Mecklenburg Virginia forensic anthropologist Dr. Tempe Brennan receives a visit from Hazel "Lucky" Strike, a websleuth who brings Tempe a recording of three voices: one female, 2 male. The woman on the recording sounds in terrible danger; Lucky thinks it might be the voice of Cora Teague, who disappeared over three years before, and Tempe could be in possession of Cora's remains. Tempe is unmoved by the amateur detective's plea, but when other remains are found, Dr. Brennan becomes more willing to listen to Lucky. The cold case is an almost welcome distraction from Tempe's personal life, mainly what to do about on-again-off-again boyfriend Quebec detective Andrew Ryan and his surprise proposal.

SPEAKING IN BONES, the latest in Dr. Tempe Brennan's adventures, is a chilling and often terrifying story right from the very first page. While there are references to previous books regarding Tempe's personal issues and recurring characters, SPEAKING IN BONES stands perfectly on its own. Ms. Reichs is a favourite author of mine, and she really outdid herself with SPEAKING IN BONES. The story is extremely intricate, tightly plotted, and very fast-paced; not one word is superfluous. Dr. Tempe Brennan is a fabulous character, extremely competent but not infallible, and in SPEAKING OF BONES, her imperfections could cost her more than she ever could imagine. I love that Kathy Reichs inserts explanations of the various acronyms: it makes everything crystal clear to readers, and as usual, I to learned new things while enjoying this fantastic thriller. Every description is vivid and serves a purpose, and the author is an undisputed master at creating tension: most chapters end that either leave you gasping or scrambling to turn the page.

Layer upon layer of mystery is added as more is known of the players in the drama, nothing is as it appeared: who are the suspects, who are the victims, or are the suspects victims? Details that seemed innocuous turn out to be of the utmost importance, everyone has secrets. Ms. Reich's writing is better than ever: fluid, crisp, and Tempe's self-deprecating sense of humour is a welcome respite amidst the unsettling events portrayed and the often gloomy atmosphere. SPEAKING IN BONES is clever, unsettling, and absolutely sensational!