Death's Acre: Inside the Legendary "Body Farm" by
Bass B & Jefferson J
hbk out February 04
Published by Time Warner
at £16.99
This book is sub-titled 'Inside the legendary "Body Farm"', reflecting the fact that it discusses the
world's only laboratory devoted to the study of human corpses, which was the inspiration for Patricia
Cornwell's book of that name. Dr Bill Bass founded the facility, set up by the University of Tennessee
in Knoxville more than two decades ago. He describes not only his own career but also various
criminal cases – for instance, the Bernardo-Homolka case - with which he has become involved. As he
says, 'I know a lot about human bones…But there's a lot more we'll never comprehend about the dark
recesses of the human heart.' Cornwell contributes a short foreword to the book, concluding: 'Years
come and go, as do the dead who have been reduced to ashes and bone, and all of Dr Bass's patient
translation adds to the fluency of a secret language that helps condemn the wicked and free those who
have done no wrong.' This book is a tribute to that worthwhile endeavour.
(
Martin Edwards
- author of the highly acclaimed Harry Devlin Mysteries)
Death's Acre: Inside the Legendary "Body Farm" by
Bass B & Jefferson J 
