The Bone Collector

This has always been a film I have enjoyed with a great cast and a great story to keep you intrigued. I would also recommend the tv show if you get a chance to watch it, too bad it only lasted one season. This is such a great thriller from the 90s, so rent it or buy a copy online. 

Policewoman Amelia Donaghy (Angelina Jolie) is in hot pursuit of a serial murderer whose calling card is a small shard of bone extracted from each of his victims. Unable to decipher the cryptic clues the killer leaves behind at the scene of the crime, Amelia calls upon quadriplegic forensic criminology expert Lincoln Rhyme (Denzel Washington) to help. With Amelia acting as Rhyme's able-bodied go-between, the pair piece together disparate clues, hoping they will learn who the next victim is.

The Bone Collector:

🥃 Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz Rye whiskey (or bourbon, for a smoother edge)
• 0.75 oz Amaro (Averna or Cynar for depth and herbal complexity)
• 0.5 oz Cherry Heering (adds a dark, blood-red sweetness)
• 0.25 oz Activated charcoal simple syrup* (gives a black, bone-chilling hue)
• 2 dashes chocolate bitters
• Garnish: Luxardo cherry speared through a miniature bone (can be a novelty cocktail pick or a plastic prop)

*Charcoal Simple Syrup (optional): Mix 1/2 cup water + 1/2 cup sugar + 1 capsule of activated charcoal (food-grade). Stir until dissolved.

🧪 Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice.
2. Stir for 20–30 seconds until well chilled.
3. Strain into a chilled coupe or over a large ice cube in a rocks glass.
4. Garnish with the bone-picked cherry.

Drinking Game:

🥂 Take 1 Sip When:

• Someone says "evidence" or "forensics"
• Lincoln Rhyme gives a command from bed
• A new clue is found
• A body is discovered
• Amelia looks visibly disturbed but continues anyway
• There's a close-up of a gruesome detail
• Lincoln uses his voice-controlled computer

🥃 Take 2 Sips When:

• Someone questions Amelia's involvement
• A creepy location is explored alone
• The killer's plan becomes clearer
• Someone touches something without gloves
• A crime scene is revisited

🧠 Finish Your Drink When:

• The killer is revealed
• The final trap is sprung
• Lincoln has a philosophical moment about death or choice
• Amelia fully embraces the role of detective

🧴 Bonus Rules:

"The Clue Rule": If someone correctly predicts the next clue, they may choose another player to drink.
"The Bone Rule": If anyone says "Bone Collector," everyone must toast and take a sip.

As always, drink responsibly and with others. Follow or subscribe wherever you listen to the podcast. Follow me on Instagram and Twitter at @Line_Drunk.