Devil Bones - Kathy Reichs

Really, what can I say - Kathy Reichs is the queen of forensic mysteries. Reichs works as a forensic anthropologist in the US and Canada. She knows what she writing about. Her character Tempe Brennan is also a forensic anthropologist. The television show Bones is also based on this character.

Devil Bones finds Tempe called in to consult on bones found in a cauldron in a hidden cellar. They seem to be part of a religious ceremony. Another body is found and the two may be connected. A local politician is using these murders to stir up the populace.

Reich's mysteries are intelligent and well thought out. The details and science are realistic. Her series features some similarities to Cornwell's - the rumpled cop crony, the angry young relative, conflicts with superiors, the on again off again romance with a fellow law enforcement officer and a few others. I just find Reich's writing superior to what Cornwell has put out lately.