Synopses & Reviews
To some, the dead are a commodity. For Tempe Brennan, they hold the key to cracking a horrific crime ring.
Among the ancient remains in a Native American burial ground, Tempe discovers a fresh skeleton -- and what began as an ordinary teaching stint at an archeology field school in Charleston, South Carolina, fast becomes a heated investigation into an alarming pattern of homicides. The clues hidden in the bones lead to a street clinic where a monstrous discovery awaits, and Tempe -- whose personal life is in upheaval, with two men competing for her -- can't afford any distractions as she pieces together a shattering and terrifying puzzle.
Review
"A brilliant novel in the tradition of the best Southern gothic writing! What a pleasure it is to watch Tempe Brennan on the job once again, this time in the perfectly realized world of South Carolina. Reichs's seamless blending of fascinating science and dead-on psychological portrayals, not to mention a whirlwind of a plot, make Break No Bones a must read." Jeffery Deaver, author of The Cold Moon and The Twelfth Card
Review
"A rare treat indeed for the discerning mystery reader!" Ann Rule
Review
"Forensic anthropologist Reichs's...change of venue is intriguing in this series' ninth entry, but the case itself is lackluster and the plot exceedingly predictable." Library Journal
Synopsis
From bestselling author Kathy Reichs comes a book set in Charleston, South Carolina, the center of a lucrative, clandestine, sophisticated trade in body parts--the kind that leaves the donor dead. Summoned to South Carolina to fill in for a negligent colleague, Tempe is stuck teaching a lackluster archaeology field school in the ruins of a Native American burial ground on the Charleston shore. But when Tempe stumbles upon a fresh skeleton among the ancient bones, her old friend Emma Rousseau, the local coroner, persuades her to stay on and help with the investigation. When Emma reveals a disturbing secret, it becomes more important than ever for Tempe to help her friend close the case.
The body count begins to climb. An unidentified man is found hanging from a tree deep in the woods. Another corpse shows up in a barrel. There are mysterious nicks on bones in several bodies, and signs of strangulation. Tempe follows the trail to a free street clinic with a belligerent staff, a suspicious doctor, and a donor who is a charismatic televangelist. Clues abound in the most unlikely places as Tempe uses her unique knowledge and skills to build her case, even as the local sheriff remains dubious and her own life is threatened.
Tempe's love life is also complicated. Ryan, her current flame, has come down to visit her from Montreal, and Pete, her former husband, is investigating the disappearance of a local woman--and he and Tempe are staying in the same borrowed beach house. Ryan and Pete compete for her attentions, and Tempe finds herself more distracted by her feelings for both men than she expected.
Break No Bones is a smart, taut thriller featuring the kind of high-stakes crime that makes the headlines every week. Reichs, the inspiration for the hit Fox TV show Bones, is writing at the top of her form, and Tempe has never been more compelling.
Synopsis
To some, the dead are a commodity. For Tempe Brennan, they hold the key to cracking a horrific crime ring.
Among the ancient remains in a Native American burial ground, Tempe discovers a fresh skeleton and what began as an ordinary teaching stint at an archeology field school in Charleston, South Carolina, fast becomes a heated investigation into an alarming pattern of homicides. The clues hidden in the bones lead to a street clinic where a monstrous discovery awaits, and Tempe whose personal life is in upheaval, with two men competing for her can't afford any distractions as she pieces together a shattering and terrifying puzzle.
About the Author
Reichs is forensic anthropologist for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, State of North Carolina, and for the Laboratoire des Sciences Judiciaires et de Medecine Legale for the province of Quebec. She is a professor at the University of NC.