A gripping Temperance Brennan novel from world-class forensic anthropologist Kathy Reichs, the international no. 1 bestselling crime thriller writer and the inspiration behind the hit TV series Bones. On a bitterly cold March night in Montreal, forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance Brennan is exhuming the remains of a nun in the grounds of an old church. Hours later, Tempe is called to the scene of a horrifying arson. A young family has perished, but there is no explanation, no motive, and no witnesses. From the charred remains of the inferno to a trail of sinister cult activity, Tempe faces a nerve-shattering case that will test her forensic expertise - and her instinct for survival.

Dr. Kathy Reichs is a professional forensic anthropologist. She has worked for decades with chief medical examiners, the FBI, and even a United Nations Tribunal on Genocide. However, she is best known for her internationally bestselling Temperance Brennan novels, which draw on her remarkable experience to create the most vividly authentic, true-to-life crime thrillers on the market and which are the inspiration for the hit TV series Bones.

Many of the world's greatest thriller writers are huge fans of her work: 'Kathy Reichs writes smart – no, make that brilliant – mysteries that are as realistic as nonfiction and as fast-paced as the best thrillers about Jack Reacher, or Alex Cross.' JAMES PATTERSON 'One of my favourite writers.' KARIN SLAUGHTER 'I love Kathy Reichs? – always scary, always suspenseful, and I always learn something.' LEE CHILD 'Nobody does forensics thrillers like Kathy Reichs. She’s the real deal.' DAVID BALDACCI 'Each book in Kathy Reichs’s fantastic Temperance Brennan series is better than the last. They’re filled with riveting twists and turns – and no matter how many books she writes, I just can’t get enough!' LISA SCOTTOLINE 'Nobody writes a more imaginative thriller than Kathy Reichs.' CLIVE CUSSLER