Cross Bones by Kathy Reichs

Cross Bones by Kathy Reichs

Genre: Crime Fiction

Published in 2005

Recommended Age Group: Adult

Summary: Cross Bones is by far the most complicated plots of the Reichs’ novels thus far. The book begins with a list of facts concerned remains discovered on and around Masada. This list was the inspiration to the latest Temperance Brennan novel. The story begins with the autopsy of an ultra-Orthodox Jew named Avram Ferris and the mystery surrounding his death. Outside the autopsy room a man who called himself Kessler approached Tempe. He handed Tempe a picture of a skeleton and told her that the skeleton was the reason for the Ferris’s death. This sends Tempe on a whirlwind adventure not only trying to solve Ferris’s death but also find out about the skeleton and who it was and why it would lead to murder. Along the way more people are killed. Ryan and Tempe fly to Israel to follow leads and deliver the skeleton, the first skeleton is lost, and another skeleton is discovered. The first bones were once believed to be those of Jesus Christ but Tempe disproves that theory because the age of the man when he died did not fit. The second skeleton was discovered in a tomb that Tempe’s friend Jake believes is the Jesus family tomb. The discovery of both sets of bones started religious and political problems and caused at least two people’s deaths. In the end the first set of bones was never recovered because they were re-buried by the thieves who refuse to disclose their new location. The second set was blown up in a car crash. Avram Ferris’s killer was brought to justice and Tempe and Ryan did a little sight seeing in Israel before returning to Canada.

Personal Notes: An interesting book. Kind of along the same lines as The Da Vinci Code but with subtle twists that make it just as good but less controversial. Reichs never claims that Jesus’ body was found. She hints around that people think it was found and that they think they found his family’s tomb as well but she sticks to the facts letting people believe what they want. The one major problem I had with the book is the incessant recapping. It seemed like every 10 to 30 pages she tells us again who all the players and bodies were and why they mattered and what they thought happened. Every time a new piece of information would come along the process would repeat. Without taking into account the endless recapping it was a great book and an interesting read. While the plot is complicated and hard to explain to someone else the book is actually really easy to follow, maybe because of the refreshing of information that is so often found within its pages.

Other reviews available:

Deja Dead by Kathy Reichs

Death du Jour by Kathy Reichs

Deadly Decisions by Kathy Reichs

Fatal Voyage by Kathy Reichs

Grave Secrets by Kathy Reichs

Bare Bones by Kathy Reichs

Monday Mourning by Kathy Reichs

Break No Bones by Kathy Reichs

Bones to Ashes by Kathy Reichs