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Clay and Bones: My Life as an FBI Forensic Artist
Told with unflinching honesty and a touch of gallows humor, Clay and Bones is the personal memoir of the first female forensic sculptor in the FBI.
Lisa Bailey never considered a career working in death until she saw the FBI job posting for a forensic artist. The idea of using her artistic skill to help victims of crime was too compelling to pass up.
Soon she was documenting crime scenes, photographing charred corpses, and digitally retouching the disembodied heads of suicide bombers. But it was facial approximation—sculpting a face from the remnants of an unidentified victim’s skull—that intrigued her the most. Bailey knew that if she could capture that person’s likeness in clay, she just might help them be identified, and that might help law enforcement track down their killer.
Bailey worked on hundreds of cases and grew to become a subject matter expert in the field. It was the most challenging and fulfilling work she could have imagined, and she never thought of leaving. But her life changed when she became the target of sexual discrimination and harassment. She was stunned when FBI management protected the abusers and retaliated with threats, slander, and an arsenal of lawyers. Trapped in an increasingly hostile work environment, and infuriated at the hypocrisy of the FBI’s tactics, Bailey decided to fight back.
Clay and Bones is a memoir with a mission, and a fascinating exploration into the surreal and satisfying work of a forensic artist.
Lisa Bailey never considered a career working in death until she saw the FBI job posting for a forensic artist. The idea of using her artistic skill to help victims of crime was too compelling to pass up.
Soon she was documenting crime scenes, photographing charred corpses, and digitally retouching the disembodied heads of suicide bombers. But it was facial approximation—sculpting a face from the remnants of an unidentified victim’s skull—that intrigued her the most. Bailey knew that if she could capture that person’s likeness in clay, she just might help them be identified, and that might help law enforcement track down their killer.
Bailey worked on hundreds of cases and grew to become a subject matter expert in the field. It was the most challenging and fulfilling work she could have imagined, and she never thought of leaving. But her life changed when she became the target of sexual discrimination and harassment. She was stunned when FBI management protected the abusers and retaliated with threats, slander, and an arsenal of lawyers. Trapped in an increasingly hostile work environment, and infuriated at the hypocrisy of the FBI’s tactics, Bailey decided to fight back.
Clay and Bones is a memoir with a mission, and a fascinating exploration into the surreal and satisfying work of a forensic artist.
252 pages, Hardcover
First published February 20, 2024
31 people are currently reading
5492 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 125 reviews
June 29, 2024
Lisa Bailey has written an honest and informative memoir about her time working for the FBI. She was a forensic artist who specialized in reconstructing faces from the skulls of crime victims and other unknown dead from clay using her artistic and scientific knowledge. She was the first female forensic sculptor in the department and became a recognized leader in the field. Although she was pleased to be helping law enforcement identify the dead from her lifelike reconstructions and loved her work, she faced misogyny and harassment. Her workplace was toxic, and her authorities in the FBI always sided with her oppressors.
June 3, 2024
From the book cover to the story, this is one memoir that everyone should take the time to read. The author, Lisa Bailey, was one of the first female forensic artists at the FBI, and she delivers a powerful look into both her profession as well as the many issues that surrounded her lengthy employment at the FBI. It is an insiders look into forensic artistry, as well as how the FBI operates, and to put it mildly, the FBI does not come off looking very good in this book.
Lisa had a lifelong love of art and landed a job at John Hopkins University. But she wanted more of a challenge for herself, and therefore applied to the FBI when an opening was advertised for a forensic artist. I took almost 9 months before somebody contacted her, but after her interview, she was offered the job. Unfortunately, she had to wait two years to actually begin working for the agency because there was a hiring freeze on even though they needed forensic artists and therefore they were not allowed to hire anyone. Finally, she got her chance and found out that politics was not just in the capital. Along the way she worked on some very high profile cases, as well as many lesser cases which are just important to the families of victims. She became an expert in facial reconstruction and facial aging and we learn a lot about the skills that are required to do both of those jobs. We learned about something called a "Body Farm" where the forensics people go to try and hone their skills. But, you're only as good as your supervisors, and boy did she has some lousy supervisors. It seems that the FBI does not want to promote the most talented people into management and so what they do is they take people who are not so well suited for management and then when things go wrong, they refused to do anything to correct the situation, and this is something that followed Lisa throughout her career. We even find out why one person was "demoted" into a management position, which was really a promotion, but it's all due to his lack of expertise in the courtroom which resulted in a huge opinion as to it's lack of expert qualifications. Now you would think a person like that might very well be sent to the rear, but no, he is promoted to a supervisor and there he seems to go out of his way to pick on Lisa, and provide an extremely unhealthy workplace atmosphere. It's a fascinating look and sometimes one wonders why things don't get done properly and why we seem to be a little behind the 8-ball when it comes to investigations, but if you read this book, you'll understand that a lot of things need to change in order to keep the FBI running smoothly. Hopefully this will happen sometime in the future.
This is a fast read book that grabs your attention from the first page and keeps it to the very end. I wish we would've been able to learn more about the high profile cases that Lisa worked on, but on the other hand we get a lot of really fine information about how a forensic artist does their job, as well as how they are able to help solve cold cases that have been sitting for years and years. Those are things that are gratifying, the garbage that goes on with the supervisors is not gratifying. But through it all, Lisa Bailey had provided us with a wonderful look at her life and her time at the FBI. It is a book that we should all read, and we should all shake our head in wonderment that this still continues in our government and especially at the FBI. 4.5****
Lisa had a lifelong love of art and landed a job at John Hopkins University. But she wanted more of a challenge for herself, and therefore applied to the FBI when an opening was advertised for a forensic artist. I took almost 9 months before somebody contacted her, but after her interview, she was offered the job. Unfortunately, she had to wait two years to actually begin working for the agency because there was a hiring freeze on even though they needed forensic artists and therefore they were not allowed to hire anyone. Finally, she got her chance and found out that politics was not just in the capital. Along the way she worked on some very high profile cases, as well as many lesser cases which are just important to the families of victims. She became an expert in facial reconstruction and facial aging and we learn a lot about the skills that are required to do both of those jobs. We learned about something called a "Body Farm" where the forensics people go to try and hone their skills. But, you're only as good as your supervisors, and boy did she has some lousy supervisors. It seems that the FBI does not want to promote the most talented people into management and so what they do is they take people who are not so well suited for management and then when things go wrong, they refused to do anything to correct the situation, and this is something that followed Lisa throughout her career. We even find out why one person was "demoted" into a management position, which was really a promotion, but it's all due to his lack of expertise in the courtroom which resulted in a huge opinion as to it's lack of expert qualifications. Now you would think a person like that might very well be sent to the rear, but no, he is promoted to a supervisor and there he seems to go out of his way to pick on Lisa, and provide an extremely unhealthy workplace atmosphere. It's a fascinating look and sometimes one wonders why things don't get done properly and why we seem to be a little behind the 8-ball when it comes to investigations, but if you read this book, you'll understand that a lot of things need to change in order to keep the FBI running smoothly. Hopefully this will happen sometime in the future.
This is a fast read book that grabs your attention from the first page and keeps it to the very end. I wish we would've been able to learn more about the high profile cases that Lisa worked on, but on the other hand we get a lot of really fine information about how a forensic artist does their job, as well as how they are able to help solve cold cases that have been sitting for years and years. Those are things that are gratifying, the garbage that goes on with the supervisors is not gratifying. But through it all, Lisa Bailey had provided us with a wonderful look at her life and her time at the FBI. It is a book that we should all read, and we should all shake our head in wonderment that this still continues in our government and especially at the FBI. 4.5****
April 3, 2024
Forensics is a fascinating field, and certainly the idea of reading about an artist using her skill to craft skulls to reconstruct a damaged or projected face is enticing. Those parts of this book are so interesting, and I loved the author's discussion of her case files and actual work experiences.
As a book, this gets bogged down in the memoir part, however. I absolutely believe that the author was harassed and condescended to in the boys' club of the FBI, and that the agency wielded its power to protect the establishment. But that is not what drew me to this story, and the amount of space, time, detail, and sheer minutia became frankly exhausting and triggering. I wish this had gone through a few more rounds of edits, because the personal issues far outweighed the topic of forensic art. I'd still love to know the exact details of how a face that met a violent end is reconstructed--we get a little of that, but not enough. Immerse me in the obsessive attention to detail, the physicality of the act of sculpting, the release of tension when you finish a project! After reading this, I can tell you that three guys named Brent, Harry, and Frank are on the author's shit list, however, and while I don't discount the importance of hearing women's experience in abusive workplaces, there needs to be some balance and understanding of what parts are compelling and the ones that don't serve your objective.
The dead need scientists and artists to share their stories. I wish I had heard more of them.
Audio Notes: I really disliked the audio performance, which was hugely exaggerated, and came down hard on the sarcasm and humor. A more subtle performance would have helped some of the snide observations and jokes land better, or at least made them (and the repetitious, sore-thumb exclamations like "awesome!") more tolerable and seem less petty. No matter how you might geek out over a cool tool or want to point out the hypocrisy of your incompetent boss telling you one thing and doing another, the audio performer doesn't need to read it in a way that so broadly makes sure you get the joke--imagine Agnes Harkness winking at you and you've got the tone of much of the text. It's annoying in any audiobook, but particularly so when dealing with professional scenarios and death. I don't mind graveyard humor at all--a book that handled that much better, and interestingly, very skillfully read by its author, is What the Dead Know: Learning About Life as a New York City Death Investigator.
Anyway, this is definitely a 3.5 in my book, though I'm not sure if I want to round this up or down. Could change from whatever you're seeing at the moment.
As a book, this gets bogged down in the memoir part, however. I absolutely believe that the author was harassed and condescended to in the boys' club of the FBI, and that the agency wielded its power to protect the establishment. But that is not what drew me to this story, and the amount of space, time, detail, and sheer minutia became frankly exhausting and triggering. I wish this had gone through a few more rounds of edits, because the personal issues far outweighed the topic of forensic art. I'd still love to know the exact details of how a face that met a violent end is reconstructed--we get a little of that, but not enough. Immerse me in the obsessive attention to detail, the physicality of the act of sculpting, the release of tension when you finish a project! After reading this, I can tell you that three guys named Brent, Harry, and Frank are on the author's shit list, however, and while I don't discount the importance of hearing women's experience in abusive workplaces, there needs to be some balance and understanding of what parts are compelling and the ones that don't serve your objective.
The dead need scientists and artists to share their stories. I wish I had heard more of them.
Audio Notes: I really disliked the audio performance, which was hugely exaggerated, and came down hard on the sarcasm and humor. A more subtle performance would have helped some of the snide observations and jokes land better, or at least made them (and the repetitious, sore-thumb exclamations like "awesome!") more tolerable and seem less petty. No matter how you might geek out over a cool tool or want to point out the hypocrisy of your incompetent boss telling you one thing and doing another, the audio performer doesn't need to read it in a way that so broadly makes sure you get the joke--imagine Agnes Harkness winking at you and you've got the tone of much of the text. It's annoying in any audiobook, but particularly so when dealing with professional scenarios and death. I don't mind graveyard humor at all--a book that handled that much better, and interestingly, very skillfully read by its author, is What the Dead Know: Learning About Life as a New York City Death Investigator.
Anyway, this is definitely a 3.5 in my book, though I'm not sure if I want to round this up or down. Could change from whatever you're seeing at the moment.
July 29, 2024
3.0 Stars
This is a memoir that explores the career of an FBI forensic artist. I found those parts fascinating and I wished she had dived into more detail.
The novel was a very heavy focus on the terrible workplace toxicity and corruption she experienced. It was sad to read what she gad gone through. However I wish it hadn't taken up so much of the book. It felt like more of a “tell all” rather than a piece of true crime writing.
This is a memoir that explores the career of an FBI forensic artist. I found those parts fascinating and I wished she had dived into more detail.
The novel was a very heavy focus on the terrible workplace toxicity and corruption she experienced. It was sad to read what she gad gone through. However I wish it hadn't taken up so much of the book. It felt like more of a “tell all” rather than a piece of true crime writing.
February 14, 2024
This book was fantastic. It painted a picture of one of the first woman forensic artist in the FBI and the abuse she went through with her superiors. The book was part science and art, where she described her job in detail and how she sculped faces of deceased victims or missing people and how she applied her artistic ability to bring these victims to life. But the other half was the abuse she dealt with during her time at the FBI as a woman. Her superior would constantly yell and demean her over simple stuff to get her to quit. He sabotaged potential rewards and even big projects that could have helped the forensic field all together. Overall I would recommend this book to anybody that enjoys FBI shows or forensic science.
February 4, 2024
This book didn’t gel with me. It was a strange mix of forensic cases and the author’s journey fighting the FBI on multiple bullying incidents. The two themes didn’t work for me on the narrative. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for a DRC
February 18, 2024
Clay And Bones is a hugely fascinating look at author's life as a first female forensic sculptor in the FBI.
Lisa Bailey tells her story with unflinching honesty and humility. We see the love and passion for her profession, ability and willingness to help solve crimes and to provide closure to families of victims of crime. But we also get to see the ugly and frankly sad side of the institution that is FBI.
I really enjoyed that frank memoir and would recommend it to anyone with interest in the art of forensic science.
I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of that book.
Lisa Bailey tells her story with unflinching honesty and humility. We see the love and passion for her profession, ability and willingness to help solve crimes and to provide closure to families of victims of crime. But we also get to see the ugly and frankly sad side of the institution that is FBI.
I really enjoyed that frank memoir and would recommend it to anyone with interest in the art of forensic science.
I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of that book.
February 4, 2024
2/5
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher
This book follows the life and career of Lisa Bailey, the first female forensic sculptor in the FBI. The narration touches on her life, how she found her way into such a specific field of work, some of the cases she's been involved in and the sexism and workplace harassment she suffered during her time at the FBI. I think this field of forensic science is fascinating so after a quick read of the summary and looking at the cover and title I decided to request this title. Sadly, I found this boring and disjointed.
There are two stories in here fighting for dominance. The story of a woman becoming a forensic artist and all the science and artistry behind it vs a tale of horrible frustrating misogyny and harassment in the workplace. These two do not mash well. Yes, the events are all real, however the way the book is written doesn't work and comes out as rambling and disconnected. I also feel like I had a different idea of what this book was going to be, perhaps I deluded myself. It's true that in the summary it references the hostile work enviroment and the actions Bailey had to take, yet the title of this memoir, the cover, and the blurb itself ("fascinating exploration into the surreal and satisfying work of a forensic artist.") led me to believe the book would go more into detail about the field of forensics.
Bailey writes in a wandering prose, at times I felt like we were two old college friends having a chat over coffee after having lost contact for several years. It made for an easy read but it also created some serious tonal shifts. We would go from her geeking out over some extremely cool modeling process (for example) only to be hit by the horrible workplace situation merely a couple of lines after. Her anecdotes regarding her life and family didn't click with the stories of skull reconstructions and crime victims and when the later were hitting their most interesting point then the horrible bosses would crash the scene leaving me feeling without a resolution and adrift.
I think it's incredibly important for Lisa Bailey to tell her story. Her experiences show why boy's clubs remain that way, through the systematic violence and humilliation they exert over women who dare to carve out a space, to show their abilities, to take pride in their intelligence and hard work. The FBI is such an institution, created with patriarchal ideals that reinforce these behaviors, and I applaud Bailey for speaking out. Readers will find something to enjoy here, something to be frustrated over, and perhaps a connection to the author, I'm just in the minority and that's ok.
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher
This book follows the life and career of Lisa Bailey, the first female forensic sculptor in the FBI. The narration touches on her life, how she found her way into such a specific field of work, some of the cases she's been involved in and the sexism and workplace harassment she suffered during her time at the FBI. I think this field of forensic science is fascinating so after a quick read of the summary and looking at the cover and title I decided to request this title. Sadly, I found this boring and disjointed.
There are two stories in here fighting for dominance. The story of a woman becoming a forensic artist and all the science and artistry behind it vs a tale of horrible frustrating misogyny and harassment in the workplace. These two do not mash well. Yes, the events are all real, however the way the book is written doesn't work and comes out as rambling and disconnected. I also feel like I had a different idea of what this book was going to be, perhaps I deluded myself. It's true that in the summary it references the hostile work enviroment and the actions Bailey had to take, yet the title of this memoir, the cover, and the blurb itself ("fascinating exploration into the surreal and satisfying work of a forensic artist.") led me to believe the book would go more into detail about the field of forensics.
Bailey writes in a wandering prose, at times I felt like we were two old college friends having a chat over coffee after having lost contact for several years. It made for an easy read but it also created some serious tonal shifts. We would go from her geeking out over some extremely cool modeling process (for example) only to be hit by the horrible workplace situation merely a couple of lines after. Her anecdotes regarding her life and family didn't click with the stories of skull reconstructions and crime victims and when the later were hitting their most interesting point then the horrible bosses would crash the scene leaving me feeling without a resolution and adrift.
I think it's incredibly important for Lisa Bailey to tell her story. Her experiences show why boy's clubs remain that way, through the systematic violence and humilliation they exert over women who dare to carve out a space, to show their abilities, to take pride in their intelligence and hard work. The FBI is such an institution, created with patriarchal ideals that reinforce these behaviors, and I applaud Bailey for speaking out. Readers will find something to enjoy here, something to be frustrated over, and perhaps a connection to the author, I'm just in the minority and that's ok.
April 30, 2025
3.5 stars
February 11, 2024
I received an advanced copy of this book while traveling. I read the first half on the way to my destination-could not stop talking about it to friends and family when I arrived. On my return flight, I completed it. The perspective of Ms Bailey is truly sincere (her connection to the victims), exciting (the first female forensic artist for the FBI) and heartbreaking (harassed). So many women have been silent for too long. Bravo Ms Bailey for standing up and shouting it from the mountaintops! I was particularly enthralled with the time that she spent in Bogota. Her willingness to not only do her job that she was sent to do but to help in anyway she could so that agents could keep working shows her dedication to the team. Hands down-5 Stars. Tell everyone to read this inspiring book! Buy it for others for birthdays! It will not disappoint...women supporting women. First. Foremost. Always.
May 2, 2024
About a third of this book is about Bailey's life as a Forensic Artist, the knowledge she has, and the cases she's worked on. The other two-thirds of this book is her constantly complaining about her work experience. I don't want to downplay the harassment she experienced, but the two stories didn't work well together. It's like reading two books shoved into one and the plot was jumbled and chaotic. If she spent half as much time describing the details of her work and how it has helped others as she did on describing the scenes with her management, then this would have been a great book. Perhaps the issue is that the summary indicated this would be a memoir of her work, but rather it's a burn-it-down tale of how sexism is rampant in the federal government and what she did about it. I'm not against either topic, I just don't think the premise was presented well before reading the book.
February 9, 2024
This was a surprising read, a bit different from what I usually like but I was intrigued with the description of it and since I’m such a huge fan of the tv show Bones, I figured I would enjoy this book. I wasn’t wrong, it’s a great book and I already recommend it to all my friends.
I really enjoyed following Bailey’s career and discovering how her work as a forensic artist helped to solve so many horrendous cases. The amount of forensic science information this book has was insane and I couldn’t put it down. We also dive into the workplace environment and the way she was treated throughout her career. It was a bit to read about the harassment she suffered but I though it added to the story making it more engrossing and compelling.
Overall, it was such an interesting journey through Bailey’s career, written in such a fascinating way that makes it so engaging. We see the details of forensic reconstruction at the same time we see what’s happening in the back. If you like Bones and workplace drama this is the book for you.
Thank you, NetGalley & the publisher, for approving me to read this arc and write this review.
I really enjoyed following Bailey’s career and discovering how her work as a forensic artist helped to solve so many horrendous cases. The amount of forensic science information this book has was insane and I couldn’t put it down. We also dive into the workplace environment and the way she was treated throughout her career. It was a bit to read about the harassment she suffered but I though it added to the story making it more engrossing and compelling.
Overall, it was such an interesting journey through Bailey’s career, written in such a fascinating way that makes it so engaging. We see the details of forensic reconstruction at the same time we see what’s happening in the back. If you like Bones and workplace drama this is the book for you.
Thank you, NetGalley & the publisher, for approving me to read this arc and write this review.
February 27, 2024
What a fascinating chance to peek into the life of the first female forensic sculptor in the FBI, and the book's author. I was intrigued by the blurb, and when I started reading the amount of forensic science information in this book, I was so captivated by it, that I couldn’t put it down. Intertwined with that information, I had a chance to read about the workplace environment and the way she was treated throughout her career.
I love to read crime stories and watch crime movies, and this book was so engaging and interesting to read, even more interesting for me because I had a chance to read about real work.
I recommend this book to everyone who likes to watch Bones and similar series.
I love to read crime stories and watch crime movies, and this book was so engaging and interesting to read, even more interesting for me because I had a chance to read about real work.
I recommend this book to everyone who likes to watch Bones and similar series.
January 31, 2024
*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*
Wow wow wow. Fascinating, heartbreaking, and eye-opening, CLAY AND BONES peels back the layers of work discrimination and sexism in the FBI while also describing the work of the author, Lisa G. Bailey, as one of the first female forensic sculptors. Told with wit and searing honestly, Bailey does not shy from calling out names and detailing her abuse within the US government, but her passion for reconstruction is obvious in the way she describes the undying hope that her work helps the people she works hard to bring a face to.
This book was impossible to put down, and I highly recommend it to fans of Bones, workplace drama, and those of us who want to fight against injustice.
Wow wow wow. Fascinating, heartbreaking, and eye-opening, CLAY AND BONES peels back the layers of work discrimination and sexism in the FBI while also describing the work of the author, Lisa G. Bailey, as one of the first female forensic sculptors. Told with wit and searing honestly, Bailey does not shy from calling out names and detailing her abuse within the US government, but her passion for reconstruction is obvious in the way she describes the undying hope that her work helps the people she works hard to bring a face to.
This book was impossible to put down, and I highly recommend it to fans of Bones, workplace drama, and those of us who want to fight against injustice.
January 17, 2024
HOLY HECK. What a wild ride this book was.
From fascinating details about forensic art and the work of facial approximation to infuriating descriptions of violent, abusive men in the workplace and the systems that protected them at all costs, this book will keep you on the edge of your seat.
From fascinating details about forensic art and the work of facial approximation to infuriating descriptions of violent, abusive men in the workplace and the systems that protected them at all costs, this book will keep you on the edge of your seat.
January 18, 2024
Thank you to the publishers – Independent Publishers Group – for giving me access to this book as an E-ARC via Netgalley.
Forensics interests me in general and forensic artistry particularly – I find both fields very interesting. This book sounded very interesting to me, but I feet like this was more about workplace bullying and environment than forensic artistry. Nothing wrong with that – of course – I was appalled of the way Bailey was treated at her workplace and that nothing seemed to happen to help her. But I thought this was supposed to be about her field of work rather than her workplace as such.
Forensics interests me in general and forensic artistry particularly – I find both fields very interesting. This book sounded very interesting to me, but I feet like this was more about workplace bullying and environment than forensic artistry. Nothing wrong with that – of course – I was appalled of the way Bailey was treated at her workplace and that nothing seemed to happen to help her. But I thought this was supposed to be about her field of work rather than her workplace as such.
February 15, 2024
The book is informative and compelling. The Author has shared every detail about her work and life. If you would like to read about forensic investigations, FBI and True crime, this book is for you. I found some details very fascinating while some details scared me like insight of Skeleton and the examination of the body and skull after death. Author has shared each and every detail about the body after death. I gained knowledge about Forensic team and FBI. I deeply felt for the author. Reading about the law enforcement and how the author became the target of the sex discrimination was so shocking. I think the author made wise decisions and she is indeed brave. The book is brilliant and touching.
Many Thanks to Author, Publisher and Netgalley
Many Thanks to Author, Publisher and Netgalley
February 6, 2024
Don't judge a book by its cover fr. I thought this was just going to be a fun little memoir about Bailey's experience as an FBI forensic artist, with some day-in-the-life explanations of what a forensic artist actually does and maybe a few cases she helped solve. And it was that, but it also delivered so much more. Bailey details the insane harassment and discrimination that she faced at the hands of her FBI supervisors, which **kind of spoiler** culminates in an EEO complaint and an OPR investigation. (Booooo admin law.) The amount of feminine rage I felt while reading this book was borderline debilitating. There were several times I was physically anxious reading her account of the treatment she was subjected to, yet I was consistently amazed by her ability to maintain a genuine passion for her work in the face of bureaucracy at its worst. Highly, HIGHLY recommend.
For: True crime readers; artists; anyone who has ever had a shitty boss
Not for: Shitty bosses; those with weak stomachs; incels
Also, thank you to Chicago Review Press for providing me with a copy ahead of publication.
For: True crime readers; artists; anyone who has ever had a shitty boss
Not for: Shitty bosses; those with weak stomachs; incels
Also, thank you to Chicago Review Press for providing me with a copy ahead of publication.
January 23, 2024
If the television show "Bones" had you in a chokehold like it did me or you're into all the true crime shows and podcasts available now, then this is the perfect book for you. I loved learning all the real life details which go into a forensic artist receiving remains (or photos of remains) and attempting to build a face to assist law enforcement in their criminal investigations. What makes Ms. Bailey's narrative so compelling is to see not only her clear expertise and passion for her job but also her stalwart refusal to be a compliant cog in the FBI machine. This is the story of a woman which will make you cheer for our gender (women can accomplish amazing things!) and also bemoan the many trials which can dog the footsteps of being female in the workplace (sexism is so utterly petty, y'all– nothing less than bullying backed by bureaucracy). Lisa Bailey has written an interesting and eye-opening book without devolving into badmouthing and bitterness, and to the right audience I would absolutely recommend this book.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. "Clay and Bones" comes out February 20th!
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. "Clay and Bones" comes out February 20th!
January 23, 2024
The description of this book morbidly piqued my interest, and when I went to the authors Instagram and read more about her experience working as a forensic artist in a male dominated workplace (the FBI) I knew it was going to be good. And horrible. But horribly good! This memoir takes us on a journey from the author starting in the military, to discovering art and then getting involved in forensic art! I devoured this in a day. I was so attached to see the outcome of her daily struggles and abuse working with misogynistic men, and occasionally was overwhelmed by the extent of discussion about technique. But the stories of cases and her work hardships kept me hooked! If you enjoy books from authors like Caitlin Doughty, this one’s for you!
Thank you to IPG and Netgalley for the ARC!
Thank you to IPG and Netgalley for the ARC!
June 26, 2024
Too much memoir, too little content about case studies and the nuts and bolts of forensic art work.
Audiobook: narrator not to my taste.
Audiobook: narrator not to my taste.
April 5, 2024
I feel bamboozled. I thought this was going to be more about her actual work and not her fight against the good ole boys club. I’ve seen that most of the lower scored reviews list this as a reason they didn’t like the book as much as they thought they would too. I believe Bailey should have turned this into 2 books. One a memoir and the other about her work as a forensic artist. If I had read a review before checking this book out I’m pretty sure I would have skipped it. I’m not interested enough in her struggle to hear about it for hours and was actively looking forward to the book ending. I wanted more skulls and less drama. And, while she has every right to tell her story, I think she is doing herself a disservice by combining the two.
Also the audiobook is terrible. Definitely read this book instead of listening. You’ll be less irritated and you can skip around if you need to.
Also the audiobook is terrible. Definitely read this book instead of listening. You’ll be less irritated and you can skip around if you need to.
March 10, 2024
I had a different expectation of what this book would be about. I find anything in forensics to be fascinating, and thought this book would be filled with stories of cases Lisa Bailey worked on while employed with the FBI. While the book does have some of this, it focuses more on her sexual discrimination at the FBI. Her story is important and should be told, however, the book feels misleading with the cover and title. Overall, I found her job and techniques to be fascinating, but I was left underwhelmed.
April 7, 2024
very very interesting to hear about the author's life within the forensics field, however, I did feel it was let down with the storytelling of the misogyny and criticism within the FBI. don't get me wrong, it's appalling to hear the author talk about such discrimination, but I'll admit I skimmed through these parts just to get back to the nitty gritty forensics (that's what I was here for!).
I'm happy Bailey wrote this book to make her voice heard and I'm sure it will hit home with many readers out there. unfortunately tho it just wasn't what I expected, and that's okay.
I'm happy Bailey wrote this book to make her voice heard and I'm sure it will hit home with many readers out there. unfortunately tho it just wasn't what I expected, and that's okay.
March 28, 2024
If you like reading about someone complaining endlessly about their job, you'll love this. Just don't make the mistake I did and think it has something to do with forensics -- it doesn't. This one is DOA.
February 27, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Independent Publishers Group, Chicago Review Press for an ARC of this memoir.
Wow. I LOVED this memoir. All caps loved. What a fascinating subject to learn about and a fascinating badass lady to learn from. This book followed two different story lines in Lisa Bailey’s life: forensic anatomy and sculpture and the mistreatment of women in the FBI (and probably other government agencies historically run by only men).
I wanted to read this book from a weird art kid who finds true crime horrible, yet fascinating perspective. This was a memoir where I felt like I learned so much about what goes on behind the scenes in helping identify both victims and perpetrators (this book was definite brain candy in the learning category). Although I left as though I learned a lot, I was very invested in Bailey’s life and her cases. It was fascinating learning about how one may make age progressions as well as all the little details (and layers of clay) which go into the finished product of a facial approximation sculpture which the public might see.
I never knew that a skull could tell you so much about what a person might look like. Between nasal passages showing the size and slope of a nose, brow lines, and even fullness of cheeks, I was shocked at how individual each skull is to the individual.
Reading from a perspective of a woman in the FBI, also definitely gave some Clarice Starling vibes (for any Silence of the Lambs fans) throughout the book both with the unfair treatment as well as the protocols going into cases. Unfortunately for Bailey, her career in the FBI was riddled with misogyny and abuse of power by the men overseeing her departments. At times the level of abuse and the FBI’s inability to take action against the abusers was so frustrating that I almost had to stop reading. I mean even an idiot would be able to spot where the problem lies from miles away…but unfortunately the boy’s club still persists. Fingers crossed that this memoir is able to shed some light on the discrimination suffered by women in government agencies traditionally staffed by men.
10/10 you should 100% read this fascinating story.
Wow. I LOVED this memoir. All caps loved. What a fascinating subject to learn about and a fascinating badass lady to learn from. This book followed two different story lines in Lisa Bailey’s life: forensic anatomy and sculpture and the mistreatment of women in the FBI (and probably other government agencies historically run by only men).
I wanted to read this book from a weird art kid who finds true crime horrible, yet fascinating perspective. This was a memoir where I felt like I learned so much about what goes on behind the scenes in helping identify both victims and perpetrators (this book was definite brain candy in the learning category). Although I left as though I learned a lot, I was very invested in Bailey’s life and her cases. It was fascinating learning about how one may make age progressions as well as all the little details (and layers of clay) which go into the finished product of a facial approximation sculpture which the public might see.
I never knew that a skull could tell you so much about what a person might look like. Between nasal passages showing the size and slope of a nose, brow lines, and even fullness of cheeks, I was shocked at how individual each skull is to the individual.
Reading from a perspective of a woman in the FBI, also definitely gave some Clarice Starling vibes (for any Silence of the Lambs fans) throughout the book both with the unfair treatment as well as the protocols going into cases. Unfortunately for Bailey, her career in the FBI was riddled with misogyny and abuse of power by the men overseeing her departments. At times the level of abuse and the FBI’s inability to take action against the abusers was so frustrating that I almost had to stop reading. I mean even an idiot would be able to spot where the problem lies from miles away…but unfortunately the boy’s club still persists. Fingers crossed that this memoir is able to shed some light on the discrimination suffered by women in government agencies traditionally staffed by men.
10/10 you should 100% read this fascinating story.
February 3, 2024
Thank you for the ARC copy of this book. I really enjoyed this book which did not come as a surprise since I am a fan of learning more about the world of forensics. Going in I thought this book was just going to be about the science and art of the forensic world but this is not the case. I think it was really important that Lisa’s story was honest and that she held nothing back about her true experiences in this field. You can tell the passion for the subject through her writing. Overall I really enjoyed this book and will be recommending it reading it again.
January 24, 2024
I was hooked from the first chapter! I love that this book started at the Body Farm, and covered so much more than just being a forensic artist.
I loved how scientific and technical the story was. Seeing how Bailey got into Forensic Art and a look inside how the FBI works (even though parts of it were horrendous)
Huge thanks to NetGalley & Independent Publishers Group for an advance
I loved how scientific and technical the story was. Seeing how Bailey got into Forensic Art and a look inside how the FBI works (even though parts of it were horrendous)
Huge thanks to NetGalley & Independent Publishers Group for an advance
February 21, 2024
I only got to page 44 because of vision issues but was totally entranced by the experiences of one called to artistry of a rare and unusual type as well as the development of that art into something a little closer to the fiction portrayed on TV. I may not have been able to give a complete review, but I preordered the audio.
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from Independent Publishers Group, Chicago Review Press via NetGalley. Thank you!
Not TTS enabled for visually impaired posted 02/12/2024
Available 20 Feb 2024
02/21/2024 I have now read the audio narrated by the very talented voice actor Christina Delaine and can give a better informed review.
The book records the trials and tribulations of the woman who was to become the first forensic sculptor and all she went through and learned to achieve that ability and distinction (including classic examples of incompetent managers being 'kicked upstairs'). There are cloaked cases with the successes, stalemates, and seemingly impossible conclusions. An amazing combination of learning and drama.
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from Independent Publishers Group, Chicago Review Press via NetGalley. Thank you!
Not TTS enabled for visually impaired posted 02/12/2024
Available 20 Feb 2024
02/21/2024 I have now read the audio narrated by the very talented voice actor Christina Delaine and can give a better informed review.
The book records the trials and tribulations of the woman who was to become the first forensic sculptor and all she went through and learned to achieve that ability and distinction (including classic examples of incompetent managers being 'kicked upstairs'). There are cloaked cases with the successes, stalemates, and seemingly impossible conclusions. An amazing combination of learning and drama.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 125 reviews