206 Bones

I have loved this series from the very start, even though some of the forensic schtuff 'got into the weeds' in the beginning and I had to do some skimming...yes, I admit it....but the story and characters have always been superbly strong and wonderfully written, so I didn't give up on the books even when I kept asking, "What was that middle part again?".
Reichs has eased up on the uber-in the weeds speak, but still imparts the action in the morgue or forensic anthropology lab and moves the story along.
This one had me wanting to first hug Tempe and then smack the person who was throwing fire her way and causing the public and the people in charge to doubt her abilities after all that she's done. She even started doubting herself and show more that just pissed me off. No one does that to Tempe, dammit!
I liked the back and forth in time, from her captivity and trying to figure out what has happened to her to be in this predicament, to the going back a few months to tell the story. I can sometimes get lost when the author does this to the story, but not this time. It's handled really well and almost necessary to tell the tale.

This is five not in the weeds beans..... show less

206 Bones is the newest in the Temperance Brennan series by Kathy Reichs, set partially in Chicago but mainly, as usual, in Quebec. It's an absolutely riveting page-turner. Besides the usual forensic angle and the solving of a number of old murders, Brennan has to confront what happens when a lab co-worker is bent on sabotage.

If, like me, you haven't read a Reichs book in awhile or if you've never read one of her mysteries, you'd be in for a real treat with 206 Bones. This one definitely makes me want to resume reading this series. Excellent.

I haven't read any of Kathy Reich's previous books, a fact which had me somewhat leery as I picked up this one. Sometimes, especially with books in a long series, it is almost impossible to understand what is going on if you try to jump in mid-series. I was pleasantly surprised to find that in this instance my fears were unfounded. 206 Bones is a great read, plain and simple, with lots of action and great characters.

Reich's series is very popular, so much so that it has in fact led to the creation of Bones, a television series based on the books. I've seen a few episodes of Bones, so I was a bit surprised to find that the books take place in Canada. I actually preferred the setting of the novel, and found myself wondering why they show more changed it. Attempting to further fuel our egocentric Americanism perhaps? But, I digress.

206 Bones begins with the main character, Dr. Temperance Brennan finds herself buried alive. She has no memory of how or why she is in this situation, and only slowly do the memories come flooding back to her mind. Recently, Tempe has been investigating the mysterious deaths of several older women; victims of violent attacks which may or may not be the work of a single individual. Her focus on the cases has been somewhat compromised by some troubling mishaps that have occurred in Tempe's own autopsy suites. These mishaps have begun to undermine the confidence of her superiors, and have eventually result in Tempe even beginning to question her own competence. Meanwhile, her relationship with her longtime co-worker/love interest Lieutenant Ryan has moved into undefined and unresolved territory. What these circumstances have to do with Tempe's own deadly situation remain to be seen.

I really enjoyed the dual mystery aspect of this novel. It was interesting to read as Tempe tried to piece together the reasons for her situation. Reich's pacing was excellent, as she never gave too much away, but she didn't unravel the story so slowly that it was frustrating. I found myself really getting emotionally involved with the characters, especially Tempe. I don't want to give anything away in this review, so I will simply say that Tempe is suffering from some co-worker related troubles throughout the novel. Reichs had me fuming right along with Tempe against the injustice of it all. In short, if you haven't read any of Reich's books and are looking to give one a try, you can't go wrong with this one. show less

From Amazon:

There are 206 bones in the human body. Forensic anthropologists know them intimately, can use them to reconstruct every kind of violent end. When Tempe finds herself regaining consciousness in some kind of very small, very dark, very cold enclosed space—bound, hands to feet—Tempe begins slowly to reconstruct... Tempe and Lieutenant Ryan had accompanied the recently discovered remains of a missing heiress from Montreal to the Chicago morgue. Suddenly, Tempe was accused of mishandling the autopsy—and the case. Back in Montreal, the corpse of a second elderly woman was found in the woods, and then a third. Seamlessly weaving between Tempe’s present-tense terror as she’s held captive and her memory of the cases of show more these murdered women.

My Thoughts:

If you're a fan, you'll enjoy this one--a good mix of the familiar and the new. If you're a fan of the TV series, try not to think of the books as having any relation to the show--they're completely different in tone, style, and depth. The book loses a star for a blindingly obvious suspect that went unnoticed until the end and tangents that serve only to slow down the reader and show off the author's researching and/or trivia skills. Also, the very, very end devolves into what feels like a self-serving (although probably justifiable) tirade about qualifications to be a forensic anthropologist. While she may have a point, it was about a subtle as an anvil to the forehead and brought the book to a screeching halt. Granted, it was the last page so halting is to be expected, but the tone just didn't fit in with the overall book. But overall I enjoyed the book. show less

Excellent thriller, even more interesting than the previous ones. Two different time spans: before and after the abduction, the abduction itself is blank. Tempe struggling to survive, to recollect her memories and making her brain and body function again, the importance of a job well done and the qualification for a forensic pathologist, whose report can have heavy consequences in other people's life. In spite of the hidden purpose to underline the need of a qualication in this profession I dare say this is the best book ever written by the author.. until the next one. Spider Bones, I am looking forward to reading you

Temperance Brennan and Detective Andrew Ryan, former lovers and co-workers in the present, are escorting the remains of a Chicago woman who died in Quebec back to Chicago. For Dr. Brennan it is a chance to also visit with her ex-husband's family but Ryan is supposed to fly home after the handoff. However, someone has called the survivors to tell them that Tempe screwed up the cause of death. Tempe and Ryan spend hours detailing the work that went into their investigation and finding that death was accidental. That delay puts them smack in the middle of a Midwest storm and Ryan also has to stay over. Brennan's family feeds him and gives him a place to stay and take him into their capacious heart. Brennan gets caught up solving a mystery show more about a lost nephew which entails many hours in the Cook County Coroner's office. Then both Brennan and Ryan get calls that there is a case in Quebec demanding their expertise. That case involves the skeletal remains of an old woman and soon another older woman's body is also found. Is there a killer targeting old women who live alone? Brennan counted 206 bones recovered from the first case but several finger bones which could help with the identity are missing when she goes to look for them. While she goes on Christmas holidays the new hire at the lab goes back out to the burial site and finds the missing bones. That doesn't look too good for Dr. Brennan and when she misses a crucial bit of evidence with some other bones she starts to doubt herself. She even wonders if the Chicago woman really did die of accidental causes.

Interwoven with this plot are chapters with Tempe finding herself in an underground cell with her hands and feet tied. We know that there must be some connection to the lab cases but Brennan can't remember anything from the recent past.

Either I am getting better at solving clues or Dr. Reichs is making them easier because I figured out most of the plot twists before they were revealed. That didn't make the read any less enjoyable for me (witness the almost missed bus stop). In fact I was quite proud of myself. show less

I always look forward to Reich's new books and was a bit disappointed when I saw how slim this one was. It was a good read, but not as good as her earlier books. The plot was pretty slim and the characterizations for this-book-only people were a bit one-note. The overall feeling I was left with was twofold; first that Reichs wanted to talk about irresponsible forensic work, and second that she had a book due and cranked this out. I hope the next book in the series is more in keeping with the quality that I've come to expect from her.