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    The Devil's Bones
    The Devil's Bones
    The Devil's Bones
    Audiobook (abridged)5 hours

    The Devil's Bones

    Written by Jefferson Bass

    Narrated by Tom McKeon

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    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.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateFeb 5, 2008
    ISBN9780061629723
    The Devil's Bones
    Author

    Jefferson Bass

    Jefferson Bass is the writing team of Jon Jefferson and Dr. Bill Bass. Dr. Bass, a world-renowned forensic anthropologist, is the creator of the University of Tennessee's Anthropology Research Facility, widely known as the Body Farm. He is the author or coauthor of more than two hundred scientific publications, as well as a critically acclaimed memoir about his career at the Body Farm, Death's Acre. Dr. Bass is also a dedicated teacher, honored as U.S. Professor of the Year by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. Jon Jefferson is a veteran journalist, writer, and documentary filmmaker. His writings have been published in the New York Times, Newsweek, USA Today, and Popular Science and broadcast on National Public Radio. The coauthor of Death's Acre, he is also the writer and producer of two highly rated National Geographic documentaries about the Body Farm.

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    Reviews for The Devil's Bones

    4/5

    39 ratings20 reviews

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    • 4/5
      I am enjoying this series! The author stays true to characters in this one, more than in the second one, I think. There were a couple of times I got lost in the descriptions, but it’s a fun read.

      Loved this narrator!
    • 3/5
      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.
    • 5/5
      This story lets you follow Bill Brockton and his lovely assistant Miranda Lovelady as they track identity of multiple skeletons and their cause of death all while in mortal peril. It is funny. It is human. The Grease is back in this book and even he puts on human clothes as we laugh at him and sympathize with him. I learned about the sinus bones uniqueness and what really happens during cremation. Another success for Jefferson/Bass.
    • 4/5
      I enjoy this new series of books by the body farm professor. I look forward to many more
    • 3/5
      Once again I figured out the plot WAY early in the book ... barely 50 pages in. But it is still a great ride. I wonder, though, how much more serious danger the authors can put their characters in without running out of plots ... purt near killed 'em this time out.
    • 4/5
      Well, that was a quick read. I enjoyed it although I feel it is somewhat derivative of Kathy Reichs' books and not quite as good. The basic story: Dr. Bill Brockton is a forensic anthropologist working in the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. He previously helped catch an ME, Garland Hamilton, who had killed Brockton's lover but Hamilton has now escaped. Fearing for his life, Brockton continues to work. His first case is to prove that a woman burned in a car was already dead and then to prove that the woman's husband did it even though he was in Las Vegas at the time of the car fire. Then he is asked by his lawyer to check into a crematorium in Georgia because the cremains of the lawyer's aunt don't seem right. His faithful assistant, Miranda, helps with these investigations and so does the police criminalist, Art. Of course, Hamilton lurks in the background and finally is hunted down. Or is he? Any one who likes CSI and Bones on TV or Kathy Reichs and Patricia Cornwell will probably like this book. Not for the faint of stomach though.
    • 4/5
      Dr. Bill Brockton, the anthropology professor who created the famous Body Farm, juggles three investigations in this episode in the Body Farm series. A woman's charred body was discovered in a car on her property. Was her death an accident or was it murder? Her husband would be the prime suspect if she was murdered, but he was thousands of miles away. A prominent local attorney believes there is something wrong with his aunt's cremated remains and asks Brockton to take a look. This leads to a gruesome discovery at a Georgia crematorium. Finally, the medical examiner turned murderer who had set Brockton up for murder in the previous book in the series is due to be tried. However, he escapes from custody before the trial. Will he come after Brockton again?Bill Brockton is a thinly disguised version of the University of Tennessee's famous anthropologist, Dr. William Bass, who happens to be one half of the Jefferson Bass writing team. If I had any doubt about the accuracy of the scientific details in the book (which I don't, given Dr. Bass's credentials and reputation), they would be put to rest by the accuracy of the local details. For me, half the fun of reading this series is its local setting. I know the roads, businesses, and local media outlets mentioned in the book. Even little details like CNN's cable channel number are accurate. One thing I love about this book is that it highlights the good work done by many real local agencies to address the problem of homelessness in our community. I know many who volunteer with these agencies and how much of their time they contribute. There's a reason Tennessee is known as the Volunteer State! Another thing I like about this series is that it doesn't reinforce the negative stereotype of Southerners that is so common in movies, TV, and books. Dr. Brockton and his anthropology students and local law enforcement agencies are all portrayed as competent professionals, just as they are in real life. Readers with any interest in the Body Farm should make sure this series is on their reading list.
    • 3/5
      Enjoyable book, if not quite as good as previous novels. In this one, Forensic anthropologist Bill Brockton has his hands full. He is helping with the investigation of a woman who was found burned to death in her car. At the same time, he is privately investigating the cremation of a family member of defense attorney Burt "Grease" DeVriess. Grease thinks there's something strange about his Aunt Jean's cremated remains. As if that isn't enough to handle, an attempted murderer (from a previous book) has escaped from prison and may be targeting Dr. Brockton for revenge. After I was finished reading I realized that what made me slightly dissatisfied with this particular book was the lack of love interest for Dr. Brockton. It made the story a little less interesting to me. And I think the author threw in a little too many characters from previous books, making it hard to remember who all these people were. The cremation investigation eventually involves a tour of a modern-day crematorium, which I have to say was interesting to read about.
    • 3/5
      The Devil's Bones is the third outing by the writing team of forensic anthropologist Dr. Bill Bass and journalist Jon Jefferson, known collectively as Jefferson Bass. The Body Farm novels feature Bill Brockton who, like Dr. Bass, is a forensic anthropologist at the University of Tennessee's Anthropology Research Facility, informally known as the Body Farm. Brockton is a likable character, a late middle-aged widower who knows everything there is to know about human bones and who gets terribly excited about his research into the effects of the decay of the human body, and the various types of environmental factors that cause it. He's pretty darned cheerful for a guy who not only works around and thinks about death all the time, but who is also forever getting pulled into tight situations in which his own death or that of a loved one is threatened.Jefferson Bass likes to take real life headlines and write a novel around them; in this instance, one of the several story lines concerns a discount crematorium which is not disposing of the dead respectfully (or honestly); as Bill Brockton discovers, the owners have their own version of the Body Farm: although they're not studying anything, they are dumping hundreds and hundreds of bodies in the woods on their very large fenced in property. Brockton stumbles upon the situation when he is contracted by Burt "Grease" DeVriess, the lawyer who once defended him on a murder charge, to determine if the supposed cremains of his beloved aunt really are what they're purported to be. Bill quickly determines they're not human ashes, and his investigation begins.And he's awfully glad to have this investigation to keep his mind occupied. Otherwise, he'd be constantly worried because his nemesis, the criminally insane former medical examiner Garland Hamilton, has escaped custody while awaiting trial for murder and is out for his revenge. We can only imagine the gruesome death Hamilton has planned for our boy Brockton.The most interesting bits of The Devil's Bones are the lessons the layperson gets in forensic anthropology. We learn about human bones, their strengths and weaknesses, what they can tell us about how a person lived and how he died. Additionally, there are some nifty lectures on the workings of crematoria. All of this has the potential to be both gruesome and boring, but the upbeat, optimistic character of Bill Brockton keeps keeps the novel from getting too heavy. Add a decent cast of supporting characters, and you have a series that you'll gladly return to whenever a new title is released.
    • 5/5
      Great book, enjoyed the telling of it. Enough science for a science nerd and plenty of mystery for a mystery nerd.
    • 3/5
      Interesting. A bit vulgar, but good.
    • 4/5
      Another fabulous mystery by the writing team Jefferson Bass. There are lots of forensic details and puzzling mysteries, and suspense and danger as Bill Brockton's nemesis is on the loose. Also some interesting information about cremations and a shady crematorium company that just dumped the bodies rather than doing the cremations, echoing a case that made the news some time ago.
    • 3/5
      The Devil's Bones has Dr. Bill Brockton helping his lawyer Grease DeVries (who defended him and helped put Garland Hamilton in jail). Grease goes to Brockton when the ashes for his Aunt seem more like pebbles and quickcrete. We also have some other murders, threats against the doctor and his assistant. An escaped felon, who is out for revenge - Garland Hamilton and quite a few bodies where they shouldn't be! The team writing as Jefferson Bass have written another entertaining Body Farm novel.
    • 4/5
      Suspense high with lots if twists and turns as The Devil’s bones continues the story of Dr. Bill Brockton and Hamilton Garnett.
    • 4/5
      Reading this book is as easy and enjoyable as if the author is sitting right with me and telling me about his experiences. Amazing. I’ve never felt so comfortable in a book before, especially considering the theme. Jefferson Bass is the pseudonym for a team comprising Dr. Bill Bass, world-renowned forensic anthropologist who founded the real “Body Farm”, and Jon Jefferson, journalist, science writer, and documentary filmmaker. With a background like this you know the novel will be informative and factual. The Devil’s Bones is the 3rd novel, and how I wish I had already read the first two! I loved the flow of the book, it was descriptive, entertaining, the characters and the relationships are strong and believable. The conversations are entertaining yet informative and the storyline held my interest completely. If I could have spared the time I would have read it at one sitting.The main character is Dr., working with a team of PhD students and others. As the book begins, he has lost the woman he loved (also a colleague) when another member of the department murdered her and tried to frame Bill for the murder. The man responsible, Dr. Garland Hamilton, is in jail for murder. This story begins when Dr. Brockton is sent a box of supposed “cremains” to determine if this is indeed what the box contains. A request has been made by the very lawyer who defended his case. There appears to be something stran, and the realization that this is a much bigger case than one would expect. As a suspected murder comes to light, the knowledge gained checking the crematoriums plays a part in solving this case, not to mention his brilliant PhD student and assistant Miranda. The escape of Hamilton from jail adds suspense and fear to the mix throughout the remainder of the book. A tiny chip of bone leads to a fitting finale. I enjoyed the book immensely, would recommend this book to anyone and now have a new favourite author!
    • 5/5
      Jefferson Bass seamlessly combines several flame-inspired mysteries into one. Dr. Bill Brockton is called in to investigate a murder involving a fiery car accident. He’s also trying to understand why a crematorium has failed to complete it’s assigned jobs. Adding fuel to the fire, ex-medical examiner, Garland Hamilton, Dr. Brockton’s incredibly violent but brilliant arch-enemy, has escaped custody and no ones knows where he is. Can Bill solve these red-hot mysteries and still keep himself out of the clutches of the devilishly evil Dr. Hamilton?The Devil’s Bone may very well be my favorite in this series so far. It’s a quick-paced, very enjoyable book. I’m really looking forward to reading the next book, Bones of Betrayal.
    • 4/5
      The Devil’s Bones is the third novel in the Body Farm forensics series. This time Dr. Bill Brockton is involved in a number of plots that involve remains, bones and fire including charred remains found in a burned-out car, and a disreputable Georgia crematorium that simply dumped bodies on its grounds. I enjoyed this novel (I have read several others of the series) though I found the flow somewhat disjointed because there appeared to be little real connection between the different plots. It was interesting to learn about the science about how fire consumes flesh and bone. In addition to these mysteries, Dr. Brockton is also dealing with his nemesis Garland Hamilton who has escaped from prison. Though I have enjoyed others in this series more, the Devil’s Bones was still a good read--3 1/2 out of 5.
    • 4/5
      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.
    • 4/5
      Another good entry in this quite good series. The authors continue to expand our knowledge of the art and science of forensics. The angst of Dr Bill gets a little cloying at times but lively and interesting supporting characters continue to carry the storyline well. Injuries abound as the key characters are assailed by the evildoer(s). Hopefully, they will recover in time for the next episode.
    • 4/5
      Third in the Body Farm series. Dr. Bill Brockton is trying to solve various cases with his forensic science. Unfortunately, the man who tried to frame him for murder in the last book and is determined to kill him escapes, and Brockton and those close to him are in danger.This was a good book, though I think the second one is the strongest in ther series so far. I really like this series, more than I expected, due in large part to how much I like the character of Bill Brockton. One guesses that this character is based on that of Bill Bass, the real-life co-author who has the same job as the character Brockton. Some of the stories in the series probably come from real life as well. Recommended.