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Lay Them to Rest: On the Road with the Cold Case Investigators Who Identify the Nameless
A fascinating deep dive into the dark world of forensic science as experts team up to solve the identity of an unknown woman named "Ina Jane Doe," exploring the rapidly evolving techniques scientists are using to break the most notorious cold cases, written by the host of the popular true crime podcast, The Fall Line
Fans of true crime shows like CSI, NCIS, Criminal Minds, and Law and Order know that when it comes to "getting the bad guy" behind bars, your best chance of success boils down to the strength of your evidence--and the forensic science used to obtain it. Beyond the silver screen, forensic science has been used for decades to help solve even the most tough-to-crack cases. In 2018, the accused Golden State Killer, Joseph DeAngelo, was finally apprehended after a decades-long investigation thanks to a very recent technique called forensic genealogy, which has since led to the closure of hundreds of cold cases, bringing long-awaited justice to victims and families alike. But when it comes to solving these incredibly difficult cases, forensic genealogy is just the tip of the iceberg--and many readers have no idea just how far down that iceberg goes.
For Laurah Norton, forensic science was always more of a passion than anything else. But after learning about a mishandled 1990s cold case involving missing twins, she was spurred to action, eventually creating a massively popular podcast and building a platform that helped bring widespread attention and resources to the case. LAY THEM TO REST builds on Laurah's fascination with these investigations, introducing readers to the history and evolution of forensic science, from the death masks used in Ancient Rome to the 3-D facial reconstruction technology used today. Incorporating the stories of real-life John & Jane Does from around the world, Laurah also examines how changing identification methods have helped solve the most iconic cold cases. Along the way readers will also get to see Laurah solve a case in real time with forensic anthropologist Dr. Amy Michael, as they try to determine the identity of "Ina" Jane Doe, a woman whose head was found in a brush in an Illinois park in 1993.
More than just a chronicle of the history of forensics, LAY THEM TO REST is also a celebration of the growing field of experts, forensic artists, and anthropologists (many of whom Laurah talks to in the book), who work tirelessly to bring closure to these unsolved cases. And of course, this book asks why some cases go unsolved, highlighting the "missing missing," the sex workers, undocumented, the cases that so desperately need our attention, but so rarely get it.
Engrossing, informative, heartbreaking, and hopeful, LAY THEM TO REST is a deep dive into the world of forensic science, showing readers how far we've come in cracking cases and catching killers, and illuminating just how far we have yet to go.
Fans of true crime shows like CSI, NCIS, Criminal Minds, and Law and Order know that when it comes to "getting the bad guy" behind bars, your best chance of success boils down to the strength of your evidence--and the forensic science used to obtain it. Beyond the silver screen, forensic science has been used for decades to help solve even the most tough-to-crack cases. In 2018, the accused Golden State Killer, Joseph DeAngelo, was finally apprehended after a decades-long investigation thanks to a very recent technique called forensic genealogy, which has since led to the closure of hundreds of cold cases, bringing long-awaited justice to victims and families alike. But when it comes to solving these incredibly difficult cases, forensic genealogy is just the tip of the iceberg--and many readers have no idea just how far down that iceberg goes.
For Laurah Norton, forensic science was always more of a passion than anything else. But after learning about a mishandled 1990s cold case involving missing twins, she was spurred to action, eventually creating a massively popular podcast and building a platform that helped bring widespread attention and resources to the case. LAY THEM TO REST builds on Laurah's fascination with these investigations, introducing readers to the history and evolution of forensic science, from the death masks used in Ancient Rome to the 3-D facial reconstruction technology used today. Incorporating the stories of real-life John & Jane Does from around the world, Laurah also examines how changing identification methods have helped solve the most iconic cold cases. Along the way readers will also get to see Laurah solve a case in real time with forensic anthropologist Dr. Amy Michael, as they try to determine the identity of "Ina" Jane Doe, a woman whose head was found in a brush in an Illinois park in 1993.
More than just a chronicle of the history of forensics, LAY THEM TO REST is also a celebration of the growing field of experts, forensic artists, and anthropologists (many of whom Laurah talks to in the book), who work tirelessly to bring closure to these unsolved cases. And of course, this book asks why some cases go unsolved, highlighting the "missing missing," the sex workers, undocumented, the cases that so desperately need our attention, but so rarely get it.
Engrossing, informative, heartbreaking, and hopeful, LAY THEM TO REST is a deep dive into the world of forensic science, showing readers how far we've come in cracking cases and catching killers, and illuminating just how far we have yet to go.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published October 17, 2023
208 people are currently reading
9,227 people want to read
About the author
Laurah Norton
1book41followersWriter and former academic with 15 years in the fields of literary fiction, creative nonfiction, and archival and primary research.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 324 reviews
November 18, 2023
This book did the thing I dislike the most—which is the author of a non-fiction work finding every opportunity available to make it about his or herself. Sure, I learned more about forensic science and the identification of Jane/John Does. But I also learned that the author is keto, her husband is an inattentive driver, she once slept in a king bed, her son like gifts that don’t come from airports, etc. Maybe that’s something that some people find engaging. But it’s something I find boorish and exhausting.
March 11, 2024
4.0 Stars
This is another “must read� for anyone like me who loves the amatuer perspective of true crime investigations. Like with I'll Be Gone in the Dark, this one chronically a woman who develops a deep drive to solve cases. This book specifically focuses on Jane/John Does who haven't previously been identified. I thought it was a fresh focus that shred light on an area of investigation that doesn't get enough media attention. I found it fascinating to learn more details of the challenges that these cases face.
This is another “must read� for anyone like me who loves the amatuer perspective of true crime investigations. Like with I'll Be Gone in the Dark, this one chronically a woman who develops a deep drive to solve cases. This book specifically focuses on Jane/John Does who haven't previously been identified. I thought it was a fresh focus that shred light on an area of investigation that doesn't get enough media attention. I found it fascinating to learn more details of the challenges that these cases face.
March 17, 2024
Thank you to the author Laurah Norton and publishers Hachette Books for an advance hardback copy of LAY THEM TO REST. Thank you also to NetGalley for an accomanying widget. All views are mine.
LAY THEM TO REST is a brilliant concept, a book in which an author experienced in true crime and forensics presents a set of criminal cases and the forensic skill or technique responsible for solving those cases. I'm sorry to say, I didn't find the execution to live up to the concept's potential. Certain style issues dragged on the piece, like the first-person narrator's inconsistent distance. Every time the narrator referred to herself as though she were a character in a story, I just couldn't. I wasn't expecting the book to be so heavily dedicated to forensics, which is not one of my interests. However, those readers of true crime who are particularly interested in forensics will really love this book!
Three (or less) things I didn't love:
This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.
1. The organization of this book does not make for a pleasant reading experience. For one thing, it invites a great deal of repetition of material. Every section in which a case is introduced, for example, the author reintroduced her authority for handling tge subject.
2. Narrator's distance is inconsistent, varying back and forth between narrator and character. It's quite distracting at times.
Rating: 🔬🧪.5 forensic tools
Recommend? Not especially
Finished: Oct 20 '23
Format: Digital copy, NetGalley reader
Read this book if you like:
🔪 murder mysteries
🧊 cold cases
🎙 old interviews
📁 forensics
🩸 true crime stories
LAY THEM TO REST is a brilliant concept, a book in which an author experienced in true crime and forensics presents a set of criminal cases and the forensic skill or technique responsible for solving those cases. I'm sorry to say, I didn't find the execution to live up to the concept's potential. Certain style issues dragged on the piece, like the first-person narrator's inconsistent distance. Every time the narrator referred to herself as though she were a character in a story, I just couldn't. I wasn't expecting the book to be so heavily dedicated to forensics, which is not one of my interests. However, those readers of true crime who are particularly interested in forensics will really love this book!
Three (or less) things I didn't love:
This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.
1. The organization of this book does not make for a pleasant reading experience. For one thing, it invites a great deal of repetition of material. Every section in which a case is introduced, for example, the author reintroduced her authority for handling tge subject.
2. Narrator's distance is inconsistent, varying back and forth between narrator and character. It's quite distracting at times.
Rating: 🔬🧪.5 forensic tools
Recommend? Not especially
Finished: Oct 20 '23
Format: Digital copy, NetGalley reader
Read this book if you like:
🔪 murder mysteries
🧊 cold cases
🎙 old interviews
📁 forensics
🩸 true crime stories
July 12, 2023
If you’re a big true crime reader, skip this one. If you’re familiar with procedure and terms, skip this one. Saying this only because a lot of the book felt like it was dragging with over-explanation of things and unnecessary personal info from the author.
If true crime is a new topic for you, I would say this is a good place to start.
For chronic readers (such as myself) I would say to explore it and feel it out for yourself. There are large chunks that you can skip without losing continuity of the topic.
I received this as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a review.
If true crime is a new topic for you, I would say this is a good place to start.
For chronic readers (such as myself) I would say to explore it and feel it out for yourself. There are large chunks that you can skip without losing continuity of the topic.
I received this as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a review.
October 11, 2023
At the risk of sounding like an absolute twenty-first-century cliché...it all started with a podcast. (loc. 68*)
Norton got involved in true crime by accident: a writer and professor by training and trade, she started a podcast as preparation for a course she was teaching...and it took on a life of its own. Into the world of true crime and cold cases Norton went. In Lay Them to Rest, she describes an effort between various true-crime nonprofessionals, police, and scientists to uncover the identity of "Ina Jane Doe", a woman whose partial remains were found in 1993 in Illinois and had never been identified.
This is not an episode of Bones. Not unless Dr. Temperance Brennan is willing to spend an entire episode taking tiny measurements in a quiet lab, with the cliffhanger coming just before she begins to fill out her paperwork. (loc. 1440)
We're used to 45-minute episodes wrapping things up easily—those hours and hours of measurements and tests and applying precisely sized eraser bits to skulls summed up in a montage—but this was a case that would take months and years. The advent of genealogical DNA research has made it possible to solve cases that might previously have been unsolvable, but it's not as easy as chucking all the unsolved cases into a database and letting the computer do its thing. Remains need to have usable DNA, and to have enough of it in good shape for the right kinds of tests, and for enough relatives of sufficient closeness to have put their own DNA into the right databases. And it takes money—money that most departments can't afford to spend on decades-old cold cases.
There are so many ways to tell [her story], and all of them are important. But each way paints a very different picture and leads down a different road. (loc. 4581)
I'd actually heard of Ina Jane Doe before (on a true crime YouTube channel), so I was somewhat familiar with the case. (The YouTube channel, perhaps predictably, gave the case a pretty cursory overview.) What is most fascinating to me here are the forensic sketches and reconstructions—if the book sounds interesting to you, hold off on Googling until you've read it—which are part science and part art and the sort of thing that...that can help or hinder a case, let's say. But Norton gives some really helpful context and perspective on those reconstructions, and I'm left wondering where the future of such forensic sketches might go.
This is one for true-crime aficionados, but it also reminds me a lot of Andrea Lankford's Trail of the Lost—w Lay Them to Rest is about non-professionals helping to solve a Jane Doe case, Trail of the Lost is about non-professionals trying to solve several known missing-persons cases. In both cases, slow—agonizingly so for the families—but sustained efforts to put the pieces together, to answer some of the many questions that remain.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
*Quotations are taken from an ARC and may not be final.
Norton got involved in true crime by accident: a writer and professor by training and trade, she started a podcast as preparation for a course she was teaching...and it took on a life of its own. Into the world of true crime and cold cases Norton went. In Lay Them to Rest, she describes an effort between various true-crime nonprofessionals, police, and scientists to uncover the identity of "Ina Jane Doe", a woman whose partial remains were found in 1993 in Illinois and had never been identified.
This is not an episode of Bones. Not unless Dr. Temperance Brennan is willing to spend an entire episode taking tiny measurements in a quiet lab, with the cliffhanger coming just before she begins to fill out her paperwork. (loc. 1440)
We're used to 45-minute episodes wrapping things up easily—those hours and hours of measurements and tests and applying precisely sized eraser bits to skulls summed up in a montage—but this was a case that would take months and years. The advent of genealogical DNA research has made it possible to solve cases that might previously have been unsolvable, but it's not as easy as chucking all the unsolved cases into a database and letting the computer do its thing. Remains need to have usable DNA, and to have enough of it in good shape for the right kinds of tests, and for enough relatives of sufficient closeness to have put their own DNA into the right databases. And it takes money—money that most departments can't afford to spend on decades-old cold cases.
There are so many ways to tell [her story], and all of them are important. But each way paints a very different picture and leads down a different road. (loc. 4581)
I'd actually heard of Ina Jane Doe before (on a true crime YouTube channel), so I was somewhat familiar with the case. (The YouTube channel, perhaps predictably, gave the case a pretty cursory overview.) What is most fascinating to me here are the forensic sketches and reconstructions—if the book sounds interesting to you, hold off on Googling until you've read it—which are part science and part art and the sort of thing that...that can help or hinder a case, let's say. But Norton gives some really helpful context and perspective on those reconstructions, and I'm left wondering where the future of such forensic sketches might go.
This is one for true-crime aficionados, but it also reminds me a lot of Andrea Lankford's Trail of the Lost—w Lay Them to Rest is about non-professionals helping to solve a Jane Doe case, Trail of the Lost is about non-professionals trying to solve several known missing-persons cases. In both cases, slow—agonizingly so for the families—but sustained efforts to put the pieces together, to answer some of the many questions that remain.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
*Quotations are taken from an ARC and may not be final.
January 30, 2024
I really wanted to like this book. After reading about 15% I even bought a copy as a present for my niece who is scientifically minded. But as I kept reading it became clear that despite being in the middle of an exciting and compelling group of scientists the author spends more time telling us how little she is qualified compared to them. While she could take the time to explain the science to us she instead takes diversions into what snacks they eat in the car and what Knick knacks they buy at the airport. It’s a desperate attempt to create interest in a narrative that is already intrinsically interesting. The diversions feel pandering and flighty rather than endearing. When the Ina Jane Doe case is cracked the author doesn’t explain in layman’s terms the science behind the breakthrough or present a layman’s level interview with the scientist she has been snacking with throughout the book. Instead she literally transcribes the police press conference! I could watch that on YouTube! I ended up knowing nothing more about the science and process of DNA work on the Doe cases. I’m seriously disappointed that the author didn’t use her considerable talent in storytelling and podcasting to help lay people understand this complex landscape of identification and detection. I felt so often that she was saying I’m not an expert so I’m just going to tell you humbly how dumb I am in comparison to the scientists. But that’s the bridge you need to build as the author! I’m certain she understands much more than she conveys here.
The only section I was really deeply informed by was the lengthy discussion of artist likenesses. Artist renderings of what the people may have looked like whose remains are unidentified. Perhaps because this is artistic interpretation rather than science the author really dug in and explained the pitfalls and potential advantages of different approaches to this work. I will think on this often going forward and it is well covered here.
I have since started listening to the author’s podcast on the missing and I find it valuable and serious and well presented. I wish she had had a better editor on this book to keep her focused on illuminating the complex work of finding identity in these cases rather than attempting to create a buddy movie atmosphere.
The only section I was really deeply informed by was the lengthy discussion of artist likenesses. Artist renderings of what the people may have looked like whose remains are unidentified. Perhaps because this is artistic interpretation rather than science the author really dug in and explained the pitfalls and potential advantages of different approaches to this work. I will think on this often going forward and it is well covered here.
I have since started listening to the author’s podcast on the missing and I find it valuable and serious and well presented. I wish she had had a better editor on this book to keep her focused on illuminating the complex work of finding identity in these cases rather than attempting to create a buddy movie atmosphere.
September 10, 2023
True crime podcast host Laurah and forensic anthropologist Dr. Amy work to uncover the identity of the Ina County Jane Doe, who has been unidentified since her partial remains were found in 1993.
Though I enjoy the true crime genre, I generally avoid stories which don’t have conclusive endings � I’ve always found mysteries frustrating. Unfortunately, there are many unsolved cold cases in the United States, and the coldest of the cold are often those in which the victim is unidentified, which makes them even harder to investigate.
In this book Norton discusses the history and use of various techniques used in forensic science to solve crimes, showing how they are applied in the eventually successful investigation to uncover Ina Jane Doe’s identity. It’s a particularly effective way to illustrate often complicated science to the reader in an easy-to-grasp manner. Norton’s passion about the case comes across clearly, and I enjoyed her sometimes humorous, always interesting descriptions of the places the investigation takes her and the people she works with.
I did find myself in the weeds at some points regarding the science though, no matter how Norton tried to explain it, and I wondered if some of those sections were overly technical. There’s also some discussion of other unidentified decedents that she and Dr. Amy looked into that we don’t get later updates on, for example not mentioning the results of testing conducted that occurs on page, and without an explanation for the omissions I found myself frustrated.
To read more about Susan Hope Lund, the former Ina County Jane Doe, click .
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Though I enjoy the true crime genre, I generally avoid stories which don’t have conclusive endings � I’ve always found mysteries frustrating. Unfortunately, there are many unsolved cold cases in the United States, and the coldest of the cold are often those in which the victim is unidentified, which makes them even harder to investigate.
In this book Norton discusses the history and use of various techniques used in forensic science to solve crimes, showing how they are applied in the eventually successful investigation to uncover Ina Jane Doe’s identity. It’s a particularly effective way to illustrate often complicated science to the reader in an easy-to-grasp manner. Norton’s passion about the case comes across clearly, and I enjoyed her sometimes humorous, always interesting descriptions of the places the investigation takes her and the people she works with.
I did find myself in the weeds at some points regarding the science though, no matter how Norton tried to explain it, and I wondered if some of those sections were overly technical. There’s also some discussion of other unidentified decedents that she and Dr. Amy looked into that we don’t get later updates on, for example not mentioning the results of testing conducted that occurs on page, and without an explanation for the omissions I found myself frustrated.
To read more about Susan Hope Lund, the former Ina County Jane Doe, click .
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
February 27, 2024
A fantastic audiobook read, if you like listening to your nonfiction.
Lay Them to Rest is a great primer for those interested in learning more about the basics of cold case investigations and the many kinds of people who come together to solve these mysteries.
There's a strong thread of personal anecdotes and humanization of the work involved and the victims' lives, which I also appreciated in this era of true crime voyeuristic history that sometimes glorifies the murderer at the expense of the murdered.
Lots of good kernels here and well worth the read.
Full review possibly to come.
| |
Lay Them to Rest is a great primer for those interested in learning more about the basics of cold case investigations and the many kinds of people who come together to solve these mysteries.
There's a strong thread of personal anecdotes and humanization of the work involved and the victims' lives, which I also appreciated in this era of true crime voyeuristic history that sometimes glorifies the murderer at the expense of the murdered.
Lots of good kernels here and well worth the read.
Full review possibly to come.
| |
November 3, 2023
It felt strange to discuss a person like an item to be sampled - like volcanic rock or soil or something that hadn't done the same things we all do: Checked the mail after work. Sunk her teeth into an apple. Drank cold water on a hot day. Watched a bad movie. Submerged herself into a warm bath. But when we become unidentified, the scientific is the only way back to the specific.
I'd heard of The Fall Line, but didn't realise this book was from one of the creators; after reading this book and seeing the empathetic lens Laurah Norton applies to the work they do, I might have to give it a listen. Because Lay Them to Rest keeps the focus on the victim, on the work that people around the US do to give them back an identity where possible, on the families searching for loved ones that just want to know what happened.
The central case of the book, one that is returned to no matter the segues off into various research and forensic methods, is that of Ina Jane Doe. I did find the science fascinating, though I would say it's not much clearer to me after reading this - but the real strength of the book is in the personal. The relationships built in this field are clearly what keeps a lot of the work going - there's no central database or agency that devotes their time to unidentified decedents or missing persons. Instead there's a mix of volunteers and scientific professionals adding a side job to their specialisation, getting to know each other by way of introductions or lucky chance. It reminded me in that way of - people with relevant knowledge who work to help the system patch the holes where cases would otherwise fall through and be forgotten.
Definitely an interesting book, one which has me interested in hearing more from the author.
I'd heard of The Fall Line, but didn't realise this book was from one of the creators; after reading this book and seeing the empathetic lens Laurah Norton applies to the work they do, I might have to give it a listen. Because Lay Them to Rest keeps the focus on the victim, on the work that people around the US do to give them back an identity where possible, on the families searching for loved ones that just want to know what happened.
The central case of the book, one that is returned to no matter the segues off into various research and forensic methods, is that of Ina Jane Doe. I did find the science fascinating, though I would say it's not much clearer to me after reading this - but the real strength of the book is in the personal. The relationships built in this field are clearly what keeps a lot of the work going - there's no central database or agency that devotes their time to unidentified decedents or missing persons. Instead there's a mix of volunteers and scientific professionals adding a side job to their specialisation, getting to know each other by way of introductions or lucky chance. It reminded me in that way of - people with relevant knowledge who work to help the system patch the holes where cases would otherwise fall through and be forgotten.
Definitely an interesting book, one which has me interested in hearing more from the author.
October 12, 2023
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: October 17, 2023
is an author, researcher, podcaster and true crime fanatic. Her novel, “� is a non-fiction, scientific deep dive into the very exhaustive, very comprehensive world of forensic anthropology. Don’t expect anything like ’s Temperance Brennan though, as “Rest� is definitely written for informative, not entertainment, purposes.
In 1993, a severed head was found in the woods of Illinois by two young girls. The head, at first glance, appeared to belong to a redheaded female, but further investigation would be needed to identify the head, and to finally uncover the person behind it. That’s where Laurah and her team come in. In each chapter, Laurah exhaustively details the minutiae that takes place to identify the thirty-year-old skull. Her team includes forensic anthropologists, genetic specialists, artists and scientists from all walks of life, all of them playing a specific role in identification. Laurah brings her recording technology along for the ride, and shares the journey with readers.
I was fascinated from the get-go in the identification of the unknown, and Norton presented many organizations (government, paid and volunteer) that exist solely to “name the nameless�, delving into cold cases and bodily remains that have been unidentified for years and decades. I had no idea that so many organizations like this existed, let alone that many of them actually played important roles in discovering the truth behind actual missing person’s cases.
Norton’s writing is very scientific and very detailed. Readers can expect to get pages and pages of detail on DNA sequencing, bone, skin and tissue analysis procedures, technology usage, among other things so anyone expecting a quick dead-body to case-solved story should stick to television. Norton, however, does eventually find out the identity of the person behind the missing head, and I was grateful for that fact.
“Rest� will appeal to fans of “Bones� and “CSI�, but Norton’s novel focuses more on the scientific methods and technology used to uncover the identity of the deceased than Hollywood provides. Although the body in Norton’s case is identified, the mystery surrounding what happened to her remains, and there are numerous other unidentified corpses nationwide that are equally shrouded in mystery. “Rest� is definitely unique, as Norton uses her writing skills to translate the details given to her from the scientific community.
Expected publication date: October 17, 2023
is an author, researcher, podcaster and true crime fanatic. Her novel, “� is a non-fiction, scientific deep dive into the very exhaustive, very comprehensive world of forensic anthropology. Don’t expect anything like ’s Temperance Brennan though, as “Rest� is definitely written for informative, not entertainment, purposes.
In 1993, a severed head was found in the woods of Illinois by two young girls. The head, at first glance, appeared to belong to a redheaded female, but further investigation would be needed to identify the head, and to finally uncover the person behind it. That’s where Laurah and her team come in. In each chapter, Laurah exhaustively details the minutiae that takes place to identify the thirty-year-old skull. Her team includes forensic anthropologists, genetic specialists, artists and scientists from all walks of life, all of them playing a specific role in identification. Laurah brings her recording technology along for the ride, and shares the journey with readers.
I was fascinated from the get-go in the identification of the unknown, and Norton presented many organizations (government, paid and volunteer) that exist solely to “name the nameless�, delving into cold cases and bodily remains that have been unidentified for years and decades. I had no idea that so many organizations like this existed, let alone that many of them actually played important roles in discovering the truth behind actual missing person’s cases.
Norton’s writing is very scientific and very detailed. Readers can expect to get pages and pages of detail on DNA sequencing, bone, skin and tissue analysis procedures, technology usage, among other things so anyone expecting a quick dead-body to case-solved story should stick to television. Norton, however, does eventually find out the identity of the person behind the missing head, and I was grateful for that fact.
“Rest� will appeal to fans of “Bones� and “CSI�, but Norton’s novel focuses more on the scientific methods and technology used to uncover the identity of the deceased than Hollywood provides. Although the body in Norton’s case is identified, the mystery surrounding what happened to her remains, and there are numerous other unidentified corpses nationwide that are equally shrouded in mystery. “Rest� is definitely unique, as Norton uses her writing skills to translate the details given to her from the scientific community.
October 30, 2024
True crime, but make it nerdy and poignant.
[4.5 stars]
[4.5 stars]
January 30, 2024
TLDR: the author talks about herself and her outfits way too much.
I am interested in the topic. But I am not interested in what all the women working on this were wearing every single day. I do not care about the author's penchant for trashy reality TV nor many of her other personality quirks she so frequently focused upon. This is unfortunately a huge and glaring problem that anyone truly interested in identifying missing victims and 'laying them to rest' will have in this book. If you just want to listen to a Podcaster telling you about her life, then go for it.
I am interested in the topic. But I am not interested in what all the women working on this were wearing every single day. I do not care about the author's penchant for trashy reality TV nor many of her other personality quirks she so frequently focused upon. This is unfortunately a huge and glaring problem that anyone truly interested in identifying missing victims and 'laying them to rest' will have in this book. If you just want to listen to a Podcaster telling you about her life, then go for it.
November 18, 2023
This was not for me. It was borderline excruciatingly boring and drawn out. I guess she at least did thorough research.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book.
October 22, 2024
Fascinating, eye-opening and easy to understand!
It still blows me away that anyone can disappear in this day and age. Even more shocking - that we can find bodies and/or body pieces and not be able to identify them. It feels like we've taken so many leaps and bounds in forensic science, medicine and DNA. It's surprising that there's so much we still don't know.
This is a deep dive into the found but unidentified. It details out the techniques, ideas, and science behind identity. It also dives into those old ID cards many of us did as kids, the gaps in dental records (and how it's not the fail safe we think it is), and the massive gaps in both FBI's and other tracking services for the found and lost.
There is so much information in here but it's given in such an easily digestible way. The author breaks it down piece by piece, how each stage is viewed and the many hands that go into it all. It was also shocking how little funding their is, or even an idea on who should fund these things.
If you love true crime, then you can't miss this one! And I highly recommend the audiobook. The author narrates it and does a phenomenal job!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
It still blows me away that anyone can disappear in this day and age. Even more shocking - that we can find bodies and/or body pieces and not be able to identify them. It feels like we've taken so many leaps and bounds in forensic science, medicine and DNA. It's surprising that there's so much we still don't know.
This is a deep dive into the found but unidentified. It details out the techniques, ideas, and science behind identity. It also dives into those old ID cards many of us did as kids, the gaps in dental records (and how it's not the fail safe we think it is), and the massive gaps in both FBI's and other tracking services for the found and lost.
There is so much information in here but it's given in such an easily digestible way. The author breaks it down piece by piece, how each stage is viewed and the many hands that go into it all. It was also shocking how little funding their is, or even an idea on who should fund these things.
If you love true crime, then you can't miss this one! And I highly recommend the audiobook. The author narrates it and does a phenomenal job!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
August 18, 2023
5⭐️
First off, this cover is beautiful. That’s what first caught my eye. Second, I love forensic science and studied forensic anthropology as a minor during my undergrad.
I absolutely loved this book. I loved the details and the information about each case as well as the respect given to each individual.
This book was an accessible read to anyone who is not familiar with forensic science. It was easy to understand and had a lot of interesting facts about the process of identification.
I really enjoyed learning the new processes that are now used that weren’t used even just 16 years ago when I was in school. It gives me hope that more of these cold cases will be identified and laid to rest, and that their families will be given closure.
Thank you to Laurah Norton, Hachette Books and NetGalley for a copy of this I’m exchange for an honest review.
First off, this cover is beautiful. That’s what first caught my eye. Second, I love forensic science and studied forensic anthropology as a minor during my undergrad.
I absolutely loved this book. I loved the details and the information about each case as well as the respect given to each individual.
This book was an accessible read to anyone who is not familiar with forensic science. It was easy to understand and had a lot of interesting facts about the process of identification.
I really enjoyed learning the new processes that are now used that weren’t used even just 16 years ago when I was in school. It gives me hope that more of these cold cases will be identified and laid to rest, and that their families will be given closure.
Thank you to Laurah Norton, Hachette Books and NetGalley for a copy of this I’m exchange for an honest review.
April 1, 2024
2.5 stars rounded up
- Read for bookclub
I don't know if I was influenced by the fact that I was simultaneously reading an abomination of literature but I was quite into this book, which is not my usual kind of non-fiction.
But whatever the case this book was interesting, filled with neat pieces of information, and good tidbits for anyone into the topic.
I would just have liked a lot les personal info from the author. I was into the book for the knowledge on forensics, not on Laurah herself.
- Read for bookclub
I don't know if I was influenced by the fact that I was simultaneously reading an abomination of literature but I was quite into this book, which is not my usual kind of non-fiction.
But whatever the case this book was interesting, filled with neat pieces of information, and good tidbits for anyone into the topic.
I would just have liked a lot les personal info from the author. I was into the book for the knowledge on forensics, not on Laurah herself.
September 25, 2024
I think this was written for the fans of the author's podcast. I wished the focus was entirely on the cold cases and those who work to solve them rather than the bulk of it being about the author, her life and interest in the subject, and how she created a podcast about cold cases. Without knowing anything about the podcast I was bored and lost interest in a subject that I care a lot about. Not for me.
January 22, 2024
I found myself really interested in the main story of Ina Jane Doe but felt all the extra dragged on and lost my interest.
Shelved as 'arcs'
October 18, 2023Nonfiction is really hit or miss for me and I only started reading more nonfiction this past year.
If it doesn't grab and hold my attention from the start, I find my mind wandering more than I like and it becomes more of a chore than a hobby. Unfortunately, that was the case with this book. I just wasn't held by it.
That being said, I won't leave a star rating as I didn't actually finish the book and that's by no means the book's fault.
Thank you HachetteGo for the advanced copy to read.
If it doesn't grab and hold my attention from the start, I find my mind wandering more than I like and it becomes more of a chore than a hobby. Unfortunately, that was the case with this book. I just wasn't held by it.
That being said, I won't leave a star rating as I didn't actually finish the book and that's by no means the book's fault.
Thank you HachetteGo for the advanced copy to read.
May 17, 2024
Found myself heavily invested in the central Ina Jane Doe case, but found the tangential chapters about wider cold case research science to be a little bit of a drag. Have never heard of the author or her podcast, so perhaps I might have got more out of this if I was already fan.
February 21, 2024
While I really enjoyed the forensics aspects of this book, constantly being reminded about how the author is a podcaster and she has a son(!) every few paragraphs got really old really quickly. I still would have read the book and enjoyed it but going in knowing that I had to pretend to know who the author was or had ever heard of her podcasts even once before opening the book would've been preferable.
October 16, 2023
Thanks to Netgalley and Hachette for the ARC of this!
Perfect for fans of I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, this follows the investigation(s) into specific Jane/John Doe cases. Well explained the difficulties and costs that can come up when trying to solve such as case. Overall, the main thread of the book was easy and interesting to follow, and the author had an interesting narrative voice.
Perfect for fans of I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, this follows the investigation(s) into specific Jane/John Doe cases. Well explained the difficulties and costs that can come up when trying to solve such as case. Overall, the main thread of the book was easy and interesting to follow, and the author had an interesting narrative voice.
Read
December 20, 2023This book will make you either glad you go to the dentist frequently for checkups OR it will have you drastically searching to go to the dentist because you haven't been in years. This was more science focused than I was hoping for, but that's a me issue not the books issue. Lots of interesting info!
March 4, 2024
I started this book because the cover looked cool and had no context about the story. It took me a while to realize that its non fiction. The story is intresting and a bit sad. There were times where I was bored and felt like some info was unnecessary and the ending was not satisfying because they didn't find the killer. However, it is still really interesting to learn about forensics.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 25, 2024
Color me flabbergasted that I LOVED a nonfiction book this much. Especially one full of jargon and numbers and stats and data that FLEW over my head. It was parts educational, parts mission to find a name, parts humanizing. I loved every second and learned so much and am so motivated to help bring the name to the nameless and be a good steward of true crime community.
April 14, 2025
Disclaimer: cold cases and forensic science are not my true crime vibe so I feel like that had a major impact on how I feel about this book but I spaced out for 70% of the audiobook and still was able to follow the story. 😅 The main case and big facts were interesting and I loved the discussions and questions being asked about better ways to identify and talk about trans and queer individuals.
January 7, 2025
ok listen this isn’t horrible or anything�. i just got BORED. i wanted to know more about the forensics science and the actual interesting parts. not about the author so much lol. it just felt like so much was made about her when it didn’t need to be!! but
January 25, 2024
Forensic science and reconnecting unidentified decedents with their identities and families is very slay
April 10, 2024
*Listened to the audiobook.
This book had some really interesting moments. The Somerton Man description, the explanation of how the work is done, and the lasttwo hours were really good. However, there were lots of moments where the author told personal anecdotes that took the focus away from the story and made it difficult to follow along. There were sections that were very dry and felt like I was reading an academic journal. If you live a breath true crime and want a deep dive into forensic anthropology, this book is for you. If you enjoy a good true crime story but don't need the nitty gritty details, there are better reads.
This book had some really interesting moments. The Somerton Man description, the explanation of how the work is done, and the lasttwo hours were really good. However, there were lots of moments where the author told personal anecdotes that took the focus away from the story and made it difficult to follow along. There were sections that were very dry and felt like I was reading an academic journal. If you live a breath true crime and want a deep dive into forensic anthropology, this book is for you. If you enjoy a good true crime story but don't need the nitty gritty details, there are better reads.
December 19, 2023
Even when this book was W A Y out of my "pay grade" in the math/science department, I was completely enthralled. As someone who is intrigued by true crime and with those who are nameless and have been nameless for years, I cannot imagine how amazing AND satisfying it must be to find the name of someone who has been missing for years and give a family peace; I am in awe of all the work the author and all the people she works with did to make this happen for the family of "Ina Jane Doe/Susan Menard Lund". I cried happy tears when they were finally able to give a corpse their name back. What a beautiful thing.
Filled with so much information, along with personal antidotes [that IMO were fantastic - it really broke up some of the more gruesome aspects of the search for a name, as well as breaking up some of the overwhelming science] and impeccable research, if you enjoy true crime and people working hard to help those who are helpless, then this book is for you. Very well done.
Thank you to NetGalley, Laurah Norton, and Hachette Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Filled with so much information, along with personal antidotes [that IMO were fantastic - it really broke up some of the more gruesome aspects of the search for a name, as well as breaking up some of the overwhelming science] and impeccable research, if you enjoy true crime and people working hard to help those who are helpless, then this book is for you. Very well done.
Thank you to NetGalley, Laurah Norton, and Hachette Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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