Bare Bones

Too many plots and too many suspects overwhelm this sixth episode of the Temperance Brennan series. Our heroine is stalked, attacked, imprisoned, and snake bit. The forensic anthropologist is working on several difficult cases at once, dog-sitting her ex's "best friend," enjoying her daughter, and trying to dally with a handsome Canadian. Sadly, a series of weak set-ups is used to get the science across. "Refresh my memory about..." or "Ever heard of...?" signals a lecture. Moving from forensics to drugs to exotic animal smuggling, Michele Pawk's performance keeps things lively, although her delivery of data sounds like data, not the conversation of professionals. Mixed metaphors and a melodramatic story line won't matter to Tempe's many fans, and Pawk's reading does put some meat on mostly bare bones. S.J.H. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine

May 5, 2003
Feisty forensic anthropologist Temperance (Tempe) Brennan is supposed to be on vacation, but body parts keep turning up. At the start of her sixth adventure, she's awaiting the arrival of her current flame, Quebecois sleuth Andrew Ryan, so she can head for the beach near her hometown of Charlotte, N.C. Before he shows up, she's called in to use her world-class forensics skills when a local janitor's infant granddaughter is found dead and charred in an oven. Then some strange, decomposing remains (" 'Human?' 'I'm not sure' ") are discovered by Brennan's dog during a barbecue at a local lakeside resort. Ryan finally arrives, but Brennan's vacation is indefinitely put on hold when a small plane crashes nearby. Two people are dead, and her expertise is required yet again ("The skull had suffered massive communitive fracturing on impact. The fire had done the rest"). Brennan eventually realizes that all three cases are linked to a drug-smuggling ring that also dabbles in poaching exotic animals. As she pursues her investigations, she is forced to work with "Skinny" Slidell, a redneck cop who rubs her the wrong way, but tension is defused by the presence of Ryan, who gamely gives up his vacation to pitch in. He matches Brennan quip for quip, and Tempe's dog, Boyd, provides extra comic relief. Reichs has built a reputation on cut-to-the-chase writing and swift plotting, and this latest effort delivers everything her fans have come to expect.

This gruesome adventure-mystery with top-notch nail-biting suspense is delivered with verve and sophistication by the consistently outstanding Barbara Rosenblat. Forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance Brennan becomes involved with a drug-smuggling ring and illicit trade in endangered wildlife. Rosenblat easily transfers Tempe's vivacious personality to audio. She presents the conversations between professionals using intonations and accents well suited to the personalities of the multitude of characters. In portraying a range of emotions in stressful situations for even the secondary characters, Rosenblat proves her exceptional skills and techniques as a narrator. Both story and audio performance are gripping from start to finish. S.C.A. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine