Bone Remains: Cold Cases in Forensic Anthropology

by Mary H. Manhein

Over the past thirty years, forensic anthropologist Mary H. Manhein has helped authorities to identify hundreds of deceased persons throughout Louisiana and beyond. In Bone Remains, she offers details of twenty riveting cases from her files -- many of them involving facial reconstructions where only bones offered clues to an individual's story.
Manhein takes readers into the field, inside her lab, and through DNA databases and government bureaucracies as she and her team tirelessly work to identify and seek justice for those who can no longer speak for themselves. From a two-thousand-year-old mummy, to Civil War sailors, to graves disturbed by Hurricane Isaac, Manhein presents both modern and historic cases. Her conversational accounts provide a fascinating look into the stories behind the headlines as well as sometimes heart-wrenching details of people lost and found.
Manhein shows how each case came to her team, how they used scientific analysis to unravel the secrets the bones had to tell, and how facial reconstructions and a special database for missing and unidentified people assisted in closing cold cases long believed to be unsolvable. She also discusses several mysteries that still elude her, further reflecting the determination and passion central to Manhein's career for over three decades.

Genres: Nonfiction, True Crime, Science, Crime, Anthropology, Womens

136 pages, Hardcover

First published September 9, 2013

About the author

Mary H. Manhein is a forensic anthropologist. She is the retired creator and director of Louisiana State University’s Forensic Anthropology and Computer Enhancement Services (FACES) Laboratory, and former deputy coroner of East Baton Rouge Parish. Manhein has used her expertise to help law enforcement agents - locally, nationally, and internationally - solve their most perplexing mysteries.

Managing Member of Os Liber Press LLC Publishing Company, Manhein is the author of three non-fiction books on forensic anthropology: The Bone Lady, Trail of Bones, Bone Remains; author of the novel Floating Souls, The Canal Murders; co-author of award winning non-fiction account Fragile Grounds, Louisiana’s Endangered Cemeteries; and author of Claire Carter, Bone Detective: The Mystery of the Bones in the Drainpipe, the first book in a new series for young readers at the 10-14 reading level.

“Through the series, young readers will be introduced to the skeleton and all the many things we can learn from both human and animal bones, such as: the impact of disease and trauma; determination of age, sex and ancestry; and differentiation of species. Readers will also learn about the diverse people of Louisiana, as well as the abundant and unique flora and fauna of our state. It has been a dream of mine for a long time to start a children’s book series based on my experiences over the last 30 years in the field of forensic science, and I am thrilled to embark with eager young readers on the adventures of Claire Carter, Bone Detective.” - Mary H. Manhein

Reviews

[Muzmuz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have really enjoyed reading this book, it contained about 15 cases/ scenarios that the author and her team participated in helping to uncover/ solve.
I have read about some of the cases that she has worked on during my research into unsolved crimes and have been really excited to see her side of the story and her process in identifying bones.
I am looking forward to getting the 1st two books and read more about the author and her experiences.

[tay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really interesting insight into forensic anthropology, especially with all of it being Louisiana cases or Louisiana involved at least.

[Kachina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short interesting read profiling interesting cases.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting book about the various cases Dr. Manhein has worked on over the years at the FACES lab at LSU. Her humanity and scientific curiosity are on display in the book. The cases range from identifying mis-identified remains (such as those of a mummy on display at a museum) to unidentified remains dating from the 1800s to the present day. And there are the cases that Dr. Manhein has her own questions about, such as the murders of fellow students, professors, etc. It's really an interesting book that anyone interested in mysteries and forensic detective work would find interesting.

[SLynn Holt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good quick case study read.

[David Rumptz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was expecting more of a crime resolution book.
It is amazing work that she does to figure out who the remains belong to but I had thought it would lead to more on the conviction side.

[Lady Jayme, · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you enjoy Bones or CSI, you may be surprised and interested to know that Louisiana has their own real-life version, an organization busy solving cases and identifying persons lost and found. Bone Remains: Cold Cases in Forensic Anthropology is Mary H. Manhein’s third book that explores the fascinating work she has done as creator and director of Louisiana State University’s FACES (Forensic Anthropology and Computer Enhancement Services) laboratory. She has over thirty years of experience in identifying bodies in Louisiana and across the country, and this book collects several of her most remarkable cases.

One such interesting case is at once local and international, modern and ancient: a case involving an Egyptian mummy that was thousands of years old. Known only as the “Princess of Thebes,” a museum in Baton Rouge inherited the mummy from a Philadelphia museum that closed down, and the curator asked Mary and her team to examine her.

Under a time limit and using x-rays only, they studied her and immediately realized that she was not a princess at all, but had a pelvis and skull that indicated she was in fact a he. The bones also told them that he was in good health and young, perhaps between 25 and 30 years old, and that his ribs had 17 breaks in them. The x-rays showed that he had been placed on a stretcher made of reeds. All of this indicated that perhaps this young man died of a crushing injury far from home and was carried home on a stretcher to be buried. Last of all, the lab created a drawing of what he may have looked like based on the bones of his face, revealing a handsome young man. The amount of information they gleaned from x-rays is astonishing, bringing this silent mummy’s past to life.

Each chapter investigates a different case, including a chilling discovery of a small skeleton whose teeth had braces with pink bands, a Civil War soldier’s final resting place, and the many graves disturbed by Hurricane Isaac. The author includes some unsolved cases as well. Unfortunately, there are a few weaknesses: the information on a couple of the cases is too brief and not fleshed out well enough, and there were a couple of typos.

Minor flaws aside, the author’s straightforward writing style is at once conversational and knowledgeable, and the respect and care she has for each unidentified person is evident. The book reveals that exciting work is being done in Louisiana, work that has had national impact. Intriguing, easy to read, and of local interest, Bone Remains will keep you absorbed.

[Carla Hostetter · Rating 4 out of 5]

For readers who love Bones and all the CSI shows, this book is a treat.In it, Manhein revisits cold cases, sometimes solving them with new technology, some remain a mystery. I especially enjoyed two of the cases mentioned early in the book. In one, an Egyptian princess turns out to be prince, and well, not even that. In another very poignant case, Mary and her lab were able to track down the killer of a child left in the woods of north Louisiana far from her home. Sometimes, the technical jargon gets a bit heavy, but Manhein explains her terms. I'm only sorry more information could not be given because some of the cases at the time were still at trial. Being from Louisiana, I often saw that mummy and recall many of these cases. In the end, she lists people still missing hoping their remains will be found for their families. A very quick read for those interested in the subject like me.

[The Advocate]

" Evaluated in this volume are cases spanning the ages, such as the search for the true identity of an ancient Egyptian mummy and the positive identification of the remains from the grave of a young girl buried in the St. Joseph Cemetery in Thibodaux. Several cases spanning from the Civil War era to victims of the Ku Klux Klan to present-day hurricane recovery are also included."
Read more here.

[Nathalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I admire Mary Manhein tremendously for her service to families and the lost souls she seeks to bring home. What a fascinating career she's had!

One detail of this book I really enjoyed - the F.A.C.E.S. Lab creates missing persons playing cards to distribute to prisons, hoping to generate gossip amongst inmates that will lead to cases being solved. Brilliant!

[Steve Kemp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book ,couldn't put it down !

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and interesting. Unfortunately, real life cases aren't as tidily tied up as the ones in movies and television.

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

A forensic anthropologist tells of some of her cases.

This was a very short book, with short chapters. Many are focused on cold cases, but it does seem like it's not as detailed as it could be.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

A complete review to come. I have it written out, just need to edit. I will be back. Two Thumbs Up (at least).

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love to hear Dr. Manheim speak and to read her books. She is very personable in person and in writing. The cases are very intriguing.