Trail of Bones: More Cases from the Files of a Forensic Anthropologist

Many readers will find this slim volume both intriguing and frustrating. Manhein, the director of Louisiana State University's FACES (Forensic Anthropology and Computer Enhancement Services) Laboratory, is a distinguished and innovative forensic anthropologist who first portrayed her work in The Bone Lady . Here she recounts over a dozen cases she has worked on, most little known. Her closing chapter, describing her work on the recovery and identification of the remains of the seven astronauts killed in the 2003 Columbia space shuttle explosion, perfectly illustrates the book's potential and weaknesses. The author's reputation landed her a position on a select federal disaster team with the mordant acronym of DMORT (Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team) tasked with responding to the tragedy. But what should have been a highlight is a thin account that offers minimal details of the work Manhein actually did. She offers similarly thin treatment of other cases, such as the search for a Louisiana serial killer possibly responsible for more than two dozen murders. Manheim leaves the reader hungry for more and skeptical that she is the best choice to recount her further inquiries. 31 b&w illus. (Sept.)