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Body Farm #3
The Devil's Bones
In two previous New York Times bestselling novels, Jefferson Bass enthralled readers with ripped-from-the-headlines forensic cases, memorable characters, and plots that "rival Kathy Reichs and Patricia Cornwell" (Seattle Post-Intelligencer). Drawing on research at the Body Farm—three acres of land in the backwoods of Tennessee, where bodies are left to the elements to illuminate human decomposition—Bass has moved fiction to a fascinating new realm, with forensics expertise drawn from his five decades of work as the world's leading forensic anthropologist. But this latest novel cements Jefferson Bass as one of the finest writers of suspense working today, and in a work of drama, cunning, and heartbreak, thrills the reader with fiction that feels all too real.
A woman's charred body has been found inside a burned car perched atop a hill in Knoxville. Is it accidental death, or murder followed by arson? Forensic anthropologist Bill Brockton's quest for answers prompts an experiment straight from Dante's Inferno: In the dark of night, he puts bodies to the torch, researching how fire consumes flesh and bone.
In the meantime, Brockton is sent a mysterious package—a set of cremated remains that looks entirely unreal. With the help of a local crematorium, he investigates and discovers a truth too horrifying to believe: A facility in another state has not been disposing of bodies properly, instead scattering them all around the grounds.
Little does Brockton know that his research is about to collide with reality—with the force of a lit match meeting spilled gasoline. En route to trial, his nemesis, medical examiner Garland Hamilton, has escaped from custody. What follows is a deadly game of cat and mouse, played for the ultimate stakes: Brockton's own life. With help from his loyal graduate assistant, Miranda, and ace criminalist Art Bohanan, Brockton eventually tracks Hamilton, but when the police arrive, they find only a smoldering ruin. Sifting through the ashes, Brockton finds the incinerated remains of Hamilton . . . or does he? The answer—along with Brockton's ultimate test—comes in a searing moment of truth.
A woman's charred body has been found inside a burned car perched atop a hill in Knoxville. Is it accidental death, or murder followed by arson? Forensic anthropologist Bill Brockton's quest for answers prompts an experiment straight from Dante's Inferno: In the dark of night, he puts bodies to the torch, researching how fire consumes flesh and bone.
In the meantime, Brockton is sent a mysterious package—a set of cremated remains that looks entirely unreal. With the help of a local crematorium, he investigates and discovers a truth too horrifying to believe: A facility in another state has not been disposing of bodies properly, instead scattering them all around the grounds.
Little does Brockton know that his research is about to collide with reality—with the force of a lit match meeting spilled gasoline. En route to trial, his nemesis, medical examiner Garland Hamilton, has escaped from custody. What follows is a deadly game of cat and mouse, played for the ultimate stakes: Brockton's own life. With help from his loyal graduate assistant, Miranda, and ace criminalist Art Bohanan, Brockton eventually tracks Hamilton, but when the police arrive, they find only a smoldering ruin. Sifting through the ashes, Brockton finds the incinerated remains of Hamilton . . . or does he? The answer—along with Brockton's ultimate test—comes in a searing moment of truth.
5 pages, Audiobook
First published February 5, 2008
196 people are currently reading
3632 people want to read
About the author
Jefferson Bass
20 books1,160 followersJefferson Bass on FACEBOOK
http://www.facebook.com/JeffersonBass...
Jon Jefferson
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
Bill Bass
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
Jefferson Bass is the pen name of Jon Jefferson, writer, and Dr. Bill Bass, renowned forensic anthropologist. Jefferson and Bass have collaborated on 2 nonfiction books and 6 crime novels; their 7th novel, The Inquisitor's Key, will be published in May 2012. Dr. Bass, founder of the University of Tennessee's "Body Farm," is an author on more than 200 scientific publications. Jefferson is a veteran journalist and documentary filmmaker; his two National Geographic documentaries on the Body Farm were seen around the world.
http://www.facebook.com/JeffersonBass...
Jon Jefferson
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
Bill Bass
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
Jefferson Bass is the pen name of Jon Jefferson, writer, and Dr. Bill Bass, renowned forensic anthropologist. Jefferson and Bass have collaborated on 2 nonfiction books and 6 crime novels; their 7th novel, The Inquisitor's Key, will be published in May 2012. Dr. Bass, founder of the University of Tennessee's "Body Farm," is an author on more than 200 scientific publications. Jefferson is a veteran journalist and documentary filmmaker; his two National Geographic documentaries on the Body Farm were seen around the world.
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April 4, 2024
There is a patch of ground in Tennessee dedicated to the science of death, where human remains lie exposed to be studied for their secrets. The real-life scientist who founded the "Body Farm" has broken cold cases and revolutionized forensics . . . and now he spins an astonishing tale inspired by his own experiences.
Bass adds another great book to the series in this third installment. The book is a great stand-alone, though the background learned from the previous two make it all the more exciting. Bass has the ability not only to allude to the previous stories, but incorporate them into the subsequent books without stitching each book together (one book does not continue the story from the previous one). While I was also able to learn a great deal about forensics, the body, and the characters, the true greatness of the book comes from its ability to flow seamlessly and move at a pace that keeps the reader interested and informed. We get to see forensic anthropology for what it is and stick with that, where as others (Reichs’ famed Tempe Brennan) seem to use their skills as a backdrop to getting into the case and then turn into the main sleuth. A great addition to the collection, proving Bass’ worth!
Popular anthropologist Dr. Bill Brockton has been surrounded by death for much of his academic life, especially after creating the Body Farm on the campus of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. When the authorities discover the charred body of a woman in a vehicle, suspicions lead them to consult with Knoxville’s preeminent forensic anthropologist. The mystery piques Brockton’s interest, who sets up an experiment to see how flesh and bone burn in a flaming vehicle. This causes the ire of many within the university administration, but yields results.
In other events, Dr. Brockton receives a mysterious package of cremated remains, which look completely fake. Some research and assistance from a local crematorium leads Dr. Brockton to discover that a facility out of state has not been disposing of bodies properly, instead scamming mourning families and dumping bodies.This has major implications and has Dr. Brockton arriving in Georgia for a look.
If this were not enough, Dr. Brockton’s worst fear is realised when his nemesis, Garland Hamilton, escapes on his way to trial for murder and ends up on the lam. While Dr. Brockton tried to keep working, he cannot help but wonder what is going on. When the police find a smouldering vehicle with human remains, the call to Dr. Bill Brockton, whose recent research helped shed light on the situation, sets the wheels in motion. A clue that has everyone believing this is the body of Garland Hamilton sends a sense of glee and shiver up the spine in equal measure. Is this real or another means of distraction? Bass develops a great story with a wonderful cliffhanger for all to ponder.
I will admit, I would never choose to enter the profession or even to go back and take a class in anthropology or human anatomy. That said, Bass makes the entire experience all the more interesting and not in a preachy way. Bass addresses some of the key aspects of the profession and some of the strong issues of the day, showing an academic perspective, but not turning chapters into soapbox moments. This is greatly appreciated for the curious, layperson reader.
As the book escalates and we see the action kick up a notch, we learn a lot more about burning bones and what fire can do to the body. Not only that, we also can see some watered-down experiments that could really pique the interest of someone who has a passion for the profession. While also looking at the world of cremation, Bass opens the door to many questions one may not have previously pondered.
Strong narrative direction helps the reader feel a sense of gaining momentum as they push through the story. Great characters, some returning and others appearing for the first time, leaving the reader feeling a sense of excitement and curiosity. The plot develops and twists through the story, providing a sense of unpredictability. Even years later, after my first read through this book, I am on edge as I see how Bass has things clipping along.
Kudos Mr. Bass for another strong novel!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Bass adds another great book to the series in this third installment. The book is a great stand-alone, though the background learned from the previous two make it all the more exciting. Bass has the ability not only to allude to the previous stories, but incorporate them into the subsequent books without stitching each book together (one book does not continue the story from the previous one). While I was also able to learn a great deal about forensics, the body, and the characters, the true greatness of the book comes from its ability to flow seamlessly and move at a pace that keeps the reader interested and informed. We get to see forensic anthropology for what it is and stick with that, where as others (Reichs’ famed Tempe Brennan) seem to use their skills as a backdrop to getting into the case and then turn into the main sleuth. A great addition to the collection, proving Bass’ worth!
Popular anthropologist Dr. Bill Brockton has been surrounded by death for much of his academic life, especially after creating the Body Farm on the campus of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. When the authorities discover the charred body of a woman in a vehicle, suspicions lead them to consult with Knoxville’s preeminent forensic anthropologist. The mystery piques Brockton’s interest, who sets up an experiment to see how flesh and bone burn in a flaming vehicle. This causes the ire of many within the university administration, but yields results.
In other events, Dr. Brockton receives a mysterious package of cremated remains, which look completely fake. Some research and assistance from a local crematorium leads Dr. Brockton to discover that a facility out of state has not been disposing of bodies properly, instead scamming mourning families and dumping bodies.This has major implications and has Dr. Brockton arriving in Georgia for a look.
If this were not enough, Dr. Brockton’s worst fear is realised when his nemesis, Garland Hamilton, escapes on his way to trial for murder and ends up on the lam. While Dr. Brockton tried to keep working, he cannot help but wonder what is going on. When the police find a smouldering vehicle with human remains, the call to Dr. Bill Brockton, whose recent research helped shed light on the situation, sets the wheels in motion. A clue that has everyone believing this is the body of Garland Hamilton sends a sense of glee and shiver up the spine in equal measure. Is this real or another means of distraction? Bass develops a great story with a wonderful cliffhanger for all to ponder.
I will admit, I would never choose to enter the profession or even to go back and take a class in anthropology or human anatomy. That said, Bass makes the entire experience all the more interesting and not in a preachy way. Bass addresses some of the key aspects of the profession and some of the strong issues of the day, showing an academic perspective, but not turning chapters into soapbox moments. This is greatly appreciated for the curious, layperson reader.
As the book escalates and we see the action kick up a notch, we learn a lot more about burning bones and what fire can do to the body. Not only that, we also can see some watered-down experiments that could really pique the interest of someone who has a passion for the profession. While also looking at the world of cremation, Bass opens the door to many questions one may not have previously pondered.
Strong narrative direction helps the reader feel a sense of gaining momentum as they push through the story. Great characters, some returning and others appearing for the first time, leaving the reader feeling a sense of excitement and curiosity. The plot develops and twists through the story, providing a sense of unpredictability. Even years later, after my first read through this book, I am on edge as I see how Bass has things clipping along.
Kudos Mr. Bass for another strong novel!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
August 6, 2019
The Devil's Bones is the third book in Body Farm series.
Dr. Bill Brockton is due to testify in the trial of Garland Hamilton. And he's not looking forward to it. Not at all.
Then a week before the trial Hamilton fakes a seizure in prison and escapes from the Emergency Room at UT hospital. It's a terrifying development as he's already tried to murder Bill once before. Further Hamilton knows all the halls below the hospitals main floor. When Dr. Brockton hears the news his thoughts go in several different directions.
What I didn't know was where'd he go and what he'd do: lie low, slip away, or try again to kill me?
While trying to put his fears of Hamilton's escape in the back of his mind Bill tries to keep his mind on the job at hand. He's been asked to help find answers in the case of a woman found charred in a burned out car. Bill needs to use forensic science to find out if the women was alive or dead prior to the car catching fire. The woman's husband is strongly suspected of killing her but he has a solid alibi. Many questions surround the case and Dr. B's going to need all his knowledge of forensics to find the evidence necessary to give him the answers. If he fails, someone guilty of murder will go free.
A second case turns up when Bill is asked to look at cremains that are supposed to be Burt DeVress's, aunt. When Bill discovers that the cremains are fake he starts asking questions about the mortuary where the aunt's body was sent following her death.
While trying to find answers for his friend, he uncovers a harrowing, unfathomable scene behind the mortuary. The mortuary hasn't been in business for quite some time and has been falsifying cremains for hundreds of customers.
The plots in this series are partly based from true crimes and are the real deal. As in reality, the crime scenes are gruesome, the 'bad guys' are deadly, not just to the victims but to those who are trying to catch them. I find myself glued to the chair, clenching the book tightly in both hands, and trying to remember to breathe. Especially when it feels like my heart is trying to break out from it's prison of rib bones!
Dr. Bill Brockton, his research assistant Miranda Lovelady, and his KPD cop friend Art Bohanan are just a few of the regular characters that make up the series. They are smart, funny, are good friends, and are not above being terrified at one time or another. Working together they try to solve cases that only real life would make up. It is highly recommended that the Body Farm series be read in order as the subsequent books follow the story's from previous novels. You will get more enjoyment if read in order. The first one is Carved in Bone.
The Body Farm novels by Jefferson Bass have taken true crime and weaved it into a masterful, first rate fictional mystery crime series. It has landed firmly on the top of my favorite book list and the characters have become like family. If you are into forensics, love a great crime mystery full of action and suspense, with brilliant and likable characters this series should be on your must read pile!
*Dr. Bill Bass is a world-renowned forensic anthropologist who founded the University of Tennessee's Anthropology Research Center, informally nicknamed the Body Farm.
Groundbreaking research from the Body Farm has revolutionized forensics, helping to solve seemingly unsolvable crimes and has been breaking cold cases wide open, bringing justice to the victims and their families by finding the one's responsible who would otherwise continue to be free. Forensic science has also been used to absolve people who have been wrongly convicted. I have great respect for Dr. Bass and all who helped create the data bases we now use in crime detection today.
Dr. Bill Brockton is due to testify in the trial of Garland Hamilton. And he's not looking forward to it. Not at all.
Then a week before the trial Hamilton fakes a seizure in prison and escapes from the Emergency Room at UT hospital. It's a terrifying development as he's already tried to murder Bill once before. Further Hamilton knows all the halls below the hospitals main floor. When Dr. Brockton hears the news his thoughts go in several different directions.
What I didn't know was where'd he go and what he'd do: lie low, slip away, or try again to kill me?
While trying to put his fears of Hamilton's escape in the back of his mind Bill tries to keep his mind on the job at hand. He's been asked to help find answers in the case of a woman found charred in a burned out car. Bill needs to use forensic science to find out if the women was alive or dead prior to the car catching fire. The woman's husband is strongly suspected of killing her but he has a solid alibi. Many questions surround the case and Dr. B's going to need all his knowledge of forensics to find the evidence necessary to give him the answers. If he fails, someone guilty of murder will go free.
A second case turns up when Bill is asked to look at cremains that are supposed to be Burt DeVress's, aunt. When Bill discovers that the cremains are fake he starts asking questions about the mortuary where the aunt's body was sent following her death.
While trying to find answers for his friend, he uncovers a harrowing, unfathomable scene behind the mortuary. The mortuary hasn't been in business for quite some time and has been falsifying cremains for hundreds of customers.
The plots in this series are partly based from true crimes and are the real deal. As in reality, the crime scenes are gruesome, the 'bad guys' are deadly, not just to the victims but to those who are trying to catch them. I find myself glued to the chair, clenching the book tightly in both hands, and trying to remember to breathe. Especially when it feels like my heart is trying to break out from it's prison of rib bones!
Dr. Bill Brockton, his research assistant Miranda Lovelady, and his KPD cop friend Art Bohanan are just a few of the regular characters that make up the series. They are smart, funny, are good friends, and are not above being terrified at one time or another. Working together they try to solve cases that only real life would make up. It is highly recommended that the Body Farm series be read in order as the subsequent books follow the story's from previous novels. You will get more enjoyment if read in order. The first one is Carved in Bone.
The Body Farm novels by Jefferson Bass have taken true crime and weaved it into a masterful, first rate fictional mystery crime series. It has landed firmly on the top of my favorite book list and the characters have become like family. If you are into forensics, love a great crime mystery full of action and suspense, with brilliant and likable characters this series should be on your must read pile!
*Dr. Bill Bass is a world-renowned forensic anthropologist who founded the University of Tennessee's Anthropology Research Center, informally nicknamed the Body Farm.
Groundbreaking research from the Body Farm has revolutionized forensics, helping to solve seemingly unsolvable crimes and has been breaking cold cases wide open, bringing justice to the victims and their families by finding the one's responsible who would otherwise continue to be free. Forensic science has also been used to absolve people who have been wrongly convicted. I have great respect for Dr. Bass and all who helped create the data bases we now use in crime detection today.
April 19, 2020
3.5 stars
This is the third book in the Body Farm series and I believe the best book so far. I have enjoyed these stories as they have progressed. They are based on true stories coming from the real 'body farm' part of the University of Tennessee Anthropology Research Facility. This particular book had a number of true life people - who allowed use of their real names and job descriptions.
These books are written by two men - Dr Bill Bass, Forensic Anthropologist and Jon Jefferson, a writer, journalist and filmmaker, who together write under the name of Jefferson Bass. The major protagonist, Dr Bill Brockton, is developed after Dr Bill Bass.
This particular book has two stories going on. One story about a crematorium who had quit cremating the bodies endeared to their care - the other story brought back an ongoing story line dealing with the man who murdered Brockton's girlfriend.
The crematorium story was based on a true story about a Noble Georgia Crematorium scandal that happened in the early months of 2002.
With every book in this series I have managed to laugh out loud, managed to learn something, and also thoroughly enjoyed the story.
The next book is book number four - Bones of Betrayal.
This is the third book in the Body Farm series and I believe the best book so far. I have enjoyed these stories as they have progressed. They are based on true stories coming from the real 'body farm' part of the University of Tennessee Anthropology Research Facility. This particular book had a number of true life people - who allowed use of their real names and job descriptions.
These books are written by two men - Dr Bill Bass, Forensic Anthropologist and Jon Jefferson, a writer, journalist and filmmaker, who together write under the name of Jefferson Bass. The major protagonist, Dr Bill Brockton, is developed after Dr Bill Bass.
This particular book has two stories going on. One story about a crematorium who had quit cremating the bodies endeared to their care - the other story brought back an ongoing story line dealing with the man who murdered Brockton's girlfriend.
The crematorium story was based on a true story about a Noble Georgia Crematorium scandal that happened in the early months of 2002.
With every book in this series I have managed to laugh out loud, managed to learn something, and also thoroughly enjoyed the story.
The next book is book number four - Bones of Betrayal.
June 6, 2024
Much, much weaker than the first two novels in the series!
Publisher's Weekly's criticism of THE DEVIL'S BONES was short, sweet and very to the point, "The lack of a strong central plot undercuts the third forensic thriller by bestseller Bass, the team of Dr. Bill Bass, founder of Tennessee's world-renowned Body Farm, and journalist Jon Jefferson (after 2007's Flesh and Bone). Two cases occupy Dr. Bass's fictional alter ego, Dr. Bill Brockton—the death of Mary Latham, a 47-year-old Knoxville native, whose charred remains were found in a burned-out car, and a disreputable Georgia crematorium that simply dumped bodies on its grounds. These probes soon take a backseat to a cat-and-mouse game with the doctor's arch nemesis, Garland Hamilton, who tried to frame him for murder in Flesh and Bone."
The forensic science underpinnings of the novel were as informative, as entertaining and as educational as ever. The Body Farm's research into the different effects of fire, accidental, homicidal, suicidal, in a crematorium or otherwise, on "green" bones (those from a recently deceased body) versus bones that had already dried in a corpse deceased for a longer period of time was absolutely fascinating. But that's the good news.
SPOILER ALERT (WELL, SORTA ... )!
There actually is very little to spoil here. The story line about the fraudulent crematorium was pedestrian and barely workmanlike. The fraud that was perpetrated on the unsuspecting grieving relations was criminal, to be sure, but there wasn't a live criminal in sight. Take a report from a friend that the "cremains" of his recently deceased aunt didn't seem quite right (check). Find the near-hidden crematorium (check). Deal with a very nasty guard dog (check). Trip across in excess of one hundred decomposing and most definitely UN-cremated corpses (check). Case closed and hand it over to the police for closure (check, end of story).
The more action-oriented story line of Dr Brockton's encounter with his escaped nemesis, Garland Hamilton, was very much over-written, over the top and really quite cartoonish. Not up to the calibre that I had come to expect from this fine writing team
Such a shame. Not recommended although I'll press on to number four to see if they can return to form.
Paul Weiss
Publisher's Weekly's criticism of THE DEVIL'S BONES was short, sweet and very to the point, "The lack of a strong central plot undercuts the third forensic thriller by bestseller Bass, the team of Dr. Bill Bass, founder of Tennessee's world-renowned Body Farm, and journalist Jon Jefferson (after 2007's Flesh and Bone). Two cases occupy Dr. Bass's fictional alter ego, Dr. Bill Brockton—the death of Mary Latham, a 47-year-old Knoxville native, whose charred remains were found in a burned-out car, and a disreputable Georgia crematorium that simply dumped bodies on its grounds. These probes soon take a backseat to a cat-and-mouse game with the doctor's arch nemesis, Garland Hamilton, who tried to frame him for murder in Flesh and Bone."
The forensic science underpinnings of the novel were as informative, as entertaining and as educational as ever. The Body Farm's research into the different effects of fire, accidental, homicidal, suicidal, in a crematorium or otherwise, on "green" bones (those from a recently deceased body) versus bones that had already dried in a corpse deceased for a longer period of time was absolutely fascinating. But that's the good news.
SPOILER ALERT (WELL, SORTA ... )!
There actually is very little to spoil here. The story line about the fraudulent crematorium was pedestrian and barely workmanlike. The fraud that was perpetrated on the unsuspecting grieving relations was criminal, to be sure, but there wasn't a live criminal in sight. Take a report from a friend that the "cremains" of his recently deceased aunt didn't seem quite right (check). Find the near-hidden crematorium (check). Deal with a very nasty guard dog (check). Trip across in excess of one hundred decomposing and most definitely UN-cremated corpses (check). Case closed and hand it over to the police for closure (check, end of story).
The more action-oriented story line of Dr Brockton's encounter with his escaped nemesis, Garland Hamilton, was very much over-written, over the top and really quite cartoonish. Not up to the calibre that I had come to expect from this fine writing team
Such a shame. Not recommended although I'll press on to number four to see if they can return to form.
Paul Weiss
May 17, 2018
Not the best body farm book I've read. It took me a long time to finish this one & not because the storyline was bad. However, this one didn't leave me with wanting to run to my bookstore and grab another body farm book. It was just "ok" for me.
February 16, 2017
The Devil's bones by Jefferson Bass.
A car accident with a woman's body inside is discovered in Knoxville. Dr. Bill Brockton starts experiments with corpses to find how a fire may destroy flesh and bone. At the same time an acquaintance has a problem with the cremains of his aunt and asks Dr. Brockton's assistance in uncovering the reason why there is such a discrepancy in her cremains compared to the average person.
Dr. Brockton starts to unravel the mystery behind his friend's aunt's cremains by investigating the crematorium where all this took place. First he visits an above board crematorium and learns the acceptable way of the procedure.
There is even more to this marvelous mystery that brings up a presence of evil from Bill's past that he would rather never come face to face with again. The author(s) detail in outlining each character and their relationship to Dr. Bill helps to bring us into the scene of each day. The comprehensive and elaborated details of the environment and settings leaves nothing to our imagination. This is one of the most enjoyable mystery series' and educational as well.
A car accident with a woman's body inside is discovered in Knoxville. Dr. Bill Brockton starts experiments with corpses to find how a fire may destroy flesh and bone. At the same time an acquaintance has a problem with the cremains of his aunt and asks Dr. Brockton's assistance in uncovering the reason why there is such a discrepancy in her cremains compared to the average person.
Dr. Brockton starts to unravel the mystery behind his friend's aunt's cremains by investigating the crematorium where all this took place. First he visits an above board crematorium and learns the acceptable way of the procedure.
There is even more to this marvelous mystery that brings up a presence of evil from Bill's past that he would rather never come face to face with again. The author(s) detail in outlining each character and their relationship to Dr. Bill helps to bring us into the scene of each day. The comprehensive and elaborated details of the environment and settings leaves nothing to our imagination. This is one of the most enjoyable mystery series' and educational as well.
June 10, 2010
I know it gets tiresome to continually hawk the benefits of one author over and over (for three posts now!). But technically Jefferson Bass is TWO authors... So does that make it different? Probably not, but I don't care... The Body Farm series is continuing to entertain and amaze me, now three books in.
The third novel in the series, The Devil's Bones, continues the story of Dr. Bill Brockton, University of Tennessee professor and Body Farm founder. You need to read the first two novels to really appreciate this one, as it delves deeper into a storyline about a former-colleague-turned-murderer who still has a bone to pick with Brockton (pun intended).
Forensically, the novel discusses the affect of fire on bones. The book begins with a case of a woman who died in an automobile fire. There are reasons to suspect foul play, but the main suspect -- the woman's husband -- was thousands of miles away in Las Vegas at the time of her demise. Brockton conducts experiments to study the affect burning bones has on new and old bones. New, or "green", bones burn in a spiral pattern that develops from the moisture in them being released quickly, so that the layers of bone are almost steamed. Older, dry bones burn in a linear, heavily patterned way, much like old logs in a fire. Think about the end of logs burned in a fireplace or bonfire -- a crosshatch pattern. That's how you can tell the difference in new and old bones, therefore also being able to tell the difference between whether a body was burned soon after death or a lengthy amount of time after death.
To go along with the burning bones experiments, Jefferson Bass (a team of both Dr. Bill Bass, the actual Body Farm founder from UT, and journalist Jon Jefferson) also addresses a real-life case that I remember from my college years in Chattanooga. In 2002, a Georgia crematorium was discovered to have been not performing its duties as advertised (and as it was paid for). During a search of the property that resulted from anonymous tips to the GBI, more than 300 bodies were found buried and piled up on the property. The crematorium had been sending back to families a mixture of human and animal bones, concrete mix, and filler materials rather than the remains of their loved ones. Bass places Brockton thick in the middle of this case, one that was extremely interesting to me, as I remember vividly watching CNN's 24-hour coverage of the property search and ongoing investigation. Real-life Body Farm professor and author Dr. Bill Bass worked some of the cases, which gave him an inside view and factual representation of the story in this novel.
I think I've gone on enough... Go get these books! (My mom has them in hand and has already started the first one, soon to be followed by my other family members.)
The third novel in the series, The Devil's Bones, continues the story of Dr. Bill Brockton, University of Tennessee professor and Body Farm founder. You need to read the first two novels to really appreciate this one, as it delves deeper into a storyline about a former-colleague-turned-murderer who still has a bone to pick with Brockton (pun intended).
Forensically, the novel discusses the affect of fire on bones. The book begins with a case of a woman who died in an automobile fire. There are reasons to suspect foul play, but the main suspect -- the woman's husband -- was thousands of miles away in Las Vegas at the time of her demise. Brockton conducts experiments to study the affect burning bones has on new and old bones. New, or "green", bones burn in a spiral pattern that develops from the moisture in them being released quickly, so that the layers of bone are almost steamed. Older, dry bones burn in a linear, heavily patterned way, much like old logs in a fire. Think about the end of logs burned in a fireplace or bonfire -- a crosshatch pattern. That's how you can tell the difference in new and old bones, therefore also being able to tell the difference between whether a body was burned soon after death or a lengthy amount of time after death.
To go along with the burning bones experiments, Jefferson Bass (a team of both Dr. Bill Bass, the actual Body Farm founder from UT, and journalist Jon Jefferson) also addresses a real-life case that I remember from my college years in Chattanooga. In 2002, a Georgia crematorium was discovered to have been not performing its duties as advertised (and as it was paid for). During a search of the property that resulted from anonymous tips to the GBI, more than 300 bodies were found buried and piled up on the property. The crematorium had been sending back to families a mixture of human and animal bones, concrete mix, and filler materials rather than the remains of their loved ones. Bass places Brockton thick in the middle of this case, one that was extremely interesting to me, as I remember vividly watching CNN's 24-hour coverage of the property search and ongoing investigation. Real-life Body Farm professor and author Dr. Bill Bass worked some of the cases, which gave him an inside view and factual representation of the story in this novel.
I think I've gone on enough... Go get these books! (My mom has them in hand and has already started the first one, soon to be followed by my other family members.)
June 1, 2020
I like this series and I learn a lot. There are some humorous conversations. I did learn more than I wanted to about cremations. No way are they doing that to me. I wasn't planning on it anyway. There were lots of mysteries going on in this book. Definitely not boring.
October 14, 2019
I really am enjoying this series! The Devil's Bones has the usual engaging characters and situations, even bringing back some of the likable characters from the previous books. The banter is believable and the humor prevents the book from becoming too morbid. Although Brockton’s techniques and activities in his investigations don't always make the university attorney happy, they do keep me interested! Like the TV series Law and Order, some of the crimes are "ripped from the headlines" but this series tells the forensic science side of things, which I like very much. I learned a lot about crematoriums in this book, which I definitely found more interesting than I did when I read Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematory. On to the next one!
November 28, 2010
Good book… certainly not one of my favorites… I admit to getting wholly tired of the whole disgruntled ME gone crazy… it was intriguing the first time, exciting the second time, but this time it’s entirely over done. Hopefully, the madness is over.
I’m finally starting to get accustom to this author’s writing style. I have to say that this book, the 3rd in the series, just wasn’t my favorite. It seemed like the author just had to stretch to get what he was looking for.
I’m also getting a little tired of the wishy-washy way Dr Brockton is with Miranda, his grad student. Pardon the expression, but he needs to Pee or get off the Pot.
I was glad to see Big Jim O’Connor and Waylon… they’re two of my favorite characters and have been since they were introduced. I liked their involvement and really loved learning more about them then I knew the first time. I think that the author should consider expanding their involvement in the stories more.
I’m finally starting to get accustom to this author’s writing style. I have to say that this book, the 3rd in the series, just wasn’t my favorite. It seemed like the author just had to stretch to get what he was looking for.
I’m also getting a little tired of the wishy-washy way Dr Brockton is with Miranda, his grad student. Pardon the expression, but he needs to Pee or get off the Pot.
I was glad to see Big Jim O’Connor and Waylon… they’re two of my favorite characters and have been since they were introduced. I liked their involvement and really loved learning more about them then I knew the first time. I think that the author should consider expanding their involvement in the stories more.
May 16, 2011
Last night as I was finishing it up there was this whole paragraph or two about an oil lamp. I could have been in an impatient mood or perhaps it was an attempt at foreshadowing, but I found myself saying aloud "Enough with the lamp!" This book was really really descriptive on the roads taken to get places. This would probably be fun if I lived in Tennessee, but I do not so I found it boring. By the end, I was frustrated. I'll still read more in the series and see how they turn out.
Note: The bit about the crematorium that just dumped bodies on their property and gave loved ones bogus cremains is based on a true story! Suggested reading: Death's Acre.
Note: The bit about the crematorium that just dumped bodies on their property and gave loved ones bogus cremains is based on a true story! Suggested reading: Death's Acre.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2015
This is the 3rd book in the Body Farm series, featuring U of Tennessee forensic scientist Bill Brockton. I've enjoyed every book so far. There is a nice folksiness about Brockton and he is surrounded by excellent friends and co-workers, especially his faithful assistant Miranda (she's lovely) and his old friend police detective Art. This story has its own unique mysteries; both dealing with burned corpses in their own way. The first is the death/ murder of a woman, whose burned body is found in a car and Bill assists the local Tennessee detective try to find out whether it was an accident or murder. The other finds Bill assisting his lawyer, fondly known as Grease, ascertain whether the remains of his aunt, are in fact the remains and finds Bill researching a local (Georgian) crematorium. Added to the mix is the escape of Bill's enemy, Garland Hamilton, the man responsible for the murder of Bill's love interest from the previous story. There is always interesting scientific factoids about bodies found in this series and the story moves along very nicely. The ending may have been a bit pat, but, then again, it didn't take away from the story in the least. Most entertaining.
October 16, 2012
This series just keeps getting better and better! The characters are more like friends I need to check up on now. The Bone Farm and the forensics involved in each mystery are an interesting hook that these authors are very qualified to present. Please keep them coming!
August 17, 2022
Jefferson Bass's series are interesting to read but this one, the 3rd in the series, just wasn’t my favorite. A good story but he seemed to go into so much detail of the landscape, people, etc......almost as if he were trying to just "fill" pages.... there are some interesting parts that will keep you reading.
April 21, 2017
3.5 Stars
I really love this series.
This book is more like a continuation of Book 2; with Dr Brockton having to deal with the fallout from Garland Hamilton. It was still good, but not nearly as crazy. Just trying to figure out where all the pieces fit.
I really love this series.
This book is more like a continuation of Book 2; with Dr Brockton having to deal with the fallout from Garland Hamilton. It was still good, but not nearly as crazy. Just trying to figure out where all the pieces fit.
February 1, 2025
This was good but I had two reports on osteology so I was not really in the mood for this book, so didn’t enjoy it as much as I would have.
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We want stories to have endings, even if they break our hearts.
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We want stories to have endings, even if they break our hearts.
March 2, 2009
Forensic anthropologist Bill Brockton is trying to figure out who murdered Mary Latham and how her car caught fire and burned so extensively when his criminal defense attorney gives him what are claimed to be the cremains (cremated remains) of his aunt, which look more like concrete mix than bone ash. With the help of forensic scientist Art Bohanan, Brockton investigates the crematorium in Georgia that was responsible for the cremation but keeps butting up against stone walls. Eventually, he discovers a horror the likes of which he has never seen before. Meanwhile, he learns that his nemesis, former medical examiner Garland Hamilton, has escaped from prison and is on the prowl. Knowing he’s in Hamilton’s sites, Brockton is relieved to learn Hamilton’s charred body is discovered at a fire scene in Cooke County. However, as Brockton soon finds out, things are not always as they seem.
This third installment in the Body Farm series is, as usual, chock full of interesting forensics information relayed through Brockton and his assistant, Miranda. Readers may find the book distracting as it seems to meander along from one investigation to the other, then dashes off to the conflict between Brockton and Hamilton. Although the three mysteries within the plot are good ones, perhaps focusing on one or two would provide a stronger read. The forensics investigations help buffer the distraction and will keep the reader invested throughout the book.
This third installment in the Body Farm series is, as usual, chock full of interesting forensics information relayed through Brockton and his assistant, Miranda. Readers may find the book distracting as it seems to meander along from one investigation to the other, then dashes off to the conflict between Brockton and Hamilton. Although the three mysteries within the plot are good ones, perhaps focusing on one or two would provide a stronger read. The forensics investigations help buffer the distraction and will keep the reader invested throughout the book.
July 8, 2019
3.5 estrelas
O Dr. Bill Brockton divide-se em 2 casos, mas nenhum deles seguiu realmente uma investigação ao género policial, foi mesmo ver as coisas a acontecerem. Não foi mau, mas também não foi uma coisa extraordinária. Valeu muito foi pelos personagens, não me canso de dizer como são únicos e engraçados, especialmente Bill, Miranda, Art (adoro!) e Grease (quem diria que este advogado dos maiores criminosos podia mudar tanto?).
Foi muito interessante ler sobre os crematórios, o seu trabalho e, especialmente, aquele crematório que não cremava os cadáveres... Ai que cenário...
Foi ótimo rever personagens do primeiro livro, Waylon e o... esqueci-me do nome dele, o novo xerife, amigo de Waylon. Também foi engraçado aquele revés ainda com Hamilton mas, sinceramente, era um lado da coisa que dispensava. Mas, pronto, agora parece que está mesmo terminado.
O Dr. Bill Brockton divide-se em 2 casos, mas nenhum deles seguiu realmente uma investigação ao género policial, foi mesmo ver as coisas a acontecerem. Não foi mau, mas também não foi uma coisa extraordinária. Valeu muito foi pelos personagens, não me canso de dizer como são únicos e engraçados, especialmente Bill, Miranda, Art (adoro!) e Grease (quem diria que este advogado dos maiores criminosos podia mudar tanto?).
Foi muito interessante ler sobre os crematórios, o seu trabalho e, especialmente, aquele crematório que não cremava os cadáveres... Ai que cenário...
Foi ótimo rever personagens do primeiro livro, Waylon e o... esqueci-me do nome dele, o novo xerife, amigo de Waylon. Também foi engraçado aquele revés ainda com Hamilton mas, sinceramente, era um lado da coisa que dispensava. Mas, pronto, agora parece que está mesmo terminado.
October 1, 2014
A burnt body has been found inside a car in the remote wilderness and Bill Brockton is on the case, torching bodies from The Body Farm to research how fire consumes flesh and bone. Days later, he receives a mysterious package - a set of cremated remains that seems entirely unreal. As Brockton investigates, he uncovers a truth too horrifying to believe… Meanwhile, disgraced medical examiner, and Brockton's nemesis, Garland Hamilton, has escaped from custody. A deadly game of cat and mouse begins, with Brockton's life at stake. Finally running Hamilton to ground, Brockton finds only the incinerated remains of his enemy, or does he? Before he finds the truth, Brockton will face his ultimate test.
It's not often I dislike a crime/thriller novel but this was not really my cup of tea ... couldn't engage with Bill Brockton so wasn't too fussed about the plot. Not sure he was likeable or strong enough for a lead character in my opinion.
It's not often I dislike a crime/thriller novel but this was not really my cup of tea ... couldn't engage with Bill Brockton so wasn't too fussed about the plot. Not sure he was likeable or strong enough for a lead character in my opinion.
December 15, 2010
This is 3rd in the Body Farm series by Jefferson Bass. Jefferson Bass is actually the last names of 2 men that collaborate on the novels. Dr. Wm. Bass is actually the real life expert and founder of the body farm at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. As gruesome as it may seem he supervises graduate students in the science of forensics by studying how bodies decay and thus can testify in court that someone died in a certain way or at a certain time. I've read the first 3 books in the series and enjoyed them all. If you like Patricia Cornwell who actually titled one of her novels after the body farm, you will like these books. I give it 4 stars.
February 23, 2017
edge of my seat!
made me laugh, made me cringe, made me mad....all this as i was reading throughout the book. i loved it!
made me laugh, made me cringe, made me mad....all this as i was reading throughout the book. i loved it!
August 12, 2024
Jefferson Bass's forensic anthropologist Bill Brockton finds himself working on several levels in another exciting mystery.
The story begins with Brockton helping Tennessee police investigating a possible murder of a woman, by exploring how a body burns in a parked, running car. Could it have been an accident — a woman smoking in a running vehicle who falls asleep? Or was the fire used to hide a murder — by her husband whose alibi is that he was in Las Vegas? Brockton's determination to find the truth — with a little help from his grad and former students — discovers the possibilities that allow a murdered woman to burn hours after the crime was set.
His expertise is called for when he receives a mysterious package of so-called cremated remains. His research, including how a cremation is actually done when done properly, and leads to him discovering a horrible truth: a facility in another state, rather than properly cremating the remains of the dead, has instead been scattering them in the grounds of the remote facility.
And if that weren't enough, Brockton also is being prepped to testify in the upcoming murder trial of former medical examiner Garland Hamilton, charged with murdering a new love of Brockton's. The stress level rachets up when Hamilton escapes custody — and everyone believes he is gunning for his nemesis, Bill Brockton.
This is a nail-biting thriller perhaps even more than a straight mystery. There is the woman in the car death, but police already suspect the husband. Then there is the body disposal in the remote woods of Georgia, even though its easy to realize that the cremation operators are the guilty. But when Brockton helps authorities track down Hamilton, that's when the whole story becomes a tense drama and edge-of-the-seat actions.
This was a great read with loads of twists and turns, a truly hard-to-put-down story that is exciting from the first page to nearly the last.
The story begins with Brockton helping Tennessee police investigating a possible murder of a woman, by exploring how a body burns in a parked, running car. Could it have been an accident — a woman smoking in a running vehicle who falls asleep? Or was the fire used to hide a murder — by her husband whose alibi is that he was in Las Vegas? Brockton's determination to find the truth — with a little help from his grad and former students — discovers the possibilities that allow a murdered woman to burn hours after the crime was set.
His expertise is called for when he receives a mysterious package of so-called cremated remains. His research, including how a cremation is actually done when done properly, and leads to him discovering a horrible truth: a facility in another state, rather than properly cremating the remains of the dead, has instead been scattering them in the grounds of the remote facility.
And if that weren't enough, Brockton also is being prepped to testify in the upcoming murder trial of former medical examiner Garland Hamilton, charged with murdering a new love of Brockton's. The stress level rachets up when Hamilton escapes custody — and everyone believes he is gunning for his nemesis, Bill Brockton.
This is a nail-biting thriller perhaps even more than a straight mystery. There is the woman in the car death, but police already suspect the husband. Then there is the body disposal in the remote woods of Georgia, even though its easy to realize that the cremation operators are the guilty. But when Brockton helps authorities track down Hamilton, that's when the whole story becomes a tense drama and edge-of-the-seat actions.
This was a great read with loads of twists and turns, a truly hard-to-put-down story that is exciting from the first page to nearly the last.
August 19, 2020
The Devil's Bones
story 2,5/5
characters 2/5
writing 2,5/5
audio/paper Paper.
reread? Nope.
Recommend it? I don't think so.
Verhaal: 2,5/5
Karakters: 2/5
Schrijfstijl: 2,5/5
Papier/audio? Papier.
Herlezen: Nope.
Aanrader? Dat denk ik niet.
story 2,5/5
characters 2/5
writing 2,5/5
audio/paper Paper.
reread? Nope.
Recommend it? I don't think so.
Verhaal: 2,5/5
Karakters: 2/5
Schrijfstijl: 2,5/5
Papier/audio? Papier.
Herlezen: Nope.
Aanrader? Dat denk ik niet.
Want to read
May 7, 2019Synopsis: a woman's charred body has been found inside a burned car. Accidental death or murder? Brockton conducts an experiment.
November 11, 2022
I didn’t love the book, it read like a diary and it felt like the author was just recounting their day. I was also a little off put by the amount of pages dedicated to describing food or restaurants, actually there was a number of pages that I would deem as filler. I was a little confused about plot because it felt like the book could have gone in a number of different directions.
I did love the discussions about bones and very clear expertise in how they can be used in forensics. The storytelling was a little basic and I would have like more twists and turns.
I did love the discussions about bones and very clear expertise in how they can be used in forensics. The storytelling was a little basic and I would have like more twists and turns.
October 3, 2024
Liked the other books, this one seemed forced. Not a lot of banter, and rather boring at times. Plus, we all saw it coming…
August 22, 2021
Dr. Brockton is asked for help in the death of a local lady who police think may have been murdered. Throw in the suspect remains from a crematorium, and our friend has his calendar full. Just then, his enemy Garland Hamilton escapes imprisonment and looks for a way to end the good doctor's life.
Fast, amusing read.
Fast, amusing read.
March 2, 2023
I enjoyed the book, but the ending wasn't as satisfying as the last 2. It's still really good!
July 9, 2008
The writing duo of the University of Tennessee's Dr. Bill Bass and Jon Jefferson is back with a third suspense novel featuring Dr. Bill Brockton.
"The Devil's Bones" follows the events of the previous novel as Brockton continues to come to terms with the murder of his lover by his nemesis, Garland Hamilton. Brockton is asked to look into the cremains of a friend's loved one and soon uncovers a scam being perpetrated by owners of a cremation company. Add to this that Hamilton escapes custody and is on the run and you've got a myriad of threads all running parallel over the course of this suspense/thriller.
The story follows three separate threads that, for the most part, only cross paths with Brockton having to deal with them. The authors avoid the tempation to bring everything neatly together in the end and instead concentrate on the specifics of being a foresnic anthropologist. The moments in the novel when Brockton and his team investigate and solve various crimes based on the physical evidence left behind are some of the book's most compelling.
But without a good story, this would all be meaningless. And there is a good story here that will keep you guessing and keep the pages turning.
"The Devil's Bones" follows the events of the previous novel as Brockton continues to come to terms with the murder of his lover by his nemesis, Garland Hamilton. Brockton is asked to look into the cremains of a friend's loved one and soon uncovers a scam being perpetrated by owners of a cremation company. Add to this that Hamilton escapes custody and is on the run and you've got a myriad of threads all running parallel over the course of this suspense/thriller.
The story follows three separate threads that, for the most part, only cross paths with Brockton having to deal with them. The authors avoid the tempation to bring everything neatly together in the end and instead concentrate on the specifics of being a foresnic anthropologist. The moments in the novel when Brockton and his team investigate and solve various crimes based on the physical evidence left behind are some of the book's most compelling.
But without a good story, this would all be meaningless. And there is a good story here that will keep you guessing and keep the pages turning.
February 1, 2009
Most everything you wanted to know about fire and cremation can be learned by reading The Devil’s Bones. When Mary Latham was found dead in a car destroyed by fire in a field at her farm, Bill Brockton was asked to give assistance to the police. The husband is suspected of the murder but he can prove he was out of town at the time.
The first step in Brockton’s investigation was to burn up two cars at the Body Farm with a body in each car. One was a body that had been dead for sometime and the other was a recent death.
Brockton’s attorney makes a special request, which leads Brockton to investigate cremation procedures. It seems that his attorney’s aunt’s remains had been returned to his uncle but he was convinced that something was wrong. When Brockton visits the crematorium where the aunt was cremated he makes a horrible discovery that seems almost impossible but it is real.
To add to the suspense Garland Hamilton, the man that murdered Brockton’s girlfriend had escaped from prison and was out to kill Brockton.
The three seemingly unrelated problems are blended together to make The Devil’s Bones an excellent and informative read. This is the third novel in the Body Farm series.
The first step in Brockton’s investigation was to burn up two cars at the Body Farm with a body in each car. One was a body that had been dead for sometime and the other was a recent death.
Brockton’s attorney makes a special request, which leads Brockton to investigate cremation procedures. It seems that his attorney’s aunt’s remains had been returned to his uncle but he was convinced that something was wrong. When Brockton visits the crematorium where the aunt was cremated he makes a horrible discovery that seems almost impossible but it is real.
To add to the suspense Garland Hamilton, the man that murdered Brockton’s girlfriend had escaped from prison and was out to kill Brockton.
The three seemingly unrelated problems are blended together to make The Devil’s Bones an excellent and informative read. This is the third novel in the Body Farm series.
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