Mortal remains

The thirteenth book involving investigations by Dr Temperance Brennan has also been published under the title of Spider Bones.

When Tempe and Detective Andrew Ryan investigate a suspicious death in Quebec the victim is unidentified as John Charles Lowery. As John Charles Lowery was buried in North Carolina in the 1960s after dying in Vietnam Tempe is persuaded to travel to Hawaii to work with staff at the JPAC - a US agency that identifies Americans killed in action overseas. In Hawaii an unidentified body from the Vietnam War is discovered wearing a dog tag belonging to John Charles Lowery. Tempe and Danny Tandler work together to unravel the mystery.

Tempe is also asked to help identify the body of a young man found in the sea and shortly afterwards another body is located. The deaths appear to be gang related.

Family matters are also a focus of the book. Tempe's daughter, Katy, accompanied her to Hawaii. A close friend of Katy's had recently been killed in Afghanistan and Tempe hoped a new environment might help her daughter. Andrew Ryan also arrives in Hawaii with his daughter, Lily, who was recovering from drug addiction.

As with the other books in this series by Kathy Reichs includes forensic detail throughout the story as the plot unfolds and in this book carefully explains the many acronyms that occur. As the investigations continue Tempe receives a number of threats to persuade her to cease investigation. There are many twists and turns until all the questions have been answered. An interesting concept but at times the plot lines are predictable.