In addition to the bones, a few buttons are found in the basement.  An expert dates the buttons to the 1890’s.  Detective Luc Claudel assumes the buttons and the bodies are connected and refuses to investigate old deaths.  Upon examining the bodies, Tempe determines all three are young girls who died post 1900.  Claudel is his typical narrow-minded and stubborn self and doesn’t listen to Tempe’s conclusion.

Tempe decides to investigate herself for proof which Claudel won’t be able to ignore.  First, she researches the building’s previous tenants.  Prior to being a pizzeria, the location was a nail salon, a pawnshop, a luggage store, a butcher shop and a travel agency.  The former owner was in the Mafia – Nicolo Cataneo, aka ‘Nick The Knife.’  A lot of people had access to the basement and could have buried the bodies. 

Second, Tempe has the bones carbon dated and the teeth strontium tested.  Carbon dating shows how old the bones are which will indicate when death occurred.  Strontium ratio testing gives an area where the victim lived.  For a science buff, the strontium ratio testing description is cool.

As Tempe gets closer to the truth of what happened, she finds more questions.  What do the girls have in common?  Why were they killed?

In addition to the case, Tempe has to deal with personal issues.  Tempe and Detective Andrew Ryan finally have a romantic relationship.  But lately Ryan has been pulling away.  And Tempe’s best friend Anne shows up unexpectedly.

In her seventh book, Kathy Reichs successfully pulls off mystery with a scientific bent.  Tempe is a smart, tough woman working in a male dominated field.  Yet her character still maintains a softer side in her relationships.  Parts of Tempe’s job can be gruesome and graphic, but that’s half the fun.

Fortunately, I started Monday Mourning on a Saturday Morning because I was quickly hooked. Fans of Reichs’ previous books will be thrilled with this one.  And readers new to the series also will be able to jump right in with Monday Mourning and enjoy it, too.

--Terry Lawrence