BLOG TOUR: Cold Cold Bones (Temperance Brennan Book 21) - Kathy Reichs

In a profession like this, you're bound to make enemies . . .

An eye . . .

 

It all starts when Dr Temperance Brennan finds a box on her porch. Inside is a fresh human eyeball with GPS coordinates etched into it. They lead her to a macabre discovery in a Benedictine Monastery, and soon after she discovers a mummified corpse in a state park.

 

. . . for an eye

 

There seems to be no pattern to these killings, except that each mimics a killing connected to something a younger Tempe experienced, or barely escaped. Someone is targeting her, and she needs to figure out why before they strike again.

 

And then her daughter Katy disappears.

 

Someone is playing a dangerous game with Tempe.

And they won’t stop until they have taken everything from her . . .

 

What did I think?

Although I have read a number of the Temperance Brennan books, I am way behind in the series but that didn't stop me enjoying the 21st book, Cold Cold Bones.  So I think you could definitely read it as a standalone if you're new to the series, but of course it will be better if you're already familiar with the characters and their idiosyncrasies.

Dr Temperance Brennan is a no-nonsense character who deals with cold, hard facts (and cold, cold bones) in her role as a forensic pathologist.  Tempe excels at everything she does, apart from perhaps motherhood as her relationship with her daughter Katy is slightly strained.  Katy has her own demons to deal with though, and as she's half Brennan it's in her DNA to be more logical than emotional.

It quickly becomes clear that this new case that Tempe is drawn into is personal and it's a race against time to stop the killer before Tempe loses everything she holds dear.  As the snow starts to fall, it creates an atmospheric and menacing setting that is both chilling and thrilling.

Cold Cold Bones is destined to be an immediate bestseller for the fabulous Kathy Reichs.  It has made me want to read the series from the start again so I can catch up with everything that's happened in Brennan's life since I last read a book in the Temperance Brennan series.  Fans of the series will love this instalment and it's sure to pick up some new fans too.

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

Follow the tour:

The Shadow Friend - Alex North

The victim was his friend. So was the murderer.

Twenty-five years ago, troubled teenager Charlie Crabtree committed a shocking and unprovoked murder.

For Paul Adams, it's a day he'll never forget. He's never forgiven himself for his part in what happened to his friend and classmate. He's never gone back home.

But when his elderly mother has a fall, it's finally time to stop running.

It's not long before things start to go wrong. A copycat killer has struck, bringing back painful memories. Paul's mother insists there's something in the house.

And someone is following him.

Which reminds him of the most unsettling thing about that awful day twenty-five years ago.

It wasn't just the murder.

It was the fact that afterwards, Charlie Crabtree was never seen again . . .

 

What did I think?

I absolutely loved The Whisper Man so I was thrilled to be invited to take part in the Tandem Collective readalong for The Shadow Friend by Alex North.  The readalong suggests that you read set parts of the book over a certain number of days but that's IMPOSSIBLE with The Shadow Friend as it's like a runaway train...once you get on, you can't get off.

The Shadow Friend explores lucid dreaming so you're never quite sure what is true and what isn't while reading.  I found myself constantly questioning whether each character was awake or dreaming and I loved that element of the book as it felt like absolutely anything could happen.  It's so very cleverly written that you unwittingly make certain assumptions along the way and we all know what happens when you assume things; it definitely made an ass of me!

I don't want to give anything away about the perfect plot so the less said the better.  The dual storyline follows Paul as a schoolboy and then as an adult, returning to the scene of the crime so to speak.  Events in the past have an element of the supernatural and I gasped out loud and jumped in shock at one point, so much so that I almost dropped the book!  It's a double whammy of intrigue as the past and present is gradually revealed, making this book impossible to put down. 

The Shadow Friend is an incredibly addictive, gripping, creepy and dark thriller that puts Alex North firmly on the map.  It's pretty creepy but it didn't creep me out as much as The Whisper Man, however, it's more cunning in its deception and had me spinning round so much that I ended up completely in the wrong direction.  It's simply brilliant; an absolute must read and highly recommended.

I received a gifted paperback as part of The Tandem Collective readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon