Devil Bones by Kathy Reichs

Devil Bones by Kathy Reichs
Series: Temperance Brennan #11
Publisher: Scribner | 2008 | 310 pages
Buy on Amazon

I was initially struggling to read through the beginning chapters of the book. Since I usually try to finish every book I read, I aimed to read until page 50 and then decide if it would be a no-go or otherwise. Somehow, I pulled through because the story thankfully became more interesting! Upon reaching 81% of the book (it is that accurate according to my status updates at Goodreads!), I was actually reluctant to stop reading and go to work. :p

Devil Bones starts off with forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan being called to check out the cellar of a house that is under renovation. What’s creepy about the cellar is that it contains cauldrons, dead chickens and a human skull. After that, there was the discovery of a headless teenage boy with questionable symbols carved on his flesh at a nearby lake.

Brennan sets out with Detective Erskine ‘Skinny’ Slidell to round up and interview suspects related to the case. As the book progresses, the duo come across more situations that get them cracking their heads to figure out where and whom it all leads to. They also need to control the information being fed to the press who are going crazy over the mystery of the deaths involved. Suggestions that witchcraft and Satanism being the reason for the tragedies are not helping the two investigators much either.

Human skulls, headless bodies, dead chickens, Satanism, devil worship – don’t let all these get to you as you start to read the book. I admit that I had been a bit freaked out at first after reading the book description on Amazon and Goodreads but soon discovered it was not as bad as I thought it would be. In fact, I found the discovering parts a bit dull! What kept me turning the pages was when Brennan and Slidell were questioning their suspects. Even though I was only a reader, I felt like I was part of the investigation team, wondering if any of those suspects was the guilty one.

Those who love to learn new things especially the types of religion might find the book interesting as there is a brief introduction of fringe religions such as Wicca, which is apparently a recognised religion. The key message in the book is that we fear what we don’t know, fringe religions amongst other things.

As for favourite characters, I would have to choose Slidell. He is the no-nonsense type who is not bothered with complicated scientific jargons. I enjoy his conversations with Brennan but it is even funnier when he talks to the suspects. It’s those conversations and some of Brennan’s personal thoughts that provide the humour in this book which already have a gloomy premise to it.

If you have watched the Bones TV show before, you could give this series a try. You could start with the first book in the series, Deja Dead. Devil Bones is book number 11 and I’m reading it first because I won it in a contest two years ago. I started this book by almost wanting to give up but after reading it all now I don’t mind picking up another book in the series.