Having thoroughly enjoyed one of Reichs' earlier books, I eagerly picked up one later in the series, and was not disappointed. This book again follows Tempe as she conducts her forensic examinations in the field, this time following a suspicious major air accident. She then becomes embroiled in the second significant plotline when she discovers a problem with one of the limbs recovered.

Having missed other books in the series was still no issue, and I'm sure I can go back easily to preceding novels. What I love about Reichs' books is the reality of them. A thousand little details are incorporated into a single paragraph, so that you can picture the character and relate more easily. The in-book persona is more humane and less of a caricature than the on-screen image. The writing flows more naturally in this than in the predecessor I read (book 2), though both are outstanding. I found myself carried along by the prose and really feeling Tempe's indignation and annoyance at her treatment.

The plots of the two main storylines, along with a multitude of miniature cases and interpersonal relationships, are interwoven with a deft hand that made it hard to put the book down.