Brianna Reviews // Bare Bones by Kathy Reichs

Published: 3^rd July 2003

Publisher: Arrow Books

Format: Paperback

Synopsis:  During one of the hottest summers on record, Dr Temperance Brennan is haunted by a string of horrifying events. First, the bones of a newborn baby are discovered in a wood stove. The mother is nowhere to be found. Next, a plane flies into a rock face. The dead pilot and passenger are burned beyond recognition, and covered in an unknown substance. And then a store of bones is found in a remote corner of the county. What has happened, and who will be the next victim? The answers lie hidden deep within the bones - but Tempe must find them in time to stop further disaster.

Bare Bones gets off to a sort of promising start and even answers the question of who she went on holiday with (hint: I’m happy) but personally for me it starts to go downhill, in the nicest possible way (because I honestly don’t think it’s a bad book I did enjoy it, and I still gave it 4 stars on goodreads) I think this is the worst Brennan book so far.

So this time Brennan is at home, she never went on holiday, work got in the way. She has just discovered that the bones in the stove are as feared from a newborn baby, she’s working alongside a local cop to try and find the mother. And Ryan is coming down to stay with her. Oh and she discovers human remains at a BBQ – or Boyd does. Turns out most of the bones are actually bear bones. And she stumbles nicely into a hunting, animal parts smuggling operation.

It’s not the main crime or investigation in Bare Bones that made it a less enjoyable read although it wasn’t the most thrilling. No it was Brennan herself that made this not so fun to read. This is a long running series, you expect a bit of character progression, and we’ve had that, she’s loosened up a little on the prospect of dating etc. but you would think that after 5 books she would have made a connection between running off on her own without telling anyone and her being in life threatening danger… but it seems that she hasn’t learnt any such lesson, and it annoys me as I’m sure I have gone over before… as I feel like I might have mentioned this in the last 3 reviews, if not then I should have! And I think if I’m honest my view on this entire book story, plot, characters and all is tainted by my utter exasperation and weariness over her yet again running into a clearly dangerous situation without telling anyone. Or maybe it’s just because she has a complete disregard for her own safety  in general; she receives threats from someone in the form of photos of her and Katy taken through a scope of a rifle and a warning telling her to back off (she doesn’t know what as she is working more than one case). These photos rightly scare her and they also worry Ryan, yet despite this she still runs off into danger on her own.

It was quite nice to see Ryan making an appearance while off duty, and to see Brennan being nice to him as well, it’s all very civil, almost normal. Proof that she can change and learn stuff. It’s a nice reward after so many books of them irrationally making it difficult (mostly Brennan).

So in summary, it wasn’t bad the case was actually okay, it’s just the damsel in distress thing is running thin -  I will of course continue reading the series but I hope she learns something sharpish.

Brianna Reviews - Death Du Jour by Kathy Reichs

Published: 2000 (first published 1999)

Publisher: Arrow Books

Format: Paperback

Synopsis: On a bitterly cold March night in Montreal, forensic anthropologist Dr Temperance Brennan is exhuming the remains of a nun in the grounds of an old church. Hours later, Tempe is called to the scene of a horrifying arson. A young family has perished, but there is no explanation, no motive, and no witnesses. From the charred remains of the inferno, to a trail of sinister cult activity, Tempe faces a nerve-shattering case which will test her forensic expertise - and her instinct for survival.

I picked up Death Du Jour to read quicker than planned to. I had wanted to leave a longer gap before reading the second Brennan book but I couldn’t help myself because I had enjoyed reading the first one so much and I wasn’t done with the characters; I wanted more of Brennan and Ryan.

I wasn’t as satisfied with this book by the end of it as I was with the first book. There were a few reasons for this: Firstly it hit me in the book just how much description there is and I prefer my descriptions to be more to the point. It’s okay when she is describing crime scenes and forensics but not when she is making dinner. Secondly there are parts of Brennan’s personality that are starting to jar with me; mainly the way she treats Ryan, he asks her out for drinks and she wants to go because she likes him but she rejects his offer on the grounds that she works with him (fair enough) but then she gets all jealous and treats him like dirt as if it’s his fault she turned him down. Also when she is hell bent on driving off in a snow storm and Ryan ends up driving her because his car would be safer -  he is risking his own safety and she still snaps at him when he makes sensible and safe decision’s and her recklessness ultimately puts them in peril. Thirdly I’m not sure if this is fair but I don’t think there is enough interaction between Brennan and Ryan in the book.

As for the case itself it was interesting and played out well I would add the warning that it is not for the faint hearted! And last but not least, I am a fan of the TV series so I’m still a little unsure if it is the love of the show or the books which is driving me on to read more. I suppose the next book will be the tipping point to find out if it’s the books as I don’t own the 4^th so I will only look for it if I feel that I am genuinely interested in the books.

P.s. These books totally suggest the idea of a Bones/Criminal Minds crossover, if you watch either of these shows look out of it.