Kathy Reichs: Bones on Ice

[bibliogramma]

Bones on Ice is set in the world of extreme mountain climbing, with its main crime scene being the death zone on Mount Everest - or Sagarmatha, as it is officially known in Nepal. Kathy Reichs had almost finished work on the novella when two devastating earthquakes hit Nepal, on April 25 and May 12, 2015. She writes in her Afterword of her decision to finish and publish the novella:

I stopped writing, uncertain. I didn’t want to exploit such a tragedy. At the same time, I more than ever wanted to share the stories of Everest. I’d been touched by the heartbreaking losses and the triumphant victories. I decided to complete this work to honor those lost, and to direct attention to organizations providing disaster relief, and to groups dedicated to improving long-term conditions for the indigenous communities of Everest.

I'm glad she finished it, because it's one of her better works in recent years. She does well at conveying the ways in which the community of high-altitude mountaineers are different from us low-risktaking folks, and the experience of trying to complete an intensely athletic undertaking in severe cold while starved for oxygen. Her characteristic info-dumps were well-woven into the fabric of the narrative.

And the plot unfolded nicely, such that I didn't figure out the key plot turns until just before she unveiled them. She's even noticed how silly it is that Tempe always puts herself in danger - and while she does it again, this time there's a voice in her head telling her she's going to far, and she consciously ignores it.

Another enjoyable forensic mystery from Reichs.