- Mass Market Paperback: 464 pages
- Publisher: Mira; Reprint edition (October 1, 2008)
- ISBN-10: 0778325768
- ISBN-13: 978-0778325765
The Reincarnationist follows Josh Ryder, a photographer gravely injured in a suicide bombing in Rome, as he seeks an explanation for the strange "memory lurches" he experiences after the explosion. Was he really a priest in long ago Rome, persecuted for refusing to abandon the ancient rites? Was he the scion of the wealthy Talmadge family in turn of the 20th century New York? Josh seeks answers with the Phoenix Foundation, an organization that interviews children who appear to have knowledge of past lives. His work with the Foundation and his increasingly frequent memory lurches embroil him in the search for a set of ancient and mysterious Memory Stones, said to hold the key to past lives. Someone is willing to kill to get them. Is history repeating itself? Can Josh's memories save him and those he cares about in the present?
These are the questions posed in this supernatural murder mystery. Unfortunately, The Reincarnationist never builds the levels of tension and suspense required to make this a propulsive read. Rapid fire pacing and a well-structured plot might have helped distract from the often awkward writing style. As it was, I kept finding reasons not to read this book. When doing the laundry is more enticing than picking up a paperback thriller, that is a bad sign indeed.
The Reincarnationist sold many, many copies, however--enough to prompt a sequel, The Memorist, and the just-released third book in the series, The Hypnotist. The book even inspired a short-lived TV show on Fox, Past Life.
I'm mailing this book to my mom, who loves the idea of reincarnation. Once she's read it, I'll post her comments as an alternative perspective.
For more on M.J. Rose and her books, please see her website.
- Genre: Supernatural thriller with elements of romance
- Read it if: you love Kate Mosse, Dan Brown and the idea of reincarnation
- Skip it if: you hate The Da Vinci Code
- Movie-Worthy: Apparently, it wasn't even Fox TV show-worthy.
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