What do you think?
Rate this book
Temperance Brennan #21
Cold, Cold Bones
“Reichs has written her masterpiece—smart, scary, complicated, and engrossing.” —Michael Connelly
“This page-turning series never lets the reader down.” —Harlan Coben
“The crowning achievement of a master storyteller.” —Nelson DeMille
#1 New York Times bestselling thriller writer Kathy Reichs’s twenty-first novel of suspense featuring forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan who uncovers a series of gruesome killings eerily reenacting the most shocking of her prior cases.
Winter has come to North Carolina and, with it, a drop in crime. Freed from a heavy work schedule, Tempe Brennan is content to dote on her daughter Katy, finally returned to civilian life from the army. But when mother and daughter meet at Tempe’s place one night, they find a box on the back porch. a very fresh human eyeball.
GPS coordinates etched into the eyeball lead to a Benedictine monastery where an equally macabre discovery awaits. Soon after, Tempe examines a mummified corpse in a state park, and her anxiety deepens.
There seems to be no pattern to the subsequent killings uncovered, except that each mimics in some way a homicide that a younger Tempe had been called in to analyze. Who or what is targeting her, and why?
Helping Tempe search for answers is detective Erskine “Skinny” Slidell, retired but still volunteering with the CMPD cold case unit—and still displaying his gallows humor. Also pulled into the Andrew Ryan, Tempe’s Montreal-based beau, now working as a private detective.
Could this elaborately staged skein of mayhem be the prelude to a twist that is even more shocking? Tempe is at a loss to establish the motive for what is going on…and then her daughter disappears.
At its core, Cold, Cold Bones is a novel of revenge—one in which revisiting the past may prove the only way to unravel the present.
“This page-turning series never lets the reader down.” —Harlan Coben
“The crowning achievement of a master storyteller.” —Nelson DeMille
#1 New York Times bestselling thriller writer Kathy Reichs’s twenty-first novel of suspense featuring forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan who uncovers a series of gruesome killings eerily reenacting the most shocking of her prior cases.
Winter has come to North Carolina and, with it, a drop in crime. Freed from a heavy work schedule, Tempe Brennan is content to dote on her daughter Katy, finally returned to civilian life from the army. But when mother and daughter meet at Tempe’s place one night, they find a box on the back porch. a very fresh human eyeball.
GPS coordinates etched into the eyeball lead to a Benedictine monastery where an equally macabre discovery awaits. Soon after, Tempe examines a mummified corpse in a state park, and her anxiety deepens.
There seems to be no pattern to the subsequent killings uncovered, except that each mimics in some way a homicide that a younger Tempe had been called in to analyze. Who or what is targeting her, and why?
Helping Tempe search for answers is detective Erskine “Skinny” Slidell, retired but still volunteering with the CMPD cold case unit—and still displaying his gallows humor. Also pulled into the Andrew Ryan, Tempe’s Montreal-based beau, now working as a private detective.
Could this elaborately staged skein of mayhem be the prelude to a twist that is even more shocking? Tempe is at a loss to establish the motive for what is going on…and then her daughter disappears.
At its core, Cold, Cold Bones is a novel of revenge—one in which revisiting the past may prove the only way to unravel the present.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published July 5, 2022
1600 people are currently reading
14037 people want to read
About the author
Kathy Reichs
153 books17.3k followersKathy Reichs is a forensic anthropologist for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, State of North Carolina, and for the Laboratoire des Sciences Judiciaires et de Médecine Légale for the province of Quebec. She is one of only fifty forensic anthropologists certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology and is on the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. A professor of anthropology at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Dr. Reichs is a native of Chicago, where she received her Ph.D. at Northwestern. She now divides her time between Charlotte and Montreal and is a frequent expert witness in criminal trials.
Awards:
Arthur Ellis Award
◊ Best First Novel (1998): Deja Dead
Awards:
Arthur Ellis Award
◊ Best First Novel (1998): Deja Dead
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,343 reviews
March 6, 2024
Cold Cold Bones by Kathy Reichs is a murder mystery set in North Carolina. Temperance Brennan (also known as Tempe or Dr. Brennan) is a forensic anthropologist who is enjoying time with her daughter Katy, who just came back from a stint in the army. They are shocked to discover an eyeball on the porch with the GPS coordinates scratched inside.
Tempe embarks on a wild adventure which causes her to discover that someone is copycatting some of her old cases. Will Tempe be able to figure out who it is before she loses someone she loves?
Cold Cold Bones is the #21 book in the Temperance Brennan series (I have only read #20 and #21 in the series). However, you do not need to read any of the prior books to jump into this book.
Tempe is a very interesting characters with a deep, interesting, rich backstory. Instead of the typical single, young character, Tempe is a divorced professional with an adult daughter. She has a dating history, and this leads to interesting situations in the book. She is a very intelligent, strong female character doing important work.
Although the book is a little unbelievable at times, Kathy Reichs keeps the action flowing throughout the novel. There are multiple interesting things going on and multiple deaths. Who can be trusted?
Cold Cold Bones is also perfect for anyone with a short attention span. It has short chapters with short paragraphs and sentences. The prose is non-pretentious and is not overly flowery.
The characteristic that I prize about all else is storytelling, and Cold Cold Bones held my attention. I would gladly pay to read #22 in the Temperance Brennan series.
Overall, Cold Cold Bones is a highly entertaining book for those with strong stomachs who love murder mystery. Perfect for fans of Bones, Rizzoli & Isles, Temperance Brennan, or those looking for strong female characters doing important work.
*Thanks, Scribner, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review.
2024 Reading Schedule
Jan Middlemarch
Feb The Grapes of Wrath
Mar Oliver Twist
Apr Madame Bovary
May A Clockwork Orange
Jun Possession
Jul The Folk of the Faraway Tree Collection
Aug Crime and Punishment
Sep Heart of Darkness
Oct Moby-Dick
Nov Far From the Madding Crowd
Dec A Tale of Two Cities
Connect With Me!
Blog Twitter BookTube Facebook Insta
Tempe embarks on a wild adventure which causes her to discover that someone is copycatting some of her old cases. Will Tempe be able to figure out who it is before she loses someone she loves?
Cold Cold Bones is the #21 book in the Temperance Brennan series (I have only read #20 and #21 in the series). However, you do not need to read any of the prior books to jump into this book.
Tempe is a very interesting characters with a deep, interesting, rich backstory. Instead of the typical single, young character, Tempe is a divorced professional with an adult daughter. She has a dating history, and this leads to interesting situations in the book. She is a very intelligent, strong female character doing important work.
Although the book is a little unbelievable at times, Kathy Reichs keeps the action flowing throughout the novel. There are multiple interesting things going on and multiple deaths. Who can be trusted?
Cold Cold Bones is also perfect for anyone with a short attention span. It has short chapters with short paragraphs and sentences. The prose is non-pretentious and is not overly flowery.
The characteristic that I prize about all else is storytelling, and Cold Cold Bones held my attention. I would gladly pay to read #22 in the Temperance Brennan series.
Overall, Cold Cold Bones is a highly entertaining book for those with strong stomachs who love murder mystery. Perfect for fans of Bones, Rizzoli & Isles, Temperance Brennan, or those looking for strong female characters doing important work.
*Thanks, Scribner, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review.
2024 Reading Schedule
Jan Middlemarch
Feb The Grapes of Wrath
Mar Oliver Twist
Apr Madame Bovary
May A Clockwork Orange
Jun Possession
Jul The Folk of the Faraway Tree Collection
Aug Crime and Punishment
Sep Heart of Darkness
Oct Moby-Dick
Nov Far From the Madding Crowd
Dec A Tale of Two Cities
Connect With Me!
Blog Twitter BookTube Facebook Insta
June 10, 2022
Occasionally, a series has plenty of momentum to carry it forward with every new release. While others may lose their focus along the way.
I love a solid, long-running series and fortunate to have discovered so many over the years (and years). But this particular series always ends up being a hit or miss for me. Funny enough, I think it comes down to location.🤣 Let me explain.
Forensic Anthropologist Tempe Brennan is one of the best in both Canada and the US. As such, She’s in high demand, employed both in Quebec and North Carolina. The series alternates between the two depending on what case Tempe is presently working.
This latest is set in North Carolina, and that is the location I struggle with the most! Why? I have no idea! But I always find myself much more immersed in the read when Tempe stays north of the border. Maybe it's the Canadian in me?🍁
Presently, Tempe has more than usual on her plate. Her daughter Katy has PTSD from her time in the Army, and Tempe finds herself walking on eggshells trying to help but not overstep. When a box is left on Tempe’s doorstep with an actual human eye inside Tempe is hell-bent on finding who it belonged to…who sent it, and why was it sent to her!?💁🏻♀️
Will I keep reading this series? Absolutely! I’m in too deep to stop now! (This was book 21 after all). All I can hope for is the next read takes us back to Canada! 🇨🇦
Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner
I love a solid, long-running series and fortunate to have discovered so many over the years (and years). But this particular series always ends up being a hit or miss for me. Funny enough, I think it comes down to location.🤣 Let me explain.
Forensic Anthropologist Tempe Brennan is one of the best in both Canada and the US. As such, She’s in high demand, employed both in Quebec and North Carolina. The series alternates between the two depending on what case Tempe is presently working.
This latest is set in North Carolina, and that is the location I struggle with the most! Why? I have no idea! But I always find myself much more immersed in the read when Tempe stays north of the border. Maybe it's the Canadian in me?🍁
Presently, Tempe has more than usual on her plate. Her daughter Katy has PTSD from her time in the Army, and Tempe finds herself walking on eggshells trying to help but not overstep. When a box is left on Tempe’s doorstep with an actual human eye inside Tempe is hell-bent on finding who it belonged to…who sent it, and why was it sent to her!?💁🏻♀️
Will I keep reading this series? Absolutely! I’m in too deep to stop now! (This was book 21 after all). All I can hope for is the next read takes us back to Canada! 🇨🇦
Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner
December 19, 2022
3.5 stars, rounded up
I've been reading this series for a long time (21 books!) and Reichs continues to deliver consistently engaging mysteries. They are a bit too detailed sometimes, but overall I was interested throughout and wanted to know what was going on and why.
In this installment, Tempe's daughter Katy is now out of the Army and attempting to figure out what she wants to do with her life now. Tempe finds a box with an eyeball on her back porch, and she and Katy determine that it has GPS coordinates etched into it. What Tempe uncovers is shocking--someone seems to be copying her old cases, but why?
Although you don't necessarily need to read the prior books in the series, I think it adds nuance when you know the history of the characters and how they and their relationships have developed over the years. I appreciate the fascinating bits of information about forensic anthropology and some of the side cases she investigates are just as intriguing to me as the main ones.
Reichs does have a tendency to end every single chapter with a dun-dun-dunnnn cliffhanger, which I think gets old after a while, as does Tempe's subconscious hunches that she just can't figure out until it's almost too late. But it's what I've come to expect from this series (as well as Slidell always asking Tempe to stop talking in doctor-speak, and no one ever answering their phones when it's an emergency) so I'll just take the good with a side of eye-rolls.
The one thing I didn't really get about this book was what was up with the neighbor and the lawn art. That was never explored fully and I didn't get why it was such a big deal.
Overall, I'm interested to read book 22 and see what happens next with Tempe and the crew.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
I've been reading this series for a long time (21 books!) and Reichs continues to deliver consistently engaging mysteries. They are a bit too detailed sometimes, but overall I was interested throughout and wanted to know what was going on and why.
In this installment, Tempe's daughter Katy is now out of the Army and attempting to figure out what she wants to do with her life now. Tempe finds a box with an eyeball on her back porch, and she and Katy determine that it has GPS coordinates etched into it. What Tempe uncovers is shocking--someone seems to be copying her old cases, but why?
Although you don't necessarily need to read the prior books in the series, I think it adds nuance when you know the history of the characters and how they and their relationships have developed over the years. I appreciate the fascinating bits of information about forensic anthropology and some of the side cases she investigates are just as intriguing to me as the main ones.
Reichs does have a tendency to end every single chapter with a dun-dun-dunnnn cliffhanger, which I think gets old after a while, as does Tempe's subconscious hunches that she just can't figure out until it's almost too late. But it's what I've come to expect from this series (as well as Slidell always asking Tempe to stop talking in doctor-speak, and no one ever answering their phones when it's an emergency) so I'll just take the good with a side of eye-rolls.
The one thing I didn't really get about this book was what was up with the neighbor and the lawn art. That was never explored fully and I didn't get why it was such a big deal.
Overall, I'm interested to read book 22 and see what happens next with Tempe and the crew.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
August 21, 2022
This is a Suspense Mystery, and this is the 21st book in the Temperance Brennan series. I found the characters to be boring, and I really did not connect to them. The mystery was ok. I just wanted more from this book. I received an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion about the book like all my reviews are.
July 10, 2022
Temperance Brennan, forensic psychologist, was helping her daughter Katy move into her new home. She was finally home from her two stints in the army, and Tempe was more than happy to see her. Ryan, Tempe's significant other, was a PI and working in Montreal at that time, so contact was sporadic. The night Katy arrived to have dinner at her mother's annex, she picked up the box which was on the doorstep - and Tempe's troubles began.
Slowly, Tempe and retired detective Erskine “Skinny” Slidell (but still working in the CCU - cold case unit) found evidence that someone was killing and mimicking cases that Tempe had been involved in years prior. As the investigation ramped up, the killings came closer together, and each one had something personal for Tempe. When Katy became uncontactable to Tempe, her anxiety heightened - then a good friend whom Tempe was due to meet, committed suicide. What was going on? And where was Katy? Ryan arrived back from his job, to join Skinny and Tempe in their search. Would they identify the killer before more people disappeared?
Cold Cold Bones is the 21st in the Temperance Brennan series by Kathy Reichs and once again, the author has nailed it! A brilliant episode, with gritty, chilling events, the usual nit picking from Skinny to Tempe, her talking to herself (and Birdie - the cat), and Ryan with his dry humour. The twists and turns, of which there were plenty, saw me pick the killer (I was right) but the getting there was filled with suspense and intrigue! Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Slowly, Tempe and retired detective Erskine “Skinny” Slidell (but still working in the CCU - cold case unit) found evidence that someone was killing and mimicking cases that Tempe had been involved in years prior. As the investigation ramped up, the killings came closer together, and each one had something personal for Tempe. When Katy became uncontactable to Tempe, her anxiety heightened - then a good friend whom Tempe was due to meet, committed suicide. What was going on? And where was Katy? Ryan arrived back from his job, to join Skinny and Tempe in their search. Would they identify the killer before more people disappeared?
Cold Cold Bones is the 21st in the Temperance Brennan series by Kathy Reichs and once again, the author has nailed it! A brilliant episode, with gritty, chilling events, the usual nit picking from Skinny to Tempe, her talking to herself (and Birdie - the cat), and Ryan with his dry humour. The twists and turns, of which there were plenty, saw me pick the killer (I was right) but the getting there was filled with suspense and intrigue! Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
August 24, 2022
I have been reading Kathy Reichs since her debut. I love Tempe & Ryan, the sarcasm, the interesting cases. I found this ARC available on NetGalley.
I barely connected with Tempe in this novel (for the record I love her). It was an uphill battle the entire time. The clues to the killer were obvious from very early on. The plot holes annoyed me big time. What mother doesn’t call their daughter when worried?? She second guessed herself way too many times for me to believe it.
The serial killer plot would have been so much better if the profile and motive were fully developed. I hope that the final publication which is due next week, is much more fleshed out than this copy.
I barely connected with Tempe in this novel (for the record I love her). It was an uphill battle the entire time. The clues to the killer were obvious from very early on. The plot holes annoyed me big time. What mother doesn’t call their daughter when worried?? She second guessed herself way too many times for me to believe it.
The serial killer plot would have been so much better if the profile and motive were fully developed. I hope that the final publication which is due next week, is much more fleshed out than this copy.
June 12, 2023
I've been reading Kathy Reichs' Temperance Brennan mysteries since way back—the first was released in 1997. (I'm just realizing this means she's writing them at a pace of about one every fourteen months!) In this title, Brennan faces an increasingly violent and personal series of crimes. Clearly, someone in her past wants revenge and is taking their time about it. They're committing murders that mirror old cases she worked on: a very creepy trip down memory lane.
Just like Brennan, at first readers have difficulty seeing the pattern, but it becomes increasingly glaring—even when pieces of the puzzle are still missing. Those familiar with the series will be glad to know that Ryan makes a (mostly long distance) appearance, and her daughter Katy has left the army and is wrestling with the challenging return to civilian life.
If you aren't familiar with this series, I'd suggest reading a few others first to help fill in the back story. But once you start reading the series, I'm pretty sure you'll work your way through all twenty-one volumes, just as I've done.
I received a free electronic ARC of this title for review purposes from the publisher via NetGally; the opinions are my own.
Just like Brennan, at first readers have difficulty seeing the pattern, but it becomes increasingly glaring—even when pieces of the puzzle are still missing. Those familiar with the series will be glad to know that Ryan makes a (mostly long distance) appearance, and her daughter Katy has left the army and is wrestling with the challenging return to civilian life.
If you aren't familiar with this series, I'd suggest reading a few others first to help fill in the back story. But once you start reading the series, I'm pretty sure you'll work your way through all twenty-one volumes, just as I've done.
I received a free electronic ARC of this title for review purposes from the publisher via NetGally; the opinions are my own.
September 26, 2022
It is always an adventure when Kathy Reichs is at the helm of another novel. A mix of thrilling adventure and forensic science await the reader, who is never quite sure what is around the corner. This twenty-first novel in the series is strong and keeps the reader guessing, providing proof that Reichs is back and ready to keep the quality high. Straddling both past and present, the story keeps the reader engaged until the very end, as things finally come together. Another great piece by Reichs, who has shown that she’s not afraid to take risks.
While snowy weather is not common, it does happen around Charlotte. Dr. Temperence ‘Tempe’ Brennan is prepared, as she spends a great deal of her time up in Montreal, one of Canada;s largest cities. Still, it’s an adventure, as those around her try to cope, including Tempe’s daughter, Katy. As the two prepare for a nicer meal at home after Katy has returned to civilian life from a stint in the military, their tranquility is broken by the sight of a box on the porch step, which contains a recently removed eyeball.
Baffled as to what the eyeball means, Tempe reports it to the police and her colleagues at the morgue, only to be rattled again when she is sent to investigate a mummified body that is eerily similar to a case from her past.
More cases pile up and Tempe cannot shake the parallels to files from her past work in Charlotte and across Canada.
While she tries to piece the present and past cases together, Tempe’s forced to come to terms with a more personal issue when Katy does missing after volunteering at a men’s shelter. Worried and sure that someone is watching her, Tempe tries to remain one step ahead, while worried that Katy may have fallen prey to this copycat killer. Who is next on the list and how will Dr. Brennan be able to guess what awaits her? All the while, Katy’s disappearance eats away at Tempe, who cannot fathom the loss. Reichs dazzles in this piece, while keeping the forensics high and the twists plentiful.
Novels of revenge can be wonderful, as long as their basis is grounded in something the reader can understand . Kathy Reichs uses her great abilities, not only with forensic anthropology, but also writing, to keep the reader engaged and on the edge of their seats. While she waned for a while in her publications, this is a return to some of the stellar pieces I began in the early part of the series. There is something for everyone and great asides, which serve to humour and educate the reader in equal measure. Reichs packs a punch and keeps the reader guessing until the end, when she brings it all together, as any great thriller writer would.
I remember discovering Kathy Reichs and her writing many years ago, bingeing the early novels in this series, so as to discover how forensic anthropology might be a worthy angle of investigating crimes. Now a full-fledged fan, I am always eager when Kathy Reichs publishes a new piece, hoping that it will pack as much of a thrill ride as some of the early novels. With a great narrative and stellar pacing, the story begins well and keeps getting better. Solid characters, some of whom are regular faces for series fans, keep the piece moving and add needed flavouring when things demand it. Twists are plentiful, as are moments of pure education, so the reader can better understand what is happening before them. Reichs’ own work as a forensic anthropologist is highlighted throughout, as is her passion for both Charlotte and Montreal. Those eager to find a series that will take the reader on a ride need look no further, though do not expect anything superficial, as this is a hefty topic!
Kudos, Madam Reichs, for keeping your fans appeased and penning a great novel. Where are you headed next it’s Tempe and those who surround her?
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
While snowy weather is not common, it does happen around Charlotte. Dr. Temperence ‘Tempe’ Brennan is prepared, as she spends a great deal of her time up in Montreal, one of Canada;s largest cities. Still, it’s an adventure, as those around her try to cope, including Tempe’s daughter, Katy. As the two prepare for a nicer meal at home after Katy has returned to civilian life from a stint in the military, their tranquility is broken by the sight of a box on the porch step, which contains a recently removed eyeball.
Baffled as to what the eyeball means, Tempe reports it to the police and her colleagues at the morgue, only to be rattled again when she is sent to investigate a mummified body that is eerily similar to a case from her past.
More cases pile up and Tempe cannot shake the parallels to files from her past work in Charlotte and across Canada.
While she tries to piece the present and past cases together, Tempe’s forced to come to terms with a more personal issue when Katy does missing after volunteering at a men’s shelter. Worried and sure that someone is watching her, Tempe tries to remain one step ahead, while worried that Katy may have fallen prey to this copycat killer. Who is next on the list and how will Dr. Brennan be able to guess what awaits her? All the while, Katy’s disappearance eats away at Tempe, who cannot fathom the loss. Reichs dazzles in this piece, while keeping the forensics high and the twists plentiful.
Novels of revenge can be wonderful, as long as their basis is grounded in something the reader can understand . Kathy Reichs uses her great abilities, not only with forensic anthropology, but also writing, to keep the reader engaged and on the edge of their seats. While she waned for a while in her publications, this is a return to some of the stellar pieces I began in the early part of the series. There is something for everyone and great asides, which serve to humour and educate the reader in equal measure. Reichs packs a punch and keeps the reader guessing until the end, when she brings it all together, as any great thriller writer would.
I remember discovering Kathy Reichs and her writing many years ago, bingeing the early novels in this series, so as to discover how forensic anthropology might be a worthy angle of investigating crimes. Now a full-fledged fan, I am always eager when Kathy Reichs publishes a new piece, hoping that it will pack as much of a thrill ride as some of the early novels. With a great narrative and stellar pacing, the story begins well and keeps getting better. Solid characters, some of whom are regular faces for series fans, keep the piece moving and add needed flavouring when things demand it. Twists are plentiful, as are moments of pure education, so the reader can better understand what is happening before them. Reichs’ own work as a forensic anthropologist is highlighted throughout, as is her passion for both Charlotte and Montreal. Those eager to find a series that will take the reader on a ride need look no further, though do not expect anything superficial, as this is a hefty topic!
Kudos, Madam Reichs, for keeping your fans appeased and penning a great novel. Where are you headed next it’s Tempe and those who surround her?
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
June 14, 2022
This is the 21st installment in the Temperance Brennan series, and I think I've read most of them. Kathy Reichs never fails to have new and interesting cases for readers to enjoy.
In this book, Tempe receives on her doorstep a human eyeball in a box which leads to a discovery of a series of killings that appear to be reenactments of some of Tempe's most gruesome earlier cases. During this investigation, Tempe is also trying to deal with her daughter's return from military service. Her daughter shows signs of suffering from PTSD and her behavior has become unpredictable.
This time the location is focused near Tempe's home in Charlotte, North Carolina. The suspense and tension builds through the book. Good plot and loved seeing so many regular characters again. I looks forward to the next installment of Tempe's adventures.
Thanks to Scribner through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on July 5, 2022.
In this book, Tempe receives on her doorstep a human eyeball in a box which leads to a discovery of a series of killings that appear to be reenactments of some of Tempe's most gruesome earlier cases. During this investigation, Tempe is also trying to deal with her daughter's return from military service. Her daughter shows signs of suffering from PTSD and her behavior has become unpredictable.
This time the location is focused near Tempe's home in Charlotte, North Carolina. The suspense and tension builds through the book. Good plot and loved seeing so many regular characters again. I looks forward to the next installment of Tempe's adventures.
Thanks to Scribner through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on July 5, 2022.
December 31, 2022
Cold, Cold Bones is the twenty-first book in the Temperance Brennan series. Tempe is a forensic anthropologist who consults with law enforcement on a variety of cases. In this book, someone seems to be targeting Tempe. The cases she is working on are similar to previous cases in her career.
In addition to the crime solving, Tempe’s adult daughter, Katy, has returned home. Tempe is excited to have her daughter back in town, but then Katy disappears.
Cold, Cold Bones is an enjoyable addition to the series. A compelling mystery about gruesome crimes. Recommended to fans of this series and medical thrillers.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
In addition to the crime solving, Tempe’s adult daughter, Katy, has returned home. Tempe is excited to have her daughter back in town, but then Katy disappears.
Cold, Cold Bones is an enjoyable addition to the series. A compelling mystery about gruesome crimes. Recommended to fans of this series and medical thrillers.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 17, 2022
Baby, it’s cold outside! Tempe, you’re not in Toronto any more! I mean, Montreal! Nope, it’s snowing in North Carolina – not just snowing, it’s a blizzard! The weather just adds to the creepy atmosphere is Kathy Reichs’ 21st version of Temperance Brennan’s adventures in forensic anthropology in Cold, Cold Bones
It all starts as Tempe is helping daughter Katie unpack as she’s moving nearby after her stint in the military has come to an end. Safe at home at last, her mother thinks. Hmm, we’ll see. As they take a break from unpacking moving boxes, Tempe discovers a box outside her own home. This “special delivery” contains a human eyeball, and this is the beginning of a bizarre case that has Dr. Brennan and her cold case detective buddy “Skinny” Slidell mystified. It leads them to an outhouse, a homeless shelter, and a remote survivalist post. Dead bodies pile up, and each bears a resemblance to a case that Temperance Brennan, often assisted by Slidell, worked on in the past. Is this a case of revenge? In addition, Katie is not responding to phone calls and is not at her apartment. Tempe is worried. Is her daughter in trouble, or is she just “taking space?”
Readers of this series will recognize Brennan’s familiar sarcastic, often snarky commentary, which runs throughout the book. As the cases become more numerous and begin to feel more personal, however, the snide comments do tone down, thankfully, as I find that this grows old quickly. The same with Skinny Slidell – what an ornery guy! Underneath that crotchety exterior, however, he does have a heart, and he does know how to conduct an investigation. Speaking of investigations, Tempe does too, but why, oh why, does she always insist on inserting herself in police work? Will she ever, ever learn? For those who wonder, yes, her beau, le détective Andrew Ryan, assists when Slidell deputizes him late in the case.
The crimes are over-the-top, as usual. Creative, yes. And the plot did hold my interest. I figured out the culprit before our heroes did, despite numerous suspects. Despite some of the annoying factors, the book held my interest, and I found it to be quite entertaining.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Scribner, and also the author for this ARC of Cold, Cold Bones in exchange for my honest review. Opinions expressed are my own.
3.5 stars
It all starts as Tempe is helping daughter Katie unpack as she’s moving nearby after her stint in the military has come to an end. Safe at home at last, her mother thinks. Hmm, we’ll see. As they take a break from unpacking moving boxes, Tempe discovers a box outside her own home. This “special delivery” contains a human eyeball, and this is the beginning of a bizarre case that has Dr. Brennan and her cold case detective buddy “Skinny” Slidell mystified. It leads them to an outhouse, a homeless shelter, and a remote survivalist post. Dead bodies pile up, and each bears a resemblance to a case that Temperance Brennan, often assisted by Slidell, worked on in the past. Is this a case of revenge? In addition, Katie is not responding to phone calls and is not at her apartment. Tempe is worried. Is her daughter in trouble, or is she just “taking space?”
Readers of this series will recognize Brennan’s familiar sarcastic, often snarky commentary, which runs throughout the book. As the cases become more numerous and begin to feel more personal, however, the snide comments do tone down, thankfully, as I find that this grows old quickly. The same with Skinny Slidell – what an ornery guy! Underneath that crotchety exterior, however, he does have a heart, and he does know how to conduct an investigation. Speaking of investigations, Tempe does too, but why, oh why, does she always insist on inserting herself in police work? Will she ever, ever learn? For those who wonder, yes, her beau, le détective Andrew Ryan, assists when Slidell deputizes him late in the case.
The crimes are over-the-top, as usual. Creative, yes. And the plot did hold my interest. I figured out the culprit before our heroes did, despite numerous suspects. Despite some of the annoying factors, the book held my interest, and I found it to be quite entertaining.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Scribner, and also the author for this ARC of Cold, Cold Bones in exchange for my honest review. Opinions expressed are my own.
3.5 stars
July 3, 2022
4.5★s
Cold, Cold Bones is the twenty-first book in the Temperance Brennan series by American forensic anthropologist and author, Kathy Reichs. Back home after a long day of moving her daughter into a new home, Tempe Brennan is more concerned with Katy’s possible PTSD, courtesy two tours serving in Afghanistan, than her cranky neighbour’s objection to her garden ornament. But parcel on the doorstep, containing a human eye, certainly grabs their attention.
The eye offers up, in a novel way, the location of its source, and something about the decomposing skull in a disused privy immediately twitches in Tempe’s subconscious. Over the next few days and weeks, more unusual corpses, or parts thereof, present on her examination table at the Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner’s office, all notable for that same subconscious twitch, and sometimes also ringing bells in Erskine “Skinny” Slidell’s recall, all mimicking earlier cases Tempe has handled.
The retired MCP cop investigates cold cases between PI work with partner Andrew Ryan, and he eventually agrees with Tempe that they have a grisly chain of copycat murders, which seems to have begun several years earlier. Things get even more serious when a friend of Tempe’s becomes a victim of this bizarre serial killer; even moreso when Tempe witnesses a murder as it happens.
At the same time, Tempe is trying to balance motherly concern for her returned veteran with allowing the sometimes-moody young woman the space she may need. But her anxiety crescendos when contact lapses for several days and the eventual text message received is, for Katy, uncharacteristically short and lacking in detail.
The latest dose of Tempe Brennan features some quirky (but harmless?) characters who take meals at a men’s shelter, a parks ranger with an inflated opinion of his anthropological expertise, and some “preppers”, survivalists, one of whom displays an unhealthy interest in serial killers. Reichs does manage to seamlessly pack in lots of interesting tidbits but she also has Tempe annoying the reader a few times, going in by herself when she should know better.
Readers who pick up on the subtle clues will settle on the correct perpetrator well before the reveal, but the how and why of it keeps the pages turning through to the dramatic climax and resolution. The banter between Tempe, Skinny and Ryan is, as always entertaining, and more instalments are eagerly awaited.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Australia.
Cold, Cold Bones is the twenty-first book in the Temperance Brennan series by American forensic anthropologist and author, Kathy Reichs. Back home after a long day of moving her daughter into a new home, Tempe Brennan is more concerned with Katy’s possible PTSD, courtesy two tours serving in Afghanistan, than her cranky neighbour’s objection to her garden ornament. But parcel on the doorstep, containing a human eye, certainly grabs their attention.
The eye offers up, in a novel way, the location of its source, and something about the decomposing skull in a disused privy immediately twitches in Tempe’s subconscious. Over the next few days and weeks, more unusual corpses, or parts thereof, present on her examination table at the Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner’s office, all notable for that same subconscious twitch, and sometimes also ringing bells in Erskine “Skinny” Slidell’s recall, all mimicking earlier cases Tempe has handled.
The retired MCP cop investigates cold cases between PI work with partner Andrew Ryan, and he eventually agrees with Tempe that they have a grisly chain of copycat murders, which seems to have begun several years earlier. Things get even more serious when a friend of Tempe’s becomes a victim of this bizarre serial killer; even moreso when Tempe witnesses a murder as it happens.
At the same time, Tempe is trying to balance motherly concern for her returned veteran with allowing the sometimes-moody young woman the space she may need. But her anxiety crescendos when contact lapses for several days and the eventual text message received is, for Katy, uncharacteristically short and lacking in detail.
The latest dose of Tempe Brennan features some quirky (but harmless?) characters who take meals at a men’s shelter, a parks ranger with an inflated opinion of his anthropological expertise, and some “preppers”, survivalists, one of whom displays an unhealthy interest in serial killers. Reichs does manage to seamlessly pack in lots of interesting tidbits but she also has Tempe annoying the reader a few times, going in by herself when she should know better.
Readers who pick up on the subtle clues will settle on the correct perpetrator well before the reveal, but the how and why of it keeps the pages turning through to the dramatic climax and resolution. The banter between Tempe, Skinny and Ryan is, as always entertaining, and more instalments are eagerly awaited.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Australia.
May 4, 2022
Cold, Cold Bones was a good book with lots of suspense. The main character, Temperance Brennan is a forensic anthropologist whose daughter, Katy has just retired from the military and has bought a house close to her mother in Charlotte, VA. They find a box on Tempe's front porch which contains a human eyeball. Tempe and retired detective, Erskine Sliddell (Skinny) are called out to Belmont Abbey College where they find a bag in a hole of an outhouse. They open the bag and find a head of a woman who had her left eye removed. The police are called and the head and eye are are sent to MCME. The reader is taken on a suspenseful trip as other bodies are found. Tempe realizes that all the bodies are copycats of past people that she had worked on in the past.. Tempe is concerned as Katiy seems restless and disappears... The story builds up to an exciting climax when the person who is doing all of this to Tempe is discovered.
Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC.
Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC.
September 26, 2022
I haven't read the others in this series (I've only read book 1 and I wasn't a huge fan). But this one started great. I haven't felt left behind because it's #21 and I don't know the inbetween. Each charater has been quickly and seamlessly introduced and the plot starts right off with a bang - a box with an eyeball on her doorstep!
From there, the story was off! I was completely pulled in as Brennan mulled over what was going on. As her daughter put distance between them, the clues kept turning up and I couldn't get through this quick enough. I think the autopsy and other details were easier to slide over as an audiobook so I think I liked this one more as an audio vs the 1st book I read. There were some great chuckle points to break up the mood and I appreciated them every time. I never had any idea who was behind what was going on and just enjoyed the turns of the story as they arrived. I really liked this one and I think the audio option has sold me on reading more of this series!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
From there, the story was off! I was completely pulled in as Brennan mulled over what was going on. As her daughter put distance between them, the clues kept turning up and I couldn't get through this quick enough. I think the autopsy and other details were easier to slide over as an audiobook so I think I liked this one more as an audio vs the 1st book I read. There were some great chuckle points to break up the mood and I appreciated them every time. I never had any idea who was behind what was going on and just enjoyed the turns of the story as they arrived. I really liked this one and I think the audio option has sold me on reading more of this series!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
June 13, 2022
‘It began with an eyeball.’
It is winter in North Carolina, resulting in a drop in forensic anthropologist Temperance (Tempe) Brennan’s workload. Tempe is happy to spend some of that free time helping her daughter Katy settle into civilian life after her service in the army. But at Tempe’s place one evening, they find a box on the back porch. The box contains a human eyeball. An examination of the eyeball reveals GPS coordinates etched on it. And those GPS coordinates take Tempe and the police to another gruesome discovery.
One discovery leads to another, and Tempe becomes concerned. While there does not seem to be a clear pattern between the killings discovered, each case seems to imitate (in some respect) an earlier case that Tempe Brennan had consulted on. And each discovery seems more threatening.
Who is targeting Tempe Brennan, and why? Tempe has help from Erskine ‘Skinny’ Slidell, now retired but working with the Cold Case Unit and from Andrew Ryan, her Montreal-based boyfriend, now working as a private detective.
But Tempe is also concerned about Katy who, displaying some symptoms of post-traumatic stress from her army service, disappears. At first Tempe thinks that Katy has sought some time out, but as time passes, she starts to wonder whether Katy’s disappearance might be related to these other mysterious events.
While I have enjoyed several the novels in this series, I have not read them all. Still, I felt like I was reacquainting myself with old friends while trying to work out the who and the why. It was not immediately clear to me who was targeting Tempe Brennan: there seemed to be a couple of possibilities. And even after it does become clear who is behind these grisly re-enactments, the tension continues to build before the perpetrator is stopped.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster (Australia) for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
It is winter in North Carolina, resulting in a drop in forensic anthropologist Temperance (Tempe) Brennan’s workload. Tempe is happy to spend some of that free time helping her daughter Katy settle into civilian life after her service in the army. But at Tempe’s place one evening, they find a box on the back porch. The box contains a human eyeball. An examination of the eyeball reveals GPS coordinates etched on it. And those GPS coordinates take Tempe and the police to another gruesome discovery.
One discovery leads to another, and Tempe becomes concerned. While there does not seem to be a clear pattern between the killings discovered, each case seems to imitate (in some respect) an earlier case that Tempe Brennan had consulted on. And each discovery seems more threatening.
Who is targeting Tempe Brennan, and why? Tempe has help from Erskine ‘Skinny’ Slidell, now retired but working with the Cold Case Unit and from Andrew Ryan, her Montreal-based boyfriend, now working as a private detective.
But Tempe is also concerned about Katy who, displaying some symptoms of post-traumatic stress from her army service, disappears. At first Tempe thinks that Katy has sought some time out, but as time passes, she starts to wonder whether Katy’s disappearance might be related to these other mysterious events.
While I have enjoyed several the novels in this series, I have not read them all. Still, I felt like I was reacquainting myself with old friends while trying to work out the who and the why. It was not immediately clear to me who was targeting Tempe Brennan: there seemed to be a couple of possibilities. And even after it does become clear who is behind these grisly re-enactments, the tension continues to build before the perpetrator is stopped.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster (Australia) for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
November 10, 2024
Like all books in the series it had a very fast and well written plot. I really appreciated that the jargon too wasn’t overly complicated or focused on it as it has been in some previous books. I loved the constant twists in the story this time it was even better as it was personal.
The characters are very relatable and have their own unique quirks (think my favourite is Skinny) and I love the way you get an insight into what Tempe is thinking at the time as the story unfolds due to the author being able to switch between first and third person with ease and how it makes the story flow.
To summarise an action filled, occasional nail biter of a story with lots of twist, rich characters. There’s a lot going on in this story for an M.E I think Tempe will need a holiday to get her blood pressure down..
The characters are very relatable and have their own unique quirks (think my favourite is Skinny) and I love the way you get an insight into what Tempe is thinking at the time as the story unfolds due to the author being able to switch between first and third person with ease and how it makes the story flow.
To summarise an action filled, occasional nail biter of a story with lots of twist, rich characters. There’s a lot going on in this story for an M.E I think Tempe will need a holiday to get her blood pressure down..
June 19, 2022
This is the 21st in the forensic pathologist Temperance Brennan series; I have read all of them.
It is winter in North Carolina and Tempe’s daughter has returned home from the army; her partner, Ryan, now private detective, is in St. Martin on a case. A package containing an eyeball left on her back porch is the first of a series of puzzling events and murders. Are they all related? Why is Tempe being targeted? Does her daughter’s disappearance signal danger or does she merely need time on her own to work out her PTSD?
Kathy Reichs writing style is short, to the point, and objective. When reading her books, I am often reminded of the old TV series, Dragnet, and its terse “just the facts, mam”. Her descriptions can be pretty clinical and graphic. She has a clever way with words and a good sense of humor comes through.
Obviously, since I continue to read each new release in this series, I enjoy it. Usually I like the main character, but in this installment, she annoyed me a bit by taking some very careless, foolish steps putting herself in such apparent peril.
It’s difficult to put down one of Ms. Reichs' novels as her foreshadowing of events at the end of chapters keeps the intrigue going and prods the reader to go on for “just one more chapter.”
While this might not have been the strongest plot in the series, it still made for an engrossing read and I enjoyed visiting again with the old characters, including the irascible detective Skinny Slidell.
Thanks to Netgalley and Scribner for the DRC.
Follow me on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/shereadbook...
It is winter in North Carolina and Tempe’s daughter has returned home from the army; her partner, Ryan, now private detective, is in St. Martin on a case. A package containing an eyeball left on her back porch is the first of a series of puzzling events and murders. Are they all related? Why is Tempe being targeted? Does her daughter’s disappearance signal danger or does she merely need time on her own to work out her PTSD?
Kathy Reichs writing style is short, to the point, and objective. When reading her books, I am often reminded of the old TV series, Dragnet, and its terse “just the facts, mam”. Her descriptions can be pretty clinical and graphic. She has a clever way with words and a good sense of humor comes through.
Obviously, since I continue to read each new release in this series, I enjoy it. Usually I like the main character, but in this installment, she annoyed me a bit by taking some very careless, foolish steps putting herself in such apparent peril.
It’s difficult to put down one of Ms. Reichs' novels as her foreshadowing of events at the end of chapters keeps the intrigue going and prods the reader to go on for “just one more chapter.”
While this might not have been the strongest plot in the series, it still made for an engrossing read and I enjoyed visiting again with the old characters, including the irascible detective Skinny Slidell.
Thanks to Netgalley and Scribner for the DRC.
Follow me on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/shereadbook...
September 27, 2023
Book #21. Temperance Brennan, forensic psychologist, is helping her daughter Katy get settled into her new home, following two stints in the army. When Katy arrives for dinner, Tempe picks up a box on her doorstep, with . . . an eyeball. Upon close examination in the lab, she finds GPS coordinates, where they find a skull. which was on the doorstep - and Tempe's troubles began. As the story progresses, she and retired detective Erskine “Skinny” Slidell (who still volunteers for the cold case unit) uncover further bodies that someone is killing to mimick prior cases worked by Tempe. Then Katy disappears. Tempe's Canadian boyfriend, now a P.I. returns from working a case to help solve the mystery. It is a miracle that Tempe remains alive, constantly running headfirst into trouble in every book without any common sense nor back up. :-)
July 5, 2022
This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
This was great! The book grabbed my attention right away and as each new body (or body part) was discovered my interest only grew. There were plenty of things happening at any given time in the story that kept me glued to the pages. I tend to like mysteries that get into the science of solving a case and while these books don’t dig too deep I do like the part that forensic anthropology plays in the story. This book was definitely worth picking up.
When a human eyeball is delivered to Tempe’s home at the start of the book, I knew that this was going to be an interesting case. As new cases pop up, Tempe senses a connection and it turns out that there have been several recent cases resembling ones she has worked on in the past. As the cases pile up, they are getting closer to Tempe and it appears to be personal. The fact that Tempe can’t get a hold of her daughter, Katy, who seems to be going through a rough patch only adds more stress to the situation.
I must admit that I figured out who the culprit was long before Tempe or Detective Slidell did but that didn’t lessen my enjoyment of the story. I was rather worried about Katy and thought that it was quite possible that Tempe would get herself in a dangerous situation before everything was solved. I was glad to see that Ryan played a role in the story even though I would have liked to see him make an appearance a bit sooner.
I thought that this was a very entertaining read. The Tempe in these books is very different than the character in the television show. This is the 21st book in the Temperance Brennan series but I think that it could work as a stand-alone for readers new to the series. I definitely plan to read more of Kathy Reich's work in the future.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Scribner via NetGalley.
Initial Thoughts
This was great! The book grabbed my attention right away and as each new body (or body part) was discovered my interest only grew. I was worried about Tempe's daughter, Katy. The fact that the cases that Tempe and Slidell are investigating looked like others they have worked on in the past was also concerning. I did figure out who was responsible for everything before the big reveal but that did not lessen my enjoyment.
This was great! The book grabbed my attention right away and as each new body (or body part) was discovered my interest only grew. There were plenty of things happening at any given time in the story that kept me glued to the pages. I tend to like mysteries that get into the science of solving a case and while these books don’t dig too deep I do like the part that forensic anthropology plays in the story. This book was definitely worth picking up.
When a human eyeball is delivered to Tempe’s home at the start of the book, I knew that this was going to be an interesting case. As new cases pop up, Tempe senses a connection and it turns out that there have been several recent cases resembling ones she has worked on in the past. As the cases pile up, they are getting closer to Tempe and it appears to be personal. The fact that Tempe can’t get a hold of her daughter, Katy, who seems to be going through a rough patch only adds more stress to the situation.
I must admit that I figured out who the culprit was long before Tempe or Detective Slidell did but that didn’t lessen my enjoyment of the story. I was rather worried about Katy and thought that it was quite possible that Tempe would get herself in a dangerous situation before everything was solved. I was glad to see that Ryan played a role in the story even though I would have liked to see him make an appearance a bit sooner.
I thought that this was a very entertaining read. The Tempe in these books is very different than the character in the television show. This is the 21st book in the Temperance Brennan series but I think that it could work as a stand-alone for readers new to the series. I definitely plan to read more of Kathy Reich's work in the future.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Scribner via NetGalley.
Initial Thoughts
This was great! The book grabbed my attention right away and as each new body (or body part) was discovered my interest only grew. I was worried about Tempe's daughter, Katy. The fact that the cases that Tempe and Slidell are investigating looked like others they have worked on in the past was also concerning. I did figure out who was responsible for everything before the big reveal but that did not lessen my enjoyment.
September 7, 2022
I won this book in a contest from a blog.
Temperance's daughter is back from the armed forces, possibly suffering from PTSD. She receives a box with a human eyeball inside.
She spends most of the book complaining about every character in it, and even some characters not in the book.
Finally, we get to the solution we all saw coming in the first chapter.
Hits all the PC buttons. If that's your bag, this is for you.
Temperance's daughter is back from the armed forces, possibly suffering from PTSD. She receives a box with a human eyeball inside.
She spends most of the book complaining about every character in it, and even some characters not in the book.
Finally, we get to the solution we all saw coming in the first chapter.
Hits all the PC buttons. If that's your bag, this is for you.
September 3, 2022
Dr. Temperance Brennan has a couple of strange cases on her plate which suddenly triggers memories of similar cases throughout her career. The cases happened years apart and are very different.
With the help of retired detective Slidell, now a volunteer with the cold case unit, Temp and Slidell find more and more this is looking like a copy-cat at work, but why after all these years? Who would go to this much trouble to get at Dr. Brennan?
Her daughter, Katy, is just out of the army and acting up-tight. Temp is thinking PTSD, and then Katy disappears.
This was fast paced and dialogue driven, an easy and enjoyable read.
With the help of retired detective Slidell, now a volunteer with the cold case unit, Temp and Slidell find more and more this is looking like a copy-cat at work, but why after all these years? Who would go to this much trouble to get at Dr. Brennan?
Her daughter, Katy, is just out of the army and acting up-tight. Temp is thinking PTSD, and then Katy disappears.
This was fast paced and dialogue driven, an easy and enjoyable read.
June 25, 2022
My thanks to Scribner and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of Cold, Cold Bones.
Welcome to North Carolina during a blizzard! In Cold, Cold Bones, Tempe becomes involved with a series of murders - each one mimicking a homicide that a younger Tempe had been called in to analyze. Who or what is targeting her, and WHY??
It's been a while since I've read a book from the Temperance Brennan series and I still love Tempe's sarcasm. I also thought it hilarious that Slidell would just hang up on Tempe when he'd had his fill of her going on and on about something! For the rest of us, though, it's always interesting following Tempe's thought processes. The start of the book was a bit slow, although it didn't take long for the pace to speed up. I believe most readers will identify the culprit fairly easily but the why will remain a mystery until the end of the book.
I've read many of the books in this series, although I think my last one was in 2017. There were things I didn't remember, such as all of the meticulous medical details - plus the cliffhanger chapter endings annoyed me.
A couple of newer complaints in this book: I disliked how Tempe's daughter spoke as though she were still in the military. (Maybe people do that when their term of service first ends and I'm just unaware of it?) Also, a new detective, who was from California, spoke using mostly abbreviations and acronyms. It was odd. Many things can be blamed on being from California, but not that one!
Bottom line: I found Cold, Cold Bones to be filled with many interesting twists and turns and I liked revisiting some of Tempe's cold cases. I feel this book can be read as a stand-alone and I recommend it to people who have enjoyed the Body Farm Series by Jefferson Bass.
#ColdColdBones #NetGalley
Welcome to North Carolina during a blizzard! In Cold, Cold Bones, Tempe becomes involved with a series of murders - each one mimicking a homicide that a younger Tempe had been called in to analyze. Who or what is targeting her, and WHY??
It's been a while since I've read a book from the Temperance Brennan series and I still love Tempe's sarcasm. I also thought it hilarious that Slidell would just hang up on Tempe when he'd had his fill of her going on and on about something! For the rest of us, though, it's always interesting following Tempe's thought processes. The start of the book was a bit slow, although it didn't take long for the pace to speed up. I believe most readers will identify the culprit fairly easily but the why will remain a mystery until the end of the book.
I've read many of the books in this series, although I think my last one was in 2017. There were things I didn't remember, such as all of the meticulous medical details - plus the cliffhanger chapter endings annoyed me.
A couple of newer complaints in this book: I disliked how Tempe's daughter spoke as though she were still in the military. (Maybe people do that when their term of service first ends and I'm just unaware of it?) Also, a new detective, who was from California, spoke using mostly abbreviations and acronyms. It was odd. Many things can be blamed on being from California, but not that one!
Bottom line: I found Cold, Cold Bones to be filled with many interesting twists and turns and I liked revisiting some of Tempe's cold cases. I feel this book can be read as a stand-alone and I recommend it to people who have enjoyed the Body Farm Series by Jefferson Bass.
#ColdColdBones #NetGalley
July 6, 2022
It is wonderful to be in Charlotte, North Carolina, with Temperance Brennan. I think my biggest problem with Cold Cold Bones is that I kept thinking about the TV show and comparing it to the book.
In case you haven’t met Temperance Brennan before, she is a forensic anthropologist, consulting with medical examiners and coroners on difficult cases, determining the cause of death. Her significant other, Andrew Ryan, is a retired Quebec homicide police officer, now trained as a private investigator. Tempe’s daughter is back from a tour in Afghanistan and moving into a new home.
I am not very excited. Granted, Cold Cold Bones comes across as a police procedural with a bit of danger, but when Tempe went to the steel plant…well, I was disappointed. Enough said. You want to know why I felt that? Read it yourself.
Compared to some of Kathy Reich’s novels, I am a bit disappointed. I will tell you I have missed some of the books in the series, so maybe it affected me while reading Cold Cold Bones. And…after watching so many of the TV shows, well, that presents its own problems, comparing everything.
No matter that Cold Cold Bones was not one of my favorite novels by Kathy Reichs, It won’t stop me from reading more of her work.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of Cold Cold Bones by Kathy Reichs.
In case you haven’t met Temperance Brennan before, she is a forensic anthropologist, consulting with medical examiners and coroners on difficult cases, determining the cause of death. Her significant other, Andrew Ryan, is a retired Quebec homicide police officer, now trained as a private investigator. Tempe’s daughter is back from a tour in Afghanistan and moving into a new home.
I am not very excited. Granted, Cold Cold Bones comes across as a police procedural with a bit of danger, but when Tempe went to the steel plant…well, I was disappointed. Enough said. You want to know why I felt that? Read it yourself.
Compared to some of Kathy Reich’s novels, I am a bit disappointed. I will tell you I have missed some of the books in the series, so maybe it affected me while reading Cold Cold Bones. And…after watching so many of the TV shows, well, that presents its own problems, comparing everything.
No matter that Cold Cold Bones was not one of my favorite novels by Kathy Reichs, It won’t stop me from reading more of her work.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of Cold Cold Bones by Kathy Reichs.
September 19, 2022
On one hand, I struggle to understand how a character that is so good at her job and is well respected in her field can be such an idiot. “Did he really think I would put myself or a victim in harm’s way?” SHE DOES IT EVERY.SINGLE.BOOK.
On the other, if I’m being honest, a lot of her negative characteristics - the immaturity, the pettiness, the selective self-righteousness, the judgmental behavior of people’s looks and habits - we all do it.
But, man, she took the cake in this book. I feel like all the forward momentum past her dithering about living with Ryan is set back by her bitchiness in regards to everyone else. How they look, how they dress, how they smell, what they eat. It was endless. There was a shitty snarky comment about everyone.
The bright light to off setting this was Skinny. Every time he cut her off, asked her “what part of no do you not understand”, hung up on her - cracked me up. They are very good foils for one another.
The case? Eh. These books and the Scarpetta books are ridiculous with the amount of books spent on personal vendettas. Everything always happens to THEM. It’s always some bitter crazed person from yonder yore or the killers always come after them. That gets really old, it’s not believable book after book after book and I find it super lazy writing. The ending of this made me sigh and fast forward.
There was a better plot here that she handled with varying degrees of crap. The attitude displayed by Tempe when she thinks her daughter may have PTSD kind of pissed me off. I found it very badly handled, the writing. PTSD in Vets is a serious subject. 22 or more suicides a day in Vets makes this a topic that needed more than “I haven’t seen my daughter in two weeks and she is displaying alarming signs of PTSD. I’ll text!” DO BETTER.
On the other, if I’m being honest, a lot of her negative characteristics - the immaturity, the pettiness, the selective self-righteousness, the judgmental behavior of people’s looks and habits - we all do it.
But, man, she took the cake in this book. I feel like all the forward momentum past her dithering about living with Ryan is set back by her bitchiness in regards to everyone else. How they look, how they dress, how they smell, what they eat. It was endless. There was a shitty snarky comment about everyone.
The bright light to off setting this was Skinny. Every time he cut her off, asked her “what part of no do you not understand”, hung up on her - cracked me up. They are very good foils for one another.
The case? Eh. These books and the Scarpetta books are ridiculous with the amount of books spent on personal vendettas. Everything always happens to THEM. It’s always some bitter crazed person from yonder yore or the killers always come after them. That gets really old, it’s not believable book after book after book and I find it super lazy writing. The ending of this made me sigh and fast forward.
There was a better plot here that she handled with varying degrees of crap. The attitude displayed by Tempe when she thinks her daughter may have PTSD kind of pissed me off. I found it very badly handled, the writing. PTSD in Vets is a serious subject. 22 or more suicides a day in Vets makes this a topic that needed more than “I haven’t seen my daughter in two weeks and she is displaying alarming signs of PTSD. I’ll text!” DO BETTER.
April 18, 2022
I really enjoyed this latest entry in the series!
Tempe is awesome (as usual) and the series of crimes presented here is incredibly intriguing. I definitely wanted to know what was going on.
A couple of the relationships fell flat for me in this one. While I understood Tempe’s people had some other things going on, it was really weird for me how no one was exactly pressed that their loved one has a FREAKING EYEBALL on their front porch. I mean, it was treated as a mild curiosity at best. Me (and I don’t care what my job is), someone puts an eyeball in a box and leaves it on my porch, I’m expecting my loved ones to be more than mildly concerned.
I also have to say that it was soooooo very obvious who the responsible party was here. I was just really in it for the why of it all.
My nitpicks aside, I definitely enjoyed the read. It was fast-paced, suspenseful and I’m looking forward to the next book!
• ARC via Publisher
Tempe is awesome (as usual) and the series of crimes presented here is incredibly intriguing. I definitely wanted to know what was going on.
A couple of the relationships fell flat for me in this one. While I understood Tempe’s people had some other things going on, it was really weird for me how no one was exactly pressed that their loved one has a FREAKING EYEBALL on their front porch. I mean, it was treated as a mild curiosity at best. Me (and I don’t care what my job is), someone puts an eyeball in a box and leaves it on my porch, I’m expecting my loved ones to be more than mildly concerned.
I also have to say that it was soooooo very obvious who the responsible party was here. I was just really in it for the why of it all.
My nitpicks aside, I definitely enjoyed the read. It was fast-paced, suspenseful and I’m looking forward to the next book!
• ARC via Publisher
June 21, 2022
4,5 stars - Dutch paperback
Winter has come to North Carolina and, with it, a drop in crime. Freed from a heavy work schedule, Tempe Brennan is content to dote on her daughter Katy, finally returned to civilian life from the army. But when mother and daughter meet at Tempe’s place one night, they find a box on the back porch. Inside: a very fresh human eyeball.
GPS coordinates etched into the eyeball lead to a Benedictine monastery where an equally macabre discovery awaits. Soon after, Tempe examines a mummified corpse in a state park, and her anxiety deepens.
There seems to be no pattern to the subsequent killings uncovered, except that each mimics in some way a homicide that a younger Tempe had been called in to analyze. Who or what is targeting her, and why?
Helping Tempe search for answers is detective Erskine “Skinny” Slidell, retired but still volunteering with the CMPD cold case unit—and still displaying his gallows humor. Also pulled into the mystery: Andrew Ryan, Tempe’s Montreal-based beau, now working as a private detective.
Could this elaborately staged skein of mayhem be the prelude to a twist that is even more shocking? Tempe is at a loss to establish the motive for what is going on…and then her daughter disappears.
This book is a brilliant. A ground-breaking series about Temperance.
The story has all the elements I come to expecit’s, smart, gripping, and builds to a heart-stopping crescendo. my heart realy dropped sometimes.
More than twenty years ago, these wonderful novels began paving the way for other writers. I owe Kathy and Tempe a thanks for all hours of drath and pleasure.
Winter has come to North Carolina and, with it, a drop in crime. Freed from a heavy work schedule, Tempe Brennan is content to dote on her daughter Katy, finally returned to civilian life from the army. But when mother and daughter meet at Tempe’s place one night, they find a box on the back porch. Inside: a very fresh human eyeball.
GPS coordinates etched into the eyeball lead to a Benedictine monastery where an equally macabre discovery awaits. Soon after, Tempe examines a mummified corpse in a state park, and her anxiety deepens.
There seems to be no pattern to the subsequent killings uncovered, except that each mimics in some way a homicide that a younger Tempe had been called in to analyze. Who or what is targeting her, and why?
Helping Tempe search for answers is detective Erskine “Skinny” Slidell, retired but still volunteering with the CMPD cold case unit—and still displaying his gallows humor. Also pulled into the mystery: Andrew Ryan, Tempe’s Montreal-based beau, now working as a private detective.
Could this elaborately staged skein of mayhem be the prelude to a twist that is even more shocking? Tempe is at a loss to establish the motive for what is going on…and then her daughter disappears.
This book is a brilliant. A ground-breaking series about Temperance.
The story has all the elements I come to expecit’s, smart, gripping, and builds to a heart-stopping crescendo. my heart realy dropped sometimes.
More than twenty years ago, these wonderful novels began paving the way for other writers. I owe Kathy and Tempe a thanks for all hours of drath and pleasure.
April 18, 2023
Seemingly random incidents and crimes -- forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan finds herself deep in it from eyeballs to mummified corpse to carbon monoxide poisoning.
Winter brings snow to North Carolina when Tempe's daughter, Katy, finally leaves the Army and returns home. Ryan is out of the country and Slidell is still working with the CMPD cold case unit. After a chilling discovery on her front porch, Tempe notices that clues lead to another very odd find in the privy at a private school. It's not until a few other weird occurrences that Tempe starts to see that each of the cases is similar to ones she has been involved with in the past. It seems that someone is going through a lot of effort to get her attention.
This, the 21st installment in a very popular and entertaining series, wasn't the most fascinating of all, but I like the characters, their interactions, and the snarky humor in the story. The plot can best be described as a revenge story, and there are a lot of suspects to track and details to follow. I'm a fan of both crime and medical thrillers, so these books always hit the sweet spot. Pretty sure most readers also have followed the hit show, "Bones" which is based and adapted from the novels. I feel that it is best to read from the beginning as this doesn't seem like it would work very well as a start point or standalone.
Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend.
Winter brings snow to North Carolina when Tempe's daughter, Katy, finally leaves the Army and returns home. Ryan is out of the country and Slidell is still working with the CMPD cold case unit. After a chilling discovery on her front porch, Tempe notices that clues lead to another very odd find in the privy at a private school. It's not until a few other weird occurrences that Tempe starts to see that each of the cases is similar to ones she has been involved with in the past. It seems that someone is going through a lot of effort to get her attention.
This, the 21st installment in a very popular and entertaining series, wasn't the most fascinating of all, but I like the characters, their interactions, and the snarky humor in the story. The plot can best be described as a revenge story, and there are a lot of suspects to track and details to follow. I'm a fan of both crime and medical thrillers, so these books always hit the sweet spot. Pretty sure most readers also have followed the hit show, "Bones" which is based and adapted from the novels. I feel that it is best to read from the beginning as this doesn't seem like it would work very well as a start point or standalone.
Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend.
July 11, 2022
If my eyes hadn't failed me, I would have finished this in a day. This plot was intense. The characters, constant movement, the plot just had me obsessed.
Tempe receives a strange delivery - an eyeball, wrapped nicely in a box, left on her back deck.
The body is discovered the following day - in a school's abandoned outhouse.
With the help of Skinny and some contacts, Tempe realizes the killer is copying her old cases.
Meanwhile, Katy hasn't responded or texted in days. Tempe tries to keep it together while the bodies pile up and her fear for Katy heightens.
Highly recommend.
Tempe receives a strange delivery - an eyeball, wrapped nicely in a box, left on her back deck.
The body is discovered the following day - in a school's abandoned outhouse.
With the help of Skinny and some contacts, Tempe realizes the killer is copying her old cases.
Meanwhile, Katy hasn't responded or texted in days. Tempe tries to keep it together while the bodies pile up and her fear for Katy heightens.
Highly recommend.
December 12, 2025
It was good enough that I finished reading it. It was bad enough that I won't read another one by Reichs.
The BONES TV series is much better.
The BONES TV series is much better.
April 24, 2022
352 pages
4 stars
Katy is finally home for good. She was honorably discharged from the military and Tempe is delighted that she chose to return to Charlotte to live. Their reunion is interrupted when Tempe receives an anonymous package on her porch. It contains a human eyeball.
Forensic anthropologist Temperance “Tempe” Brennan becomes the target of a deranged killer. The murderer is copying some of her old cases. She teams up with “Skinny” Slidell who has recently retired from the Charlotte Police Department and is now volunteering with the Cold Cases Unit. As any of her fans know, she is not very good at following orders.
Skinny seems to be undergoing a metamorphosis. He is still short tempered and cranky, but is more - dare I say - caring than in earlier books. I was very surprised at the departmental cooperation he was still able to command with him being retired.
I was also surprised that when Katy went missing, Tempe didn’t file a missing persons report. She was frantic about the whereabouts of her daughter, so why not get the police on it? She was suffering from PTSD from her time overseas in the military. Isn’t that a good enough reason to ask for help?
Tempe just didn’t act like herself. She was more short-tempered and bouncing off walls. Maybe too many whacks on the head? She got it twice in this novel. Maybe she’s beginning to suffer from too many concussions?
I was a little disappointed that Ryan made his entrance so late in the book. I like to see more of him.
While the book was finely written and plotted as are all of Ms. Reich’s novels, it just wasn’t up to her usual standards. I enjoyed the book and admired once again Ms. Reich’s skill at crafting a story.
I want to thank NetGalley and Scribner for forwarding to me a copy of this good book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed here are solely my own.
4 stars
Katy is finally home for good. She was honorably discharged from the military and Tempe is delighted that she chose to return to Charlotte to live. Their reunion is interrupted when Tempe receives an anonymous package on her porch. It contains a human eyeball.
Forensic anthropologist Temperance “Tempe” Brennan becomes the target of a deranged killer. The murderer is copying some of her old cases. She teams up with “Skinny” Slidell who has recently retired from the Charlotte Police Department and is now volunteering with the Cold Cases Unit. As any of her fans know, she is not very good at following orders.
Skinny seems to be undergoing a metamorphosis. He is still short tempered and cranky, but is more - dare I say - caring than in earlier books. I was very surprised at the departmental cooperation he was still able to command with him being retired.
I was also surprised that when Katy went missing, Tempe didn’t file a missing persons report. She was frantic about the whereabouts of her daughter, so why not get the police on it? She was suffering from PTSD from her time overseas in the military. Isn’t that a good enough reason to ask for help?
Tempe just didn’t act like herself. She was more short-tempered and bouncing off walls. Maybe too many whacks on the head? She got it twice in this novel. Maybe she’s beginning to suffer from too many concussions?
I was a little disappointed that Ryan made his entrance so late in the book. I like to see more of him.
While the book was finely written and plotted as are all of Ms. Reich’s novels, it just wasn’t up to her usual standards. I enjoyed the book and admired once again Ms. Reich’s skill at crafting a story.
I want to thank NetGalley and Scribner for forwarding to me a copy of this good book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed here are solely my own.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,343 reviews