Helpful Score: 5
Dead Hunt was my first experience with author Beverly Connor. I decided to give her a try in part because of some of the positive reviews of her books, and I must say, I'm sold! Immediately upon finishing Dead Hunt, I ordered a copy of Dead Past, the book in the Diane Fallon series just prior to this one.
First of all, Dead Hunt is very well written and was a joy to read! Also, Diane Fallon isn't your typical heroine. She's a forensic anthropologist with a fascinating career, working both as Director of the Rosewood Crime Lab and Director of the RiverTrail Museum of Natural History (which owns and houses the lab). Her dual hats make for some interesting plot possibilities!
In this installment, Diane has received a letter from Clymene O'Riley, a woman in prison for murdering her husband - convicted on evidence found by Diane herself. The letter requests Diane's presence at the prison. While Diane has no intention of meeting with the woman she believes is a serial killer, Ross Kingsley, the FBI profiler connected to the case, requests that Diane comply with the request. At their meeting, Clymene tells Diane a strange but worrisome story involving a prison guard, something that Diane can't ignore.
In addition, Diane finds herself embroiled smack dab in the middle of a scandal involving the museum which places her in an exasperating and career-threatening situation that diverts her attention from the meeting with Clymene - that is, until she learns that Clymene has escaped from prison and crime scenes start to pile up, with Diane herself in danger.
Diane Fallon is surrounded by top-notch, loyal individuals, both in the crime lab and the museum, and they work together diligently and relentlessly to get to the bottom of everything that is going on. The science is fascinating, and the characters, both good and bad, interesting. I recommend this book highly, and fully intend to read more novels by Beverly Connor - especially the next Diane Fallon Forensic Investigation book!
Carol Ann H. 4/27/2008
First of all, Dead Hunt is very well written and was a joy to read! Also, Diane Fallon isn't your typical heroine. She's a forensic anthropologist with a fascinating career, working both as Director of the Rosewood Crime Lab and Director of the RiverTrail Museum of Natural History (which owns and houses the lab). Her dual hats make for some interesting plot possibilities!
In this installment, Diane has received a letter from Clymene O'Riley, a woman in prison for murdering her husband - convicted on evidence found by Diane herself. The letter requests Diane's presence at the prison. While Diane has no intention of meeting with the woman she believes is a serial killer, Ross Kingsley, the FBI profiler connected to the case, requests that Diane comply with the request. At their meeting, Clymene tells Diane a strange but worrisome story involving a prison guard, something that Diane can't ignore.
In addition, Diane finds herself embroiled smack dab in the middle of a scandal involving the museum which places her in an exasperating and career-threatening situation that diverts her attention from the meeting with Clymene - that is, until she learns that Clymene has escaped from prison and crime scenes start to pile up, with Diane herself in danger.
Diane Fallon is surrounded by top-notch, loyal individuals, both in the crime lab and the museum, and they work together diligently and relentlessly to get to the bottom of everything that is going on. The science is fascinating, and the characters, both good and bad, interesting. I recommend this book highly, and fully intend to read more novels by Beverly Connor - especially the next Diane Fallon Forensic Investigation book!
Carol Ann H. 4/27/2008
Helpful Score: 2
Another excellent Dr Fallon story. A potential woman serial killer and stolen Egyptian artifacts at the museum means Dr Fallon gets to deal with US Marshals, FBI investigators, a FBI profiler and her Board all while being attacked, stocked, and stonewalled. Of course her team rallies to help her solve the mysteries. First time she hasn't gone caving in this series :)
Helpful Score: 2
4.0 out of 5 stars Multifaceted mystery keeps the reader turning the pages..., August 3, 2009
This fifth in the series is another entertaining and educational read. The author, pedigreed herself, has written a character who is smart and spunky. Diane Fallon is the director of a museum of natural history (RiverTrail) and also heads another division housed in the same large building - a crime lab that has everything from an osteology laboratory (her own specialty) to DNA analysis. In addition to being an expert in many of the forensic sciences, she is a caver and is physically fit as well. This happens to be a good thing for Diane because she is nearly murdered, kidnapped, or imprisoned in every novel! Despite all the bruises and injuries she suffers as she escapes these attempts on her life, she usually manages to help the FBI or the local police solve the mystery.
In this investigation, Diane visits a female prisoner who has an urgent request. When this convicted murderer subsequently escapes, Diane and her museum and lab employees are drawn into the mystery of this "Black Widow" with no past. A parallel investigation involves the museum under suspicion of purchasing questionable antiquities.
Because of the combination of the natural history museum and the crime lab, the reader learns many interesting facts about different subjects in each book - in this one are tidbits of Egyptian archeology, osteology, medicine, police investigation, forensic art/sculpture and facial recognition, DNA analysis, etc.
Although these are not what I consider heart stopping, suspenseful thrillers, I think most readers will enjoy the science and also develop a fondness for Diane and the other recurring characters in this series and won't want to miss this one. I'm looking forward to Scattered Graves (Diane Fallon Forensic Investigation, No. 6).
I also think it's a series that should be read in order, so start with One Grave Too Many (Diane Fallon Forensic Investigation, No. 1) so you can get the full background on Diana Fallon and how all this came about.
This fifth in the series is another entertaining and educational read. The author, pedigreed herself, has written a character who is smart and spunky. Diane Fallon is the director of a museum of natural history (RiverTrail) and also heads another division housed in the same large building - a crime lab that has everything from an osteology laboratory (her own specialty) to DNA analysis. In addition to being an expert in many of the forensic sciences, she is a caver and is physically fit as well. This happens to be a good thing for Diane because she is nearly murdered, kidnapped, or imprisoned in every novel! Despite all the bruises and injuries she suffers as she escapes these attempts on her life, she usually manages to help the FBI or the local police solve the mystery.
In this investigation, Diane visits a female prisoner who has an urgent request. When this convicted murderer subsequently escapes, Diane and her museum and lab employees are drawn into the mystery of this "Black Widow" with no past. A parallel investigation involves the museum under suspicion of purchasing questionable antiquities.
Because of the combination of the natural history museum and the crime lab, the reader learns many interesting facts about different subjects in each book - in this one are tidbits of Egyptian archeology, osteology, medicine, police investigation, forensic art/sculpture and facial recognition, DNA analysis, etc.
Although these are not what I consider heart stopping, suspenseful thrillers, I think most readers will enjoy the science and also develop a fondness for Diane and the other recurring characters in this series and won't want to miss this one. I'm looking forward to Scattered Graves (Diane Fallon Forensic Investigation, No. 6).
I also think it's a series that should be read in order, so start with One Grave Too Many (Diane Fallon Forensic Investigation, No. 1) so you can get the full background on Diana Fallon and how all this came about.
