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... read full description
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Dec 17, 2009
LJ
rated it: 
CARVED IN BONE (Forensic Mystery-TN-Cont) – G+
Bass, Jefferson – 1st book
Harper, 2007- US Paperback- ISBN: 9780060759827
***Anthropologist Dr. Bill Brockton is summoned to a Tennessee mountain town where the local sheriff and deputy take him to see a mummified corpse of a young woman. His first task is to find out who she is and how she died. And then he has to find out who killed her while not dying himself.
*** I liked this book. The protagonist clearly knows his foren More...
Bass, Jefferson – 1st book
Harper, 2007- US Paperback- ISBN: 9780060759827
***Anthropologist Dr. Bill Brockton is summoned to a Tennessee mountain town where the local sheriff and deputy take him to see a mummified corpse of a young woman. His first task is to find out who she is and how she died. And then he has to find out who killed her while not dying himself.
*** I liked this book. The protagonist clearly knows his foren More...
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May 16, 2008
Judy
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Along with his partner Dr. Bill Bass, Jon Jefferson manages to weave some very technical information (you learn a lot about skeletal anatomy) into a story of murder and revenge in the hills of Tennessee. Not a whole lot of twists, but the characters are compelling enough to keep the pages turning.
I enjoyed reading this book, although it wasn't near as interesting as the crime scene investigation workshop I attended conducted by the author, Jon Jefferson. After hearing him describe wh More...
I enjoyed reading this book, although it wasn't near as interesting as the crime scene investigation workshop I attended conducted by the author, Jon Jefferson. After hearing him describe wh More...
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Mar 31, 2009
Kayeb
rated it: 
I enjoyed the setting in the book as well... it creates environment for lots of characters!
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.
Renowned anthropologist Dr. Bill Brockton has s More...
Sep 05, 2011
Kelly
rated it:
Bill Bass, legendary forensic anthropologist and founder of The Body Farm, teams up with Jon Jefferson (with whom he wrote two autobiographical novels) to form Jefferson Bass, writer of forensic anthropology grounded mystery novels in the vein of Patricia Cornwall and Kathy Reichs. Bass and Jefferson borrow liberally from real life, even going so far as to use actual colleague names and cases that crop up in their non-fiction novels, which creates rich fictional "side universes" to our
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May 31, 2011
R
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Dr. Bill Brockton is a forensic anthropologist – which means he knows more about dead bodies than most people in the world. In fact, he owns a “body farm” where he studies dead bodies (human, of course) in all the various settings in which they might be found as victims of crime. As such, he is also the expert law enforcement and lawyers go to when they want expert testimonies for their crime scenes. So when the Sheriff of Cooke County finds a body in a cave, one that’s obviously been there for
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Jan 22, 2011
Deb
rated it:
I downloaded this on my Kindle at the recommendation of a blog friend. It's a new author for me,or team of authors as it's a duo who write under the pseudonym of Jefferson Bass. One author is Dr. Bill Bass who founded the Anthropology Research Facility aka the Body Farm at the University of Tennessee. His writing partner is Jon Jefferson, who is a journalist and documentary filmmaker. While I am not a fan of detailed gore, I do enjoy the detective work that forensic pathologists and medical e
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Jan 03, 2011
Sara
rated it:
As the first book of a series which features the real life Body Farm in East Tennessee and the cutting edge world of forensic science, Dr. Bill Bass and Jon Jefferson team up to write an exciting mystery. Dr. Bill Brockton, fictional founder of the Body Farm is a forensic anthropologist and professor at the University of Tennessee. He has helped solve dozens of crimes, but none of them could have prepared him for his next case. Called in to the insular and backwoods Cooke County he discovers
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Feb 20, 2010
Diane
rated it:
""A woman's corpse lies hidden in a cave in the mountains of East Tennessee. Undiscovered for thirty years, her body has been transformed by the cave's chemistry into a near-perfect mummy - one that discloses an explosive secret to renowned anthropologist Bill Brockton.
Dr. Brockton has spent his career surrounded by death and decay at the Body Farm, but even he is baffled by this case unfolding in a unique environment where nothing is quite what it seems." The surreal More...
Dr. Brockton has spent his career surrounded by death and decay at the Body Farm, but even he is baffled by this case unfolding in a unique environment where nothing is quite what it seems." The surreal More...
Feb 20, 2009
crayolaab
rated it:
I have long been a fan of crime fiction, including Patricia Cornwell and Kathy Reichs so when my stepmother mentioned this book to me, co-authored by the man who founded the Body Farm, I gave it a shot.
Probably due to the fact that most books like these that I have read have female leads, it took me a little while to adjust to the male lead in this book. Then I realized he is an older man teaching undergrads and working with grad students and was a little creeped out by that, especia More...
Probably due to the fact that most books like these that I have read have female leads, it took me a little while to adjust to the male lead in this book. Then I realized he is an older man teaching undergrads and working with grad students and was a little creeped out by that, especia More...
Dec 12, 2007
Cindi
rated it: 
I thought this would be more about the Body Farm itself and was disappointed, but I needed an easy read, pure fluff, which this was. The situations described were unrealistic and not particularly interesting or suspenseful. The personal back story really had no connection to the primary plot. Based on this one, I won't rush out to read more Jefferson Bass books, despite his "pedigree." He should have stuck to forensic anthropology. I have read worse and more predictable books, tho
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Mar 19, 2011
Suzanne
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I thought I would like this book better than I did since I'm such a big fan of the Kay Scarpetta and Tempe Brennan novels. I did enjoy the book - many positives - the setting was very cool as I am somewhat familiar with Knoxville, but even if you weren't you would definitely get a great sense of the area. I really liked the characters - Dr. Brockton, Art, Miranda, Tom Kitchings, Jim O'Connor, Waylon - very multi-dimensional and very human. The mystery itself was fascinating and kept me turnin
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Jan 08, 2011
Deb
rated it:
This book was a free offering for my Nook, so I decided to give it a try. I've previously read lots of murder mysteries centered around forensic anthropology, including those by Patricial Cornwell and Kathy Reichs. This one was entertaining, and kept me reading right to the end. It is the first in the series The Body Farm, set in Knoxville, TN and featuring professor of anthropology/forensic anthropologist Dr. Bill Brockton, who runs a body farm on the University of Tennessee campus. The mys
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Apr 21, 2009
Sunnie
rated it:
Forensic based crime fiction has become very popular in recent years. CARVED IN BONE is a worthy entrant in this sub-genre. Not only is it chock full of scientific details of forensic anthropology in easily understandable terms, it is also one terrific yarn. The characters have depth and the setting is so well described it is easy to visualise.
I loved the book and found myself reading aloud passages that describe some of the forensic procedures, much to the chagrin of some of my fa More...
I loved the book and found myself reading aloud passages that describe some of the forensic procedures, much to the chagrin of some of my fa More...
Feb 07, 2012
David
rated it:
If you live around Knoxville, TN and watch the news then you more than likely have heard of Dr. Bill Bass, the "Bass" in the writing team of Jefferson Bass. Dr. Bass is a former professor of forensic anthropology at the University of Tennessee (my alma mater!) and founder of the University of Tennessee Anthropological Research Facility, affectionately known as the Body Farm. His professional work has influenced both Kathy Reichs and Patricia Cornwell.
Carved in Bone is the More...
Carved in Bone is the More...
Jun 17, 2011
Tiffiane
rated it:
This was a great book! I was pleasantly surprised with it. It was very easy to dig into the story because it flowed so well. I really like Bill Bass's writing style, it is easy to follow without getting so "scientific" that the layman can't understand what the heck he's talking about. I really like it when writers take into account WHO is going to be reading their books and write it in a generalized way so as that the masses can enjoy it, and/or explain the scientific and technical
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Sep 13, 2011
Betty
rated it:
In CARVED IN BONE we follow Dr. Brockton from his basement offices under the stadium at the University of Tennessee out into the wild Tennessee hills as he works with law enforcement, and even those on the other side of the law, to solve a case involving a mummy found in a cave.
The remains of a pregnant female were left in a cave many years ago and naturally mummified. Recently discovered, the mummy is brought to Dr. Brockton and he and his team begin trying to identify the body. It so More...
The remains of a pregnant female were left in a cave many years ago and naturally mummified. Recently discovered, the mummy is brought to Dr. Brockton and he and his team begin trying to identify the body. It so More...
Aug 19, 2011
Katie
rated it:
This was another case where I wish I could give half-star ratings, in which case I would give it a 2.5. A little better than okay, but not quite sure if I like it.
For a mystery series named after the Body Farm, it pretty much only appeared in the prologue and first chapter. Right from end of the first chapter, it's evident that something is a little off about the writing in this book. "I paused for effect, then delivered my dramatic closing argument." Seriously?
Dr. Bill Bro More...
For a mystery series named after the Body Farm, it pretty much only appeared in the prologue and first chapter. Right from end of the first chapter, it's evident that something is a little off about the writing in this book. "I paused for effect, then delivered my dramatic closing argument." Seriously?
Dr. Bill Bro More...
Apr 21, 2011
Jamie
rated it:
I really liked Carved in Bone. I liked being in Dr. Brockton's head; he's a good guy, trying to do the right thing, but also a regular human who makes mistakes sometimes.
I thought the mystery was a little predictable, but still interesting. So that was good.
What I loved most about this book, though, was the kind of things I learned. I've always liked reading historical fiction because it's the best way for me to learn about history. As a school subject, it's my least favorite More...
I thought the mystery was a little predictable, but still interesting. So that was good.
What I loved most about this book, though, was the kind of things I learned. I've always liked reading historical fiction because it's the best way for me to learn about history. As a school subject, it's my least favorite More...
Mar 06, 2011
Emily
rated it:
really liked this book, much easier to read then Kathy Reichs. Believable characters, and much more likeable than the aforementioned series. Awesome forensic sceince, and local colorful folks. Will be wantin' ta read more o' these.
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Jan 25, 2011
Norman
rated it:
I liked Mr Bass' book for his personal description of the South, not that far from where I used to live in North Carolina. I could easily picture what was going and where. The story was engaging and I found the science well done yet approachable by the layman and casual reader. I did not like the sexist attitude, though disarmed most of the time with some modern sensibility added in, it still had moment where it just felt, well, rude. His main female characters could have been more strong and he
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Jan 01, 2011
Jim
rated it:
Loved it!
Perhaps I'm a bit biased as I worked as a switchboard operator and campus police dispatcher while getting an Engineering degree from the University of Tennessee in the early 60's and was somewhat familiar with unpublicized happenings on campus that would have made a book in themselves. I immediately found the book to be one I couldn't put down. Besides all the familiar places mentioned, the mystery plot hooked me almost immediately, and I could hardly wait to finish it!
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Perhaps I'm a bit biased as I worked as a switchboard operator and campus police dispatcher while getting an Engineering degree from the University of Tennessee in the early 60's and was somewhat familiar with unpublicized happenings on campus that would have made a book in themselves. I immediately found the book to be one I couldn't put down. Besides all the familiar places mentioned, the mystery plot hooked me almost immediately, and I could hardly wait to finish it!
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Mar 21, 2009
Jan C
rated it:
Second in the series written by the founder of The Body Farm at UT, Bill Bass and Jon Jefferson.
The stories take place in Knoxville and throughout Tennessee. Maybe that's one reason I like them. I went to school in Tennessee.
Great forensic books. But you gotta be careful where you are when you are reading them - something might suddenly turn your stomach.
Here he has a love interest. And, then, she's murdered. And he is one of the prime suspects. Just when he More...
The stories take place in Knoxville and throughout Tennessee. Maybe that's one reason I like them. I went to school in Tennessee.
Great forensic books. But you gotta be careful where you are when you are reading them - something might suddenly turn your stomach.
Here he has a love interest. And, then, she's murdered. And he is one of the prime suspects. Just when he More...
Jun 16, 2011
Viccy
rated it:
Set at the University of Tennessee Anthropological Research Facility, better known as the Body Farm (thanks to Patricia Cornwell), Dr. Bill Brockton is still mourning the death of his wife from cancer two years previously. He gets a call from a county sheriff in Eastern Tennessee about a body. He heads out and uncovers thirty years' worth of secrets and learns more than he ever wanted to know about crime back in the "hollers" of Tennessee in the process. Dr. Brockton is a likable chara
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Jun 10, 2011
Laura
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Jan 10, 2011
Marisa
rated it:
Not sure what put me off about this one, which I got as a Free Friday ebook from Barnes & Noble, and would not otherwise have read. It might be that the protagonist had the usual Robert Langdon/Mikael Blomkvist trait of being an emotionally damaged middle-aged man who is irresistible to much younger women. It might be that the character I suspected of obstructing justice from the beginning was, in fact, obstructing justice. Or maybe it was the multitude of oddly placed tertiary characters, wh
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May 17, 2011
Marla
rated it:
Carved in Bone was a slightly enjoyable read. It got started slow, then picked up and got interesting, then died off a little again. Finally the end just all happened at once - all but maybe one or two issues/sub-plots unraveled within the same chapter or two.
Several times I felt like the level of forensic info/detail/lingo was a little over done - I get lost in details because I assume they are all important to the story so when an author throws in industry/technical details that ar More...
Several times I felt like the level of forensic info/detail/lingo was a little over done - I get lost in details because I assume they are all important to the story so when an author throws in industry/technical details that ar More...
Oct 11, 2011
Sydney
rated it:
If you like shows like CSI and Crminial Minds, you will love every one of Jefferson Bass' books. You will dive into a world with each book, become best friends with the characters and solve murders based on science. That probably sounds lame but it is probably the most interesting murder mystery books I have ever read. The body farm at the University of TN is not far from where I live, and you learn so much about what happens to bodies after death. Very cool book that will not disappoint. Y
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Aug 24, 2011
Graham
rated it:
Lots of great detail about what goes into the forensic science of discovering the causes of death in victims. I felt at times there weren't enough characters to make this a full-on whodunnit but the writers proved me wrong as my guess was incorrect. It was a nice change to find our hero wasn't the one with all the answers or even the one with the strongest stomach! Although the banter between Bill and Art was a little too corny at times I am hoping these characters - and one or two minor ones -
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Apr 15, 2010
Shannon
rated it:
The characters and the forensic information are very good and are the strongest parts of the book. The plot was interesting but without too many twists and turns.
The story of the "Body Farm" and its descriptions were very fascinating. As an anthropologist myself it is always fun to read mysteries that involve anthropology/ists especially when the science is as strong as it is in this one. And we know it is good because one of the authors is a world reknowned forensic anthro More...
The story of the "Body Farm" and its descriptions were very fascinating. As an anthropologist myself it is always fun to read mysteries that involve anthropology/ists especially when the science is as strong as it is in this one. And we know it is good because one of the authors is a world reknowned forensic anthro More...
Oct 13, 2011
Jonathan
rated it:
Solid, even stolid, mystery. Featuring anthropologist Bill Brockton, who heads up the "Body Farm" at the University of Tennessee, this is the first in the "Body Farm" series, co-written by a "world-renowned forensic anthropologist".
Dr. Brockton, beset with his own personal problems like a recently deceased wife and a son who he doesn't keep in touch with enough, gets embroiled in a backwoods family feud when a dead body is discovered in a cage. One of th More...
Dr. Brockton, beset with his own personal problems like a recently deceased wife and a son who he doesn't keep in touch with enough, gets embroiled in a backwoods family feud when a dead body is discovered in a cage. One of th More...
