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Alexa Glock Mysteries #2
The Bones Remember
Description
Lips may lie, but teeth never do
At first, Alexa Glock's initial case as a traveling forensic investigator seems straightforward—her expertise in teeth helps her identify the skeletal remains of a hunter found on the remote Stewart Island in New Zealand. But when she realizes the bullet lodged in his skull was not self-inflicted, and then a second, shark-ravaged body washes up on Ringaringa Beach, it's clear that something dangerous is lurking in the beautiful waters surrounding the island.
The disturbing sight seems to confirm what locals have hashed out in the pub: shark cage-diving, lucrative for owners and popular with tourists, has changed the great white sharks' behavior, turning them into man-eaters. Tensions between cagers and locals mount as Alexa dives into the harrowing case. While measuring bite patterns, she makes a shocking discovery that just might lead her to who—or what—is behind both deaths.
Lips may lie, but teeth never do
At first, Alexa Glock's initial case as a traveling forensic investigator seems straightforward—her expertise in teeth helps her identify the skeletal remains of a hunter found on the remote Stewart Island in New Zealand. But when she realizes the bullet lodged in his skull was not self-inflicted, and then a second, shark-ravaged body washes up on Ringaringa Beach, it's clear that something dangerous is lurking in the beautiful waters surrounding the island.
The disturbing sight seems to confirm what locals have hashed out in the pub: shark cage-diving, lucrative for owners and popular with tourists, has changed the great white sharks' behavior, turning them into man-eaters. Tensions between cagers and locals mount as Alexa dives into the harrowing case. While measuring bite patterns, she makes a shocking discovery that just might lead her to who—or what—is behind both deaths.
304 pages, Paperback
First published September 8, 2020
37 people are currently reading
1725 people want to read
About the author
Sara E. Johnson
9 books131 followersSara E. Johnson is a mystery writer who spent nine months exploring wondrous New Zealand. Everywhere she snooped, there was a mystery that needed writing.
Molten Mud Murder, Sara's debut novel, will be published September, 2019 by Poisoned Pen Press. It is the first in the Alexa Glock Mystery series set in New Zealand.
Sara lives in Durham, North Carolina with her husband Forrest and golden doodle Beaufort. She is a part-time educator and full time snooper. She is the current president of Triangle Sisters-in-Crime and a member of the North Carolina Writers' Network.
Molten Mud Murder, Sara's debut novel, will be published September, 2019 by Poisoned Pen Press. It is the first in the Alexa Glock Mystery series set in New Zealand.
Sara lives in Durham, North Carolina with her husband Forrest and golden doodle Beaufort. She is a part-time educator and full time snooper. She is the current president of Triangle Sisters-in-Crime and a member of the North Carolina Writers' Network.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
April 29, 2020
Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the digital copy of The Bones Remember. I was happy to see that Alexa Glock, forensic investigator, was still in New Zealand. Her home is in the United States but she wanted to prolong her stay in New Zealand. The Bones Remember reacquainted me with one of my favourite places in the world. The author, Sara E. Johnson, has vividly described two very different NZ settings and environments.
I enjoyed the previous book, Molten Mud Murder, also featuring Alexa Glock who specializes in odontology (the study of teeth). She previously worked around Rotorua, and this time she has been called on to identify two separate bodies on a small NZ coastal island while helping to determine the cause of their deaths.
The first body belonged to a hunter whose body was discovered in the thick muddy bush after being missing for months. He had been shot. Soon a second body was found on the beach. This man had been savaged by sharks.
One of the local tourist attractions was shark-cage diving, an endeavour that divided the town. Some appreciated the added revenue brought in by tourists for the thrill of viewing sharks close up from the safety of their cages. Others deeply resented the fact that ground meat was being dumped in the sea to attract the sharks. They feared the Great Whites we’re increasing in number and becoming more dangerous.
While examining both bodies, Alexa makes a startling discovery based on her expertise in teeth and bite patterns. This was an easy to read mystery story with a likeable protagonist and an atmospheric setting.
I hope that there is another book forthcoming and that it finds Alexa having more adventures while working in beautiful New Zealand. 3.5 stars
I enjoyed the previous book, Molten Mud Murder, also featuring Alexa Glock who specializes in odontology (the study of teeth). She previously worked around Rotorua, and this time she has been called on to identify two separate bodies on a small NZ coastal island while helping to determine the cause of their deaths.
The first body belonged to a hunter whose body was discovered in the thick muddy bush after being missing for months. He had been shot. Soon a second body was found on the beach. This man had been savaged by sharks.
One of the local tourist attractions was shark-cage diving, an endeavour that divided the town. Some appreciated the added revenue brought in by tourists for the thrill of viewing sharks close up from the safety of their cages. Others deeply resented the fact that ground meat was being dumped in the sea to attract the sharks. They feared the Great Whites we’re increasing in number and becoming more dangerous.
While examining both bodies, Alexa makes a startling discovery based on her expertise in teeth and bite patterns. This was an easy to read mystery story with a likeable protagonist and an atmospheric setting.
I hope that there is another book forthcoming and that it finds Alexa having more adventures while working in beautiful New Zealand. 3.5 stars
September 13, 2023
Alexa Glock, age 38, the forensic investigator from North Carolina who was introduced in Molten Mud Murder, has succeeded in prolonging her stay in New Zealand by hiring on at the Forensic Service Center in Auckland, and this is her first case in her new job.
She's been sent to a place I didn't know existed, now officially named Stewart Island/Rakiura (its Maori name means "glowing sky") and located across the Foveaux Strait from Invercargill at the south end of New Zealand's South Island. Population, around 400. Area, less than 700 square miles, most of it densely forested with unusual wildlife, especially birds. Much of the fun of reading this book, for me, lay in the rich, dense descriptions of what it was like for a first-timer like Alexa to encounter all aspects of life there, and that includes the local humans!
Bitter controversy rules the island's small population. Tourists are an important source of income, and they have long been coming to hunt, fish, and watch birds under the eye of the government service that enforces forest and wildlife conservation and controls most of those 700 square miles. But now there's a high-end attraction that's making some of the townsfolk quite well off--a few visitors pay for the excitement of shark-cage diving, to meet great white sharks through the bars of an underwater cage that fits six or eight people at a time.
The operators of the cage-diving boats throw bait into the water to bring sharks in closer than ever before to the island's shores, and many in town say it's changed the sharks, making them more aggressive and much more likely to attack humans. Alexa was sent to Stewart Island to help identify a hunter whose long-dead body was just found in deep woods, but when she arrives a shark-ravaged body washes up on the beach and she's plunged immediately into the town's heated controversy.
Alexa is headstrong as usual, going again and again beyond her forensic assignments in both investigations, and as you may expect she not only finds key evidence but barely escapes with her life more than once--and of course you'll expect her to have a climactic scene with a murderer, won't you? With a good deal of friction and collision she works with the local police department, headed by Sergeant Kipper Wallace, with officials of the conservation service, and with Detective Inspector Bruce Horne from Molten Mud Murder.
Yes, it's Bruce Horne and more tentative romance, firmly held in place by Horne's insistence on professional conduct. (Thank goodness for that.) Once the hunter's death was ruled a homicide, Kipper Wallace's rank of sergeant was too low to direct a homicide investigation; Horne was in Auckland and available, so the higher-ups assigned the case to him. Lovely coincidence, eh?
So we enjoy Horne doing his best to keep Alexa safe as she threatens to get herself killed, over and over. Along the way there's a wealth of information about sharks, cage diving, boats, storms, weird trees and birds, all of which I really enjoyed. The close third-person narration holds to Alexa's point of view, so that all that's shown in the story is what she experiences; the rest of the investigation is told during meetings and one-on-one encounters, especially with Horne, Wallace, and constable Elyse Kopae. That violation of "show, don't tell" may not be to every reader's taste.
But the characters, once again, are quite well developed, especially Kopae; the action scenes are very exciting, and I thought the mystery was very well crafted this time.
Here's a link to my review of the series debut Molten Mud Murder: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....
She's been sent to a place I didn't know existed, now officially named Stewart Island/Rakiura (its Maori name means "glowing sky") and located across the Foveaux Strait from Invercargill at the south end of New Zealand's South Island. Population, around 400. Area, less than 700 square miles, most of it densely forested with unusual wildlife, especially birds. Much of the fun of reading this book, for me, lay in the rich, dense descriptions of what it was like for a first-timer like Alexa to encounter all aspects of life there, and that includes the local humans!
Bitter controversy rules the island's small population. Tourists are an important source of income, and they have long been coming to hunt, fish, and watch birds under the eye of the government service that enforces forest and wildlife conservation and controls most of those 700 square miles. But now there's a high-end attraction that's making some of the townsfolk quite well off--a few visitors pay for the excitement of shark-cage diving, to meet great white sharks through the bars of an underwater cage that fits six or eight people at a time.
The operators of the cage-diving boats throw bait into the water to bring sharks in closer than ever before to the island's shores, and many in town say it's changed the sharks, making them more aggressive and much more likely to attack humans. Alexa was sent to Stewart Island to help identify a hunter whose long-dead body was just found in deep woods, but when she arrives a shark-ravaged body washes up on the beach and she's plunged immediately into the town's heated controversy.
Alexa is headstrong as usual, going again and again beyond her forensic assignments in both investigations, and as you may expect she not only finds key evidence but barely escapes with her life more than once--and of course you'll expect her to have a climactic scene with a murderer, won't you? With a good deal of friction and collision she works with the local police department, headed by Sergeant Kipper Wallace, with officials of the conservation service, and with Detective Inspector Bruce Horne from Molten Mud Murder.
Yes, it's Bruce Horne and more tentative romance, firmly held in place by Horne's insistence on professional conduct. (Thank goodness for that.) Once the hunter's death was ruled a homicide, Kipper Wallace's rank of sergeant was too low to direct a homicide investigation; Horne was in Auckland and available, so the higher-ups assigned the case to him. Lovely coincidence, eh?
So we enjoy Horne doing his best to keep Alexa safe as she threatens to get herself killed, over and over. Along the way there's a wealth of information about sharks, cage diving, boats, storms, weird trees and birds, all of which I really enjoyed. The close third-person narration holds to Alexa's point of view, so that all that's shown in the story is what she experiences; the rest of the investigation is told during meetings and one-on-one encounters, especially with Horne, Wallace, and constable Elyse Kopae. That violation of "show, don't tell" may not be to every reader's taste.
But the characters, once again, are quite well developed, especially Kopae; the action scenes are very exciting, and I thought the mystery was very well crafted this time.
Here's a link to my review of the series debut Molten Mud Murder: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....
December 7, 2020
Part adventure, part mystery and full on crime fiction, The Bones Remember is a fabulous story from beginning to end.
Set on the southernmost island of New Zealand, the book opens with roving pathologist Alexa Glock being sent to examine a hunter whose remains have been discovered in the dense canopy of flora and fauna. While there, another body is discovered, apparently mangled by a Great White shark. As Glock continues on her fact gathering mission, she soon discovers that the two deaths might be related and she is, suddenly, in the middle of the fray.
I highly recommend The Bones Remember if for no other reason to learn about Great Whites and the remotest areas of New Zealand. This book was amazingly fascinating.
Set on the southernmost island of New Zealand, the book opens with roving pathologist Alexa Glock being sent to examine a hunter whose remains have been discovered in the dense canopy of flora and fauna. While there, another body is discovered, apparently mangled by a Great White shark. As Glock continues on her fact gathering mission, she soon discovers that the two deaths might be related and she is, suddenly, in the middle of the fray.
I highly recommend The Bones Remember if for no other reason to learn about Great Whites and the remotest areas of New Zealand. This book was amazingly fascinating.
April 19, 2022
A disappointment. Alexa, the main character, I find to be unlikeable. She whines, disobeys authority, her treatment of people annoys me and her treatment of Bruce is immature and childish. I got through the first book in the series hoping Alexa would mature in next book - she didn’t. I learned a bit about sharks which was the only redeeming fact for finishing this book.
August 8, 2020
Alright, first things first, that cover is awesome and that’s what made me get it in the first place, also the title, how promising does that sound?!
Okay, onto the good parts now. I learned quite a bit from this book. Tbh, I didn’t know New Zealand was such an exotic country, with so much wildlife conserved and protected like that, all the descriptions made me want to google some of the rare birds mentioned in this book. And the whole part about Shark cage diving was really interesting, possibly the best part in this whole book, I picked up a few facts about it all, and also the whale beaching. Cool!
The not so good part is, it is way too much detailed, like, seriously, I don’t want to know what objects did the characters pick out of their pockets, in what order, and in how many seconds and how their wrists moved, and which angle the eyes rolled and what thought accompanied them while they were at it! I might have exaggerated it a bit there, but really, I love details, but that was a bit too much at every turn and kinda threw me off of the real story. Also, a nitpick here, but the main character “jumped” at every opportune moment every so often, and I got bored, good thing she had brains, and asked all the right questions too! Another nitpick is, I kinda found the title a bit misleading, I think it was more about the flesh than the bones in this one!
But it’s really good if you’re looking for a gripping and well-detailed read, like a 3hr movie going on in your head.
Okay, onto the good parts now. I learned quite a bit from this book. Tbh, I didn’t know New Zealand was such an exotic country, with so much wildlife conserved and protected like that, all the descriptions made me want to google some of the rare birds mentioned in this book. And the whole part about Shark cage diving was really interesting, possibly the best part in this whole book, I picked up a few facts about it all, and also the whale beaching. Cool!
The not so good part is, it is way too much detailed, like, seriously, I don’t want to know what objects did the characters pick out of their pockets, in what order, and in how many seconds and how their wrists moved, and which angle the eyes rolled and what thought accompanied them while they were at it! I might have exaggerated it a bit there, but really, I love details, but that was a bit too much at every turn and kinda threw me off of the real story. Also, a nitpick here, but the main character “jumped” at every opportune moment every so often, and I got bored, good thing she had brains, and asked all the right questions too! Another nitpick is, I kinda found the title a bit misleading, I think it was more about the flesh than the bones in this one!
But it’s really good if you’re looking for a gripping and well-detailed read, like a 3hr movie going on in your head.
April 30, 2020
3 stars
The setting for this book is beautiful New Zealand.
After a very frustrating and slow start, the book picks up. Alexa spends the first few chapters with an “Oh, my gosh,” attitude that drove me crazy. She complained about the environment and the animals in the woods at every step. Grrr....
Once the story picks up, it turns into an interesting and colorful mystery/police procedural. The book is fairly well written and plotted. I didn't enjoy the quasi-romance between Alexa and her boss Bruce. I thought puleese...She didn't listen to instructions and although in the end her running off proved fruitful to the investigation; she irritated me. The small island off of New Zealand proper sounded wonderful. It was teeming with wildlife and engaging characters. The caging versus the divers controversy was certainly interesting. I learned some more about sharks, too and found that it added to the story greatly.
I want to thank NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for forwarding to me a copy of this good book for me to read, enjoy and review.
The setting for this book is beautiful New Zealand.
After a very frustrating and slow start, the book picks up. Alexa spends the first few chapters with an “Oh, my gosh,” attitude that drove me crazy. She complained about the environment and the animals in the woods at every step. Grrr....
Once the story picks up, it turns into an interesting and colorful mystery/police procedural. The book is fairly well written and plotted. I didn't enjoy the quasi-romance between Alexa and her boss Bruce. I thought puleese...She didn't listen to instructions and although in the end her running off proved fruitful to the investigation; she irritated me. The small island off of New Zealand proper sounded wonderful. It was teeming with wildlife and engaging characters. The caging versus the divers controversy was certainly interesting. I learned some more about sharks, too and found that it added to the story greatly.
I want to thank NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for forwarding to me a copy of this good book for me to read, enjoy and review.
January 8, 2021
SPOILER ALERT
This was a mixed bag for me. It enjoyed the first of the series somewhat, and looked forward to this second installment hoping some of the issues with the first would be resolved.. I love a new venue, and the integration of the culture and myths of the Maori of New Zealand augmented the story beautifully as well as the well-done descriptions of the landscape and the atmosphere. The information on whales, sharks, kelp, and the use of scientific names for animals and plants enrich the narrative. And I appreciate most a character-driven story with a good character study and in many ways the protagonist Alexa Glock provides that. Again the issues from the first book are repeated in the second. I had made notes as I read and wrote this review before I went back to re-read my first. It was interesting that my observations were repeated.
While I find Alexa interesting at the same time she is very irritating and frustrating in her immaturity and unprofessionalism, the interference of her childhood and family issues, and her frequent first evaluation of male colleagues as bed partners (even as she is hiking through rough conditions to get to remains). She then gets aroused and lets thoughts of sex mess with her focus.
Alexa is a hothead: she describes her approach as "unorthodox", others see her as uncooperative and working outside the team. She makes quick judgements about the lack of phone service or resources (i.e. uber or lyft) and rudely says "Jesus, what kind of place is this?! This attitude when she was hired to function as a roving forensic through the Forensic Service Center, who will face varied venues as part of her job is incongruous. Further emphasized when she reflects on her fear of the unknown. She is a skillful and talented forensic criminal investigator with the added training in odontology, but she has a blurred view of her role. When she is recognized as a member of the team she interprets that as: I can do it all; the right to go anywhere, make her own decisions and not follow orders, second guess the boss, and she is angry when she is specifically told to stay put. She wants to function as law enforcement, even when she tells herself she is not a police officer. She then rationalizes veering from her orders the minute she can come up with a reason to deviate. It leads to mistakes, and danger for not just her.
In this installment her prior relationship with DI Bruce Horne who is sent in to head the investigation is a problem in her listening and behaving as a subordinate. She worries when he shows up without her knowing he is coming, thinking he might be there to fire her for failing to follow orders. He would not have been in a position to do that, at that point, which points out her wrong thinking. He says he went to Auckland "for a meeting" and she thinks he has come to Stewart Island specifically to see her. She challenges him in why he didn't let her know he was coming. All this in a couple of minutes, and I found it off putting for a 37-year-old to act like a twenty-year-old. When it is announced he is there as the SIO because Sgt. Wallace cannot head a homicide investigation, she calls him by his first name, interrupts and then her mind wanders on what about his children (He has accepted a promotion to Auckland Central, and she is surprised and critical as she doesn't like it when fathers do not put their children first). This is another example of her lack of focus, not listening when information is important. Another example: when hiking to the hunter's body she is told the hunter had a PLB, a personal locator beacon. Later when she told to pick up his device when it has been found she asks what that is. She is consistently dropping her crime kit and her tote that contains her phone, wallet and passport and leaving them. Someone else has to return them to her. She sees it as those items as having minds of their own. She does not see it as a lack of personal accountability.
This lack of insight is further revealed with her thoughts about the death of her new friend Mary who is killed in an automobile accident. She is angry and thinks "someone else leaving her". Mary was the one friend she made in the eight months she had been in New Zealand. She seems a misplaced character, a loner in a job that requires cooperation and relationship building.
The investigation that starts out as an identification of remains of a hunter, Robert King, who had disappeared months before, becomes a double homicide when the remains of a shark ravaged body washes up on the beach. Alexa orders an autopsy (without permission) and it is determined that the man had first been shot before thrown into the sea. The conflict between the cage diving businesses that cater to the tourists (cage diving to view sharks in the wild) that requires chumming to attract the sharks, and the rest of the community which consists of those afraid to enter the water any more and the paua (abalone) divers who risk their lives harvesting is the central issue of the story. Additionally the taking of sharks and teasing them is illegal, but their teeth, jaws and other parts, as well as those of whales, is lucrative and is the motive for the killings in the end. Andy Gray the owner of White Dive Tours was involved in illegal shark parts with another fisherman who was out of work, Sean Warren, and they had a dispute. Robert King had witnessed Warren harvesting the jaws from the beached whales from a year earlier and had been shot to prevent his telling. At the climax, Alexa and Constable Elyse Kopae return to Grays catamaran, the Apex, to get more blood evidence and Kopae is attacked and taken aboard the fishing trawler Darla Jo by Warren. Alexa hears her cries and gets aboard, eventually getting Warren caught in a net and hoisted up, as the police come to the rescue. Then as Horne flies out to finish the investigation, to get Stephen Neville, a ranger who had been accused of the murders, released, Alexa is again devastated that he did not tell her goodbye. She thinks: "pushed her away". As she leaves the island she is unable to voice her thanks or feelings to Nina, Wallace's wife who had been so kind to her. Her final thought: "Sharks should be left in peace, and she should too.
Alexa walked to the stern and leaned into the bracing future." Alexa behaves in this case much as she did in the her first. She learned nothing in this experience and I cannot leave the story thinking that she will face her next assignment with any more insight or that it will be "bracing".
I find that I lose interest in a series in which the character(s) do not grow, learn from their mistakes and gain insight. I will probably try the next in the series, but Alexa will need to mature and change over time or she will simply become boring. That would be unfortunate as the context of this series is fascinating, and the plots creative.
This was a mixed bag for me. It enjoyed the first of the series somewhat, and looked forward to this second installment hoping some of the issues with the first would be resolved.. I love a new venue, and the integration of the culture and myths of the Maori of New Zealand augmented the story beautifully as well as the well-done descriptions of the landscape and the atmosphere. The information on whales, sharks, kelp, and the use of scientific names for animals and plants enrich the narrative. And I appreciate most a character-driven story with a good character study and in many ways the protagonist Alexa Glock provides that. Again the issues from the first book are repeated in the second. I had made notes as I read and wrote this review before I went back to re-read my first. It was interesting that my observations were repeated.
While I find Alexa interesting at the same time she is very irritating and frustrating in her immaturity and unprofessionalism, the interference of her childhood and family issues, and her frequent first evaluation of male colleagues as bed partners (even as she is hiking through rough conditions to get to remains). She then gets aroused and lets thoughts of sex mess with her focus.
Alexa is a hothead: she describes her approach as "unorthodox", others see her as uncooperative and working outside the team. She makes quick judgements about the lack of phone service or resources (i.e. uber or lyft) and rudely says "Jesus, what kind of place is this?! This attitude when she was hired to function as a roving forensic through the Forensic Service Center, who will face varied venues as part of her job is incongruous. Further emphasized when she reflects on her fear of the unknown. She is a skillful and talented forensic criminal investigator with the added training in odontology, but she has a blurred view of her role. When she is recognized as a member of the team she interprets that as: I can do it all; the right to go anywhere, make her own decisions and not follow orders, second guess the boss, and she is angry when she is specifically told to stay put. She wants to function as law enforcement, even when she tells herself she is not a police officer. She then rationalizes veering from her orders the minute she can come up with a reason to deviate. It leads to mistakes, and danger for not just her.
In this installment her prior relationship with DI Bruce Horne who is sent in to head the investigation is a problem in her listening and behaving as a subordinate. She worries when he shows up without her knowing he is coming, thinking he might be there to fire her for failing to follow orders. He would not have been in a position to do that, at that point, which points out her wrong thinking. He says he went to Auckland "for a meeting" and she thinks he has come to Stewart Island specifically to see her. She challenges him in why he didn't let her know he was coming. All this in a couple of minutes, and I found it off putting for a 37-year-old to act like a twenty-year-old. When it is announced he is there as the SIO because Sgt. Wallace cannot head a homicide investigation, she calls him by his first name, interrupts and then her mind wanders on what about his children (He has accepted a promotion to Auckland Central, and she is surprised and critical as she doesn't like it when fathers do not put their children first). This is another example of her lack of focus, not listening when information is important. Another example: when hiking to the hunter's body she is told the hunter had a PLB, a personal locator beacon. Later when she told to pick up his device when it has been found she asks what that is. She is consistently dropping her crime kit and her tote that contains her phone, wallet and passport and leaving them. Someone else has to return them to her. She sees it as those items as having minds of their own. She does not see it as a lack of personal accountability.
This lack of insight is further revealed with her thoughts about the death of her new friend Mary who is killed in an automobile accident. She is angry and thinks "someone else leaving her". Mary was the one friend she made in the eight months she had been in New Zealand. She seems a misplaced character, a loner in a job that requires cooperation and relationship building.
The investigation that starts out as an identification of remains of a hunter, Robert King, who had disappeared months before, becomes a double homicide when the remains of a shark ravaged body washes up on the beach. Alexa orders an autopsy (without permission) and it is determined that the man had first been shot before thrown into the sea. The conflict between the cage diving businesses that cater to the tourists (cage diving to view sharks in the wild) that requires chumming to attract the sharks, and the rest of the community which consists of those afraid to enter the water any more and the paua (abalone) divers who risk their lives harvesting is the central issue of the story. Additionally the taking of sharks and teasing them is illegal, but their teeth, jaws and other parts, as well as those of whales, is lucrative and is the motive for the killings in the end. Andy Gray the owner of White Dive Tours was involved in illegal shark parts with another fisherman who was out of work, Sean Warren, and they had a dispute. Robert King had witnessed Warren harvesting the jaws from the beached whales from a year earlier and had been shot to prevent his telling. At the climax, Alexa and Constable Elyse Kopae return to Grays catamaran, the Apex, to get more blood evidence and Kopae is attacked and taken aboard the fishing trawler Darla Jo by Warren. Alexa hears her cries and gets aboard, eventually getting Warren caught in a net and hoisted up, as the police come to the rescue. Then as Horne flies out to finish the investigation, to get Stephen Neville, a ranger who had been accused of the murders, released, Alexa is again devastated that he did not tell her goodbye. She thinks: "pushed her away". As she leaves the island she is unable to voice her thanks or feelings to Nina, Wallace's wife who had been so kind to her. Her final thought: "Sharks should be left in peace, and she should too.
Alexa walked to the stern and leaned into the bracing future." Alexa behaves in this case much as she did in the her first. She learned nothing in this experience and I cannot leave the story thinking that she will face her next assignment with any more insight or that it will be "bracing".
I find that I lose interest in a series in which the character(s) do not grow, learn from their mistakes and gain insight. I will probably try the next in the series, but Alexa will need to mature and change over time or she will simply become boring. That would be unfortunate as the context of this series is fascinating, and the plots creative.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 9, 2020
I'm always happy when I find an enjoyable new series. Now I will have to go back and read the first book, Molten Mud Murder, though this second reads well as a stand alone.
Alexa Glock is a traveling forensic investigator who specializes in odontology, the study of teeth.
She lives in the United States, but has been working in New Zealand.
She is called to isolated Stewart Island, when the skeletal corpse of a missing hunter is found in the bush.
She determines he was murdered by a gunshot to the head that could not have been self inflicted.
When a body washes ashore on Ringaringa Beach that is savaged by shark bites, Alexa makes a horrible and surprising find on the body as she examines it.
Will she discover a connection between these two, seemingly unrelated events?
I loved the exotic setting of this police proecedural/mystery and found the local culture and habitat fascinating. It was interesting to learn about sharks and the cage diving industry.
The characters were quite varied and colorful. Alexa is a bit naive and gets herself into some difficult situations, but she is very amusing.
An entertaining and unique story.
Thank you Poisoned Pen Press for the e-ARC via NetGalley.
Alexa Glock is a traveling forensic investigator who specializes in odontology, the study of teeth.
She lives in the United States, but has been working in New Zealand.
She is called to isolated Stewart Island, when the skeletal corpse of a missing hunter is found in the bush.
She determines he was murdered by a gunshot to the head that could not have been self inflicted.
When a body washes ashore on Ringaringa Beach that is savaged by shark bites, Alexa makes a horrible and surprising find on the body as she examines it.
Will she discover a connection between these two, seemingly unrelated events?
I loved the exotic setting of this police proecedural/mystery and found the local culture and habitat fascinating. It was interesting to learn about sharks and the cage diving industry.
The characters were quite varied and colorful. Alexa is a bit naive and gets herself into some difficult situations, but she is very amusing.
An entertaining and unique story.
Thank you Poisoned Pen Press for the e-ARC via NetGalley.
September 26, 2020
This second entry in the series follows the adventures of an American odontologist who is working in New Zealand. This time, she is called in to identify the skeletal remains of a hunter who went missing some months ago, but when another corpse turns up-- this one mauled by sharks-- she finds herself juggling two cases. Or is it really only one?
I found this one to be an improvement over the first one, simply because there was less effort at constructing a backstory for the main character along with the mystery. I liked the plot a lot; the information on shark caging was timely and interesting. Recommended.
I found this one to be an improvement over the first one, simply because there was less effort at constructing a backstory for the main character along with the mystery. I liked the plot a lot; the information on shark caging was timely and interesting. Recommended.
September 8, 2020
Many thanks to the NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.
The Bones Remember by Sara E. Johnson is the second book in her Alexa Glock series. However, if you have not read her first book, Molten Mud Murder, you may find yourself a bit thrown into the world of Alexa Glock. In this way, The Bones Remember doesn't act as a standalone story as other crime novels can despite being part of a series. Regardless, the casual genre reader will find plenty within to keep them entertained.
Alexa Glock, a forensic investigator, travels to a remote pocket of New Zealand to investigate the death of a hunter. When the evidence reveals that there is more to the case than meets the eye, Alexa finds herself caught up in local politics that could wreck the local ecology and tourism which keeps the community afloat.
Johnson clearly did an immense amount of research for this book to establish authenticity and verism. Yet, I found the work bogged down by the technical forensic jargon that was not always explained. Another clunky bit was the irregular reminders that Alexa was in New Zealand and had phonetic hangups when conversing with the locals. This came forward in odd moments like "beast practices" vs. "best practices", etc...It seemed unnecessary and instead of establishing more atmosphere for the story, these minor distractions added up and took me out of it.
Johnson clearly has an eye for detail and an ability to conjure interesting crime stories, but I do not think she has mastered the ability to be objective about which details she chooses to include and why. I would like to see more from her when she has more throughly cut her teeth.
The Bones Remember by Sara E. Johnson is the second book in her Alexa Glock series. However, if you have not read her first book, Molten Mud Murder, you may find yourself a bit thrown into the world of Alexa Glock. In this way, The Bones Remember doesn't act as a standalone story as other crime novels can despite being part of a series. Regardless, the casual genre reader will find plenty within to keep them entertained.
Alexa Glock, a forensic investigator, travels to a remote pocket of New Zealand to investigate the death of a hunter. When the evidence reveals that there is more to the case than meets the eye, Alexa finds herself caught up in local politics that could wreck the local ecology and tourism which keeps the community afloat.
Johnson clearly did an immense amount of research for this book to establish authenticity and verism. Yet, I found the work bogged down by the technical forensic jargon that was not always explained. Another clunky bit was the irregular reminders that Alexa was in New Zealand and had phonetic hangups when conversing with the locals. This came forward in odd moments like "beast practices" vs. "best practices", etc...It seemed unnecessary and instead of establishing more atmosphere for the story, these minor distractions added up and took me out of it.
Johnson clearly has an eye for detail and an ability to conjure interesting crime stories, but I do not think she has mastered the ability to be objective about which details she chooses to include and why. I would like to see more from her when she has more throughly cut her teeth.
June 12, 2020
This is the second book in the Alexa Glock forensic mystery series and it did not disappoint! The case is interesting and I loved that the setting is in the beautiful New Zealand.
The Story: Alexa Glock now works as the forensics investigator for Forensics Science Center, Auckland. Her expertise is needed when a decomposed body of a hunter who went missing ten months ago was found at the remote Steward Island. It looks like a straightforward accident case, but the bullet that is lodged in the skull suggests a homicide. Soon after, a second body was found washed ashore at the Ringaringa Beach. Again, it appears to be a straightforward shark attack case, but things quickly turns complicated when the autopsy revealed a bullet damage in the victim's abdomen. Meanwhile there is an ongoing dispute between the shark cage diving operators and paua divers in this island. Are they connected to these murders?
My thoughts: I do enjoy a mutilayered murder mystery and this book delivered that! The plot is interesting and it kept me guessing till the end. I loved that I learned quite a bit about sharks, shark cage diving, paua diving and forensics! Once again, I was transported to the beautiful NZ by the author's descriptive writing! It was really well done! I also enjoyed reading the investigations aspect in this story and I appreciate that the author made you feel like you're a part of the team, investigating these deaths. However, compared to this first book, this aspect in this story feels overwhelming, too much details and it slowed down the story. Fortunately, things picked up again later on. There are also a lot more characters in this story which I struggled to keep up with.
Overall, this is still an interesting murder mystery and if police procedural and forensics are something you enjoy, this is the book for you. I enjoyed this series so far, and looking forward to read the next book in this series. I am curious to see how the friendship between Alexa and DI Horne will develop as the series progresses.
Pub. Date: 8 Sept, 2020
***Thank you Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for this gifted review copy in exchange for an honest review.***
The Story: Alexa Glock now works as the forensics investigator for Forensics Science Center, Auckland. Her expertise is needed when a decomposed body of a hunter who went missing ten months ago was found at the remote Steward Island. It looks like a straightforward accident case, but the bullet that is lodged in the skull suggests a homicide. Soon after, a second body was found washed ashore at the Ringaringa Beach. Again, it appears to be a straightforward shark attack case, but things quickly turns complicated when the autopsy revealed a bullet damage in the victim's abdomen. Meanwhile there is an ongoing dispute between the shark cage diving operators and paua divers in this island. Are they connected to these murders?
My thoughts: I do enjoy a mutilayered murder mystery and this book delivered that! The plot is interesting and it kept me guessing till the end. I loved that I learned quite a bit about sharks, shark cage diving, paua diving and forensics! Once again, I was transported to the beautiful NZ by the author's descriptive writing! It was really well done! I also enjoyed reading the investigations aspect in this story and I appreciate that the author made you feel like you're a part of the team, investigating these deaths. However, compared to this first book, this aspect in this story feels overwhelming, too much details and it slowed down the story. Fortunately, things picked up again later on. There are also a lot more characters in this story which I struggled to keep up with.
Overall, this is still an interesting murder mystery and if police procedural and forensics are something you enjoy, this is the book for you. I enjoyed this series so far, and looking forward to read the next book in this series. I am curious to see how the friendship between Alexa and DI Horne will develop as the series progresses.
Pub. Date: 8 Sept, 2020
***Thank you Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for this gifted review copy in exchange for an honest review.***
May 1, 2022
I set aside my issues with the first book in the series because the background of New Zealand and the fascinating Maori culture overrode the idiocy and immaturity of the MC. With this second in the series, though, she continues to be an unbelievable ‘scientist’ and forensics officer and somehow becomes a medical examiner? The roughshod running over of any basic procedurals is ludicrous - a retired pathologist ( retired from where? Credentials? Licensed to practice?) is plucked off a cruise ship to perform a partial autopsy? What?
On top of her being rude and unappreciative of the culture and her coworkers, the author tramples any semblance of believability and ruins what could have been an interesting book. I didn’t finish it.
( if she meets one more dog that shoves it’s nose into her crotch and then she - every time! - knees it - honest to hell. Pathetic.)
On top of her being rude and unappreciative of the culture and her coworkers, the author tramples any semblance of believability and ruins what could have been an interesting book. I didn’t finish it.
( if she meets one more dog that shoves it’s nose into her crotch and then she - every time! - knees it - honest to hell. Pathetic.)
September 6, 2023
Alexa Glock is sent out to check out a body that has been found after 10 months since he was missing. She meets up with the ranges and goes out to Stewart Island (New Zealand) and when they find the body, she notices that he has been shot and it was not a suicide. In the meantime there is another body but this time it is possibly a shark bite victim. Again, when checking the body, they find what might have been a bullet. So, two victims who are starting to look like one person might have killed them. In this book we do learn alot about sharks. Many twists and turns and as usual Alexa is real close to getting killed.
November 2, 2020
I found this novel slow to start but then about a third of the way in, it began to make sense. Alexa seems an odd mix of an intelligent woman who at times behaves like a 15 yr old. Her hormones seem to take control of her brain. The remaining characters are okay. The mystery itself is the dominant feature in the book and this is well written.
December 12, 2022
Let me tell you about Alexa Glock. She's impulsive; finds numerous ways to justify ignoring direct orders from her Superior (what New Zealanders call the boss.) She frequently "forgets" to call the boss DI Horne, her way to avoid referring to him as "Senior", and instead uses his given name, Bruce (she has a mad crush on him). When she refuses a direct order and goes off on her own, she jeopardizes herself AND her co-workers, who have to come to her rescue (lucky her, they do.) She never brings her gum boots with her, even though it is inevitable that she will stomp, stumble, fall or otherwise end up in the mud (even quicksand!), sometimes up to her ankles, sometimes to her knee . . . and instead tramps around in her Keds. Well, You get the picture. And she could most assuredly benefit from a Miss Manners course, as her social skills are . . . lacking. I could go on. But here's the final thing I'll say:
I LIKE HER! I want her to win, whatever she's gotten herself into; I cheer when she conquers her fear of being eaten alive by sharks because she has jumped off a boat to save her own life and swims to shore on a bed of giant kelp. I love seeing New Zealand through her eyes. It's gorgeous and treacherous and wild and I would love to see it for myself. I think I would like it more than she does because she's pretty crotchety about it sometimes. She is intelligent, creative, passionately dedicated to her profession (forensic odontology). Basically, what's not to like about an independent woman who hunts bad guys, saves other peoples lives and always manages to come out scathed but alive and well.
Seriously, get this book. Read it. You may want to start with Molten Mud Murders, the first in the series. Whatever you do, prepare to read into the night and learn a great deal about New Zealand in the process.
I LIKE HER! I want her to win, whatever she's gotten herself into; I cheer when she conquers her fear of being eaten alive by sharks because she has jumped off a boat to save her own life and swims to shore on a bed of giant kelp. I love seeing New Zealand through her eyes. It's gorgeous and treacherous and wild and I would love to see it for myself. I think I would like it more than she does because she's pretty crotchety about it sometimes. She is intelligent, creative, passionately dedicated to her profession (forensic odontology). Basically, what's not to like about an independent woman who hunts bad guys, saves other peoples lives and always manages to come out scathed but alive and well.
Seriously, get this book. Read it. You may want to start with Molten Mud Murders, the first in the series. Whatever you do, prepare to read into the night and learn a great deal about New Zealand in the process.
September 22, 2020
The Bones Remember is a mystery that made me want to go to the scene of the crime. It begins with Alexa Glock traveling to an island off New Zealand to identify a cadaver that had recently been found by hikers, though everyone expected it to be a missing man who disappeared a year earlier. While she was there, another person needed to be identified after a frenzied shark attack. Alexa specializes in forensic odontology so this is all right up her alley. Surprisingly, both people were murdered.
So, two murders in a small village isolated from the rest of New Zealand. They must be related, right? Alexa would not be the lead character in a mystery series if she were content to stay in the lab looking at teeth. Nothing stops her from following her nose, even when it puts her in jeopardy. One of the most harrowing instances of lead character jeopardy ever is in this book. I won’t spoil it, but it was hair-raising.
The Bones Remember is a good, fair mystery. I liked Alexa and felt real anxiety when she was in jeopardy. I admire her quick-witted competency but was disappointed that her specialty, odontology, played such a minor role in solving the case. When someone is a forensic scientist, I want there to be some forensics needed in solving the case. I think Sara E. Johnson did a spectacular job of creating a sense of place. She did so well I want to go to Stewart Island now. I also want to read Molden Mud Murder (What a title!) which is the first in the series.
I received an e-galley of The Bones Remember from the publisher through NetGalley.
The Bones Remember at Poisoned Pen Press
Sara E. Johnson author site
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...
So, two murders in a small village isolated from the rest of New Zealand. They must be related, right? Alexa would not be the lead character in a mystery series if she were content to stay in the lab looking at teeth. Nothing stops her from following her nose, even when it puts her in jeopardy. One of the most harrowing instances of lead character jeopardy ever is in this book. I won’t spoil it, but it was hair-raising.
The Bones Remember is a good, fair mystery. I liked Alexa and felt real anxiety when she was in jeopardy. I admire her quick-witted competency but was disappointed that her specialty, odontology, played such a minor role in solving the case. When someone is a forensic scientist, I want there to be some forensics needed in solving the case. I think Sara E. Johnson did a spectacular job of creating a sense of place. She did so well I want to go to Stewart Island now. I also want to read Molden Mud Murder (What a title!) which is the first in the series.
I received an e-galley of The Bones Remember from the publisher through NetGalley.
The Bones Remember at Poisoned Pen Press
Sara E. Johnson author site
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...
August 21, 2020
3.25 stars
This second mystery featuring Alexa Glock has a great and unusual setting: Stewart Island in New Zealand. The author includes a lot of interesting information on the sea, wildlife and culture of New Zealand. The mystery centers around two murders which might be involved with a touchy local issue: tourist trips featuring shark cage-diving. Proponents say it helps the local economy, but many others feel it puts local shell divers at risk and leads to misunderstanding and fear of great white sharks.
Protagonist Alexa Glock is a scientist, not a cop, but her specialty is forensics work involving teeth and bites. Alexa isn't the most likable character. She is prickly, nosy, peremptory and driven. As soon as she is told by a superior to do something, she seems to have to go countermand the order. In addition, she spends way too much time complaining about the spotty cell phone service on the remote island. And, she has a bad habit of leaving her professional crime kit behind every time she sets it down. She and her boss are sort of edging around beginning an unprofessional relationship which makes things awkward for the whole crew.
I might read another for the New Zealand setting and the interesting forensics facts but I'm hoping Alexa gets her act together a bit. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This second mystery featuring Alexa Glock has a great and unusual setting: Stewart Island in New Zealand. The author includes a lot of interesting information on the sea, wildlife and culture of New Zealand. The mystery centers around two murders which might be involved with a touchy local issue: tourist trips featuring shark cage-diving. Proponents say it helps the local economy, but many others feel it puts local shell divers at risk and leads to misunderstanding and fear of great white sharks.
Protagonist Alexa Glock is a scientist, not a cop, but her specialty is forensics work involving teeth and bites. Alexa isn't the most likable character. She is prickly, nosy, peremptory and driven. As soon as she is told by a superior to do something, she seems to have to go countermand the order. In addition, she spends way too much time complaining about the spotty cell phone service on the remote island. And, she has a bad habit of leaving her professional crime kit behind every time she sets it down. She and her boss are sort of edging around beginning an unprofessional relationship which makes things awkward for the whole crew.
I might read another for the New Zealand setting and the interesting forensics facts but I'm hoping Alexa gets her act together a bit. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
September 5, 2020
Forensic odontologist Alexa Glock travels to remote Stewart Island when hikers find human remains. The body could belong to Robert King who went missing 10 months earlier. Then the team gets a call that a shark-ravaged body has been found on the beach. The victim is Andy Gray, owner of a shark cage business. But when the autopsy reveals Gray had been shot in the stomach, it becomes clear that the sharks are not the only predator on the island.
Are the two murders connected? Alexa goes to find forensic evidence on Gray's boat and is attacked. The lucrative business of tourists coming to see sharks, as well as the illegal harvest of whale and shark parts, are possible motives. Alexa keeps putting herself in danger as she stubbornly hunts for clues and defies orders from the team leader, DI Bruce Horne.
The unusual New Zealand setting is a plus but the story was a bit convoluted and Alexa acts too recklessly and beyond her scope as a police consultant.
I received an eARC from Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press/SOURCEBOOKS with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.
Are the two murders connected? Alexa goes to find forensic evidence on Gray's boat and is attacked. The lucrative business of tourists coming to see sharks, as well as the illegal harvest of whale and shark parts, are possible motives. Alexa keeps putting herself in danger as she stubbornly hunts for clues and defies orders from the team leader, DI Bruce Horne.
The unusual New Zealand setting is a plus but the story was a bit convoluted and Alexa acts too recklessly and beyond her scope as a police consultant.
I received an eARC from Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press/SOURCEBOOKS with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.
May 29, 2020
This one is even better than the first! Alexa is a forensic odontologist from the US working and continuing to study in New Zealand. She continues to learn the customs and also the idioms used which are different from what she grew up with. The first body is months old, but the forensics need doing and she is even able to arrange for an unofficial autopsy to be done by a qualified tourist. The main learning I took from this is a lot of marine biology, Maori customs related to marine life, local unemployment factors complicated by short sighted and shady business practices. My nose was glued to the pages! The due diligence nearly costs her life on more than one occasion and she comes into contact with an aggravated Great White Shark! I love the realistic detailing of this beautiful country including sand flies and violent weather.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley. Thank you!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley. Thank you!
August 22, 2020
Forensic investigator Alexa Glock finds herself in New Zealand working on two cases, one involving a missing hunter and the other a shark-mangled man.
A brand new position with the Forensic Service Center (FSC) requires Alexa, just moved from North Carolina, to travel to local police jurisdictions when they need assistance. Her boss sends her to Stewart Island to identify a body they suspect may be a hunter missing for the last ten months.
After checking out the remains of the unidentified body, Alexa accompanies Sgt. Wallace to inspect the remains of a shark-ravages body on Ringaringa Beach. After Alexa identifies both men from dental records, the investigations begin looking for the who and why. Both are victims of gunshots.
Sara Johnson spins a good yarn complete with contextual background on New Zealand along with details on the differences in police/crime procedures from the U.S.
A brand new position with the Forensic Service Center (FSC) requires Alexa, just moved from North Carolina, to travel to local police jurisdictions when they need assistance. Her boss sends her to Stewart Island to identify a body they suspect may be a hunter missing for the last ten months.
After checking out the remains of the unidentified body, Alexa accompanies Sgt. Wallace to inspect the remains of a shark-ravages body on Ringaringa Beach. After Alexa identifies both men from dental records, the investigations begin looking for the who and why. Both are victims of gunshots.
Sara Johnson spins a good yarn complete with contextual background on New Zealand along with details on the differences in police/crime procedures from the U.S.
August 23, 2020
If you like your main character a little unlikable and you like sharks this is the book for you. This is the second Alexa Glock mystery, after Molten Mud Murder. The Bones Remember takes place in New Zealand, Stewart's Island. Alexa is a traveling Forensic Investigator, who is an expert in teeth and does what she wants when it comes to investigating.
There are two murders, one involving a body found to have been shot some months ago, which brings her to the island, and a second involving a body that washes ashore. There is a little romance between Alexa and DI BruceI Horne. I found the information regarding shark cage diving interesting. The author goes into great detail describing the landscape, New Zealand sounds beautiful. I highly recommend this book, the beginning is a little slow but when it picks up it moves quickly.
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
There are two murders, one involving a body found to have been shot some months ago, which brings her to the island, and a second involving a body that washes ashore. There is a little romance between Alexa and DI BruceI Horne. I found the information regarding shark cage diving interesting. The author goes into great detail describing the landscape, New Zealand sounds beautiful. I highly recommend this book, the beginning is a little slow but when it picks up it moves quickly.
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
April 27, 2023
I read and very much enjoyed the New Zealand set first book in this series, The Molten Mud Murder. I don’t know why it took me so long to get to this one. Now that I have, I am eager to read book 3 and, book 4 which will be published soon.
The book’s detective has, what I think, an unusual specialty. She knows a lot about teeth and uses her forensic knowledge to solve cases. This time, two bodies are found that require her attention. Have sharks killed them or are humans to blame? Readers will be eager to know.
The strength of this series for me is the setting in New Zealand. It is a pleasure to spend time in the country with Alex and those with whom she works and spends time. Oh…and it is entertaining to watch her solve the case.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this title. All opinions are my own.
The book’s detective has, what I think, an unusual specialty. She knows a lot about teeth and uses her forensic knowledge to solve cases. This time, two bodies are found that require her attention. Have sharks killed them or are humans to blame? Readers will be eager to know.
The strength of this series for me is the setting in New Zealand. It is a pleasure to spend time in the country with Alex and those with whom she works and spends time. Oh…and it is entertaining to watch her solve the case.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this title. All opinions are my own.
July 20, 2021
4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Jeez. Is that a parrot?”
“A Kaka. Watch it or he’ll try to get in your kit”
“I thought a kaka was a canoe”
“That’s waka”
“I thought that was a war dance”
“That’s haka”
“What the faka?”
(I loved this part. A great mix of humor into a very somber part)
Follow Alexa Glock, forensic investigator, to New Zealand to help identify skeletal remains. Poor Alexa is a beacon for trouble.
This books is filled with gruesome scenes, murder investigations, and big sharks. I enjoyed learning terms based in New Zealand. However, I cannot get over the casual use of “eh” and “ya nah”. So annoying 🙄
if you enjoy solving murders, or learning about great white sharks, then this is a great book for you. I will definitely be trying more books by this author.
“Jeez. Is that a parrot?”
“A Kaka. Watch it or he’ll try to get in your kit”
“I thought a kaka was a canoe”
“That’s waka”
“I thought that was a war dance”
“That’s haka”
“What the faka?”
(I loved this part. A great mix of humor into a very somber part)
Follow Alexa Glock, forensic investigator, to New Zealand to help identify skeletal remains. Poor Alexa is a beacon for trouble.
This books is filled with gruesome scenes, murder investigations, and big sharks. I enjoyed learning terms based in New Zealand. However, I cannot get over the casual use of “eh” and “ya nah”. So annoying 🙄
if you enjoy solving murders, or learning about great white sharks, then this is a great book for you. I will definitely be trying more books by this author.
Want to read
September 1, 2020Forensic odontology is at the forefront of this interesting procedural set on an island off the coast of New Zealand. Alexa is an American there to study when she's asked to take a look at a corpse. Turns out, the man was murdered with a gun not bitten by a shark. Then there's another murder and the heat turns up on Alexa to find answers. I knew shark diving in cages is a thing but who knew what discord it could sow! There's a bit of romance (unnecessary but ok), lots of local color, and a different sort of hook. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Don't worry if you didn't read the first book- this will be fine as a standalone.
March 19, 2023
I enjoyed book two of this series, almost as much as book one.
I learned a bit more about New Zealand, and as this is a police procedural, the investigation into two murders on the island were interesting to follow.
In this book there is information on sharks and whales, and the desperation of a small town to encourage tourism to their area.
I enjoyed the characters here, especially Alexa Glock. I hope she gets to attend a firearms seminar soon so she can learn to neutralize a rifle the next time she needs to.
I bought a copy of book two and book three and assigned this series for my March 2023 book group.
I learned a bit more about New Zealand, and as this is a police procedural, the investigation into two murders on the island were interesting to follow.
In this book there is information on sharks and whales, and the desperation of a small town to encourage tourism to their area.
I enjoyed the characters here, especially Alexa Glock. I hope she gets to attend a firearms seminar soon so she can learn to neutralize a rifle the next time she needs to.
I bought a copy of book two and book three and assigned this series for my March 2023 book group.
September 4, 2022
I enjoyed this read. The title and cover are very interesting and what drew me into reading this book. I love reading mystery books and that's exactly what this book provided. I loved following Alexa as she tried to figure out who the killer was. The reveal of who the killer was definitely surprised me because I did not expect it at all. Not in the slightest! It is a little drawn out; however, to some people that's bad. But I thought that it kinda fits in with how the book was written. If you love mystery and suspense, I would recommend this book.
September 11, 2020
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review of the story.
This is a very detailed and descriptive crime novel - tons of details about New Zealand, sharks but not enough about the how or why of forensics that go into solving the story.
The story had a slow start but maybe that is because I didn't read the first book of the series?
If the main character becomes more mature and capable, I would definitely read the next story.
This is a very detailed and descriptive crime novel - tons of details about New Zealand, sharks but not enough about the how or why of forensics that go into solving the story.
The story had a slow start but maybe that is because I didn't read the first book of the series?
If the main character becomes more mature and capable, I would definitely read the next story.
October 14, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed the second Alexa Glock mystery. I found it to be a well-crafted police procedural, I enjoyed the beautiful, wild, and whacky New Zealand setting (after all, how fun is the occasional drunk bird falling out of a tree), and I enjoyed the character descriptions (weepy Neville, for example). After finishing the book, I missed the persistent Alexa. Sorry you have a new scar, Alexa!
October 30, 2020
The Bones Remember by Sara E. Johnson
Alexa Glock, an experienced ,forensic investigator, travels to a remote island, in NewZealand for a difficult case..
This was an interesting story about sharks. The town protected them,, but also baited them so tourists can see them up close. Very educational reading about the whale and shark industry. I recommend this book although it was a cliff hanger.
Thank you Net Galley for sending me an advanced reader’s copy for review..
Alexa Glock, an experienced ,forensic investigator, travels to a remote island, in NewZealand for a difficult case..
This was an interesting story about sharks. The town protected them,, but also baited them so tourists can see them up close. Very educational reading about the whale and shark industry. I recommend this book although it was a cliff hanger.
Thank you Net Galley for sending me an advanced reader’s copy for review..
July 6, 2021
Alexa Glock has landed a job at the Forensic Service Center in Auckland. Her first case sends her to Stewart Island – Rakiura - the most southerly part of New Zealand. She finds the islanders divided over the issue of cage diving. The excursions to see the great white sharks bring in tourist dollars but many believe that they have made the creatures more aggressive. Alexa’s behavior is childish and self-centered but the setting and plot are intriguing.
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