Product Description

An underground chamber is exposed in a seedy, dilapidated house with sagging trim and peeling paint...In the dark cellar, a ritualistic display is revealed. A human skull rests on a cauldron, surrounded by slain chickens and bizarre figurines. Beads and antlers dangle overhead. Called to the scene is forensic anthropologist Dr Temperance Brennan. Bony architecture suggests that the skull is that of a young, black female. But how did she die? And when? Then, just as Tempe is working to determine post-mortem interval, another body is discovered: a headless corpse carved with Satanic symbols. As citizen vigilantes, blaming Devil-worshippers, begin a witch-hunt, intent on revenge, Tempe struggles to keep her emotions in check. But the truth she eventually uncovers proves more shocking than even she could have imagined...

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5319 in Books
• Published on: 2009-04-23
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 400 pages

From the Back Cover
An underground chamber is exposed in a seedy, dilapidated house with sagging trim and peeling paint…

In the dark cellar, a ritualistic display is revealed. A human skull rests on a cauldron, surrounded by slain chickens and bizarre figurines. Beads and antlers dangle overhead.

Called to the scene is forensic anthropologist Dr Temperance Brennan. Bony architecture suggests that the skull is that of a young, black female. But how did she die? And when? Then, just as Tempe is working to determine post-mortem interval, another body is discovered: a headless corpse carved with Satanic symbols.

As citizen vigilantes, blaming Devil-worshippers, begin a witch-hunt, intent on revenge, Tempe struggles to keep her emotions in check. But the truth she eventually uncovers proves more shocking than even she could have imagined…

Praise for Kathy Reichs:

‘Brilliant … seamless blending of fascinating science and dead-on psychological portrayals, not to mention a whirlwind of a plot. A must-read’ Jeffery Deaver

About the Author
Kathy Reichs is forensic anthropologist for the Offices of the Chief Medical Examiner, State of North Carolina, and for the Laboratorie de Sciences Judiciaires et de Medecine Legale for the province of Quebec. She divides her time between Charlotte and Montreal and is a frequent expert witness in criminal trials.

Customer Reviews

Disappointing
I was truly looking forward to Devil Bones, but it does not seem to me to be as good as the other Brennan books. I got the feeling that it had been put together more as a precis than a full blown novel. It was still enjoyable, but the story felt rushed as though the author was just writing to fill in a gap. I only hope that the next book will return to the format I have enjoyed before, with the characters returning to a full bodied existence. Please Kathy Reichs go back to giving us that at least.

Enjoyable until the ending
I have been fan of Kathy Reiches' books much preferring her writing to the cruder style of Patricia Cornwell. I enjoy the detailed medico-scientific descriptions, and, in this story, I found the information about alternative religions interesting, however I've felt, particularly with recent books that they were tending to become formulaic in the way they ended with her forensic anthropologist heroine, Temperance Brennan, being in fear of her life, attacked and injured. She's supposed to be a forensic scientist not a law-enforcement officer and by repeating the same scenario in each book it becomes unbelievable and annoying. I thought the basic story was good and will continue to buy her books in the hope that Tempe will manage to get through a case without ending up in hospital! I'd welcome fewer acronyms familiar to USA readers, but not for the rest of us.

tedious, shallow plot.....
As always, really looking forward to the latest Tempe tome. Really wish I hadn't bothered. Characters didn't seem to care much about what was happening, and neither did I. Ryan turns up and......what happens? Well, nothing. Tempe attacked and hospitalised, does Katy turn up to see her? No. Unless you just want to collect a 'set' of Reichs novels, skip this one. Did I mention that it was also rather depressing/ Not in content, but in tone and style. Avoid.