Bones of the Lost: (Temperance Brennan 16) by Kathy Reichs (MOBI)

Description

The body of a teenage girl is discovered along a desolate highway on the outskirts of Charlotte. Inside her purse is the ID card of a local businessman who died in a fire months earlier.

Who was the girl? And was she murdered?

Dr Temperance Brennan, Forensic Anthropologist, must find the answers. She soon learns that a Gulf War veteran stands accused of smuggling artefacts into the country. Could there be a connection between the two cases?

Convinced that the girl’s death was no accident, Tempe soon finds herself at the centre of a conspiracy that extends from South America to Afghanistan. But to find justice for the dead, she must be more courageous – and take more extreme action – than ever before.
___________________________________
Dr Kathy Reichs is a professional forensic anthropologist. She has worked for decades with chief medical examiners, the FBI, and even a United Nations Tribunal on Genocide.

However, she is best known for her internationally bestselling Temperance Brennan novels, which draw on her remarkable experience to create the most vividly authentic, true-to-life crime thrillers on the market and which are the inspiration for the hit TV series Bones.
___________________________________
Many of the world’s greatest thriller writers are huge fans of her work:

‘Kathy Reichs writes smart – no, make that brilliant – mysteries that are as realistic as nonfiction and as fast-paced as the best thrillers about Jack Reacher, or Alex Cross.’ JAMES PATTERSON

‘One of my favourite writers.’ KARIN SLAUGHTER

‘I love Kathy Reichs? – always scary, always suspenseful, and I always learn something.’ LEE CHILD

‘Nobody does forensics thrillers like Kathy Reichs. She’s the real deal.’ DAVID BALDACCI

‘Each book in Kathy Reichs’s fantastic Temperance Brennan series is better than the last. They’re filled with riveting twists and turns – and no matter how many books she writes, I just can’t get enough!’ LISA SCOTTOLINE

‘Nobody writes a more imaginative thriller than Kathy Reichs.’ CLIVE CUSSLER

User’s Reviews

From Publishers Weekly Bestseller Reichs draws on her experiences touring with the USO in Afghanistan for her captivating 16th novel featuring forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan (after 2012’s Bones Are Forever). At home in Charlotte, N.C., the bone expert concludes that the death of an unidentified girl, 14 or 15 years old, was caused by foul play rather than a hit-and-run, as was previously suspected. The outraged Brennan urges homicide detective Erskine Skinny Slidell to investigate, knowing Slidell believes the girl to have been an undocumented immigrant, as well as possibly being a junkie and prostitute. Later in Afghanistan, Brennan oversees the exhumation of two unarmed Afghan villagers killed by a U.S. Marine to determine whether the victims were shot in the back or head-on. The two cases—and a third involving mummified dogs from Peru—give Reichs ample opportunity to provide detailed descriptions of forensic examinations, but it’s Brennan’s passionate and personal involvement that provides the excitement in this masterful tale. 6-city author tour. Agent: Jennifer Rudolph Walsh, William Morris Endeavor. (Aug.) –This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition. Review “The forensic procedures take center stage, as they always do, in this cleverly plotted and expertly maintained series.” (New York Times Book Review)”Reichs always delivers a pulse-pounding story.” (Publishers Weekly) –This text refers to the paperback edition. From Booklist As usual, forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan is juggling several cases, including some mummified dog remains that could lead to a human-trafficking ring and a murdered teenage girl who was, mysteriously, carrying the ID of a prominent businessman who died five months earlier. She’s also juggling some personal issues: her daughter, grieving over the death of her boyfriend, has enlisted in the army, and Pete, the girl’s father, is pressing Tempe to sign their divorce papers. After the rather lethargic Bones Are Forever (2012), this is a return to form for Reichs, who keeps the story moving at a brisk clip but never forgets that, ultimately, we’re here to see Dr. Brennan, and she needs to slow down frequently enough for us to spend some quality time with Tempe. This is one of those megasuccessful, long-running series that has undergone distinct ups and downs over the years. Series devotees, of whom there are many, will be well pleased to ride this upward trend. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: There’s nothing like a hit TV show to help promote your new book, and there will be plenty of back-and-forthing going on between Reichs’ latest and Bones, the popular Fox series. –David Pitt –This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Heart pounding, I crawled toward the brick anglingdown to form the edge of the recess. Craned out.More footfalls. Then heavy boots appeared at the top of the stairs,beside them a pair of small feet, one bare, the other in a platform pump.The feet started to descend, the small ones wobbly, their ownersomehow impaired. The lower legs angled oddly, suggesting theknees bore little weight.Anger burned hot in my chest. The woman was drugged. The bastardwas dragging her.Four treads lower, the man and woman crossed an arrow of moonlight.Not a woman, a girl. Her hair was long, her arms and legs refugeethin. I could see a triangle of white tee below the man’s chin. Apistol grip jutting from his waistband.The pair again passed into darkness. Their tightly pressed bodiesformed a two-headed black silhouette.Stepping from the bottom tread, the man started muscling thegirl toward the loading-dock door, pushing her, a hand clampingher neck. She stumbled. He yanked her up. Her head flopped like aBobblehead doll’s.The girl took a few more staggering steps. Then her chin lifted andher body bucked. A cry broke the stillness, animal shrill.The man’s free arm shot out. The silhouette recongealed. I hearda scream of pain, then the girl pitched forward onto the concrete.The man dropped to one knee. His elbow pumped as he pummeledthe inert little body.“Fight me, you little bitch?”The man punched and punched until his breath grew ragged.Rage flamed white-hot in my brain, overriding any instinct forpersonal safety.I scuttled over and grabbed the Beretta. Checked the safety, thankfulfor the practice I’d put in at the range.Satisfied with the gun, I reached for my phone. It wasn’t with theflashlight.I searched my other pocket. No phone.Had I dropped it? In my frenzied dash, had I left it at home?The panic was almost overwhelming. I was off the grid. What to do?A tiny voice advised caution. Remain hidden. Wait. Slidell knowswhere you are.“You are so dead.” The voice boomed, cruel and malicious.I whipped around.The man was wrenching the girl up by her hair.Holding the Beretta two-handed in front of me, I darted fromthe alcove. The man froze at the sound of movement. I stopped fiveyards from him. Using a pillar for cover, I spread my feet and leveledthe barrel.“Let her go.” My shout reverberated off brick and concrete.The man maintained his grasp on the girl’s hair. His back was to me.“Hands up.”He let go and straightened. His palms slowly rose to the level ofhis ears.“Turn around.”As the man rotated, another fragment of light caught him. For asecond I saw his face with total clarity.On spotting his foe, the man’s hands dipped slightly. Sensing hecould see me better than I could see him, I squeezed further behindthe pillar.“The fucking slut lives.”You’ll die, too, fucking slut. “Takes balls to send threats by e-mail.” My voice sounded muchmore confident than I felt. “To bully defenseless little girls.”“Debt to pay? You know the rules.”“Your debt-collecting days are over, you sick sonofabitch.”“Says who?”“Says a dozen cops racing here now.”The man cupped an upraised hand to one ear. “I don’t hear nosirens.”“Move away from the girl,” I ordered.He took a token step.“Move,” I snarled. The guy’s fuck-you attitude was making mewant to smash the Beretta across his skull.“Or what? You’re gonna shoot me?”“Yeah.” Cold steel. “I’m gonna shoot you.”Would I? I’d never fired at a human being.Where the hell was Slidell? I knew my bluff was being sustainedby coffee and adrenaline. Knew both would eventually wear off.The girl groaned.In that split second I lost the advantage that might have allowedhim to live.I looked down.He lunged.Fresh adrenaline blasted through me.I raised the gun.He closed in.I sighted on the white triangle.Fired.The explosion echoed brutally loud. The concussion knocked myhands up, but I held position.The man dropped.In the murky gloom I saw the triangle go dark. Knew crimson wasspreading across it. A perfect hit. The Triangle of Death.Silence, but for my own rasping breath.Then my higher centers caught up with my brain stem.I’d killed a man.My hands shook. Bile filled my throat.I swallowed. Steadied the gun and stole forward.The girl lay motionless. I crouched and placed trembling fingerson her throat. Felt a pulse, faint but steady.I swiveled. Gazed at the man’s mute, malevolent eyes.Suddenly I was exhausted. Revolted by what I’d just done.I wondered. In my state, could I make good decisions? Carrythrough? My phone was back at the house.I wanted to sit, hold my head in my hands, and let the tears flow.Instead I drew a few steadying breaths, rose, and crossed whatseemed a thousand miles of darkness. Climbed the stairs on rubberylegs.A single passage cut right at the top. I followed it to the onlyclosed door.Gun tight in one clammy hand, I reached out and turned the knobwith the other.The door swung in.I stared into pure horror. –This text refers to the paperback edition.

Reviews from Amazon users, collected at the time the book is getting published on UniedVRG. It can be related to shiping or paper quality instead of the book content:

⭐ I just finished reading Bones of the Lost; Kathy Reichs is one of my favorite authors, along with Patricia Cornwell and Lee Child. But Tempe has become not a very nice person lately. Throughout this book she is easily annoyed with people because they don’t meet her expectations, look a certain way, might have questions about an opinion she is offering, or fail to agree with her immediately when a course of action is suggested. She also makes some downright idiotic decisions, like charging off alone at midnight to rescue some human trafficking victims she thinks are being held in a run-down warehouse in a seedy part of town, leaving just a voice mail to alert her “partner,” Slidell, as to where she is going. God forbid that the guy’s cellphone is out of juice. What kind of official relationship exists between a consulting forensic anthropologist and a police detective in the normal scheme of things anyhow? Such that they drive around and solve crimes together? Doesn’t she have other work to do inside the medical examiner’s office? Honestly, I think the police might want to consider getting a restraining order keeping her from interfering in their investigations and for unnecessarily putting them in harm’s way.Some of the ways the story lines tie together seem contrived to me; everyone she meets ends up being somehow involved in the denouement of the story, sometimes in ways that defy credulity. There is less of the forensic writing that made me a fan in previous books in this story, and a long middle part involving a trip to Afghanistan which doesn’t really fit but gives her an excuse to see her daughter, Katy, in the middle of a war zone. Every time Tempe is conversing with someone – Ryan/Pete/Katy – who actually means something to her, she becomes uncharacteristically unable to communicate about anything important. For her being such an educated woman who has no trouble speaking her mind, this is getting tiresome. No wonder she has only Birdie the cat to keep her warm at night.If you love Kathy Reichs, then read this book. If you are starting out with Kathy Reichs, read one of her earlier books to see what the buzz is all about. Like the others have said, at least Tempe didn’t get kidnapped at the end of this book or held in a dark pit somewhere – but I was expecting it to happen until the very last few pages.

⭐ This is a middling Tempe Brennan novel: it’s good enough to keep a committed reader of the series happy for a few hours, but not good enough to make the reader forget just how long she has been reading these novels. Tempe’s personal life is always of interest (that’s certainly one thing that keeps me hooked) and remains tempest-tossed in this installment, with her daughter off to serve in Afghanistan, her ex-husband sniffing round, and her mother gravely ill. But that doesn’t keep her away from the matter at hand — bones. This installment sets off with two sets of bones, one belonging to an unclaimed dead girl left by the side of the road, and another to a group of (a new note, here) mummified dogs. The plot, of course, thickens, leading Tempe into a series of parallel investigations at home, and to another investigation in — Afghanistan. (Yes, the Afghan interlude does feel a bit imposed). All the loose ends come together at the end, also of course. That’s the product as expected, but the author sometimes seems to be getting a little mechanical in producing it. The short, incomplete sentence is overused, and some of the suspense seems manufactured (will Tempe’s daughter call her?). It seems unfair to complain; the umpteen novels in this series have given me a lot of pleasure. But the same old, same old isn’t quite so satisfying the upmteenth time around.

⭐ My wife and I had enjoyed the “Bones” TV series, we’ll most of it, the last year not as good, and she had read many of her books.This is my first, and I enjoyed it, the writing style is Informative without bring too detailed (we are talking forensic anthropology here) and rather comfortable but not chatty. Temperance Brennan, the main character, KS rather no nonsense after all.We see her investigate two case which later intertwine, a Jane Doe hit an run in N.C. and a Marine investigation into the shooting deaths of two civilians in Afghanistan. Along the way we meet Slidell, her somewhat boorish police “partner” as it were, and Pete, the soon to be ex husband. I did prefer the Seeley Booth character of the tv series, but the former was interesting, the latter not too much so.The setting in Afghanistan is well written and quite realistic, I did enjoy that. The twist that brought the two story lines together was good and unexpected, but plausible. It also pointed out a massive problem that gets little press these days, we are apparently too busy combing politicians’ Twitter accounts for in depth commentary.And yes, that was sarcastic.The main fault I have is, like so many detective stories, the author spent 90% of the book weaving the tales and the last 10% explaining all the convoluted connections, rationales, and back stories. Perhaps necessary but I find that trope a bit tiresome, likely why I don’t read more of them.But I do enjoy the author’s writing style and will read more of her works. Well, as soon as I get through the other 92books in my queue………

⭐ A predictable story, told in an interesting way, while trying to be smarter than the reader.I enjoyed part one and two significantly more than part three. Part three felt like a rush to make the story work. A few times I felt as though the story was telling instead of showing, even coming off as condensing at times. I feel the story could have been four stars with less rushing in the third act.An easy read but I don’t think I will be picking up and more of the Brennan novels.

⭐ A fan of Kathy Reich’s books (though not the related television series), I enjoyed Bones of the Lost. The book’s plot complexity, pacing and cast of characters kept me engaged, and I enjoyed the diverse settings for the action. Though I particularly enjoyed this book as part of a series, I believe it stands well on its own, I appreciate the way the author grounds her stories in interesting factual material—the product of research and of her own experiences as forensic anthropologist, and as someone who traveled to Afghanistan at the behest of the USO “to thank our troops for their courage and dedication.” I found it engaging to read in the essay at the end of the book that the account of “plunging earthward in a pitch-black C130J Hercules” and “wearing a helmet and forty pounds of body armor” were based on the author’s experience; they read that way.As ever, I found the narrator, Tempe Brennan, relatable, apart from her inclination to rush into dangerous situations—particularly her intelligence, and an inclination to introspection that tempers her the effect of her impatience on readers, if not on the fictional recipients of brusque interactions. The relatable aspects of her life—connections with relatives and pets, with her ex; the way her fridge ends up bare as mine does when we are busy—ground the drama, make it easier to relate and care when her actions seem rude or reckless; more readily accepting of improbable coincidence.As one who read this book as part of a series, I enjoyed the continuing evolution of the characters in this book, particularly the evolving relationship with Skinny Slidell. Slidell is sometimes comical in his pretensions, often repellant due to poor grooming and other rough edges, but this seems secondary when he demonstrates effectiveness in his work as a detective, willingness to work with Tempe when she goes beyond the boundaries of her official role, and tolerance when she is rude. I can also relate to daughterKaty’s transformation after joining the U.S. Army; I’ve seen and experienced the effect that military service can have on previously-aimless young people. Katy still clearly loves her mother and enjoys her company, but is increasingly independent, appropriate as she is in her mid-twenties. And Pete, reliable, caring ex-husband (possibly officially divorced, possibly not), apparently over his mid-life fling with a much-younger woman, though there have been others. (I’ve never been a fan of Andrew Ryan; was glad his role was minimal, though characteristically self-absorbed; readers were spared the sophomoric banter.)I appreciate the factual information that peppers Kathy Reichs’s books, the descriptions that bring various locales to life, and the author’s inclination to illuminate various societal issues—in this book, human trafficking.

⭐ When I first started reading this, right after it came out, I got stuck. So stuck that I am just now reading this so that I can read the next one. I hate to read books out of order, and I don’t know that I could skip a book in a series without my brain frying out. This time, I decided to listen to Bones of the Lost, instead of reading. And though I wasn’t 100% happy with the narrator, I’m glad I did. For some reason it was much easier to get into while listening.The subject matter is, as always, not for the faint of heart. This book covers serious social issues that really do need to be brought out into the open. Knowledge IS power, and the more we know about these issues, the better the whole world will be. Dr Reichs does this in a way that is honest while still making it entertaining, in a way. Dr Reichs does not turn it into a lesson or lecture, similarly to how she covers the scientific parts of the story. She dumbs it all down just enough for a regular person to understand it, but not so much that it feels like she’s giving the info to a five year old. It all flows perfectly.The major social issues covered are human trafficking and the conditions the military forces live in, in Afghanistan. I don’t think people realize how difficult, dangerous and completely unpleasant the conditions are there. The way Dr Reichs describes the camps she visits made me feel like I could see it all in my mind. And to tackle human trafficking in a popular fictional series is pretty amazing. She approachs it in the same thoughtful and thought provoking way that she has handled all the major issues that have come up in past books. She shines a light on the victims, on how they get in the situations they end up in, and how they are treated once they are in those situations. The only time I even kind of felt like I was in a class room was when the statistics of human trafficking are discussed. But even that is explained away.This is one of my favorite contemporary series out there and the only series I read that doesn’t have romance as a major part of the plot. Sure there is a little romance in the books, but it’s not a major focus of the plot. The crimes, the victims, are what are most important in these books. I believe this attitude is very similar to how Dr Reichs conducts her professional life. I can’t wait to jump into Swamp Bones and Bones Are Forever. (Especially since word is my favorite character, Andy Ryan, plays a big part in Bones Are Forever!!)

⭐ I have read all of the Temperance Brennan books. I really enjoyed the earlier ones. The later ones not so much. This one is no different. I was hoping for something more. Something new.Tempe starts out working a case in Charlotte, North Carolina, involving the smuggling of Peruvian artifacts. She needs to determine if the remains are human or what they appear to be, canine. She is to report her findings to agent Luther Dew with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE.Then she is brought in on a case that seems to be a very young prostitute that has been hit by a car and left to die on the side of the road. The detective assigned the case is her all time favorite Charlotte homicide detective Erskine “Skinny” Slidell. And, in his slightly narrow minded way he’s already determined she’s a non English speaking hooker. Out turning tricks and hit by a car, end of story.The third case has her soon to be ex-husband, Pete asking for a favor, for an old Marine Corps buddy of his. The buddies nephew, John Gross, is serving his tour in Afghanistan (the exact same base that Tempe and Pete’s daughter Katy is now stationed). Gross has been accused of gunning down two local village men. He claims they were advancing on him, and it was him or them. A witness has another version of the incident. Pete wants Tempe to go over and assist in his defense. Examine the bones and see if she can determine what really happened.This is where my problem with the book comes in. I’ve read other books similar to these. Crimes to be solved, multiple cases working at the same time, and police procedure to be followed. Connecting the ongoing cases seems to be something this author needs to do. And in this case it’s really stretching things to make that connection, between the three cases. It would have been a good story to solve the open cases and come to some closure with them as individual cases. Instead of the leaps that have to be made to connect them.The other thing is this Tempe, Pete, Ryan triangle that never seems to go anywhere. (Ryan is a homicide detective in Montreal). I keep hoping something, anything, will happen. Make a decision or walk away from both of them. I will say, there is an incident toward the end of the book that may have pushed things in motion. I hope.I will read the next book in the series, I’m already invested in the series. But I’ll wait till the price comes down.

⭐ I’ve been a Kathy Reichs fan for over 10 years now. I was studying forensics in college and my dad bought me a copy of Bare Bones on a whim. I read it quickly and soon realized that it was part of a whole series of books. I quickly snapped up the other available titles and flew through them as well. I’ve been hooked ever since.Kathy Reichs is a masterful storyteller. Most (if not all) of her novels are inspired at least in part by real cases she has encountered working as a forensic anthropologist in Montreal and North Carolina. The level of scientific detail she provides is fantastic and she includes simple to understand explanations for those who aren’t scientists by trade. I love her writing style and the nice blend of witty dialogue, mystery, and romance.

⭐ Contrived, absurd coincidences. Come on, give your readers some respect; you can do better.I love Kathy Reichs’ writing style and the humor that so subtly slips in to her work. But I haven’t read anything of her’s in a while (sometimes I forget even my favorite authors – it is usually wonderful to rediscover them) and perhaps that was a good thing. I will go back to some of her earlier books that I have’t read and see if they appeal to me.HOWEVER, seldom have I read a book that is so contrived to pull together astonishing and unrealistic coincidences. It seems it can hardly be called a mystery when the plot is so strained. It is rather like a jigsaw puzzle where you force pieces to fit.I wish I had something better to say, but my disappointment won’t allow it.

⭐ Ms Reichs does it again. A fast read, with enough techno-medical content to sound authentic and a plot with enough action to keep it moving right along. Temperance Brennen and her usual cast of characters give the story a familiarity “comfort food” feel, while the bad guys keep getting badder and their apprehension getting more complex. Reichs ties up all the loose ends, as usual. It would be very hard for me to say anything negative about the Tempe Brennen series. I await further output, because I already own and have read all of the existing stories.Nice to see the Virals spinning along on their separate paths. I hope Brandon and Kathy continue to get their younger characters in and out of trouble.

Keywords

Free Download Bones of the Lost: (Temperance Brennan 16) in MOBI format
Bones of the Lost: (Temperance Brennan 16) MOBI Free Download
Download Bones of the Lost: (Temperance Brennan 16) 2013 MOBI Free
Bones of the Lost: (Temperance Brennan 16) 2013 MOBI Free Download
Download Bones of the Lost: (Temperance Brennan 16) MOBI
Free Download Ebook Bones of the Lost: (Temperance Brennan 16)