COLD, COLD BONES is the latest installment in Kathy Reichs’ stellar series starring forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan. Unlike previous books, Tempe is working on a case that is extremely personal from start to finish, making this 21st entry the most focused character study of our protagonist thus far.

Tempe actually has taken some time off to spend with her daughter, Katy, who is moving back to the area after several years in the military. Early in the novel, Tempe indicates that people are either fascinated or repelled by her profession. She has been fortunate that Katy falls into the former camp. However, she will learn the hard way that there are those who aren’t fans of either her or her work.

"Tempe is working on a case that is extremely personal from start to finish, making this 21st entry the most focused character study of our protagonist thus far."

While Katy is at Tempe’s house, a package is delivered. Inside is a human eyeball with numbers and letters etched onto its sides, which Tempe soon figures out are GPS coordinates. With her longtime beau, private detective Andrew Ryan, out of the country on assignment, she calls on former colleague Erskine “Skinny” Slidell, who is retired but still volunteers with the CMPD cold case unit. Those GPS coordinates lead them to a Benedictine monastery where they make another grisly discovery: a human head.

Tempe and Slidell bring their shocking finds to the police, which they review with Detective Donna Henry before the items are sent away for analysis. They won’t have to wait long before the next odd case comes their way: a mummified body found in a park. Apparently, it was a suicide from at least three years ago. While the identity of the victim is being determined, Slidell begins having a weird feeling that he shares with Tempe.

These incidents --- plus a few others they have become aware of --- all resemble, in some way, prior cases that Tempe herself has worked on. To make matters worse, she fears for Katy, who confesses to having a creepy stalker at her new job working with the homeless. Even more disturbing is that Tempe has not been able to reach Katy for several days and is worried that something might be wrong, never eliminating the possibility that her daughter is dealing with PTSD.

The finale of COLD, COLD BONES will bring all of Tempe’s personal business to the surface, and it will be used against her by someone from her past who has serious problems with her. This time, it’s not about the forensics or her anthropological expertise; it’s about how she can handle the pressure when she finds herself under the microscope.