Cross Bones (8) (A Temperance Brennan Novel)

"Cross Bones," (2005) is the eighth in the Dr. Temperance (Tempe) Brennan series by Kathy Reichs. The first, "Deja Dead," brought her instant acclaim when it became a New York Times bestseller and won the 1997 Ellis Award for Best First Novel. Then, as frequently happens, the series seemed to get a bit tired. Nevertheless, it was translated to the highly-successful current "Bones" television series. Reichs is, of course, an outstanding, best-selling author of forensics mysteries; a Chicago girl who is extremely well-qualified and -backgrounded to be writing such stories. She holds a Ph.D. from Northwestern University. She is currently professor of anthropology at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte; forensic anthropologist for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, State of North Carolina; and for the Laboratoire de Sciences Judiciaries et de Medecine Legal for the province of Quebec, Canada (located in Montreal). The writer's creation Brennan strongly resembles her: she seems also to know very well what she's doing in a forensics laboratory,works in North Carolina and Montreal, and spends quality time in Chicago. The book opens with the discovery of the body of a murdered Jewish antiquities/religious artifacts dealer in Montreal. Brennan soon realizes that his death is linked to Israeli archaeological activities and sales, and she's leaving the bleak Montreal winter behind, jetting to Jerusalem, with her good friend and companion Montreal Detective Andrew Ryan. There, she meets up with old friend, biblical archaeologist Jake Drum, and involves herself with several hotly-debated archaeological issues dating to ancient times. And here Reichs delivers a headlong plot that really is ripped from some of the more interesting recent headlines. Tempe is caught up in the controversy as to whether an ancient limestone ossuary (a container for bones, used by ancient Jews) recently offered for sale, is actually, the final resting place of Jesus' brother James, as claimed; and whether it really did come from a tomb that may be that of Jesus' family, if he, controversially, did have a family. (There actually has been such an item offered for sale by millionaire Israeli antiquities expert/dealer Oded Golan in 2002. It has been declared a forgery, and he is under arrest. And, recently, as is well-known, the book "The Da Vinci Code," by Dan Brown that has been made into a movie by the same name, has suggested that Jesus did have a more extensive family than the Catholic Church has ever, historically, been willing to acknowledge.) Brennan also involves herself with the apparently true historical fact that more bodies than were ever publicly reported were recovered by archaeological digs at one of Israel's most sacred sites, Masada. That's a famed mountain where ancient Jewish zealots are supposed to have fought the occupying Roman armies to the death. Each of these controversies, of course, has substantial implications for the world's

Temperance Brennan and Andrew Ryan are once again on the trail of a murderer. While on her Montreal tour of duty, Tempe is present at the autopsy of a Jewish man that has been shot to death. Also present are four members of the Jewish community. Just after the autopsy, a Jewish man gives Tempe a photo of a skeleton and tells her that the skeleton is the reason the man is dead. But, he was not one of the four that were at the autopsy. So who is he? Tempe calls a biblical archeologist friend, Jake Drum, and tells him about the photo. Jake is immediately interested and has her fax him a copy. This puts her right in the middle of a religious controversy that could turn the world upside down. Flying to Israel, Tempe is shown a cave that once was a burial chamber. In this chamber, she finds a shroud and a few bone fragments. Tempe then discovers that the shooting victim in Montreal dealt in black market antiquities, once of which is a full skeleton of someone who everyone wonders if it has ties to the Holy Family. Or is the skeleton simply one of the Masada defenders or simply someone who was in the wrong place at the wrong time? So, the hunt begins to discover what is true and to who killed the dealer. Between the normal "who-done-it", Ms. Reichs writes about a religious controversy that could rewrite 2000 years of history. Has the tomb of the Jesus family been found? She keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering how it is all going to end. She does it splendidly but I won't give away the best part. You will have to listen to it for yourself. And, if listening/reading Ms. Reichs books are not enough "Brennan" for you, there is even a series on television called "Bones". I, for one, won't miss any of Ms. Reichs' books or one of the television shows.

Very Good reading,gripping stories as all of Kathy Reichs books are,maybe considered a bit too technical for some but we find all of her books very exciting and entertaining.

When bodies in Montreal are too decayed or in too many pieces, or the cause of death too complex for the coroner's office, forensic anthropologist Tempe Brennan is called. A seemingly routine examination of a gunshot victim leads Tempe to a case that will take her from Canada to Israel in search of the bones the victim may have been killed for. Soon, the ancient and mysterious bones take center stage as Tempe, along with Detective Andrew Ryan and archeologist Jake Drum, try to learn who this ancient skeleton really was so that no one else will have to die trying to steal or hide it. Kathy Reichs's latest book, CROSS BONES is, on the surface, a crime novel with an emphasis on forensics. But as the plot unfolds it becomes clear that she is tackling much larger and more controversial issues. Tempe Brennan and the others soon have reason to believe that the bones the man in Montreal was killed for may actually be Jesus! Or, if not Jesus, then either a blood relation or perhaps someone from Masada. In any case, the identity of the skeleton has potentially huge ramifications for world religions and history. At the center of the story are several theories about the life of Jesus as well as the details about the Jewish freedom fighters at Masada: Did Jesus survive the crucifixion and live many years afterward? Did he have a family with many siblings or perhaps children of his own? Did he actually end up at Masada? Reichs's story is not really like THE DA VINCI CODE although it skirts around some of the same theories. In fact, it actually refers to Dan Brown's novel a few times. Reichs is instead interested in ancient history as known through anthropology and archaeology, and the murders are a way to get us all to Israel and give urgency to the quest to understand the skeleton. Fans of murder mysteries, detective fiction and forensic drama, as well as those interested in religious fiction, all will find something to enjoy in CROSS BONES. The forensic anthropology aspect is detailed without being very gruesome or overly scientific. It is a fun and interesting whodunit with religious implications but without being preachy or even very religious in nature itself. The writing is solid and the pace is just right, perhaps a bit slower and less dramatic than similar novels or even Reichs's previous Tempe Brennan books. Tempe Brennan is a likeable and, for the most part, realistic character. Reichs bases some of her story on actual archaeological finds (and frauds) in Israel, giving just enough truth to make it quite interesting and unique. She references the work of archaeologist James Tabor as well as the controversial James Ossuary, supposedly discovered by Oded Golan in Israel several years ago. Indeed, you can find a plethora of information about many of the artifacts, archeology and theories she refers to online or in the library. CROSS BONES is a good mix of fiction and nonfiction presenting many alternate theories about the life of the historical Jes

I have read all of Kathy Reich's novels and find this one the most fascinating so far. What makes it appealing is its intertwining of biblical history, archaeology, and the usual Tempe Brennan intrigue all in one package. Only the superficial reader would find that this novel has any similarities to Dan Brown's DaVinci Code, which though undeniably thrilling, is more about very late medieval traditions--a knock off of Holy Blood Holy Grail. Reichs, in contrast, has done her historical research carefully and has her main character Tempe immerse herself squarely in the contemporary world of biblical scholarship and archaeology. For the non-specialist, some of it might be hard to follow, but Tempe as a somewhat negligent Catholic has to do her homework along with the reader.