Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
New York: Scribner, 2006. 339 p. ; 25 cm.
Description
Following the tremendous success of Cross Bones, Kathy Reichs explores another high-profile topic in Break No Bones -- a case that lands forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan in the middle of a gruesome international scheme. Summoned to South Carolina to fill in for a negligent colleague, Tempe is stuck teaching a lackluster archaeology field school in the ruins of a Native American burial ground on the Charleston shore. But when Tempe stumbles upon a fresh skeleton among the ancient bones, her old friend Emma Rousseau, the local coroner, persuades her to stay on and help with the investigation. When Emma reveals a disturbing secret, it becomes more important than ever for Tempe to help her friend close the case. The body count begins to climb. An unidentified man is found hanging from a tree deep in the woods. Another corpse shows up in a barrel. There are mysterious nicks on bones in several bodies, and signs of strangulation. Tempe follows the trail to a free street clinic with a belligerent staff, a suspicious doctor, and a donor who is a charismatic televangelist. Clues abound in the most unlikely places as Tempe uses her unique knowledge and skills to build her case, even as the local sheriff remains dubious and her own life is threatened. Tempe's love life is also complicated. Ryan, her current flame, has come down to visit her from Montreal, and Pete, her former husband, is investigating the disappearance of a local woman -- and he and Tempe are staying in the same borrowed beach house. Ryan and Pete compete for her attentions, and Tempe finds herself more distracted by her feelings for both men than she expected. Break No Bones is a smart, taut thriller featuring the kind of high-stakes crime that makes the headlines every week. Reichs, the inspiration for the hit FOX TV show Bones, is writing at the top of her form, and Tempe has never been more compelling.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member octavia
This was my 2nd (3rd attempt) at trying to read one of her books. The writing is not interesting, and the mystery was merely okay. The TV show surpasses the books in writing and characterization.
LibraryThing member tmbcoughlin
easy read. Temperance Brennan is nothing like the TV character with the exception of her profession. The book takes place in Charleston, SC. where temperance in on a dig and discovers a body that does not belong at the site. She works with the local coroner to identify the body and its cause of
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death. One body turns into two and the mystery gradually unveils itself all the while she is dealing emotionally with her separated husband and boyfriend all temporarily under one roof. It is an easy read; the only trouble I had with the book was Temperance's perception and seeming reality that she as an anthropologist was more capable than the sherrif at puzzling through the who done it portion of the myster; otherwise, it was a good read. She is a character filled with many emotions and she is believable. Show Less
LibraryThing member siubhank
Temperence Brennan, forensic anthropologist, is leading a student excavation on one of the barrier islands when she finds a not so ancient body. She is soon beset with more bodies,her unfaithful, estranged husband and her Canadian boyfriend. Another good read from Kathy Reichs
LibraryThing member nbmars
Setting: Charleston, South Carolina
Protagonists:
Temperance "Tempe" Brennan - forensic anthropologist who generally splits her time between Montreal and Charlotte, North Carolina
Andrew Ryan – Detective with the Major Crimes Division of the Quebec Provincial Police to whom Tempe is attracted and
Pete Peterson, Tempe’s estranged husband
Emma Rousseau, Charleston County Coroner and old friend of Tempe’s
Sheriff Junius Gullet, Charleston County Sheriff and “a solid guy”
First Line:
"Never fails. You’re wrapping up the operation when someone blunders onto the season’s big score."
Main Action: Tempe goes to Charleston, S.C. to guide a student dig, then stays on to help her coroner friend, who is too sick to tackle the dead bodies that keep popping up. Though seemingly unrelated, the bodies have similar strange injuries. And why are so many of them homeless, prostitutes, or others who might cause less notice if missing? Both Pete and Andy help Tempe crack the mystery.
Main Theme: The murder mystery is actually a side show for Tempe’s personal struggles between her old feelings for Pete and new feelings for Andy, both of whom are in Charlestown with her.
Subtheme: A suspect claims he heals bones; he breaks no bones.
Bonus Aspect: Tempe shares her learning process about anthropological forensics with the reader. In this story, we learn all about what the presence of moisture can do to a body after death.
Verdict: Not her best, and the attempts at cliff-hanger chapter endings can be a little much, but you come away from it having learned something, and having been moderately entertained.
(JAF)
Protagonists:
Temperance "Tempe" Brennan - forensic anthropologist who generally splits her time between Montreal and Charlotte, North Carolina
Andrew Ryan – Detective with the Major Crimes Division of the Quebec Provincial Police to whom Tempe is attracted and
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who seems to be pursuing her in spite of the many barriers she erectsPete Peterson, Tempe’s estranged husband
Emma Rousseau, Charleston County Coroner and old friend of Tempe’s
Sheriff Junius Gullet, Charleston County Sheriff and “a solid guy”
First Line:
"Never fails. You’re wrapping up the operation when someone blunders onto the season’s big score."
Main Action: Tempe goes to Charleston, S.C. to guide a student dig, then stays on to help her coroner friend, who is too sick to tackle the dead bodies that keep popping up. Though seemingly unrelated, the bodies have similar strange injuries. And why are so many of them homeless, prostitutes, or others who might cause less notice if missing? Both Pete and Andy help Tempe crack the mystery.
Main Theme: The murder mystery is actually a side show for Tempe’s personal struggles between her old feelings for Pete and new feelings for Andy, both of whom are in Charlestown with her.
Subtheme: A suspect claims he heals bones; he breaks no bones.
Bonus Aspect: Tempe shares her learning process about anthropological forensics with the reader. In this story, we learn all about what the presence of moisture can do to a body after death.
Verdict: Not her best, and the attempts at cliff-hanger chapter endings can be a little much, but you come away from it having learned something, and having been moderately entertained.
(JAF)
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LibraryThing member aelfgifu
Read this because I enjoy the TV series, Bones. While I wasn't expecting anything like an exact match, was disappointed that the only thing the heroine of this book has in common with the one on telly is (a) her name and (b) she's a criminal pathologist, but I'm used to differences between
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Hollywood and written words and that wouldn't necessarily put me off. However, I was really annoyed by the author's weird pseudo-hip slang and strange verbifications, e.g., "he footstepped his father". Now that's criminal. But, if you can stand having to re-read whole sentences to try and figure out what she's trying to say, the plotting was OK and the story moved along at a good pace. I assume the science is accurate (it reads as if it is) and the characters were reasonably well-drawn. I wouldn't bother with another one, personally, especially since the blurb on the back of the book said that Reich's writing had improved in this one. Show Less
LibraryThing member riverwillow
This was a good read. I love how Reichs doesn't talk down to her reader's and shares the intracacies of forensic science along the way.
LibraryThing member missmath144
I didn't like this as much as other Kathy Reichs books, maybe because it was the one book that she didn't base on a specific investigation of hers (my guess). She sets up the questions, then lays out answers that the reader couldn't have figured out from the clues.
LibraryThing member mmignano11
I was not pleasantly surprised by this first submersion into Kathy Reich's Temperance Brennan series. While the story line was interesting, a medical clinic used for the wrong purposes, people dying just because they knew too much, and the typical forensic investigation, I found myself bored
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quickly with the writing itself and the characters were lacking in depth. At least, they did not entice me to want to know what would happen to them next. I require at least that much of my literature, that it give me reasons to go on to the conclusion of the book and get to see the resolution, good or bad for the characters. I struggled through but I found it uninteresting. I would give her books another chance though. I would read it this time though rather than listen to an audiobook because that may have been the reason I was not as entertained as I had expected to be. Show Less
LibraryThing member NWADEL
Another awesome Reichs read. Always full of details ,twists and turns. Brennan and her students are on an archeological burial ground when they dig up a body in a shallow grave.
Upon examining the body, Brennan questions interesting marks on the bones. And the investigation is on.
Upon examining the body, Brennan questions interesting marks on the bones. And the investigation is on.
LibraryThing member Alera
This isn't my favorite in the series, but it is a good read. It's a lot more emotionally invested. Tempe's life is in more than a touch of emotional upheaval, and while I appreciate the character development it was almost a bit of an overload. However, the mystery, as always, was intriguing on
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multiple levels. And this one actually kept me guessing a bit. Show Less
LibraryThing member redheadish
Read this in 2011 after finding 3 of Reichs books at a thrift and buying then reading outof sequence I relized I had to read them all in order! I just love Kathy reichs books!
LibraryThing member JGoto
Temperence Brennan is a forensic bone specialist, called upon to identify the remains of several bodies in Charleston, SC area. Her investigation leads her to a list of missing persons and a clinic run by a popular evangelist. Tempe gets help from her estranged husband, her lover who is a homicide
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dective in Canada, and her friend Emma, the local coroner who is too sick to handle the case on her own. The book is fast paced and entertaining, although not particularly memorable. Show Less
LibraryThing member mairangiwoman
I am sure I have read this before but absolutely enjoyed it the 2nd time! Grisly remains at times are found over a reasonably short period of time and Tempe manages to beat the cops at finding out the common link.
LibraryThing member sublunarie
Possibly the most disappointing book I've ever read.
LibraryThing member Joybee
I liked this book. However, it was somewhat unrealistic in that Dr. Brennan and boyfriend Andrew Ryan pretty much take over the investigation and the small town, Charleston, SC Sheriff doesn't seem unhappy about their help or interference. But overlooking that small detail, it was a fun read and
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hard to put down. The story had some good twists and turns and Tempe is trying to figure out and understand her feelings for her estranged husband Pete. So the story is about bones found by Tempe and her students doing an archeological dig in Charleston. These bones are new compared to the Native American graves they have uncovered. These bones lead Brennan into an investigation involving a church-run free clinic and missing homeless people. Meanwhile Pete is hired by a client to look into the financial side of this same church and try to get information about the client's missing daughter, last seen working at the free clinic. Show Less
LibraryThing member baswood
Well written mystery thriller, however I am just not very keen on the fast paced wise cracking style. Everything is just too slick especially the Temperence Brennan character
LibraryThing member DocWalt10
Enjoyed this first experience of a Temperance Brennan Novel. Want to collect her series of novels from the beginning. Bones, the TV show, is a favourite, although I can see it bears little resemblance to the books.
LibraryThing member kaylol
This is the first book I read by this author and it is good.
LibraryThing member cenneidigh
Love this series, it is entertaining and fresh. The mystery is interesting and the romance is sweet. I've caught up and I wish she would write faster.
LibraryThing member jepeters333
Brennan uncovers a skeleton and 2 more bodies whose deaths seem to be related. They point back to a fee clinic and their employees. Story was pretty good, narration was not so great.
LibraryThing member AwesomeAud
This book is ninth in the series.
Tempe is supervising an archeological dig in South Carolina, when she and the students find a fresh skeleton. By fresh, we mean about five years old. The local coroner is an old friend of Tempe's who asks for her help with the case. Coincidently, another body turns
The mystery kept me guessing right to the end, so that part was good. There was one thing that Tempe found in the bones that I thought she should have recognised much quicker than she did (you'll know it). But there was a lot of drama about her love life that I could have done without. There were a couple of unrealistic coincidences, and the supposedly close friendship between Tempe and the coroner didn't have any chemistry.
Tempe is supervising an archeological dig in South Carolina, when she and the students find a fresh skeleton. By fresh, we mean about five years old. The local coroner is an old friend of Tempe's who asks for her help with the case. Coincidently, another body turns
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up with the same odd skeletal anomaly that the first one had. The mystery kept me guessing right to the end, so that part was good. There was one thing that Tempe found in the bones that I thought she should have recognised much quicker than she did (you'll know it). But there was a lot of drama about her love life that I could have done without. There were a couple of unrealistic coincidences, and the supposedly close friendship between Tempe and the coroner didn't have any chemistry.
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LibraryThing member twotays
I enjoyed the book. It was less intence then some of her others.Worth the read if you are a fan.
LibraryThing member ct.bergeron
In this ninth in the popular series, forensic anthropologist Tempe Brennan is spending two weeks in May on Dewees, a barrier island north of Charleston, South Carolina, where she is leading a student excavation of a prehistoric site when one of the bodies they find isn't so ancient. After reporting
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her find to her friend Emma Rousseau, coroner at the Charleston County Coroner's Office, Tempe learns that Emma is ill and unable to investigate; so Tempe fills in for her as a consultant. When another body is found in a different location, the forensic examination of the bones shows a similarity in the manner of death. As Tempe investigates further, another body turns up, leading her to a horrifying conclusion about the motive for these deaths. Complicating matters, Tempe's estranged husband moves into the house she has borrowed, and her boyfriend arrives unexpectedly from Montreal. Tempe must work through her ambivalence about divorcing her unfaithful husband, for whom she still has feelings, but she also cares for her boyfriend. Readers who enjoy Patricia Cornwell's mysteries will appreciate the forensic detail here, and more character-oriented readers will respond to Reichs' likable and well-developed cast, from the local sheriff to Tempe herself, a dedicated woman who feels compelled to provide justice for those who can no longer speak for themselves. An engrossing entry in a widely read series Show Less
LibraryThing member FKarr
way different Temperance Brennan from the character on TV; quick read
LibraryThing member ClicksClan
In this one Tempe is conducting an anthropological field school on an island currently undergoing development, when they dig up a body which is a little too modern for the course. While investigating this, Tempe's estranged husband shows up in town conducting a little investigation of his own. Then
I'd more or less forgotten this book, though as the series progressed I realised I hadn't read about Pete, Tempe's ex, getting shot so it had to have been in one of the later books that I'd read. And I was right, it was in this one. Aside from that, I remembered very little of the actual cases in this one so it was more like reading it for the first time.
I liked this one more than Cross Bones because it was back to dealing with murder cases and criminal investigations again, however having Tempe, her ex-husband and her current boyfriend all decend on this small town and get involved in the investigation is a little far-fetched. There would have to have been some repercussions in the prosecution if they found out that these extra people had gotten involved.
I was willing to let that go though, because it was a good read. I think one of the main things I liked about it was the fact that I couldn't remember who did it. Not so good for getting sleep as it did mean that I ended up staying up far too late reading; promising myself just one more chapter and then getting to a cliffhanger and thinking 'well I can't stop now'.
One thing that does bug me about the character of Tempe Brennan is her indecision regarding Andrew Ryan. I realise that first and foremost it's a series of crime books, I don't read them expecting romance, but I still remember that moment when they first almost hooked up. I was on the train pulling into Glasgow Central on my way to university and I was hurriedly reading, wanting to find out what would happen before I had to get off and put my book away!
But nine books on, the will they/won't they is beginning to wear a bit thin. I'd like them to either hurry up and make a decision one way or the other. They're both adults and it's been about ten years, cut to the chase already! If they are going to split up and Tempe wants to reunite with her husband, then fair enough, but stop going backwards and forwards. Though, that said, I really don't like the idea of Tempe and Pete as much as Tempe and Ryan.
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things get a bit messier and her current on/off love Andrew Ryan shows up for a visit as well. Oh yeah, and there's some more murders in there as well.I'd more or less forgotten this book, though as the series progressed I realised I hadn't read about Pete, Tempe's ex, getting shot so it had to have been in one of the later books that I'd read. And I was right, it was in this one. Aside from that, I remembered very little of the actual cases in this one so it was more like reading it for the first time.
I liked this one more than Cross Bones because it was back to dealing with murder cases and criminal investigations again, however having Tempe, her ex-husband and her current boyfriend all decend on this small town and get involved in the investigation is a little far-fetched. There would have to have been some repercussions in the prosecution if they found out that these extra people had gotten involved.
I was willing to let that go though, because it was a good read. I think one of the main things I liked about it was the fact that I couldn't remember who did it. Not so good for getting sleep as it did mean that I ended up staying up far too late reading; promising myself just one more chapter and then getting to a cliffhanger and thinking 'well I can't stop now'.
One thing that does bug me about the character of Tempe Brennan is her indecision regarding Andrew Ryan. I realise that first and foremost it's a series of crime books, I don't read them expecting romance, but I still remember that moment when they first almost hooked up. I was on the train pulling into Glasgow Central on my way to university and I was hurriedly reading, wanting to find out what would happen before I had to get off and put my book away!
But nine books on, the will they/won't they is beginning to wear a bit thin. I'd like them to either hurry up and make a decision one way or the other. They're both adults and it's been about ten years, cut to the chase already! If they are going to split up and Tempe wants to reunite with her husband, then fair enough, but stop going backwards and forwards. Though, that said, I really don't like the idea of Tempe and Pete as much as Tempe and Ryan.
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Subjects
Awards
Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence (Shortlist — Novel — 2007)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2006
Physical description
339 p.; 17.8 cm
ISBN
0743233492 / 9780743233491
Local notes
Omslag: Glenn O'Neill
Omslagsfotografi: Colin Thomas
Omslaget viser noget, der ligner en panfløjte liggende på en overflade af jord eller gult sand
Indskannet omslag - N650U - 150 dpi
Tempe Brennan, bind 9
Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Quebec
Omslagsfotografi: Colin Thomas
Omslaget viser noget, der ligner en panfløjte liggende på en overflade af jord eller gult sand
Indskannet omslag - N650U - 150 dpi
Tempe Brennan, bind 9
Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Quebec
Similar in this library
Series
Pages
339
DDC/MDS
| 813/.54 22 |