Audiobook Review - The Bone Hacker

Kathy Reichs is one of my favourite crime writers (I have a few that I have a soft spot for), and after having fun with Tempe’s Brennan’s previous outing, Cold Cold Bones, and my plans to try and read some of her earlier novels (mostly rereads, with one or two noticeable expectations), I knew I had to get Bone Hacker, and preordered it, ready. 

Title and Author: The Bone Hacker by Kathy Reichs

Publisher: Simon and Schuster UK

Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Bought

Buy from (Affiliate): Bookshop.org  

Called in to examine what is left of a body struck by lightning, forensic anthropologist Dr Tempe Brennan traces an unusual tattoo on the body and finds herself looking into another, much larger case. Young handsome men – all tourists – have been disappearing on the islands of Turks and Caicos for years. Seven years ago, the first victim was found with his left hand cut off; the other visitors vanished without a trace.

Against her better judgement, Tempe finds herself getting involved in the case and what starts as possible gang violence turns into something much, much bigger...

Murder Month 2023 - Bones Are Forever

I don’t often read the same author back-to-back. I normally like to have a little break between finishing a book by an author and starting another book by the same author. But with Kathy Reichs, I thought I would be safe as she’s one of my fave crime/thriller authors. Plus, am audiobooking. I should be ok to audiobook the same author twice in a row, right?

Title and Author: Bones Are Forever by Kathy Reichs

Publisher: Random House Audiobooks

Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Audiobook borrowed from library audiobook app

Buy from (Affiliate): Bookshop.org

So, here we are, with the 15^th outing of Temperance Brennan (Cold Cold Bones was the 21^st, so I jumped backwards). In Quebec, forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan is asked to a scene where the body of a baby is found in a vanity cabinet. While there, two more bodies of mummified babies are discovered. When it is discovered that babies didn’t died of natural causes, the hunt to find the mother is on. When all the evidence leads Brennan and the detectives to a desolate diamond-mining town on the edge of the Arctic Circle called Yellowknife, the investigation takes a sharp turn and Brennan finds that the mother of the three dead babies might be a stone cold monster like she thought…

Murder Month 2023 - Cold Cold Bones

Title and Author: Cold Cold Bones by Kathy Reichs

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Bought

Buy from (Affiliate): Bookshop.org

I had no plans to read/audiobook Cold Cold Bones by Kathy Reichs this month. I was considering saving this for next month for some reason (either though I preordered the audiobook last year before I cancelled Audible - again. I'm back for the next four month for £3.99 - I know, I'm weak. But am going to ruin their Plus Catalogue for a while so sorry in advance for some weird reviews in the coming months), but out of nowhere, I was desperate to listen to this. 

Forensic anthropologist Dr Temperance Brennan is back in her 21st outing. And it all starts when she helps her daughter, Katy, move house after her stints in the army. Brennan thinks Katy might be suffering from PTSD, but won't say anything. But when the pair return to Brennan's home, they discover a box. With an eye in it. 

From there, bodies begin to slowly turn up that have no pattern. But Brennan can't shake the feeling that they feel awfully familiar. Like cases she's has been involved with in the past. Is she the connection between them? And, if so, the killer is taunting her, watching her, buying their time before they strike...

And when they did, she won't see it coming.

Mini-Audiobook Review - The Bone Code

Ok, this looks like it's gonna be a mini-review type post. Not much to see, but I thought I should tell you guys that I have read this and moved on. 

It has been a while since I read/audiobook a Kathy Reichs novel. I attempted A Conspiracy of Bones last year and was never in the right headspace (might try again later this year/next year) and I have been thinking of rereading some of my fave Temperance Brennan novels (just checked. According to Goodreads, the last Kathy Reichs novel I read was back in 2017 [really? Are you sure?] with Two Nights). And, of course, we have the TV the books inspired, BONES.

A storm hits South Carolina and, while driving to Isles of Palms to help out a friend, forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan receives a call from the Charleston coroner, asking for her assistance. Two decomposed bodies have been washed ashore in medical waste container, the bodies wrapped in plastic sheeting and bound with electrical wire. This shocks Tempe as the case rings frighteningly similar to an unsolved case she and her boyfriend, Andrew Ryan, worked on over 15 years ago in Quebec. As she works to try and get the cold case reopened and see if there is a connection between to the two, the citizens of Charleston are struck by a bacterium that, at its worst, can eat human flesh. After COVID (yep, that's mentioned in here. Thought we had escaped that!), thousands panic and test themselves for a rare genetic mutation that may have rendered them vulnerable.

The two can't be related. There's no way... right?

GoodRead - Speaking In Bones

I was very lucky to be given this via NetGalley from the US publisher, Bantam. Then I got a ARC from the UK publisher, Cornerstone. So I must thank both publishers for allowing me a chance to read this.

Also, dear readers, keep an eye on the blog in the next few days as I have plans linked to this book...

So, in Temperance Brennan 18th outing, she meets amatuer detective (or a web-sleuth) of Hazel 'Lucky' Strike. Lucky found a distressing audio file that could be linked to some unknown bones. While Tempe thinks it's highly unlikely, the girl's terrified voice on the audio recorder makes her look up the bones. But what started at trying to prove this wannabe detective wrong turns dark and Tempe finds herself wondering what she has walked into: a cult killing? A serial killer? Something out of this world? Or something much darker?

If you have followed my blog for a while, you would know I am a fan of Kathy Reichs and I do dip in and out of the series. Plus, I did read the last 40-odd percent in a ill-ish haze so I apologise in advance if my review doesn't make much sense.

As a fan, I did like it. We had a crime that had a load of twists, a subject matter that isn't tackled and we have the tech knowhow of bones. While, at the same time, we have Tempe's private life gets slowly more and more messier by the second. Her mother, her daughter and her on-again, off-again boyfriend. It's a nice mix so the book doesn't become too dark and heavy.

It also helps that we have Tempe's snarky humour. I like my books to have an edge of humour in there, somewhere.

However, I did have problems. This is me, of course I will find problems!

While the case is a standalone so is good for anyone - fans of the series or newcomer alike - tempe's backstory could be a tad overwhelming for fans. The last Tempe book I read in the series was Bones of the Lost, missing the book in-between (Bones Never Lie), and even I had a moment where I went "Wait, hang on...".

Now, this is probably something that happened when I did my mad last 40-odd percent reading haze when not feeling great, but there was something about this story that feels off. I can't put my finger on it. But it felt off compared to the other Kathy Reichs books I have read.

But I did enjoy this read and I am excited to read more Tempe in the coming months.