Twenty-Seven Bones

Disappointed:
After reading the publishers reviews, we discovered what the publisher meant by "detail oriented". The details turned out to be more about sicko sex than about the exciting and suspsense filled hunt for serial killers. This is the first time we gave up on a book. We're not prudes by a long shot, BUT this was over the top for a murder/thriller/mystery. Frankly, we think it would be wise to list it under adults only or at least warn the reader about the sexually explicit material. Being fans of Jeffery Deaver, Kathy Reichs, Dean Koonz, Patricia Cornwell and others we were in for quite a shock with Jonathan Nasaw. Doubt we'll give another of his books a try.

HANDS OFF PLEASE:
The title of this effective little chiller comes from the number of bones in the human hand. Nasaw's third entry in the Pender series finds our recently retired FBI agent summoned by an old friend to the island of St. Luke to investigate the brutal murders of a serial killer(s). The reader knows who the culprits are right off the bat, but Nasaw effectively weaves his suspenseful tale by throwing in some interesting subplots and some uniquely envisioned characters. The island atmosphere and language is captured convincingly and the pacing is good for a novel where the suspense comes from wondering when and how the culprits will be apprehended. Good entry and should keep Pender alive for a few more books.

A Miss:
The characters' actions don't always make sense. The descriptions of torture and sex seem to serve no purpose other than repulsing the reader. There's no redeeming quality to the novel, so I can't recommend it.

Nothing Like "Adored":
Nasaw's The Girls He Adored was a scary, thoughtful, and believable tale of horror and psychopathy. This one, Twenty-Seven Bones, is a light tale that's not terribly interesting. Someone or something is severing peoples' right hands and leaving them to exsanguinate. Ex-FBI Agent Pender is called by his friend, the chief at St. Luke's PD, to come out of retirement (unofficially), to track down the bad guy. The characters are pretty silly, and the story is pretty unbelievable. I was really ready for the story to end well before its time came. Skip this one.

Audio Book: GREAT!!:
I've listened to a lot of audio books, but this book, "Twenty-seven Bone" really stand out as an excellent piece of work by Jonathan Nasaw. Mr. Nasaw chose a wonderful reader, Dion Graham. Mr. Graham can change dialect and accents w/ out a stammer, he mesmerized the audience and really pulls one into the story. If you are a fan of Cornwell, the Kellerman's or Harris, this is the book/audio for you.