What a tragic story. I quite enjoyed it, mostly because it felt a bit different. Obviously the „Tempe is in danger“ scene was in, but otherwise quite well done.

Temperance and Birdy have finished a night with a great storm. They are on their way to Isle of Palms when she gets a phone call about a medical waste container with the remains of two people inside. This phone call reminds Tempe of a similar case fifteen years ago in Quebec. She can’t shake the sense that they are too much alike and goes to Montreal to gather additional evidence. She wants to be able to convince her boss to reopen the old case. On the heels of Covid-19, Charleston is dealing with a deadly bacterium. Many are panicking and testing themselves for a rare genetic mutation that may determine if they are at risk. Are there any connections between all these cases? What about this death mask Tempe can’t get off her mind?

The Bone Code is the twentieth book in the Temperance Brennan series. Wow! I don’t know what to say. I enjoyed this book. Although I am a high school librarian now, my first teaching gig was as a Biology teacher. I enjoyed all the genetic information explored in this book. With that being said, some readers may find it confusing and distracting. Reichs has pulled together several stories that finish as a wonderful read. I truly think this book could be read on its own. The little bit of back story needed for a new reader is included, but I also recommend readers just start at the beginning and watch Tempe grow as a wonderful character.

Another great adventure with Tempe. A fascinating mix of Tempes life, updating us on the next stages of her personal and professional life, and the crimes that she works to resolve.

As a long time reader of the Temperance Brennan books, I was surprised by how much I didn't enjoy this novel. These books are never going to break the mold, but you can count on them for fun suspense and decently-correct science.

Not so much with this one - it's messy, rushed, and the science ranges from bad (at best) to downright dangerous (at worst). I found it hard to connect with a single one of the characters, even the established ones, and the victims seemed more throw away than usual. I was way more interested in the b plot mystery about death masks, which is barely given 5 pages total and mostly shafted to Brennan's friend to solve.

I was straight up flummoxed by Ryan's mystically rapid recovery after he's hit by a speeding car (to say nothing of the fact that he should have been WAY more injured in general) and the use of CRISPR technology to... edit vaccines to disfigure and kill people? Not only is that not a real thing, it's also downright dangerous and tone deaf in our current climate of anti-vac sentiment.

All in all, it felt like everyone in the book hated everyone else and that the characters wanted to rush through to the end as much as Reichs clearly did. I suppose the one good part is Bridie - I too would have spent the whole time yowling my displeasure at the goings on.

I have read all the Temperance Brennan books, can't believe this is number 20!

It was a little interesting to read this one as it's set in the post Covid world so there are definitely references to current events and one of the key plots very much aligns with some of what we see today but it's not overpowering.

I really liked the two different plots and how they came together; the mystery jumping time and locations was handled very well and it all made sense. The sub plot was a little easier to predict than I expected but how the main victims and characters came together really worked. I also found the "c' story to be very compelling and I enjoyed it very much. The wrap up of that one was great.

All in all, another great outing for Tempe, Ryan and crew.

I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in return for an honest review.

As always with these books they are very well written with a plot that keeps you hooked all the way to the end. This book is no exception with twisting storylines, lots of forensic and scientific facts and details, and characters you can identify with.

Sometimes I did feel a bit overwhelmed with the over abundance of scientific reference’s and trying to keep up with the acronyms occasionally putting (could just be my mood at the time). Also I didn’t particularly like the way each chapter ended on an overly dramatic ending.

Apart from a few niggles I did enjoy reading this book as I always have with others in the series. I love the fact you can not read a Temperance Brennan book for a while then come back to the series and get a feeling of familiarity immediately.

On the whole an immersive read with lots of twists and turns, great characters and a very interesting subject matter to base a crime on.

You always know you're in for an enjoyable time when you dig into one of Kathy Reichs' Temperance Brennan novels, and this latest one, The Bone Code, delivers on every front.

This time around, our story begins with Tempe on the verge of battening down the hatches as a storm approaches the Carolina coast, when she receives a visit from an old woman asking for help with a curious historical case of a missing twin.

However, it is not until after the storm that the action really gets going. Just as Tempe is assessing the damage in the aftermath of the wild weather, she receives a call asking her to consult on a case of two bodies found within a medical waste container that has been washed up on the shore - bodies that have been wrapped in plastic and tied with electrical flex. It's a call that makes Tempe very uneasy, but it is not until she gets to work on the badly decomposed bodies that her worst fears are confirmed - this case bears a striking resemblance to a cold case she and her partner Andrew Ryan worked on fifteen years ago... in Montreal.

And then we're off, in true Reichs' style, with a new investigation on US soil and a re-opened cold case in Canada, as Tempe finds herself flying back and forth between countries, tracking down the clues that link these murders. Add in, Tempe's hectic workload of intriguing cases; romantic interludes with Ryan; a sideline investigation taken on by her best friend to find out what happened to the missing twin; and a dangerous flesh-eating bacterial breakout in Charleston that bears the marks of foul-play; and there is a lot to keep you glued to the page.

This is a wonderful ensemble piece with Tempe at the hub of the action, and lots of great characters, some old and some new (including the adorable Birdie), making a contribution in solving the mysterious goings on. As all the painstakingly gathered pieces of the puzzle fall into place, including the scientific clues that mark this series of books out as being so fascinating, you arrive at some terrifying conclusions, and a heart in the mouth climax that has you teetering on the edge of your seat.

And it's interesting to note that the events in this book take place in a post Covid-19 landscape, which adds a real chill to the proceedings once you understand where Reichs has been leading you all along. It's brilliant... terrifying, but brilliant.