The half life of a murder.

Author : Jefferson Bass
Title : Bones of Betrayal
Published : 04/03/2010
Pages : 384
Format : Paperback
Publisher : Quercus Publishing






     Things have taken a dangerous turn at the Body Farm. Dr Bill Brockton and his graduate assistant, Miranda, have been called to a death scene. A body has been found in a frozen swimming pool. The dead man is found to have been a renowned engineer, responsible for the Manhattan Project, which produced the atomic bombs of 1945. And he's been poisoned by a radiation source.

    Jefferson bass was an author I came to via Dr bill bass. Having read his book Deaths acre an amazing book about the real life body farm. It was then I found out he had also written fiction books with his writing partner Jon Jefferson. After that I have been enjoying this series of books for some time. This being the fourth one I have read. What peaked my interest with this one was the use of Manhatten project as a jumping of point. So it was with some interest I jumped in to this book.

     The story of a now ageing nuclear physicist who's poised with the very thing he help to create is an interesting one. Our cast of characters is thrown in to the middle of a highly volatile situation. It's not every day some one gets poisoned with nuclear material. Bass use this well and bring some history to the mix adding references to actual figures most people are aware of. Brockton and Miranda play of each other well. Showing a genuine affection for each of in a father daughter kind of way. These add some lighter moments to the story with genital ribbing of each other. And also some more heartfelt scenes with his concern for Miranda. Beatrice the ex wife of our dead physicist adds some mystery to the plot as we get to learn more about her in story from her first arrival at Oak ridge leading up to the present.

     As always with bass the story flows on at a steady pace. Due to the background of bass we always get a helpful does of technical terms lending the story some realism. I know some people have complained about this from the books. I can't help but feel this is what sets the books apart from most other crime series. For the most part it centres the books in the real world. Now with this one it takes a slight set out side of this. Mostly due to the fact it's not every day some one is is murdered in this fashion. Add to that the espionage elements of the story. Which play out like a Cold War spy thriller. Having said that they are with in the realms of possibility.  The use of flipping back and forth between the murders and the inception of the nuclear bomb at Oak Ridge is used to good effect. For those who have spent some time with this author I wouldn't expect much new from the characters whilst the Brockton love story may add for some readers it didn't do a lot for me.

     Over all this was not my favourite book so far. Which is not to say it was an interesting read. Just a slight departure from what has come before. These books never seem to take me long to make my way through and this was no exception. Over all I think this will appeal to those who enjoy crime books as well as spy thrillers and history buffs. So take some time and get acquainted with Bass and Miranda.