I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: the library
Bones are Forever
by
Kathy Reichs
It is part of the Temperance Brennan #15 series and is a forensic mystery in Hardcover edition that was published by Scribner on August 28, 2012 and has 283 pages.
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Other books in this series include [books_series]
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Flash and Bones, Bones Never Lie, Speaking in Bones, Bones of the Lost, A Conspiracy of Bones, The Bone Collection
Fifteenth in the Temperance Brennan forensics suspense series revolving around a forensic anthropologist who switches between Montreal and North Carolina. This story takes place in Canada between Montreal and Edmonton.
My Take
This was an okay read with a bit too much of the non-fictional thrown in from how a CT scan operates to kimberlite pipes to DNAWitness to Cornelia de Lange Syndrome, plus, plus, plus, and a bit of history on Edmonton’s growth. Lots of snark between Ollie and Ryan when Ollie lets Ryan know that he and Tempe had been an item in the past. Reichs does provide a bit of explanation at the end as to why Ryan is blowing so damn cold with the occasional warm spots throughout this story. Reichs wants us to believe that Ollie and Ryan aren’t getting along because of Tempe, but Reichs doesn’t write it to make me feel it.
I missed the warmer aspects I usually get in a Temperance Brennan story. This one was just too cold with too much stupidity slithering through it. I will admit that Tempe was bright enough to connect some of the grittier bits.
Somehow, this isn’t too believable when all three of them take off for Edmonton on Annaliese’s trail. Then their casual talk in front of Aurora. What were they thinkin’? Another low point was the comment Nellie makes and…I just can’t believe how long it takes Tempe to make the connection. Then again, I may be playing fair since I’m the one who gets to read the story and I’m not living it. Then again, Tempe is supposedly caught up in it and I should think those little bits of information would rise to the surface a lot faster.
Hey! Tempe’s reading Ian Rankin’s Inspector Rebus!
What is with these supposedly intelligent people who leave “important” messages with their allies but never tell them where they actually are. Call me. Now. is supposed to be what sort of help if you run into trouble? Personally, I prefer 58th and Maine. Tracking suspect.. Duhhhh. Maybe it’s okay because Tempe left the same call me message on two phones. *Unghh, trying to pull tongue out of ch-e-e-k…unghhh…*
The Story
It’s heartbreaking when all the tiny bodies are found stuffed in different places in the apartment. The person Tempe, Ryan, and Hasty believe is responsible is on the run, heading west. And the three of them take off after her.
It’s a trail that reveals, conceals, and frustrates as the layers of support are exposed and Annaliese’s character is disclosed. How can someone like her evade capture for so long?
The Characters
Temperance Brennan is a forensic anthropologist who splits her work year between the Laboratoire de sciences judiciares et de médicine légal in Montreal in Quebec and Charlotte, North Carolina. Birdie is her cat and not with her in this story. He’s stuck in Charlotte recovering from an infection. Pete is her lawyer ex-husband and Katy is her daughter with some unwelcome and surprising news — she’s joined the army!
Her fellows at Sûreté include:
LaManche has been a forensic pathologist for over forty years and is currently in charge. Autopsy technicians include Gilles Pomier, Roy Robitaille, and Lisa. Other pathologists include Jean Pelletier, Marcel Morin, and Emily Santangelo. Simone Annoux is in the DNA section.
Lieutenant-détective Andrew Ryan is a homicide cop with whom Tempe has a romantic history. One that Ryan’s heroin-addicted teenage daughter, Lily wrecked. The brusque, thinks-he’s-all-that Sergeant Oliver Isaac Hasty is with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and a man with whom Tempe had a brief, week-long fling some years ago. He wants back in. Together, Ryan and Ollie are good cop/bad cop.
Susan “Foxy” Forex is a hooker with a heart of gold in Edmonton. Aurora Deveraux, a.k.a., Norma Devlin, is another misfit taken in by Foxy. Only this one has an eye for profit. Dr. Dirwe Okeke is an Alberta pathologist.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
Amy Roberts, a.k.a., Alva Rodriguez, a.k.a., Annaliese Ruben, a.k.a., Alma Rogers, a.k.a., Alice Ruben, is a prostitute on the run. But on the run from whom? Tank is her dog. Farley McLeod was her deadbeat dad. Daryl Beck and Eric Skipper are more clues. Ralph Trees is a long-haul trucker who’s been banging Alva. He works for his brother-in-law Philip Fast‘s company Fast Moving. Ron “Scar” Scarborough is a pimp and drug dealer in Montreal who is looking to expand his operations. They believe that Amy was one of his.
Nellie Snook has lots of secrets. Some she knows and some she doesn’t know she knows. Horace Tyne is an environmentalist worried about the caribou. Binny Mind-Your-Own-Business Twiller is just loaded with snark that he exchanges with Tempe. Sergeant Joseph Rainwater has worked with Ollie before and the very protective Constable Zeb Chalker are with various police forces in Yellowknife. Maureen King is the chief medical examiner for Alberta. This lady really gets things moving! Courtney is a nurse with an affinity for pathology. Jacob Rainwater is a retired professor who runs the Mineral Development office.
Tom Unka and Arty Castain are the main players the cops would love to clap behind bars. Merilee Twiller is “the love of” Castain’s life.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a background of holographic fractals in variable wedges of color.
The title speaks the truth. Bones are Forever and can always provide background and history.
