Bones was published by Ballantine Books in 2008. A load of human bones is discovered in a marsh — multiple victims, decomposed beyond easy identification. The investigation leads Alex and Milo through the worlds of reality television production and charitable foundations, where the appearance of generosity conceals financial manipulation. The bones in the marsh represent people who got in the way of someone’s ambitions — disposed of where they would never be found, until development exposed the burial site.
The novel uses the reality-TV world (with its manufactured drama, its expendable participants, and its indifference to consequences) as a metaphor for a society that consumes people as entertainment.
Collecting Bones
First edition (Ballantine Books, New York, 2008): Boards with dust jacket.
Market values:
- Fine in dust jacket: $15–$25
- Very good: $8–$15
Projected values (2026–2036): Modest appreciation.
The Cold Case
Bones combines the archaeological thrill of discovering human remains with Kellerman’s characteristic social critique. The connection to reality television and charitable foundations exposes the overlap between public virtue and private corruption — a recurring Kellerman theme. Los Angeles, a city built on performance and image, provides the perfect backdrop for a story about the distance between what people profess and what they actually do.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Kellerman choose the psychological topics for each novel? Kellerman has said he draws on his clinical training and keeps current with psychological research. Each novel typically features a specific condition or phenomenon (repressed memory, Munchausen syndrome, sociopathy, etc.) that drives the plot while being depicted with clinical accuracy.