The Bone Thief

Solid forensic science novel..., May 26, 2010

This review is from: The Bone Thief: A Body Farm Novel (Hardcover)

This fifth book in the Body Farm series was fairly interesting and moved quickly though a long drawn out scene at the end of the book seemed unnecessary and pointless. Suffice to say that before starting this one, you should have read the other 4 previous novels in the series in order to completely understand the characters and the plot.

In this work of fiction based loosely on the real life of the author, Bill Brockton -- somewhat the stereotypical "goody two shoes" -- is drawn into an investigation of body part snatching, tissue and organ donation scams, and transplant issues. He's recruited by the FBI to set up a sting operation and stumbles along helping to set up the unscrupulous and expose the nefarious deeds committed in the name of scientific advancement. His "Body Farm", though mentioned at the start, doesn't really figure much into the story line of this particular book in the series.

Dr. Brockton eventually outs the bad guys -- all too obviously portrayed from their introduction -- and this particular work ends on a positive note.

This isn't the best thriller series on the market, but it does provide a lot of forensic and anthropological science detail that I find interesting. The medical facts should prove scintillating to most fans and does provide that glimpse into the nature and process of decomposition and the study of the dead that many find fascinating.

Recommended for fans of the series.