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series Reading Order

Body Farm Books in Order

12 Books
2 Reading orders
2006 – 2016 Published
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Reading order

Where to Start Reading the Body Farm Series

For the best reading experience, it is highly recommended to read the Body Farm series in publication order. While there are prequels that take place earlier in the timeline, starting with the first published novel, Carved in Bone, allows you to properly experience the development of protagonist Dr. Bill Brockton and his assistant Miranda Lovelady. The prequels are best enjoyed after you have familiarized yourself with the main series.

Publication Order of Body Farm Books

Here is the list of Body Farm novels and short stories in the order they were published:

  • Carved in Bone (2006)
  • Flesh and Bone (2007)
  • The Devil's Bones (2008)
  • Bones of Betrayal (2009)
  • The Bone Thief (2010)
  • The Bone Yard (2011)
  • Madonna and Corpse (2012) — Short story novella set right before The Inquisitor's Key.
  • The Inquisitor's Key (2012) — Also published under the title 'The Bones of Avignon'.
  • Jordan's Stormy Banks (2013) — E-novella prequel set in 1990.
  • Cut to the Bone (2013) — Novel-length prequel set in 1992.
  • The Breaking Point (2015)
  • Without Mercy (2016)

Chronological Order of Body Farm Books

If you prefer to follow Dr. Bill Brockton's life and the history of the Tennessee Anthropological Research Facility in strict chronological order, use this sequence:

  1. Jordan's Stormy Banks (Novella, set in 1990)
  2. Cut to the Bone (Novel, set in 1992)
  3. Carved in Bone (Novel, set in 2006)
  4. Flesh and Bone (Novel, set in 2007)
  5. The Devil's Bones (Novel, set in 2008)
  6. Bones of Betrayal (Novel, set in 2009)
  7. The Bone Thief (Novel, set in 2010)
  8. The Bone Yard (Novel, set in 2011)
  9. Madonna and Corpse (Novella, set in 2012)
  10. The Inquisitor's Key / The Bones of Avignon (Novel, set in 2012)
  11. The Breaking Point (Novel, set in 2015)
  12. Without Mercy (Novel, set in 2016)

Non-Fiction Companion Books

Because the series is written by Dr. Bill Bass (the founder of the real-life Body Farm) and journalist Jon Jefferson under the joint pen name Jefferson Bass, readers often enjoy the non-fiction books that detail the real science and cases that inspired the fiction:

  • Death's Acre: Inside the Legendary Forensic Lab the Body Farm Where the Dead Do Tell Tales (2003) — Memoir and scientific history of the real Body Farm.
  • Beyond the Body Farm: A Legendary Bone Detective Explores Murders, Mysteries, and the Revolution in Forensic Science (2007) — Case files and advanced forensic techniques.

Frequently Asked

QCan I read the Body Farm books out of order?

While each mystery is self-contained, it is best to read them in publication order. The characters' personal lives, ongoing relationships, and recurring antagonists develop chronologically across the series.

QWhere does the prequel novel 'Cut to the Bone' fit?

Cut to the Bone is set in 1992, showing Dr. Brockton's arrival in Knoxville and the creation of the Body Farm. It was published 8th in the series, and works best when read after you are already familiar with the characters.

QAre 'The Inquisitor's Key' and 'The Bones of Avignon' the same book?

Yes, The Inquisitor's Key was published in some regions or editions under the title The Bones of Avignon.

QWho is the real-life inspiration for Dr. Bill Brockton?

Dr. Bill Brockton is heavily inspired by co-author Dr. Bill Bass, the real-world forensic anthropologist who founded the University of Tennessee's Anthropological Research Facility in 1981.

QIs the Body Farm series completed?

The final novel in the main series is Without Mercy, which was published in 2016. No further books featuring Dr. Brockton have been announced by the authors.

QWhich novellas are part of the Body Farm series?

There are two primary e-novellas: Jordan's Stormy Banks (a 1990 prequel) and Madonna and Corpse (a prequel story to The Inquisitor's Key).