Physical Evidence

Thomas T. Noguchi is the former Chief Medical Examiner of Los Angeles County. His co-author Arthur Lyons has written detective novels. The 'Prologue' tells of an operation on a dying woman with a flat EEG. Her head is surgically removed, and stored in a cylindrical container! People pay a lot for a promise of a future life! Chapter One begins with a lunch meeting with Jim Gordon, Deputy D.A. and Dr. Eric Parker, forensic pathologist. Harold Ennis is being tried for abduction, rape, and murder; the evidence is circumstantial. Dr. Parker will testify for the defense. Chapter Two tells how Forensic Investigations Inc. was started with Mike Steenbargen, the investigator. They chose to stay a small operation, and only take the cases that interested them. Leah Wechsler wants her mother's death investigated; Leah was disinherited, and wasn't close to her Mom. They will take the case, but can promise nothing. Chapter Three explains the coroner's office in L.A. county. In Chapter Four Dr. Parker interviews Bruce Wechsler, the son and heir. Chapter Five describes a class in pathology with an autopsy, and we learn about Dr. Parker's personal life (Chapter Six). The investigative aspect of forensic work fascinated Dr. Parker and made this his career (Chapter Eight). The investigation appears to have ended, until Dr. Parker gets a call from a nurse (Chapter Thirteen). When he arrives for their meeting he finds Nurse Selma Barnes will tell no tales. He also gets a lead to another case. So the question is whether an autopsy of Mrs. Wechsler will be ordered (Chapter Sixteen). The influence of friendship, and a strange coincidence, result in an autopsy. The results are inconclusive (Chapter Twenty). There is another attack on Dr. Parker when he returns home; but he knows how to escape from a police choke-hold. The struggle hurls the intruder through a glass door and out of action. A chemical vial tells what happened to Nurse Barnes (Chapter Twenty-one). Chapter Twenty-three has an example of a forensic pathologist's work. They confirm the unusual method used to kill Nurse Barnes (Chapter Twenty-five). Leah Wechsler compared her mother's bank signature to the Freeze Time contract - they were authentic, and identical (Chapter Twenty-six). Dr. Parker breaks up with his girlfriend (Chapter Twenty-seven). He then gets a call from Leah Wechsler, she is dropping the entire matter (Chapter Twenty-eight)! But Dr. Parker figures something is strange and investigates. The final action occurs in Chapter Thirty-one. [It reminds me of a James Bond story.] Leah Wechsler is saved, the villains get their just reward in a chilling ending. Did you know that lead in tap water can create Alzheimer's symptoms? This novel would make a good TV film and pilot for a series, like the old "Quincy M.E." shows. Could the quality be maintained so they would be educational as well as entertaining? Is this story a warning against harvesting body parts in a proprietary hospital? [It reminds me

I read this book for the very first time and I could not put it down. I found myself interested in the mystery about cryonics and Parker's love life. It held my interest because I wanted to know if they would find out that the women was still alive when Gaberial had the doctor cut off her head to be perserved. I was kind of spooked when Parker went home after the white Dodge was following him and he went into his home and noticed somebody has been in there. I was shocked to find out it was the student from the college he taught pathology at. The ending was great and I am glad Ennis got what he deserved and Parker is seeing Leah.