Buffalo Forensic Dentist Pens Sequel to Award-Winning Crime Novel

Earlier novel was honored by Unbiased Writer Guide Awards, Reader’s Favourite Worldwide Guide Awards and Subsequent Era Indie Awards

College at Buffalo professor Mary Bush’s new novel, “The Secrets and techniques We Bury,” the sequel to her acclaimed first guide, follows dentist-turned-death-scene-investigator Valentina Knight. Photographer: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki

College at Buffalo professor Mary Bush, a forensic dentist who has helped analyze distinguished prison investigations, is returning to the world of crime fiction. Her new novel, “The Secrets and techniques We Bury,” the sequel to her acclaimed first guide “A Easy Lie,” revealed Wednesday, June 2.

The Buffalo-based crime collection follows dentist-turned-death-scene-investigator Valentina Knight, who should unravel the thriller behind the stunning murder-suicide of a mom and baby the place nothing is because it appears. As Knight units out to find the reality, she quickly learns that household secrets and techniques don’t stay hidden for lengthy.

The novel, revealed by Bloodhound Books, is out there in paperback on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and as an e-book on Kindle. Early opinions have rated the guide at 5 out of 5 stars.

Bush, DDS, is an affiliate dean for scholar, neighborhood {and professional} initiatives and affiliate professor of restorative dentistry within the UB Faculty of Dental Drugs.

Fan suggestions results in stronger sequel

The second guide within the Valentina Knight trilogy, “The Secrets and techniques We Bury” builds on Knight’s story, as she is now stronger on account of her experiences within the first novel, says Bush. Nevertheless, the sequel is a standalone entry, and studying the earlier novel will not be required, she says.

“A Easy Lie” introduces Knight, who after being maimed in an assault, desperately lied to land a job as a loss of life scene investigator. The lie, nevertheless, positioned her within the crosshairs of a serial killer and compelled Knight to race towards time to seize the killer earlier than she grew to become the following sufferer.

Bush’s debut novel earned a gold medal in the perfect thriller/thriller e-book class within the 2021 Unbiased Writer Guide Awards, a bronze medal for crime fiction within the 2020 Reader’s Favourite Worldwide Guide Awards, and was a finalist within the thriller class of the 2020 Subsequent Era Indie Awards.

“It was an incredible honor to be acknowledged. Getting the e-mail saying that you simply’re a winner or a finalist is an exhilarating second. After I obtained the e-mail, I used to be in the midst of a gathering and needed to cease and inform everybody,” stated Bush, who can also be constructing notoriety amongst followers. “Having those who I don’t know ship me messages to inform me how a lot they just like the guide has been fantastic.”

Together with the reward got here suggestions, which Bush welcomed whereas writing her second novel.

“The followers are as dedicated to the characters as I’m,” stated Bush. “I like to interact with the readers and hearken to their feedback – optimistic or adverse – as a result of it’s solely going to make the guide stronger.”

One factor the followers requested for: extra Buffalo. The sequel delivers, that includes iconic Buffalo places and references, says Bush.

No stranger to weird circumstances

Alongside together with her husband and UB colleague, Peter Bush, Mary has helped determine homicide victims by analyzing their dental work. They’re additionally instrumental in elevating consciousness of chunk mark evaluation as flawed proof, and had been among the many first researchers to query the validity of the science.

They had been cited or testified in courtroom circumstances throughout the nation, together with the distinguished trials of Douglas Prade and Eddie Lee Howard. In 2014, Mary Bush introduced their analysis on chunk mark evaluation throughout a congressional listening to on forensic science. Additionally they helped determine a number of of the victims within the 2009 crash of Colgan Air Flight 3407 in Clarence, New York.

Bush says she was initially reluctant to base her books on her personal experiences, however her storybook profession introduced the proper basis for a criminal offense novel.

About The College at Buffalo

The College at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public college, the most important and most complete campus within the State College of New York. UB’s practically 30,000 college students pursue their educational pursuits by greater than 300 undergraduate, graduate {and professional} diploma packages. Based in 1846, the College at Buffalo is a member of the Affiliation of American Universities.