The Bone Garden

Ultimately disappointing and devoid of real drama. After getting about halfway through, I had to slug through the rest. It left me asking "what was the point." The prose is flat and unengaging, and so are the characters. This is my second Gerritsen novel -- disappointing because the first, Gravity, left me thinking about it days after I finished it.

this is the first book I've read from Tess. I have to say it's incredibly good. Thrilling, suspenfull and historical accurate.

I didn't realize when I picked up this book that most of it was set in the 1830's. I knew one of the characters was Maura Isles from the Jane Rizzoli series, so I started reading. While Maura is a minor character, I was soon caught up in the story and couldn't put it down. The descriptions of medical practices in the 1830's were quite graphic and at times were almost too much to read. But, they were integral to the story. The nurse in me was screaming, "wash your hands you idiots!" I also had to wonder what people would be saying about what we consider now to be modern medicine two hundred years from now. They might be wanting to scream at some of the things we routinely do now too. The book alternates between the past and the present. I liked the way it was done and the characters Gerritsen creates.

Tess Gerritsen is one of my favorite writers. All of her books that I had read up until the Mephisto Club were topnotch. After reading The Mephisto Club I wasn't expecting much from her newest book, but after reading The Bone Garden I'll have to say this is her best book to date. I was happy to see she used new characters in this novel. Maura Isles appears briefly in the beginning, as she introduces new characters. Tess is an excellent story teller weaving between present day and the early 1830's. This a must read!!!!!

I found Tess Gerritsen about a year ago and proceeded to read every book she's written. I've always enjoyed her well developed characters and all their real human failings. She keeps the action moving so that it's hard to put her books down. When I started The Bone Garden, I was expecting the usual medical thriller, maybe with a variation on the theme with the historical twist. I didn't expect an entertaining and enlightening trip into the horrors of our not so distant medical history. The use of OWH and his live-saving contribution to modern medicine made this a wonderful read. So, the characters were a little less realistic than what I expect from Gerritsen...and the ending was not as well written as some of her other books. The overall experience made me close the book with a sigh of contentment of time well spent. And, in true Gerritsen style, she DID end the novel with a punch...it just came in the last three words of the Author's Note.

Newly divorced Julia Hamill has struck out on her own and moved into a quaint old house. Julia is comfortable in her new home, working in her garden; that is, until she uncovers a skeleton while digging amongst the weeds in her backyard. A mysterious phone call from an old gentleman who claims to know the history of her old home soon follows; and the quest begins between Julia and her elderly friend to uncover the long history and story behind the old house. Moving back and forth between centuries (following the people behind the home's history), it is the 1800s, and young Rose has just lost her older sister to childbed fever. Now faced with caring for baby Meggy while avoiding her sister's abusive husband, Rose finds herself homeless and despondent. But she makes her way; Rose is a survivor, and finds her niece a wetnurse to stay with, while also finding herself a place to lay her head at night. Meanwhile, Boston is besieged by a series of horrific murders, and the killer is dubbed the West End Reaper. The only two people to witness the killer are Rose and Norris--a dashing young medical student who cared for her sister during her illness. The two join together in their collective desire to see the killer caught--and in their need to protect Rose's young niece Meggy, who seems to somehow be at the center of everything. A novel chock full of suspense and romance, in addition to being rich in detailing the history of the medical profession overall. I loved this book and found it impossible to put down. DYB

Tess Gerritsen's latest novel was nothing short of wonderful. I hesitated to pick this up as I've found that some novels set in historic times are overly descriptive and repetitive. This was definitely not the case with The Bone Garden. The book flows seamlessly from past to present, leaving you with a vivid picture of the difficulties of life in Boston during the 1800's. It has been a long time since I have been sorry to finish a book, but this was one of them.