I love forensic anthropology books - and almost any books with skulls on the cover! - so I coveted this one on sight. From the introduction by Kathy Reichs it sounds like a good one.

I knew I'd find the subject matter interesting, but was pleased to find that Craig's background adds even more interest. She seems to have acquired - by a mix of talent, motivation, and luck - a unique combination of skills that makes her a great liaison between the disciplines of forensic pathology, anthropology, and identification. [She can draw. I seriously envy people who can draw.]

She was involved in a number of high-profile cases, including identifying the victims of Waco, Oklahoma City, and the World Trade Center, but also of a number of cases that never made the headlines - bones found in the Kentucky woods by kids or hunters, sometimes identified, sometimes not - and she conveys both the horror and the humanity of all her cases, as well as a peek at the daily grind of the work. Describing the process of clearing decaying flesh from the bones to aid the identification process, she notes "If there's not too much flesh, I can usually pull the bones out of the soft tissue with a very tiny tweak, like twisting a stem off an apple." Puts you right at the table with her. [She often mentions the sense of touch - many times she'll be examining bones with her fingers, not even looking, just trying to let the feel of the specimen tell her things. Since she often stares into space while doing this, she learned early on to keep talking aloud and describing her thoughts, to avoid her co-workers from thinking she'd just zoned out!]

She points out some unexpected problems with identification via dental X-rays - on one case, the X-rays in the file did not match the victim, even though DNA tests confirmed that it was indeed he. Turned out that he'd been passing around his Medicaid card so others could have their teeth cared for, and there were several completely different sets of X-rays in his file... Something to keep in mind if dental X-rays are the only source of ID.

The book's final chapter deals with the World Trade Center and her time on the identification crew there. Her descriptions of visits to the site to gather remains in situ, or of knowing that some of her co-workers had had some of their own friends and colleagues turn up on their work tables, brought back the horror of that time in a very personal sense. Craig makes her work seem part art, part science - and very much a calling.

I'm putting this in the Crime Scene bookbox. (See the bookbox journal here for mailing order.) The box will be on its way to its next stop on Monday. Hope it travels safely, and that someone enjoys the book!

Chosen from the Crime Scene Book Box.

Very good. Very informational.

Happy Birthday, kobie03! Have a great day!

A birthday present from heartthumper. Thanks.