Monday, October 14, 2013

Book Review: Bones Of The Lost by Kathy Reichs

Title: Bones Of The Lost [Temperance Brennan # 16]
Author: Kathy Reichs
Publisher: Random House
Pages: 336
Price: Rs 599
Genre: Fiction / Crime / Thriller
Rating: 7/10
Format: Paperback

About the Book [from the blurb]

The body of a teenage girl is discovered along a desolate highway on the outskirts of Charlotte. Inside her purse is the ID card of a local businessman who died in a fire months earlier.

This is no ordinary hit-and-run. Who was the girl? And was she murdered?

Dr Temperance Brennan, Forensic Anthropologist, must find the answers. She soon learns that a Gulf War veteran stands accused of smuggling artefacts into the country. Could there be a sinister connection between the two cases?

Convinced that the girl's death was no accident, Tempe takes courageous action to find justice for the dead. But her search throws her to the centre of a conspiracy that extends from South America to Afghanistan – and places her in terrible danger.

My thoughts:

First few pages were a blur for me, may be because this is my first book featuring Tempe Brennan [this is the 16th in this series, by the way]. But I quickly got the hang of the plot.

Dr Brennan, like the author herself, is a forensic anthropologist. It is intriguing how much she finds out about people only through bones, sometimes badly damaged bones.
Dr Brennan actually finds herself amid three completely unrelated cases [on the face of it]. One is about a hit-and-run victim, a young girl. Since Tempe also has a young daughter, far away from her; this case tugs her emotionally because she wants to find out who the victim is and send her [her body] home to her people. It disturbs her all the time to think that somewhere the girl’s parents would be waiting for her.

Second case is about seized mummified dogs and a possible case of smuggling. The third case takes Dr Tempe Brennan to Afghanistan, where a Marine has been accused with the murder of 2 Afghan nationals. She is supposed to conduct skeletal autopsies of the dead and find out if the victims were shot from behind or from the front.

On personal level, Dr Tempe’s life isn’t really settled. Her only daughter, Katy, is in Afghanistan. Her current boyfriend Ryan is non-existent, while her ex Pete [though officially still her husband] is about to marry a bimbo.

Over all, though the book wasn’t as addictive as several thrillers are, yet it was very, very interesting. Every chapter ends with a compelling sentence that would make you read the next chapter. 

It was only towards the end that I found that the American crime series ‘Bones’ is based on Dr Temperance Brennan series by Kathy Reichs. I certainly look forward to reading more in this series. The only thing I was confused about was that why was Dr Brennan solving the cases. She isn’t a detective; she is an anthropologist. But frankly, if forensics intrigues you, this book [or the series] is for you. This book will also appeal to those who read crime / thriller genre, in general.

Here are a few lines quoted from the book:

"I see violent death on regular basis. I know the cruelty and stupidity and insensitivity of which humans are capable. And yet, every time, the same question.
How?"

"I try to be open-minded, to judge each individual on merit and accomplishment. I hold no bias against any belief system, sexual orientation, or skin color that differs from mine. I do not hate in stereotype."

" Some burials were still mounded, but most slumped. The newly dead, the long departed. All were aligned in rows, as in farmer's field. But bones, not seeds, lay beneath the ground."

Note: You can also read a Free Chapter Here.



Review Book courtesy: Random House India 
Image source: Random House India

2 comments:

  1. Why have I not heard of this series! I am so glad I came across this review. I love a good thriller and can't wait to read this author. I am just finishing up a wonderful book called, " No One Can Know" by author Adrienne LaCava. http://adriennelacava.com/ This is a political fiction thriller set in the backdrop of the 1960s during the JFK assassination, which begins as a CIA agent as a witness who must now go into hiding at the ranch. The family also takes in their pre-teen niece, whom they have never met. Everyone is put to the test as a marksman is sent to the ranch to hunt down the agent. An interesting cast providing various perspectives on 1960’s issues. I am so enthralled with this book. I started it this morning and will finish it sometime tonight.

    ReplyDelete
  2. We are reaching out to you in your capacity as one of India's leading book bloggers. Some of us bloggers have started a Facebook Page to showcase books by Indian authors and to feature all reviews by Indian bloggers. Request you to check out the page and leave links to any of your reviews of the featured books. Also if you want us to feature any books on our page, please let us know and we will do the needful.

    https://www.facebook.com/indianbloggersbooks

    ReplyDelete