Short & Sweet Review: Bones on Ice by Kathy Reichs

Title: Bones on Ice

Author: Kathy Reichs

Series: Temperance Brennan, #17.5   

Published: June 2015, Bantam  

Format: E-book, 104 pages   

Source: Personal copy   

Featuring a preview of the highly anticipated new thriller Speaking in Bones, this eBook original novella showcases #1 New York Times bestselling author Kathy Reichs at the peak of her powers. In Bones on Ice, forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan gets wrapped up in the ultimate cold case: a murder on Mount Everest.
 

It is called the “death zone”: the point on Everest, nearly five miles
high, above which a climber cannot be rescued. More than 250 souls have
lost their lives there. Most of the bodies remain, abandoned, frozen in
place. When an earthquake leads to a miraculous recovery, Dr. Temperance
Brennan is hired to identify the frozen mummified human corpse. The
victim is the daughter of a wealthy Charlotte couple who never got the
chance to say goodbye. But far from offering solace and closure, Tempe’s
findings only provoke more questions. What happened on Mount Everest?
Was the young woman’s death an accident? Why aren’t the other climbers
talking? And how far will those hiding the truth go to make sure the
past stays buried?

***Short & Sweet Reviews
are short, quick reviews. These will mainly be used for series books
where I have already done full reviews on some of the earlier books or
for books that I feel will suffice with a quick review. These will not
be used for review requests or blog tours.

My thoughts: This was a fascinating novella – it had me on the edge of my seat the whole time, and due to the short nature of the book, I read it in one sitting. It was made clear that this story was written before the 2015 Earthquake and that Kathy Reichs did not capitalize on anyone’s loss or the disaster itself. This novella was actually ready to be released just around that event, so she held off releasing it for a few months. She wanted to honor those lost and raise awareness for those that provide relief, and includes information on how to help if you are so inclined in the back of the novella.

It’s very clear just how much research goes into Kathy Reichs’ books. The case itself was puzzling with just enough technical jargon thrown in to keep it interesting. The characters are well-drawn out for a short story and there are still plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing right up to the very end. 

I also liked how at the end of the story, we find out just how this novella came to be. Kathy was given an article from her daughter about Mount Everest and how those how perish on mountain climbs are often not brought down. This has lead to some areas having interesting names, such as Green Boots Cave and Rainbow Valley – all for the clothing that the deceased were wearing. This article sparked a story in her and thus led to the novella. 

I love when we get to hear what leads an author to their story – I always find it so interesting and am so glad that Kathy shared this with us. While this was a rather sad story, it was also utterly fascinating – as have been all the books in this series. I really have to say, with each book I’ve read/listened to, I come away with at least one new tidbit of information and that’s pretty cool!

Books in this series:


  1. Deja Dead                                12.  206 Bones
  2. Death du Jour                       13.  Spider Bones
  3. Deadly Decisions                 14.  Flash & Bones
  4. Fatal Voyage                         15.  Bones are Forever
  5. Grave Secrets                        15.5  Bones in Her Pocket
  6. Bare Bones                              16.  Bones of the Lost
  7. Monday Mourning              16.5  Swamp Bones
  8. Cross Bones                            17.  Bones Never Lie
  9. Break No Bones                     17.5  Bones on Ice
  10. Bones to Ashes                      18.  Speaking in Bones
  11. Devil Bones
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1 Comment

  1. Mystica
    August 18, 2015 / 2:17 pm

    This sounds very good.