I decided to read Patricia Cornwell and Kathy Reichs mysteries back to back and compare.
Cornwell, Patricia
Port Mortuary
9/18/11
Kaye Scarpetti is working at Dover AFB on bodies returned from Afghanistan. She returns to her regular job to get involved in a murder involving military technology, theft thereof, and malfeasance by her second at the lab she is in charge of but has been away from for 6 months. Very tight time frame - the first half of the book covers about 24 hours, and the rest not much longer. What is a Port Mortuary and what is its significance to the plot -- never explained.
Reichs, Kathy
Spider Bones
9/20/11
Tempe Brennan is called in to investigate a body found under water in Canada. Fingerprints identify the body as a soldier reported KIA in Vietnam. Investigating takes her to NC then to Hawaii where she untangles the lives and deaths of three or four young men tangled up in the Vietnam war and misidentified bodies. Throw in gang members and a medical mystery.
Reichs vs. Cornwell
9/20/11
Both Tempe and Kaye are mixed up with the military - Kaye is a reserve Col. activated to work at Dover, and Tempe is consultant to and former employee of JPAC, commission to recover and identify remains from Asia/Pacific military operations. Kaye is concerned with her 20 something daughter, Tempe with her 20 something niece whom she raised. Kaye is married to exFBI and the marriage is happy but requires lots of patience. Tempe is involved with Ryan who is either FBI or exFBI. Kaye is very self-absorbed, Tempe less so. Both books are strictly first person, Cornwell present tense, Reichs past tense.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Barr, Nevada
Burn
Anna Pigeon series
9/9/11
Anna is on leave from the Park Service and staying with a friend in the New Orleans Frence Quarter. Investigates kidnapping, murder, child trafficing and prostitution.
Card, Orson Scott
Empire
9/10/11
Political thriller not scifi. Somebody kills the President, Vice President, and SecDef using a plan developed by Major Malik as a threat scenario. The narrator is Captain Coleman who has just started to work for Malik in the Pentagon. The two of them chase right and left wing extremists trying to split the US. The Winner is ostensibly a middle of the road professor who is plotting empire.
Harris, Charlaine
The Julius House
9/12/11
Aurora Teagarden #4
Ro and Martin get married. She buys him his childhood home as a wedding present. He buys her the Julius house. This house has been unoccupied for 6 years since all the occupants disappeared. She finds the bodies and discovers the killers.
Francis, Dick and Felix Francis
Crossfire
9/13/11
Typical Francis - fast paced, horses, mayhem, and murder. Our hero is an Afghanistan vet who lost a foot in combat. He ends up at home with his mother who trains horses.
Burn
Anna Pigeon series
9/9/11
Anna is on leave from the Park Service and staying with a friend in the New Orleans Frence Quarter. Investigates kidnapping, murder, child trafficing and prostitution.
Card, Orson Scott
Empire
9/10/11
Political thriller not scifi. Somebody kills the President, Vice President, and SecDef using a plan developed by Major Malik as a threat scenario. The narrator is Captain Coleman who has just started to work for Malik in the Pentagon. The two of them chase right and left wing extremists trying to split the US. The Winner is ostensibly a middle of the road professor who is plotting empire.
Harris, Charlaine
The Julius House
9/12/11
Aurora Teagarden #4
Ro and Martin get married. She buys him his childhood home as a wedding present. He buys her the Julius house. This house has been unoccupied for 6 years since all the occupants disappeared. She finds the bodies and discovers the killers.
Francis, Dick and Felix Francis
Crossfire
9/13/11
Typical Francis - fast paced, horses, mayhem, and murder. Our hero is an Afghanistan vet who lost a foot in combat. He ends up at home with his mother who trains horses.
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