Spider Bones

A Novel

By: Kathy Reichs

Narrated by: Linda Emond

Length: 9 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

Kathy Reichs—number-one New York Times best-selling author and producer of the Fox television hit Bones—returns with the 13th riveting novel featuring forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance Brennan.

John Lowery was declared dead in 1968—the victim of a Huey crash in Vietnam, his body buried long ago in North Carolina. Four decades later, Temperance Brennan is called to the scene of a drowning in Hemmingford, Quebec. The victim appears to have died while in the midst of a bizarre sexual practice. The corpse is later identified as John Lowery. But how could Lowery have died twice, and how did an American soldier end up in Canada?

Tempe sets off for the answer, exhuming Lowery’s grave in North Carolina and taking the remains to Hawaii for reanalysis—to the headquarters of JPAC, the U.S. military’s Joint POW/ MIA Accounting Command, which strives to recover Americans who have died in past conflicts. In Hawaii, Tempe is joined by her colleague and ex-lover Detective Andrew Ryan (how “ex” is he?) and by her daughter, who is recovering from her own tragic loss. Soon another set of remains is located, with Lowery’s dog tags tangled among them. Three bodies—all identified as Lowery.

And then Tempe is contacted by Hadley Perry, Honolulu’s flamboyant medical examiner, who needs help identifying the remains of an adolescent boy found offshore. Was he the victim of a shark attack? Or something much more sinister?

Flesh and bones: investigate more of Temperance Brennan's forensic cases.

©2010 Temperance Brennan, LP. All rights reserved (P)2010 Simon & Schuster

Critic reviews

"Reichs, a former forensic anthropologist herself, whose early books were occasionally a bit clunky (it's not a smooth transition, apparently, from deconstructing bones to constructing sentences), has developed into a solid writer. Fans of the television series Bones, based on Reich's life and career, will note plenty of differences between the show and the novels, but they will find that Brennan on the page still offers much to enjoy." ( Booklist)

"Reichs, who once again uses her own scientific knowledge to enhance a complex plot and continually developing characters, delivers a whopper of a final twist." ( Publishers Weekly)

Different, cutting edge topics. Enjoyed it

Kept me on the edge. I saw some things coming and willed them to figure it out. Other things blind sided me. I was only disappointed with not being given the answer to the very last sentence and hope it's in the next book.

Another good read by Kathy Reichs

I enjoyed listening to the book. It was fun to have a different setting (and learn a little Hawaiian instead of a little French!). To correct a previous reviewer, Linda Emond has narrated most of Ms. Reich's books. There have been a few other readers, but Barbara Rosenblat was not one of them.

consistenly 'bones'

I have been a fan of the TV version of Bones for years, but this is the first novel I have read. In many ways, I found the book Temperance Brennan to be the person portrayed on TV and the character felt familiar. In this story she solves the puzzle of several bodies whose identities have been scrambled over a period of decades. She does not work with a 'team' as she does on the show but does collaborate with other antropologists. The 'Booth' character of the TV version is quite different in the book. If you are a fan of the TV series, you will likely enjoy this novel - which I recognize is backwards if you were first a long time fan of the novels.

Spider Bones is one exciting tale!

I just finished listening to the Audiobook of Kathy Reichs' Spider Bones. This story is Reichs at her very best. It combines mystery, humor and adventure in a tale which begins in Quebec and takes the listener to South Carolina, Hawaii and the jungles of Vietnam (the latter during the height of the Vietnam Conflict). I highly recommend this to any fans of good forensic mystery stories (TV fans of "Bones", "NCIS", "CSI", etc.; and readers of the books of Ms. Reichs and Patricia Cornwell).

Big fan

I always enjoy these book. Interesting fun and you learn something. Kathy’s books are like she is talking to me and telling me the story. Good to listen to

Dissapointed

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Skip this narrator. After lstening to an hour, I had to archive it as the best thing I can say about the narrator is that it's a great cure for incomnia. I'll never listen to her again.

Kathy Reich is a favorite of mine, too bad it was so poorly narrated. This is the first time I've not thoroughly enjoyed an Audible book until now.

If you’ve listened to books by Kathy Reichs before, how does this one compare?

Not listened before but have read many other novels by her.She

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Linda Emond?

Whoever narrated "The Dove Keepers." She's excellent

Did Spider Bones inspire you to do anything?

Nope

Any additional comments?

Every narrator is entitled to a clunker once in awhile, but I doubt I'll try this narrator again.

Another great Reichs novel

Another great addition to the series. I wouldn't say this is my all time favorite of her novels but it's definitely worth a read/listen if you've already finished the previous books in the series.

confused

the story was interesting and I finally got things straight In My Head by the end but it was confusing

Continuing the legacy of great "bones"

I loved the depth and intricacies in this novel. She continues to build in human fallacy with compassion and meaning.

Crazy twist of events!

Love listening to Linda Emonds narration. Really enjoy Temperance Brennan character. She's quite a heroine!