Written in Bone (Mass Market Paperback)

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Key Phrases: incident tape, steel trolley, camper van, Simon Beckett, Range Rover, Karen Tait (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. In the exceptional second thriller from British author Beckett to feature forensic anthropologist David Hunter (after 2006's The Chemistry of Death), the former GP investigates a suspicious death on Runa, a small island in the Hebrides. With the mainland official force preoccupied with a horrific train wreck that might have been the work of terrorists, Hunter must try to determine whether the victim was murdered. On Runa, Hunter finds a badly burned corpse with the feet and one hand oddly untouched, in a cottage that shows little fire damage. Could spontaneous combustion have been the cause? The suspense mounts along with the body count and the approach of a storm that cuts off the island from the outside world. While some plot elements may be a little too close to those of the prior book, Beckett does them better here, and is especially adept at blending first- and third-person narratives to heighten the tension. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Beckett's dynamite follow-up to The Chemistry of Death (2006) takes David Hunter back to his roots as a forensic anthropologist. This go-round is both better written and a good deal more intriguing, with twists and turns up to the very last dramatic page. Called in to examine a badly burned body found in a deserted hut on a small island in the Hebrides, David hopes he won't be delayed long. His relationship with Jenny, whom he met in the first book, is deteriorating, and he's feeling burned out. Unfortunately, what he discovers is murder, and when a killer storm prevents promised help from arriving, he's left to find out what he can with only a bad-tempered, alcoholic local copper and a retired officer who lives on the island to help. Dark secrets and long-held resentments erupt in the small community, putting David's life at risk and impeding his efforts at every turn. Forensic details never overwhelm the story, and Beckett is on solid ground when it come to plotting and ratcheting up the tension. His ending is a stunner. Zvirin, Stephanie --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Dell; Reprint edition (July 29, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440335965
• ISBN-13: 978-0440335962
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #174,445 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "Look at the puzzle.", October 9, 2007

By	E. Bukowsky "booklover10" (NY United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Written in Bone (Hardcover)

Simon Beckett's second thriller, "Written in Bone," brings back forensic anthropologist David Hunter, an intelligent, dedicated, and compassionate scientist who takes his job so seriously that his girlfriend is rapidly becoming exasperated with him. Since the deaths of his wife and child, Hunter has become obsessed with giving each victim entrusted to his care an identity and a measure of justice. This time, Hunter is sent to a secluded island named Runa, in the Outer Hebrides. His task is to examine an unidentified body that was left partially burned in an undamaged cottage. Was the death an accident, suicide, or murder? If it was murder, why was the body exposed for anyone to find? Assisting Hunter are a drunken and incompetent police sergeant, a rookie constable, and a retired detective inspector. Hunter is chagrined when a horrific storm blows through Runa, cutting the island off from the mainland; no reinforcements will be arriving anytime soon.

"Written in Bone" follows the conventions of a "closed island" mystery. The hero is left to his own devices, trying to maintain control of a rapidly deteriorating situation. Not only is it impossible for Hunter to get outside help, but the weather is so wretched that it is difficult to preserve the remains for examination. There is no well-equipped morgue or laboratory on Runa, and Hunter is reduced to using freezer bags for storage of body parts. In spite of the primitive conditions that prevail, Hunter is resourceful enough to draw logical conclusions from the available evidence.

The strongest aspects of the book are its beautifully depicted setting and vivid characters. Beckett captures the wild ferocity of the storm that buffets this remote and lonely place; the towering waves and gale force winds crash against the shore, threatening to capsize the boats moored in the harbor. Against this forbidding backdrop, Beckett tells a gothic tale of jealousy, rage, and perverted sexuality. Among the large cast are Maggie Cassidy, an aggressive reporter with a nose for a juicy story; Andrew Brody, a retired police officer who still retains some of his old skills; Ellen McLeod, a hotel owner and devoted single mother; Andrew and Grace Strachan, a wealthy couple with a proprietary interest in keeping the island economically solvent; and the alcoholic Sergeant Fraser, who finds himself way out of his league when it comes to investigating violent crimes.

For the most part, "Written in Bone" is engrossing and suspenseful. The forensic details are grisly but compelling, and Beckett is willing to kill off likeable characters, which many authors avoid at all costs. The novel's most egregious flaw is its tangled and wildly implausible ending. There is quite enough going on without adding extraneous plot elements that are a bit too self-consciously clever. Still, "Written in Bone" has enough entertainment value to keep readers turning pages furiously, eager to see how the mystery will ultimately play out.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars `Our lives, and sometimes deaths, are stories written in bone.', March 21, 2008

By	J. Cameron-Smith "Expect the Unexpected" (ACT, Australia) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Written in Bone (Hardcover)

Forensic anthropologist Dr David Hunter is called on to look into a `fire death' on Runa, a remote Outer Hebridean island. It isn't immediately clear whether the death is suspicious or accidental, but something tells Dr Hunter that there is more to this death than seems immediately apparent.

Hampered by foul weather, a lack of equipment and remoteness from specialist assistance, Dr Hunter attempts to find the answers. The remote community itself has some deep, dark secrets and the more information Dr Hunter uncovers, the more complex the investigation becomes. It soon becomes clear that there is a murderer on the island and, as Runa becomes completely cut off from the outside world, suspense builds as the body count increases.

This is the second of Simon Beckett's mysteries to feature Dr David Hunter. I've not yet read the first, but I certainly will be.

Highly recommended.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Forensic heaven...with a scenic setting, October 1, 2007

By	Helen Simpson (Leeds, England) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Written in Bone (Hardcover)

"Given the right temperature, everything burns. Wood. Clothing. People.
At 250º Celsius, flesh will ignite. Skin blackens and splits. The subcutaneous fat starts to liquefy, like grease in a hot pan. Fuelled by it, the body starts to burn. Arms and legs catch first, acting as kindling to the greater mass of the torso. Tendons and muscle fibres contract, causing the burning limbs to move in an obscene parody of life. Last to go are the organs. Cocooned in moistness, they often remain even after the rest of the soft tissue has been consumed.
But bone is, quite literally, a different matter."


Beckett certainly knows how to draw the reader in from the first page.
He never reduces himself to writing gore, instead he fascinates us with fact.

I enjoyed the story, the characters and the setting. Beckett's descriptions of the remote island and the weather conditions conjur up a wonderfully realistic image and an ideal setting for a thriller.

Throw in some red herrings and a couple of twists and he's cracked it again. Not only that but we get an excellent cliff hanger too!!

Recommended!!