One Drop of Blood [Audiobook, CD, Unabridged] [Audio CD]

Patrick Lawlor (Narrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 15, 2006

As the director of the U.S. Army's Central Identification Lab in Hawaii (CILHI), Robert Dean "Kel" McKelvey has made a career solving some of the country's most complex identification cases. Though fast approaching emotional meltdown, Kel now faces his thorniest case yet: the recovery of Jimmie Carl Trimble, a soldier from Arkansas who died a hero's death in Vietnam forty years ago. When a rare DNA sequence turns up at both the Army and FBI labs, it points to the unthinkable: a link between Trimble and a forty-year-old, unsolved racial killing in the Arkansas delta. Partnered uneasily with the volatile FBI Special Agent Michael Levine, Kel must peel back decades of silence to reveal a complex web of stolen identity, betrayal, patriotism, collusion, and lies.Taking readers deep inside the fascinating world of military and civilian forensic science, One Drop of Blood is a pitch-perfect thriller by a talented new author who knows the terrain better than anyone. One of the most respected forensic anthropologists in the world, author Thomas Holland is the real Scientific Director of the U.S. Army's Central Identification Lab in Hawaii (CILHI)-the agency responsible for the recovery and identification of all U.S. war dead.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Holland, scientific director of the Defense Department's Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii (CILHI), is the latest forensics expert to attempt to translate an intriguing day job into engaging fiction, but unlike Carved in Bone from Bone Farm founder Bill Bass, his debut falls short. Kel McKelvey, who like Holland, is director of the CILHI facility, has just returned from a grueling assignment in Southeast Asia when he's dispatched to Arkansas to assist Michael Levine, a disgraced FBI agent. Levine is probing unsolved 1960s civil rights murders that occurred in McKelvey's hometown and may be linked to a death in Vietnam of a local hero. The mismatched pair encounter hostility from those who prefer to forget the past, including the sheriff and members of one victim's family. Holland writes decently, but the plot is too predictable and coincidence-laden to sustain interest. In addition, McKelvey needs more rounding if he's to carry an ongoing series. (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"This is the best first novel I've read in years. Thomas Holland has solid forensic science credentials -- he's a leading expert in his field. That might get you to pick up this book, but block out some time -- you won't want to put it down. Engaging characters, high-octane suspense, and Holland's remarkable storytelling skills combine with a voice that's fresh, strong and true to provide a terrific read." -- Jan Burke, author of Bloodlines and Bones --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

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Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Tantor Media; Unabridged edition (May 15, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1400102375
• ISBN-13: 978-1400102372
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 5.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,103,729 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars thrilling, comical, intense and moving, July 14, 2006

By 

Nora Moore "POWMIAdaughter" (Augusta, GA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: One Drop of Blood: A Novel (Hardcover)

Dr. Tom had me from the first few pages. It was thrilling, comical, intense and moving. With me not wanting to put it down, and when it was over, I was sad that there was not another chapter. Dr. Holland is a wonderful story teller, you can feel his thoughts and see the story just by reading the book. I read it in record time, 2 days. He gave each character a true twist. The title of the book was hit on the head, one drop of blood. Lets hope that is where Dr. Tom picks up. I for one have become a true fan of Thomas Holland.
As he knows , I wait and can only hope that his next book will soon be out.
Keep writing Dr. Tom. But don't stop doing your day job either, we still need our MIA's to come home.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent debut novel, May 22, 2006

By 

A. Baker (Minneapolis) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: One Drop of Blood: A Novel (Hardcover)

I should preface this review by noting that, as a forensic scientist myself, I tend to be fairly picky about how we are portrayed in books and other media. That being said, this is a superb debut novel. The author, Dr. Thomas Holland, is an internationally known scientist, yet he is able to convey the reality - and complexity - of his work in an excellent piece of fiction that is readily readable but makes no attempt to dumb down the science for its audience. Holland deftly spans the disparate worlds of the 1960s and today, and readily moves between the war-torn fields of Vietnam and the farm fields of rural Arkansas. Regarding Vietnam - the open pages of the book are so gripping and so realistic, it's hard to recall anything in recently memory that so quickly grabs the reader's attention. The lead character, Dr. Kel McKelvey, is an endearing, overworked forensic anthropologist who is a fascinating combination of cutting-edge scientist and homespun Southern charm - with the most excellent addition of a biting wit that never fails to surface at just the right time. The criticism has been made that Dr. McKelvey needs more "rounding." Well, I eagerly await Holland's next novel so we can get to know this character even better! In the rapidly expanding realm of forensic-scientist-turned-author, Holland has already placed himself in the upper echelon with his opening work. One can only hope that another McKelvey novel is coming soon.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good forensic novel that doesn't 'talk' down to its readers, May 22, 2006

By 

4CatMom (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: One Drop of Blood: A Novel (Hardcover)

Clearly, this is one of the best written forensic novels I have read in some time (and I have read a lot of them). Very entertaining story. I would recommend this book to all but especially those interested in forensics. A bonus is that the reader will learn about DNA, forensic anthropology and the complexities of identifying the dead without even realizing it. Hope there is another book real soon!