by Kathy Reichs
Part of Temperance Brennan, book 2
First published 2006
Dr. Temperance Brennan faces Montreal's brutal winter cold as she searches for the remains of Sister Elisabeth Nicolet. The nun died more than a century ago and now stands as a candidate for sainthood, but her grave holds only a peculiar small coffin. This mystery takes an urgent turn when Brennan must examine charred, mangled bodies recovered from a chalet fire. Detective Andrew Ryan, whose complicated past with Brennan adds tension to their partnership, works the arson case alongside her. The investigation pulls them into contact with a secretive professor, members of an isolated commune, and researchers at a primate facility on a Carolina island. Brennan must determine the identities of the fire victims and uncover what led to their terrible deaths. The cases intertwine as she navigates both the historical puzzle of the vanished saint and the contemporary horror of the burned bodies, testing her forensic skills and her ability to work with Ryan despite their volatile history.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, investigation, partnership
Setting: Carolina, Montreal
Period: 21st-century
451 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Pocket Star
Content warnings: death, violence