Grounds for Appeal

Two university botany students are taking core samples of Borth Bog, when one of the samples that comes up from three feet down has what appears to be human flesh in it.  Is it another Bog Man, or is it more recent?  The police call in Richard Pryor's forensic group to do further examinations.

DI Meirion Thomas organises a group of uniforms to dig at the site under the supervision of a local archeologist, Eva Boross.  Pryor and his locum, Priscilla Chambers have joined the team.  It is a long process as water from the bog keeps filling the hole despite being pumped out.

Once the uniforms have dug down to the body, Pryor begins an examination.  It is definitely human.  However, is it a recent corpse or one of an earlier time?  As the body is uncovered by Eva and Priscilla, it is discovered that it is headless.  A tattoo of Batman on the shoulder skin reveals that it is a modern body and with wrists tied and a ligature around the neck area confirms that it is a murder.

The case gets put on the back burner because of lack of progress.  Meantime, Pryor is requested by Douglas Bailey, a lawyer in Bristol to help with an appeal on a murder case.  After studying the case file, Pryor is sure that the appeal can be won.

Although the Bog Man case has gone cold, rumours of a pickled head in Birmingham point the investigation from Aberystwyth in that direction.  The Birmingham police do find a head in the possession of the former owner of a pub.  Now they just have to make connections.  They arrange for Pryor to come and examine the head.

Throughout this novel, author Bernard Knight, gives excellent details of forensic investigations, police work and the legal system of thr UK in the 1950s.  An excellent read.