Bones of the Barbary Coast

Cree Black #3

by Daniel Hecht

In this thrilling novel set in two periods of San Francisco history, Cree Black confronts the mystery of one of the strangest victims of the Great Quake.

Bert Marchetti, an old family friend of Cree's and an SFPD homicide inspector, has asked Cree to help investigate a human skeleton recently unearthed in the foundation of a fine Victorian home—apparently the bones of a victim of the 1906 earthquake. The bones have been sent to UC Berkeley for analysis, where their peculiar characteristics have intrigued the forensic anthropology team. They call the skeleton Wolfman.

Who was the wolfman? What caused his anatomical deformities, and how did he end up in that grand hilltop home? Cree's historical research takes her back to the unholy glory days of the Barbary Coast, old San Francisco's infamous red-light district. As she assists at the forensics lab, she also begins to realize that Bert Marchetti's involvement with the case is more complex than he has let on. Her narrative is illuminated by entries from the 1889 diary of Lydia Schweitzer, a Victorian woman with her own secrets—and her own compelling interest in the person who would come to be known as the wolfman.

A vivid and elegantly plotted thriller that reveals San Francisco's hidden face across two centuries, Bones of the Barbary Coast tells the story of two women determined to face human nature s darkest aspects with courage and compassion.

Genres: Mystery, Paranormal, Audiobook, Horror, Fiction, Suspense, Historical Fiction

400 pages, Hardcover

First published July 18, 2006

About the author

I was born into an artist's community founded in 1946 by my parents and their friends in the wilds of Westchester County, N.Y. Surrounded by these individualistic yet communalistic bohemians, I saw artists in every discipline working their magic, and could not help but follow in their footsteps.

I've lived all over the U.S. and have worked at every kind of job to make ends meet, and I enjoy the labor of body and hands as much as the effort of the mind. Mailman, logger, carpenter, musician, musical instrument builder, graphic designer, apple picker, farmhand, nonprofit organizational director, college administrator, educator -- the great thing about a checkered past is that you see the world from a lot of perspectives. This is the best education for a writer!

I have lived in Vermont for many years, have three kids and several cats, am active on behalf of environmental causes, and am highly reclusive.

Reviews

[Donna Radcliff · Rating 2 out of 5]

The third in the Cree Black series, this book had very little to do with the first two books. It wasn't scary or even a little suspense-filled. And a book about a paranormal investigator should have something, well, paranormal about it. This was more a mystery/csi....thingy. It's like the author decided he wasn't happy with the paranormal angle and did a 180 to PI/historical researcher. The susporting cast from the first two books were conveniently elsewhere (Joyce had a family emergency,Paul went back to his ex-wife and who knows where Edgar was). The premise was interesting: the bones of what appeared to be a wolf-man are discovered in the basement of a home damaged in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and Cree is hired to (discretely) investigate the historical aspect in trying to determine who the wolfman was. Throw in a cop gone wrong with a tortured past, a weird but handsome (on one side of his face) man who may or may not be a werewolf and a hidden diary, that's Bones of the Barbary Coast. Actually, this could have been a really good book, but it was too long, too tedious, too many loose ends. And not once in all the times Cree went to the library for researh did she look at the census records. Come on, what kind of historical research is that? Apparently there is a reason there hasn't been another Cree Black book since 2006.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

It usually takes me 7-10 days to finish a book. This one took me nearly a month because it was kind of boring. The hook that made me check it out from the library doesn’t even get explained. So annoying.

I did enjoy the idea of a journal from the past, but I don’t know if the author has ever kept or read a journal. I’ve never read a journal with lengthy, exact dialogue from events of the day or specific details about the facial expressions of people encountered. It felt like the author wrote a second timeline and then decided to make it a journal entry. He italicized it, added a few, “I hope the cook or my husband don’t discover me hiding while I write this” phrases and called it a journal. It was also really, really boring. After reading ten or so pages of the first journal section, I flipped ahead to see how long the section was. Fifty pages! The journal sections were too long and didn’t fit well into the main plot line.

The main character wasn’t all that interesting, and the detective uncle was basically a bunch of character flaws stuffed into a character. There are other books in this series, but this one didn’t make me want to read them.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Escapist fiction just for fun. This one looks like it's a blend of police procedural and a ghost story with possible echoes of 'The Elephant Man'. Or so I thought when I started listening to the audio book. I found the book fascinating for it's contrasting points of view and the underlying character study showing how easily people mistakenly classify others and misinterpret or infer motivations, actions and intentions based on limited and often faulty perceptions.

For me the narrative is thought provoking in exploring the complexities of human motivations, and prejudices. It was not at all what I expected and is quite different than the first book in the series. The point of view was divided among three contemporary characters: Cree Black, the protagonist of the series; Cree's adopted uncle (close friend of her deceased father); and a radiologist involved in a forensic pathology project; and one historical character from San Francisco's early history. While some reviewers were disappointed at the lack of paranormal adventures and division of points of view I found both worked for me.

Like Robert Louis Steven's story of Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, this story deals with the theme of the evil or potential for evil in people and contrasts it with the altruism, compassion and empathy people are capable of.

[Paul · Rating 1 out of 5]

In Michael Hecht's first Cree Black mystery, City of Masks, he introduced a compelling main character, gave her the ability to sense the tortured spirits of the dead, and put her in a compelling situation in which that ability is invoked.

However, in Bones of the Barbary Coast, and Land of Echoes, Cree's character development is limited, and her role in the stories becomes that of a passive observer. Bottom line for these last two books...Booooring.

[Mir · Rating 3 out of 5]

During renovations of an old San Francisco home, contractors discover a deformed skeleton buried in the rubble. The police dismiss the find when they realize the bones date to the 1906 earthquake, but a retiring officer who wants to tie up all his open cases before hanging up his hat asks his forensic anthropologist friend and PI neice to try to find out the dead man's identity.

The PI is of course Cree Black, paranormal investigator, but it is clear from the start that this case does not involve any paranormal elements. Cree doesn't seem to do much with her empathic ability, either.

[Michelle Conrad · Rating 1 out of 5]

No, no, no! First book in this series was amazing! Second book is...okay. This third book was a totally new premise. Someone listened to their publisher more than their heart. Boo...

[Evelyne · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are intent on seeing Cree Black as a one dimentional vehicle for paranormal suspense novels, you may be disappointed. But if you view Dr. Cree as a person curious of anything strange or unusual; if you accept that she would help an old friend, even if it turns out that she doesn't have the perfect skills; if you concede to the author his right to deviate from a predictable path for his principal character; if you like a well crafted historical and psychological mystery, then you will enjoy this book to the full.

As the 3rd book in the Cree Black series, I expected another Dr. Black paranormal investigation. Cree is asked by a soon-to-retire SFPD detective, an old friend of her deceased father, to help him research the identity and circumstances of a 100+ year old skeleton, found in a victorian house under renovation, in San Francisco. Why? Because, with only 3 months left, he wants to end his career with a last "win", because Cree's firm has a reputation in historical investigation, because the bones are so unusual that the help of someone with an open mind as to the strange or the impossible is what is needed in this case, because she should help him for ol' times sakes ... Tantalized, she accepts, even though historical research is not her forte.

Turns out her skill as a psychologist will serve her best. The story develops through four points of view (Cree, her "uncle", the diary of the house's past owner and a mysterious radiologist working on the case), each building on the sense of impending clash. The period details weave a colorful tapestry of San Francisco's past. At each discovery, fresh questions arise. Mr. Hecht builds up the suspense relentlessly. As to the last chapter, with the empathy Cree is capable of that seems the best ending. Do we always have all the answers to mysteries in "real life"?

[Tricia Griffith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book deviates quite a bit from the first two, and I wasn’t a huge fan of what was essentially a whole second story suddenly starting in the middle. There were still some unanswered questions at the end, which left me feeling a little unsatisfied. Parts of it were interesting and enough to keep me reading it, but just not my favorite of this series.

[Dkolacinski · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strong opening and a compliment to the author. To end one year and begin the next with the same author is perhaps not unusual, especially if you're committed to reading a complete series. However, by this point, Mr. Hecht has matured as an author and makes a series something other than rote. No spoilers in this review. Just read the book!

[Faye · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like the author had a dark nightmare he woke up, put on paper, to be shared with the reader. Very strange tale, with no real resolution. A lot of unanswered questions. And no ghosts this time, apparently. Interesting history, story within a story.

[Trudy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was disappointed. I really enjoyed the first 2 Cree Black books. Except that it involved the same character, I think this should have been written as a stand alone book. It did not follow the same kind of story line as the first two.

[Rashel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hecht does not receive the accolades he deserves as a contemporary author. The Cree series is very intelligent each book is a whole different thing. I was very impressed with the writing style and portrayal of the rough raunchy era was fantastic.

[Sherry · Rating 2 out of 5]

Love this author. Love this narrator. Love this character. Did not love this book.
Ah, well. Can't please all of us all the time.

[Kristie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too much medical jargon for me. Though some was interesting. Werewolves. Scarring. Police brutality. “Opening the door”

[Angel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as interesting as the first two, but had some good stories.

[Debbie Stirling]

Audiobook -- only listened to half of it

[Teddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like this one quite as well as the first two, but it was still ok.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the concept of these Cree Black books, but this one was a bit to abstract for me.

[Sylvia Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 While I liked this book, I didn't enjoy it as much as the earlier Cree stories.

[Maddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

PROTAGONIST: Cree Black, parapsychologist
SETTING: San Francisco, today and 1880s
SERIES: #3 of 3
RATING: 4.75

It’s the rare reader who can put their biases aside and approach a book with complete objectivity. Upon reading the background information on Bones and the Barbary Coast, I was certain that it was a book that was not going to work for me. For one thing, the lead character had paranormal abilities. I am the ultimate realist and very intolerant of supernatural elements in my reading. Secondly, the narrative covered two different time periods, present day and late 1800s San Francisco. Historicals have never been my cup of tea. Is it any wonder that I opened the book with a skeptical eye? And what was the first thing that I saw—the dreaded prologue, not a favorite device of mine. Chapter 1 moved slowly while indulging in an overly technical scientific discussion; alas, there didn’t appear to be any chance that Bones was going to do anything but bore me to death. HA! How wrong I was!

When an old Victorian home is being renovated, a human skeleton is unearthed which turns out to be a victim of the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco. The bones have been sent to a lab at the University of California in Berkeley; what they reveal are very peculiar abnormalities indicating an unusual human/animal anatomy. San Francisco homicide detective Bert Marchetti asks the daughter of an old friend to do some historical research to identify the body, who has been nicknamed “Wolfman”. In addition to her academic credentials, Cree Black has paranormal abilities. Thankfully, these talents were used in a very natural way and never led the narrative into occult territory. Assisted by Cameron (“Ray”) Raymond, one of the lab radiologists who has his own secrets, Cree makes some amazing discoveries about the Wolfman and those whose lives he touched.

The book traverses two time periods, with a stunning replication of a diary written by a young woman in late 1800 San Francisco. Lydia Schweitzer is a woman whose life work is helping those less fortunate. Her portrayal of the San Francisco of that time is fascinating. It’s a city that has a very wild element, with one section, the Barbary Coast, a veritable den of iniquity. Her daily life and how she becomes involved with the Wolfman is an absorbing tale all on its own. Hecht skillfully connects her narration with the present day.

Given the fact that Cree has paranormal abilities, I was reading the book with great trepidation, expecting some supernatural element to come to the forefront at any moment. Incredibly, it never did. The Wolfman was developed so distinctly and well that everything about him was believable; he was an unfortunate creature whose genetics went a bit wrong and who was terribly mistreated as a result. Each of the characters, whether from the present or the past, was deeply nuanced. In one way or another, most of them were deformed, either physically or emotionally, or hiding secrets. Hecht builds dramatic suspense in the characterizations, as the reader is never sure about who to believe or trust.

Bones and the Barbary Coast is both a reviewer's nightmare and dream come true. A nightmare because it is impossible to do the book justice in a few hundred words; how can one summarize a book of such scope? A dream come true because in spite of the complexity of the narrative, the reading experience is extremely rich and satisfying. Lyrical writing, complex characterization, engrossing plot, a resolution that is perfect for the book – Bones of the Barbary Coast moved from my initial assessment as a book that I was unlikely to finish to becoming a candidate for one of my top reads for 2006.

[Jude · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wat een verhaal. Ik dacht een simpel tussendoor detective boek te pakken, maar kreeg een filosofisch verhaal over liefde, dood en de schaduw wereld van menselijkheid. Mooie setting, sfeer en beschrijvingen en super multi dimensionale karakters. Voor één keer heb ik het einde van het boek niet geraden, simpelweg omdat ik me er niet mee bezig hield. I was enjoying the ride too much. Ik was bijna niet in dit boek begonnen nadat ik reviews hier had gelezen. So lucky I judged this book by its cover...

[Tim Titolo · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the third book in the series by Daniel Hecht. The first and second, City of Masks and Land of Echoes introduced Creitia Black - Cree - a paranormal investigator with certain special qualities that enable her to sense oddities of nature.

Bones occurs in San Francisco where Uncle Bert, a retiring detective, is trying to solve one last big crime surrounding the bones found in a house being refurbished by new owners. The bones are strange and reveal a mis-shapen creature with werewolf characteristics. He calls in Cree for assistance.

The story jumps from present date to the 1800s abd back to serve up the plot of how the bones came to be in the house and what the creature of the bones was. The date skipping is interesting. Hecht provides adequate detail and character development to create likable protagonists and antagonist. The only thing is that you really do not know who is the protagonist until the end. Even then it is not clear.

Hecht ends his books with adequate mystique and then continues a few chapters to tie up losse ends and leave the reader satisfied with the state of things.

[Megan Lister · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing.

I liked the first two Cree Black novels. This one, though, doesn't fit in with those at all. For one thing there is barely any supernatural goings-on at all, and that's the whole "hook" with Cree Black. This is just an average mystery.

For another thing, NOTHING is resolved by the end of the book. Some mysterious bones are discovered. Points are made, as the bones are studied, that this wolf man thing has parts of him that suggest a forty-year-old and parts of him that suggest a teenager. They hypothesize that maybe his deformity occurred later in life. But we never know. It's never figured out. Cree Black literally says toward the end of the book, "As for the questions Ray so desperately wanted answers for - exactly what or who the wolfman was, how the Schweitzers treated him, whether they loved him or he loved them - Cree doubted they'd ever know."

Wow, I'm so glad that I stuck around for 422 pages for that.

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

2016 Book 29: interestingly, this book starts out with a construction crew finding skeletal remains in a house in the Pac Heights neighborhood in San Francisco undergoing massive renovations by new owners. I started reading it this week on the very same day a coffin was discovered in a house in San Francisco undergoing massive renovations by new owners. This is last in the Cree Black series and my least favorite, despite the setting. I'd actually go 3.5 stars on this one. Less ghost and psychotherapy more oddity and historical research, which was fascinating and sad. Some mystery, murder, and intrigue thrown in there. This one definitely really makes you think about what humans are capable of doing to other creatures, human and otherwise. But it also reminds me that there are a lot of good humans out there.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third Cree Black novel and is set in San Francisco. As Cree works with her "uncle", who is a SF detective close to retiring, she makes discoveries that unravel an old family secret. It all starts with a skeleton that is found in the basement of a home that is being renovated. The skeleton is taken to the morgue and it has misshapen bones, causing Cree and the medical examiner to want to know more about who it was. Cree finds an ally in an Xray tech, but he and her uncle have a long-standing hatred for each other, so there are misunderstandings and drama. The story was interesting, but I was bored in some parts during long explanations. I liked the first two books better, but still enjoyed this one.

[Janice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cree Black is a trained psychologist, who delves into investigations of the paranormal. I really enjoyed the first two in this series, this one didn't grab me quite as much, but was still an enjoyable read. Takes place in San Francisco, and alternates between present day, and the days of the Barberry Coast (red light district) in in San Francisco of the 1880's. Cree is requested to help in solving the mystery surrounding the skeleton of what appears to be a "wolf-man" found in the foundation of an old Victorian home. The author does a good job of creating suspense; I wasn't sure from which direction the danger to Cree might come until the end.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third in the Cree Black series. The modern day discovery of the bones of a possible "wolf man" buried in the rubble of a historical house takes us on a historical trip to the hey-day of the San Francisco gold rush and criminal elements of the Barbary Coast. I am enjoying this series ... I love Cree and her attitude ... I enjoy the peripheral characters and I really enjoy the historical aspects woven into these stories. I read these slightly out of order and am now looking forward to starting the second in the series. I hope there is a fourth, but am thinking not.

[Danie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This third novel in the Cree Black series was incredibly disappointing. Honestly it wasn't a bad story, but I would never classify it as a "thriller". There was nothing suspenseful or thrilling about it. There was also nothing about it that tied it to the two other Cree Black novels. Those were enjoyable, although odd. But this book lacked any of the paranormal and "ghost stories" that the series is supposedly based upon. In my humble opinion this should have been it's own story with it's own new characters and he should have left Cree out of it.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh. Bones of the Barbary Coast was ok. Certainly the weakest and least entertaining of the three Cree Black novels. I listened to this on audiobook, and it was narrated by Anna Fields, who is an excellent narrator. She executed the voices and accents demanded of her by this novel in a very smooth, relaistic manner, and while I wasn't so into the story this book was telling, I did enjoy Anna Fields' narration.

[Lynne-marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, so this time Cree and author Hecht really creeped me out. I found the novel so unsettling that although I was 83% of the way finished, I just quit, archived it and don't intend to revisit it. I know that getting distressed and upset is some people's idea of fun, but it's not mine. Too bad, because Hecht had walked a nice line between suspenseful & ghoulish in the previous two Cree books, which I mostly enjoyed.