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Bone Hunter
Hardback editon 1999, St. Martin's Minotaur, New York
Mass market paperback edition 2000, St. Martin's Dead Letter, New York
Japanese translation, Hiyakawa, Tokyo
Book Description
Sarah Andrews's mysteries featuring professional geologist Emily—Em—Hansen
offer the rare combination of an intricate puzzle and believable characters
against the backdrop of a fascinating scientific world. Time and again,
in the tradition of the first forensic geologist, Sherlock Holmes, Em
uses her unflinching geologist's eye to sniff out a killer.
Now in this latest case, Em heads to Utah for a paleontology conference
and ends up a suspect in a homicide investigation when her host, a dinosaur
expert named George Dishey, is murdered so brutally that the cops won't
even tell Em what happened.
Turning sleuth to clear her own name, Em relies on Officer Thomas B.
Raymond of the Salt Lake City PD to help her make sense of what she finds
out about the notorious professor, at least insofar as she can trust a
cop who is suspicious of her even though he wants to believe her. Between
the two of them, Em and Raymond must investigate George's professional
life in the high stakes world of dinosaur research—Em's domain—and
his personal life as part of the Mormon faith—about which Em must
learn from Raymond.
As in Andrews' previous books, Em must face dramatic physical and emotional
challenges if she is to escape with her life—and self-intact
Publishers Weekly—starred review
"Science and detective work should go together naturally. After
all, they're both about the pursuit of truth. But aside from medical thrillers,
not many writers nowadays embark upon the scientific mystery.
Of those who do, Andrews, whose novels feature forensic geologist Em
Hansen, has become a leading light. The fifth entry in Andrews's series
(after Only Flesh and Bones) rivets both as a crime story and
as a discussion of the relationship between science and religion.
Em is working as a petroleum geologist when George Dishey, a famous
paleontologist, invites her to speak at a conference in Salt Lake City.
Flattered, she accepts, although she knows little about his specialty:
dinosaurs. Em is Dishey's houseguest when he is savagely murdered, and
her status as prime suspect leads her to launch an independent investigation
of her host's death.
Em is a vulnerable and highly appealing lead, and Andrews shines at
showing readers what it's like to be a scientist. Em believes in "the
pleasures of learning"; readers will happily learn alongside her
as she finds out about dinosaur fossils. The allure of scientific discovery
is strongly felt in this novel, as is the jealously and pettiness of paleontologists
engaged in academic back stabbing.
Em is attracted to Ray, a police officer assigned to the murder case.
Ray is a devout Mormon, and Em wonders about the difference between his
religion and her rational scientific beliefs. It's a crisis of conscience
for her: can a spiritual life honorably co-exist with a life devoted to
science? Andrews provides absorbing discussions of creationism, fossil
excavation and the scientific method.
Her novel is a suspenseful mystery spiked with dinosaurs, science and
religion: what more could readers ask for?"
(Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.)
The Library Journal
"While in Utah for a paleontology conference, series geologist/sleuth
Em Hansen winds up investigating another murder. This time, someone murders
her host, a famous dinosaur expert, and the deed is almost pinned on her.
Appealing characters and fluent prose; for fans of the series."
(Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.)
Booklist
"The latest Em Hansen mystery is by far the best yet, combining
genuine suspense and a tantalizing puzzle.
Hansen, a forensic geologist (in her spare time she helps police solve
crimes), has been invited to speak at a paleontology conference. But things
go spectacularly wrong when her host, an eccentric dinosaur expert, is
murdered, and Em seems to be the most likely suspect.
Andrews makes the most of her paleontological background. She clearly
knows her subject—she's a geologist by trade—and, unlike many
crime writers, she does not use the surroundings merely as window dressing.
The novel is, in addition to a fine mystery, a lively exploration of the
high-stakes world of dinosaur research and a perceptive rumination on
the debate between science and creationism.
This could be Andrews' "crossover" book: it will appeal not
only to fans of the Hansen series but also to readers of such mainstream
novels as Crichton's Jurassic Park . Readers of dinosaur-related
nonfiction, too, should find the book a delight."
—David Pitt
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