Skeleton Justice

The case begins with New York City on high alert for a most bizarre serial killer—a strange kind of thief who stalks his victims for the purpose of extracting a vial of blood, earning him the tabloid nickname the Vampire. As the attacks become more and more vicious and escalate to torture and then to murder, Jake and Manny begin to suspect there is a connection between the killer’s seemingly random victims. But what is the link between the Vampire and a case that Manny’s been working for a kid whose high school prank-gone-wrong has earned him the moniker the Preppy Terrorist and an FBI electronic ankle bracelet? Jake’s careful forensic examinations, Manny’s courtroom tenaciousness, and an unusual clue suggesting that a high-ranking politician has risen from the grave take the pair from the bowels of the morgue to the world of international intrigue. At the heart of this story is a tragic tale of corruption interlaced with cover-ups, conspiracies, death squads, and dictators who committed crimes that to this day go unpunished.

A fast-paced, boldly imagined work from an exuberant new team in suspense.

Forensic expert Dr. Michael Baden of the HBO series Autopsy and trial attorney and legal commentator Linda Kenney Baden bring us a chilling new thriller featuring their crack crime-fighting duo: Dr. Jake Rosen, world-famous pathologist, deputy chief medical examiner, and devoted scientist; and top litigator Manny Manfreda, who is as lovely (and accessorized) as she is gutsy.

The case begins with New York City on high alert for a most bizarre serial killer—a strange kind of thief who stalks his victims for the purpose of extracting a vial of blood, earning him the tabloid nickname the Vampire. As the attacks become more and more vicious and escalate to torture and then to murder, Jake and Manny begin to suspect there is a connection between the killer’s seemingly random victims. But what is the link between the Vampire and a case that Manny’s been working for a kid whose high school prank-gone-wrong has earned him the moniker the Preppy Terrorist and...

Publishers Weekly

The middling second forensic thriller from eminent pathologist Baden and his attorney wife (after Remains Silent) finds their fictional alter egos, Jake Rosen, New York City's deputy chief medical examiner, and his girlfriend, lawyer Philomena "Manny" Manfreda, both pursuing important cases. Jake is helping the police look into the attacks of "the Vampire," who has rendered five victims, including an opera singer, unconscious before draining some blood from their arms. Later, the Vampire ups the ante to murder. Meanwhile, Manny is defending a young man charged with setting a bomb in a mailbox that almost killed a federal judge. Few will be surprised when these separate plot lines intersect. Weak characterizations, a predictable damsel-in-distress twist and a shot in the dark, rather than Jake's scientific skill, that saves the day won't satisfy fans of Kathy Reichs and other authors of first-rate forensic thrillers. Author tour. (June)

Michael Baden, M.D., is one of America’s leading forensic experts. He is the host of Autopsy, the HBO hit documentary series. He has overseen cases ranging from the death of John Belushi to the examination of the remains of Tsar Nicholas II and has served as an expert witness in countless criminal cases, including the trials of Claus von Bulow and O. J. Simpson. He has been a consulting forensic pathologist to the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the FBI, and the Russian government, as well as a visiting professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and Albany Medical College.

Linda Kenney Baden is a trial attorney who has won dozens of civil rights lawsuits, participated in many high-profile criminal cases, and has appeared as a guest legal commentator on numerous television programs.

The Badens are married and live in New York City with their dog, Mycroft.