Written in Bone: Hidden Stories in What We Leave Behind by Sue Black is an extremely well-written and understandable book on a very detailed and complex subject matter – the human body and the stories it tells about life and death. Highly recommended! #WritteninBone #NetGalley

This was an erudite and entertaining look at the human body (and particularly the skeletal system) and the stories it can tell about life and death. The author is clearly an expert in her field and has lots of entertaining stories about criminal cases involving the body parts she covers in each chapter, and these stories both deflate CSI myths and make the academic knowledge concrete and relevant. That said there is a lot of anatomical detail in this book, and I'm honestly not sure how much I'll remember in a few months. But even if I forget the details, the general themes were really interesting!

This book is probably an easier read (despite the contents) for those who like to dabble in True Crime/Forensics than the author’s previous work. There is lesser personal information provided here, but the little that is is pretty heartbreaking to imagine.

The book is divided into major parts of the body. We are provided with some biological and scientific facts of those respective parts. After this general overview, we are given a well-detailed foray into a case highlighting those salient facts. Some of them have our author actually participating in the investigation, whereas some were historical stories that are morbidly fascinating.

There is a running thread of subtle humour in the writing that is more pronounced here than in the other book. This makes it a smoother experience. I found it simultaneously hard to put away and continue uninterrupted. The former because I wanted to hear more about some extremely strange occurrences, even as the number of facts, scientific and otherwise, got me feeling a little buried in data. It is definitely not a one-sitting read like fiction books but worth reading if one is even remotely interested in human physiology and forensic investigation. The wide experience, both in years and the variety that Sue Black has had, reflects in the range of the stories presented to us. Caution and patience is something that is focused on as a requirement do a good job in most of the examples. Similarly, we need to pace ourselves in order to best absorb those stories.

I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my reading of this and the previous work by the author.

This is a fascinating and informative book on bones. The author goes into great detail about what each bone is, where it is located, and what it is used for. She then goes on to explain how looking at a person's bones after death can help with investigations such as murders or missing people. The bones can also be used to determine how they need to be investigated by determining how old the bones are. For instance, do they need to be studied to see how the person died as part of a murder investigation or do they need to be investigated as an archaeological find?
I learned a great deal by reading this book and I would definitely recommend it.

Thank you to Skyhorse Publishing, NetGalley and Sue Black for my advanced reader's copy.

This is hands down my favorite book of the year.

I am always on the lookout for pathology and forensics books-and this delivered. I work in the medical field, and obviously, find this topic interesting. While I knew a lot going into this, there was still a lot I learned.

This is written so well-understandable yet intelligently. This is not an intimidating science read either.

The cases were awesome to read about-the way that DNA and fingerprinting is used-then delves into how our bodies change over time.

After reading this book, I can say it was thought-provoking, interesting, and incredibly detailed.

I would highly recommend this to anyone interested in forensic pathology, anatomy, anthropology-novice to expert.

I have already bought myself a copy and highlighting and annotating.

I want to say a huge thank you to Netgalley and Skyhorse publishing for a copy of this ebook for my honest and voluntary review. This has become a new favorite!

This was my first book by Sue Black. I must know go buy a copy of her other book! This book was interesting, funny and one that you just don't want to put down. If you are interested in forensics, this is a book you should add to your "to read" list.

I have learnt so much more from this I did do a little forensic anthropology at university in my 1st year so I knew a little bit this is just fascinating! A must read for scientists and non scientists alike.

Thank you Netgalley for this audiobook edition of Written in Bone, by Sue Black.


Sue Black is a forensic anthropologist with years of experience finding what our bones have to tell us after we're dead, or less fortunately, killed. Black dispels a lot of forensic myths (being able to tell exactly how old a body is, or how easy it is to tell if a bone is actually human etc), as well as shining a light on the fascinating world of forensics. Her book is full of horrifying, yet captivating stories of all that she has seen and learned in the field.

Not being a science buff AT ALL, sometimes I wanted to speed up into the cool stories, but overall this was a very interesting read.

Book Review
Title: Written in Bone: Hidden Stories in What We Leave Behind by Sue Black
Genre: Non-Fiction, Science, Memoir
Rating: 4 Stars
I didn’t know anything about Written in Bone but the premise sounded interesting and the cover is so beautiful (plus I got approved for ARCs on both NetGalley and Edelweiss). Sue Black begins by introducing us to what the field of forensic anthropology is and what its purpose is in different circumstances. I really liked the fact that Black is going to be focusing on what the skeleton can tell us when all the other parts of the body are lost to time and just from the introduction I can tell this is going to be a very interesting book. She also begins by separating fact from fiction, so if you are like me and love shows like Bones then this is going to be a really fun book to read.
Black begins by starting with the cranial bones or the skull, she talks in some depth about the skull’s formation and how it develops over time. It was interesting to learn that they can accurately age children using just the skull as different parts of the skull develop and fuse over time which has been used in criminal cases. She also talks in some depth about how they can identify which part of the skull fragments of bone have come from because the skull unlike other bones in our body is made up of different types of bone limited to specific areas of the skull. While this does get fairly technical Black has written in a way that everyone can understand the terminology and linguistics used. She makes this information more interesting as she links them to forensic cases that she has worked on over the years including murders and how the skull played a major role in identifying the victim, working out how the victim was killed and many other factors that came into play during these cases. She also makes it clear that her role as a forensic anthropologist was limited and she has to work with pathologists when determined how the person died and if there was foul play involved as this was beyond her area of expertise and how she wasn’t involved in the case beyond that and had to follow them in the papers like everyone else.
We are staying with the skull here but moving specifically to the facial bones at the front of the skull that make up our face. The first point Black makes is that the facial structure is unique, not just between humans and other species but between individual humans as siblings and even twins can have minor variations in the way their faces are constructed. Humans also have the ability to recognise both familiar and unfamiliar faces, which has only be recorded in a few other species which was interesting. Black discusses a conference she attended in Saudi Arabia, where she observed that Saudi women could recognise each other easily even when only their eyes were visible. She decides to study this and see if there were specific areas the women were looking at in order to identify their friends and it was unconclusive at the time but there seemed to be some merit in it. On the back of this she discusses the prosopagnosia-super-recognizer spectrum, people who suffer with prosopagnosia are unable to identify faces and I took the test myself and found that I am can easily identify familiar and unfamiliar faces although not to the level of a super recognizer but good enough. Black’s story about not being able to identify her husband who she has known for 25 years because he grew a beard in the time she was away was rather funny, but it did highlight how little has to change about a person for our recognition skills to be rendered useless. Black also spends a great deal of time discussing how plastic surgery and cosmetic dental work have made facial recognition both easier and harder. It made it easier because they had more to work with been as things like dentures can easily be tracked to the manufacturer and the dentist who fitted them. However, from a surface perspective who lose the individual characteristics that many would be able to identify us by on the surface.
Moving below the skull, Black is now going to look at the postcranial axial bones, namely the spine. The spine was an interesting section for me namely because Black discusses some of the last hangings and beheadings to take place within the United Kingdom which was really intriguing. There is a book called the Hangman’s Bible if I remember correctly detailing all the hanging to take place in the UK that makes for some really interesting reading fi you want to check it out. Black talks in some depth about several different cases she worked on where only a part of the spine was the only thing recovered from the body or that the spine was the most critical part of the body in determining how the person died which is the case in two of the crimes she discusses. She also recounts in length about how the spine is one of the most essential parts of the human body and it plays a huge role in what separates us from a lot of other species in the fact we walk upright. She also talks a lot of different medical condition that affect the spine and how these present themselves and how she as a forensic anthropologist could easily spot these and relate them back to the specific illness that caused them. Black is different following a pattern when discussing different parts of the body, it seems to be equal parts science and medicine coupled with a few stories about cases she has worked on over the years and I have a feeling that this pattern is going to change for the rest of the novel.
The next section Black is going to discuss is the thorax or chest area. This section focuses mainly on the sternum or breastbone and the ribs. It was nice to see Black make the assessment that when trying to kill someone there are two weak points people usually go for, the head or the chest. While the head does contain the brain the skull is thick in places and can be difficult to break, in comparison the bones of the chest are much weaker and easier to break and in the case of the ribs there are convenient gaps between them for a knife or bullet to pass through. Black also makes it known that if you have only recovered ribs it can be very difficult to actually distinguish humans ribs from the ribs of a pig are they are virtually identical and she breaks down some of the ways in which they are similar which might just put me off spare ribs for the rest of my life. Black goes on to discuss the variety of ways the different bones in the chest can be used to identify causes of death and how in the case of the ribs they can literally record details of abuse for years because they don’t heal quickly. Black actually encountered this when working on the case of a little boy who had been killed by his father. They were able to separate the new injuries from the old and determine how long the abuse had been going on for before the boy’s death which was both heart-breaking and astounding. Black does talk about several other cases during this section but the young boy stuck with me the most as I’ve heard about horrendous abuse suffered by children like Baby P and knowing that their bodies hold a record of that abuse that can bring their abusers to justice holds a small comfort for me.
We then return higher up the body once more to the throat, looking specifically at the hyoid and larynx and immediately my phonetics lessons are coming back to haunt me. Compared to the other chapters we have seen so far this one is relatively short. Black discusses how the hyoid bone is typically referred to in crime novels as a break in this bone can be done by strangulation. However, she does counter this by saying that it is possible to break your hyoid bone while you are still alive and for it to heal and she gives us some examples of this she has seen during her career. It is nice how she referred not only men and women in her cases but transgender people as well as their bodies show signs of their transition which help identify that person after death. I don’t really have a lot of say on this section so I’ve kept it short.
By the time we enter part three, we have moved onto the limbs or the postcranial appendicular bones and the first set we are going to be looking at are the pectoral girdle or the shoulder blades. I liked that almost straight away Black points out the duality in this upper girdle as it contains the bone least likely to be fractured in the shoulder and the bone most commonly broken in the collarbone. When discussing the clavicle or collarbone Black states that it is the first bone to develop in the womb at around 5 weeks and develops as a steady pace of around 1mm per week, meaning by the time the baby is born the collarbone measures around 44mm in length. This allows people like Black to accurately age foetal remains and she talks about a few cases where foetal bones were recovered, the collarbone included and she was able to accurate age them. The collarbone is also one of the most resilient bones in the body and a fragment of a collarbone was used to convict a murderer as it withstood being broken and burned repeatedly when other bones didn’t. By the time she moves onto the shoulder, the tone changes slightly as it is so hard to damage naturally. One of the most common ways the shoulder is injured is through torture methods which she does discuss in some length but also being hit extremely hard could also damage the shoulder. She also goes on to talk about how certain repeated action can inadvertently damaged the shoulder, for example, archers suffer with shoulder damage on one side which takes the strain on the bow.
Black move on to the other girdle in the body which is the pelvic girdle and is made up of the pubic bones in the front and the sacrum in the back. This was another relatively short chapter, Black makes it clear that while it is very easy to distinguish someone’s sex solely with their pelvis 80-90% of the time, this isn’t the case with children as before the production of hormones during puberty both male and female pelvises look identical. However, after puberty it is easy as men’s become squarer and box like while women’s is more rounded and undergoes some structural changes in order to give birth. There is also markings left behind after birth so they can also determine if a woman has given birth once or multiple times from her pelvis alone. However, the two cases she discusses her are both men who died from gunshots wounds and in both cases the bullet was never recovered despite there being no exit wound. Upon examination both bullets were found lodged in the pelvis near the pubic bone which was an interesting coincidence for Black.
Black then moves onto the long bones both in the upper and lower limbs as these are directly comparable. There are six long bones in the body split evenly between the arms and the legs, these are the humerus, the femur, the radius, the ulna, the tibia and the fibula. Black makes the distinctions between how these bones can be used to age a child and there are specific growth patterns in these bones when we are young, however, after they fuse between 15-16 in girls and 18-19 boys these bones can only be used for determined height and not age. Black spends quite a lot of time digging through the different ways in which these bones can be damaged and how a forensic anthropologist determined whether these where made accidentally in the case of sports injuries or whether there were a result of foul play or defensive injuries. For example, if we are attacked we would typically raise our arms to protect our head often resulting in defensive injuries to the forearms which is extremely common however, in the legs the main injuries seen there can be associated with sports such as tackling in football or rugby. Black also breaks down basic anatomy explaining how the arms and legs are mirrors of each other with a mirror difference between the hips and shoulder. She also discusses several cases where the long bones were found before the rest of the body and how they could still make a determination of gender, height, age and how the body was dismembered extremely accurately because these bones are unique in humans. I liked how throughout this book Black has injected small personal stories to explain or further explain points that are important. During this section she also discusses how features like tattoos, freckles, mole and birthmarks can be used to identify people which has been done in murders, missing persons and case of assault.
Following on from the long bones, Black’s next area to look at is the hands. The hands are probably one of the most important parts of the body when it comes to identifying someone as we all have fingerprints and in some cases the hands can be the only part of the body that is missing. This was one of my favourite chapters in the entire book as we know our hands are unique. Not just in the sense of the difference in species as humans and primates are some of the only species with posable thumbs but we use our hands very differently to primate. Our hands are also unique in the sense of our fingerprints but there can be further unique things that happen with our hands such as having more or less digits, fused digits and much more. Black actually references Hannibal Lecter who has a duplicate middle finger on his left hand which is a very rare thing in the real world and it made him so interesting to me as a character as Hannibal values his hands more than anything as he is both a surgeon and artist where the hands are extremely valuable to those particular professions. Black also goes on to explain how the hands are used in a variety of ways to identify the dead and references a few different cases. However, I did find it very interesting to learn that some animals like seals have very similar anatomy to use, when completely skeletal a seal’s flipper and a human hand are extremely similar and seal flippers can often be mistaken for human hands washing up on beaches. Black obviously also discussing fingerprints and how we thought they were unique to every individual including twins, however, it has been proven since that this might not be the case as there are cases were fingerprints at crime scenes have been matched to individuals that have nothing to do with the case although this might just be the prints are extremely similar.
The next part of the body Black goes on to discuss is obviously the feet and this might be the last chapter in the book. Black makes the point that the feet are almost as unique as the hands and yet are often overlooked during forensic investigations. She discusses how the feet are composed much like the hands and how you can use toe prints the same way you use fingerprints, however, she mentions gait analysis or the way we walk, the hand version of which would be the way we write and how this has been used to identify criminals are the way we look is unique to the individual as it depends on the length of the stride, the weight distribution and much more making it almost impossible to hide or copy. The cases Black references here are the most exciting but the final one about Buck Ruxton was amazing and it was one I had no prior knowledge of. Overall, Written in Bone has been a deeply fascinating and informative look at the human body and how small parts right down to the tiny finger and toe bones can be used to partially or fully identify a person and if you are interesting in forensics at all then I’d definitely recommend picking this book up.

As a graduate student in bioanthropology, I find Written in Bone to be an interesting book that people wanting information on forensic anthropology would enjoy. Sue Balck offers lots of information imbedded within stories of her experience as a forensic anthropologist. The book is well organized, and easy to understand.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have read books by the author before and loved her style, and that is what inspired me to read this. I massively enjoyed the book, it offers information but is broken up with cases that Black has worked on and the practical use of the science. I would recommend this for lay readers and professionals alike. Well researched and the subject dealt with sensitively and seriously in the manner that it should. This is a must read for anyone interested in this area.

Thanks to Netgalley and Skyhorse Publishing for access to this arc.

TW/CW – child abuse, child sexual abuse, rape, torture, graphic descriptions of human bodies


I’m not going to add much to what the blurb (accurately) details will be in this book. Black starts at the top of the human skeleton and works her way down, describing how bones form, change as we age, and then includes (edited) details from some of her past investigations on behalf of the police and others trying to solve crimes. It’s a fascinating, down to earth depiction of the human skeleton and how our lives can be shown from our bones. The cases she includes are also interesting and real life examples of how this detailed knowledge can help ensure justice – both for getting who dunnit as well as clearing who didn’t.

I would strongly urge readers to be aware that many of these cases will be disturbing to read about. There were times I needed to take a break and go look at something soothing and peaceful. My admiration for those who spend their professional lives viewing what humanity can do to other humanity then trying to right these wrongs has gone up even more after reading this book. B

This book discusses different case studies and court cases that were decided on the findings of the bones that the forensic anthropologist did their studies on.

I have always been fascinated with forensic anthropology and discovering what happened and where they have been. But in reading these stories I realized that I think I was right not to choose it as a career. CW: There are many stories about children, babies and fetuses. And there is a history of unwanted babies but I imagine the baby as they are alive and it pulls my heart out through my toes. I find it would be hard to separate myself from the facts.

The studies discussed were from recent times as well as from centuries ago. Even one about the real Fraser clan from Outlander. It is so amazing that bones from so long ago can still tell their stories and give information on diet, patterns of behavior, etc.

There is a section that talks about the fascination of hands and missing digits. It reminded me that my Dad would always do the missing finger trick where you would bend one finger on each hand and it looks like they complete each other. He would always tell me the story of his Uncle who lost the top half of his finger and freaked him out when he did that trick and the finger didn't come back. He was a Carpenter if I remember correctly.

Also, the disembodied feet, crazy!! Who knew! They are like there own ecosystem, Em from ATWWD would hate this.

Thank you net galley and skyhorse publishing for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

Dr Sue Black’s first book All That Remains, which detailed her career as a forensic anthropologist was a tour-de-force. Not only did we get to hear about cases she had worked on, ranging from dismembered bodies, to identifying the dead in mass graves, but she also opened up about death. Dr Black is in a unique position, having spent her adult life working with death, to talk about this subject that is still taboo for many. On finishing the book I found myself feeling quite differently about death, and viewing it more as an essential part of life than something to be feared. In her second book, Written in Bone, released on the 10th June, is constructed in a similar vein with remembrances of a variety of criminal cases she has worked on, hooked around the central conceit of touring around the skeleton.

Before we move on to the details it is important to ask a question. Is this really true crime? I suppose that it depends greatly on how narrow or broad a definition of true crime you like to entertain. If you want straight narrative storytelling, about a specific, or series of specific crimes, which most likely are linked by the perpetrators, then no this isn’t true crime. I am never a fan of being too prescriptive about the boundaries of genre, mainly because some of the most interesting books are exactly those that play with those boundaries, and leave them mailable. So I take a wide view of what can be true crime, and what is not. For me Black’s work part memoire, part instruction book, and part true crime, and it’s inability to be easily pigeon-holed, to slip so elegantly between man-made terms which mainly serve marketing purposes, is just one more thing to highly recommend it.

I have never thought much about my skeleton, but having read from my head to my toes, I feel like again, her writing has changed my relationship with myself. The skull is phenomenal, ribs are fascinating, feet really are a miracle and harris lines… Oh, the harris lines are profound, and tragic, and sad, in their healing Black exposes the kind of painful beauty that reveals the human condition and which is mainly found in poetry.

It is a sign that Black is a talented writer, not just scientist, that she can translated these parts of ourselves, that literally no one ever wants to see, into not just a compelling read but an education tool that reframes our internal world. She opens up her thoughts and experiences for us to inspect, and we find in her a gentle humanity, quiet acceptance, and a kindness and respect for the dead that brooks no fear, and tells only truth.

I was pleased to hear that the good Doctor has recently been made a Dame, for her services to science. And while I in no way want to diminish those accomplishments, she has also done as great a service in helping us all to see ourselves and others with new eyes.

I absolutely loved this book. Internationally renowned forensic anthropologist and human anatomist Dame Sue Black details the human skeleton from the top of the skull to the tiniest bones in the feet. She explains how the various bones are formed, how they function together and how they leave clues to the attentive about how an individual lived .... or died.

The author educates us laypersons and then delves into the finer details by using criminal cases to illustrate, and writes in such a way that it appears to clear and understandable, which is a real gift. Highly recommended. 5 stars

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have long been a fan of forensic anthropology and have read almost every book that I can get my hands on about it. While there is a lot of science in this book, there's also the touch of personal stories. I took forensic anthropology in university, so I was able to follow the more technical side of the book, but I understand that that might be more difficult for people who don't have that background.

I love the added touch of personal stories. I like seeing the closure for families.

I loved this book, but it's definitely not an easy read and it's not for everyone.

Sue Black is a forensic anthropologist and walks us through the body and the stories our bones can tell. Starting out, Sue sets the stage by clarifying her role and comparing it to related careers such as forensic pathology then takes readers section by section through the body as she shares what clues those parts may offer scientists. I thought it was really well written and interesting!

I have an anthropology background, so I'm always excited to read new nonfiction books from prominent anthropologists. Sue Black did an excellent job mixing terminology, explanations, and anecdotes into an entertaining and accessible read.

I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley for review and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
According to the author, a renowned forensic anthropologist, our past is written in our bones. Think of trauma, physical or emotional. Crime victims are often looked at respectfully and intensely to bring the perpetrators to justice. Each bone tells a tale of what we ate, what job we held, what trauma we may have faced in our amazing life. This book outlines many little known criminal cases to make the point. Well written and informative book. Enjoyable for historical, forensic and criminal justice readers.

Written in Bone is a chronological journey through the human body, one skeletal piece at a time. Sue Black, a forensic anthropologist, explores the different parts that make up our anatomy – in the ways that biology, history and forensic knowledge intersect. With each part explored we gain a deeper understanding into its place in our biological makeup, how it fits into evolutionary history and personal stories, and at what part of our aging bodies it reaches its finished form. Because of Black’s professional background the main focus lies in what the bones can tell us about the individual stories they have been part of. These stories can be divided into two main forms – the identity of the body, and the cause of death. Information regarding the identity of the body can of course concern many things, some of them of a biological nature; e.g. age, sex, ethnicity. Usually these types of facts are only ever approximate, perhaps one of the bigger myth-busters of the book’s entirety. Other ways the bones can hint at an identity are based on behavior and lifestyle – occupation, medical history (such as operations, illness, and other forms of damage requiring medical assistance), body modification. The other category can of course also be telling in the question of identity – the cause of (and other facts related to) death. Not all the cases that Sue Black has worked on are deaths of foul play, but one of the work assignments relates to the distinguishing purposeful from accidental death. Sometimes the job implies dating bones found by a passing dog-walker, to determine whether a police investigation is called for or whether the bones location have a natural explanation (such as an old burial site). Other times her work entails the presenting of evidence that may be used in a criminal trial, such as a history of abuse as seen through repeated scarring in bones healed and healed again over an extended period of time. Through learning about forensic science in this hands-on approach, as she is looking at one bone at a time and gives examples from her experiences of actual cases, we are also privy to some of the goings on within the justice process itself. How, for example, treacherous it can be for an expert witness in a particular field to voice an opinion anywhere beyond their jurisdiction or how suggested (rushed) conclusions could lead investigations in the wrong directions, losing time and money in the process. What is perhaps especially powerfully conveyed is the need for meticulousness in studying human bones, whether for science or for crime investigations, to carefully weigh each detail in its rightful context before making any conclusions on what the pieces of information mean. Doing that can lead investigations to the murderer of a man found in the woods or reunite the bones of a woman to her family found on the other side of the world. It can mean the closure needed for a parent to bury their child or the vindication of one seeking justice for their loved one’s passing. Our bones have stories to tell, and Sue Black lets us sit down to hear a fraction of the stories she has read.