Clay and Bones

My Life as an FBI Forensic Artist

By: Lisa G. Bailey

Narrated by: Christina Delaine

Lisa Bailey never considered a career working in death until she saw the FBI job posting for a forensic artist. The idea of using her artistic skill to help victims of crime was too compelling to pass up.

Soon she was documenting crime scenes, photographing charred corpses, and digitally retouching the disembodied heads of suicide bombers. But it was facial approximation-sculpting a face from the remnants of an unidentified victim's skull-that intrigued her the most. Bailey knew that if she could capture that person's likeness in clay, she just might help them be identified, and that might help law enforcement track down their killer.

Bailey worked on hundreds of cases and grew to become a subject matter expert in the field. It was the most challenging and fulfilling work she could have imagined, and she never thought of leaving. But her life changed when she became the target of sexual discrimination and harassment. She was stunned when FBI management protected the abusers and retaliated with threats, slander, and an arsenal of lawyers. Trapped in an increasingly hostile work environment, and infuriated at the hypocrisy of the FBI's tactics, Bailey decided to fight back. Clay and Bones is a memoir with a mission, and a fascinating exploration into the surreal and satisfying work of a forensic artist.

©2024 Lisa G. Bailey (P)2024 Tantor

Amazing

I only got to page 44 because of vision issues but was totally entranced by the experiences of one called to artistry of a rare and unusual type as well as the development of that art into something a little closer to the fiction portrayed on TV. I may not have been able to give a complete review, but I preordered the audio.
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from Independent Publishers Group, Chicago Review Press via NetGalley. Thank you!
Not TTS enabled for visually impaired posted 02/12/2024
Available 20 Feb 2024
02/21/2024 I have now read the audio narrated by the very talented voice actor Christina Delaine and can give a better informed review.
The book records the trials and tribulations of the woman who was to become the first forensic sculptor and all she went through and learned to achieve that ability and distinction (including classic examples of incompetent managers being 'kicked upstairs'). There are cloaked cases with the successes, stalemates, and seemingly impossible conclusions. An amazing combination of learning and drama.

Who Knew the Intricacies

Fascinating read for learning about forensics artistry and the workings of government agencies as a newbie artist in a male dominated career field.

First half better than the last half

I enjoyed hearing about the forensics and the science and her training and how she became a professional toward the latter half of the book. There was a lot of complaining about bureaucracy and politics within the FBI and though I understand that was an important part of the authors life, I didn’t find that it had to do with the topic of forensics. It kind of became a rant against a few specific people who truly treated her terribly, but probably could’ve been the topic of another book.

Must read career journey for artists!

Lisa Bailey takes us on an unparalleled career journey that led her to “sculpting” her position both literally and figuratively. Along the way, we learn about some of the most notorious cases in recent history, some that never saw the light of day, and a discrimination battle that, well…I won’t give away the outcome!! Enjoy, learn, and take away insights into the inner workings of the FBI and a creative who outsmarted the circumstances.

Too much "me, me, me..."

I got bored and quit. It's basically a boring biography. I didn't want to hear her personal story. It's irrelevant.