The Inquisitor's Key by Jefferson Bass (The Body Farm # 7)

The Inquisitor’s Key is the seventh novel in the Body Farm series. The main character of the series is Dr. Bill Brockton, renowned forensic anthropologist and founder of the Body Farm at the University of Tennessee. If you haven’t yet had the opportunity to read this series, you really should consider trying it out. If you weren’t aware that this place actually exists, they I shall correct your mistaken belief when I say that I’ve actually visited there thanks to the bi-annual visit of the Florida Gators to UT for college football.

Dr. Bill is once again asked by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation for his help in identifying a body that was left behind after a botched DEA investigation into the Columbian drug trade into the US Southeast. Almost immediately, he once again finds himself in danger because the operation itself has somehow been compromised. Unfortunately, this operation causes the death of someone important to Bill, and who has been a friend of his for awhile.

Bill then receives a call in regards to the health of his all but important assistant Miranda Lovejoy. Miranda is in Avignon, France for the summer doing an excavation on a former medieval palace that once was the home to the French Popes. After a bit of misdirection, and lies about what is happening to Miranda, Bill takes off like a bat out of hell to Avignon only to learn that Miranda is fine and that she and her colleague Stefan Beauvoir may have found the discovery of a lifetime.

The book transcends time periods going back to the 14th century (1314-1328) as well as the present time. Dr. Bill is once again at the center of a major mystery after discovering that the bones that were found in Avignon by Stefan and Miranda may or may not be that of the Christ Jesus.

With the discovery of the fact that the bones are 2,000 years old, comes plenty of questions and the mystery of how they ended in in the former palace in the first place.

This story definitely has a nice historical feel to it. The writers delve into the lives of several Catholic Popes especially those like Clement the V and Benedict the VII who were behind the Inquisition and the total destruction of the Knight’s Templar’s during the early 14th century.

The mystery kept me interested in the story right until the very last page. Were the bones actually Christ Jesus, and if so, how did they end up at the Palace of the Popes? Or, were the bones actually that of Jean Eckhart who caught the ire of the White Pope during the Inquisition and was never heard from again? Sorry, no spoilage here!

Then there is the relationship between Bill and Miranda who have worked together for the past 6 years. Again, if you haven’t read this series, I absolutely encourage you to at least go to the library and borrow this book. It seems as though Miranda and Bill are growing closer than ever which is better late than never.
 
I want to thank the writer Jon Jefferson for providing me with a signed advanced copy of this novel. Jon I appreciate the fact that you thought about me when sharing copies of this book.

Author: Jefferson Bass
Title: The Inquisitor's Key
Hardcover, 352 pages
Expected publication: May 8th 2012 by William Morrow