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Bug Man #4
Less than Dead
Dogs have long been man's best friend, but the Bug Man's friend is a rare breed . . . the cadaver dog.
All roads lead to the White House for John Henry Braden, the charismatic senator from Virginia aristocracy whose beautiful wife Victoria is the talk of Washington and the crown jewel of Endor, her backwoods Virginia hometown.
But when bodies turn up on Braden's property--the site of a multi-million dollar construction project he's spearheading--the senator's spin doctors, led by his future first lady, must act quickly to quell a conspiracy before it blemishes their presidential campaign.
Enter entomologist Nick Polchak, the quirky bug expert enlisted to determine if the senator's bone yard is a forgotten cemetery or a crime scene.
To help with the investigation, Polchak follows local legend to Alena Savard, a mysterious woman known for her ability to turn mongrels into the best search dogs around. They soon find themselves on the trail of a desperate individual bent on protecting a terrible secret.
Less than Dead is an unforgettable tale of crime and concealment in the corridors of high-stakes politics--as well as in the deepest contours of the human heart.
All roads lead to the White House for John Henry Braden, the charismatic senator from Virginia aristocracy whose beautiful wife Victoria is the talk of Washington and the crown jewel of Endor, her backwoods Virginia hometown.
But when bodies turn up on Braden's property--the site of a multi-million dollar construction project he's spearheading--the senator's spin doctors, led by his future first lady, must act quickly to quell a conspiracy before it blemishes their presidential campaign.
Enter entomologist Nick Polchak, the quirky bug expert enlisted to determine if the senator's bone yard is a forgotten cemetery or a crime scene.
To help with the investigation, Polchak follows local legend to Alena Savard, a mysterious woman known for her ability to turn mongrels into the best search dogs around. They soon find themselves on the trail of a desperate individual bent on protecting a terrible secret.
Less than Dead is an unforgettable tale of crime and concealment in the corridors of high-stakes politics--as well as in the deepest contours of the human heart.
345 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
11 people are currently reading
423 people want to read
About the author
Tim Downs
47 books267 followersTim Downs is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Indiana University. After graduation in 1976 he created a comic strip, Downstown, which was syndicated by Universal Press Syndicate (Calvin & Hobbes, Doonesbury, The Far Side) from 1980 to 1986. His cartooning has appeared in more than a hundred daily newspapers worldwide. Tim has written seven mystery/suspense novels: Shoofly Pie, Chop Shop, PlagueMaker, Head Game, First the Dead, Less than Dead, and Ends of the Earth. PlagueMaker was awarded the Christy Award for the best CBA mystery/suspense novel of 2006, and Less than Dead was a finalist for the 2009 Christian Book Award in suspense fiction. Tim lives in Cary, North Carolina, with his wife Joy. They have three grown children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
April 4, 2020
"As long as he doesn't know about you, you're safe - but how long will that last?"
Dr. Nick Polchak is infamous for bending, stretching, breaching, and ignoring the rules of protocol to solve a case. And this case will take all of the above measures to bring the truth into the light, for these secrets have been buried for years.
Doing what few have the guts or the inclination to do, Nick breaches the walls surrounding the "witch of Endor's lair" . . . . in reality he scales a fence and learns what it's like to be held down by the throat, compliments of an highly trained dog-beast. The reclusive young woman residing on top of the mountain is anything but a witch, and she's smart . . . . she can work in the shadows . . . . and she has the capability to help an F. B. I. investigation . . . . . the question is . . will she? Should she? The stakes are high.
Enjoy this bug-man meets dog-girl story; "Less than Dead" is another outstanding page turner by author Tim Downs!
Dr. Nick Polchak is infamous for bending, stretching, breaching, and ignoring the rules of protocol to solve a case. And this case will take all of the above measures to bring the truth into the light, for these secrets have been buried for years.
Doing what few have the guts or the inclination to do, Nick breaches the walls surrounding the "witch of Endor's lair" . . . . in reality he scales a fence and learns what it's like to be held down by the throat, compliments of an highly trained dog-beast. The reclusive young woman residing on top of the mountain is anything but a witch, and she's smart . . . . she can work in the shadows . . . . and she has the capability to help an F. B. I. investigation . . . . . the question is . . will she? Should she? The stakes are high.
Enjoy this bug-man meets dog-girl story; "Less than Dead" is another outstanding page turner by author Tim Downs!
July 22, 2010
Tim Downs is one of my new favorite authors. I rarely laugh out loud, but I just about peed my pants reading the dialogue in this one. He's hilarious! Which is completely unexpected in a murder mystery, especially one involving cadaver dogs. And that's what I love about the Bug Man novels...the surprises. If you love sassy, snarky characters, this is the book for you!
February 15, 2015
She's an outcast. The townsfolk of backwoods Endor, Virginia call her a witch. Rumor has it she spends her nights roaming the woods with a three-legged dog searching for the remains of her missing father. Her name is Alena, and the children of Endor say she visits the local animal shelter looking for plump puppies to take home so she can drink their blood. Not exactly a gal you'd want to make friends with, right? She is if you're Nick Polchak, aka "The Bugman". He needs a cadaver search dog yesterday, and if Alena's hound is as good as Nick thinks, he'll do anything to get on Alena's good side. Even if it means risking life and limb.
Nick's been hired by FBI Special Agent Nick Donovan (from Downs' novel Plague Maker) to help solve the mystery of an ancient graveyard a back hoe accidentally uncovered on Senator John Henry Braden's property. This isn't just any cemetary. There are two bodies in each grave. One in a casket, the other buried on top. The workings of a serial killer? The FBI doesn't know for sure, and neither does Nick. All he knows is that he can't start his work until all possible graves in the area are identified by a cadaver dog, and the one the FBI hired is running in circles.
Nick Polchak isn't your typical fictional hero. He isn't strong, handsome or social. More like Monk than Jack Bauer. But there's something endearing about this crazy, insect loving man with the enormous coke bottle glasses, wickedly dry sense of humor, and disdain for authority. He says the things we wish we could say, and we never know what hornet's nest he'll step on. We don't delve much into Nick's personal life this time (read Chop Shop if you want to know more about his past). He's basically dropped into this story fully developed, but he's such a quirky character that you get to know him quickly.
Nick is originally called on the graveyard case for his entomology expertise, but it's the cadaver dog aspect which gives us the signature gross out moments, as well as our education. Typical of a Downs novel, we come away armed with some cool facts. Like how a dog can have two hundred million olfactory cells in its nose compared to about five million in humans. Says Alena to Nick at one point, "You walk into a kitchen and smell beef stew; a dog walks into a kitchen and smells beef, carrots, peas, potatoes--it's called `odor layering'. He can even smell the salt--even in a dilution of one in ten million."
Maybe it's because Tim Downs has grown in his three prior Bugman novels (Shoofly Pie, Chop Shop & First The Dead), but the dead-pan humor in Less Than Dead is what sets it above the others. Nick's response to the above stew? "Question," Nick said. "If a dog's sense of smell is so much more sensitive than a man's, how come a dog will stick its nose in your crotch?"
During an interview I did with Tim awhile back I asked him what he'd love to write someday but hadn't yet. He answered: "A pure comedy--and I hope to get to do one fairly soon. I suppose it's a leftover from my comic strip days [he wrote and illustrated the now defunct strip Downstown]: I just love humor, and I'd love to write a book where the humor is more up front."
Mixing humor and suspense can be risky and hard to pull off. If you come off too zany it's hard to take the plot seriously. Jokes in the wrong character's mouths or at the wrong time can end up sounding forced, like the author knew things were getting too intense and tried to lighten things up. But with a character like Nick it all works. The straight-faced banter is usually at its finest between Nick and his female supporting characters (think Dr. Beth Woodbridge from First the Dead), and that's certainly true here with Nick and Alena.
There's a lot going on in Less Than Dead, and the subplot involving the Senator and his wife might seem tedious at first. But everything makes sense as you keep reading. The plot is intricate and comes together without any of the rushed-ending-feel of some thrillers. (You know the type--it's obvious the author was on deadline and had to wrap things up in a hurry.) We get to relish in the conclusion, and it's a satisfying one. A few scenes might be difficult reading for sensitive animal lovers, but this dogphile was able to get through.
Since Shoofly Pie the Bugman novels have progressively developed to become some of the best suspense reading on the market. Less than Dead is the best of the bunch.
Nick's been hired by FBI Special Agent Nick Donovan (from Downs' novel Plague Maker) to help solve the mystery of an ancient graveyard a back hoe accidentally uncovered on Senator John Henry Braden's property. This isn't just any cemetary. There are two bodies in each grave. One in a casket, the other buried on top. The workings of a serial killer? The FBI doesn't know for sure, and neither does Nick. All he knows is that he can't start his work until all possible graves in the area are identified by a cadaver dog, and the one the FBI hired is running in circles.
Nick Polchak isn't your typical fictional hero. He isn't strong, handsome or social. More like Monk than Jack Bauer. But there's something endearing about this crazy, insect loving man with the enormous coke bottle glasses, wickedly dry sense of humor, and disdain for authority. He says the things we wish we could say, and we never know what hornet's nest he'll step on. We don't delve much into Nick's personal life this time (read Chop Shop if you want to know more about his past). He's basically dropped into this story fully developed, but he's such a quirky character that you get to know him quickly.
Nick is originally called on the graveyard case for his entomology expertise, but it's the cadaver dog aspect which gives us the signature gross out moments, as well as our education. Typical of a Downs novel, we come away armed with some cool facts. Like how a dog can have two hundred million olfactory cells in its nose compared to about five million in humans. Says Alena to Nick at one point, "You walk into a kitchen and smell beef stew; a dog walks into a kitchen and smells beef, carrots, peas, potatoes--it's called `odor layering'. He can even smell the salt--even in a dilution of one in ten million."
Maybe it's because Tim Downs has grown in his three prior Bugman novels (Shoofly Pie, Chop Shop & First The Dead), but the dead-pan humor in Less Than Dead is what sets it above the others. Nick's response to the above stew? "Question," Nick said. "If a dog's sense of smell is so much more sensitive than a man's, how come a dog will stick its nose in your crotch?"
During an interview I did with Tim awhile back I asked him what he'd love to write someday but hadn't yet. He answered: "A pure comedy--and I hope to get to do one fairly soon. I suppose it's a leftover from my comic strip days [he wrote and illustrated the now defunct strip Downstown]: I just love humor, and I'd love to write a book where the humor is more up front."
Mixing humor and suspense can be risky and hard to pull off. If you come off too zany it's hard to take the plot seriously. Jokes in the wrong character's mouths or at the wrong time can end up sounding forced, like the author knew things were getting too intense and tried to lighten things up. But with a character like Nick it all works. The straight-faced banter is usually at its finest between Nick and his female supporting characters (think Dr. Beth Woodbridge from First the Dead), and that's certainly true here with Nick and Alena.
There's a lot going on in Less Than Dead, and the subplot involving the Senator and his wife might seem tedious at first. But everything makes sense as you keep reading. The plot is intricate and comes together without any of the rushed-ending-feel of some thrillers. (You know the type--it's obvious the author was on deadline and had to wrap things up in a hurry.) We get to relish in the conclusion, and it's a satisfying one. A few scenes might be difficult reading for sensitive animal lovers, but this dogphile was able to get through.
Since Shoofly Pie the Bugman novels have progressively developed to become some of the best suspense reading on the market. Less than Dead is the best of the bunch.
October 4, 2024
(Nick meets Alena)
1998 Northern Virginia
Alrighty then. This is NOT what I'd call romance. I wouldn't call it Christian fiction, although it's quite clean. I suppose it could be referred to as a forensic mystery book.
Nick is the bug man because he's an expert on how insects can help determine approximate time/date of death. He's called in as a consultant to the FBI for a site that seems to either be a long forgotten graveyard, or a mass murder site.
After the FBI's cadaver dog cannot find the burial spots Nick is made aware of the town's witch (The witch of Endor) who is said to have the ability to speak to dogs, and who is known to have a dog that can find a dead body anywhere.
This is a great story of quite a few secrets being unearthed, literally. I don't think this is meant to be a comedy, but there is actually some quite funny dialog. I laughed right out loud a number of times, and giggled quite often. Nick is hilarious, and no one seems to find him amusing... which is also what makes it funny.
The witch ends up to be a fairly normal woman but she appears to be quite strange, with all her hand gyrations and clappings, etc. No one seems to want to get to know her or find out who or how she is, which is also why she's a recluse and people leave her alone, mostly out of fear.
I liked this book. A lot! Totally worth the time! And I don't say that often.
**********************************************
2024
When I read this book nine years ago, I didn’t realize it was number four in the series…I know, I know…it says so on the cover. I’m a kindle reader and when I click open a book, rarely does it go to the cover, it opens on chapter one. Here it is nine years later, and I received a notice from a book-list that another one of the books in the series I'd read is available. I looked at the book and I thought I’d never read anything by Tim Downs. So I checked my reviews and sure enough…not only did own one of his books, but I actually liked it!. Now I remembered the "bug man", so I picked up the one they suggested, and now I can’t stop reading them. Two more to go and I know I’m going to wish there were more. Mr. Downs must’ve changed careers because his books stopped around 2011. Sigh.
October 2024
So I just finished books 1,2 and 3, and although I had read this before in 2015, I decided to re-read it as it follows the previous books and I wanted refresh my memory. Now we get into a fuller relationship between Nick and Alena.
Off to read book 5….
(I just love these books)
1998 Northern Virginia
Alrighty then. This is NOT what I'd call romance. I wouldn't call it Christian fiction, although it's quite clean. I suppose it could be referred to as a forensic mystery book.
Nick is the bug man because he's an expert on how insects can help determine approximate time/date of death. He's called in as a consultant to the FBI for a site that seems to either be a long forgotten graveyard, or a mass murder site.
After the FBI's cadaver dog cannot find the burial spots Nick is made aware of the town's witch (The witch of Endor) who is said to have the ability to speak to dogs, and who is known to have a dog that can find a dead body anywhere.
This is a great story of quite a few secrets being unearthed, literally. I don't think this is meant to be a comedy, but there is actually some quite funny dialog. I laughed right out loud a number of times, and giggled quite often. Nick is hilarious, and no one seems to find him amusing... which is also what makes it funny.
The witch ends up to be a fairly normal woman but she appears to be quite strange, with all her hand gyrations and clappings, etc. No one seems to want to get to know her or find out who or how she is, which is also why she's a recluse and people leave her alone, mostly out of fear.
I liked this book. A lot! Totally worth the time! And I don't say that often.
**********************************************
2024
When I read this book nine years ago, I didn’t realize it was number four in the series…I know, I know…it says so on the cover. I’m a kindle reader and when I click open a book, rarely does it go to the cover, it opens on chapter one. Here it is nine years later, and I received a notice from a book-list that another one of the books in the series I'd read is available. I looked at the book and I thought I’d never read anything by Tim Downs. So I checked my reviews and sure enough…not only did own one of his books, but I actually liked it!. Now I remembered the "bug man", so I picked up the one they suggested, and now I can’t stop reading them. Two more to go and I know I’m going to wish there were more. Mr. Downs must’ve changed careers because his books stopped around 2011. Sigh.
October 2024
So I just finished books 1,2 and 3, and although I had read this before in 2015, I decided to re-read it as it follows the previous books and I wanted refresh my memory. Now we get into a fuller relationship between Nick and Alena.
Off to read book 5….
(I just love these books)
June 12, 2022
This has to be my favorite book in the bug man series so far! It had a "witch" in it that really wasn't a witch at all, she was just a SUPER good dog trainer. She could basically talk to dogs and it was so cool how she could tell her dogs to do something by just a few hand movements or a change in her facial expression! I totally ship Alena and Nick and I loved when Nick leaned toward her at the end. I do wish that it had actually had them kiss before the book ended, but I still loved it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2022
I think this was my favorite of the Bugman books so far. While it strayed from the topic of forensic entomology, it remained true to the genre by exploring the use of cadaver dogs in solving crimes. It was a fascinating plot with lots of intrigue and suspense, tempered with a generous dose of interesting forensic information. Unfortunately, I’m still a little confused as to who murdered who due to the fact that the plot centered on a 200 year old body and recent bodies... and subsequently revealed two separate-but-connected motives for murder which left me wondering exactly which bodies belonged to which murderer. However, justice was served to all, and the book even ended with a happily-ever-after moment. I’m guessing that the final book in the series will continue the intersection of dogs and bugs in crime solving, and I’m looking forward to reading it.
July 17, 2023
I did like this better than the first, First the Dead, mainly because I liked Alena and her dogs.
The motive and resolution were still pretty OTT, like the last one, but the rest was a good read. It was quick also, like the first.
I’m not sure why these are marketed as Christian fiction, since there’s almost no mention of faith (apart from the Lutheran minister in this one—nice to see a non-psycho person of faith 😂). I don’t mind that—it’s certainly better than the preachiness or shoehorning of a lot of Christian fiction—it’s just odd. I feel like it’s a marketing ploy. Still, it’s nice to read a “clean” book. Non-Christians should have no problem with this or the first one.
The motive and resolution were still pretty OTT, like the last one, but the rest was a good read. It was quick also, like the first.
I’m not sure why these are marketed as Christian fiction, since there’s almost no mention of faith (apart from the Lutheran minister in this one—nice to see a non-psycho person of faith 😂). I don’t mind that—it’s certainly better than the preachiness or shoehorning of a lot of Christian fiction—it’s just odd. I feel like it’s a marketing ploy. Still, it’s nice to read a “clean” book. Non-Christians should have no problem with this or the first one.
July 10, 2021
Another superb Bug Man mystery. Nick is hired by the FBI to help identify some unearthed bones in an unmarked graveyard. Finding more bodies buried above caskets turns the case into a suspected "Serial Killer" case. Stuck in a small town rich with history, skeletons, politics, & a mysterious "Witch" that can raise the dead has Nick embroiled in political intrigue, murder, getting a witch to help him, cadaver dogs, and new friends.
December 30, 2022
His best
This book was one of Tim Downs very best. I felt myself compelled to keep reading even when I felt the need to shut off the light and go to sleep. I like the ending the beginning in the middle part so you can't do much better than that I would recommend this book to anyone.
This book was one of Tim Downs very best. I felt myself compelled to keep reading even when I felt the need to shut off the light and go to sleep. I like the ending the beginning in the middle part so you can't do much better than that I would recommend this book to anyone.
April 11, 2018
Unique
This is my first bug man mystery. The mystery and suspense are good but the characters themselves and the situations rise above the norm. Unique and different. Some police procedures are off, but the rest is more than worth the read.
This is my first bug man mystery. The mystery and suspense are good but the characters themselves and the situations rise above the norm. Unique and different. Some police procedures are off, but the rest is more than worth the read.
June 29, 2018
Love the bug man series. This book was my favourite so far I think. Two more to go. Found Nick more relatable in this story. Love his quirky character & dialogue. Really liked Alena and felt for her. Look forward to hopefully seeing her again in later books.
May 18, 2023
Honestly, Downs can write entertaining dialogue and interesting characters. It's a pretty straightforward read, but I found it fun. As a Psych fan, a snarky detective book like this is down my alley.
October 24, 2017
Easy five star. Great story, and hilarious. The
bugman is a trip. Fun reading.
bugman is a trip. Fun reading.
February 14, 2018
Nick Polchek, entomologist and detective. Good story, as are all in this series
April 2, 2018
Can't wait to read the rest of this series!
June 26, 2018
Dr. Nick Polchak is quite a character, seems familiar to some other Phd scientists I know. Enjoyed what I learned about dogs and bugs too.
May 21, 2020
Unique and witty!
May 14, 2022
Another great bug man novel. Lots of action and suspense.
October 31, 2023
Awesome read!
March 10, 2024
The Bug Man series has another winner.
January 6, 2025
Holy. Cow. Down’s best book of the Bug Man series yet. It was so different from the previous three and in such a GOOD way! This book was brilliant.
pre-2020-read
June 6, 2011The construction of The Patriot Center has been brought to a stop upon the discovery of a long forgotten and unmarked graveyard. Nick Polchak is called in to investigate the graveyard. Nick uncovers the buried bodies as well as some buried secrets-secrets that someone will kill to keep buried. With the assistance of an unusually amazing cadaver dog and its trainer, Nick “The Bug Man” must find the killer before more bodies turn up and before the killer decides to come after them.
I have to admit that I am never disappointed with anything I read by Tim Downs. I am saddened by the fact that it has taken me this long to read this book, though it’s been sitting on one my many To Be Read stacks for an insanely amount of time. I was given the opportunity to read Nick of Time for Booksneeze and figured that I should read Less Than Dead first. Yea, I know I didn’t have to. It’s not a necessity because each book has its own story. But I wanted to. I used it as an excuse to move it to the done pile and I’m very glad that I did.
There are a lot of secrets that are buried in this small town, and you can always count on Polchak to go to the heart of the matter and uncover them. I love the fact that he has his own way of doing things and the fact that he doesn’t let the fact that he is working with the FBI to change that. He is after the truth and will pursue it wholeheartedly no matter the risks. And that is an admirable trait. Some may even say that he doesn’t play well with others, but that should be expected from a man who spends a lot of time with bugs. Despite all of the glaring flaws and nontraditional methods, it is easy to see that Polchak is one of the good guys. I was glad to see that while working on this gravesite case, Polchak was able to find a connection with someone who is treated as much as an outcast as he sometimes it. It was nice to see a small connection to form between Alena Savard, but sad that nothing really became of it. But it does show some growth and possibilities with Polchak.
I guess I should get back to the actual story of Less Than Dead, it was entertaining and the secrets are surprising. There are a few twists that you know are coming, but not exactly sure what they are. It is an easy read and captivates (I forgot about the other book that I was reading). It brings up an interesting question –not sure if it was intentional or not. But who is responsible for the secrets of our ancestors?
Would I recommend this book? YES!! More than that, I would recommend anything by Tim Downs!
If you want to know more about Tim Downs, The Bug Man novels and other stories check out his website www.timdowns.net or visit him on Facebook.
December 24, 2014
A multi-million-dollar building project is stalled when excavators clearing the forest discover an old graveyard... and some of the graves have a second body buried on top of the casket. What better place for a murderer to dispose of a body than in a graveyard?
Nick Polchak is a forensic entomologist – meaning he studies the insects on and around a corpse to determine time of death and if the place of death is the same as where the body was found. He's brilliant, but short on social skills, which makes him a funny man to read about.
Nick is called to the excavation site to help determine how long the victims' skeletons have been in the ground. It looks like a serial killer's work, but is this someone from the past, or someone who's still around?
Problem is, he can't do his job until the other graves are identified and marked – or so insists the expert whose cadaver dog seems unable to find anything it can't see. In desperation, Nick enlists a local woman whose uncanny, three-legged dog really does seem able to find the dead.
Alena Savard is a reclusive young woman living on the mountain above the Virginia town of Endor – feared by the people as a witch, but really a gifted dog trainer who's been hurt and shunned by the townsfolk since her childhood.
Nick's investigation puts Alena in danger, and her dogs may not be enough to save her – although they do a good job of protecting her from Nick's initial attempts to meet her.
Less than Dead is a fun suspense novel with clever descriptions and plenty of funny lines. Most of these are too long to quote, but here's one of my favourites describing "Marge," the expert dog handler who so annoys Nick:
I'm not reading this series in order, but I really enjoy both the stories and the characters. Less than Dead is the fourth in the Bug Man series. Currently there are six, the last of which, Nick of Time, released in 2011. I hope we'll see a new one soon. As well as writing Christian fiction, Tim Downs is the co-author with his wife, Joy, of non-fiction books on relationships.
[Review copy from my personal library.]
Nick Polchak is a forensic entomologist – meaning he studies the insects on and around a corpse to determine time of death and if the place of death is the same as where the body was found. He's brilliant, but short on social skills, which makes him a funny man to read about.
Nick is called to the excavation site to help determine how long the victims' skeletons have been in the ground. It looks like a serial killer's work, but is this someone from the past, or someone who's still around?
Problem is, he can't do his job until the other graves are identified and marked – or so insists the expert whose cadaver dog seems unable to find anything it can't see. In desperation, Nick enlists a local woman whose uncanny, three-legged dog really does seem able to find the dead.
Alena Savard is a reclusive young woman living on the mountain above the Virginia town of Endor – feared by the people as a witch, but really a gifted dog trainer who's been hurt and shunned by the townsfolk since her childhood.
Nick's investigation puts Alena in danger, and her dogs may not be enough to save her – although they do a good job of protecting her from Nick's initial attempts to meet her.
Less than Dead is a fun suspense novel with clever descriptions and plenty of funny lines. Most of these are too long to quote, but here's one of my favourites describing "Marge," the expert dog handler who so annoys Nick:
[Her face] was long and thin with high cheekbones that ran down into sinewy sunken hollows like wax dripping over a ledge. [Kindle page 25]
I'm not reading this series in order, but I really enjoy both the stories and the characters. Less than Dead is the fourth in the Bug Man series. Currently there are six, the last of which, Nick of Time, released in 2011. I hope we'll see a new one soon. As well as writing Christian fiction, Tim Downs is the co-author with his wife, Joy, of non-fiction books on relationships.
[Review copy from my personal library.]
December 12, 2016
I love the wit and character of Nick Polchak.
That being said, I'm highly confused by Agnes' age. 80? What does that make our highly desirable Victoria? 60-ish? I can't see men getting hot and bothered over a 60-year-old. Agnes talks as though she was rather young when she got pregnant. She refers to the possible fathers as being "just boys." Boys aren't quite men, are they? Wouldn't you think they were in their teens? Or possibly as old as 20? It would make sense for Agnes to be around that age too at the time of Victoria's conception.
Also, I just can't see an 80-year-old woman having the strength to kill anyone with a bat. A 60-year-old, quite possibly. Tim Downs really should have made Agnes 60. In which case, Victoria would be about 40, which would make the story far more believable. As it is, I'm so hung up on the age thing, that it's spoiling the believability factor for me.
It's mentioned that Alena's three-legged pooch is in heat, and I'm thinking. do what??? She has kennels full of dogs, all animals she's intent on training to perform complex tasks, and she has an unspayed female running freely on the property? So not.
When Alena's big black dog, Acheron, is killed, it happens right outside the vehicle's door (page 264). Yet on page 343, the "black lump" is described as "still lying across the trailer door." I don't recall any mention of the dog's body being moved. Have I missed something?
At the story's end Nick is leaning in, presumably to kiss Alena, this despite her face being bruised and tender. This sounds like terrible timing on Nick's part.
While I did enjoy this story, I knocked a star off because of the holes in logic. Also, there was practically no mention of forensic entomology in action. I like to learn things, and there seemed to be little research involved in the creation of this story, unlike Mr. Downs' other novels. I learned a little about cadaver dogs, but not much. But maybe I'm being nitpicky?
That being said, I'm highly confused by Agnes' age. 80? What does that make our highly desirable Victoria? 60-ish? I can't see men getting hot and bothered over a 60-year-old. Agnes talks as though she was rather young when she got pregnant. She refers to the possible fathers as being "just boys." Boys aren't quite men, are they? Wouldn't you think they were in their teens? Or possibly as old as 20? It would make sense for Agnes to be around that age too at the time of Victoria's conception.
Also, I just can't see an 80-year-old woman having the strength to kill anyone with a bat. A 60-year-old, quite possibly. Tim Downs really should have made Agnes 60. In which case, Victoria would be about 40, which would make the story far more believable. As it is, I'm so hung up on the age thing, that it's spoiling the believability factor for me.
It's mentioned that Alena's three-legged pooch is in heat, and I'm thinking. do what??? She has kennels full of dogs, all animals she's intent on training to perform complex tasks, and she has an unspayed female running freely on the property? So not.
When Alena's big black dog, Acheron, is killed, it happens right outside the vehicle's door (page 264). Yet on page 343, the "black lump" is described as "still lying across the trailer door." I don't recall any mention of the dog's body being moved. Have I missed something?
At the story's end Nick is leaning in, presumably to kiss Alena, this despite her face being bruised and tender. This sounds like terrible timing on Nick's part.
While I did enjoy this story, I knocked a star off because of the holes in logic. Also, there was practically no mention of forensic entomology in action. I like to learn things, and there seemed to be little research involved in the creation of this story, unlike Mr. Downs' other novels. I learned a little about cadaver dogs, but not much. But maybe I'm being nitpicky?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2013
Less Than Dead is a fictitious "Bug Man Novel", with a very interesting plot. In less than dead, Nick Polchak, the bug man, is tasked with discovering how old bodies are that were found in a very old, forgotten graveyard that dates back to the colonial times, when settlers first arrived on the Mayflower. Nick Polchak is no ordinary man; he is probably the world's best entomologist. He uses bugs to determine when, where, and sometimes how a victim died. He is tasked with looking at seemingly random bodies because these bodies were found on the building grounds of one of the soon-to-be largest malls in America, with their skulls bashed in. Also, the mall is being built by an extremely powerful man: the strongest candidate for the next president. So of course this raises a lot of questions. Another important reason is there are two bodies each in two of the found graves; a little cramped for the residents. Soon, after one dog fails at finding any more graves, Nick begs the local "witch" to bring her own highly trained cadaver dog to search. The dog finds 30 more graves. The next day, the owner of the dog that could not find any graves, takes credit for the found graves and is later found dead. This is only in the first couple chapters, and there is plenty more action later in the book. This book starts off rather quickly, and keeps you turning the pages until you disappointingly reach the back cover. I would recommend this book to mystery lovers, or anyone who likes a good book or a good thriller. I would give this book 10 out of 10. Even if it is a little predictable, it is still a great book, and well worth the time it takes anyone to read it.
January 8, 2013
My mother handed this book to me without comment, so I really didn't know what to expect. I was very pleasantly surprised. The mystery was solid, with a reveal I did not anticipate, but better yet the characters - especially the protagonist Nick - were very well written, endearing, and believable. The action sequences were also compelling.
There were flaws, of course. Frankly, I had a bit of trouble swallowing that the great secret being protected in Endor could have gone so long without discovery: in an age of computers and easy internet searches, it would seem the forgeries would have been detected years before. There are, in fact, two great secrets central to the plot, and in some ways believing that the second would have gone unnoticed given the political climate is even harder to believe. There were also the occasional chapter openers that smacked of melodrama. All in all, however, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and will seek out others by this author.
A last note: "Less Than Dead" is published by a Christian publisher, something I hadn't taken full note of until I was nearly done, and something that frankly tends to turn me off - and I *am* a Christian. Don't let it dissuade you. While some of the characters do espouse Christian world-views and all refrain from blasphemy, there is no preaching, no "just so" theology, and none of the other distinguishing characteristics so irritating in many "Christian" novels. In fact, the pastor who appears as a secondary character is a distinctly practical fellow that reminds me at least a bit of my own!
There were flaws, of course. Frankly, I had a bit of trouble swallowing that the great secret being protected in Endor could have gone so long without discovery: in an age of computers and easy internet searches, it would seem the forgeries would have been detected years before. There are, in fact, two great secrets central to the plot, and in some ways believing that the second would have gone unnoticed given the political climate is even harder to believe. There were also the occasional chapter openers that smacked of melodrama. All in all, however, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and will seek out others by this author.
A last note: "Less Than Dead" is published by a Christian publisher, something I hadn't taken full note of until I was nearly done, and something that frankly tends to turn me off - and I *am* a Christian. Don't let it dissuade you. While some of the characters do espouse Christian world-views and all refrain from blasphemy, there is no preaching, no "just so" theology, and none of the other distinguishing characteristics so irritating in many "Christian" novels. In fact, the pastor who appears as a secondary character is a distinctly practical fellow that reminds me at least a bit of my own!
January 4, 2015
Less Than Dead was recently recommended to me by a family member. When I checked on the book, I found it was the fourth book in the Bug Man Series. I normally only read books in order of the series. I thought I would try the book and found it can be read as a stand alone book. I wasn't lost in the story line due to missing the reading of the previous books.
It was a very good read. I especially like the character of Alena who the locals called the witch of Endor. The gossip or lore is that she walks the woods on a high mountain top at night with a three legged dog looking for her father. It is also said that she goes to animal control to pick out fat dogs to eat.
Actually Alena is a recluse with good reason and a superb dog trainer. Nick is investigating a possible serial killing where someone has doubled up on graves to hide bodies. He goes to see Alena at night to ask for help in finding the grave sites. She has a cadaver finding dog. How he is met and introduced to Alena will stay with me for awhile.
Nick's personality is quirky as is his appearance. He has very thick glasses so he appears to have very large eyes. He is entomologist who studies bugs. He does not follow rules and his personality is always wise cracking. The relationship between he and Alena was very interesting and entertaining.
The mystery was page turning and I enjoyed the book very much. The read was atmospheric due to the mountain, Alena and the dogs.
It was a very good read. I especially like the character of Alena who the locals called the witch of Endor. The gossip or lore is that she walks the woods on a high mountain top at night with a three legged dog looking for her father. It is also said that she goes to animal control to pick out fat dogs to eat.
Actually Alena is a recluse with good reason and a superb dog trainer. Nick is investigating a possible serial killing where someone has doubled up on graves to hide bodies. He goes to see Alena at night to ask for help in finding the grave sites. She has a cadaver finding dog. How he is met and introduced to Alena will stay with me for awhile.
Nick's personality is quirky as is his appearance. He has very thick glasses so he appears to have very large eyes. He is entomologist who studies bugs. He does not follow rules and his personality is always wise cracking. The relationship between he and Alena was very interesting and entertaining.
The mystery was page turning and I enjoyed the book very much. The read was atmospheric due to the mountain, Alena and the dogs.
December 15, 2010
Imagine a suspense novel featuring a forensic entomologist—a “bug man.” Then imagine a suspense novel that keeps you chuckling—when you’re not holding your breath wondering what will happen next. If you’ve got that picture in your mind, you’re ready to dive into Downs’ Less Than Dead.
A portion of Virginia countryside is being cleared in preparation for the building of a regional shopping center. In the process, a bulldozer uncovers an ancient graveyard, with a less-than-ancient corpse buried atop an existing coffin. Enter Nick Polchak, an entomologist who should have been a stand-up comedian.
As the investigation progresses, Nick calls on the help of a woman believed by the locals to be a witch who is able to talk to dogs. Nick’s meeting with the witch, and their subsequent encounters, add depth to a story which has a timely political side. Less Than Dead kept me turning pages way past my bedtime.
This is one terrific story, and fortunately it is part of a series. I wish I’d discovered author Tim Downs a long time ago. I can’t wait to read more of Nick Polchak’s adventures, along with Downs’ other novels.
Less Than Dead is written for the inspirational market, so is blessedly free of objectionable material. Read and enjoy.
A portion of Virginia countryside is being cleared in preparation for the building of a regional shopping center. In the process, a bulldozer uncovers an ancient graveyard, with a less-than-ancient corpse buried atop an existing coffin. Enter Nick Polchak, an entomologist who should have been a stand-up comedian.
As the investigation progresses, Nick calls on the help of a woman believed by the locals to be a witch who is able to talk to dogs. Nick’s meeting with the witch, and their subsequent encounters, add depth to a story which has a timely political side. Less Than Dead kept me turning pages way past my bedtime.
This is one terrific story, and fortunately it is part of a series. I wish I’d discovered author Tim Downs a long time ago. I can’t wait to read more of Nick Polchak’s adventures, along with Downs’ other novels.
Less Than Dead is written for the inspirational market, so is blessedly free of objectionable material. Read and enjoy.
October 29, 2014
Another brilliant effort in the Bug Man series!!!
Nick Polchak, an entomologist is contacted by the FBI to help determine if some human remains are part of a historic long-forgotten graveyard or something much more sinister. As is Nick's usual way of doing business (he doesn't necessarily follow directions very well), he takes a simple task and can't help but question everything about the case.
When it's discovered that some of the graves actually have two occupants instead of just one, the plot really heats up, the mystery deepens, and Nick can't find enough rules to break.
We meet some old friends (Nathan Donovan from The Plaguemaker) and some new friends (Alena Savard).
Author Tim Downs brings each of his characters to life and gives them rich backgrounds so that readers are left wanting to meet them again. I hope that in future novels we again see Alena (maybe she and Nick could be happy together) and FBI agent Donovan is always a stand-up guy who wants to do the right thing.
I really enjoy everything Downs writes and can't wait to read the next one.
Nick Polchak, an entomologist is contacted by the FBI to help determine if some human remains are part of a historic long-forgotten graveyard or something much more sinister. As is Nick's usual way of doing business (he doesn't necessarily follow directions very well), he takes a simple task and can't help but question everything about the case.
When it's discovered that some of the graves actually have two occupants instead of just one, the plot really heats up, the mystery deepens, and Nick can't find enough rules to break.
We meet some old friends (Nathan Donovan from The Plaguemaker) and some new friends (Alena Savard).
Author Tim Downs brings each of his characters to life and gives them rich backgrounds so that readers are left wanting to meet them again. I hope that in future novels we again see Alena (maybe she and Nick could be happy together) and FBI agent Donovan is always a stand-up guy who wants to do the right thing.
I really enjoy everything Downs writes and can't wait to read the next one.
August 30, 2011
"Tim Downs' protagonist Nick Polchak, PhD ('the Bug Man') is back. Currently, he's working on a suspected serial killing case with forensic anthropologist Kegan Alexander under the direction of FBI Special Agent Donovan. With the aid of a backwoods dog trainer, Alyssa, who is suspected of witchery, Nick aims to find out not just where the bodies were buried, but why. Nick's dry wit is one of the book's saving graces; the other is the taut plot that rarely meanders. I guessed the killer before the end, but I was enjoying the book too much to care.
Oddly enough, the book is tagged as Christian fiction at the local library where I picked it up, but there's little in the writing to suggest any character's religious beliefs (except the Lutheran pastor). There's a scripture before the first chapter which references the witch of Endor whom Saul spoke with, but otherwise there's little preaching here, just a decent, witty detective story."
Oddly enough, the book is tagged as Christian fiction at the local library where I picked it up, but there's little in the writing to suggest any character's religious beliefs (except the Lutheran pastor). There's a scripture before the first chapter which references the witch of Endor whom Saul spoke with, but otherwise there's little preaching here, just a decent, witty detective story."
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