The success of the Fox TV show Bones, based on bestseller Reichs's series featuring forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan (Cross Bones, etc.), bodes well for this latest installment, in which Brennan once again stumbles on a modern-day mystery inadvertently. While supervising a dig of Native American burial grounds in Charleston, S.C., Brennan finds more recent remains. Soon, her ex-husband, who's a lawyer, appears in town, pursuing leads in a missing persons case connected with a local church. Bodies start piling up at an alarming rate, and Brennan begins to suspect that the deaths are linked to each other—and her ex-husband's inquiry. Reichs's down-to-earth heroine is an appealing creation, who deftly juggles personal problems with professional challenges. Despite the somewhat obvious solution, this novel confirms the series' place in the front rank of the ever-expanding forensic thriller subgenre.Review:
Another strong book for the series. To me the case was second fiddle to having Tempe deal with her personal life head on for a change. This is the first time we've really gotten to know Pete other than mentions here and there. I love how it caused Ryan or should I say Andrew to call her on the carpet. He had very valid points to Tempe about her guard/wall with him. I liked the "Alpha Male" incidents between Ryan and Pete. I think it's ok for Tempe to have a hard time letting go of Pete, it's only normal, they share history and a daughter. Enough said about that before I let something slip.
In regards to the case this time, I felt it was good but not quite as interesting as some of the other cases (Monday Mourning comes to mind). The part that I felt should have been explored more was the religious powerhouse group. I felt that part of the story was a cop-out the way it was resolved. For the case we were introduced to Emma Rousseau a long time friend and collegue of Tempe's since Charleston is her jurisdiction. Sometimes I feel that when KR introduces these characters it seems like she expects us to already know them, when in fact we are just getting to know them. That at times irritates me, but not to the point that I don't want to read her.
You might ask why I rated this one the same as my last Reichs' book if I didn't enjoy it as much? I did enjoy the book overall, I just felt there were some areas where it could have been wrapped up better and the personal issues were far more interesting than the case this time.
Final Take: 4/5
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