Bones to Ashes by Kathy Reichs (2008, Paperback, Canadian)

What's not to love about an enthralling forensic mystery with an eBay reference? Announcing the discovery of yet another dead body, the heroine's on-again, off-again boyfriend and detective, Andrew Ryan, tells her, "Guy's out fishing, thought he hooked the big one and reeled in a body instead. He's probably got his bass boat on eBay right now."

The eBay reference came early on, but this taut storyline stayed engaging all the way through. I sometimes find real-life forensic scientist Kathy Reichs' books rather dry, but this time we really get to know a more emotionally interesting side of Dr. Temperance Brennan, forensic bones specialist and star of this bestselling series.

Old bones have been found in Acadia and brought to Tempe's attention by detective from the cold-case squad Could they belong to Tempe's childhood friend, Evangéline, who disappeared under mysterious circumstances at the age of 14? Meanwhile, young girls are going missing at an alarming rate, and bodies are being discovered almost as quickly. Could there be a serial killer at work?

What made this book especially fun to read were the developments in the currently not-so-blooming romance between Tempe and Ryan along with the latest development in her relationship with her ex-husband. Also, vivid sister Harry comes to visit and plays a pivotal role in the fast-paced and fascinating plot. And as always, Reichs creates a vibrant sense of place in her descriptions of Montréal, Québec, New Brunswick and the Canadian territory in between.

Without giving away too much of the storyline, suffice it to say that this forensic whodunit will keep you absorbed from cover to cover. You will enjoy learning much about the anachronistic and obscure Acadian culture of Canada. Meanwhile, you'll be on the edge of your seat as Reichs keeps the multiple plotlines unfolding in past and present, weaving them together into a complex tapestry that really gives you a sense of the intricate juggling act that forensics specialists and law enforcement personnel must perform every day as they handle multiple cases.

If this is the first book you've read by Reichs, you will still enjoy it, but then you owe it to yourself to go back and read Reichs' previous books to make the fullest sense of the character arcs and situations that evolve over the life of the series.

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