Flash and Bones: A Novel (Temperance Brennan Book 14)

The last few books by Kathy Reichs have been shadows of the books that she used to write, before "Bones" took over her attention. However, this one took steps back toward the Tempe Brennan I know and love.A body is found near the Charlotte Motor Speedway, which has something to do with NASCAR, or so I'm told. There are teens missing from years before, a gang, and a host of other things going on.This Tempe seems to be much more solid as a person this time. She isn't allowing her self-worth to be defined by a man. I also applaud the use of less characters. This allowed for more time for Tempe to take center stage.My only issue is that Tempe always ends up in danger at the end of each book and has to be rescued. After awhile, you would think that the police would insert a tracking device under her skin, because they know if she is working on a case, she will end up kidnapped.

As usual this is an outstanding book by Kathy Reichs. It is fabulous to be able to read the book and follow the characters by using the dictionary, Wikipedia program and translation features on a Kindle. Ms. Reichs does more than produce a great read she educates as she goes along when one uses the aforementioned features. I always learn something new. I have a granddaughter who is starting to write novels and I suggested to her to follow the profile used by Ms. Reichs if she wants to be successful. I find each book hard to put down. I own many books but today I buy all the ones I can in a Kindle edition. I have over two hundred books available to me at any time on my cell phone with my Kindle app.

In Flash and Bones, Dr. Temperance (Tempe) Brennan, a forensic anthropologist with Mecklenburg County Medical Examiner's office, finds herself in a landfill in the pouring rain. A body has been discovered in a barrel in an older section of the landfill. Unfortunately, this landfill happens to be beside the Charlotte Motor Speedway and a major NASCAR event is in progress. A fan participating in the NASCAR festivities has been reported missing by his wife and there is pressure on Tempe to determine if he is the body in the barrel. However, this is not the only source of pressure. Wayne Gamble, a crew member for one of the top NASCAR teams, visits Tempe wondering if the body could be his sister, Cindi, or her boyfriend, Cale. The couple disappeared 12 years earlier without a trace. Even though the FBI had been involved in the case, Wayne feels a thorough investigation never took place and there may have even been some sort of cover-up. Erskine Slidell (Skinny), one of Tempe's least favorite detectives, is assigned to the case. Impeded by the FBI's renewed interest in the case, Skinny and Tempe explore multiple theories on what happened to Cindi and Cale and who exactly is in the barrel.This is Kathy Reichs' fourteenth Temperance Brennan novel. If you are new to this series, I would strongly encourage you to start at the beginning with Deja Dead. For those that are avid Reichs fans, you don't want to miss this one. Flash and Bones is fast paced and hard to put down. The plot is fairly intricate with perhaps just a few too many characters. Generally, there are a lot of medical details in Reichs' books but in Flash and Bones the detailed descriptions are less medically focused and more NASCAR focused. I did not figure out "whodunit" until a few pages before the reveal...I was certain another character was the bad guy. I was a little disappointed there wasn't much regarding Tempe's personal story...her love life is certainly fun to follow. Overall, I believe Tempe fans will enjoy Flash and Bones.

Oh, how I've missed Temperance Brennan! Though usually a serious lack of Andrew Ryan bothers me, it didn't seem as upsetting in this novel. Perhaps because Kathy Reichs has returned to basics, a solid case with plenty of suspects, and lots of unanswered questions.I have absolutely no interest in racing but as usual, Ms. Reichs kept me completely engaged with the subject and taught me a few things as well. She balanced the racing with racism -an entire fringe racist group that may or may not have been involved in the death of the recently discovered victim, or the cold case disappearances. Oddly, I didn't find myself pushing to solve the case but found myself enjoying the discoveries as they came. Though I did figure out the culprit before Tempe and Slidell, it was only by a few chapters.As I mentioned at the beginning of my review, the only thing absent was any forward momentum in Tempe's love life -though some doors may be closing and some windows may be opening. Right now, Tempe doesn't really have time for romance, but I hope she'll make time for it. Obviously, I'm rooting for Andrew Ryan -I always have and I always will. And here I go, referencing Tempe as a real person not a character, but Kathy Reichs writes her so well, Temperance Brennan feels like an old friend to me.I was really looking forward to a solid forensic mystery and Flash and Bones didn't disappoint. Kathy Reichs seldom does. Julie and I both highly recommend this series... or if you're looking for something a little lighter, try Kathy Reichs' new paranormal YA series.[...]

Like all of Kathy Reich's books it has a complex and quite grisly plot with several strands running in tandem. like all of her books it is heavy on the geographical detail and explains the science behind forensic anthropology in over enthusiastic detail. Perhaps we need to know a little less at times. For international readers the books are full of local phrases and Americanism that need to 'be looked up. What is a "hood"for instance ,a"dove bar" or"a pinnacles" really irritating in the assumption that we all live in the USA.

Dreadful - I've been a fan of Kathy Reichs since the beginning but this one just demonstrates how churning books out too frequently is not a good thing. I have no interest in NASCAR which would not have been a problem except there is far too much about that and not enough about anything else.As for our protagonist going all gooey eyed over another character and then mooning about over Ryan and some other beau as well - please spare us. the Temperance Brennan of the original books would never have been so wet. The labouring of her relationship with her ex's fiancee is also unnecessary filler.Really hoping that Reichs picks up again as I have the next 3 on my Kindle!

Either the formula is wearing thin or I'm tiring a bit of the formula but I didn't love this latest installment in Kathy Reich's long-running series about a forensic anthropologist. This episode takes place in her home town of Charlotte, home to NASCAR, and has tie-ins to the race business. It also links to American extremists, and several missing people.I'm not going to give away plot points here. My main problem with the story and its telling was the telling: too many repeated comments about her cat, too juvenile a response to a new male character, occasional choppy writing, repeated descriptions of FBI operatives, etc. I don't recall being struck by these elements in the past. Has Reichs changed or have I?All that being said, it was a quick read and I did want to know who did it (though I knew before Tempe).

I love and have read all of the Temperance Brennan books by Cathy Reichs at least three times. She is a brilliant Forensic Anthropologist making her books both educational and chilling.

Well I must say this book sandbagged me completely, I think it was well thought out and nicely wrapped up at the end. Nascar!! Who would of thought she get a story around that. Now on the next. Only thing I missed was Ryan not being around but it was brilliantly written