BODY BAGS by Christopher Golden
    Category:  Mystery/Thriller
    Age Recommendation:  Grades 9+
    Release Date:  5/1/99
    Publisher:  Simon Pulse
    Reviewed by:  Jennifer Wardrip, aka "The Genius"
    Rating: 5 Stars


    Although this book is touted as a young adult read, it's great for anyone who has an interest in shows such as CSI,
    Bones, Forensic Files, or anything to do with death investigation. I found it thoroughly entertaining, informative, and
    interesting, and have already ordered the other books in the series--of which there are many.

    Jenna Blake is a typical eighteen-year-old, leaving her mother's home and setting off for her freshman year at college.
    Her mother, a surgeon, and her almost-estranged father, a professor at the same university she's attending, both have
    their own ideas about what Jenna should do with her life. Jenna, who would like to do something in the medical field,
    has two great fears--passing out at the sight of blood, and causing a patient's death. Her father, a lawyer who teaches
    instead of practices, thinks he has the perfect solution to her problem by getting her a job as a pathology assistant to
    the Medical Examiner. Somerset University has its own medical center and hospital right on the grounds, and Jenna's
    willing to give the job a try. The fact that her interview takes place during an autopsy is both disturbing and fascinating.

    And then weird things start happening on campus. One of her professors, who also happens to be one of her father's
    dearest friends, goes crazy in class, kills a student, and drops dead. Jenna feels she has no choice but to attend his
    autopsy, and soon finds herself embroiled in finding out what killed him. When the M.E., FBI, a doctor from the
    Center for Disease Control, and two local Somerset detectives discover that a "supergerm" involving an insect like a
    botfly from Costa Rica is involved, everyone gets scared. But it's only Jenna who fears that there's more to this
    simple explanation than meets the eye. There's a conspiracy underway, and she sets out to discover what it is--to
    both the detriment of herself and her father.

    Once I started reading BODY BAGS, I couldn't put the book down! I wanted to know what happened next, and
    who the bad guy was. I have to say the ending was a complete surprise to me, which is also indicative of a good
    read. You won't go wrong with the first in the BODY OF EVIDENCE series, and, if you're like me, you'll be
    chomping at the bit to get your hands on the next book.

    The only thing that disappointed me about the ending of this book was that Mr. Golden failed to give us an answer as
    to how the bad guy was infecting people with the bug. Although we did find out why, we don't know how, and I
    really wanted to know! Nevertheless, this is a great read.
Body of Evidence Bk. 1:
Body Bags
by Christopher Golden