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Written in Bone (2007)

by Simon Beckett

Other authors: See the other authors section.

Series: David Hunter (2)

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1,2814514,794 (3.91)26
"I took the skull from its evidence bag and gently set it on the stainless steel table. 'Tell me who you are. . . .' " With this silent plea, forensic expert Dr. David Hunter ignites a harrowing murder investigation on a windswept Scottish island, and a tale of menace, sexuality, and revenge unravels--along with the chilling message that a killer has... Dr. David Hunter should be in London with the woman he loves and a past he can't quite shake off. Instead, as a favor to a beleaguered cop, Hunter travels to a remote island in the Outer Hebrides to inspect a baffling set of remains. A forensic anthropologist, he has seen bodies destroyed by all forms of violence, but even he is surprised at what he finds: human remains burned beyond recognition--all within the confines of an otherwise undamaged, unoccupied cottage. Local police want to rule the death accidental. But Hunter's examination of the victim's charred skull tells him that this woman, no doubt a stranger to the close-knit island of Runa, was murdered by someone nearby. Within days, two more people are dead by fire. Hunter's job is to coax the dead into telling their stories--but now that he's beginning to hear them, he is staggered by the truth. Working with only the barest of clues, he peels back the layers of mysteries past and present, exposing the tangle of secrets at the heart of this strange community--from the deceptions of a wealthy couple to the bitterness of an ex-cop and the secrets of a lonely single mother--as a tale of rage and perversion comes full circle...then explodes in a series of violent acts and shocking twists.… (more)
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English (30)  German (7)  Dutch (3)  Spanish (2)  Italian (1)  Danish (1)  Swedish (1)  All languages (45)
Showing 1-5 of 30 (next | show all)
written in Bone

This is the second of this series and I have to say I didn’t realize the life of a forensic anthropologist was so fraught. This guy has had multiple near death experiences in what seems to be a couple of years time. I like the plots of the books; they are a bit light on forensics for my taste. I will no doubt read the next in the series but if he continues to be nearly killed 2 or 3 times per book I will probably nope out of the rest after that ( )
  corliss12000 | Mar 16, 2024 |
I loved this book! I flew through it in just a few days, which is unusual for me right now since I'm so short on time. But I reached for it every time I had a spare moment, which says a lot.

I read the first book in the series eight years ago, and while I'm hazy on the plot details, I remember liking it quite a bit. I think this one's even better, though. The characters are well developed and believable, the dialogue spot on, and the plot perfectly paced. I enjoyed the element of forced confinement (even though it felt a touch contrived at times, it served the story beautifully).

I really enjoy forensic police procedurals and mysteries like CSI, Bones, etc. so this was right up my alley. What I really appreciated is that Beckett throws in just enough forensic information to make the details interesting but not bore the reader in the process.

I kept turning pages and guessing right up until the very end. The revelations in the final few chapters just kept on coming, and I was on the edge of my seat to see how the story would conclude. I'm very excited to continue with this series, and read other books by Simon Beckett. ( )
  Elizabeth_Cooper | Oct 27, 2023 |
The story moves along at a fairly leisurely pace for most of the book, then suddenly starts taking off near the end like a rocket with action and surprises galore (not to mention gore). Some of the characters I liked didn't fare too well, but I'll get over it, I think.

Much like the first book in the series, it takes place in a small town that makes city living sound ideal. Lots of people either die, come close to dying, or come back to life when seemingly dead. It gets pretty weird towards the end, and ends with an unsatisfying cliffhanger. I think I'll need to read the next one right away to see if it resolves any of the issues.

David Thorpe narrated the audiobook, and in my opinion did an excellent job with the accents. He made it all sound more authentic, but was still easy to understand.
( )
  MartyFried | Oct 9, 2022 |
Not nice people at all, nasty plot, totally unbelievable ending. It was a waste of time to read it. ( )
  TanyaRead | Mar 12, 2022 |
Forensic anthropologist Dr. David Hunter should be at home with the woman he loves. Instead, as a favor to an overworked police officer, he is heading to the remote Hebridean island of Runa. Hunter has witnessed death in many forms, but even he is shocked by what he finds: a body almost totally incinerated except for the feet and a single hand, untouched by fire. The local police are quick to call it an accidental death, but Hunter's instincts say otherwise. Convinced that there's a killer on the island, he soon realizes that Runa is far from the peaceful community it seems.

When David finds himself cut off from the outside world, he's forced for the first time to truly rely on his survival instincts. From getting lost on the windswept plains just below the chilly peak of Bodach Runa to almost burning to death in the town's local medical center, the author does a fantastic job of bringing David Hunter to life, connecting his calm professionalism and analytical theories.

This was a great mystery and second in the series following The Chemistry of Death. I am never able to quickly guess the murderer or motive in this series because the clues are so artfully placed. I'm definitely planning to read the entire series. ( )
  Olivermagnus | Jul 2, 2020 |
Showing 1-5 of 30 (next | show all)
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» Add other authors (16 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Simon Beckettprimary authorall editionscalculated
Lilja, KimmoTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
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Given the right temperature, everything burns.
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"I took the skull from its evidence bag and gently set it on the stainless steel table. 'Tell me who you are. . . .' " With this silent plea, forensic expert Dr. David Hunter ignites a harrowing murder investigation on a windswept Scottish island, and a tale of menace, sexuality, and revenge unravels--along with the chilling message that a killer has... Dr. David Hunter should be in London with the woman he loves and a past he can't quite shake off. Instead, as a favor to a beleaguered cop, Hunter travels to a remote island in the Outer Hebrides to inspect a baffling set of remains. A forensic anthropologist, he has seen bodies destroyed by all forms of violence, but even he is surprised at what he finds: human remains burned beyond recognition--all within the confines of an otherwise undamaged, unoccupied cottage. Local police want to rule the death accidental. But Hunter's examination of the victim's charred skull tells him that this woman, no doubt a stranger to the close-knit island of Runa, was murdered by someone nearby. Within days, two more people are dead by fire. Hunter's job is to coax the dead into telling their stories--but now that he's beginning to hear them, he is staggered by the truth. Working with only the barest of clues, he peels back the layers of mysteries past and present, exposing the tangle of secrets at the heart of this strange community--from the deceptions of a wealthy couple to the bitterness of an ex-cop and the secrets of a lonely single mother--as a tale of rage and perversion comes full circle...then explodes in a series of violent acts and shocking twists.

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