Temperance Brennan Books in Order

by Kathy Reichs · 24 books · ★ 4.6 average rating · Updated 11 October 2026

A forensic anthropologist reads the stories written in bones to solve crimes that stump everyone else.

Here is the complete Temperance Brennan reading order — all 24 books by Kathy Reichs, in the order you should read them:

Reading order

1. Déjà DeadForensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan uncovers a serial killer preying on women in Montreal after piecing together dismembered remains.1997416 pages
2. Death du JourBrennan investigates a cult's mysterious deaths while examining the remains of a nun being considered for sainthood.1999400 pages
3. Deadly DecisionsBrennan is drawn into a violent biker gang war in Montreal after analyzing remains from a suspicious explosion.2000360 pages
4. Fatal VoyageAfter a plane crash, Brennan's identification of one victim's remains raises troubling questions no one wants answered.2001403 pages
5. Grave SecretsBrennan travels to Guatemala to exhume victims of a civil-war-era massacre and uncovers a modern-day disappearance.2002336 pages
6. Bare BonesBrennan investigates a series of seemingly unconnected deaths involving smuggled wildlife and a burned body.2003382 pages
7. Monday MourningThe discovery of skeletons buried in the basement of a Montreal pizzeria sends Brennan digging into a cold case.2004345 pages
8. Cross BonesBrennan investigates a suspicious death that leads her to an archaeological mystery in Israel with implications for religious history.2005439 pages
9. Break No BonesWhile supervising a student dig on a South Carolina beach, Brennan uncovers a body far more recent than the ancient remains they sought.2006352 pages
10. Bones to AshesThe remains of a young girl reopen a case tied to Brennan's own childhood friendships in Quebec.2007388 pages
11. Devil BonesHuman bones found at a ritual site pull Brennan into a case involving religion, politics, and murder in Charlotte.2008315 pages
12. 206 BonesBrennan must prove her own competence while investigating a killer who may be targeting her specifically.2009515 pages
13. Spider BonesA case of mistaken identity involving a Vietnam-era soldier's remains leads Brennan into a dangerous cover-up.2010320 pages
14. Flash and BonesDuring Charlotte's NASCAR week, Brennan investigates a body found in a sealed vat, tied to a decade-old disappearance.2011278 pages
15. Bones Are ForeverThe discovery of dead infants leads Brennan across provinces chasing a woman with a horrifying secret.2012335 pages
16. Bones of the LostBrennan investigates a hit-and-run death that unravels into a case involving military contractors and smuggling.2013336 pages
17. Bones Never LieBrennan is drawn back into pursuit of a killer she thought was long gone, targeting young girls once again.2014364 pages
18. Speaking in BonesAn amateur websleuth brings Brennan a set of unidentified remains that leads into a dangerous religious sect.2015432 pages
19. A Conspiracy of BonesWorking without official credentials, Brennan investigates a faceless corpse and a mysterious hacker who seems to know her every move.2020352 pages
20. The Bone CodeBrennan reopens an unsolved case from years earlier when remains matching an old, unexplained mystery resurface.2021368 pages
21. Cold, Cold BonesA gruesome item left on Brennan's doorstep kicks off a personal and dangerous new case.2022352 pages
22. The Bone HackerBrennan investigates a suspicious death linked to a hurricane's aftermath and a shadowy figure from her past.2023352 pages
23. Fire and BonesBrennan's investigation into a death at a political fundraiser draws her into a web of powerful secrets.2024368 pages
24. Evil BonesBrennan takes on a new case that pulls her into dark and dangerous territory once again.2025288 pages

Good news: for this series, reading order and publication order are the same — just read straight down the list.

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