Written in Bone
by Simon Beckett
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Book Summary Information
Author: Simon BeckettEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-09-25
ISBN: 0385340052
Number of pages: 336
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Book Reviews of Written in Bone
Book Review: "Look at the puzzle."
Summary: 4 Stars
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.
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