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Bones to Ashes

Author: Kathy Reichs
Publisher: William Heinemann Ltd
Category: Book

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Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

12 reviews
Sales Rank: 4559

Media: Hardcover
Pages: 320
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.4
Dimensions (in): 9.2 x 5.7 x 1.4

ISBN: 0434014621
EAN: 9780434014620
ASIN: 0434014621

Publication Date: August 30, 2007
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days

Customer Reviews:

Showing reviews 6-10 of 12

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A great whodunnit... again!, November 27, 2007
23 out of 24 found this review helpful

After the previous two books of the Temperance Brennan series ("Break No Bones" and "Cross Bones"), I was starting to despair that the series had gone into an irrevocable nosedive. But "Bones to Ashes" brings back a slightly tauter writing style and some serious whodunnit puzzles. There's also a lot of what I call "whatdunnit"; that is, sometimes the reader doesn't even know what has happened for sure, which only deepens the mystery.

My only beef with the current book is the character of Harry, Tempe's younger sister. She is one of the most irritating, annoying, and unbelievable characters to ever appear in mystery fiction, and her presence in the story is very distracting. Don't kill her off, please, Ms. Reichs -- that would give Tempe even more angst -- but please leave her at home. I would also recommend "The Fates" by Tino Georgiou. I just finished it and can't stop talking about it> Must read.

3 out of 5 stars

Uninspiring! November 20, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

Read some other books by this author -pretty much now got a standard formulaic approach. OK storyline but you can work out the end really easily -no real deep thought but if you enjoy a easy straight forward plot with fairly shallow character then this will be for you -its not a bad book but hardly inspiring!

2 out of 5 stars

Disappointing November 12, 2007
1 out of 2 found this review helpful

I've been a Reichs fan for years, but I gave up on last year's offering, and am sorry to say I've given up on this one after 150 pages. The endless and highly detailed medical descriptions totally dominate, with the result that the story gets completely lost. Every discovery of bones...and there are plenty...leads to page upon page of anthropological commentary in infinite detail, so that one can soon forget which bones belong to who...and why we're bothering anyway! The Tempe Brennan books seem to have evolved into simply a vehicle for Reichs to air her comprehensive medical knowledge, and it's the end of the Brennan road for me.

5 out of 5 stars

Didn't want it to end November 3, 2007
4 out of 6 found this review helpful

I'm a fan of Kathy Reichs and love the Tempe Brennan character anyway, but this book, for me, was unputdownable. An unusual twist to see into the childhood of Tempe for a change and nice to see her ditzy younger sister Harry pop up again even though at times you seriously fear for her safety.

The on - off relationship with Detective Andrew Ryan is played out once more when the investigations and their shared foul mouthed cockatiel bring them together one more time. Is there to be a happy ending for this pair of star crossed lovers.......? I shan't tell or you may not want to read the book!

Sadly the book ended w-a-y too soon for me. Could have easily held my interest and curiosity for several more chapters. Can't wait for the next one!

4 out of 5 stars

"LINGUISTIC FINGERPRINTS DON'T LIE" September 23, 2007
10 out of 15 found this review helpful

It's interesting how memories of our childhoods can sometimes remain with us throughout our lives or suddenly return to us as vividly as yesterday's events. Recollections may gladden or sadden. For forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan memories of summer days spent with her best friend, Evangeline Landry, confounded and distressed.

Some 30 years ago when Tempe was eight she met Evangeline and thought her to be "the smartest and most exotic being I would ever know. She was beautiful in a dark gypsy way, spoke a foreign language, knew songs and poems I never heard. But, even then, despite the sharing of secrets, I sensed a reserve in my new friend, a mystery."

Nonetheless, those summers spent together were halcyon days as Evangeline introduced Tempe to poetry, told her about Acadian history, and of a longing to be a poet. Tempe dreamed of becoming a veterinarian so together they kept notebooks, recording the wild life they encountered. Then, quite suddenly, it all ended. That was the day they had planned to go crabbing but Evangeline along with her mother and sister had disappeared. When Tempe went to her house she was told to go away and not return, plus given an ominous warning - they were dangerous.

Of course, Tempe wrote numerous letters and searched but all to no avail. Now, three decades later she is confronted with the skeleton of an adolescent girl found in Acadia. She cannot help but wonder if these are the remains of her friend.

Tempe's partner and on-again, off-again lover Detective Lieutenant Andrew Ryan is working on cold cases all involving missing teenage girls. Is there any connection between the Acadian skeleton and the missing girls?

Eventually, Tempe is able to trace Evangeline's sister, Obeline, who claimed that Evangeline had been murdered long ago. However, linguistic fingerprints don't lie.

With unflagging attention to detail and punchy dialogue Reichs has penned the tenth in her Temperance Brennan series - may there be as many more.

- Gail Cooke