An interesting history with some interesting case histories. ( )

I guess I've read too many books on forensic science as it pertains to solving crimes, because this book was mostly a rehash of cases I was already familiar with, and not written in a terribly gripping way. It might not be bad for a starter book for someone unfamiliar with the history of forensics, though. ( )

I did my degree in Psychology and Forensic Science so it was good going back to familiar ground. I think forensic science is interesting so I may be biased but McCrery makes this acessable whether you have any background in science or not. And just as importantly he makes it a fun topic looking at a vareity of different areas such as DNA, fingerprints and ballistics. Whether you're interested in science, crime or anything else this is a really interesting read. It looks at how these things originated and how far they've come since ( )

A very interesting book on the great breakthroughs that have seen such advances in Forensic science over the past 100 years. A lot has been written about the role of forensic science in relation to specific cases but this is one that heralds forensic science itself as the central focus of the book. Very enjoyable ( )

CSI history

Silent Witnesses: The Often Gruesome But Always Fascinating History of Forensic Science by Nigel McCrery (Chicago Review Press, $16.95).

Nigel McCrery, a former British police officer and a crime and mystery novelist, opens Silent Witnesses: The Often Gruesome But Always Fascinating History of Forensic Science with a recitation of the Leicestershire “blooding” of the early ’80s, when, in an attempt to catch the rapist-murderer of two young woman, the police gathered DNA samples from roughly 5,000 men in the area to use the new forensic technique in search of the killer.

They actually caught him—his name was Colin Pitchfork—but it was only because he’d paid another man to give DNA for him.

From there, McCrery takes readers on an intriguing—and yes, often gruesome—ride through attempts at using science and logic in the apprehension of criminals, from French policeman Alphonse Bertillion’s system of gathering physical measurements and photographs through the development of fingerprint technology, then on to chemical examinations of fiber and blood, and finally to DNA fingerprinting.

McCrery’s ability to tell a good story makes this book work; it’s not a dry recitation of technological history, but a fast-paced and blood-thirsty series of true crime stories that illustrate how forensic science developed.

Reviewed on Lit/Rant: www.litrant.tumblr.com ( )