Bone Hunter

Em Hansen Mystery #5

by Sarah Andrews

Time and again, Emily-- Em-- Hansen uses her geological training and her unflinching scientist's eye to sniff out a killer.

Now in her newest case, Em heads to Utah for a paleontology conference and ends up embroiled in murder when her host, a notorious dinosaur expert, ends up dead, stabbed with a dinosaur bone.

The high-stakes world of dinosaur study and research, coupled with the secrets of a conservative sect of Mormonism, provide the suspects and Em, if she isn't buried like so many fossils by a determined killer, is forced to provide the solution.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Murder Mystery, Geology, Mystery Thriller, Cozy Mystery, Contemporary

353 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Sarah Andrews is a geologist who writes mystery novels about a geologist.

She currently lives in northern California and invests her free time on community pursuits and flying, skiing, and sailing with her husband and son.


Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Rogue Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bone Hunter is Sarah Andrews' fifth Em Hansen mystery, and my first. Em Hansen is a wonderful character: as a scientist, she's bright and rational; as a person, she's empathetic and emotional. Raised on a Wyoming ranch and now working as a Colorado oil geologist, the protag has lots of experience and opportunities to get caught up in mystery and mayhem.

This book grew out of the 1997 meeting of the Geological Society of America, held that year in Salt Lake City and (after a dead body), Bone Hunter opens with the annual conference of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology. The competition, back biting and jealousy in the academic paleonology community is well developed and gives both method, motive, and opportunity. The sympathetic treatment of the Mormon belief system is an interesting and revealing contrast to the science.

I love that Sarah Andrews brings such real life reseach and experience to her writing: flying, academics, science, geology. She's thoughtful and organized, setting out specific goals and working through these in the progression of the mystery. The introduction and author's note clarify and highlight Andrews' approach. The mystery writer as mystic describes how narrative can challenge and explain; the scientist as mystic presents the scientific method as a gradual process of enlightenment and reflects on how a scientist must accept the unknown.

--Ashland Mystery

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like and feel more connected to Em with each book in this series. She is snarky and witty and I frequently am amused by her observations. There were several descriptions in this book that made me chuckle, but were equally effective at drawing an image. I am certainly looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

[Peter Tillman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bounced pretty hard on this one, in the first few chapters. Since I tried another of these AWB & didn't care for it, I'm done with this series. Too bad. If she can't make a book on dinosaur paleontology interesting .... 1.5 stars, for the part that I read. Looked hopeless. Oh, well.

[Nancy H · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really good mystery involving Salt Lake City, geologists and paleontologists, Mormons, and of course, murder. There are also some good musings on religion and life philosophy in it as well. It is an engrossing read.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Forensic geologist Em Hansen uses her keen senses and fascinating scientific background to uncover the buried secrets of the most baffling murder cases. Now Em travels to a Utah paleontology conference, where a renowned dinosaur expert is found brutally murdered ... making Em, his houseguest, the chief suspect. Now, digging for clues amidst a canyon of suspects like a modern-day Sherlock Holmes, Em's gotta catch a killer, clear her name, and save herself from becoming extinct ...:
~~back cover

I liked this book a bit less than the first four books in the series, when I had expected to like it more than most of them. Paleontology! Awfully close to archaeology (only the items being sought and the hardness of the soil surrounding them are different -- the theorizing and internecine professional warfare are exactly the same) so I settled down to read about digging out in the great outdoors. Silly me -- didn't I realize that 340 pages of digging in the great outdoors would be BO-riiing to most readers? So of course there was much more paleontological conference, suspicion falling upon our heroine, car chases and narrow escapes -- a more conventional (pardon the pun) murder mystery, which our heroine eventually solves (as usual).

However, this book had a LOT of discourse about scientific methodology and philosophy vs creationism, a LOT of instructional dialog about how the former two work and why the latter doesn't, etc. Imho, it was an overwhelming amount of trudging through to get to the action parts. Maybe it's just me, but this book was published in 1999, and I think most readers are much more aware of at least the basic aspects of paleontology twenty years later. I mean, there's been Jurassic Park, and Walking With Dinosaurs and Allosaurus!, to name only a few. And documentaries aplenty. How could a reader these days not know at least the basics of paleontology?

There was also a good bit about the Mormon religion, and its splinter groups -- some of it very disquieting and painful to read. But of course, splinter groups aren't the core of any religion, but the outlaws around the edges. What was really unnerving was the incipient romance between our heroine and the Mormon policeman who was on the case. How could either one of them ever contemplated a relationship between a good Mormon and a heretic atheist? And how long could it possibly last?

[Heather Marks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this mystery. It kept me interested and I couldn't wait to find out how it ended.

[punxsygal · Rating 2 out of 5]

Geologist Em Hansen has been invited to be a house guest and speaker at a paleontology conference by George Dishey. But George gets murdered and Em becomes a suspect. Throw in a handsome, young, Mormon police officer, and a list of strange characters as well as dinosaur bones and you have the makings of a mystery. However, for me, it never really went anywhere. I didn't buy the romance, and didn't find the mystery particularly compelling.

[Pammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mystery featuring dinosaur fossil thieves, creationism, Mormons, and murder.... What's there not to like?!
And, strangely, I found a marvelously insightful paragraph, instructing a technique for relaxation and stress release.... based on contemplation of our insignificance within the universe!

[Jack B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting murder mystery. Try finding another book with characters ranging from devout Mormons of Utah to vertebrate paleontologists!!

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the plot centering around paleontology and dinosaurs. I do think Em's new almost-boyfriend is a bit of a drip. I don't know why she can't find a nice geologist to settle down with. I thought Em's reflections on Mormonism and religion in general were a bit contrived and tedious, but that might possibly be because I got disgusted with all religion, myself, so long ago I am impatient with hearing about it and not interested in reading about it. But a good read, interesting plot and side characters.

[Wendy Beckman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Bone Hunter. Andrews wove paleontology, cults, police (of course) and an examination of truth into one gripping tale. As usual, I was saddened that Andrews died many years ago. Weirdly, in the action leading to the book's climax, our bold heroine is discussing aircraft. The FBI agent tells her about what happens in a helicopter crash. Later on, the pilot makes sure she has enough fuel. Sarah Andrews died in a plane crash, along with her husband and son. One theory about the crash was that the pilot had not checked the fuel.

Strange coincidence.

[Crystal Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and adventurous book, I like the archeology premise. But so many of the religious facts and Mormon characters were just plain incorrect. The way she wrote the dialogue of the religious characters was very cliche and over the top, not at all like actual Mormons (even in Utah). Prayers and blessings were turned into something done at the drop of a hat. Not every conversation begins and ends with scripture quotes! A lot of doctrine was ignored. Not a valid representation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. But as a fiction book, three stars.

[Lindsay Luke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable Em Hansen forensic geologist mystery. Em is invited to give a presentation at a convention in Salt Lake City by a famous paleontologist. He turns up dead and she is a suspect. In the course of finding the real killer, we get to learn about dinosaurs, paleontologists, and Mormons. Let's just say there is dysfunction and a lack of social skills in the scientific dinosaur bone hunting community.

[Jack · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written back in the 1990s, this is a novel about a woman scientist in Utah who is accused of a murder. She sciences her way out of some tough jams and along the way deals with her confusing affection for a Mormon cop. Sort of hokey but the landscape descriptions made it worthwhile.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an older book and not of the genre that I normally like (mystery). I started it and thought it would be awful, but as I kept reading it got better and caught my attention. Overall, I really liked it and thought it good.

[Mees · Rating 3 out of 5]

3-4 stars for the execution, 2 for the way it trafficks in old, worn, suspicious stereotypes about Mormons and the LDS Church. There’s enough you can do with a state and culture like Utah’s without resorting to polygamy and blood atonement.

[RYAN · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought that this book was pretty good, but it didn’t keep me on my toes like I thought it might.

[Jan Yarnot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Em Hansen is from Wyoming, a geologist who likes dinosaurs. I’m from Wyoming, took geology and love dinosaurs, so what’s not to like?

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much better than the last Em Hansen book I read! A nice, intriguing mystery with the expected geological tour of a new setting. Sure, Sarah Andrews gets preachy, but she has great things to say. Her characters may be a little smarter than you'd want to give them credit for, but those intelligent conversations are pretty damned beautiful. Are there blah points? Of course. Em's hormones point her in some pretty stupid directions (but when it comes to that, I'm also a guilty party, so...), and there's the typical beaten-nearly-to-death-by-the-end mystery novel thing, but it's a fun read and I'll read more.

[Alton Motobu · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is part romance (between Em Hansen and the handsome police officer assigned to protect her), part religion (long passages with characters espousing Mormonism, creationism, and polygamy), part paleontology and the fossil trading black market, and a little bit of murder mystery. There was not enough about the murder, and too much of everything else. The ending was unclear as the presumed murderer was not clearly identified and his fate was dealt "off screen." Not for fans who like complex plots with lots of action; but you'll enjoy it if you like a lot of romance with handsome men in your mysteries.

[Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vždycky jsem dumala nad tím, proč je tolik detektivek s "archeologickým pozadím" a o geologii čtenář nezavadí. Sarah Andrews je autorka, kterou jsem chtěla potkat půl života. Zajímavý příběh, doplněný o geologické zajímavosti (i geologická mapa by se hodila), dinosauři, kšeftování s fosiliemi a bezohledné ničení lokalit, univerzitní sbírky nacpané v suterénech, účastníci konference, demonstrace kreacionistů a navíc mormoni - prostě paráda.

[Rita Gorra · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun, refreshing book. I love to learn things from an author as background information. It is pretty obvious Sarah Andrews knows quite a little bit about the topic. I found Ray romantic and mysterious. I saw some reviews that saw him as boring, but he seemed to be more quiet and intelligent than most romantic interests. Not everything needs to be shouted. This is the first I've read of the series and hope to read them all!

[Gerry Durisin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very spotty writing -- good in some parts, pathetic in others. The whole novel hangs together poorly, but had moments of excellence. The main character is Em, a geologist who dabbles in forensics as well. She’s been lured to Utah under false pretenses, and becomes embroiled in a murder investigation, which she has tremendous motivation to solve, since SHE’s the main suspect.

[Sandybear76]

Set in Utah. first book I have read by this author. Emily Hansen is attending a paleontology conference in Salt Lake City to present a speech about forensic paleontology and staying at a paleontologist's house. Unfortunately, she is trying to break into his house to get her car keys to go to the conference when the police show up and questions Emily about the paleontologist's death.

[Crissie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great travel book, especially when the flight across the Rockies turned out rather bumpy - took my mind off the size of the small plane flying me from Montrose to Denver as the book took me through Utah (culture, religion, land). Thanks, Wendell!

[R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love books written by authors that have "lived the life" they highlight in their fiction. Sarah Andrews is a geologist and her knowledge of her science and related sciences give more body to this mystery. My favorite is still Nevada Barr, but I will look for more of Andrews.

[Sunni · Rating 2 out of 5]

Notice that I'm getting all the mysteries out of my system while I'm on hiatus from bookgroup? This one was incredibly mediocre.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forensic geologist

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was interesting having a geologist investigating a murder in a Mormon community.

[Ti'Ata · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bad language