facebooktwittertelegramwhatsapp
copy short urlprintemail
+ A
A -
webmaster

Forensic science might seem dreary and too off-putting, but fans of hit American TV show 'Bones' will tell you otherwise. The crime procedural show, which is now in its 12th and final season, is based on the novels and characters created by fiction writer Kathy Reichs.
Reichs, one of only 82 forensic anthropologists ever certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology, took a turn and turned writer with her first fiction novel and New York Times bestseller Dej'e1 Dead featuring Temperance 'Tempe' Brennan, an anthropologist who investigates human remains at crime scenes, where the flesh is too decomposed for a coroner to obtain evidence. The character of Tempe and her lifestyle is loosely based on Reichs's own. The novels, of which there are 19 currently, became bestsellers and led to the TV show where Reich is Executive Producer.
She has also written a series of young-adult books called Virals, with her son Brendan Reichs.
Reichs was recently at the Emirates Literature Festival, where she conducted a workshop titled 'Speaking in Bones'. Qatar Tribune's Dipti Nair interacted with the famed writer about her novels, case-files and science. Excerpts:

Q: Being a forensic anthropologist, how did you venture into fictional writing?
A: I started Dej'e1 Dead in 1994. I had been promoted to the rank of full professor at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, and I was free to do whatever I chose. I had just worked on a serial murder case, which had some very intriguing elements, so I thought I would use that as the basis for a story. I thought writing a novel might bring my science to a wider audience.

How much of the books is based on genuine cases that you have handled?
I'm not going to say exactly how many years I've been practising forensic science, but I've worked on a lot of cases, and have a lot of experience from which to draw. Not every book is based on a specific case, but they're all related to something I've done, such as disaster relief work or human rights work. D`j'e0 Dead is based on my first serial murder investigation. Deadly Decisions stems from the many bones brought to me thanks to the Qu`bec Hells Angels. Fatal Voyage is based on mass disaster recovery work. Grave Secrets was inspired by my participation in the exhumation of a Guatemalan mass grave, and so on.

In 'Bones' the forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan is more hands-on in a criminal investigation. How similar is it to real life?
In real life, the forensic anthropologist would not leave the lab as often Tempe does. Most forensic anthropologists work for coroners and medical examiners, maybe for the military or for law enforcement agencies, addressing mainly four questions:
One: Who is it? The remains we work on are in less than prime condition. They're burned, mutilated, mummified, decomposed, dismembered, maybe just skeletons. So, identification can be difficult.
Two: What was the cause or manner of death? Can I see anything in the bones that tells me there is a gunshot wound, perhaps sharp or blunt instrument trauma?
Three: What is PMI, post-mortem interval, or time since death?
Four: Body treatment, what happened to the body after death?
Most analysis takes place in the lab, and I'm not as closely involved with the police end of the investigation as in 'Bones'.

How did you venture writing the Virals series?
My son, Brendan, actually came up with the idea. On a trip to the Turks and Caicos Islands, he adopted a dog for me, but Turk fell sick almost immediately with parvovirus. We'd never heard of it, but quickly learned how deadly an illness it can be for a puppy. We frantically researched to learn everything we could about the virus, and the idea sprang from there. What if humans could contract a weaponised form of parvovirus? That combined with the interest in forensic science that we were seeing in my young readers. The rest is history. Thankfully, Turk pulled through, and is with us today!

How different is writing a book and producing a TV show?
It's really different. For one thing, when I write a novel, I do it alone. I give my idea to my editors and they say that's splendid, and then I go ahead and write the book and send it to them. That's not how writing a TV episode works. First you have to have your idea approved by the executive producers, your network, the studio, etc. Once that's done, you write a very lengthy outline, which I don't usually do for my novels. That has to be approved up all the hierarchy, you then break the story with others in the writers' room. That early stage collective 'brainstorming' does not take place with novels. But I love that experience, all of us bouncing ideas off each other and building plot lines.

Do you manage to get all your science right in your books and TV show?
I am a fanatic about getting the science accurate, even if it's not 'my' science. Whether I'm using forensic ballistics analysis or blood splatter pattern or whatever, I do sit down with one of our experts at the lab and go through it to make sure I have it right. But people don't want to read a textbook, they want to learn something but you have to keep it very brief, jargon-free and entertaining.

How much of your input is there in 'Bones'?
I read every script. If I see something that is not realistic, I speak up. I suspect I'm more involved than most authors, and I appreciate that my opinions are valued. I've been very happy with my experience with everyone at 'Bones', from the executive producers on down.
Which Temperance Brennan are you more like - the book version or the 'Bones' version?
Probably more like book Tempe. But there are similarities to TV Tempe. Professionally, we all do exactly the same thing. I work in a full spectrum medico-legal lab. Sometimes, I go to crime scenes. I work in North Carolina and in Quebec Province in Canada a lot, but I do cases all over the country here and there. TV Tempe's tied a little more to the Jeffersonian, but she gets out into the field as well. In terms of personality, I think both Tempe's and mine are quite different. TV Tempe's social awkwardness and inability to form close relationships - that's not me. One way in which book Tempe and I are similar is our sense of humour. Humour was important in creating the show. That was one thing on which Hart Hanson, Barry Josephson, and I agreed from the beginning.

Do you still practise?
These days, I spend more time writing than I do on case work. If I take on a case, it has to be something really compelling for me. Taking on a case is a big commitment ” it doesn't end when you identify the bones.

Any message for fans.
I am astounded at how many emails I receive from people interested in going into forensic anthropology. My advice would be to study the hard sciences and not just take some course in general forensic science. If you want to be an anthropologist, you need to study physical anthropology specialised in bones. If you want to be a forensic chemist, get a degree in chemistry. Want to do DNA work? Get a degree in microbiology and do well. Study hard and go to graduate school. Also, buy Two Nights coming out this July. All-new character, setting and premise. Not Temperance Brennan, but I think you'll like her.
copy short url   Copy
26/03/2017
1126