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BREAK NO BONES by Kathy Reichs William Heinemann, July 2006 352 pages 17.99GBP ISBN: 0434010421 Buy in the UK | Buy in Canada

If you have not read a book nor watched crime shows on popular television for the past decade, it is possible that you may not have encountered Kathy Reichs and her heroine, forensic pathologist Temperance Brennan.

Reichs has got the better of one who had an earlier start in the popularity stakes, Patricia Cornwell, since she has the better scientific qualifications, sharing, as she does, a profession with protagonist Tempe. In earlier novels Reichs, to my mind at least, has given into the temptation of lecturing her readers on a great deal of science that could have been skimmed over. In this, her ninth novel, the author has excised a chunk of didacticism, thus improving the pace and flow of action.

Tempe is leading a group of 20 students on an archaeological field trip on Dewees Island in South Carolina when her patience is assailed by a journalist "with the IQ of plankton". He is anxious to make a name for himself, an aim he pursues, to Tempe's disgust and irritation, throughout the narrative but he is there when, in addition to old bones of American Indian origin, a recent corpse is disinterred.

The developer intent on erecting houses on the island is less than impressed when Brennan delays his project because of the cultural significance of the archaeological discovery. He is not pleased and makes no bones about making overt threats. As is customary in her adventures, Tempe makes a succession of enemies.

Emma, the local coroner and a long-time friend of Tempe, asks Brennan to investigate the recent corpse as she, Emma, is indisposed. Reluctantly, Brennan agrees, and soon finds her participation in the investigation disapproved by the sheriff, Gullet (now there's a name with which to conjure!)

Pete, Tempe's estranged lawyer husband, turns up at the house where Tempe is staying, announcing he has been given permission to share the accommodation while he is pursuing an investigation into the disappearance of a young girl who had been working for a local sect, God's Mercy Church. The girl, Helene, had disappeared from the clinic run by the sect after having made it clear she was dissatisfied with the financial dealings of the church.

Soon other corpses are found. Some have, in common with the first skeleton, a fracture of the sixth cervical vertebra; several display scratching, made by a knife of some kind, possibly a scalpel, on the ribs.

Meanwhile, Quebec cop Andrew Ryan, Tempe's sometime love interest, is having problems with his newly-discovered daughter Lily. To complicate his life further, when he arrives at Tempe's temporary house, he discovers her former husband in a compromising situation with the pathologist.

The tale is a fable for our modern times. Reichs admits that she has appropriated material from both urban legend and newspaper stories plus her own considerable experience in crime labs. Entwined with these themes are the personal problems of her characters, the whole providing an intriguing mix for any devotee of mysteries.

The book includes, naturally enough, a measure of gore and ruthlessness, all of which cannot fail to engage the reader's attention. Reichs' characterisation of Tempe Brennan is vivid although that of paramour Ryan is perhaps not as bold as usual.

The author, of course, leaves plenty of personal plot hooks on which to drape further episodes of the series.

The American edition has also been released by Scribner's.