Cross Bones - Kathy Reichs

A loyal Kathy Reich's reader, I broke my usual habit of waiting for the paperback edition of this book because the synopsis sounded exciting. If you have never read a KR novel, they all feature Dr Temperance Brennan, a world-class forensic anthropologist. For the newcomer to KR novels Forensic Anthropology is, basically: Are the remain human? When did the individual die? Who is the individual? What was the manner of death? What happened to the individual after death? Also, I think I should point out here that Kathy Reichs, in real life, is actually Dr Kathy Reichs, a Forensic Anthropologist ... more

The first half of this archeological thriller is based in Montreal, Canada, where Dr Temperance Brennan lives and works as a forensic anthropologist (ie. analysing bones and skeletons for the police). It opens as a fairly straightforward police procedural, when Brennan is called to attend the autopsy of orthodox Jewish businessman, Avram Ferris, to determine if the gunshot to his head that killed him was suicide or murder. Interlinked with this story is her relationship with Ryan, her tall, commitment phobe longtime lover - and also a police detective. All is par for the course until a man ... more

I have now read and reviewed several Reichs novels, and always look forward to reading them, even if it's hard to remember which you've read because the titles are so similar! Whilst this one wasn't quite as easy to read, and not Reichs' best, it was still enjoyable. The front cover tempts us in by telling us this is 'The new Tempe Brennan Bestseller'. Setting this book apart from others is its sense of factualness, as shown by the introductory pages giving us the facts about Masada, the setting for a 1st Century revolt of the Jewish against the Romans, and the following excavations done of ... more

Theres nothing better than a good forensic detective novel and yet again Reichs provides it. Set mostly in Jerusalem its good to see Tempe Brennan out of her comfort zone. She is thrown into the middle of the war torn West Bank and falls into a mystery that is as compelling as that of The Da Vinci Code. Any conspiracy theory is sure to excite and Cross Bones is definately not a disappointment. After the discovery of a mysterious skeleton in an ancient tomb of Jerusalem and with help from a mysterious stranger Tempe is thrown into a dangerous hunt for the truth. It wouldnt be a good Temperance ... more