Featured books

Featured Websites

.: Reader Views Kids

Provides book reviews, by kids, for kids

.: Inside Scoop Live

Provides live author interviews for podcast

.: Authors Access

Provides interviews with experts in the publishing industry

.: Midwest Book Review

Provides post-publication reviews

.: Reader Views

Provides book reviews and author publicity

.: LR Communication Design

Provides professional website design and development

.: Blogging Authors

Provides a place where writers and readers meet

.: Review The Book

Provides 5 books reviews on 10 different sites

.: Best Sellers World

Provides book reviews and author features

.: Feathered Quill Book Reviews

Provides book reviews and author features

reviews

The Bone Chamber

Robin Burcell
Poisoned Pen Press (2009)
ISBN 9781590583753
Reviewed by Enid Grabiner for RebeccasReads (08/09)

As an FBI educated forensic artist herself, Robin Burcell brings credibility to her character Sydney Fitzpatrick who is also a special agent to the FBI consulting as a forensic artist.  Sydney is asked to help identify the body of a young woman, whose face and fingerprints are badly mutilated.   She in turn recruits the efforts of her friend Tasha, a forensic anthropologist.  When Tasha is killed in a hit-and-run accident, Sydney begins to question the coincidence of the deaths.

She discovers the disfigured body belongs to Alessandra, daughter of the Ambassador to the Holy See in Rome, who is an archeological student researching relics on an Egyptian dig, hoping to find the key leading to a map, which in turn charts the way to a lost Templar treasure.   Unable to shake her uneasiness of the connection between the two deaths, Sydney pursues her investigation, only to discover the government has in place a covert team headed by Special Agent Zachary Griffin, who does not want her involvement.  She however keeps insinuating herself into the fray only to find her their lives jeopardized.

Why are they being pursued? Is there a treasure?  Where is it?  Just why is the government involved? Who else is involved?  Who is the ally and who is the enemy? All these questions have them traipsing through bone laden crypts in search of an answer. 

Sydney can take care of herself.  She exudes intelligence and confidence and does not need to defer to Griffin.  Having a law enforcement background, she becomes a complement to him rather than the damsel in need of rescue. 

I found this to be a very well-researched, well-written thriller.  Burcell is obviously knowledgeable about the Templers and Freemasons and presents her subject manner in a straightforward style avoiding the complexity of details which often makes books of the religious thriller genre tortuous reading. 


.: Blog