书目

The Bone Garden: A Novel (Reprint Edition) 尸骨花园

内容简介

Unknownbones,untoldsecrets,andunsolvedcrimesfromthedistantpastcastominousshadowsonthepresentinthedazzlingnewthrillerfromNewYorkTimesbestsellingauthorTessGerritsen.Presentday:JuliaHamillhasmadeahorrifyingdiscoveryonthegroundsofhernewhomeinruralMassachusetts:askullburiedintherockysoil-human,female,and,accordingtothetrainedeyeofBostonmedicalexaminerMauraIsles,scarredwiththeunmistakablemarksofmurder.Butwhoeverthisnamelesswomanwas,andwhateverbefellher,isknowledgelosttoanothertime...Boston,1830:Inordertopayforhiseducation,NorrisMarshall,atalentedbutpennilessstudentatBostonMedicalCollege,hasjoinedtheranksoflocal"resurrectionists"-thosewhoplundergraveyardsandharvestthedeadforsaleontheblackmarket.Yeteventhisghoulishcommercepalesbesidetheshockingmurderofanursefoundmutilatedontheuniversityhospitalgrounds.Andwhenadistinguisheddoctormeetsthesamegrislyfate,Norrisfindsthattraffickingintheillicitcadavertradehasmadehimaprimesuspect.Toprovehisinnocence,Norrismusttrackdowntheonlywitnesstohaveglimpsedthekiller:RoseConnolly,abeautifulseamstressfromtheBostonslumswhofearsshemaybethenextvictim.Joinedbyasardonic,keenlyintelligentyoungmannamedOliverWendellHolmes,NorrisandRosecombthecity-fromitsgrimcemeteriesandautopsysuitestoitsglitteringmansionsandcentersofBrahminpower-onthetrailofamaniacalfiendwholurkswhereleastexpected...andwhowaitsforhisnextlethalopportunity.Withunflaggingsuspenseandpitch-perfectperioddetail,TheBoneGardendeftlyinterweavesthethrillingnarrativesofitsnineteenth-andtwenty-firstcenturyprotagonists,tracingthedarkmysteryatitsheartacrosstimeandplacetoafinaleasingeniouslyconceivedasitisshocking.Bold,bloody,andbrilliant,thisisTessGerritsen'sfinestachievementtodate."AnoldmysteryiscrossedwithamodernstoryinthelatestfromGerritsen("TheMephistoClub,"2006,etc.).JuliaHamill,newlydivorcedandstillsmarting,purchasesanoldhouseoutsideBoston.Determinedtodigagarden,sheinsteadfindsthebonesofalong-deadwoman-theapparentvictimofmurder-whichstartsheronajourneytoferretoutthestorybehindherdeath.JuliaconnectswithHenry,ano-nonsense89-year-oldwithboxesofdocumentsthatoncebelongedtothenow-deceasedpreviousownerofJulia'shome.Thetwodiscoveramysterydatingbacktothe1830s.AttheheartofitisababynamedMeggie,borntothebeautifulbutdoomedIrishchambermaid,Aurnia.Marriedtoamanwhocaresnothingforher,Aurnialaysdyinginamaternitywardwithhersister,Rose,atherside.Rose,aspirited17-year-old,takesMeggietoprotectherfromAurnia'shusband,butsoonfindsherselfthetargetofabizarremanhunt.Someoneisafterthechild-andRose,aswell,becauseshewitnessedahorrifyingmurder.ThebodycountpilesupasRosestrugglestoremainfreeofthosewhowouldtakeMeggiefromher.Meanwhile,ayoungmedicalstudentbecomesthechiefsuspectoftheWestEndReaperkillingswhenhestumblesontoanotherterriblehomicide.Althoughhefightstheprospect,eventuallyheandRosejoinforcestosolvethemurdersandprotectthebabyattheheartofthemysteriousdeaths.ReaderswithdelicatestomachsmayfindGerritsen'sgraphicdescriptionsofcorpsedissectionhardtotake,butthestory,whichdigsupadarkBostonoftimeslongpast,enticesreaderstokeepturningpageslongaftertheirbedtimes."-"KirkusReviews"(starred)"FromtheHardcoveredition."

作者简介

One Thepresent Sothisishowamarriageends,thoughtJuliaHamillassherammedtheshovelintothesoil.Notwithsweetwhispersgoodbye,notwiththelovingclaspofarthritichandsfortyyearsfromnow,notwithchildrenandgrandchildrengrievingaroundherhospitalbed.Sheliftedascoopofearthandflungitaside,sendingrocksclatteringontothegrowingmound.Itwasallclayandstones,goodforgrowingnothingexceptblackberrycanes.Barrensoil,likehermarriage,fromwhichnothinglonglasting,nothingworthholdingonto,hadsprouted. Shestampeddownontheshovelandheardaclang,felttheconcussionslamupherspineasthebladehitarock—abigone.Sherepositionedtheblade,butevenwhensheattackedtherockatdifferentangles,shecouldnotpryitloose.Demoralizedandsweatingintheheat,shestareddownatthehole.Allmorningshehadbeendigginglikeawomanpossessed,andbeneathherleatherglovesblisterswerepeeledopen.Julia'sdigginghadstirredupacloudofmosquitoesthatwhinedaroundherfaceandinfiltratedherhair. Therewasnowayaroundit:Ifshewantedtoplantagardeninthisspot,ifshewantedtotransformthisweed-chokedyard,shehadtokeepatit.Thisrockwasinherway. Suddenlythetaskseemedhopeless,beyondherpunyefforts.Shedroppedtheshovelandslumpedtotheground,rumplandingonthestonypileofdirt.Whyhadsheeverthoughtshecouldrestorethisgarden,salvagethishouse?Shelookedacrossthetangleofweedsandstaredatthesaggingporch,theweatheredclapboards.Julia'sFolly—that'swhatsheshouldnametheplace.Boughtwhenshehadn'tbeenthinkingstraight,whenherlifewascollapsing.Whynotaddmoreflotsamtothewreckage?Thiswastobeaconsolationprizeforsurvivingherdivorce.Atthirty-eightyearsold,Juliawouldfinallyhaveahouseinherownname,ahousewithapast,asoul.Whenshehadfirstwalkedthroughtheroomswiththerealestateagent,andhadgazedatthehand-hewnbeams,spiedthebitofantiquewallpaperpeekingthroughatearinthemanylayersthathadsincecoveredit,she'dknownthishousewasspecial.Andithadcalledtoher,askingforherhelp. "Thelocation'sunbeatable,"theagenthadsaid."Itcomeswithnearlyanacreofland,somethingyouseldomfindanymorethisclosetoBoston.""Thenwhyisitstillforsale?"Juliahadasked.

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