Death Du Jour is the second book in the series. The series itself is about Brennan, a forensic anthropologist who occasionally helps in solving murders. There are many differences between the Brennan in the show and the one in the books. Both characters are extremely intelligent and at sometimes socially isolated. In the book, however, Brennan has an alcohol problem, an ex-husband and a daughter who is attending a university. She also lives in Quebec. This book is yet another fantastic story told by Reichs which interweaves a small sampling of stories from a deeply anthropological perspective. Reichs does this in a way that does not leave the reader feeling out of the loop. Each procedure that is done in the book is done in such a step by step manner that leaves both the reader interested and entertained.
Simultaneously, there is a story of the origin of a religious figure and the uncovering of a large web of an undercover cult. Since I have studied Psychology, the topic of cults is extremely interesting. This story slowly unravels throughout the book in such a way that really gives insight into the world of cults and both the individuals who are drawn to them and those who leave them. For Brennan, this hits way too close to home. Aside from these themes, there is also the unspoken tension between Brennan and Detective Andrew Ryan (who may be the one the character Booth is based on - however, Ryan is also a very different original version). I don't try to look for love stories in my crime fiction - but there is certainly a lot of tension between these two.
Needless to say, I quite enjoyed this book as much as I did the first one in the series, Deja Dead. The writing is precise and gripping. I cannot wait to continue the rest of this series.
