Less Than Dead

Another great Tim Downs novel. Couldn't put it down.

Another superb Bug Man mystery. Nick is hired by the FBI to help identify some unearthed bones in an unmarked graveyard. Finding more bodies buried above caskets turns the case into a suspected "Serial Killer" case. Stuck in a small town rich with history, skeletons, politics, & a mysterious "Witch" that can raise the dead has Nick embroiled in political intrigue, murder, getting a witch to help him, cadaver dogs, and new friends

After reading First the Dead, I thought perhaps it was time to end the bug man series. I had enjoyed Nick Polchak, but that particular book seemed to be a bit weak and Nick grew a bit tiring. However, I'm glad he came back for another book. Less Than Dead is excellent. When construction workers discover a forgotten grave yard, excavating for a mega mall in rural Virginia, they unknowingly uncover some long buried secrets. Some of the graves have two bodies--one in a coffin and another buried on top of it. Who buried the bodies, how long have they been there, how many more will be found, and were they the work of a serial killer? When the cadaver dog hired, hired by the FBI, to find other graves is a bit useless, Nick bends a few rules in an effort to speed up the discovery process by hiring a more effective, local team--the Witch of Endor and her three legged dog. As Nick quickly realizes, asking for her help, puts her life in serious danger. Can they find the killer before the killer finds her? It's a very rare book that hooks me before the first chapter. The introduction scripture was an intriguing choice and definitely stirred my curiosity. By the time I was ten pages in, I was sure I had a winner. Less Than Dead is a fast paced mystery that never lets up. It takes the reader from the past to the present and along the way brings in some nice political dirt. It examines several different aspects of human nature in an honest manner that leaves the reader knowing they just heard the truth. I have enjoyed the bug man series. Nick is an intriguing character, but in the last book, I found him rather annoying. Less Than Dead brings out what made him a wonderful character in the other books. It also focuses less on Nick's occupation as a forensic entomologist and more on his ability to solve a mystery. Additionally we get to watch him make some wonderful strides towards becoming more human. It was great to have him back and hopefully there will be some more books that continue his story. Not to be over looked is the introduction of another excellent character, Alena. She's a great glimpse into the life of a misunderstood lady. Downs uses her effectively as a vulnerable young woman and as a valiant hero. Less than Dead might be my favorite book by Downs. It's a great story from start to finish, with strong characters and an intriguing plot. The mystery is hard to unwind and even once it is revealed, there's enough missing to keep the reader guessing. There is one part that could stand a little clarification, but who knows, that might be in a future book.

Less Than Dead by Tim Downs is the fourth book in the Bug Man series about entomologist Nick Polchak. Nick is quirky and sarcastic, with a fierce intelligence and drive to find the truth about crimes. He's called in to investigate the discovery of several bodies buried in graves (on top of old graves) by a possible serial killer in Virginia. The land belongs to the man who must may become the next President of the United States, and there are far more forces at work than Nick is prepared to deal with, including a young woman known as a witch who talks to animals and raises the dead. Despite the paranormal sounding teaser, this solid forensics procedural is grounded in reality and full of smarts. Nick is an absolutely delightful protagonist. He's sarcastic, refuses to be swayed by power, and comes up with all of the comebacks the rest of us just dream about. He also has a solid vein of goodness deep inside that forces him to ask the questions no one else wants the answers to. Downs has an amazing talent for dialogue. Every exchange zings across the page making the story zip. There are so many books in this genre, but this one is truly too good to pass up. I can't wait to read the rest of the series to get to know Nick better.

She's an outcast. The townsfolk of backwoods Endor, Virginia call her a witch. Rumor has it she spends her nights roaming the woods with a three-legged dog searching for the remains of her missing father. Her name is Alena, and the children of Endor say she visits the local animal shelter looking for plump puppies to take home so she can drink their blood. Not exactly a gal you'd want to make friends with, right? She is if you're Nick Polchak, aka "The Bugman". He needs a cadaver search dog yesterday, and if Alena's hound is as good as Nick thinks, he'll do anything to get on Alena's good side. Even if it means risking life and limb. Nick's been hired by FBI Special Agent Nick Donovan (from Downs' novel Plague Maker) to help solve the mystery of an ancient graveyard a back hoe accidentally uncovered on Senator John Henry Braden's property. This isn't just any cemetary. There are two bodies in each grave. One in a casket, the other buried on top. The workings of a serial killer? The FBI doesn't know for sure, and neither does Nick. All he knows is that he can't start his work until all possible graves in the area are identified by a cadaver dog, and the one the FBI hired is running in circles. Nick Polchak isn't your typical fictional hero. He isn't strong, handsome or social. More like Monk than Jack Bauer. But there's something endearing about this crazy, insect loving man with the enormous coke bottle glasses, wickedly dry sense of humor, and disdain for authority. He says the things we wish we could say, and we never know what hornet's nest he'll step on. We don't delve much into Nick's personal life this time (read Chop Shop if you want to know more about his past). He's basically dropped into this story fully developed, but he's such a quirky character that you get to know him quickly. Nick is originally called on the graveyard case for his entomology expertise, but it's the cadaver dog aspect which gives us the signature gross out moments, as well as our education. Typical of a Downs novel, we come away armed with some cool facts. Like how a dog can have two hundred million olfactory cells in its nose compared to about five million in humans. Says Alena to Nick at one point, "You walk into a kitchen and smell beef stew; a dog walks into a kitchen and smells beef, carrots, peas, potatoes--it's called `odor layering'. He can even smell the salt--even in a dilution of one in ten million." Maybe it's because Tim Downs has grown in his three prior Bugman novels (Shoofly Pie, Chop Shop & First The Dead), but the dead-pan humor in Less Than Dead is what sets it above the others. Nick's response to the above stew? "Question," Nick said. "If a dog's sense of smell is so much more sensitive than a man's, how come a dog will stick its nose in your crotch?" During an interview I did with Tim awhile back I asked him what he'd love to write someday but hadn't yet. He answered: "A pure comedy--and I hope to get to do one fairly soon. I suppose it's

Tim Downs doesn't disappoint. I complained last night that I may never finish the book b/c I was laughing at nearly every line. Despite that, I did finish and it's one of those books, I'd actually read again. Nick is sarcastic as ever, but don't think that that detracts from the other characters in the book. Special Agent Nathan Donovan is back for a semi-meaty cameo. Alena Savard and her reclusive ways are intriguing. Part of what makes this book excellent is the dialogue and part is the characterization and yet another part is the intricate plot that twists, turns and still thrills. Definitely a worthwhile read. If you're not a Tim Downs fan yet, you will be.

Before reading this book, I thought "First the Dead" was the best Bug Man outing. But Tim Downs has outdone himself with a fantastic mystery set in the hunt country of Virginia. Nick becomes even more likable (and funny) as he encounters a character nearly as quirky as he is -- and has to earn her trust in order to accomplish his goals. As usual, the pace of the story is excellent and the region is brought to life with spot on depictions of the landscape and the people. This book is excellent and should attract many new fans for the Bug Man. I look forward to another Nick Polchak and/or Nate Donovan adventure.