Great book: Forensics: The Anatomy of Crime by Val McDermid - review

Scottish writer Val McDermid, who specialise in crime novels, decided her time to write about real crimes and on their examples show how the development of forensic science changed the way of conducting investigations. It's called Forensic. The Anatomy of Crime and this is an incredible and interesting book!

The true face of forensics. Many people gets the knowledge about modern forensics from television and movies, especially from "CSI" series, but according to McDermid this production completely distorted the image of  modern forensic science.

That's why "Quite a number of jurors began to believe that DNA testing is an essential part of any investigation" - writes McDermid - "although sometimes they are simply unnecessary, because already collected sufficient evidence and it makes no sense to spend additional funds on unnecessary and expensive tests". But - as the author admits - "there are also those who argue that the CSI effect of improved general knowledge of the public on forensic techniques, even if you are doing it exactly oblivion".

Interestingly, McDermid notes that even people working in the police, who love to watch crime stories, sometimes forget the principle that "it is not worth reaching for some kind of cosmic inventions if these same effects obtained in a simpler and cheaper way."

One of the interviewees says to the author: "I remember once we found stabbed man and the officer immediately offered us to do testing for the presence of metal particles in the wound, to prove that the victim actually killed knife. He needs to be explained that it is not necessary, since the blade is still stuck in the flesh".

Many times, however, without the help of scientists many crimes committed all over the world today would not have been clarified and their perpetrators would go free. It is thanks to the passion and titanic work of the whole staff of technical professionals, that so many the investigations may result in the detection of the murderer.

Val McDermid writes about the development of forensic science in an interesting and gripping manner. She talks with passion about its individual domains and their development over the centuries, but does not sweep under the carpet the sins of some scientists or concerns that arise with the widespread use of certain methods.

The writer gives spectacular examples where using some innovating methods (eg. by comparing the vein structure!) leads to the detection of the perpetrator, but also mentions cases in which the experts were wrong and what led to the conviction of innocent people.

What is forensics
While reading the book we learn how forensic was born as a science. We learn about the work of Edmond Locard, who was the founder of the famous laboratory investigations and wrote a manual explaining the basis for that new method. He formulated the basic principle of forensic science, "every contact leaves a trace" which is still current. Thanks to a painstaking and meticulous research, both at crime scenes and in the lab, technicians work has an increasing influence on the investigation.

Another interesting subject in the book are study of fires, entomology, forensic medicine, toxicology, fingerprint examination, DNA testing and blood spatter. How anthropology is used in the investigation, what use is the facial reconstruction, computer forensics and forensic psychology. And finally the author describes how all the evidence are presented in the courtroom and what follows in the process.

The whole consists of 400 pages and it is a sensational and entertaining reading.

This is fascinating book. I learned a lot from it I recommend this title to anyone! Really. Buy this book on Amazon! :-)