Lazy bones: An introduction to an irascible forensic anthropologist and her psychic side-kick

"It was a hot, steamy morning in Manchester as I drove along the Crescent, past Salford University and former Salford Royal Hospital (now luxury apartments) on my way to work..."

Let me introduce you to Temper Rants Brennan, a forensic anthropologist with anger management and alcohol issues. She works between two locations in the UK and has bases in the bustling city of Manchester and the sleepy back(ward)water of Runcorn. There, she analyses the bones and the bodies of the dead to discover the truth about their final moments alive.

She solves these riddles with the help of her assistant Otto, the psychic cat. He has a mystical ability to know when Temper is so much as thinking about tuna fish and comes running to be by her side in an instant. Despite his mysterious, higher plane-like consciousness of tuna availability, Otto has no capability in solving crime.

Of course, our heroine is not to be mistaken with Temperance Brennan, the forensic anthropologist with alcohol issues in the crime books penned by Kathy Reichs, who is, errrrm a forensic anthropologist.

I like the Tempe Brennan books; their plots and characters. I enjoy how the science can be made interesting and how the scientists are portrayed as heroes and not geeks.

Imagine my delight when I heard that a forensic anthropologist had been called in to identify a torso that was discovered as contractors worked to clear the burned-out rubble of a recent warehouse fire. Here in Salford of all places!

I can see it now, the latest in Salford City Council's "IN Salford" advertising campaigns:

"Get shot at while down the boozer: IN Salford"
"Die in a horrible arson attack while sleeping rough: IN Salford"

Still, so long as we've got Temper Rants on our side, justice will always be the winner.

Yeah, right.

I'm taking to my bed for a while. My bosom hurts like a bastard today and gravitational pull isn't being kind on my stitches.


Song of the week
This isn't deserving of a post in itself (especially since Blogger couldn't cope last time), so it's being tagged on here. Have a listen to this and tell me what you think. I like it and I'm making it my song of the week.

Hrrrm, that's odd. I may be contacting technical support about something... T&P???? T&P????

Here's something special to thank Piggy for all his support...

Embedded it wrong indeed!