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Books about Forensic Science
Death of an Expert Witness
by P.D. James
A detective investigates a suspicious death in a hospital laboratory, uncovering a sinister conspiracy.
Dr. Lorrimer appeared to be the picture of a bloodless, coldly efficient scientist. Only when his brutally slain body is discovered and his secret past dissected does the image begin to change. Once ... (Goodreads)
Cause of Death
by Patricia Cornwell
A medical examiner and her team investigate a series of murders connected to a mysterious virus.
It is New Year's Eve, the last day of Virginia's bloodiest year since the Civil War. Dr. Kay Scarpetta plunges into the murky depths of a ship graveyard to recover the very human remains of Ted ... (Goodreads)
Predator
by Patricia Cornwell
Forensic investigator investigates a series of gruesome murders in a small Virginia town.
Dr. Kay Scarpetta , now freelancing with the National Forensic Academy in Florida, takes charge of a case that stretches from steamy Florida to snowbound Massachusetts, one as unnerving as any she ... (Wikipedia)
Unnatural Causes
by P.D. James
A detective investigates a series of mysterious deaths, uncovering a sinister plot.
AN ADAM DALGLIESH MYSTERY Superintendent Adam Dalgliesh had been looking forward to a quiet holiday at his aunt's cottage on Monksmere Head, one of the furthest-flung spots on the remote Suffolk ... (Goodreads)
The Monster of Florence
by Douglas Preston
An investigative journalist's journey to uncover the truth behind a grisly serial killer.
In the nonfiction tradition of John Berendt and Erik Larson, the author of the #1, NYT, bestseller, The Lost City of the Monkey God, presents a gripping account of crime and punishment in the lush ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York
by Deborah Blum
Uncovering the true stories of early forensic science in 1920s New York.
Equal parts true crime, twentieth-century history, and science thriller,, The Poisoner's Handbook, is "a vicious, page-turning story that reads more like Raymond Chandler than Madame Curie"— The New ... (Barnes & Noble)
Déjà Dead
by Kathy Reichs
An action-packed mystery featuring a female forensic anthropologist as she investigates a series of mysterious murders.
When the meticulously dismembered body of a woman is discovered in the ground of an abandoned monastery in Montreal , Canada , which is too "decomposed for standard autopsy ", an anthropologist is ... (Wikipedia)
Vanish
by Tess Gerritsen
A gripping and suspenseful thriller, exposing the secrets of a sinister cult.
A blessed event becomes a nightmare for pregnant homicide detective Jane Rizzoli when she finds herself on the wrong side of a hostage crisis in this timely and relentless thriller from the, New York ... (Goodreads)
Death's Acre: Inside the Legendary Forensic Lab the Body Farm Where the Dead Do Tell Tales
by William M. Bass
Investigative journey into a unique laboratory dedicated to solving crimes using forensic science.
Dr. Bill Bass, one of the world's leading forensic anthropologists, gained international attention when he built a forensic lab like no other: The Body Farm. Now, this master scientist unlocks the ... (Goodreads)
The Third Victim
by Lisa Gardner
A gripping crime thriller following an FBI agent as she investigates a series of murders.
The past isn't over.... An unspeakable act has ripped apart the idyllic town of Bakersville, Oregon, and its once-peaceful residents are demanding quick justice. But though a boy has confessed to the ... (Goodreads)
Carved in Bone
by Jefferson Bass
Forensic anthropologist explores a murder in the Smoky Mountains.
The Body Farm is a patch of ground in Tennessee dedicated to the science of death, where human remains lie exposed to be studied for their secrets. Renowned anthropologist Dr. Bill Brockton has spent ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Body Reader
by Anne Frasier
A detective with a unique ability to read the memories of the dead must solve a string of murders before becoming the next victim.
For three years, Detective Jude Fontaine was kept from the outside world. Held in an underground cell, her only contact was with her sadistic captor, and reading his face was her entire existence. ... (Goodreads)
The Bone Collector
by Jeffery Deaver
A detective and a forensic specialist race against time to stop a serial killer.
Lincoln Rhyme was once a brilliant criminologist, a genius in the field of forensics – until an accident left him physically and emotionally shattered. But now a diabolical killer is challenging ... (Goodreads)
The Surgeon
by Tess Gerritsen
A serial killer is on the loose in Boston, targeting young women. Detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles race to catch the killer before he strikes again.
A terrifying new serial killer begins stalking the streets of Boston , using his vast medical knowledge to systematically torture and kill vulnerable women, a modus operandi which has earned him the ... (Wikipedia)
Virals
by Kathy Reichs
A group of friends uncover a mysterious medical secret that unlocks superhuman abilities.
Tory Brennan, niece of acclaimed forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan (of the Bones novels and hit TV show), is the leader of a ragtag band of teenage "sci-philes" who live on a secluded island ... (Goodreads)
Memory in Death
by J.D. Robb
A detective story of murder and mystery, uncovering a killer's identity.
Following the events in Origin in Death , Lt. Eve Dallas only wants a break as Christmas nears, but her past is coming back to haunt her. A television news special about her and her husband Roarke 's ... (Wikipedia)
Murder as a Fine Art
by David Morrell
In 1854 London, a series of murders mimicking a notorious killer from 1811 terrorizes the city. A writer and two detectives race to catch the copycat.
A brilliant historical mystery series begins: in gaslit Victorian London, writer Thomas De Quincey must become a detective to clear his own name. Thomas De Quincey, infamous for his memoir ... (Barnes & Noble)
Delusion in Death
by J.D. Robb
Detective Eve Dallas investigates a murder shrouded in virtual reality, uncovering a web of secrets.
After years on the force, Eve Dallas didn't think she could be shocked anymore... until now. It was just another after-work happy-hour bar downtown, where business professionals unwound with a few ... (Goodreads)
Creation in Death
by J.D. Robb
In a futuristic New York City, Lieutenant Eve Dallas investigates a series of murders that seem to be linked to a controversial scientific breakthrough.
When the body of a young brunette is found in East River Park, artfully positioned and marked by signs of prolonged and painful torture, Lieutenant Eve Dallas is catapulted back to a case nine years ... (Goodreads)
Kisscut
by Karin Slaughter
A gripping crime novel about a small town rocked by a series of murders.
Saturday night dates at the skating rink have been a tradition in the small southern town of Heartsdale for as long as anyone can remember, but when a teenage quarrel explodes into a deadly ... (Goodreads)
The Cases That Haunt Us
by John E. Douglas
An exploration of unsolved cases, examining the psychology of criminal behavior.
Violent. Provocative. Shocking. Call them what you will...but don't call them open and shut. Did Lizzie Borden murder her own father and stepmother? Was Jack the Ripper actually the Duke of Clarence? ... (Goodreads)
This Body of Death
by Elizabeth George
Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley and his team investigate a murder in London.
"George explores her characters' dreams and fears with a penetrating grace that makes reading her books a joy." — Washington Post Book World "Elizabeth George reigns as queen of the mystery genre. ... (Barnes & Noble)
Unseen
by Karin Slaughter
A mystery thriller that delves into the dark secrets of a small town.
Karin Slaughter’s novels featuring Special Agent Will Trent are utterly riveting and masterfully drawn. Her latest thriller, Unseen , pits detectives, lovers, and enemies against one another in an ... (Goodreads)
Last to Die
by Tess Gerritsen
A gripping thriller featuring a determined detective in pursuit of a lethal serial killer.
Rizzoli & Isles • Hit series on TNT, ,, NEW YORK TIMES, BESTSELLER, , , ,“One of the most versatile voices in thriller fiction today.”—,The Providence Journal, , For the second time in his short ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Skeleton Road
by Val McDermid
A cold case investigation leads to the discovery of a dark past in war-torn Croatia. Secrets and lies unravel as the truth is uncovered.
In the center of historic Edinburgh, builders are preparing to convert a disused Victorian Gothic building into luxury flats. They are understandably surprised to find skeletal remains hidden in a ... (Goodreads)
Treachery in Death
by J.D. Robb
A detective investigates a mysterious death in a futuristic world of advanced technology.
Eve Dallas and her partner, Peabody, are following up on a brutal, senseless crime — an elderly grocery owner killed by three stoned punks for nothing more than kicks and snacks. And for the first ... (Goodreads)
Written in Bone
by Simon Beckett
An archaeological mystery about a body found in a shallow grave and the secrets it reveals.
' I took the skull from its evidence bag and gently set it on the stainless steel table. 'Tell me who you are...' Forensic anthropologist Dr David Hunter should be at home in London with the woman he ... (Goodreads)
Roadside Crosses
by Jeffery Deaver
A killer is using the internet to select and murder his victims, leaving roadside crosses as a calling card. Can detective Kathryn Dance stop him before it's too late?
The Monterey Peninsula is rocked when a killer begins to leave roadside crosses beside local highways – not in memoriam, but as announcements of his intention to kill. And to kill in particularly ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Mephisto Club
by Tess Gerritsen
A series of gruesome murders lead a detective to a secret society obsessed with the devil. A thrilling and chilling mystery.
In Gerritsens latest New York Times bestseller, medical examiner Maura Isles and detective Jane Rizzoli take on a society of scholars that studies the history of evil–and the grisly killer it has ... (Goodreads)
Scarpetta
by Patricia Cornwell
Dr. Kay Scarpetta, Chief Medical Examiner, investigates a series of brutal murders in Richmond, Virginia.
Leaving behind her private forensic pathology practice in Charleston, South Carolina, Kay Scarpetta accepts an assignment in New York City, where the NYPD has asked her to examine an injured man on ... (Goodreads)
Spider Bones
by Kathy Reichs
Forensic anthropologist uncovers secrets and lies in the investigation of a missing person.
Brennan is called to examine a newly-dead body in Quebec , which turns out to be that of John "Spider" Lowery, an American ex-soldier apparently killed in Vietnam in 1968. After exhuming the remains ... (Wikipedia)
Devil Bones
by Kathy Reichs
Forensic anthropologist investigates a gruesome discovery of devil worship in North Carolina.
In a house under renovation, a plumber uncovers a cellar no one knew about, and makes a rather grisly discovery — a decapitated chicken, animal bones, and cauldrons containing beads, feathers, and ... (Goodreads)
Break No Bones
by Kathy Reichs
Forensic anthropologist uncovers secrets of a long-forgotten crime while investigating a murder.
Brennan and her students are working on a site of prehistoric graves on Dewees Island , South Carolina (a barrier island ), when a decomposing body is uncovered in a shallow grave off a lonely beach. ... (Wikipedia)
Bare Bones
by Kathy Reichs
A forensic anthropologist investigates a series of gruesome murders to uncover a mystery.
In the Charlotte summer heat, Brennan is hoping to get away for a few days at the beach with her would-be lover, Detective Andrew Ryan. First she has to identify the skeleton of a newborn baby found ... (Wikipedia)
Innocent in Death
by J.D. Robb
Detective Eve Dallas unravels a mysterious murder case and puts the pieces together.
When history teacher Craig Foster is found dead in his classroom, his young wife is devastated, and his family, friends and colleagues all shocked. The two ten-year old students who discovered his ... (Goodreads)
Working Stiff: Two Years, 262 Bodies, and the Making of a Medical Examiner
by Judy Melinek
A medical examiner's memoir on her experiences in a forensic pathology unit.
The fearless memoir of a young forensic pathologist's rookie season as a NYC medical examiner, and the cases, hair-raising and heartbreaking and impossibly complex, that shaped her as both a ... (Goodreads)
Blow Fly
by Patricia Cornwell
A gripping murder-mystery, where an expert investigator must use her forensic skills to solve the case.
In Blow Fly, Kay Scarpetta stands at the threshold of a new life after her work as Virginia's Chief Medical Examiner has come to a jarring end. At the close of The Last Precinct, she knew she would ... (Goodreads)
The Body Farm
by Patricia Cornwell
A thrilling crime mystery, uncovering the truth behind a series of gruesome murders.
Kay Scarpetta is called in to assist in the investigation of the brutal murder of 11-year-old Emily Steiner in rural North Carolina , whose murder resembles the handiwork of a serial killer who has ... (Wikipedia)
Body of Evidence
by Patricia Cornwell
Crime thriller featuring a female medical examiner investigating a series of murders.
Kay Scarpetta, chief medical examiner of Virginia, gets involved in the case of a brutal stabbing death in Richmond of romance writer Beryl Madison. Then, Madison's greedy lawyer accuses Scarpetta of ... (Wikipedia)
The Apprentice
by Tess Gerritsen
A medical student is drawn into a world of mystery and murder, and must unravel the truth.
When Rizzoli investigates a murder where cutting techniques similar to those of imprisoned Warren Hoyt but involving necrophilia (as determined by medical examiner Maura Isles), she is called by FBI ... (Wikipedia)
Killer Dreams
by Iris Johansen
A forensic sculptor is haunted by nightmares of a serial killer and must use her skills to catch him before he strikes again.
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Countdown returns with a knock-out suspense thriller that pits a mother and son against a killer who's the stuff of nightmares. If you close your eyes, ... (Goodreads)
Red Mist
by Patricia Cornwell
Dr. Kay Scarpetta investigates the murder of a young woman, while dealing with personal and professional challenges.
The new Kay Scarpetta novel from the world's #1 bestselling crime writer. Determined to find out what happened to her former deputy chief, Jack Fielding, murdered six months earlier, Kay Scarpetta ... (Goodreads)
The Crossing Places
by Elly Griffiths
An amateur archaeologist follows clues to uncover a dark secret in a remote coastal town.
Forensic archaeologist Dr. Ruth Galloway is in her late thirties and lives happily alone with her two cats in a bleak, remote area near Norfolk, land that was sacred to its Iron Age inhabitants—not ... (Goodreads)
Seizure
by Kathy Reichs
Forensic anthropologist investigates a mysterious death and uncovers a dangerous conspiracy. Fast-paced thriller with twists and turns.
Tory Brennan and her friends find themselves in danger of being separated due to budget cuts which may mean the closure of the Loggerheads Island Research Institute (LIRI) where their parents work. ... (Wikipedia)
A Taste for Death
by P.D. James
Two bodies are found in a London church, leading to a complex investigation that uncovers dark secrets and hidden motives.
In the dingy vestry of St. Matthew's Church, Paddington , two bodies have been found with their throats slashed. One is an alcoholic vagrant , whereas the other is Sir Paul Berowne, a baronet and ... (Wikipedia)
Fatal Voyage
by Kathy Reichs
A cold case is reopened, leading to a thrilling web of secrets and murder.
A plane crash in the mountains of North Carolina and an unidentified severed foot found in the vicinity lead Brennan and would-be lover Detective Andrew Ryan to investigate a mysterious cult. The ... (Wikipedia)
U is for Undertow
by Sue Grafton
Private detective Kinsey Millhone investigates a cold case that leads to dark secrets and a deadly game of revenge.
In April 1988, Kinsey Millhone is hired by a young man named Michael Sutton to investigate a memory that he claims to have recovered of two people burying a body in the woods in the exclusive Horton ... (Wikipedia)
Daisy in Chains
by Sharon J. Bolton
Convicted serial killer seeks legal help from a famous lawyer, who becomes obsessed with proving his innocence.
He’s a serial killer. A murderer of young women, all killed in brutal attacks. But despite Hamish Wolfe’s conviction, he’s always stuck to his story—he’s innocent and he’s been wrongly imprisoned. ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Crucifix Killer
by Chris Carter
A serial killer is on the loose, leaving behind gruesome crucifixion scenes. Detective Hunter and his team race against time to catch the killer before he strikes again.
When the body of a young woman is discovered in a derelict cottage in the middle of Los Angeles National Forest, Homicide Detective Robert Hunter finds himself entering a horrific and recurring ... (Goodreads)
Indelible
by Karin Slaughter
A young woman's brutal attack and murder haunt her sister and the detective who failed to solve the case. Secrets unravel as they seek justice.
An officer is shot point-blank in the Grant County police station and police chief Jeffrey Tolliver is wounded, setting off a terrifying hostage situation with medical examiner Sara Linton at the ... (Goodreads)
The Woman in Blue
by Elly Griffiths
When a woman is found dead in a church, Ruth Galloway is called to investigate. The case becomes personal as she uncovers secrets from her own past.
“Ruth Galloway is a captivating amateur sleuth — an inspired creation.” — Louise Penny, “Readers will look forward to learning more about [Ruth Galloway].” —, USA Today, , “Ruth is a terrific ... (Barnes & Noble)
Victims
by Jonathan Kellerman
A psychologist investigates a series of murders in Los Angeles, uncovering dark secrets and twisted motives.
Unraveling the madness behind L.A.’s most baffling and brutal homicides is what sleuthing psychologist Alex Delaware does best. And putting the good doctor through his thrilling paces is what mystery ... (Goodreads)
Whoever Fights Monsters: My Twenty Years Tracking Serial Killers for the FBI
by Robert K. Ressler
A memoir of Robert K. Ressler's career as an FBI agent and his work in profiling and tracking serial killers.
Face-to-face with some of America's most terrifying killers, FBI veteran and ex-Army CID colonel Robert Ressler learned form then how to identify the unknown monsters who walk among us–and put them ... (Goodreads)
Fever of the Bone
by Val McDermid
Detective investigates a series of murders while dealing with her own traumatic past.
The story centers on the investigation of the murders of several teenagers who, at first, can only be connected by their use of the fictional social networking site RigMarole. Along the way, Carol ... (Wikipedia)
Strangers in Death
by J.D. Robb
Lieutenant Eve Dallas investigates the murder of a prominent businessman, uncovering a web of secrets and lies.
In 2060 New York, some murders still get more attention than others, especially those in which the victim is a prominent businessman, found in his Park Avenue apartment, tied to the bed—and strangled ... (Goodreads)
Stalking Jack the Ripper
by Kerri Maniscalco
A young woman's pursuit of a serial killer in Victorian London.
INSTANT #1, NEW YORK TIMES, BESTSELLER, A deliciously creepy horror novel with a story line inspired by the Ripper murders and an unexpected, blood-chilling conclusion...,Seventeen-year-old Audrey ... (Barnes & Noble)
Conspiracy in Death
by J.D. Robb
Detectives investigate a murder in a world of technological advances and high-tech crime.
Lt. Eve Dallas and her assistant, Delia Peabody , are called to a crime scene by Officer Ellen Bowers and Officer Troy Trueheart . A homeless man is killed, and his heart is removed with the skill of ... (Wikipedia)
Indulgence in Death
by J.D. Robb
Detective Eve Dallas unravels a web of murder and deceit in pursuit of justice.
When a murder disrupts the Irish vacation she is taking with her husband, Roarke, Eve realizes that no place is safe - not an Irish wood or the streets of the manic city she calls home. But nothing ... (Goodreads)
D is for Deadbeat
by Sue Grafton
Private investigator Kinsey Millhone investigates an old murder case with unexpected connections.
Kinsey Millhone receives a contract from ex-con Alvin Limardo to deliver a cashier's check for twenty-five thousand dollars to a fifteen-year-old boy named Tony Gahan. According to Limardo, Tony ... (Wikipedia)
Not Dead Enough
by Peter James
A detective investigates a murder case where the prime suspect has a solid alibi. As the investigation progresses, more secrets are revealed.
On the night Brian Bishop murdered his wife, he was sixty miles away, asleep in bed at the time. At least, that’s the way it looks to Detective Superintendent Roy Grace who is called in to ... (Goodreads)
Devoted in Death
by J.D. Robb
A serial killer is targeting couples in love, and it's up to Lieutenant Eve Dallas to catch them before they strike again.
Eve Dallas tracks a couple whose passion is fueled by cold brutality in the newest crime thriller from the #1, New York Times,–bestselling author of, Obsession in Death, and, Festive in Death,. When ... (Goodreads)
Serial Killers: The Method and Madness of Monsters
by Peter Vronsky
A comprehensive study of the psychology and behavior of serial killers, exploring their motives and methods.
A comprehensive examination into the frightening true crime history of serial homicide–including information on, America's most prolific serial killers such as: , Ted Bundy, - , "Co-ed Killer" Ed ... (Goodreads)
The Keepsake
by Tess Gerritsen
A woman's investigation of her late mother's past uncovers a shocking family secret.
New York Times bestselling author Tess Gerritsen knows how to expertly dissect a brilliantly suspenseful story, all the while keeping fascinated readers riveted to her side. By turns darkly ... (Goodreads)
Deadly Decisions
by Kathy Reichs
Forensic anthropologist investigates a serial murder case, uncovering a web of deception.
Brennan is called back to Montréal, Quebec , Canada from teaching at the FBI Academy in Quantico when a biker gang war turns violent. Excavating at a biker clubhouse reveals the bones of a young girl ... (Wikipedia)
Grave Secrets
by Kathy Reichs
Forensic anthropologist uncovers a hidden truth about a decades-old murder.
Brennan is searching for human remains in mass graves in Guatemala when two colleagues are ambushed and shot. Meanwhile, Sergeant-detective Bartolome "Bat" Galiano of the Guatemala National Civil ... (Wikipedia)
The Outcast Dead
by Elly Griffiths
Forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway investigates a child murder case that leads to a dangerous conspiracy.
Ruth Galloway uncovers the bones of what might be a notorious Victorian child murderess and a baby snatcher known as "The Childminder" threatens modern-day Norfolk in the latest irresistible mystery ... (Goodreads)
I Heard That Song Before
by Mary Higgins Clark
A wealthy woman's past comes back to haunt her when she moves into a mansion with a dark history.
When Kay Lansing marries wealthy widower Peter Carrington, she is well aware of the rumours surrounding the mysterious death of Peter's first wife Grace, who was found floating in the family pool ten ... (Goodreads)
Night Stalker: The Life and Crimes of Richard Ramirez
by Philip Carlo
A chilling account of the life and crimes of notorious serial killer Richard Ramirez, known as the Night Stalker.
The shocking true story behind the serial killer case that inspired the hit Netflix series! Painstakingly researched over three years, based on nearly one hundred hours of exclusive interviews with ... (Goodreads)
Portrait in Death
by J.D. Robb
In a futuristic New York City, Lieutenant Eve Dallas investigates the murder of a prominent businessman. As she delves deeper, she uncovers a web of secrets and lies.
Lt. Eve Dallas is celebrating the shortly-to-start vacation of Summerset , Roarke's majordomo , when he trips over the cat and falls down the stairs, breaking his leg. As Eve and Roarke are giving ... (Wikipedia)
The Bodies Left Behind
by Jeffery Deaver
A young couple is trapped in a remote cabin by two escaped convicts, fighting for survival and trying to outsmart their captors.
When a night-time call to 911 from a secluded Wisconsin vacation house is cut short, offduty deputy Brynn McKenzie leaves her husband and son at the dinner table and drives up to Lake Mondac to ... (Goodreads)
Abgeschnitten
by Sebastian Fitzek
A violent storm blusters around the island of Heligoland and cuts off the island from the rest of the world. Linda, a 24-year-old cartoonist, is temporarily staying on the island. She is threatened ... (Wikipedia)
Edge
by Jeffery Deaver
A young woman with a rare neurological disorder becomes the target of a ruthless killer. Can a paralyzed detective solve the case before it's too late?
Behind the well-known U.S. security organizations—the FBI and CIA among them—lies a heavily guarded, anonymous government agency dedicated to intelligence surveillance and to a highly specialized ... (Barnes & Noble)
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