Flash & Bones by Kathy Reichs (Paperback)

During a race event in North Carolina, a body is discovered in a barrel of chemicals near the track. Tempe Brennan is called to examine what remains of the victim. The condition of the bones suggests the person was killed before being placed in the barrel. Tempe studies fractures, traces, and missing items to understand what happened.

The case links to a local racer who vanished years earlier. Tempe checks family reports, police notes, and old statements made by people connected to the racing world. She studies signs of past disputes and financial pressures that may have played a role.

A separate case surfaces when federal agents arrive with information tied to missing persons linked to extremist groups. Tempe compares details from both cases, looking for overlapping names or locations. Each step reveals more connections than expected.

As she works through the evidence, Tempe faces interference from people who want certain details ignored. She continues to analyse the remains, check lab results, and meet with specialists. The deeper she digs, the clearer it becomes that both cases share a common thread.

Her work leads to a sequence of discoveries that show how the victim died and why the truth stayed buried. The case ends with a detailed account of the events behind the disappearance.