Casebook Of Forensic Detection [Mass Market Paperback]

Anyone can summarize a collection of cases, but not everyone can make them read well. With a flair for compressed narrative worthy of a good short story writer, Colin Evans entertains and instructs the reader with 100 cases that exemplify the use of 15 different forensic techniques (ballistics, fingerprinting). Some (like the Lindbergh case) are famous, others are barely known, yet each has some unique twist that sets it apart. Many "firsts" are included, such as the first murder conviction without a body, the first use of psychological profiling, and the first use of DNA typing. Evans also brings out the distinct (often flamboyant) personalities of the pioneering experts of forensics and some of their more notable courtroom theatrics. Each case is labeled by name of criminal, forensic technique, date, location, and significant feature(s), making this a useful reference as well as a fun book to read. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

This well-organized compendium by Evans (Killer Doctors in Britain) covers cases from 1751 to 1991, arranged according to the methodology by which they were solved. Fifteen areas are listed alphabetically, ranging from ballistics through DNA typing, fingerprinting, odontology, serology and toxicology to the still-disputed voiceprint analysis. Only a few twice-told tales like the murder of Gay Gibson and Willie Guldensuppe have been included. Otherwise, even the most dedicated devotee of the genre will find much that is new in these brief but exciting accounts of the brilliant and persistent scientific work that brought murderers like John List (through forensic anthropology), Ted Bundy (through odontology) and Jeffrey MacDonald (through trace evidence) to justice. Those still convinced of the innocence of Sacco and Vanzetti or Bruno Richard Hauptmann are in for some surprises. Fifty photos include many of the pathologists and detectives whose exploits are related in the text.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Arranged by topic?cause of death, DNA, fingerprinting, toxicology, trace evidence, and so on?these are short summaries (two to three pages) of cases Evans (A Calendar of Crime: An Almanac of Sinister & Criminal Behavior, Longmeadow, 1993) considers landmarks of forensic science. While highly selective, they are representative of the evolution of the discipline and its increasingly prominent role in crime solving. Not all of them were baffling, and some conclusions?the guilt of Sacco and Vanzetti or of Hauptmann in the Lindbergh baby kidnapping case?are debatable. Emphasis is placed on the certainties of forensics rather than on such complexities as the variant expert testimony at the O.J. Simpson trial (not mentioned here). Written in a popular style as clear as it is brief, this book is suitable for general true-crime collections, although readers wanting to know more about specific cases will regret the absence of a bibliography.?Gregor A. Preston, formerly with Univ. of California Lib., Davis, Calif.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

A fascinating history of infamous crimes and the scientific sleuths who solved them Colin Evans's book describes 100 heinous crimes were solved through the application of medical evidence. Cases range from the work of Sir Bernard Spilsbury, the 19th-century doctor who took pathology out of the morgue and splashed it across the headlines of newspapers around the globe, to the conviction of serial killer Ted Bundy based on the teeth marks he left on his victims. Each case is a gripping true-crime story, whether the experts use hypnosis, handwriting analysis, psychological profiling, ballistics, or DNA testing to convict a criminal or free the innocent. COLIN EVANS (Middlesex, England) recently published Killer Doctors in Britain. He is a contributor to Great American Trials and writes regularly on crime-related subjects for the Orlando Sun-Sentinel. Profiling the trailblazing titans of medical crimefighting. "Pithy, concise, and remarkably accurate."--Science Books & Films. Among the exciting cases in this popular forensic medicine reference are the uncanny identification of a person with only about one one-thousandth of her body remaining (a few hairs, nails and tooth fragments); the creepy psychological profile that helped track down a cannibal; and the clever forensic detective who finally caught Ted Bundy by identifying his teeth marks on victims. Covers the 100 most absorbing, groundbreaking cases in forensic history.

*Features fascinating coverage of Alec Jeffreys' discovery of the DNA "fingerprint."

Colin Evans (Middlesex, England) is a professional writer who was a major contributor to Gale Research's Great American Trials. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

This fascinating book describes the development of forensics from the nineteenth century to the present. Cases are classified by 15 forensic types then arranged chronologically. Features riveting stories of how forensic experts were able to identify a person with only one one thousandth of her body parts, the dramatic tale of how a psychological profile helped catch a dangerous criminal who drank his victim's blood, and numerous more narratives of how science triumphed to bring the guilty to justice and free the innocent. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

The Casebook of Forensic Detection A missing persons case is solved—four decades after the victim’s disappearance. A twisted piece of metal yields conclusive proof of a terrorist bomb aboard Pan Am Flight 103. A murder suspect’s face is aged through computer enhancement—and a killer is caught and convicted eighteen years after the crime. Today, what once was the stuff of science fiction has become fascinating fact. In The Casebook of Forensic Detection, crime-writing specialist Colin Evans recounts one hundred groundbreaking cases that have had a lasting impact on criminal investigation and trial proceedings. Spanning more than two centuries in the development of modern forensic procedures, this lively, eye-opening book examines the investigative tools that scientists, law enforcement officials, and legal experts use "to identify that which we can’t see, and analyze that which we can." Packed with enough mystery and intrigue to satisfy the most avid true-crime buff, the cases illustrate the invaluable contribution made by forensic scientists. From fingerprinting and ballistics to toxicology, psychological profiling, and DNA typing, fifteen different fields of forensics are examined, each accompanied by a brief introduction and real-life examples of practical applications. Along the way, Evans brings to light the work of early forensic pioneers such as Sir Bernard Spilsbury, the doctor who took pathology out of the morgue and splashed it across the headlines of newspapers around the world, as well as such modern-day titans of technology as Dr. Alec Jeffreys, the discoverer of DNA "fingerprinting." True-crime aficionados will be rewarded by absorbing details from some of the most famous cases of all time, from Bruno Hauptmann and Sacco and Vanzetti to John Wayne Gacy and Ted Bundy (who was identified through odontology, the study of teeth marks left on crime victims). The less well-known cases prove equally intriguing, among them Australia’s legendary Shark Arm Murder case, famous for its fact-is-stranger-than-fiction conclusion. The evidence is clear. Blending history, mystery, and scientific research, The Casebook of Forensic Detection adds up to engrossing, can’t-put-down excitement. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

What evidence led investigators to Ted Bundy, America’s most infamous serial killer? How was the mystery of Anna Anderson, who claimed to be Anastasia, daughter of Czar Nicholas and Alexandra, solved after decades of speculation? How did authorities prove the notorious Hitler Diaries were a fraud? Discover the surprising answers in The Casebook of Forensic Detection, an enthralling account of one hundred groundbreaking real-life cases whose riddles were ultimately solved by scientific research. More than two centuries of technology and development come to vivid life as everything from handwriting analysis and voice-prints to ballistics, DNA testing, and psychological profiles reveal whodunit (and, in some startling cases, who didn’t do it). --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

COLIN EVANS is a freelance writer specializing in crime. He is a contributor to Great American Trials and the author of Killer Doctors, published in England. He divides his time between Florida and London. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.