COLD COLD BONES by KATHY REICHS

COLD COLD BONES

by

KATHY REICHS

THE BLURB:

An eye...

It all starts when Dr Temperance Brennan finds a box on her porch. Inside is a fresh human eyeball with GPS coordinates etched into it. They lead her to a macabre discovery in a Benedictine Monastery, and soon after she discovers a mummified corpse in a state park.

...for an eye

There seems to be no pattern to these killings, except that each mimics a case connected to something a younger Tempe experienced, or barely escaped. Someone is targeting her, and she needs to figure out why before they strike again.

And then her daughter Katy disappears.

Someone is playing a dangerous game with Tempe. And they won't stop until they have taken everything from her...

THE REALITY:

I've actually read every single one of Kathy Reichs' Temperance Brennan novels, after my ex-boyfriend presented Deja Dead (which he'd found on the side in a betting shop) to me in 1998. I was hooked after that (although nothing beats her first novel) and couldn't resist the urge to find myself on Tempe's next adventure. From an erudite point of view I'm committed to a lifetime of constant learning, so it's great to be able to learn about forensic anthropology- Tempe's profession. Also I love hearing about her life with Detective Andrew Ryan, so I'm glad he put in a very large appearance in this book.

Okay. I have to say (SPOILER ALERT!) that I worked out that the perpetrator was a woman after she'd hung the sunflower pendant on Tempe's door. It didn't take much to then deduce who exactly it was. Perhaps it was the way that particular detective's height was made a key feature of her appearance early on? I'm glad we had a female perp, and I'm glad that she was also a cop. Not all cops are whiter-than-white, so it's good that that aspect of life within the police force was depicted. I'm also glad that Tempe's daughter was a part of this story, and that she was described as a real person, with real foibles and issues. When Katy has been referenced in previous books in the series she does come across as a bit too perfect, so I'm pleased that that aspect of her personality has been lost.

I do think the scene where they find Kramden and Olivia a bit too drawn out, whilst at the same time being glad that (spoiler alert!) the little girl was safe, and that Kramden- who'd had a tough time of it, what with being disfigured following service- was just a very strange saddo rather than a seriously dangerous man. The final showdown between Tempe and Henry was a bit too far-fetched but, at the same time certainly possible, and enthralling enough to keep me turning the pages; racing to the end.  I couldn't remember the guy Henry was upset about from previous novels in the series, though.  Perhaps that was the point?  What's important to some people can mean little to another person.

All in all a good read.