Part of Body Farm, book 3
First published 2008
A woman's charred remains sit inside a burned car on a Knoxville hilltop. Forensic anthropologist Bill Brockton must determine if she died accidentally or by murder and arson. His investigation leads him to conduct nighttime experiments at the Body Farm, burning corpses to understand how fire destroys flesh and bone. Meanwhile, someone sends Brockton a package of cremated remains that look fake. His analysis reveals a shocking truth: a crematorium has been dumping bodies across its grounds instead of properly disposing of them. Then Brockton's old enemy, medical examiner Garland Hamilton, escapes custody while being transported to trial. Hamilton begins a deadly hunt for Brockton. With help from graduate student Miranda and criminalist Art Bohanan, Brockton tracks Hamilton down. When police arrive at the scene, they find only smoking ruins. Brockton sifts through the ashes and discovers what appears to be Hamilton's incinerated body. But the remains may not be what they seem. Brockton faces his ultimate challenge in a moment that will test everything he knows about death and deception.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, investigation
Setting: Knoxville
Period: 21st-century
320 pages · ebook · HarperCollins Publishers
Content warnings: death, graphic-violence