A plane crashes high in the mountains of North Carolina.
But a severed foot is discovered a good distance from the main crash site...
Forensic anthropologist Dr Temperance Brennan is first on the scene. The task that confronts her is a sad and sickening one, and her investigation seems to be throwing up more questions than it's answering.
But when Tempe makes a discovery that raises dangerous issues, her professional standing is threatened. Convinced that another corpse lies in the woods, Tempe pits herself against a conspiracy of silence, and uncovers a shocking tale of deceit and depravity...
\Genre: Fiction, Crime, Mystery, Detective
Year: 2001
Publisher: Arrow Books
Rating: 5/5
In Fatal Voyage, Tempe is working on processing a crash site. A plane took a dive in the mountains carrying the university soccer team, a notorious criminal being transported by her colleague, Jean Bertrand and various other people.
The scene is chaotic, and it seems the plane blew up, meaning there is wreckage and body parts everywhere. Could anyone have survived? Why isn't Tempe's daughter answering her phone? Could she have been on the plane? Who would blow up a plane carrying a young sports team? Could it be linked to the criminal being transported? Was he even on the plane? Or has Jean Bertrand gone over to the other side, helping a criminal escape? And why is agent Ryan being so elusive and moody? Is it really just worry over his partner, or does it have something to do with 'Danielle'... a mysterious someone he was talking to on his phone? Where does Tempe fit into his life?
To top off all these questions, Tempe must also work out who owns the foot she found in the woods, far from the crash site. It doesn't seem to match anyone who could have been on the plane. Then, Tempe finds the courtyard house, hidden in the middle of the woods. No one who lived in the area even knew it was there. The place gives off a dark and disturbing vibe... and then there is that dark stain, seeping under the wall... but when Tempe tries to get answers to some of these questions, she is blocked by those above her. When she tries to push the matter, she finds herself under investigation for unprofessional behaviour and contaminating the crash scene.
With her job on the line, Tempe must fight to find out who is out to get her? What were they afraid she would uncover?
This novel is my favourite in the series, so far. This is a novel full of mystery and suspense. Right from the beginning we are faced with questions, and as they are answered, we are faced with more. Just when I thought I had it figured out, another obstacle would be thrown in Tempe's way creating even more mystery.. this is my kind of story.
I enjoyed this novel so much that I checked out Book Depository and found the next one in the series, Grave Secrets, on sale for $5.07! Bargain! Of course I couldn't go past that. The more I read of this series, the more I like it. By this novel, Reichs is settling into her writing style and her characters, making for a great read. Highly recommended to those who loved a good crime mystery!
