Scan barcode
A review by brownflopsy
The Bone Code by Kathy Reichs
5.0
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.
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.