Author

Kathy Reichs

Q: What should I read first by Kathy Reichs?

Start with the Temperance Brennan series, since it is the first on file, then read it in publication order.

Kathy Reichs has 38 known credited books (38 published) across 2 series. Start with Temperance Brennan.

Kathy Reichs is an American forensic anthropologist and novelist whose Temperance Brennan series -- beginning with Deja Dead in 1997 -- draws directly on her own casework identifying remains for the Montreal medico-legal lab and testifying at the UN tribunal on the Rwandan genocide. Brennan, a forensic anthropologist who splits her time between Montreal and North Carolina, solves cases through bone evidence and lab science rather than typical detective legwork, giving the series a procedural authenticity few crime writers can match, because Reichs has done the actual job herself.

Reichs holds a PhD in anthropology and is one of a small number of forensic anthropologists certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology; that professional standing underpins the entire series rather than being a research exercise. The novels loosely inspired the long-running Fox television series Bones (2005-2017), starring Emily Deschanel as a character based on Brennan, though the show diverged substantially from the books' tone and plots as it progressed.

A new reader should start with Deja Dead, the Edgar Award-winning debut that establishes Brennan's voice and the lab-driven case structure. Readers who know the TV show should expect a considerably darker, more procedural read on the page.

Series: 2
Credited books: 38
Published: 38
Latest published book: Evil Bones 2025
Active: 1997–present
Best known for: Temperance Brennan

Key facts about Kathy Reichs

Our list holds 38 books by Kathy Reichs. 37 of them belong to a series, while 1 stands alone. Since all 38 are out now, every book here is ready to read. Their series sit on our mystery and young adult shelves.

Kathy Reichs has 2 series on file. Temperance Brennan has 28 books, while Virals has 9 books. In particular, Temperance Brennan is the longest series on file. Temperance Brennan starts with Déjà Dead, while Virals starts with Virals.

Since Temperance Brennan is the first series on file, it is the place to start. Their first published book on file came out in 1997. Meanwhile, Evil Bones is the latest published book, out in 2025.

There is also 1 standalone book. You can read it in any order, since each one stands alone. The newest one that is out is I'd Kill For That, from 2004.