Kathy Reichs Books In Order

Publication Order of Temperance Brennan Books

Publication Order of Temperance Brennan Collections

Publication Order of Tory Brennan (Virals) Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of The MatchUp Collection Books

Publication Order of Bones Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

About Kathy Reichs:

Kathy Reichs is an American forensic anthropologist and academic as well as being a bestselling author of crime thrillers. Well traveled and utilizing a vast compendium of personal and professional knowledge to create stories that are not only suspenseful and engaging, but also extremely technically detailed.

She has written numerous academic papers and dissertations as well, and currently teaches at the University of North Carolina Charlotte. She divides her time between North Carolina and Quebec, Canada. She lives with her husband, and has three grown children.

Who is Kathy Reichs

A native of Chicago, Kathy Reichs attended American University, earning a Bachelor’s of Science in Anthropology in 1971. She studied for her Master’s and eventually earned her Ph.D in Forensic Anthropology from Northwestern University in 1975. She began teaching, eventually working at such illustrious institutions as Concordia University and the University of Pittsburgh.

Kathy Reichs testified at the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal Rwanda, helping to prove that human rights violations occurred during the XX . Traveling to Guatemala, she assisted Dr. Clyde Snow in the excavation of the Lake Atitlan burial site for the Foundation for Guatemalan Forensic Anthropology.

She also worked very closely with the emergency mortuary services set up after the World Trade Center attacks in the year 2001. Academically, she has published numerous papers and books dealing with extremely diverse subject matter.

She works both at the University of North Carolina Charlotte and the Laboratory for Judicial Science and Legal Medicine in Quebec. Educated and highly skilled, she is often asked by police departments and government agencies for input in serious criminal investigations, famously appearing as an expert witness in the sensationalized trial of Casey Anthony.

While she was initially reluctant to appear, she felt that the media had turned the trial in a circus, and that the accused deserved to be tried in court by her peer, and not in the media.

Body of Work

By far, the most well known work that Kathy Reichs has published are her crime thriller and police procedural novels, featuring her most well known character, Temperance “Tempe” Brennan. Many of the characters traits and quirks, such as being a forensic anthropologist, her locale, and much of the content of the novels is based on Kathy Reichs’ life.

Working from a massive amount of personal and professional experience allows here to control the realism and believability that is essential in maintaining the popularity of her work. Some aspects of the character, however, are entirely fictitious, such as her alcoholism.

First published in the year 1997, the initial novel Deja Dead, won the Arthur Ellis Award for best novel, and encouraged Kathy Reichs to continue writing about the cahractercharacter and nature of her work. The novel introduces the character of Tempe Brennan, challenging her to investigate and resolve a case involving the dismembered corpse of a woman found in an abandoned monastery in Montreal, Quebec.

The flow and tempo of the story, as well as the large amount of technical detail and well written characters were celebrated by most readers, and garnered widespread critical acclaim. The follow up to Deja Dead, Death du Jour, also attracted a large readership and was lauded by critics as well.

It fleshes out the complex and interesting character of Tempe Brennan and follows her as she exhumes and investigates the Mysterious circumstances surrounding both the nun’s proposed sainthood and a mysterious arson. Considered a spectacular follow up to Deja Dead, it was an excellent sophomore effort by the talented Kathy Reichs.

Other Mediums

In the year 2004, Fox expressed interest in the adapting the series to a police procedural crime drama, and the television show Bones premiered in the year 2005. Starring Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz, the show was instantly popular, climbing the ratings and establishing a wide viewership.

Kathy Reichs act as a technical producer for the show, advising the shows producers and writers about technical and professional aspects of the job in order to keep the show accurate and believable. The show has been renewed yet again in 2013, which will mark the show’s seventh season.

While there are significant differences between the show’s main characters and the characters written and developed by Kathy Reichs, it has still garnered much critical acclaim. As a consequence of working on the television show Bones, Kathy Reichs had to cease working for both the United Nations and agencies of the federal government, as these agencies have strict non disclosure guidelines regarding information discovered while performing fieldwork and research in an official capacity.

This doesn’t stop her, however, form still practicing forensic anthropology both for private clients and local and state institutions. She continues to write her novels featuring Tempe Brennen, and with nineteen (19) already published, no shortage of material from this spectacular author is expected in the near future.

Kathy Reichs is also the author of a series on young adult fiction novels, featuring a protagonist that is similar to Temperance Brennan, and is in fact her great niece. The Virals consists of three novels, Virals, Seizure, as well as the Code.

They were an instant success in the young adult market, and have been praised for introducing young readers to scientific analysis and research, while being entertaining and maintaining a high level of professional candor.

They have steered away from using sensational topics and unlikely scenarios, with many critics praises the writing style that educates but does not patronize the teenagers that make up their readership. The next novel, Exposure, is expected sometime in the year 2014, with high anticipation for the next installment of the series.

With 19 novels already written in the Bones series, the Virals series on the way to becoming one of the most widely read young adult fiction series’ in the country, and the continuing success of the Bones television show, Kathy Reichs is set to become a household name. With her work in forensic anthropology continuing as well, this author is not only a master of suspense and science, but can boast of making a real contribution to science in general.

5 Responses to “Kathy Reichs”

1. MArgaret Newbold: 3 years ago

   I cannot find a copy of Bones in her Pocket anywhere.
   I am reading the books in order but it is not on iPhone Kindle or available in Amazon book store. Any idea where I can find it

   Reply
   • Graeme: 3 years ago

     Hi Margaret – that was a digital/ebook only release. Oddly enough it does seem to have been pulled and is only available via audiobook now.

     Reply
   • Nick: 3 years ago

     It is included in
     The Bone Collection [First Bones, Bones In Her Pocket, Swamp Bones, Bones on Ice

     Reply
2. Solange Coté: 3 years ago

   As of a many people have told you I absolutly love and enjoyed your books. please do not stop I look foward to the new one.

   Thank you very much.

   Reply
3. Maggie Walker: 4 years ago

   Ms. Reichs:

   I remember from the TV series Bones that Temperance Brennan wanted to run for the office of President of the United States of America because “Donald Trump said he wanted to” so why shouldn’t she. She observed she would do a great job as the President of the USA.

   I agree!

   I seriously plan to write James Earl Carter, Jr. in as my vote on November 6, 2020, for President of the USA. It will only be considered seriously if I include a “full ticket” to include a Vice Presidential write-in as well.

   Yes, I know President Carter is 95 years old. He is a man I admire and always have. Having served only one term he remains eligible to hold the office. I am an Independent who believes he would get this country back on track.

   Now the reason for writing to you. I propose to include you as the Vice Presidential candidate on my write-in ballot. Knowing you are the brains behind the stories and that not learning from history we are doomed to repeat it, I am hoping you are amenable to the idea.

   Please let me know if this is agreeable with you.

   Maggie Walker
   Camdenton, MO

   Reply