Product Description

Tess Gerritsen's chilling new bestseller uncovers secrets that are as old - and as terrifying - as time itself.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5149 in Books
• Published on: 2008-01-14
• Binding: Hardcover
• 384 pages

Synopsis
Julia Hamill is gardening one afternoon in rural Massachusetts when her spade strikes something soft and unyielding - not a rock but a human skull. Medical examiner, Maura Isles quickly determines that the skeleton - that of a woman - dates back to the early 1800s. 'But too much time has passed,' Maura warns Julia. 'We may never know the whole story of how she died.' Boston in the 1830s is a place of disease and pestilence - and no one is more aware of this than Norris Marshall, a student at Harvard Medical School who is forced to support himself by performing the most secretive job of all. Norris is a resurrectionist - a body-snatcher - who procures cadavers from grave robbers in order to further his study of human anatomy. Soon he finds himself hunting the most notorious killer of his time, a shadowy figure who flits through graveyards and glittering ballrooms. What he does not realize is that the killer is far closer than he thinks ...

From the Back Cover
Julia Hamill is gardening one afternoon in rural Massachusetts when her spade strikes something soft and unyielding - not a rock but a human skull.

Medical examiner Maura Isles quickly determines that the skeleton - that of a woman - dates back to the early 1800s.`But too much time has passed,' Maura warns Julia. `We may never know the whole story of how she died.'

Boston in the 1830s is a place of disease and pestilence - and no one is more aware of this than Norris Marshall, a student at Harvard Medical School who is forced to support himself by performing the most secretive job of all.

Norris is a resurrectionist - a body-snatcher - who procures cadavers from grave robbers in order to further his study of human anatomy. Soon he finds himself hunting the most notorious killer of his time, a shadowy figure who flits through graveyards and glittering ballrooms.

What he does not realize is that the killer is far closer than he thinks ...

About the Author
Bestselling author Tess Gerritsen is also a physician, and she brings to her novels her first-hand knowledge of emergency and autopsy rooms. But her interests span far more than medical topics. As an anthropology student at Stanford University, she catalogued centuries-old human remains, and she continues to travel the world driven by her fascination with ancient cultures and bizarre natural phenomena.

Customer Reviews

Better than i thought
In present time a women finds a skeleton in her back garden and wants to find out more. We go back to 1830's to find out more.
I am an avid reader of Tess's books and love there pace and detail. I had seen her talk about this book in a Borders in Maine and was intrigued. Just got around to read it after reading some not very kind reviews and i must admit i really enjoyed it. I love mysteries and a big fan of Victorian london books and this reminded me of this but in Boston. The only thing i found disappointing was the sentimental bits, but well worth a read and different from here usual stuff.

A 'new style' Tess Gerritsen
What a great book! The 'new style' Tess Gerritsen makes a wonderful mix of thriller and medical mystery. The book is mainly written in the past and gives a very vivid and haunting picture of the practice of medicine and ressurectionists - certainly not for the faint-hearted! It could be alikened to an 'American' 'Jack the Ripper' but even for that it is an excellent read and quite her best book to date.

Totally Absorbing
I didn't expect quite what I got when I bought this book. I simply could not put it down. I found myself totally absorbed in the story and the characters. I can honestly say this was one of the best books I have read. The period details were superb. A most enjoyable read. I was disappointed when the book was finished.