About the Book:

When Charlotte police discover the body of a teenage girl along a desolate stretch of two-lane highway, Temperance Brennan fears the worst. The girl’s body shows signs of foul play. Inside her purse, police find an airline club card bearing the name of prominent local businessman John-Henry Story, who died in a horrific fire months earlier. How did Story and the girl know each other? Was she an illegal immigrant turning tricks? Was she murdered? Was he?

Tempe must also examine a bundle of Peruvian dog mummies confiscated by U.S. Customs. A Desert Storm veteran named Dominick Rockett stands accused of smuggling the objects into the country. Could there be some connection between the trafficking of antiquities and the trafficking of humans?

As the complications pile on, Tempe must also grapple with personal turmoil. Her daughter, Katy, grieving the death of her boyfriend in Afghanistan, impulsively enlists in the army. Meanwhile, Katy’s father, Pete, is growing frustrated by Tempe’s reluctance to finalize their divorce. As pressure mounts from all corners, Tempe soon finds herself at the center of a conspiracy that extends all the way from South America to Afghanistan and right to the center of Charlotte.

My Thoughts:

I started reading Kathy Reichs’ novels from a very young age and have always been a fan of the series and genre. Hence, I believe that not many words are needed to describe a Kathy Reichs novel.

The author effortlessly binds together the plot with murders and mystery as well as medical details brought in which are explained in a way that even the layman would understand. A well written novel, the author has continued to do justice to the character she created and to the entire series. The back story remains strong and the characters continue to develop. We are shown different shades of some of the characters which show how they have evolved over time and with each story.

The story is set in different places taking us and Temperence to as far as Afghanistan. As usual while doing her usual job, she gets drawn into an investigation and makes it her personal responsibility to get to the bottom of things. Temperence is a strong women and if we should draw inspiration from anyone it is her. She is compassionate as well as vigilant, striving to work towards setting things right. She is also portrayed as a normal human facing the same personal problems that all of us can relate to.

Even though this is the first time I am writing a review of a book by Kathy Reichs, I will not talk about the plot in detail like I usually do. Instead, I will just assume that all of you have at some point read at least one of her books and know exactly what I am talking about. If you haven’t read the books, you may have  heard of the English Television series Bones. That is based on her books and the characters she created.

This story is wonderful and will keep the reader hooked until the very end. For all Temperence Brennan fans this is yet another treat.