This is Kathy Reichs 22nd outing for her character Temperance Brennan, a forensic anthropologist from Canada. I first read and loved Reichs’ Deja Dead in 1997, when it was first published and went on to win the Ellis Award for Best First Novel and become an international bestseller. Over the years, I have read many in the series, though not all 22 certainly, and none for at least 10 years. I think I decided to go back to read Reichs again to see how Temperance had changed and grown — and to see if I still enjoyed her story.
Temperance finds an unusual tattoo on a body found in the water and follows the trail to the islands of Turks and Caicos — which makes for an interesting setting. The same old character is still tough and smart, yet constantly in personal peril. But I have always liked the spunk of Temperance and her scientific look at a murder. Thankfully, Temperance has indeed grown as a person.
But the plot… were Reichs’ plots always so simple and obvious? Maybe so, as most of those female starring mysteries of the 90’s were also character driven. I enjoyed the catch-up with Temperance. The Bone Hacker is a quick read with an old friend. My score 3 of 5.
This ARC title was provided by Netgalley.com at no cost, and I am providing an unbiased review. The Bone Hacker will be published on August 1, 2023.
Pam Did It 