Temperance is once again investigating a body though this time in a more unofficial capacity. Whilst also dealing with her own health concerns. Can she and Slidell figure out what is going on and just how far or how dark this may get. 

I'm a huge Kathy Reichs fan so was really looking forward to reading this. It was a good read but a slower one than some of her others. I must admit I prefer others more but this was still a good read. The plot is slow and steady but builds to a dramatic and dark climax. I love the little moments between Ryan and Temperance too. I wanted more but this fits with the relationship they have always had and it works. These are always well written and so detailed. I always enjoy the descriptive details of how her mind works and the aneurysm was sensitively handled as well. Another good read in the series and I hope for more.

This is #19 in the Temperance Brennan series, it can be read as a stand-alone but I would say you should also read more in this excellent series.

Tempe is recovering from surgery for an aneurysm, she has headaches, nightmares and hallucinations. 

When she is sent anonymous pictures, to her phone, of a maimed corpse, predated by feral pigs (I’ll just leave that image with you for a minute), Tempe needs to know who the victim is, who sent the pictures and why.

As Temperance is persona non grata with her new ‘boss’, she decides to do her own investigation, taking samples and detail as of the body without the relevant authority. With the help of the brusque Slidell they begin the investigation. What they find is horrific, but I won’t say much more of the plot for fear of spoiling it.

I am a fan of Kathy Reichs’ books and this is a favourite. Tempe is a bit vulnerable, doubting herself and struggling to know what is real at times. But her determination and incredible knowledge it put to work to find the truth. She will not give in.

A masterpiece of plotting, the twists and revelations make this a must read thriller. I loved every dark minute.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to Read this for free. This is my honest, unbiased review.

Another belting read from Kathy Reichs. and a great installment in the Tempe Brennan series. The story is complex and tense and not for the faint-hearted. Recommended reading.

Always a massive Kathy Reichs fan, this new books didn’t disappoint me at all. 

Tempe is back after surgery on her aneurism. She is working on a case with a faceless body, and they have her cell phone number! Soon she gets messages with more pieces of the puzzle to name the victim! 

Another brilliant read! Never lets us down.

A Conspiracy of Bones is the nineteenth instalment in the forensic anthropologist Doctor Temperance Brennan series, set in Charlotte, North Carolina, yet despite so many books, it doesn't show any signs of losing steam or petering out as of now. It also isn't necessary to have read any of the previous instalments in order to enjoy this one as plenty of background is provided. When Tempe is sent a number of anonymous text messages with photographs of a badly mutilated corpse attached to them she becomes hellbent on discovering the identity of both the victim and the killer and save what remains of her work life in the process. What piqued her interest the most was that all the usual identifying features have been removed to hamper identification; the face and hands are gone. Of course, the new boss wouldn't be on board with her investigating this as she has been sidelined so she must work off the books in secret. Luckily, she can rely on her supportive colleagues to help her out.

This is a captivating read that has you hooked from the very beginning and keeps you flipping the pages furiously. There are many interesting reveals throughout, plenty of exciting action and developments, and as someone who often subscribes to conspiracy theories, I found this aspect of the story fascinating. Tempe is a great character and protagonist and I really feel for her as she is struggling with both her health and work life. Kathy Reichs is actually a forensic anthropologist herself and uses her extensive knowledge to inform the plot and make it as authentic and true to life as possible; it sets this series apart from the rest of the genre and makes for riveting reading. The cast of characters is so beautifully developed and you really care about them but especially the intriguing Tempe and the mounting friction between her and new boss Margo ’Dr Morgue’ Heavner which adds an extra level of tension to the narrative. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Simon & Schuster for an ARC.

This, the 19th Tempe Brennan offering from Kathy Reichs is different from what we have come to expect. That’s not to say worse or better, just different. The acerbic wit in the form of character descriptors is there in abundance, as is the first class writing, plot and character development. Not to mention the forensic detail, every one of the 19 are all about the detail.

The difference comes through in Tempe’s character herself, her two main  ‘givens’ are removed, (her mind and her job) a bit like the old saying ‘pulling the rug out from underneath someone’s feet’. So, we find Temp still reeling from the death of her boss and friend of many years and working with a new Chief Medical Examiner, Dr Margot Heavner  (Dr Morgue), however the two have ‘previous’ and working together quickly becomes untenable. (There goes the job). Alongside this Tempe is recovering from brain surgery and is still suffering with debilitating migraines, which could also be resulting in delusions. So, what is real and what is not, yep, there goes the steel trap mind that we have come to count-on. And that doesn’t even touch on the plot, suffice it to say, there is a faceless corpse (part eaten by feral hogs no less) and a dark web rabbit hole leading to child disappearances, underground bunkers and conspiracy theories. All of which Tempe Brennan picks her way through with Slidell (Skinny) by her side.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I liked that Kathy Reichs has shaken things up a bit, I am hoping we will see more of Andrew Ryan in the next instalment- he has taken a bit of a backseat in the last couple of books as Tempe re-evaluates, and I for one miss their tag team efforts.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Kathy Reichs is one of my favourite authors. I've read all of her Temperance Brennan books, so I was thrilled to get my hands on an early copy of the latest one in the series, A Conspiracy of Bones.

As the title suggests, this story is all about conspiracy theories! Temperance's old boss and mentor has recently died and she doesn't get on with his replacement, Margot. After a very public falling-out, Tempe finds herself sidelined but can't resist doing an investigation of her own when she disagrees with the findings of Margot's latest case - a faceless corpse found in the woods. Tempe is convinced that the victim was a believer in conspiracy theories, but who is he really? And which was the theory that got him killed? 

Tempe has recently recovered from an aneurysm and is suffering from blackouts and migraines, which adds to the eerie tension - including a super-spooky bit where she may or may not have been abducted. Tempe is helped by former detective Erskine 'Skinny' Slidell, now working as a private investigator, "a combination of bluster and paunch and bad polyester". I loved his sarcastic comebacks when Tempe tries to tell him how to do his job.

The only thing that stopped this book getting a five-star rating was that sometimes I found it hard to get my head around all the different conspiracy theories. There were a lot of explanations when I'd rather Tempe had been out there chasing down bad guys. I did enjoy the author's notes at the end of the novel, explaining how she had been inspired to write this story.

Tempe fans will love A Conspiracy of Bones but if you've not read the series before, you'll find it makes more sense if you've read some of the author's earlier books. If you are familiar with this series, make sure you read the novella First Bones from her anthology The Bone Collection or, like me, you'll spend the first few chapters wondering when and how her boss died! 


Thank you to Kathy Reichs and Simon and Schuster UK for my copy of this book, which I requested from NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

My thanks to Simon & Schuster U.K. for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘A Conspiracy of Bones’ by Kathy Reichs in exchange for an honest review.

This is the 19th in Reichs’ highly regarded crime series featuring forensic anthropologist Temperance (Tempe) Brennan. I have read all of the previous books in the series, apart from No 18. That was published in 2015 so there’s been a bit of a wait for fans of the series. As with most long running series enough background is provided to allow them to be read on their own.

In this novel Brennan is faced with the appointment of a new ME in her North Carolina district, one who has a grudge against her and so is freezing her out of investigations. The case in the spotlight is a faceless corpse, partially eaten by feral pigs and with no identification. Even though not officially consulting on the case, Tempe still uses her skills to uncover his identity, his connection to an unsolved missing child case, and why the dead man had her phone number. 

She is assisted in this task by her long time associate, Erskine ‘Skinny’ Slidell, who has recently retired from his role as a homicide detective to work as a PI. Add to this Tempe has had a recent health scare and a change in her living circumstances. Her lovely cat, Bird, is still doing delightful feline cameos. 

Kathy Reichs is herself a forensic anthropologist and always weaves in aspects of real life cases into her plots. She also ensures that they are accurate in terms of the forensic details. In addition, Reichs also has suffered the same life-changing medical issue as her fictional counterpart and so writes about it in a very immediate fashion.

So an intelligent, intricately plotted novel with a brilliant, very relatable lead character.  It’s wonderful to have Tempe Brennan back.

Certainly I recommend both this novel and the series as a whole.

Another crime author I used to love but am struggling with at the minute. Tempe is on the outs with her boss and recovering from an aneurysm. After receiving a mysterious text of photos of a decomposing body she sets about trying to find out who it is and how he links to her. 

It started off very slow to me although I did eventually get into it and didn't hate it. There's a lot going on and I found it hard to keep up. I did like that even Tempe is wondering if she's unreliable with the crime as she struggles to work out what is going on. Thumbs in the middle this time.

Kathy Reichs returns with another mystery for Temperance Brennan to investigate. Still recovering after the tragic murder of her boss, and her own surgery following the discovery of a brain aneurism, Tempe received a series of text messages containing photographs of a faceless corpse. The new boss, Dr Margot Heavner, has a serious grudge against her and refuses to give Tempe access to the investigation.
So Tempe must carry out her own off the books investigation, especially when she discovers Heavner is making mistakes with the corpse. Partnering up with Skinny Slidell, ex cop working with police on cold cases, friend, and fierce protector of Tempe, she wonders why the corpse had her phone number on him, whether he is connected to a cold case of a child disappearance, how the dark web factors on the investigation, why there is a real estate demand for former underground military installations, and whether her headaches are giving her hallucinations or worse.
I have read each Brennan book at least twice and feel familiar with Temperance Brennan, her beau Ryan, and Skinny Slidell. A Conspiracy Of Bones is possibly Kathy Reichs' best book and I look forward to reading it again.

This book has been a long time coming and I really enjoyed it. 
Reading about Temperance Brennan is like catching up with an old friend and I was glad to see her cat Birdie is still around too. 
Recovering at home from surgery for an aneurysm, Temperance is suffering from migraines and just can’t sleep. 
One night she looks out of the window and catches sight of movement in the trees. She goes to investigate and there’s a man in a trench coat. 
A week later, Temperance receives images of a faceless corpse but has no idea who sent them. 
Her new boss doesn’t want her to be involved in the case so she starts her own investigation with Slidell. 
I missed some of the lab centred scenes but with her new boss not letting her anywhere near it, it couldn’t be helped. 
This is a multi layered investigation and one that had me hooked throughout the book. 
It was great to read a new Temperance Brennan book again after all this time. 
Highly recommended series. 
Thanks to Simon and Schuster UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Tempe Brennan is back and but this time Tempe is on the outside of the investigation.

The case that Tempe is investigating has many different elements and aspects. Which keeps the story interesting and gave elements of danger as Tempe is investigating on her own. There are times when I was annoyed with Tempe and her actions. She is a little reckless, but I kind of understand. When something happens in your life that shakes you to your core you can do some crazy things.

I have watched some programs regarding preppers, meaning when Tempe went down the darknet rabbit hold and found out about missile silos being converted to homes. I could picture it very clearly and it made the story more real as people are converting them as we speak.

Although Slidell helps Tempe with certain aspects of the case she is a lone wolf. It's a shame we don't have more Ryan as I do enjoy the banter.

One of the reasons I enjoy this series is that we have the science that backs up the investigation. But it is written in a way that is understandable and interesting, without making you feel stupid. I also like that Tempe gets technological support from her octogenarian mother.

My Rating for A Conspiracy of Bones is 4 out of 5.



Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster UK for supplying me an E-ARC of A Conspiracy of Bones for a fair and honest review.

Having read previous outings involving Temperance Brennan, although not for some time, I was keen to dip back in to find out what was going on with her but, and I am really sorry to say this, this one just didn't grab me like they usually do and I found myself jumping in and out rather than being captivated and enthralled.  If I'm honest, I think this is my fault ... I should have kept up with the series as I believe I have missed out on an awful lot.

I found the story really hard to get into with quite a bit of inner dialogue which was a little tedious.  It did pick up the more I read but just not enough to keep my interest from start to finish.  The characters however are excellent and the bones of the story is there, I just felt the execution wasn't as good as previous books from this author.

I do think that people who have read the entire series will enjoy it more than I did and I would therefore suggest that if you are thinking of starting with this one, don't as it will put you off reading more of this author's work and you will certainly be missing out.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster UK and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review.

A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest. This is not my usual genre therefore am extremely pleased and grateful for opening up my mind to something totally different. 4 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Reichs is back at doing what she does so amazingly well. Crafting a novel that flows along at a breakneck speed. Satisfying and tense you wont want to put it down

I really struggled to get into this book, so it was a DNF. I have never read a book by this author before. I had no idea this was a series and could not be read as a stand alone, this is possibly why it didn’t flow for me. I would try this author again – but perhaps start at the beginning of a series! 

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

Despite my usual plea for people to start from book one and read in order, this is a series where I have gaps. I'm not proud of that but I do have to go to work and have other commitments so even I can't always practice what I preach all the time... That said, I don't think this impeded my enjoyment of this, the 19th book in the Temperance Brennan series.
Brennan is still in the middle of ongoing health issues and also feeling the fallout from the loss of her old boss when she receives a bunch of anonymous text messages containing photos of a corpse which is missing hands and face. Her interest is immediately piqued and she is determined to find out more. In true Marplesque fashion, she inveigles herself onto the investigation, risking the wrath of her new boss who already holds a big grudge, to try and get to the bottom of who the victim is and how and why they died, utilising everything and everybody at her disposal to beat her nemesis to the truth.
Well, this hit the ground running in all its convoluted and interconnected glory! I was literally glued to my kindle throughout, desperate to get to the bottom of what on earth was going on. With not much to go on initially, this wasn't a book that I could try to second guess but the case both interested and intrigued me enough that I was more than happy to just sit back and enjoy the ride that Brennan and the author took me on.
Brennan is a slightly different character in this book as she is cut adrift from work and has to rely on her own wiles more in this book. Not the easiest thing to do given her current personal health worries, so we do see a whole different side of her in this book. She comes across as much more vulnerable but, in her own inimitable fashion, she still has the grit and tenacity that those of us more familiar with her can easily recognise. As she is still well respected outwith her department we do see some great technology used to assist, as well as others helping her along the way.
Plotting is good and well executed, pacing follows the narrative well and there is an underlying feeling of uncertainty that is woven in and around everything that is going on due to Brennan's health. All of which kept me on my toes throughout, but when the whole truth was finally revealed, left me wholly satisfied.
All in all, a good addition to an already well established series. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

With thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC.

Forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan returns in Kathy Reichs latest novel.

Her professional life is heading south and her health is causing her serious worries.
So when a new case presents to her department and she is sidelined, she takes it on herself to nosey around anyway. She quickly realises she is onto something much bigger than what it appears and her boss is not digging nearly enough.

The story is well paced and the characters are rounded and real.

Unfortunately I struggled to feel involved in the story. I'm not sure why. Maybe it was the voice or the writing style. I just felt detached most of the way through.

First book by this author and it didnt grip me. The introduction grabbed me immediately but then lost me by talking about other cases which I thought might get related to the main story but with the different characters, use of Latvian and technology were too constant for me to keep track. Sorry! Thank you netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster UK, Kathy Reichs and NetGalley for my digital review copy - my thoughts are my own.

I first started reading the Temperance Brennan books over 20 years ago. Every summer holiday I would buy a paperback copy, read it and pass it onto my husband to read. However I haven't read the last few novels, so it was good to catch up with the characters.

The majority of the story is set in the USA rather than Montreal. Temperance's daughter is mentioned but doesn't feature in the story. Ryan has a small part to play compared to previous novels. 

In this book, Temperance starts to investigate the death of a person found with no ID and a damaged body. She deals a tangled web of fake identities, conspiracy theories, child disappearances during her investigations.

I enjoyed the book. There are lots of twists and turns, red herrings and intrigue. As usual, Temperance is determined to solve the case without waiting around for help which often leads her into danger.

I enjoyed reading the "From the Forensic Files of Dr Kathy Reichs" at the end of the book - which explained where the ideas for the book came from but also about her own health scares.