FIRE AND BONES

4 stars out of 5

Personally, I'm happy that forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan gets coerced into giving up a romantic three-day vacation in Savannah with main squeeze Andrew Ryan to take a look at victims of an arson fire in Washington, D.C. - but mostly because it makes for an intriguing investigation. Ryan, though, is less than thrilled - pulling a disappearing act that pretty much leaves him out of the action. Yes, Tempe misses him, and truth be told, so did I - a lot.

The gutted building is located in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of D.C. - far from the "best" part of town - and it appears to have been used as an Airbnb property. Several people died in the fire, and since Tempe is experienced in examining and identifying crispy victims, her expertise is very much needed. But in addition to the bodies found in the ashes, she finds another victim - a tiny woman - almost literally wadded up in a potato sack that dates back to Prohibition. That one, needless to say, proves challenging when it comes to an ID.

Early on, Tempe faces another challenge, though; a place to stay. Apparently, all the hotels are filled, so she ends up staying where she'd rather not be - with TV news anchor Ivy Doyle, who's a friend of Tempe's daughter Katy. Some of the action, then centers on trying to not reveal enough information about the arson investigation that the story ends up on the 6 p.m. news. Then, another building in the same general area goes up in flames, adding another layer to the investigation and further delaying any rendezvous with Ryan (assuming he's still speaking to her).

Are the two fires connected? Who are the victims - and did the arsonist intend to kill them? And who is the little lady in the potato sack and who put her there? And perhaps most important of all, can the relationship between Tempe and Ryan be rekindled? All these questions, and more, are addressed as the story progresses; the details you'll need to find out by reading the book for yourself. I certainly enjoyed learning the answers, and I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review this, the 23rd book in the series I've followed since the very beginning.

Fire and Bones by Kathy Reichs (Scribner, August 2024); 288 pp.