This first edition, murder mystery was written by Jefferson Bass, a combination of two authors: Dr. Bill Bass, renowned forensic anthropologist with the University of Tennessee and the University of Tennessee Anthropology Research Facility (otherwise known as the Body Farm), and writer Jon Jefferson. Their writing style while flat in this first edition does get better in subsequent books. I found this first book to be lacking but still enjoyable. It is a murder mystery based in fiction but built upon solid facts taken from Dr. Bass's own experiences blended with Jefferson's fictional narratives.

Summary:
"This installment of the Body Farm series finds Dr. Brockton called to Cooke County, Tennessee by Sheriff Tom Kitchings, where a woman’s corpse lies mummified in a cave. When evidence of murder is revealed, Brockton, with the aid of Arthur Bohanan, criminalist with the Knoxville Police Department, embarks on his own investigation as to who killed the young woman and the unborn child she carried. Brockton soon finds himself stonewalled by the Sheriff and his deputies while someone is stealing evidence from his offices at U.T. The investigation leads Brockton and Bohanan into danger more than once, and forces Brockton to face the grief he has carried over the death of his wife two years earlier." (from Christy Tillery French at: http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewArticle.asp?id=31394)

Readers familiar with Knoxville will enjoy the many references to local landmarks and traditions. In fact, I found myself laughing out right many times. Those who appreciate corny jokes and poorly chosen character names (e.g: a love interest is named "Lovelady") will unfortunately not be disappointed. Lastly, those curious about crime scene investigations and the science of decomposition of the body, will enjoy following Dr. Brockton through the Body Farm and his murder mysteries.