see why you wouldn't enjoy this, book 12 in the series, short chapters we have come to know and love, well I do. I think I would have loved it had I had more on the back story, Alex's. We have a lot of focus on the investigation, the bad guy is brutal, he abuses women, rape, control, violence, murder and mutilation. Rotten to the core, very skilled in his madness and feart of no one. Good, page turner but whilst I liked it I didn't love it, 3/5 for me this time.

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