Professional Identity and Career Background
Kathy Reichs is a forensic anthropologist, crime novelist, and producer who holds board certification from the American Board of Forensic Anthropology. She works as a professor of anthropology at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and has consulted for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in North Carolina and the Laboratoire de Sciences Judiciaires et de Médecine Légale in Quebec American Board of Forensic Anthropology.
Reichs is one of a small number of forensic anthropologists certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology, a credential that requires peer-reviewed examination and ongoing case work. Her academic and casework focus includes human identification, trauma analysis, and remains recovery, and she has contributed to investigations across multiple jurisdictions in North America.
Major Works and Media Adaptations
Reichs is the author of the Temperance Brennan series, which includes novels such as Déjà Dead, Death du Jour, and Bones to Ashes. The series follows forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan and blends criminal investigation with detailed forensic anthropology procedures.
The Fox television series Bones, developed by Hart Hanson, is loosely based on Reichs's novels and the career of forensic anthropologist Kathy Reichs. Reichs has served as a producer on the series, which ran for twelve seasons and aired on the Fox network from 2005 to 2017 Fox Bones series page.
Public Recognition and Industry Standing
Reichs's books have appeared on multiple bestseller lists, including The New York Times, USA Today, and the Sunday Times of London. Her novels have been translated into dozens of languages and have earned awards such as the Arthur Ellis Award for Best First Novel and the Nero Award.
Industry recognition for Reichs includes frequent appearances on lists of top crime authors and forensic science communicators. She is cited in discussions of forensic anthropology in popular culture and has contributed to public understanding of forensic investigation through both her novels and her role as a producer on Bones The New York Times.