The writing in the beginning part of this book put me off, but once I got into it I liked the science and procedural elements in this novel, and the fact that the lead character is female. The author, at least fro her bio in the cover flap, seems like a reasonably good source for information about forensic genetics analysis, and I love the idea of books that make modern science more real and accessible to the general public. The writing is a bit awkward at times, with character biographical trivia stuck into the middle of active conversations, and other similar annoying moves that slow the storytelling enough to prevent this book from being a 5, for me at least, but it was still a fun read. It does escalate awfully quickly, and I felt that the writing needed to be better edited to support this otherwise fantastical story, but I've read enough Clive Cussler thrillers to have an idea what the supporting storytelling might look like. This was only Andrews's second novel, so perhaps once she has firmly settled into her own novelist voice, she'll be on par with Cussler. As is, this book certainly stands up to Cussler's early thrillers, only, of course, with more modern science. ( )

meh ( )

SUMMARY: The second in Andrews's forensic geneticist Alexandra Blake novels finds the protagonist trying to discern the identities of several Vietnamese skulls in preparation for returning them to their home country in a political ceremony. A letter secreted in one of the skulls leads Alex to investigate further the circumstances of the deaths of the victims and, in the process, she discovers more about her father, who perished in the Vietnam War and uncovers an international plot with global ramifications.

WHAT YOU'LL LIKE: Andrews obviously knows the science and manages to incorporate it well into the plot without rendering it off-putting. The action sequences are able and occur at breakneck speed. Alex is a fun and likable heroine and a few of the secondary characters are intriguing and well-developed.

WHAT YOU WON'T: The plot is a mishmash of red herrings, some of which are interesting but discarded and others which are later resolved but serve no real purpose. The meat of the story resolves itself in a frankly ridiculous denouement which requires an incredible suspension of disbelief on the part of the reader. The villains are easily identifiable before they are revealed and are more caricatures than characters; their motives are plausible and chilling, but the action stemming from those motives is cartoonish.

BOTTOM LINE: An exciting and fascinating premise which was only marginally executed. Andrews is a talented fiction writer and the problems with this novel shouldn't discourage one from reading more of her work; the good outshines the laughable. ( )