Friday 8 May 2009
She does it again. Spins off to a very different genre and succeeds at making me love it.
Maura Isles makes a brief appearance as the one called when Julia Hamill finds a skeleton in her back garden. Dr Isles' experience tells her that the skeleton has the characteristics of a murder but the remains are extremely old. An expert dates the bones as coming from the 1800s. Julia is then contacted by someone who holds a clue as to who the skeleton belongs to. As she researches through boxes of old letters trying to find out clues regarding the bones, the book flashes back to 1830 and the story of the Boston West End Reaper.
In the present, Julia buys a new house on an impulse act. Her husband has divorced her and is marrying a younger woman. She finds the bones while attempting to tame her garden. She gets a call from Henry Page, an old man who has in his possession letters that could provide an answer regarding the identity of the bones. Julia imerses herself in the research as an escape from her chaotic life.
Maura Isles makes a brief appearance as the one called when Julia Hamill finds a skeleton in her back garden. Dr Isles' experience tells her that the skeleton has the characteristics of a murder but the remains are extremely old. An expert dates the bones as coming from the 1800s. Julia is then contacted by someone who holds a clue as to who the skeleton belongs to. As she researches through boxes of old letters trying to find out clues regarding the bones, the book flashes back to 1830 and the story of the Boston West End Reaper.
In the present, Julia buys a new house on an impulse act. Her husband has divorced her and is marrying a younger woman. She finds the bones while attempting to tame her garden. She gets a call from Henry Page, an old man who has in his possession letters that could provide an answer regarding the identity of the bones. Julia imerses herself in the research as an escape from her chaotic life.
In the past, Norris Marshal is a farmer's son who took a job as a "resurrectionist" (a grave robber) to pay for his tuition fee as he studies medicine. Meanwhile, Rose sees herself responsible for her niece's safety after her sister dies shortly after labour. Rose starts being hunted by people looking for the baby and her story becomes entangled with Norris as he becomes the suspect for the West End Murders. In their connection, they fall in love with each other.
I think this is my favourite book so far. I love stories inspired in the past History and Tess Gerritsen made it perfect by incorporating the concept of doomed love and love beyond life. Norris and Rose suffer from the malady of true love with all its uncertainties as they get to know each other as equals without masks. The chemistry between this couple echoes throughout the pages and they are now etched onto my mind.
The resolution of the story is reserved until the very last moment. I honestly could not guess the ending this time until the culprit was revealed.
The resolution of the story is reserved until the very last moment. I honestly could not guess the ending this time until the culprit was revealed.
I would not have minded a little more development on the characters in the present, but the story of the Boston West End Reaper and the love of Norris and Rose more than made up for that. Once again, Tess submerges herself into a different style and surfaces elegantly.
Labels: Tess Gerritsen
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