Silent Witness (Signet Novel)

Book Description

The inimitable defense attorney Josie Baylor-Bates returns to defend the man she loves from the charge of murdering his own disabled stepson. Walking the fine line between lover and lawyer, trust and truth, Josie will have to race against time to prove someone is framing her client-until she finds out that the last, silent witness is the most dangerous of all.

Customer Reviews:

Awesome Legal Thriller!.......2007-09-09

This author's books have everything..suspense, on the edge of your seat...descriptions of the people in the storyline that touch the heart, intense anger at the bad guys...reading, just PRAYING that the lies being told on the good guys will surface and bring it all down to where it should end. Then she always trips my thinking up with elements that I never dreamed to be there...love her endings and wait anxiously for the next book...

Great read!.......2007-02-08

Again, these characters are so believable you can really get into the storylines. I am glad I discovered this author - she is definitely on the top of my lists now.

Not Your Typical Legal Fiction.......2005-05-31

In Rebecca Forster's second legal thriller featuring Josie Baylor-Bates the courtroom is down played and the personal angst is amped up to high. As Josie is trying to settle into a seminormal existence, her life is thrown for a loop one more time. Her photographer boyfriend Archer past is ripped wide open when a civil lawsuit brings new evidence to life that he may just have killed his late wives mentally challenged son, Tim.

Usually, I stop to analyze the ins and outs of a book, and whether it was enjoyable to me. simple for the most part. This book was slightly different. The subject matter of this book hit too close to home. The motive of the case was that Tim was viewed as a burden, a roadblock between Archer and his wife. This burden got to great, and Archer found a good way to get rid of the kid, just let him fall off a ride at an amusement park ride, seemingly a tragic accident.

The reason this book hit so close to him is that I work in an institution, much like the one that Tim came from in this book. The author did a good job with the struggles of the parents and families, maybe too good of a job at some points. Reaching into Archer's mind you find the prosecutions belief in the motive not to far off from the truth. To Archer, Tim was a burden. A child stuck in a man's body, given to moments of violence and other uncontrollable behavior. While you are supposed to feel somewhat sorry for Archer, I had trouble finding any sympathy for the man, and Josie's ardent struggle to free the man from jeopardy, while compelling, I couldn't share in her angst as much as I did in her previous tale.

Yet, beyond the personal issues, the author did a great job with this tale. The tale is so well plotted and full of subtext that you find yourself engrossed in many aspects of the life of Josie. Forster did an excellent job portraying the struggles of people involved in the lives of the mentally challenged, from administrators, to direct care employees, to the parents. Tim, while staying human, is portrayed as a pawn in a chess game that no one really understood, except maybe his mother. On other levels, Josie's struggle with Hannah, the troubled girl she has taken as her charge, relates so well with the past it only ups the ante of the tale.

I have to admit, this one was hard for me. It was a great read, but I found myself getting angry at parts, not with the author, but with the characters within. This is definitely not a light and breezy book, it deals with true issues that often get brush under the table. While this book isn't as much a legal tale as her last, it does deal with some interesting ethical questions, especially about when a lawyer becomes too personally involved in a case.

Excellent sequel.......2005-05-15

Sequels not as good as the original? Well, here's a case that sometimes they can be just as good if not better. I found Silent Witness to be slow in the beginning, as the characters and puzzle pieces were introduced, but once the action started.... let's just say I had to cancel a date and she wasn't happy. The shocking sucker-punch ending is better than anything Mickey Spillane, the king of shocker endings, ever cooked up, and the ramifications of such a revelation are discussed with an no-holds-barred honesty not often found in genre fiction. In other words, there are no easy answers and Rebecca Forster isn't afraid to say so. Silent Witness. Grab it. Read it. Love it. Buy the next episode....

keeps you reading!.......2005-05-06

Rebeccasreads recommends SILENT WITNESS as a humdinger of a thriller with lots of emotional twists & legal turns!

While Rebecca Forster's characters are rough & passionate, they are almost incoherent & I found myself growling to have Archer & Josie say something straight-up & complete. & Archer really, really needs some therapy, sorry, Big Guy, it isn't as bad as you think!

Thank the stars, attorneys can speak whole thoughts all the way through. Everyone mostly comes off as the genuine article, with all the flaws of greed, deception, arrogance, neediness, stupidity, stubbornness & faint-heartedness, along with the pathos of people learning to trust, love & make whole lives out of their fragmented hearts.

A satisfying evening's read! I certainly want to catch up with her first legal thriller HOSTILE WITNESS.

Silent Witness: The Untold Story of Terri Schiavo's Death

Average customer rating:

Day Late and a Dollar Short Mark Fuhrman!
blah blah blah
A Very Good Book
Flawed, but it did succeed in making me think!
What Actually Caused Terri Schiavo's 1990 Collapse?

Silent Witness: The Untold Story of Terri Schiavo's Death
Mark Fuhrman
Manufacturer: William Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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Grief & Bereavement | Death & Grief | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0060853379
Release Date: 2005-06-28

Download Description

We all watched Terri Schiavo die. The controversy around her case dominated the headlines and talk shows, going all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, the White House, and the Vatican.

And it's not over yet. Despite her death, the controversy lingers. In Silent Witness, former LAPD detective and New York Times bestselling author Mark Fuhrman applies his highly respected investigative skills to examine the medical evidence, legal case files, and police records. With the complete cooperation of Terri Schiavo's parents and siblings, as well as their medical and legal advisers, he conducts exclusive interviews with forensics experts and crucial witnesses, including friends, family members, and caregivers.

Fuhrman's findings will answer these questions:

What was Terri and Michael Schiavo's marriage really like?
What happened the day Terri collapsed?
What did Michael Schiavo do when he discovered Terri unconscious? How long did he wait before calling 911?
What do medical records show about her condition when she was first admitted to the hospital?
What will the autopsy say?

The legal issues and ethical questions provoked by Terri Schiavo's extraordinary case may never be resolved. But the facts about her marriage, her condition when she collapsed, and her eventual death fifteen years later can be determined.

With Silent Witness, Fuhrman goes beyond the legal aspects of the case and delves into the broader, human background of Terri Schiavo's short, sad life.

Customer Reviews:

Day Late and a Dollar Short Mark Fuhrman!.......2007-07-21

Regretfully, "Silent Witness" depicts how someone with Mark Fuhrman's reputation comes to a tragic scene after the FACT....just to make a BUCK!

If you sincerely want to learn more about the Terri Schiavo case..save your money on this one....and....read some of the other books published that show the indisputable documentation and facts.

blah blah blah.......2007-07-08

This was perhaps one of the most poorly written books that I have ever read. The author notes that he published the book before the autopsy was done and even makes a pseudo attempt at being unbiased... all in the end to seal the deal and Call Mike Schiavo a liar and a murderer in a very convoluted and indirect way..
Fact mark Furhman is a detective not a forensics expert
Fact she had lab values not consistent with life. Fact Mark Furhman is not a medical doctor. Fact this book was poorly written repetitive and took three hours of my life that I cannot get back to read...

A Very Good Book.......2007-06-22

Mark Fuhrman's book is very good. He does a very good investigation into Terri's collapse; an investigation that should have done on the night of her collapse and later when the Schindler's filed numerous police investigation inquires.

While the book came out before the autopsy results of Terri Schiavo, the book still provides some distrubing questions.

The autopsy did little to give clout on Fuhrman's conclusions and suspicions.

Regarding, Terri Schiavo autopsy:

In reading Furhman's book please bare in mind that autopsy results come with several caveats that bear noticing:

1. Terri's collapse remains a mystery to this day. Terri did not have a heart attack.

2. Michael Schiavo was the only one there.

3. It is highly unlikely that Terri had Bulima.

4. The issue of the potassium inbalance is also highly suspect.

5. Michael Schiavo is on the record of giving at least 3 different conflicting accounts of Terri's collapse. The following things remain in conflict to this day:

Did Michael have argument the day before she collapsed? - Conflicted.

What time Michael came home that night is conflicted.

Was Terri awake when Michael arrived home? Conflicted.

What made Michael wake up and why did he wake up? Conflicted.

What position did Michael find Terri in? Conflicted.

Who did Michael call? Conflicted.

Did Michael hold Terri? Conflicted.

Was Terri breathing? Conflicted.

All of these things are conflicted from the various depos, testimonies, and accounts given by Michael Schiavo.

There are also still unanswered quesitons:

What was significance of the vomit found near Terri. (It was later determined to be from the cats; Who determined that?)

6. Experts have stated that it possible for Terri to been inflicted trauma without leaving any detectable evidence. And if such evidence did in fact exist, it is possible the EMTs life saving measures done to Terri could have compromised that evidence.

7. Perhaps that most important caveat of the autopsy is the ME's final statment:

That most of medical records regarding Terri Schiavo are missing and have been lost.

For this reason, the case remains open to this day waiting additional medical information that could shed some light on Terri's collapse.

The issue of missing medical records was key question of concern during the litigation of Terri's Law that was never really answered.

Flawed, but it did succeed in making me think!.......2007-04-02

To paraphrase this book's author, "This case isn't about the right to die peacefully, or about euthanasia." Retired detective Fuhrman takes the position that this case is about a man wanting to free himself from a marriage, and doing so at any cost as long as someone else is making payment.

I have two criticisms of Mr. Fuhrman's work. First, it should not have been written before the autopsy results for Terri Schiavo became available. They would, I believe, have altered some of his assumptions and therefore some of his conclusions. Second, he repeats material not once but several times; not for emphasis, but (in my opinion) to extend the word count sufficiently to make it book length, and publishable as such. With those things said, though, I found myself thinking about the Schiavo tragedy from different angles than before I read Mr. Fuhrman's book. Like a good detective, he accepts nothing at face value; and his understanding of human nature, at its best as well as at its worst, illuminates much that never made sense to me before.

Worth reading, although the repetition makes even this sad yet riveting story bog down at times.

What Actually Caused Terri Schiavo's 1990 Collapse?.......2007-03-27

As public interest in Terri Schiavo largely seemed to fade after the release of the 2005 autopsy report, I was able to pick this book up for a mere dollar. After reading it, I still do not know why Terri Schiavo collapsed in 1990. After that collapse and a 1992 medical malpractice judgment, however, I remain convinced that she was treated in a morally repugnant manner by her husband.

Average customer rating:

wilson has truly gripped the suspense novel

Silent Witness
Charles Wilson
Manufacturer: Carroll & Graf Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Hard-Boiled | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0881847550

Customer Reviews:

wilson has truly gripped the suspense novel.......1998-03-10

I feel that Wilson has a good grasp on what it takes to write a successful mystery/suspense novel. The main characters are well developed (like Ray, Ramsey, and Leigh Ann). The plot has more twists and turns and surprises than I think I have ever seen in so short a novel. (One might say he has too many twists, but I would disagree, I hate a predictable book). The only fault I find with this novel is the underdevelopment of the minor characters such as Red, the Lutter boy, the Julie's parents. I hope Wilson keeps turning out books with the quality of this and Nightwatcher.

Average customer rating:

Couldn't Put It Down...
Very good - Hard to put down...
Enjoyable read
Hmm.........
Highschool Redux (4.5*s)

Silent Witness
Richard North Patterson
Manufacturer: Random House Value Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0517361337
Release Date: 1999-02-16

Amazon.com

In each successive novel since Degree of Guilt, Richard North Patterson has experimented with flashbacks and past tragedies to drive the present suspense of his legal thrillers. Silent Witness is, perhaps, his greatest achievement with the technique as his hero, Tony Lord, is haunted by the 27-year-old murder of his high school girlfriend, Alison Taylor.

In the late 1960s, Tony is the star of the Lake City, Ohio, high school football team. But when Alison is found strangled behind her house, even Tony's closest friend, Sam Robb, suspects him. Alison's true killer is never found, and Tony flees his home town to forge a career as a high-powered, high-profile San Francisco criminal attorney and marries a a movie star. Cutting to the present day, Tony is called back to Lake City to defend his old friend. Sixteen-year-old track star Marcie Calder was found dead on the shore of Lake Erie, and Sam, now the overweight assistant principal and track coach of Lake City High, is the accused. A series of scandals slowly erodes Tony's confidence in Sam's innocence as Tony comes to terms with his own troubled past.

As with Patterson's previous work, Silent Witness is a novel with subtle characters who happen to be involved in a compelling (and authentic-seeming) criminal trial. For dedicated Patterson fans, some insight into the life of actress Stacey Tarrant is a special treat. She's Tony's wife in the present world of the novel but was the lover of Senator James Kilcannon before the senator was assassinated. James was the brother of Kerry Kilcannon, the enigmatic presidential candidate at the center of Patterson's 1998 blockbuster, No Safe Place. --Patrick O'Kelley

Book Description

Attorney Tony Lord left his hometown and the bitter memories of his girlfriend's murder behind. Now, twenty-eight years later, he's pulled back to Lake City to defend his closest high school friend against a charge of homicide.

Sam Robb, the married father of two, is a local football legend. But he was also the last to see sixteen-year-old Marcie Calder alive, and as shocking forensic evidence at the trial reveals, he is the father of her unborn child.

Probing the darkest recesses of love and friendship, Lord will discover things too disturbing to ignore--that Sam wasn't the only one in Lake City with a motive for killing Marcie, that small-town secrets can hide devastating betrayals, and that the past has a way of repeating itself . . . even in murder.

From the Paperback edition.

Customer Reviews:

Couldn't Put It Down..........2007-06-27

This is one of those books you can't put down, and hate to see it end. I liked it so much, I bought one as a gift for my daughter. I read many novels. This one was in my top 10 of all time.

Very good - Hard to put down..........2006-10-24

This was my first Richard North Patterson book. I really liked it. Easy to read and easy to follow. I had trouble putting it down.

Enjoyable read.......2006-10-13

I can see that this author could become a favorite, depending on whether the errors of this book are common with him.

Beautifully written with great characterization, the first error of this book was a who-dunnit so obvious it couldn't possibly be true. Alas, it was. Laden with romance and a more realistic view of true love that just wasn't enough than I have seen in a long time. I found this well-done presenation very appealing. Treating a certain intimate act as enough of an anomaly to be a clue, however, had me wondering when the book was written. Ah, yes, even now enough of a no-no to effectively capture the readers' interest, it is perhaps easy to forget that what so many men fantasize about is likely what any rapist might do. Not trite, but ... more effective as an attention-getter than as a realistic clue.

Hmm................2006-10-12

Silent Witness is blurbed as a legal thriller. So far it reads like a boring romance novel, yuck. I'm hoping it gets better, but after reading nearly two hundred pages, I have me doubts.

Highschool Redux (4.5*s).......2006-09-17

Sam Robb and Tony Lord were on top of the world after Tony's last-minute pass to Sam gave them the football championship. They set out to celebrate with Sue, Sam's girl, and Alison. But later that night, Alison is found strangled to death in a public park near her home with Tony holding her. Though never charged with the murder, public sentiment forces Tony to leave Lake City, OH. This entire scenario comes rushing back to Tony when he as a very successful California lawyer is called back to his hometown to defend Sam against charges of murdering a high school girl.

This book is a gripping probe of personalities, of the rivalry and friendship of high school athletes and classmates, and of decisions and compromises that are made along the way. The trial of Sam is the central event in the book, but through the mechanism of flashbacks, the earlier lives of the central characters are explored to shed light on how everyone has arrived at this point. It is an interesting story but the long courtroom scenes can get tedious. The author moves the story to a finish that is certainly consistent with all that has transpired.

The book is not really a legal thriller. It is far more about the consequences and inevitabilities of personalities.

Silent Witness: The Karla Brown Murder Case (Onyx)

Average customer rating:

Good true crime book
great true crime
Captivating And Enthralling!!

Silent Witness: The Karla Brown Murder Case (Onyx)
Don W. Weber , and Charles Bosworth
Manufacturer: Onyx
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Murder & Mayhem | True Accounts | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

True Crime | True Accounts | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0451404238

Customer Reviews:

Good true crime book.......2002-11-08

I had heard of the Karla Brown case on Unsolved Mysteries so when I came across this book, I had to have it. Don Weber does an excellent job in making the reader really care about the victim and victim's family in this case. Unlike a lot of true crime books which only focus on the murderer, Weber spent a lot of time focused on Karla Brown's surviving family members. You really feel as if you knew the people in this case, whether it be family members of the victim, the detectives involved in the case, and the suspects themselves. A lot of time is spent really giving you a look at all the different people involved in this murder case.

great true crime.......2000-08-07

This is a great book if you like true crime stories. I especially liked reading about FBI profiler John Douglas.You can read about him in a book called mind hunter. He was even able tl tell the police what kind of car the murderer would be driving. this story was pieced together nicley. A good read.

Captivating And Enthralling!!.......1999-03-20

Don Weber does an amazing job with this true-crime story. It shows how, with the help of forensic sciences (odontology, to be exact), a poorly investigated murder can be successfully brought together and tried four years after the crime was committed. What a fascinating study. I could hardly put the book down!!

Average customer rating:

Just plain Sappy..Hill boy...yuk
Originally Posted on Romance Junkies in 2006
A decent storyline, but lacking in the area of presentation
Mystery Romance
Like the characters

Silent Witness
Lindsay Mckenna
Manufacturer: HQN Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Romance | Subjects | Books

Romantic Suspense | Romance | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0373770715

Book Description

In the navy, blood runs thicker than water . . .

FBI criminal profiler Ellen Tanner transferred out of Washington, D.C., to escape the grief of losing a husband. But her new partner, San Diego navy JAG lieutenant Jim Cochran, is a challenge she never expected.

The last thing Cochran wants or needs in his world of order and duty is a woman. After a nasty divorce, he's convinced he's through with relationships. Then along comes Ellen. He knows opposites attract . . . just not how much.

Now a female Top Gun instructor has been murdered and the media is having a field day. Their instincts tell them there's more to this case than meets the eye -- but how do you unravel a deadly conspiracy in an institution where honor and silence go hand in hand?

Customer Reviews:

Just plain Sappy..Hill boy...yuk.......2007-08-01

This is my first book by Lindsay McKenna and I can't say how much I disliked it.

The plot was old and tired, the hero was made to sound like a country bumpkin and the heroine sounded like a earth mother with a college degree in wearing loud clothes.

First few pages were promising, then it turned into a book that a teenager could have written, very immature, repetitive and just plain silly . The romance part of this book was so sappy I could hardly stand it. The plot was the overworked Tailhook Scandal reborn .

I would suggest..oh never mind. I will never read another one of her books.

Originally Posted on Romance Junkies in 2006.......2007-05-14

Lindsay McKenna is a master of military romantic suspense, and each subsequent story she writes proves why. SILENT WITNESS is no different, with its mix of intriguing characters, a thrilling story line, and ever-growing passion.

Agent Ellen Tanner is a redhead who likes long denim skirts, loose blouses, Birkenstock sandals, and dangly earrings. She's also a licensed psychotherapist, not to mention employed by the Office of Inspector General in the Department of Defense. Until recently, she's resided in Washington, D.C., but now she's in California-and assigned to work with JAG Lieutenant Jim Cochrane. The Pentagon came up with the idea of using OIG agents to help out snowed-under JAG agents who are short-staffed and buried under work. With her new one-year assignment in California, Ellen is now the partner of Lt. Cochrane-a man who clearly sees her as nothing but the newest pain in his rear end.

Jim Cochrane doesn't want help. He doesn't need it. Well, he might need it a little, because he is buried under piles of work. But now that he's saddled with a new partner-who just happens to be a woman, not to mention a civilian-he's less than pleased. As his drawl gets thicker and his height seems to increase, he's determined to do everything within his power to get this over with as quickly as possible. It might have worked, too, if it wasn't for the death of Top Gun instructor Susan Kane.

Now Ellen and Jim are working in really close proximity, trying to find a killer. As if Jim's good ole boy demeanor and his obvious disdain of her weren't bad enough, the passion that keeps sparking up between them is driving Ellen mad. Sure, the guy's handsome, but they've got a killer to track, and she has no time-nor desire-to pursue personal relationships. Or so she thought.

As these two hard-headed people-one military, one civilian-work together to catch a murderer, the danger becomes more and more real, as does their desire. Will Ellen and Jim find out who killed Susan Kane before the danger gets too close?

Ms. McKenna has done an excellent job once again of combining military suspense with romance, and the result is a winner in SILENT WITNESS.

A decent storyline, but lacking in the area of presentation.......2006-07-08

Silent Witness was an okay book. It had a good point or two, but also a bunch of negatives.

The storyline was pretty interesting. It's very "military", lots of twists and turns. It was a well-thought storyline, easy to follow and it kept me reading. One issue I had with the whole plot though was what I call "author assumption": the author assumes we, as readers, should know something, when we don't. She refers to real-life military scandals of the past simply by name, but doesn't summarize them at all for those of us who don't know them. So I was pretty lost on those references.

As for the romance...I didn't care for it all that much. It wasn't, in a lot of ways, a very romantic book in the standard sense. Up until they end, I think Ellen and Jim share maybe two kisses. There's a sex scene at the end, but it wasn't written that well, and it seemed kind of plopped in there, and ill-fitting.

Aside from that, I just didn't buy into the romance. It was too...pretty. Ellen and Jim are always thinking or saying things like "you're so wonderful", "you bring the sun back into my life" and things like that. It was just too perfect and didn't seem realistic. Added to that, Ellen most of the time seemed to think of Jim as "Cochrane", which just seemed very impersonal.

The characters were very two-dimensional. Almost everything about them, and the book as a whole, was about the plot itself. While, yes, the plot is important, but if you're gonna develop a romance, you're characters need some meat. And it just wasn't there.

Rating: 2.5 / 5

Mystery Romance.......2006-05-15

Lindsey McKenna has written a lively deeply disturbing look at the fate of women in the military. This is one of her best books to date. I was on the edge of my seat through most of this book and felt so much anguish and grief at the end, I was totally blown away by the book and the ending.

Ellen Tanner is a profiler from Washington assigned to JAG in San Diego. She is a widow whose husband died two years ago. Still empty but finally moving on with her life she is caught up in the death of Susan Kane, a Top Gun in the Navy. She also is very drawn to Lt Jim Cochrane.

Jim Cochrane is finding his way back to life through a bad divorce. For two years he has suffered and worked to have a relationship with his daughter. The very nastiness of his divorce has made him decide to never trust his heart to a woman again. Now he has a hot case and a partner who is just to attractive.

Susan Kane is an exemplary officer and on the fast track to promotion so if she committed suicide the brass want to know why. And if she was murdered they want to know who.

Wonderful plot and the revelations in the case come in very short and powerful ways. I couldn't put it down.

Like the characters.......2006-04-06

I enjoyed this book from Lindsay McKenna. The characters were likeable and the plot was interesting. The only draw back was the excessive use of Reckon, gal and other "hillbilly" word usage which got in the way of some of the conversations. Other than that, enjoyable book to read!

Silent Witness: How Forensic Anthropology Is Used to Solve the World's Toughest Crimes

Average customer rating:

"SW:..." -- is a Grave Disappointment...!!!
Poorly written, not at all informative
an excellent book
A Beautiful Book

Silent Witness: How Forensic Anthropology Is Used to Solve the World's Toughest Crimes
Roxana Ferllini
Manufacturer: Firefly Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Science & Technology | Perspectives on Law | Law | Subjects | Books

Forensic Science | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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General & Reference | Technology | Science | Subjects | Books

jp-unknown2 | Specialty Stores | Books
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ASIN: 1552976254

Book Description

"Bones have an uncanny knack of holding important clues as to the fate of the individuals to whom they belonged."

As portrayed in mystery novels and more than nine television shows including CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, American Justice and City Confidential, forensic anthropologists work in an environment where the stakes are high, the pressure is intense, and their findings are vital in criminal investigations. It's a fascinating and often dramatic world.

Go behind the scenes with forensic anthropologists and learn about their techniques, how they locate a body, how they carefully uncover evidence, and how the unique characteristics of each body bears silent witness to age, sex, cause of death and clues as to who or what was responsible.

With 29 real-life case studies and more than 350 color photographs and illustrations, Silent Witness is a fascinating read for anyone interested in the world of forensics.

Customer Reviews:

"SW:..." -- is a Grave Disappointment...!!! .......2005-02-24

"Silent Witness:..." by Roxanna Ferllini (Timms), NY, Firefly Books, 2002 - ISBN 1-55297-625-6 (pbk.), 7x10 in., 192 pg., has many photos; glossary, index & bibliography are short.

"SW:..." invitingly promises more than it gives: It has an bold enticing cover, c. 300 ample-sized full-color photos of crime scenes, criminals, forensic trace evidences & diverse illustrations, etc., on premium stock semi-gloss paper -- obviously a very expensive printing, especially for paperback.

Table of contents lists 8 chapters: History of Forensic Anthropology, Bone Talk, Exhumations, Surface Bodies, Altered Remains, Air Disasters, Fires/Explosives & Human Rights.

The talky text has many deficiencies: Throughout, it is overly rambling & verbose, i.e., (pg. 157) "Fingerprinting was one of the various processes utilized, and identifications were also made by molecular biologists who applied DNA analysis." Why not say "DNA & fingerprints were used for identification" and use 7 instead of 20 words? Author uses abject word choices, solecism or inaccuracies in medical/forensic phrasing as, i.e., (pg. 27) "since female humans are predisposed to pregnancy and childbirth" is non-comedic, corny. Why not say "childbearing women" and use 2 not 9 words. And, (p. 31), "cygomatics" referencing cheekbones should be "zygomatics", but problematical is wandering & wayword use of medical/forensic jargon as might a lay person.

The author's credentials (MA in Biol. Anthro.) are restricted to a 2" small space on the inside back cover & indicates she worked with UK Foreign Office as Forensic Anthropologist in Kosovo and for UN in Rwanda, and her interest in facial reproduction, political conflicts, genocide, & human rights is notable & praiseworthy. Thusly, her final Chapter 8 on Human Rights is the single textual useful strong point of "SW:..."

In summary, the book is geared to HS grade level of introductory forensics -- it has many excellent & remarkably good photographs & few hints of favorable text. What this book needs is an insightful editor who could salvage the text of "SW:..." to gain more serious readership, but Chapter 8 is okay.

Poorly written, not at all informative.......2005-02-12

This book is like reading a trashy tabloid - lots of flashy big colour photos, low on substance. Obviously trying to cash in on current interest in forensics, each chapter is poorly written and is accompanied with 3 or 4 case studies.

The material in each chapter seems to be just common sense any adult could write about after doing minimal research and the case studies are too short, repetitive and sometimes don't even make sense.

Very disappointing. I suspect this book is intended for age group around 8-15 although it never says this anywhere.

an excellent book.......2003-01-09

i picked this book up at the library because i am fascinated by forensics. this book is an excellent source for someone interested in the subject, it is divided into subject chapters with details and photos of real cases. it explains terms very well, i feel anyone interested in forensics would enjoy this book.

A Beautiful Book.......2002-09-08

Every so often you come across a book that is just beautiful. You can tell that hours and hours have been put into the design, the layout and the collection of photographs and other graphics to make this book truly stand out from the crowd. This is one of those books.

The writing is of a very high standard, with some interesting forensic information that I haven't seen before in other books of this type. In my opinion the author strikes just the right balance of detail; not too light but also not to deep and heavy (after all, this isn't a text book for forensic scientists!)

The photographs and case histories have obviously been carefully selected; it would have been all too easy to choose extremely violent and graphic artwork full of blood and gore (criminal forensics is a violent business, after all), but the author has not done this, instead picking out artwork that clearly illustrate her text.

This book is a fascinating look into the world of forensic anthropology and is highly recommended.

Average customer rating:

From the "Code Red" series -- Recommended

deep family drama

Silent Witness (Code Red) (Harlequin Superromance, No. 1200)
Kay David
Manufacturer: Harlequin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Romance | Subjects | Books
Harlequin Superromance | Series | Romance | Subjects | Books
General | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books
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Justice For All (Code Red)

ASIN: 0373712006

Customer Reviews:

From the "Code Red" series -- Recommended.......2004-05-17

Andrea arrives at her sister Vicki's home to help her unpack only to walk in on unspeakable tragedy. Her sister claimed to have been returning to Courage Bay after a disastrous marriage and divorce. Only now a family armoire has fallen, breaking her six-year-old nephew's leg. Horribly, the child has born silent witness to his mother's death, trapped with her body for hours. Kevin suffers from Selective Mutism and does not even call for help. A paramedic, Andrea calls for help while trying to comfort the child.

When word of his ex-wife's death reaches Grant Corbin, he immediately leaves LA to come to his son's aid. He is not prepared to meet with Andrea's hostility or the lies his ex-wife created. After a year's absence from his son's life, Grant hopes to make up for the past. However, when Grant sees Kevin with Andrea, he has to reevaluate his own needs and desires. Having failed at his marriage to her sister, Grant has little hope doing better by Andrea despite their mutual attraction.

Once again author Kay David proves her excellence at creating tales impossible to put down with SILENT WITNESS. However, discerning readers may be a bit distracted by a couple of plot points. First, too little time elapses between the time of Vicki's death and the growing romance between Andrea and Grant; however, the timing is implicitly necessary to keep Grant's decisions immediate regarding his son. Certainly Grant's determination to put his son's best interests ahead of his own desires demonstrates a remarkably loving parent facing an impossible and painful situation. Secondly, author David unfortunately mirrors a commonly held myth among romance writers. Despite commonly held belief, if a man's name appears on the birth certificate, the courts always favor the father who cares for the child since birth. Biology does not determine custody under the circumstances David creates. Nevertheless, the painful family drama and tender romance results in a read that comes recommended.

deep family drama.......2004-05-06

While paramedic Andrea Hunt left Los Angeles to start over in her hometown of Courage Bay, her older sister Vicki also came home with more baggage caused by a disastrous marriage and divorce, but with one blessing her six year old son Kevin. Though flighty, Vicki cares for her child who suffers from Selective Mutism ever since his father Los Angeles Detective Grant Corbin left them without a look back or even a call.

However, the return for Vicki ends tragically when her grandmother's huge armoire falls on her killing her while Kevin is hospitalized. Andrea takes over raising her nephew while Grant arrives in town vowing during the drive to be the best father to the son he has missed for a year. However, when he sees his silent son with his aunt, Grant realizes the lad is better off with her. Still he wants in, but Andrea despises him for ignoring his child and fears he might have killed Vicki. Still he seems so patient with Kevin that she reconsiders her first impression as she falls in love with both male Corbins.

Though well written and exciting, readers will feel a somewhat bitter taste as the timing of anything romantic between the two lead adults seems too soon after the death of Vicki. Still Kevin is a wonderful child struggling with the radical changes to his environs including his father's "desertion", his mother's death, and his relocation even though his Aunt Andrea is a delightful nurturing soul. SILENT WITNESS is a deep family drama with a touch of a mystery and a warm romance starring the right couple in the right place at the wrong time.

Book Description

Four-year-old Lula McLean lived on a plantation overlooking Bull Run Creek. There her family grew wheat, corn, and oats. In July 1861, troops fighting in the newly begun Civil War arrived on the McLeans" front lawn in Manassas, Virginia. The peaceful countryside where Lula often spent time playing with her favorite rag doll became a campsite full of cannon and trenches and tents. Wilmer McLean decided to relocate his family to a tiny village called Appomattox Court House, away from the war and the troops. But a few years later, on April 9, 1865, as Lula played with her rag doll, two visitors in tall boots made their way into her house. Lula and her doll were about to become part of American history. Robin Friedman and Claire A. Nivola reveal, through the story of Lula and her beloved doll, the story of a nineteenth-century family who saw the Civil War unfold before their very eyes.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent civil war story for children........2006-08-08

This book takes one story of the Civil War and puts it into a child's perspective. If you are a civil war buff, this book is perfect to share with your child or grandchild. The story is very well written, from a child's viewpoint, and the pictures are delightful. I bought this for my friend to share with his young granddaughter and they both thoroughly enjoyed the book. It prompted her to ask Grandpa more questions about a subject he loves to talk about! The book arrived in excellent condition. I highly recommend this book for folks who enjoy stories of this era to share with a special child.

Average customer rating:

Average.....
Silent Witness
I recomend this book for year 8's to 13's
i rate this book for year 8's to 13's
silent witness was a good book.

Silent Witness
Carol Ellis
Manufacturer: Point
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Horror | Teens | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0590471015

Customer Reviews:

Average............2003-06-01

"Silent Witness" by Carol Witness was an okay book. I thought it was going to be a lot better, but it could've been worse. The storyline revolves around a girl named Lucy. Recently, her friend Allen died. Allen's mother gives away some of his belongings and Lucy gets ahold of a video tape recorded by Allen. At first, Lucy thinks that the tapings were of fun encounters; the school car wash, a party, etc. It seems fine until she witnesses something deadly on it! Something that someone would kill to get back...

I thought that the book was pretty good. Maybe I've read a bit too many young adult thrillers, but this one wasn't one of my favorites. It moved a little slow but the ending was pretty cool. Overall, it wasn't bad.

Also recommended:
a.) "Someone at the Door" by Richie Tankersley Cusick
b.) "Starstruck" by Richie Tankersley Cusick
c.) "Vampire" by Richie Tankersley Cusick
d.) "Slay Bells" by Jo Gibson
e.) "My Bloody Valentine" by Jo Gibson
f.) "Secret Santa" by D. E. Athkins
g.) "The Invitation" by Diane Hoh
h.) "The Train" by Diane Hoh
i.) All R. L. Stine young-adult thrillers
j.) All books by Joan Lowery Nixon

Silent Witness.......2003-04-07

The book Silent Witness was written by Carol Ellis. This book is a mystery about a girl named Lucy, Lucy's friend Allan died. He lived across the street from her. No one really knew exactly what had happend except that Allan was walking on a hill and fell and died. Allan's mom gave Lucy a box full of Allan's things, his mom wanted Lucy to give the things away to his friends so they would have something to remember him by. Lucy found a video in the box and desided to keep it for herself, but that video has evidence of a crime, and someone would do anything to get rid of it. The only problem was that because Lucy kept that video she was about to experience many difficult obsticles..her last obsticle was to find out if she was the next to die.

What I liked about this book is that it always found a way to keep my interest. It never got boring. I also like that it was a bit scary and always kept you in suspence, wondering what was going to happen next. I especially like how this book has a surprising and interesting twist close to the end. You would never suspect, even with to clues the author gives you, that this book was going to end the way it did.

I would certainly recommend this book to others. Especially if you like reading mystery books. You would also like this book if you like books that are light reads and that wont bore you at any point. This book is excellent and I'm sure anyone who reads it would think the same.

I recomend this book for year 8's to 13's.......1999-05-19

This book was a bit scary but very interesting. I thought it was so good that I decided to do my english essay on it and I got a really good mark.

i rate this book for year 8's to 13's.......1999-05-19

this book was a bit scary but very interesting. it was so good i decided to do my english essay on it and i got a really good mark.

silent witness was a good book........1998-12-09

It was a horror book about a girl named Lucy and she had to find out who killed her friend and if she was the next to die!! I would recommend this book to 6th through 8th grade readers because it isnt really scary but it's interesting.

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