Bones of new Brennan thriller fall short of Reichs’ best

In Charlotte, N.C., disturbing finds are coming to light. First, small wild animals are found, decapitated and mutilated with their bodies put on display. Next, a spaniel is found, indicating the perpetrator is becoming more unhinged.

“The perp had grown bored with non-human prey and would inevitably move up to humans. Unbeknownst to me. He already had.”

In Evil Bones, Kathy Reich’s 24th Temperance (Tempe) Brennan thriller since 1997, she looks to explore deep questions of good and evil as Brennan and her colleagues race to catch a serial killer threatening the people she loves. Sadly, this latest instalment struggles to deliver the punch fans have come to expect.

The bonus about writing what you know is that one will, in theory, never run out of material. A forensic anthropologist herself, Reichs has done a tremendous job over the years of describing the horrors the job brings, while still allowing Tempe’s humanity to remain intact. The case itself is interesting and the science is, as usual, meticulously described.

Reichs’ prose is always direct, and is firmly in the “tell, don’t show” camp of writing. She provides all the context of her main character’s backstory, home, relationship, community and mental state in the first couple of chapters, mixed in with a few glimpses of the horrors ahead.

Tempe is equally direct, making the dialogue and relationships between the characters seem somewhat stiff or stilted. And yet, it somehow continues to work. Favourite characters make their appearances, including Montreal cop and Tempe’s love interest Andrew Ryan, her constant investigative partner Erskine “Skinny” Slidel and her daughter Katy.

Some new characters (literally) turn up on the scene in this Evil Bones, including veterinarian Ralph Balodis, who plays a role on the veterinary forensic medicine side of the case. Temperance’s great-niece Tory Brennan, from Reich’s popular young adult Virals series, also makes a very brief crossover reference as an adult character.

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Tory’s much-touted role is exceptionally small, but it paves the way to continue the stories and the characters of both series for years to come. Given that Reichs is now 75 and has been working on the Virals series with her son Brendan, this succession planning makes sense.

While the familiar cast offers some comfort, the narrative feels uneven. Themes of darkness and moral ambiguity are introduced but never fully explored and lack depth, leaving the story without the philosophical analysis promised at the beginning.

Tempe also feels disconnected from her friends and family throughout the book, and the pacing falters. Reichs’ usual knack for layering clues and building tension gives way to contrived obstacles and scattered misdirection, and the conclusion lacks the clarity or impact that typically anchors a strong thriller.

Evil Bones remains readable for devoted followers of the series, yet it falls short of Reichs’ best work. Here’s hoping the next outing restores the sharp plotting and satisfying revelations that made Reichs a standout in the genre.

Julie Kentner is a Winnipeg writer.