The body is identified as Kelly McShane Braden, a twenty-six-year old medical student at the time of her disappearance in 1974. Kelly, unhappy in her marriage to wealthy Charles Braden IV, was having an affair with fellow medical student Earl Garnet. In fact, Earl had been with her the evening before she was reported missing.

Earl was concerned about her disappearance, but not overly so as she had intimated to him that she was leaving. She refused to tell him or any of her other friends where she was headed, saying they couldn't be persuaded to tell the Bradens if they knew nothing, and she was certain they would use all their resources to try to find her.

With the discovery of Kelly's remains, Earl has a huge problem. In 1974 he was interrogated by the police but said nothing about having been with Kelly less than twenty four hours before her disappearance. If he confesses to his involvement now, he automatically becomes the prime suspect for her homicide. The local coroner in Hampton Junction, the nearest town to where she was found, is Mark Roper. He is assisting the police chief in the investigation. Roper quickly tumbles to the correct assumption that Earl Garnet is Kelly's mysterious lover. Confronting Earl with this fact, Earl readily admits the truth.

Roper, having dealt with a wide variety of people in his general practice, cannot fathom Earl as Kelly's murderer. What emerges is an uneasy alliance between Earl and Mark in an effort to unravel the situation that led to Kelly's death.

Mortal Remains is a well written medical thriller, the sixth in a series featuring Dr. Earl Garnet. As is true of the books that preceded it, Clement's latest entry is rich in medical expertise, lending a realistic air to the story. The medical jargon promotes the feeling of authenticity, but is not so explicit that a layman would be overwhelmed. In fact, the medical illiterate can easily skip over the medical explanations without losing the sense of the plot.

Unlike other books in the series, Garnet is the only carryover character. His wife and young son are briefly mentioned, but are not critically involved in the story. For a reader unfamiliar with the series, this is an easy one to start with since it presumes no prior knowledge of the main characters. In truth, it explores people and events that were important in Earl's life almost thirty years ago. These characters new to all readers are well presented, showing both strengths and weaknesses of their personalities. Through this insight, Clement cleverly inserts many red herrings, keeping the reader constantly reassessing the possible suspects.

One might suppose that the investigation of a murder that took place almost thirty years ago would not present much opportunity for action and suspense, but that would be an erroneous assumption. People who were knowledgeable (and vocal) about the events of 1974 are attacked or killed, lending credence to the thought that someone would like that information to stay buried. It is a risk to assume anyone's motives are what they seem on the surface.

Mr. Clement, as is his custom, presents a dilemma with regard to medical ethics - in this case, adoption and severe congenital birth defects. This controversy plays a tangential role in the mystery, unlike the focus in some of his other books, where medical malfeasance is central to the plot. He does however leave the reader with a little something to contemplate in addition to the clever solution, making the book a heartier meal for the mind.

--Andy Plonka