A Voice for the Dead

by James E. Starrs, Katherine Ramsland

Follows the law professor and forensic scientist author's efforts to solve unsolved cases by applying new technologies to exhumed bodies, in a collection of case stories that includes those of Jesse James, the Boston Strangler, and a Cold War scientist. 20,000 first printing.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Anthropology, Science, Adult

304 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[M. D. Hudson · Rating 1 out of 5]

“A forensic investigator’s pursuit of the truth in the grave” concerns digging up famous corpses to investigate how they really died. Since I was a child, I’ve been graveyard-obsessed (but not in a Jeffrey Dahmer way, I swear), so this kind of book is like catnip. It is, however, the worst-written book in the world. Just awful. Starrs is by turns preening, obnoxious and vain. His prose displays an almost unbelievable capacity for cliché. When not indulging in cliché, he shares pointless side stories about such things as how smart his grandson is. Starrs is a lawyer. Why is it lawyers have become the worst writers in the world when they used to be among the best (Wallace Stevens comes to mind)? What is dismaying to find out is that Starrs doesn’t do anything with the investigations beyond the legal wrangling to open up the crypts. The scientists doing the actual “investigating” and the work they do are mentioned in a few sketchy paragraphs. Then it’s back to Starr’s contemptuous, cliché-ruddled accounts of encounters with uncooperative cemetery operators and skeptical family members and crappy politicians and how smart his grandson is. Despite all of this, there were moments of interesting (to me) information about how the Donner Party, Jesse James, etc. died. But what an unpleasant slog it takes to get there. It’s like sitting on a stool next to the most boring guy in the most boring bar in the world. The cheesy jocularity, the shameless boasting, the predictable, hackneyed string of words…

[Bill · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can honestly say this was a horrible book. It felt like a CSI kids book that tries to impress you by using big words with little relevant content. I hate to say this but I felt bored with it. The author held grudges against people who disagreed with him and seems to have felt that this book would be a great forum to express his opinion that only his view can be correct. If you are interested in forensic science, the work by Bill Bass & Jon Jefferson Book entitled Death's Acre: Inside the Legendary Body Farm is of much higher quality. I wouldn't waste my time reading this book. Anything you could find on the shelf would be a better read.

[Rikelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is more like 2 1/2 stars for me. I liked the stories inspite of the author. I really enjoy true crime and the stories in this book are fascinating. I found the author a bit wordy and he came off to me a bit smitten with himself.

[Helen Robare · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always been interested in books about true crime and forensics. This book covered both. Now mind you this was no nambly pambly CSI type of crime writing. This got right down into the nitty gritty of forensics. This book contains historical cases such as the Alfred Packer (a cannibalistic expedition in Colorado) to who and how Huey Long was really killed to Jesse James (and many others including the stepmother and father of Lizzie Bordon!).

The book is very well written by Mr. Starrs in a way that is neither boring nor is it not understandable. In fact, each page is relatively easy to understand. Mr. Starrs does not seek to show off his knowledge of forensics and exhumations and each word is written as though he were speaking to one of his first-year college classes for understandability. The cases chosen are quite historical and most are very well known. Those that are not well known in certain areas of the world/U.S. are explained so that they are understood by the reader. There were some cases included in the book that I did not know about such as cannibalism orchestrated by Alfred Packer. (I had only heard about the Donner Party and the Plane that went down in the Andes Mountains).

If you are interested in true crime, history, and forensics this is the book for you. I enjoyed learning about the cases and also learned things about the cases I thought I already knew about in detail.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting how much can be learned from the bones of the dead.

[Irene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wasn't crazy about it in the very beginning, but came around & learned quite a bit.

[Blair · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am quite sure that should I ever have the chance to hear the author speak that one of the following would occur;
1) He would be as long winded as his writing style, or
2) He might prove to be more interesting that he comes across in his writings.

The stories were fascinating, but a bit long winded in parts... often clothed in what I perceived to be some sort of self aggrandizement. I kept being reminded of the Hemingway followers who go to the running of the bulls, grow a beard and end up trying to look like Ol' Papa H himself.

I think the best thing I can say is that I did not hate the book... for a topic I find fascinating... I only liked it enough.

[Wagrobanite · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Dr. Starr's book and the cases he presents, especially the Boston Strangler case. However the main thing that I did not like about the book is that he would use these large words that I didn't know what they meant and I read a lot. Granted I could have looked them up but I feel that this not only wastes my energies and takes away from the flow of the book if I have to stop and look up a word. He also uses Latin words that he doesn't define, expecting the readers to know what they mean and I would take a hazard to guess that most wouldn't.

[Sydney · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the topic is fascinating, Starrs doesn't really write for the lay reader. He sprinkles terms into his writing without explaining them, possibly assuming anyone reading his book will already be familiar with them.

I've given up on this book 50 pages in. The fascinating parts are buried under the academic prose and the attempt at humor.

Verdict: perfect if you are a die-hard fan of the topic, but not for your average Joe.

[Batgrl (Book Data Kept Elsewhere)]

Contents:

Introduction: Desiderata for an Exhumation
1. Alfred G. Packer, The Colorado Cannibal with a...Conscience
2. Carl Austin Weiss, MD, He Died in Marble Halls
3. Frank Olson, The Man Who Fell Thirteen Stories
4. Jesse James, The Houdini of Western Outlaws
5. Mary A. Sullivan, She Was Just Nineteen
6. The Unheard of Voices of the Dead
Selected Bibliography by Chapter
Index

[Gfrenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting to learn about the history of persons exhumed, why they were exhumed, and the results of exhumation.

It was difficult to get through the last chapter. The author just rambled on a bit too much.

[Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as riveting as some of the other forensic books I've read.

[Beka · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting story about information from many of the famous deaths.

[Kitty Tomlinson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn't get into it. May try again later.

[Stephanie A. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read it based on my obsession with CSI. This was not a good reason. I enjoyed reading about the original cases and not much else.