Our favorite forensic anthropologist Tempe Brennan is ready for some desperately needed time off with her long-distance love interest... none other than Andrew Ryan .(Just goes by Ryan😉) A former detective with the Quebec Provincial Police, now self-employed as a private investigator.

But hold up, Tempe. Being the best in your field can come with a hefty price. Your services are always in big demand. And you being who you are…well, you just can’t say no.

Sorry Ryan… romance will need to be shelved for the immediate future.

So now who’s in desperate need of Tempe’s services?
A fire in Washington DC has left at least four un-identified dead and not one clue how the fire started.

Gas up the car Tempe, next stop…the nation’s capital.

I adore Tempe’s character. Fiercely independent and professional. But she also has a quirky side that’s both fun and a bit snarky. A perfect combination!

I’ve always said my favorite books in the series are the ones that are Canadian-based and I proudly stand by that statement! In my mind, this series just doesn’t hold up as well south of the border…whether it’s Charlotte NC or Washington DC. (It’s just a me thing…EH!)💁🏻‍♀️

Still, all in all, another great addition to one of my favorite long running series.

Hoping the next in the series will once again cross over into 🇨🇦

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner

Kathy Reichs does it again!

This time Tempe is called to DC to work a fire scene. The building was being operated as an illegal AirBnb so she works with the fire investigator and detective to look into the backgrounds of the people staying there. As she goes deeper into the history of the house and neighborhood the picture becomes clearer.

Tempe works with TV reporter and her daughter's friend, Ivy Doyle, who has an interesting story of her own. They go back in history investigating the Foggy Bottom Gang.

Edge of your seat thrilling, fast paced installment of Temperance Brennan's new case.

Oh, I really enjoyed this latest entry in the series!

Tempe is fantastic – funny, capable, and still getting herself into some dangerous situations.

The story does get a little grotesque at times – especially given the subject matter – but it’s also fascinating. I really wanted to know what was going on and was very surprised by the who and why of everything!

A hugely entertaining read and I didn’t want to come up for air until the last page.

• ARC via Publisher

I loved it! I pre-ordered this as early as I could. This series has been a favorite of mine since the start. Tying DNA and genealogy together is fascinating. As always, Temperance's smart and saucy humor is unexpected and funny and it's a good thing she keeps it in her head most times. Excellent author.

Another amazing Kathy Reichs Tempe Brennan novel. I swear these books get better with each new installment. I literally read this book in one sitting on a rainy day. Cannot wait to recommend this one! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

I have read all Kathy Reichs series Temp Brennan and enjoyed each and every one. This 'Fire and Bones' included. Temp is a strong character. Always an exciting mystery and she is a forensic anthropologist which is a double winner in my book. I have enjoyed this series so much that I have started to re-read them. I've also watched (twice) the series 'Bones' which is based on Kathy Reichs's books. I think it is important to note that Kathy Reichs is DR. Kathy Reichs who IS a Forensic Anthropologist so in other words, she knows what she is talking about. In this particular book Temp is called in to help with fire vics in DC's Foggy Bottom. As always, the book grabbed me and off, we went. Thank you to Scribner and NetGalley for the ARC but a big thank you to Kathy Reichs for writing another winner!

I will share on Goodreads and Amazon closer to publication and will also mention to my Library.

Mysteries and unexplained deaths.

I loved this addition to this series. I loved the unspooling of this mystery while I followed the clues along with Tempe. The story had the perfect mix of humor, history, gravitas, drama, intrigue, mystery, danger, mistakes, surprises, and real life issues.Temperance Brennan is a forensic anthropologist in Charlotte, NC. A romantic weekend is derailed when Tempe agrees to help identify remains from a suspicious fire at an illegal Airbnb in DC. A quick trip before going back to her romantic plans ends up taking much longer and she begins doing what she always does, following the story to help find closure for the dead she attends to. This time she teams up with a reporter, Ivy Doyle, who is a friend of Tempe’s daughter, Katy. As Tempe, with the help Ivy and the police and arson investigators, pulls thread after thread to identify the culprit along with an unknown victim the suspense and danger ramps up. The further the story got, the harder it was to put down and the more invested I was in the outcome. As long as this author keeps writing them, I’ll keep reading these books. 4.5 stars.

This is the 23rd in the Temperance Brennan “Bones” series. Temperance is a forensic anthropologist who works both in North Carolina and Quebec. In this story, she is asked to come to Washington DC to help identify bodies that burned in a fire in an illegal AirBnB in Foggy Bottom. She is reluctant at first because she does not particularly like working with burn victims and she is about to leave on a vacation with long time lover, Ryan.

As she investigates, with the assistance of her daughter’s reporter friend, Ivy, she learns that the residence was used by the Foggy Bottom Gang for nefarious purposes in the 1930s and 40s. When another nearby structure burns and a descendent of the Gang is murdered, the mystery and the danger deepen. Of course, Tempe cannot help herself from probing further.

I enjoy Reichs’ writing. It is intelligent and she has a clever way with words. A good sense of humor comes through in Tempe’s witty observations. I always learn some new information from her novels, whether it be in the area of forensic pathology or something related to the plot.Reichs is a master at building up suspense at the end of each chapter with a tease that makes the reader want jump into the next one.

I think I have read all of the books in the “Bones” series, however, each one works as a stand alone. While this might not have been the strongest plot in the series, it still made for an engrossing read. I look forward to the next one!

I'm a huge fan of the Tempe Brennan books and I eagerly look forward to the new ones. This was ok but hours after I finished it, I have to think about what happened with the two key mysteries. It's a "traveling" story, so not set in either Charlotte or Montreal, so light on the usual supporting characters and the new characters just don't pop. It's a quick read with the resolutions to both mysteries coming in very fast and third late breaking mystery being very transparent. It just wasn't as compelling as so many from this series are.

I received an advance copy from net galley and publisher to review.

Fire and Bones started so well with a young woman trapped in a burning building. Tempe is asked for her professional analysis and foregoes a planned romantic weekend with Ryan to investigate the arson-caused death of the four D. C. victims. I was expecting a thriller where Tempe collaborates with investigators to establish the pathology and motive for the death of five victims, one who was buried in a basement decades earlier. However the story turned into a cozy mystery with few thrills.
Tempe teams with an investigative reporter delving into the history of the building and gang rivalries. The reporter leaves town in the last quarter of the book so Tempe goes solo on the investigation. The conclusion depends on deus ex machina and luck. The final chapter neatly wraps up the identity of the buried body, a case Tempe left hanging in Atlanta, and her tempestuous romance with Ryan.
I have always enjoyed Reichs' writing, and the first person POV for Tempe. Unfortunately in Fire and Bones the use of "if I had known..." and "more on that later" is a narrative distraction.
Fire and Bones is a departure from the long history of the Tempe Brennan novels. Am I disappointed in the story? Yes. Do I look forward to the next novel? You betcha! Because a C-level Bones book is still better than the majority of this year's stories.
Thank you NatGalley for the ARC. This review is independent.

I have long loved this series from way back in the beginning and loved the progression over time of main character. Kathy Reichs is a master storyteller.
This book was good with a propulsive plot. Revolving around arson . I loved the setting in DC
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this great book

The following review was published on Goodreads on 05.20.24:

I love the Tempe Brennan series, so it's no surprise that I very much enjoyed this newest installment. Our heroine is an always-appealing main character who narrates her story with intelligence and humor. Her devotion to finding answers about the victims she examines is what always shines through in these books. Although FIRE AND BONES doesn't seem to have as many forensic details as some of the other installments in this series, I always appreciate that Tempe/Reichs explains the science in a way that is approachable for the average reader without ever sounding condescending.

The Washington, D.C., setting makes FIRE AND BONES stand out from its fellows. It's a fun departure that helped me learn about our capitol's colorful history while offering a new stomping ground for Tempe. There are some entertaining characters in the book who made me laugh (Roy, Ronan, and their granny really do steal the show). Short, punchy chapters and a swiftly-moving plot keep things cooking right along. While FIRE AND BONES may not be quite as serious or edge-of-your-seat thrilling as some of the previous Tempe books, it nevertheless kept me fully engaged. In fact, this is one of my favorite installments so far. I zipped through it because I couldn't put it down.

My only real complaint about FIRE AND BONES is that Ryan isn't in it much. I miss him as a central character.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Kathy Reichs returns with a twisty, unputdownable thriller featuring forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan, who finds herself at the center of a Washington, DC, arson investigation that spawns deepening levels of mystery and, ultimately, violence!! Good book! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one! This book had murder, mystery, suspense, action, intrigue, a great who done it and some crazy twists and turns! The storyline was very interesting and had me glued to my kindle! I highly recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

Temperance Brennan is another one of my favorite characters.
This is a great series.
The story starts out a little slow but quickly picks up. Who started the fire in an illegal BNB?
Who are the victims? Follow along as Temperance digs to find out.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.

. Another enjoyable book by Kathy Reichs. I enjoyed getting to know this cast of characters, and characters they are! I flew through this book and was sad to reach the end. I’ll be waiting with bated breath for the next one

Fire and Bones
By Kathy Reichs
Pub date: 6 Aug 2024
• Another terrific novel by a consummate storyteller
• Interesting, clever, complicated and funny main character with a dry wit and entertaining sense of humor
• This story lacks the thrills of her previous work, but succeeds in sucking you into her newest adventure and mystery
• Well written with enduring and masterful development of characters that come alive on the page
• The iconic Temperance Brennan breezes through this latest mystery as she uncovers the act of deadly arson and buried motives

This talented popular author has written a page turner with familiar characters. Although fiction, this book reads, at times, like nonfiction. The characters come alive on the pages and are real to the reader. The secrets and red herrings kept me guessing. I enjoy this author and like stories that are intriguing. Thanks Netgalley.

Tempe heads to Washington, DC to help out on an arson case. Reichs writes another great story! I read it in one sitting. It’s a page turning fast paced winner!