Tremors in the Blood: Murder, Obsession and the Birth of the Lie Detector

by Amit Katwala, Paul Bellantoni (Narrator)

10 hours, 35 minutes

Late one evening in the summer of 1922, Henry Wilkens burst through the doors of the emergency room covered in his wife’s blood. But was he a grieving husband or a ruthless killer who conspired with bandits to have her murdered?

To find out, the San Francisco police turned to technology and a new machine that had just been invented in Berkeley by a rookie detective, a visionary police chief, and a teenage magician with a showman’s touch. John Larson, Gus Vollmer, and Leonarde Keeler hoped the lie detector would make the justice system fairer, but the flawed device soon grew too powerful for them to control. It poisoned their lives, turned fast friends into bitter enemies, and, as it conquered America and the world, transformed our relationship with the truth in ways that are still being felt.

As new forms of lie detection gain momentum in the present day, Tremors in the Blood reveals the incredible truth behind the creation of the polygraph, through gripping true-crime cases featuring explosive gunfights, shocking twists, and high-stakes courtroom drama. Touching on psychology, technology, and the science of the truth, Tremors in the Blood is a vibrant, atmospheric thriller and a warning from history: beware what you believe.

Genres: Nonfiction, True Crime, History, Crime, Audiobook, Science, Psychology

9 pages, Audiobook

First published April 14, 2022

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book Amit Katwala traces the development of the polygraph machine, better known as a lie detector. The polygraph works by monitoring a person's blood pressure, respiration, pulse, and perspiration while the person is being asked a series of questions. Spikes in the above signs (supposedly) indicate the person is lying.

The polygraph is far from infallible, however, because false positives may result from the stress of being interrogated. Moreover, some people can 'beat the machine', so passing the lie detector test is not proof of truthfulness. Because of the unreliability of polygraph results, only SOME states allow their use in court, and these states require consent by both parties.


A modern polygraph machine

Three men were primarily responsible for the development of the modern polygraph machine: August Vollmer - the first police chief in Berkeley, California; John Larson - a Berkeley police officer with a Ph.D. in physiology; and Leonarde Keeler - an apprentice to Larson who went on to augment and commercialize the polygraph machine.


Police Chief August Vollmer


Police Officer John Larson


Leonarde Keeler

Berkeley Police Chief Vollmer wanted to dispense with the 'third degree' (beatings) to interrogate suspects, so he asked science-oriented Police Officer Larson to devise an apparatus to detect lies. Larson had read an article by William Marston, who used a blood pressure cuff to study links between vital signs and emotions. Marston tested the device on Harvard students and reported a 96 percent success rate in detecting liars.


William Marston testing his early version of the lie detector

Officer Larson took inspiration from Marston's work and, with the help of high school student Leonarde Keeler - who liked to hang around the police station - Larson put together a hodgepodge device called a cardio-pneumo-psychograph. This was the first official lie detector.


A man being questioned using the Cardio-Pneumo-Psychograph

The formal introduction of the cardio-pneumo-psychograph occurred in the spring of 1921, when a crime spree was reported in a girls' dormitory at the University of California, Berkeley. The occupants of the dorm reported their possessions - money, jewelry, clothing - were going missing, and residents pointed fingers at each other.

Police Chief Vollmer sent Officer Larson to use his cardio-pneumo-psychograph on the college girls, and a suspect called Helen Graham was identified. Intense questioning of Graham resulted in a confession, which Helen later recanted. Nevertheless, Vollmer and Larson considered the launch of the lie detector a success.


A young woman taking a polygraph test

The lie detector was used for a more serious case later that year. In August, 1921 a Catholic priest named Patrick Heslin, from Colma, California, was called away to give last rites.....and never returned. Two ransom notes were sent, with insufficient information about the drop site, and the Archbishop offered a reward for information about Heslin. Shortly afterwards, a baker called William Hightower told a reporter he might know the whereabouts of the priest.


William Hightower

Hightower led the journalist and the police to a spot on the beach, and seemed to know EXACTLY where to dig for Heslin, who had been shot twice. Hightower was arrested and Officer Larson used his cardio-pneumo-psychograph to question the suspect, who was deemed guilty. Police then found the murder weapon and the typewriter used for ransom notes in Hightower's room, and the baker was convicted of murder. Thus, another (presumable) success for the lie detector.

The next major public use of the lie detector was more problematical. In May 1922, Henry and Anna Wilkins were driving home to San Francisco with their two children when their car was forced to the side of the road. A gunman robbed the couple of three $100 bills and shot Anna. Circumstances suggested Henry hired the perpetrator and was complicit in Anna's murder, but Henry passed a polygraph test and was released by the police.


Henry Wilkins taking a lie detector test

Still, there was a great deal of evidence implicating Henry, including the fact that he was having an affair with his sister-in-law. Henry was tried twice but never convicted, and he seemed to have 'beat the machine.'

As the lie detector grew in popularity, the inventors were making it more compact and easier to use. Still, Officer Larson - who had pictured the polygraph being used for scientific studies - started having doubts about his invention, especially when it was used by untrained people who might misinterpret the results. Eventually, Larson regretted developing the lie detector, believing it was being widely misused.

For their part, Police Chief Vollmer and Leonarde Keeler, who went on to graduate from the University of California, strongly touted the polygraph.


Leonarde Keeler (left) and August Vollmer observing a lie detector test

Vollmer recommended the polygraph for use in police departments, and Leonarde advised its use everywhere, including businesses, banks, etc., to test the honesty of employees. Leonarde eventually patented the polygraph, and grew wealthy from its sales. All this led Larson to fall out with Vollmer and Keeler, and Larson took every opportunity to criticize his former partners.

One of the most dramatic uses of the lie detector occurred in 1936, in the case of Chicago drug dealer Joseph (Joe) Rappoport. Rappoport was accused of killing a man called Max Dent, who was going to testify against Rappoport in an uncoming trial. Rappoport was convicted of first degree murder and scheduled to be executed in the electric chair.


Electric Chair

Joe seemed to be a lucky guy, though, because his execution was postponed five times for appeals and religious holidays. When the execution was scheduled for the sixth time, Rappoport's sister begged Illinois Governor Henry Horner to commute Joe's sentence.....and Horner made the unprecedented decision to base his decision on the results of a polygraph test.

Leonarde Keeler administered the lie detector test to Rappoport in a kind of circus atmosphere, which is the exact opposite of the calm quiet environment recommeded by John Larson. Keeler found that Joe was guilty of murdering Max Dent, and the decision came to haunt Keeler for the rest of his life.


Leonarde Keeler

Though the results of polygraph tests have been repeatedly deemed unreliable, the machines are still widely used to screen government employees, question suspected criminals, investigate possible terrorists, and more. In addition, increasingly sophisticated methods of 'lie detection' are being devised, such as brain fingerprinting, Functional MRI brain scans, pupil dilation, guilty knowledge tests, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and more.


Brain Fingerprinting Test

Katwala does a deep dive into the lives of Vollmer, Larson, and Keeler, and writes a great deal about the development of polygraph machines. He also includes extensive chapters about the true crimes mentioned above, and refers to several others. I found the book informative and interesting and recommend it to readers interested in the subject.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Paul Belllantoni, who did a fine job.

Thanks to Netgalley, Amit Katwala, and Dreamscape Media for a copy of the book.

You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com

[Marialyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

A machine that purported to be able to tell if you are lying was invented in 1921 when John A. Larsen, (a psychologist), and John Larsen launched an apparatus that could measure blood pressure, respiration, heart rate and sweat gland production. Supposedly if any of aforementioned went up, it might be that you are lying.

This fascinating tale, entitled Tremors In The Blood, was a look into both the science and the ability of this machine, refined over time, to detect liars. This machine invention over a hundred years ago, was used in court cases, hiring people in government, testing illegals thought to be a terrorists, has had its problems over the ages, and today it can't be used as a proof of guilt.

In the book many cases are discussed and the popularity of the machine, increased as the inventors John Larson, Gus Vollmer and Leonarde Keeler, harbored the idea that this apparatus was the answer to the who donnits of the time. Little did they realize that their hopes would cause multitudes of issues including the breakup of friendships, that turned friends into enemies.

As the story explains many legalities, sets up the nature of so many convicted, the strength of this machine is questioned and the hope that it was a cure all diminished. We have learned in the present time of what is claimed to be more accurate ways in which to test the validity of one's statement, but once again must be aware that there are always those who can "cheat" the test, and thus the machine is not infallible.

There is a cautionary piece, that I found hard to listen to as the author describes the electric chair and some of the men and a woman who were executed this way. It's was truly gruesome (as those who watched The Green Mile can attest to)

All in all, it was an engrossing tale that brought to me many facts that I was unaware of.
Thank you to Amit Kalwala, narrated by Paul Bellantoni, Dreamscape Audio, and NetGalley for the ability to listen to this story which comes out March 7, 2023

[Heather Adores Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐

Featuring ~ nonfiction, true crime, police procedural

The true crime I usually read is about the killer themselves, but this was different in that it was a look at the lives of the inventors of the lie detector test; John Larson, Gus Vollmer and Leonarde Keeler. I never thought much about the history behind it since I've never had to take one and it's just always been around in my lifetime, obviously since it was invented in the 1920's. Is it truly a reliable device though?

It had some draggy points, but overall it seemed just as properly researched as I'd expect my nonfiction to be.

Narration:
Paul Bellantoni ~ 10 hours 36 minutes ~ he did a fine job.

*Thanks to the author, Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the audio copy. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*

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[Olive Fellows (abookolive) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this one up for the Morbidly Curious Book Club. Katwala's storytelling, especially when talking about the first case in the book, is top notch, but ultimately I felt he didn't go far enough in expressing his doubts regarding the efficacy of the lie detector test.

Click here to hear more of my thoughts over on my Booktube channel, abookolive!

[Monte Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure I can persuade people to pick up a book about the invention of the polygraph... but if I can, I think that the audiobook was very engaging. It was a day well spent. I learned some stuff, I had a good time. It's like a nice holdiay; you go to the place, sample some food, relax a little. That's how I would describe my time with this book.

That's not to say that the book is lighthearted. The history of the polygraph, especially as it is written about here can be a little dark with a couple murder cases at the heart of the history as depicted and the inventors and police all jockeying to try and get the polygraph admissible. So do know that, but at the end of the day I think it is time well spent.

[Valerity (Val) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting deep dive into a vintage murder of a wife/mother of 2 back in 1922. It follows the invention of the lie detector and how this case and others played into the success of the machine. They began to feel that the woman’s husband was involved in her murder after it was at first considered that he passed the test. Very good information on Gus Vollmer, a one-time mailman, and how he got into police work and changed it for the better in many ways.

[PATCHES · Rating 5 out of 5]

February Morbidly Curious Book Club pick was insanely good

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

How to judge a book about an interesting subject that also bores you to death?

This book is about the invention and history of the lie detector. Obviously, the lie detector is junk science. If you are ever offered to take a lie detector by law enforcement or lawyers don't do it. It does actually show if a person is lying it only shows if a person is uncomfortable taking a lie detector. In fact, it's well known that if say you killed someone but feel no guilt you will pass the test.

So while the subject was entertaining the book was not

[Liliya · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really really wanted to love this book- and I did at first. But as I read on I realized this is not a book about the origins of the lie detector. It’s a book about the lives and dramas of its founders.

I immensely enjoyed Katwala’s writing style. He was very descriptive and I really got into the story because it was easy to imagine it happening. The book is also obviously well-researched and is very in-depth about the stories it focuses on. Now, the stories it focuses on: basically a biography of the lie detector's founders and a very detailed look at two of the first prolific cases it was used in. That’s it. And even in those cases, the lie detector is a very minor detail and ultimately had little to no bearing on the outcome of the case. It is very light on the actual story of the lie detector. And maybe that’s because there really isn’t much to say about it? The lie detector is a pretty big part of crime today, but there were only a few paragraphs about it being used- particularly in the modern world- beyond the two cases mentioned earlier. I wished the author included a lot more cases about the lie detector being used. What about when it was successful in a high-profile case? What about talking about a newer case? We only really learned about its controversies.

I didn’t dislike this book, and I enjoyed the first three quarters or so when I still had hope there would be more focus on the actual lie detector. But when I realized there was no hope, I started skimming and stopped enjoying. If I wanted to read about extremely detailed accounts of two early 19th-century crimes + a biography, I would like this more. However, I wanted to learn about the lie detector, and this book unfortunately was a big let down.

And finally: if I had a nickel for every time an inventor of the lie detector married a suspect they used the machine on, I’d have two nickels. Which isn’t a lot but it’s weird that it happened twice.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for an eARC of this book.

[Brian Clegg · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is something beguiling about the concept of the polygraph - the proper name for what is usually known as a lie detector. Surely it makes sense, if technology exists that can tell if a statement is true or false, that lie detectors should provide an important adjunct to the legal system? Unfortunately, though, despite a public assumption that they are scientific, there is absolutely no evidence that lie detectors work - and plenty of evidence that they don't.

What Amit Katwala does in this very readable account is give us an insight into the early development and deployment of the polygraph. In part this is the story of three key individuals - two behind the technology and one a police chief who instigated the polygraph's development, though the larger part of the book comprises a series of true crime stories, introducing in some depth a handful of early legal cases where the polygraph played a role.

The two developers, John Larsen and Leonarde Keeler, both seem to have had serious character flaws, and were single-minded in their assumption that monitoring blood pressure and breathing variations were sufficient to tell the difference between a true and a false statement. While there is no doubt that some people do experience shifts in these metrics when lying, some don't... and everyone, particularly in the scary circumstances of a police interview, is likely to have fluctuations that have nothing to do with the veracity of their answers - not helped by the way that many early attempts seemed to turn the whole thing into a media circus with crowds of reporters and onlookers present.

The crimes are described in immersive narrative fashion, some taking place in the febrile setting of Capone's Chicago, though things start in the rather more refined precincts of Berkeley, California. I don't usually read true crime books - I find reading about other people's suffering for entertainment rather ghoulish - but the context of the lie detector's development and public attitudes to it make it a rather different phenomenon here.

Katwala is clearly more than up to the challenge of presenting these stories in a gripping fashion, and it is genuinely fascinating to see how the polygraph gained its reputation. It would have been good to have had a bit more of the science as to why the device is unreliable and never can be trusted, especially in the context that it is still widely used around the world and is even creeping into use in the UK, where historically it has been treated with well-deserved suspicion. Developments since the 1930s, including using various other equally non-definitive measures such as brain wave patterns, is briefly summarised in an epilogue, which is understandable given the focus is the birth of the lie detector, but perhaps could have had more detail.

Katwala always makes it clear that this was (and is) a dangerous and untrustworthy device. Arguably it is on a par with astrology - both are based on scientific observations (astronomy and physiological measurements respectively), but both draw totally unjustified conclusions from those observations. This is a timely exploration of this dubious technology.

[Leah · Rating 2 out of 5]

The development of the lie detector sounds like an interesting story and for the most part it was but the telling of it was a bit dry. I think it is super funny that one of the inventors, I believe it was Keeler, tried so hard to create an accurate lie detector but in the end he had 0% faith in the device he helped to create. Which is in fact the correct attitude to have towards the lie detector. My real question about this book is: "Where is the book about Katherine Applegate Keeler Dussaq?" She was married to one of the inventors of the lie detector and is mentioned a hand full of times. But the few facts that they did relate about her make her a way more interesting character then any of the men in this story. She was America's first female crime scene technician, she opened an all female detective agency, she loved going on adventures and was a trained pilot who volunteered during war time. I am in love with this woman. So I say again: "Where is my book about Katherine Applegate Keeler Dussaq?"

[Max · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was something different from what I expected! I expected more information about the science and background of the workings of the polygraph (lie detector). Instead, it is more a story on the lives of the people involved with the lie detector (designers, users, convicts subjected to it, etc). While this makes for easy and entertaining reading, it missed a layer of depth to me. Maybe that is because I don't particularly care for the life and drama of people, but more of the technical and medical details of devices like this. So, a fun read, but for me personally I like something a bit more in depth.

[Ayre · Rating 4 out of 5]

The history of the lie detector test starts out about as successfully as you'd expect. With total failure. This book does a good job illustrating how much of a failure the polygraph test is in criminal cases by telling the stories of early high profile cases where the polygraph was used, to varying effects.

This is definitely a tool that should only be used as a party trick.

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about the invention of the lie detector machine John Larson was the creator of it and Leonhard Keeler help Tim and wasn’t early adopter of the program. They would both go on to spout the benefits of the machine but Leonhard Keeler Would take it to places The ethical Larson wouldn’t agree with. He wanted people to look at it as the scientific wonder it was important to be trusted, but Leonhard keeper would commercialize it and make it available for use in many facets. This is a great book for Robert of True Crime and criminal history. It shows where they went wrong and why it is an excepted in court rooms today but it also shows how it very well could’ve been allowed there. I found this book so good and didn’t know about any of this true crime stories. I enjoyed reading about their early life and there really is no negative to this book. Most of it reads like a true crime story and all of it is interesting. I highly recommend “ trimmers in the blood! “ I thought the author did a great job mixing their life the invention of the machine in all the places it went in the end. This is a great book for anyone to True Crime library. I received this book from net galley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evocative Evisceration Of Everyday "Evidence". In this text, Katwala shows the origins and history of the polygraph "lie detector" device that has been banned from many courtrooms due to its unreliability yet which lives on in the American zeitgeist. Katwala tells the tale via narrative nonfiction that places the reader in the center of the action and cases in question, then follows the principle players throughout their lifetimes as they try to justify their life's work. In the process, Katwala does a tremendous job of showing how truly unreliable these devices are, and even includes a brief discussion of more modern successor technologies such as brain wave scanners. Anyone interested in the American justice system absolutely needs to read this history of this long-debunked zombie junk science. Indeed, the only negative here is that the bibliography is scant at just 12% or so of the narrative, compared to a more common 20-30% in my experience, and thus the single star deduction. Very much recommended.

[Liz]

DNF @ 40%. I think would work better as a snappy little Netflix docu-series

[Maggie Carr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Less about the lie detector and more about the cases surrounding its use and believability. Some cases/stories kept me more engaged than others (like the ones that I literally fell asleep to 🤷), but I learned quite a bit just not my favorite unique history. I did find the clash between the inventor and the shared/split/shared/split research that eventually became enemies over the device that brought them together in the first place.

[Kaitlyn (ktxx22) Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like 3.5. The first 2/3rds of this I was really enjoying. It was dealing with the same case and the origins, then it kinda went off the path and followed other things that I wasn’t expecting or interested in. Overall I enjoyed reading this and learned a bunch of new information.

[Translator Monkey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good stuff. The author waits until the Epilogue to show his hand, but you get a sneaking suspicion that he views polygraphy as junk science. Regardless, it's a fascinating look at the conception, gestation, birth, and evolution of what's come to be known as the lie detector; not only the persons responsible for its inception and creation and follow-on modifications, but also the court cases that pushed the technology to its limits, and left more than a few doubts lingering. Well-researched, well-written, and an entertaining read.

[Emma Davison (A Cup Of Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book covers the original invention of the 'polygraph' machine that has at various points been called a lie detector machine, as well as some of the earliest cases when it was used. It's an interesting read that I feel was hampered by its restriction to one particular period of history, as well as an overabundance of details about criminal cases that I had limited interest in.

The author has a pleasant narrative writing style that keeps the book flowing. He covers a nice range of early data such as the beginnings of the police in America, its problems with corruption as well as a move towards more data driven detective work. He also goes into the lives of the three men most heavily involved in the early polygraphs and has a balanced approach to portraying their flaws - such as the gentleman who used the lie detector test to ask a woman if she fancied him, men are gross in every era. I also greatly enjoyed his epilogue and coda that goes on to cover where the lie dectector test sits in the public consciousness now, its various iterations and different scientific takes, as well as how ubiquitous it has become in our conceptions of trials/evidence.

Where I feel the book falls down is that the bulk of the time is spent focused on the early cases the lie detector was used in, and this level of detail bogs the book down. There are two pivotal cases where one of the inventors feels the lie detector failed to the detriment of justice - one where is says a man is innocent where evidence suggests he isn't, and one where it condemns as man as a liar when he likely didn't do it - and these feel relevant to the tale. But in addition to this there are many other cases covered, victims and suspects listed, details of court proceedings described, and it all just becomes very samey. I'd have rather Katwala streamline this section and then feel he has the room to explore further along the lie detectors timeline to modern day. But the book is called 'the birth' of the lie detector not 'a history of' so perhaps the fault lies with me.

The Morbidly Curious Book Club Pick for February 2025

[Sandrine Pal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whenever I read historical true crime such as this, I can't help but feel that all these authors owe an immense debt of gratitude to Truman Capote. Or perhaps even a share of their royalties to Capote's estate, to be fair. It's very hard to read about murder investigations in early 20th-century America and not be reminded of the master. Now if only someone could do for contemporary true crime what Capote did for the Clutter murders... But I digress. Tremors in the Blood centers on the absolutely-non-scientists who first dreamed up the lie detector and the various crimes thanks to which the machine first made a splash. I loved how the book shed light on the polygraph's propensity for judicial error, and the search for fame and fortune that may have motivated its inventors. I would have liked to see more about debunking the pseudoscience behind the machine. It is chillingly interesting that, as recently as 2015, courts in the US were still arbitrating to what extent polygraph testing and results might be admissible in legal proceedings.

[Leah K · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Tremors in the Blood, we learn about the making and use of the polygraph machine (or lie detector) in the early years. It's a fascinating look at how times change and why we now know that lie detectors just aren't a great tool for evidence and trials. How many innocent people were sentenced to death because of this machine? Regardless, it's still a tool in today's investigations but in most cases are no longer admissible in a court setting...luckily. The book had a lot of potential and it had its good moments but something fell flat for me. I'll chalk it up to my exhaustion that the jumping around in times and trials confused me at times but it made it difficult for me to fully enjoy the book. If you are into historical crimes, this may be a book for you. Just because it wasn't fully my cup of tea doesn't mean you won't love it (maybe).

[Hiba · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting read. The writing was (at times) compelling. Some chapters and passages felt overkill but it was overall an interesting account of the history of the polygraph and I enjoyed it.
I never even gave much thought to lie-detection and how it came about, and never even thought about the underlying mechanisms, so this felt very informative.

[Matty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m surprised this book isn’t more highly rated on GR… it’s a really interesting history of the lie detector, focused on a few key true crime stories over the last 100 years that have been in some way affected by it. The first key story the author focused on was undoubtedly the most interesting, so when it moved onto others it felt somewhat hard to get back into, but all in all was a great read! Spoiler alert: lie detection doesn’t work!

[Mara · Rating 3 out of 5]

there were some interesting stories in this, but it felt like it was a bit longer than it needed to be. The story of the polygraph is absolutely WILD.

[Bant · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so fascinated by all of this. The bullshit science, the true crime. All of it.

[Paracosm · Rating 2 out of 5]

So this wasn't very good.

The begining of the book has a pacing issue. It jumps from topic to topic without any good transition. It was quite jarring. It stops eventually, but the first third of the book was like this so it's not nothing.

Also, I feel like the author focused so much in the criminal cases that at times the lie detector felt like a footnote.

The lie detector doesn't actually have any science behind it. But there are themes that could have been explored. There's three in specific that were mentioned in the epilogue.

First, how the lie detector was a response to police brutality but ended up become another one of it's tools. Second, how it only works because people believe in it and it compares it to with other pseudo sciences like astrology and aromatherapy. Third, it glosses over how the people pushed to take the test belong to minorities, and about those who give the test.

So my question is why was any of that developed in the actual book? Why it had to be relegated to a couple sentences at the very end? Why couldn't some of the info on the cases be cut to make room for that? Such a wasted opportunity.

[Maeghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, this book was really interesting. The topic was one I'd never thought of before, so to learn about the emergence of the lie detector and all the fallout from it was super interesting. My issue with the book was the constant jumping around between murder cases, experimental phases, life event and just general caveats that diverted from the main plot. We would finish a trial in 1928 then all of a sudden Joe-Smo is hanging out in his backyard in 1921. I found that really hard to keep track of.

I really loved the narrator. I found his voice oddly soothing (especially given some of the topics discussed) and while I was losing the plot every now and then I would still listen to it.

Not my favourite book in the world, but definitely glad I was able to listen to it!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

[Crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nonfiction>History
An interesting story about the invention of the polygraph and the first few cases that molded it. I didn't understaffed the perspective the author had, his "point, " until the last chapter. Perhaps I missed the hints since I listened to this, but I wish I knew "the point" from the start. I don't disagree with his conclusions, but being surprised by them in the last chapter is not my favorite way to learn from a history book.
Lots of things to absorb from the time period, how local law enforcement operated (operates, present tense, perhaps, wink), and good ol' sexism from not- that- long- ago.
This is worth reading, but not especially captivating for me.

[Athena · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid, serviceable, true-crime adjacent non-fiction book about the invention of the lie detector. I met some fascinating characters at the forefront of detecting, police work, and science. The polygraph has an unexpectedly complex and dramatic origin story. But there were times where we meandered so far down a side road about a crime or the personal lives of the people involved in the machine's development that I forgot the subject of the book.

The part about Henry Wilkins' murder trial (the first trial where the machine came into play) seemed to go on forever, with large chunks of it never mentioning the polygraph. And while I appreciate that the details may have been important in order to establish the case's significance, it ultimately detracted from the main point of the book.

But I can certainly say that I now have a much better understanding of the polygraph's capabilities and history, and despite the book's structure, I still enjoyed the ride and the narration was pleasant to listen to.

I received my audio book from NetGalley.