Written In Bone: hidden stories in what we leave behind

About the Book

Our bones are the silent witnesses to the lives we lead. Our stories are marbled into their marrow, waiting to be revealed.

WINNER OF THE CWA GOLD DAGGER FOR NON-FICTION

'Gripping from the start, Written in Bone is superb' - Dr Richard Shepherd, author of Unnatural Causes
'No Scientist communicates better than Sue Black' - Val McDermid, author of Still Life
'Macabre, authoritative and fascinating.' - The Sunday Times

What we eat, where we go, the experiences we have: everything we do leaves a trace, a message that waits patiently for months, years, sometimes centuries, until a forensic anthropologist is called upon to decipher it. Drawing upon her years of research and a wealth of remarkable experience, the world-renowned forensic anthropologist Sue Black takes us on a journey of revelation. From skull to feet, via the face, spine, chest, arms, hands, pelvis and legs, she shows that each part of our skeleton has a tale to tell.

Some of this information is easily understood, some holds its secrets tight and needs scientific cajoling to be released. But by carefully piecing together the evidence, the facts of a life can be rebuilt.

Limb by limb, case by case - some criminal, some historical, some unaccountably bizarre - Sue Black reconstructs with intimate sensitivity and compassion the hidden stories in what we leave behind.

Praise for Sue Black:

'Sue Black has a rare ability to make blood and bones come alive. A marvellous writer.' Ruth Davidson, SMP
'The corpse whisperer . . . Is it okay for Black, or us, to enjoy this quite so much?'
'Fascinating' - Spectator
'Gripping' - Guardian
'Moving' - Scotsman
'Engrossing' - Financial Times
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SUE BLACK IS ALSO THE AUTHOR OF THE AWARD-WINNING, BESTSELLING BOOK, ALL THAT REMAINS: A LIFE IN DEATH.

HER NEW BOOK, AN EXPERT WITNESS: FORENSIC SCIENCE ON TRIAL, IS OUT NOW.

About the Author :
Professor Lady Sue Black is one of the world’s leading anatomists and forensic anthropologists. She is President of St John’s College, Oxford and previously Pro-Vice Chancellor for Engagement at Lancaster University. From 2003 to 2018 she was Professor of Anatomy and Forensic Anthropology at the University of Dundee. She was the lead anthropologist for the British Forensic Team in the war crimes investigations in Kosovo, and one of the first forensic scientists to travel to Thailand following the Indian Ocean tsunami. Sue was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to forensic anthropology and is a Lady of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle. She is the author of the critically acclaimed and award-winning Sunday Times bestsellers All That Remains and Written in Bone. Her new book, An Expert Witness: Forensic Science on Trial is published in 2026.

Review :
The corpse whisperer ... could Black's life be any more ready for a series producer to pitch to Netflix? ... and is it OK for her, or us, to enjoy this quite so much? A fascinating if grisly book. It should be read. For someone who deals in death every day, Sue Black has a rare ability to make blood and bones come alive. A marvellous writer. A fascinating overview of the human skeleton from the forensic anthropologist's point of view, with case studies that are both pertinent and entertaining. Gripping from the start, Written in Bone is superb - fascinating in its detail of real life cases and written with a narrative that propels you forward to the next page. [Sue Black's] stunning new book...is full of gripping case studies..and full of dry humour Black writes with rare precision and compassion Her stories invite us to imagine the worst that can happen to us, or those we love. But I was also reminded of a pathologist who, on completing her autopsies, would pull off her gloves with a snap and announce: 'Isn't it good to be alive.' There's redemption here, too, and justice; there's humanitarianism and compassion.