From Booklist, Apr. 1996, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

Gr. 5-7. Show kids a full-color cover photo featuring shelf upon shelf crowded with skulls, and you're certain to get their attention. The rest of the book won't disappoint, either. Jackson follows forensic anthropologist Dr. Michael Charney and his colleagues as they solve an actual case by developing a physical profile from bones and teeth, reconstructing the victim's skull, and using clues from fibers and other material to make further identification. Kids will be fascinated as they see how a skull, bones, and bone fragments found in a wooded area reveal enough information to show that the victim was an Asian woman of a certain age and height. Once the skull was reconstructed, police sent out mug shots, which eventually led to an identification--and a murderer. The weakest part of the book is its layout. The story of Charney's case is interrupted by "Forensic File" pages that cover such topics as fingerprints and DNA. Naturally, this information should have been included somewhere, but, as placed, it interrupts the flow. The color photos, no matter what their size, are crisp, clear, and always intriguing. A glossary and diagram of the bones are appended. A useful, enthralling work. (Reviewed April 1, 1996)¾: Ilene Cooper.