Written in Bone

by SimonBeckett (Author)

• Used

  Paperback
  2007

  $3.30

  On his way back from ongoing investigation into an apparent serial killer in Scotland, forensics anthropologist, David Hunter is asked if he could examine a fire-death on the remote Hebridean island of Runa - reported by Brody, a retired DI who lives on the island. The journey over to Runa is delayed by rough seas and it's dark by the time Hunter and the two mainland police officers and a reporter accompanying him arrive. Warned that it will be unlike anything else that he has encountered, Hunter and the police go straight to the body. And it is indeed unusual: almost totally incinerated except for one hand and both feet, which have been left untouched by the fire. And nothing else appears to have been affected by the fire. It appears to be a textbook case of the phenomenon known as spontaneous human combustion. One of the policemen is quick to record it as an accidental death, but the retired DI Brody is less convinced. Hunter, having established that the victim was female, keeps an open mind but on closer investigation of the site the next day, discovers skull fragments that lead him to just one conclusion: that this was no accident, this was murder. As the enormity of this sinks in to the small community, the island is hit by the full force of the storm - and as power and communications fail, so the killing begins in earnest ...

• Used

  Paperback
  2008

  $3.30

  I took the skull from its evidence bag and gently set it on the stainless steel table. 'Tell me who you are...' As a favour to a colleague, Dr David Hunter is on the remote Hebridean island of Runa to inspect a grisly discovery. He's familiar with death in all its guises but is shocked by what he finds: a body, incinerated but for the feet and a single hand. It appears to be a textbook case of spontaneous human combustion. The local police are certain it's an accidental death, but Hunter is not convinced. Examining the scorched remains, he finds evidence that this was no accident; this was murder. And as the isolated community considers the enormity of Hunter's findings, a catastrophic storm hits the island. The power goes down, communication with the outside world ceases...and the killing begins in earnest.

• New

  Paperback
  2008

  $11.72

  I took the skull from its evidence bag and gently set it on the stainless steel table. 'Tell me who you are...' As a favour to a colleague, Dr David Hunter is on the remote Hebridean island of Runa to inspect a grisly discovery. He's familiar with death in all its guises but is shocked by what he finds: a body, incinerated but for the feet and a single hand. It appears to be a textbook case of spontaneous human combustion. The local police are certain it's an accidental death, but Hunter is not convinced. Examining the scorched remains, he finds evidence that this was no accident; this was murder. And as the isolated community considers the enormity of Hunter's findings, a catastrophic storm hits the island. The power goes down, communication with the outside world ceases...and the killing begins in earnest.