by Kathy Reichs
Part of Temperance Brennan, book 17.5
First published 2015
Dr. Temperance Brennan receives an unusual assignment when an earthquake on Mount Everest leads to the recovery of a frozen, mummified body. The victim died in the death zone, that lethal altitude nearly five miles high where rescue becomes impossible and over 250 climbers have perished. Brennan must identify the corpse for a wealthy Charlotte family who lost their daughter on the mountain and never had closure. Her forensic analysis reveals disturbing inconsistencies that transform what seemed like a climbing accident into something more sinister. The other expedition members refuse to discuss what really happened during that fatal climb. As Brennan digs deeper into the evidence, she uncovers a web of secrets that someone will kill to protect. The frozen peaks of Everest hide a truth that threatens to destroy more lives, and those responsible will go to any length to keep their crimes buried in ice.
Genres: adventure, mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, secrets
Setting: Charlotte, Everest, Mount Everest
Period: 21st-century
104 pages · Kindle Edition · Bantam
Content warnings: death, graphic-violence