Fantastic scientific detail unfolds at a cracking pace plus a dash of romance.
Many readers may know Dr Temperance Brennan from the television series Bones. But, in my view, the pictures are far better in my head when reading the books than they could ever be on TV. Kathy Reichs writes from personal and professional experience being one of only 82 certified forensic anthropologists in the US.
She brilliantly mixes fact and fiction in her characters, events and narratives leaving me on the edge of my seat awaiting the next fascinating and/or horrifying revelation. This 20th book in the series is no exception, with the added spice of Tempe’s relationship with ex-Quebec detective, Andrew Ryan, having progressed to them living together. The banter and quips from Ryan provide light-hearted relief from the absolute horror of what some people are prepared to do to their fellow humans.
The main plot revolves around two bodies washed up on the Carolina shore in a medical waste container. The particular way they were wrapped and bound brings chilling reminders of a cold case from 15 years before in Quebec where two female bodies, identically wrapped and bound, had washed up. Tempe is determined to speak for the dead, especially as one body is that of a child with a cheap ring hidden in her mouth.
Tracking down the killer(s) requires identifying the victims and forensic analysis is to the fore as in all Reichs’ books. In this case, DNA and genetic testing are central, including the latest techniques of genome editing. The depth of scientific information can get a little tedious, especially when Tempe consults other experts, and the range of sub plots is problematic.
Genetics are again the focus with an adopted child from Bulgaria and an elderly woman, one of a set of twins, who wants to solve the mystery of a twin ancestor’s disappearance in the 19th century. Then, to ratchet up the tension another notch, there is a further subplot concerning a flesh-eating bacterium, passed on by dogs and cats, which is terrifying the people of Charleston.
The narrative races along, even allowing for slight diversions for the subplots. However, with such detailed and accurate scientific explanations throughout the book, I am disappointed by the denouement in The Bone Code. It just doesn’t ring true for me. Nonetheless, I will certainly be reading the next novel from this author.
Reviewed by Jan Kershaw
Distributed by: Simon & Schuster Australia
Released: April 2021
RRP: $32.99
This review is the opinion of the author and not of Glam Adelaide.
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