Friday, August 3, 2007

Blood Memory by Greg Iles

First sentence:

"When does murder begin?"

Description:

"Some memories live deep in the soul, indelible and dangerous, waiting to be resurrected....Forensic expert "Cat" Ferry is suspended from an FBI task force when the world-class odontologist is inexplicably stricken with panic attacks and blackouts while investigating a chain of brutal murders. Returning to her Mississippi hometown, Cat finds herself battling with alcohol, plagued by nightmares, and entangled with a married detective. Then, in her childhood bedroom, some spilled chemicals reveal two bloody footprints...and the trauma of her father's murder years earlier comes flooding back. Facing the secrets of her past, Cat races to connect them to a killer's present-day violence. But what emerges is the frightening possibility that Cat herself has blood on her hands...."

My thoughts:

Buried in this massive book are two compelling mysteries - a serial murder case set in New Orleans, Louisiana, and a more personal family drama set in Natchez, Mississippi. While both stories interested me and were well written, I found myself wondering whether a third of the book could have been cut without compromising the plot. That said, the story illustrates well the issues of repressed memory, child abuse, family secrets and revenge.

Date read: 8/1/2007
Book #: 69
Rating: 3* = good
Genre: Mystery

ISBN-10: 0743454154
ISBN-13: 9780743454155
Publisher: Pocket Star
Year: 2005
# of Pages: 800
Binding: Paperback
LibraryThing Page

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