Cross Bones by Kathy Reichs

Temperance Brennan is really nothing like “Bones’ except for the name and the profession. I do like the Temperance in the books better. This one starts out in Montreal with a death of an antique dealer and she is called to assist as the face has been damaged by cats. The dealer is a Jew and so there is a conflict about performing an autopsy. A man approaches Tempe in the corridor outside the mortuary and gives her a photo of a skeleton that looks like it is from an archaeological dig.

Does this have something to do with the death of the dealer as after careful observation it is decided that this is a murder and not a suicide. Her usual partner from the Montreal detective squad is Ryan. She has been having an off again on again relationship with him for a while now. Both of them try to find information about this skeleton photo and about the circumstance that have led to the dealer’s death. She contacts an archaeologist friend to discuss the authenticity of the photo with the skeleton. He is very mysterious and secretive about the information he has discovered.

Meanwhile, Tempe manages to recover the skeleton from an old friend of the dealer and is asked to transport the remains, which have been identified as belonging to Israel and have to be repatriated to the ministry of antiquities.  Ryan has been looking for the man who had given Tempe the photo and discovers that he is involved in smuggling of antiques and was known to the dead dealer and his widow. But the man has flown to Israel and Ryan has to go there to question him about the murder. So both Tempe and Ryan are off to Israel.

The story is interesting with its usual twists of religious intrigue, archaeological finds and conspiracy theories. Tempe and her archaeologist friend are threatened and injured by a group of people who do not like the disturbance of old graves and tombs. The skeleton Tempe has brought gets stolen and the official at the antiquities is not pleased. The plot thickens when the man they had come to question tells them he was hired to kill the dealer. So who hired him? Who is interested in trading that skeleton?

So what is the real story of the skeleton in the photo? There is another skeleton with a shroud found in the caves where the archaeologist had taken Tempe. Do this cave and its inhabitants have any link to the skeleton that was lost? How will they decide what is the truth and who is behind the murder and threats?

Interesting plot and a complicated conspiracy theory. However, I am not a fan of this book as the end seems a little flat and dare I say even a letdown after all the build up?

Spring at Wisteria Gardens

I have written before about the gardens and also had a few photos in an earlier blog. This one is just to showcase this years blossoms.

 Ibises and Bats

This one is in my garden!

Caravan to Vaccares by Alistair MacLean

I have come to the end of the list of books by this author that I have reviewed. This was another book that I had not read in a long long time, though I have seen the film a few times after reading the book. It is right there with the other books by Alistair MacLean, in its plot intricacy and suspense.

The prologue sets the sinister tone to the novel. There is a young man being chased into the caves by knife welding men and murdered. The novel starts with the hero Neil Bowman dining with a young lady Cecile. Cecile’s friend Lila is dining at another table with Le Grand Duc, an impressive man in more ways than one.  They have watched the gypsy caravans coming and setting up camp on the grounds outside. Just then there is a disturbance in the camp and it appears that a young man has gone missing and his mother is crying. Some men have been sent by the leader to drive back on the route they have just travelled over. Indeed police is called when they return without finding the young man. However, the area that has not been searched in the caves and no one wants to go in there in the dark. It appears that there is a close relationship between the Duc and the gypsies, as he wanders over to find out what the matter is.

Neil also wanders over with Cecile trying to get details of the event. All he can ascertain is that there are a few ladies with the missing man’s mother and all look very worried and scared. Neil decides to go out later in the night to gather information. He does overhear the leader talking about some assignment but he is seen when trying to get to the caravan with the ladies in it. Three of the gypsies including the leader’s son chase Neil who tries to find refuge in the hotel. Then he races up into the hills with the men armed with knives and a gun. What will he discover in the caves in the hills which he is forced to run into? The way out of the caves is tricky and will he get out of there alive? It is a touch and go but he thwarts his pursuers and goes back to the hotel to collect Cecile and make his escape.

On the run but keeping with the groups of gypsies which include the leader and the caravan with the ladies in it, Neil attempts to find out what the gypsies are hiding. There is some sinister plot and to get to the bottom of it Neil and Cecile change their appearance and get closer to the various gypsies. What is one of the young ladies doing buying bandages and medicines? Where is the other young lady Tina? The Duc is following the gypsies but is he just a historian as he says or there is something ominous about his relationship with them?

Since Neil and Cecile are strangers and buy change of clothes from a local shop the gypsies find out and set a trap to catch them. They mingle with the crowds at the local bullfighting ring before going to the caravans again. Neil gets caught while trying to find out why 3 men are being kept prisoners in one of the caravans. His punishment is to fight a bull to death, one that has been specially prepared for the purpose of killing Neil. They hold on to Cecile to make sure he does not try and escape.

Will Neil survive the bull fight? What is the mystery of the prisoners? Is Duc directing the nefarious operations? The plot is good and it is not easy to guess what the heart of the mystery is, unlike most of the other novels. It is in the last few chapters that the whole picture emerges with the suspense being maintained right up to the last page.

This novel has the usual mix of mystery, suspense, and humour that Alistair MacLean is known for. A wonderful read at any time with the story slowly emerging page at a time.

Fossil and Mineral Museum, Bathurst

In the tourist information centre, one of the leaflets we found was for the Fossil and Mineral Museum. It was established within the 1876 Public School building in Horwick Street that was renovated for this. There are about 2000 fossil and mineral specimens (fact sheet). It also has the Somerville Collection which is one man, Warren Somerville’s collection of fossils and minerals from not only Australia but also from around the world. The website has various fact sheets and education material that are of interest to everyone.

 

The entrance has one of those painted hippos (like that from the Japanese Gardens of Cowra). Also at the entrance is a large fossilised and opalised piece of tree trunk. The entrance has a small shop and various items and souvenirs. There is a strong element of education that is central to the running of this museum. There was even a small group of school children inside having a fun class.

Opalised tree trunk

There is a small but beautiful amber collection which cannot be photographed but everything else can be snapped.

 

These were some beautiful painting at the begining of the gallery.

Large piece with a few fossils in it

Close up of the largest fossil on the above photograph.

Ammonites 

 

Opalised Shell

Beautiful and complete T Rex skeleton and another smaller one.

 

Mineral specimens’ collection is also very good with rare and spectacular minerals. There are mineral crystals from over 100 Australian mine sites, 2,000 million year old garnets, rainbow-coloured fluorites, as well as diamonds, sapphires, rubies, emeralds and other valuable gems.

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