Hollow Bones by CJ Lyons

Caitlyn Tierney finds herself on a missing person case. A young woman, who is the daughter of an influential person, has gone missing from a cruise. They young girl has been lured away and into the jungles of Guatemala with the idea of working on an archeological dig at Mayan ruins. Caitlyn’s friend and fellow FBI agent, Jake Carver, joins her in Guatemala in the search for this young woman. They encounter unsavory characters and lots of action in the search for this missing woman.

This is the first CJ Lyons book I have read. I feel that I would have understood the characters more if I had read previous books by this author. That left me a little frustrated at time but I was able to work through it. I felt that the author developed a great character in Jack but I felt like I was missing something that a previous book may have explained to me. So I’m not sure this is a good series to start in the middle and that I need to go back and read previous books to get more out of this one.

I struggled with some of the transitions in the book and the story line got a little too complicated at times but overall it had a good plot. The story opened up with an intense action scene and there were many more throughout the book. The descriptions were accurate and realistic, even down to acknowledging that the character would be sweaty and smelly after time in the jungle. I really enjoyed the resolution chapters at the end of the book. The author provides a little humor at times and really opens the reader’s eyes to things like tissue donations. It was a moving story and I’m sure it will introduce many people to the dangers of traveling alone in foreign countries and the possible dangers of these tissue donation farms.

Bones of the Lost by Kathy Reichs

Temperance Brennan has found herself assessing the body of a young Jane Doe that was killed in a hit and run accident. It immediately grabs Brennan’s attention and she is determined to find out who the young girl is and who killed her. The case puts Brennan in some uncomfortable areas and forces her to have conversations with people to which she would not normally have contact. In the midst of the investigation, she does a favor for her ex-husband and it takes her to Afghanistan to exhume some bodies. At least she gets a chance to see her daughter who is station in the same area. Once Brennan gets home, she gets back to work on her Jane Doe case. Along the way, she finds out interesting information about people she thought she knew and links to past cases.

It has been awhile since I have read a Temperance Brennan book but I could still follow the story. It helps that you do not have to read all the books and you do not need to read them in order. I love the Temperance Brennan character. She is relatable. I love her interaction with other characters in the book. It is refreshing to see that her relationship with her ex-husband is not hostile and there is not anger associated with it. I was glad that there was not any tension between them since there was enough tension with the plot line. Brennan also has a fun and snarky side to her that makes me smile while I am reading the book. I like the determination that Brennan showed to finding justice for a young Jane Doe. It made me like Brennan even more.

I like Kathy Reichs writing style. Although I was slightly lost with some of the descriptions when Brennan is traveling to Afghanistan, it did not detract from the enjoyment of the book. Reichs does a wonderful job describing medical terms in a way that is understandable to those who have no idea what those things mean. Reichs also includes great synonyms like how she describes an eye roll as an “orbital roll beyond my control.” The descriptions in the book are not too wordy but understandable. You get a sense of the scene without being bored with too much detail. I also liked how all the stories resolved at the end of the book. I am definitely interested in reading the next book by Kathy Reichs.