The Stuff of Thousands of Crime Novels

"The story of forensic science, of that road from crime scene to courtroom, is the stuff of thousands of crime novels."

Only a few chapters away from finishing this book, I realised that the author was Val McDermid - known for her bestselling crime fiction. As an author of more than thirty novels, she created one of my favourite characters, criminal profiler Tony Hill played by local boy to my hometown, Robson Green in Wire In The Blood.

In Forensics, Val McDermid pays homage to the science that informs her work. She draws on interviews with leading forensic scientists about the history, practice and future of their varied disciplines, the latest research, and her own experiences, McDermid delves into the grimly fascinating anatomy of crime. In exploring a wide range of forensic disciplines; fire scene investigation, entomology, pathology, toxicology, fingerprinting, blood spatter, DNA, anthropology, facial reconstruction, digital forensics, and forensic psychology, McDermid illustrates the science with both historical and modern day landmark cases, from the fire that razed London in 1666, to the dozens of serial murders committed by Doctor Harold Shipman. There are many practical case studies discussed and the book acts as a fantastic outline to the developments of the various developments of the science of forensics over the history of time. In entomology for example, practices were first documented more than 750 years ago in a Chinese handbook for coroners called The Washing Away of Wrongs. McDermid also takes the time to dispel some popular myths given life by television shows such as CSI and Law and Order.

Despite her admiration for the usefulness of forensic sciences, she is careful to explain that no forensic discipline is infallible.

Solving crimes, and perhaps more importantly ensuring convictions, relies on thorough investigation along with a combination of forensic disciplines. I really enjoyed this book and it was fascinating to read about the history of forensics and the future developments of the industry.