163. 206 Bones by Kathy Reichs
206 Bones by Kathy Reichs
Temperance Brennan, Book 12
Pages: 308
Ages: 18+
Finished: Sep.7, 2009
First Published: Aug. 25, 2009
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Rating: 4/5
First sentence:
Cold.
Reason for Reading: I read every new Kathy Reichs book. I received a Review Copy from Simon & Schuster Canada.
Comments: Tempe wakes up to realize that she is tied up and trapped within a small brick structure within complete darkness. Chapters alternate between her present situation and some relative distant past and a case she's been working where the skeletal remains of an elderly woman are recovered and linked to 2 other violent deaths of elderly women and 1 current missing persons case that fits the same descriptors. Tempe is also experiencing difficulties at work in the Quebec office with a new staff member added to the crew and each other person in a gloomy mood; then she receives a nasty note and confirms someone has tried to discredit her recently. Tempe works this second personal case to get the guy who's after her reputation behind the scenes while working on the 'grannies' case.
This was a great entry in the series. I spent my holiday Monday basically doing nothing but reading the book and read it in a day. (Well I read a bit the night before in bed, too) A very exciting, compelling read. The elderly woman case was a good one and different but I did find that the book lacked Reichs' usual flare for the gruesome details. I absolutely loved the switching back to a trapped Tempe, her memory is all hazy and she can't remember the immediate past, so the reader also has no idea how she ended up this way. These bits where she mentally tries to survive and talk herself into physically surviving and trying to escape were really my favourite parts of the book.
While the mystery centres around the main case of the elderly women there are also a few side stories and mysteries going on as well. And while the main case proves to be a solid mystery, one of the other mysteries that ran the whole book was rather transparent and very easy to figure out from the beginning. I was quite surprised with that. Reichs usually holds up very solid mysteries. I wish she had advanced Brennan's personal life a little further in this book but instead she kept the Tempe/Ryan relationship pretty much business only and briefly let us see into where her thoughts were with anything further, we are fully aware of where Ryan stands on the issue. The book does end on a note that lets the reader know which direction the relationship will certainly go in the next book, though.
On a final note, fans will devour this one and not be disappointed. It's a solid, all-nighter read and will keep us waiting for the next book.
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This sounds good, but a bit grisly!
ReplyDeleteQuite enjoyed the book as well, right up to the last page where Reichs' gets up on her soapbox and has a little rant about unqualified newcomers in the field.
ReplyDeleteI guess it is her book and she is entitled to her little rant, but it didn't really sit well, and felt like it was breaking the fourth wall so-to-speak by having Brennan/Reichs deliver a sermon which I interpreted to be a dig at people who've watched too much CSI or some such, done a few courses, and now think they are 'king of the lab'.
Valid points, to make, just make them in a more appropriate forum. The whole book was about this topic, it was just the bludgeoning at the end I resented.
Anonymous, I certainly agree with you. I've come to expect this with Reichs though by this point. The last two pages of each of her later books is a rant about some personal agenda. I mentioned it in one review (and will again if it really annoys me) but since it's so typical now, I guess I'm just skipping over it at this point. But, yeah, you hit the nail on the head with your observations!
ReplyDelete