Kathleen Joan "Kathy" Reichs is a renowned American crime writer, forensic anthropologist, and academic. Born on July 7, 1948, in Chicago, Kathy Reichs has significantly contributed to the field of forensic anthropology. She serves as an adjunct professor of anthropology at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Reichs is celebrated for her role in inspiring the hit television series Bones. Her professional contributions extend beyond writing, as she is a forensic anthropologist for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in North Carolina, and for the Laboratoire des Sciences Judiciaires et de Médecine Légale for the province of Quebec. Reichs is distinguished as one of only fifty forensic anthropologists certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology and holds a position on the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

With a Ph.D. from Northwestern, Chicago, her hometown, Reichs has a profound connection to her roots. She currently divides her time between Charlotte and Montreal, providing her expertise as a frequent expert witness in criminal trials. Reichs's debut novel, Deja Dead, won her the Arthur Ellis Award for Best First Novel in 1998, marking the beginning of her celebrated writing career.