Based on the TV series based on the novels by Kathy Reichs

When Bones premiered on FOX, I looked into Kathy Reichs's books and commented, "I have no great urge to seek out her books, but I may be able to take the shorthand TV version."

Today, Lee Goldberg pondered The Bones TV tie-in novel written by Max Allan Collins:

...What I don't get is why Kathy Reichs a) allowed the studio to shop tie-in novels based on the series based on her books while she's still writing books in the series herself (and her old titles are still in print) and b) why, if the tie-in books were going to be done, she didn't do them herself. Isn't the whole idea behind selling your book to TV to boost sales of the books? It would seem to me that authorizing original tie-in novels would actually work against Reichs' best interests. On the other hand, the format of TV series and the tie-in novel, while featuring the central character from Reichs' books, differs substantially from the books from which they are derived...

I agree the situation seems odd, but my hunch is that Reichs fans will continue to read her books. Fans of the show, meanwhile, will have Collins's books to read, and Reichs no doubt gets a share of the profits.