Bones of the Lost

Narrator Linda Emond gives a fine performance of this mystery, but the story itself is so weak it's a wonder she doesn't give an exasperated sigh in the listener's ear. The main plot, involving murder, stretches from North Carolina to Afghanistan in clunky sections that come together in the end through unbelievable coincidence. Emond is simply better than her material. She portrays forensic anthropologist Tempe Brennan as a confident woman with authority and a sense of humor. Emond smoothly delivers the series star even when trapped in bad dialogue and subplots. Emond also does well with pacing and accents in her portrayals of secondary characters. However, her skill isn't enough to save this book. G.S.D. (c) AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine