Under the microscope, the outer bone surface is a moonscape of craters...'Preliminary diagnosis?' 'Deformity of the bone. Maybe. Cortical destruction on a metacarpal. Maybe. Localised infection? Systemic disease process? Postmortem destruction, either purposeful or natural? A combination of the above? I don't have a diagnosis...' The skeleton is that of a young girl, no more than fourteen years old - and forensic anthropologist Dr Temperance Brennan is struggling to keep her emotions in check. Coroner Yves Bradette is being evasive, insisting the bones are ancient and of no interest. But it doesn't quite add up, and a frustrated Tempe is convinced that Bradette is hiding something...It's not Tempe's case; she's overwhelmed with more urgent work in the lab...But the nagging in her subconscious won't let up. A memory triggered, deep in her hindbrain - the disappearance of a childhood friend; no warning, no explanation...Working on instinct, Tempe takes matters into her own hands. But she couldn't have predicted where this case would lead, or the horrors it would eventually uncover...Can Tempe maintain a professional distance as the past catches up with her in this, her most deeply personal case yet?

Posting on to the winner of the crime and mystery sweepstake winner.

Posting on to the winner of the crime and mystery sweepstake winner.

Not one but two books - guess I'm Plum-lucky this week! Thanks you so much mafarrimond & for the lovely Christmas card too - hope you have a very Happy Christmas too :o)

Although a few of this author's books have passed through my shelf, this is the first I've actually read.

I quite enjoyed the early part, reading of Tempes youth & of her meeting Evangeline but then it came "up-to-date", & I found the repeating of the french-to-english & all the acronyms a bit irritating - however, I only noticed that slight annoyance in the early chapters!

While I didn't find the plot entirely credible & found it rambled on a bit in parts, overall I'd say I enjoyed it. I won't be hunting down others in this series but I'll certainly read anymore that happen my way, in fact I think there's still one in my TBR mountain.....

Left in the out-patients department of the Eye Clinic.

Released as part of the 4ELEMENTS Challenge (#19) (Ash)
& the 2012 TV SERIES Challenge (#3)





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