As I was a huge fan of the Bones television series, when I found out the series was based on novels, I had to start reading them.
While very different characters and stories, I have grown to love the Temperance Brennan novel series. As this is the 21st installment, I found it just as enjoyable as the rest of the series.
Temperance Brennan is a very strong, female protagonist, which is always refreshing to find. She is able to maintain her own in the series, and this novel is no different. She is frightened and curious of course, when a body part shows up on her front doorstep, but she is not afraid to keep pursuing the investigation. She is able to work as hard as ever, even while experiencing high anxiety at not being able to locate her daughter, Katy.
Brennan working with Skinny is always very humorous and highly welcomed, and this case was certainly fast paced and exciting to keep pushing through.

In Cold, Cold Bones, the twenty-first installment of Kathy Reichs’s long-running Temperance Brennan series, the forensic anthropologist faces one of her most chilling and personal cases yet—one that reaches into her past and threatens her present in deeply unsettling ways.

Set against the quiet, wintry backdrop of North Carolina, the story begins with what might be one of the series’ most disturbing openings: a human eyeball, freshly removed, delivered in a box to Tempe’s doorstep. When GPS coordinates etched into the eye lead her to a grisly discovery at a Benedictine monastery, it’s clear this is no isolated incident. A gruesome trail of bodies follows, each eerily reenacting cases from Tempe’s past.

Ms. Reichs masterfully plays with the theme of memory and legacy, weaving a mystery that feels both fresh and retrospective. For longtime fans, the nods to earlier cases are haunting reminders of Tempe’s long and dangerous career. For newcomers, the eerie mimicry of past crimes is just as unsettling and raises questions about obsession, revenge, and how the past never truly stays buried.

Tempe is joined once again by Skinny Slidell, whose dry wit and bulldog determination provide both levity and grit. Andrew Ryan, the ever-enigmatic Montreal detective and Tempe’s long-time love interest, adds emotional depth and another layer of investigative prowess. But it’s Tempe’s daughter, Katy—newly returned from military service—who provides the heart of the novel. Her disappearance late in the book ratchets the stakes sky-high and forces Tempe into a race against time, no longer just as a scientist, but as a mother.

Ms. Reichs blends forensic science with psychological suspense like few others can. The pacing is tight, the tension expertly maintained, and the final twist both shocking and satisfyingly earned. The revenge-fueled motive at the core of the narrative offers a powerful exploration of trauma, grief, and the cost of justice.

Cold, Cold Bones is a deeply personal, razor-sharp thriller that pushes Temperance Brennan to the brink—both professionally and emotionally. Kathy Reichs delivers a darkly compelling tale of vengeance and legacy that will grip readers from the first chilling clue to the final, breathless page. Fans of the series will find it a standout entry, while new readers will be instantly hooked.

This ARC book is complimentary, provided by the publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

This is my first book by this author. I enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more books in the Temperance Brennan series. I liked the quirky characters, and will be going back to the beginning to see how these relationships began.

If you are a fan of Patricia Cornwell’s Dr. Scarpetta, you will enjoy this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Scribner for the opportunity to read "Cold Cold Bones" by Kathy Reich.

I did not like this book. I was bored and just did not enjoy it all that much. I was bored and found it predictable. I DNFed this one.

Thanks to NetGalley and Scribner for the opportunity to read "Cold Cold Bones" by Kathy Reich. I finally had a chance to read this novel, and I apologize for taking so long to review it.

“Cold Cold Bones” tells the story of Temperance Brennan, a forensic pathologist, who receives a mysterious package on her back porch containing a human eyeball. Why did she receive this gruesome package? Is someone targeting her? As Temperance tries to solve this case with her salty sidekick, her daughter, Katie, goes missing. Why? Can Temperance locate and save her daughter? Is Katie's disappearance tied to the eyeball case? All of these questions are answered as you read this novel.

Having been introduced to forensic fiction through Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta series, this is my first Kathy Reich novel and introduction to the Temperance Brennan series. I must admit that I did not care for Temperance’s daughter, Katie. Although I understood Katie experienced trauma in the military, I found her character to be abrupt, unlikeable, and unsympathetic.

“Cold Cold Bones” is an engaging but slow-paced novel, filled with twists and turns, forensic jargon, and humor. I figured out the killer's identity before the novel's reveal or conclusion. Based on this experience, I don’t think I will read another book in this series.

This is a great book and you should pick up yourself a copy and kick back and enjoy reading it. Thank you for writing such a great book!

The next installment in the Temperance Brennan series did not disappoint. It starts with a fresh human eyeball being left on Brennan's back porch. The eyeball has been etched with GPS coordinates. The GPS coordinates lead to a monastery with yet another gruesome discovery. Shortly thereafter Brennan examines a mummified corpse in a state park. On their face these three cases seem to be completely unrelated; however, something has piqued Brennan's sense of deja vu. Each of these cases mimics a case that Brennan analyzed in the past. As Brennan tries to figure out who is behind the mimicry, her daughter disappears.

Another satisfying addition to the series. I love catching up with these familiar characters.

Kathy Reichs is one the greatest authors writing currently. Temperance Brennan is a strong brilliant forensic anthropologist with her own quirks that strives for justice. This novel takes us on a journey of a serial killer imitating past cases of Tempe’s. It takes several bodies before the cops believe the connections that Tempe has made from the beginning. Can she and Skinny discover the culprit before she becomes a victim herself?

Another installment in the Temperance Brennan series and it doesn't disappoint. If you haven't read any of Kathy Reichs' books, I recommend starting at the beginning of the series, however, you can read them out of order and the plots are still held together by Reichs' brilliant writing style.

This was an interesting plot line. Bringing up old cases. Little surprise who the killer was. I don’t as thinking it was someone else. Another fun Tempe book.

I have read Kathy Reichs books out of order for the most part but it doesn't seem to matter. I do love them. They never seem to get old. Delving into her past was a fun way to go into this one and bringing in Andrew Ryan was as well. Will recommend.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

No surprises here. Well, maybe a few but if you like this series and the characters and Reichs’ writing, then you will enjoy this newest installment. Those new to the series, you may want to start at the beginning. A solid suspense/mystery.

The next installment of Temperance Brennan finds her working on cases that are similar to previous cases. This story is a great medical mystery.

Amazing book. Kathy Reichs knows how to keep her readers hooked. Definitely a 5 star must read. I love the storyline for this book. If you haven't read it you definitely should

The Bones series is a great series. I recommend that the reader start with the first book so the development of the character is seen. Cold,,Cold Bones is another great read for almost any patron. Enjoy!

I absolutely love the Temperance Brennan series. And this one continued the author’s amazing ability to pull you into the story and keep you hooked until the very end. A murder mystery what has you on a crazy adventure with Tempe. The books in this series never fail to deliver an intense anxiety-driven, clue-following, edge-of-your-seat story. I am literally exhausted when I’ve finished one of these books because I’m struggling right along with Tempe. I am anxiously awaiting the next book in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

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I really enjoy the forensic science in Kathy Reichs books. Cold, Cold Bones was fantastic. I am also a fan of the Bone's TV show and see so many differences in the book characters. I still think the books are better.

Winter has come to North Carolina and, with it, a drop in crime. Freed from a heavy work schedule, Tempe Brennan is content to dote on her daughter Katy, finally returned to civilian life from the army. But when mother and daughter meet at Tempe’s place one night, they find a box on the back porch. Inside: a very fresh human eyeball.

GPS coordinates etched into the eyeball lead to a Benedictine monastery where an equally macabre discovery awaits. Soon after, Tempe examines a mummified corpse in a state park, and her anxiety deepens.

There seems to be no pattern to the subsequent killings uncovered, except that each mimics in some way a homicide that a younger Tempe had been called in to analyze. Who or what is targeting her, and why?

Helping Tempe search for answers is detective Erskine “Skinny” Slidell, retired but still volunteering with the CMPD cold case unit—and still displaying his gallows humor. Also pulled into the mystery: Andrew Ryan, Tempe’s Montreal-based beau, now working as a private detective.

Could this elaborately staged skein of mayhem be the prelude to a twist that is even more shocking? Tempe is at a loss to establish the motive for what is going on…and then her daughter disappears.

At its core, Cold, Cold Bones is a novel of revenge—one in which revisiting the past may prove the only way to unravel the present.

‘Cold, Cold, Bones’ is a mystery/thriller written by Kathy Reichs. It is the 21st in the Temperance Brennan series. The story starts in a North Carolina winter with Temperance Brennan and her Army Vet daughter Katy moving into Katy’s new place. When the pair head back to Tempe’s home to bathe and eat, things quickly escalate when a package is found on the back stoop with an eyeball in it. Upon closer inspection they find coordinates etched into the eyeball that leads to a series of events and horrors strategically placed and designed specifically for Temperance to find. When she doesn't put the pieces together fast enough, the person (or persons) that is leaving her clues, and subsequently murders, to solve, starts targeting victims a bit closer to her heart. It's a race against the clock for Tempe to figure out who is torturing her, and why, before she becomes the last murder to solve.
Admittedly I had previously never read anything from this author or series. I typically try to steer clear of anything that's in the middle of a series but nevertheless, I applied for this one based on the synopsis and cover photo. Then I went and forgot about it as life happened too fast. My apologies for this extremely late review. ANYWHOO! I enjoyed it cover to cover and while I had a few questions, such as, What is id brigade? Why does she never call for backup? Why didn't she hang up the phone with Nguyen in Loc 1712 Chapter 14?, it was overall a great read with epic chapter endings that left me wanting more. It was well written and easy to follow with quick chapters, but I will say I had the killer figure out about half way through and that's why I didn't give it 5 stars. It was almost too easy. With that said, I cannot wait to not only catch up on the previous books in the series, but also for the future ones as well. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a good long series to keep them captivated with quick, easy-to-binge books. I gave this book 4 stars.
Edits:
Kindle Loc 88, Chapter 1; ‘Were should be We’re’
Kindle Loc 206, Chapter 2; the word ‘thing’ is missing after whole
Kindle Loc 653, Chapter 5 ‘teeth. Was’ should be ‘teeth was’?
Kindle Loc 4456, Chapter 39 ‘each should be reach’

This was an amazing and completely engaging. I was invested from the very first chapter. The characters were complex. The plot was original. I have read every book in this series and each book just gets better.