| First the Dead |
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This is a very nontraditional read for me. Tim Downs has a series of books called The Bugman Novels. This, I believe, is the third one. I have not read the earlier books.
Nick Polchak is the main character in the book. He is a forensic entomologist which means he investigates bug growth in dead bodies to help determine the time and method of death. [How does one wake up one day and say "I want to be a forensic entomologist?] First the Dead is set in the immediate aftermath of Katrina where Nick is working as part of an all-volunteer team. He is relegated to rescuing survivors which he doesn't like - not because he has anything against rescuing people, but because he is trained in recovering dead people quickly and analyzing them. He senses that with every passing day, critical information is being lost. This rings home true in the early chapters when someone tells him about seeing bodies floating. We get graphic detail on how it takes up to a week for a body to bloat and float. Nick senses immediately that these people had been killed before the hurricane and not as a result of it. He sets out to investigate on his own against the direction of all the rescue operation leaders and his volunteer boss.
The story is intriguing and it keeps you attached. I was actually surprised that I would find this type of novel interesting. For those of you who watch the CSI episodes on TV, you will be able to identify with a lot of this story quickly.
The character development is exceptional. We learn that Nick is a driven professional with little time for life other than his profession - and it hurts him at times. A psychiatrist assigned to the recovery team that Nick is supporting is also an old flame of his, so the dialog helps build both the characters as well as an understanding of their love-hate relationship. Nick also gets involved with a young boy he rescues from the lower ninth ward in New Orleans. This is the one relationship that I think could have been developed further, but Downs does a good job here, too.
There is nothing in the book that makes it a Christian novel besides the general theme of good and evil. Additionally, there is nothing in the book that distracts for the story, no bad language, and no sex. Downs does an excellent job of portraying love, desire, pride, arrogance, and many more feelings without words that are not edifying.
The story is not predictable which makes it one you can't put down. One warning, though. I often take a book with me when I travel and read while sitting in a restaurant. Don't try to eat while reading this book. There are places that will take away your appetite. If you like a good mystery with a little romance set in a historical setting, then give this one a read. I think you might like it. |
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