In DEJA DEAD, Kathy Reichs fashions her main character, Dr. Temperance Brennan, after herself. Upon reading a bit about the author, I learned that Reichs is a forensic anthropologist for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, State of North Carolina, and for the Laboratoire de Sciences Judiciaires et de Médecine Légale for the province of Quebec. Coincidentally, so is Dr. Brennan. Reichs is an anthropology professor, so is Brennan. These parallels have helped her create both a believable character and an interesting and exciting story.

DEJA DEAD begins with Dr. Tempe Brennan planning a weekend of sightseeing around Montreal. Before she has a chance to leave, however, a body is discovered that she must examine. It was discovered on the same site where several historical burials had been found in the past. Dr. Brennan is sent to determine if this is an archaeological case, or a case for the coroner's office.  

City workers have discovered the torso of the victim in a plastic garbage bag with a plunger protruding from the pelvic region. The head and limbs are missing but subsequently found in similar garbage bags in the same area.

As a forensic anthropologist, Dr. Brennan studies the bones of the victim in an effort to determine details and probable cause of death. In this particular case, the body is so badly decomposed that there is not much left to examine.

The details she gleans from what seems to be such a small amount of evidence are astounding. Brennan is able to establish the approximate age of the victim, sex, and --- with the dental records and missing person reports filed --- the identity of the victim. She is also able to determine the instrument used to cut up the victim.  

Tempe begins to recall other murders with similar details --- dismemberment, similar method of disposal. She begins to think there may be a serial killer in Montreal. But no one in the police department will consider this theory.  

Inspector Luc Claudel, homicide detective with the Montreal Urban Community Police, is one of Brennan's biggest obstacles. Regardless of her steadfast belief that this case is related to other unsolved cases and perpetrated by the same individual, he refuses to entertain this thought. He, as well as other detectives on the case, find no motive to relate the murders to one another. Still, Tempe continues to investigate on her own, risking her job in the process as she infuriates Claudel.  

Complicating matters further is Tempe's friend Gabby. She and Tempe were friends in school, both anthropology majors. While Tempe focused on physical anthropology, Gabby went along the cultural research path. She is now studying the hooker subculture in Montreal and, from all indications, has gotten involved in something dangerous.

During a dinner date, she alludes to some fear in her work and then, after having no contact for nearly three weeks, she calls Tempe --- frightened. Gabby has always been a bit unreliable, so Tempe doesn't put much thought into it. When Gabby drops out of sight yet again, she is more annoyed than worried. After all, she has her own troubles in finding the link between the murder victims. If Gabby is going to play games, Tempe isn't going to worry about it. This attitude will return to haunt her.

As details pile up confirming the existence of a serial killer, the police finally take Tempe seriously and form a task force to capture the killer. Events escalate at this point until the final thrilling confrontation.

DEJA DEAD had me completely in its grip through the final pages. Once I reached the final third of the novel, you couldn't have pried it from my hands. I had to know how Tempe would fare. I had to know all of the details leading right up to that final moment when the killer is found.  

Although some readers may feel compelled to compare Reichs to Patricia Cornwell, I found Reichs' writing more eloquent. She spends more time describing and developing details than Cornwell does. I felt more suspense during the climax in Reichs' book than I have with Cornwell's books --- because of the great detail Reichs provides. Everything fit together and built upon the next event to create a thrilling conclusion.

When considering DEJA DEAD, don't dismiss it as a Cornwell-clone. You won't want to miss out on an excellent novel and wonderful new heroine in Dr. Tempe Brennan.

   -- Reviewed by Colette Engel

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