Forensic anthropologist/RiverTrail Museum of Natural History director/Rosewood Crime Lab director Diane Fallon is summoned to an unlikely crime scene—the house of fellow museum employee, archaeologist Marcella Payden. Marcella seems to have been the target of a random home break-in. Then shots are fired at the responders and someone is spotted inside the house. Diane is determined to solve this very intriguing mystery. Around the same time, ex-FBI profiler Ross Kingsley asks Diane to work pro bono on a case for the PI firm he works for. The sister of an incarcerated man dies after she begins to look into her brother's case. Local authorities call it an accidental death, but Stacy Dance's father is convinced someone murdered his daughter.

Diane manages to juggle both cases even as she delegates duties at the museum and crime lab. The deeper Diane digs into the history of Marcella's house, the more she's convinced that deadly events happened there decades ago. But how could Marcella's attack be related to a decades-old crime? Diane also determines that Stacy Dance was in fact murdered. As she and Ross retrace Stacy's actions in the days before her death, they face opposition from those who want her brother imprisoned forever. Could one of them have killed Stacy in revenge?

As the two cases become more complicated, the danger to Diane and all involved increases. Diane has faced bad guys before but will this time be her last? Will her team unravel the secrets held by Marcella's home? Will the perpetrators who attacked her ever be discovered? Will Stacy's death ever be taken seriously by the local authorities? Is Stacy's brother truly a guilty man or is he innocent of the crimes for which he was convicted?

DUST TO DUST is a nonstop thrill ride from start to finish. Since this is the seventh in the Diane Fallon Forensic Investigation series, readers probably should read the books in order for best understanding and enjoyment. However, I was able to follow along despite not having read previous books. There are some small spoilers regarding previous events but nothing too blatant. Ms. Connors has penned a winner in this spellbinding tale. I highly recommend this book to lovers of forensic mysteries and thrillers as well as those who love realistic kick-ass heroines.