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Carved in Bone (Body Farm Novels)

by Jefferson Bass

Carved in Bone (Body Farm Novels) Cover

ISBN13: 9780060759810
ISBN10: 006075981x
Condition: Standard
Dustjacket: Standard
All Product Details

Only 2 left in stock at $16.95!

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

On the campus of the University of Tennessee lies a patch of ground unlike any in the world. The "Body Farm" is a place where human corpses are left to the elements, and every manner of decay is fully explored — for the sake of science and the cause of justice. The scientist who created the Body Farm has broken cold cases and revolutionized forensics, and now, in this heart-stopping novel, he spins an astonishing tale inspired by his own experiences.

A woman's corpse lies hidden in a cave in the mountains of East Tennessee. Undiscovered for thirty years, her body has been transformed by the cave's chemistry into a near-perfect mummy — one that discloses an explosive secret to renowned anthropologist Bill Brockton. Dr. Brockton has spent his career surrounded by death and decay at the Body Farm, but even he is baffled by this case unfolding in a unique environment where nothing is quite what it seems.

The surreal setting is Cooke County, a remote mountain community that's clannish, insular, and distrustful of outsiders. The heartbreaking discovery of the young woman's corpse reopens old wounds and rekindles feuds dating back decades. The county's powerful and uncooperative sheriff and his inept deputy threaten to derail Brockton's investigation altogether. So do Brockton's other nemeses: his lingering guilt over the death of his wife, and the fury of a medical examiner whom Brockton dares to oppose in court.

Carved in Bone is a richly atmospheric, superbly suspenseful, and magnificently rendered trip into the world of forensic science, the heart of the Appalachian Mountains, and the dark passageways of the human psyche. Full of vivid characters and startling twists and turns, this thrilling novel heralds the debut of a major new voice in crime fiction — and an unforgettable work from the hand of a scientific legend.

Review:

"The pseudonymous Bass makes a successful first foray into fiction. The author is actually the writing team of Dr. Bill Bass, the forensic anthropologist who founded the legendary Body Farm (Tennessee's experimental laboratory devoted to the study of the way human corpses decompose), and Jon Jefferson, a journalist and filmmaker. Their new sleuth, Dr. Bill Brockton, is obviously based on Dr. Bass, sharing his first name, initials and his status as founder of the Body Farm. (The two coauthored Death's Acre, a nonfiction account of that macabre if scientifically valuable facility.) Still recovering from the emotional devastation of his wife's death, Dr. Brockton stumbles across a mummified female body, and his passion for the truth enmeshes him in a probe that verifies rumors of local corruption. His particular skills are vital to identifying the corpse as well as those who might have been motivated to kill the victim decades earlier. The pacing and action bode well for this crime series, though mystery fans who enjoy whodunits might hope that subsequent books pose more of a puzzle. 7-city author tour. (Feb.)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Review:

"This is a superb mystery novel...well-plotted, filled with memorable characters, based on accurate forensic science and written with more flair and literary sensibility than anything by John Grisham." Charlotte Observor

Review:

"[P]lenty of highbrow gore. It is an enjoyable, not to mention educational, read. The forensic accuracy and attention to detail are much appreciated." Bookreporter.com

About the Author

Jefferson Bass is the writing team of Dr. Bill Bass and Jon Jefferson. Dr. Bass, a world-renowned forensic anthropologist, founded the University of Tennessee's Anthropology Research Facility — the Body Farm — a quarter-century ago. He is the author or coauthor of more than two hundred scientific publications, as well as a critically acclaimed memoir about his career, Death's Acre. Dr. Bass is also a dedicated teacher, honored as National Professor of the Year by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.

Jefferson is a veteran journalist, writer, and documentary filmmaker. His writings have been published in the New York Times, Newsweek, USA Today, and Popular Science and broadcast on National Public Radio. The coauthor of Death's Acre, he is also the writer and producer of two highly rated National Geographic documentaries about the Body Farm.

What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 1 comment:
ctfrench, August 14, 2007 (view all comments by ctfrench)
Dr. William Brockton is forensic anthropologist with the University of Tennessee and overseer of the Body Farm, made famous in Patricia Cornwell?s bestselling novel of the same name. This installment of the Body Farm series finds Dr. Brockton called to Cooke County, Tennessee by Sheriff Tom Kitchings, where a woman?s corpse lies mummified in a cave. When evidence of murder is revealed, Brockton, with the aid of Arthur Bohanan, criminalist with the Knoxville Police Department, embarks on his own investigation as to who killed the young woman and the unborn child she carried. Brockton soon finds himself stonewalled by the Sheriff and his deputies while someone is stealing evidence from his offices at U.T. The investigation leads Brockton and Bohanan into danger more than once, and forces Brockton to face the grief he has carried over the death of his wife two years earlier.

The name Jefferson Bass is a combination of two authors: Dr. Bill Bass, renowned forensic anthropologist with the University of Tennessee, and writer Jon Jefferson. Although Brockton is a fictional character based on Dr. Bass, Arthur Bohanan is a well-known criminalist, formerly with the Knoxville Police Department, and patented inventor of the process used to retrieve fingerprints from bodies and large objects.

Carved in Bone is a twisting mystery delivered in an informative style, with plenty of forensics relayed for those so interested. Brockton makes for an engaging character, with Southern roots and mannerisms, and his sidekick Bohanan is charming and witty. This mystery series? magical blend of storytelling with edification is sure to develop numerous fans and is one series this reviewer hopes will continue for years on end.

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Product Details

ISBN:
9780060759810
Author:
Bass, Jefferson
Publisher:
William Morrow & Company
Author:
by Jefferson Bass
Subject:
General
Subject:
Mystery & Detective - General
Subject:
Suspense
Subject:
Body, human
Subject:
Caves
Subject:
General Fiction
Subject:
Identification
Subject:
Mystery fiction
Subject:
Forensic anthropologists
Series:
Body Farm Novels
Publication Date:
February 2006
Binding:
Hardcover
Grade Level:
General/trade
Language:
English
Illustrations:
Y
Pages:
343
Dimensions:
9.28x6.34x1.15 in. 1.35 lbs.

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