Murder Whatdunnit

by J.H.H. Gaute, Robin Odell

A look at forensic medicine and forensic science as used to solve a variety of criminal homicides discusses such areas as ballistics, toxicology, and fingerprints

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime, Reference

264 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 1982

Reviews

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

c1982: FWFTB: historian, private, solicitor, consultant. If you are ever planning a murder, this is one book that you would not want the police to find on your bookshelves. It is as it is stated on the cover - a list of all the possible methods of murder that you could think of (and some, frankly, that I wished nobody had thought of). What makes it more interesting is the little bits of information regarding some of the crimes and the outcomes. Of course this book was written/compiled well before the huge leaps in forensics with regard to DNA evidence and I was left wondering how many of the unsolved crimes could have been settled with certainty. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to the normal crew - but you won't find the physical copy on my bookshelves......'In Johannesburg, he joined the South African Air Force under a false name, and started training as a pilot.'

[David Vernon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fine book for all writers who want to know the technicalities of different ways of committing a murder. Each method is illustrated by notes from real cases. The book is somewhat dated and it is disappointing to read just how biased against homosexuality the authors are. For example "Violence with overtones of sado-masochism ending in murder is a common pattern in the aggressive homosexual." Indeed in many of the sections dealing with various sex crimes, the authors imply that homosexuality is to blame. The authors also use the word 'perverted' far too many times for my liking. It's so patronising. I can work out for myself that necrophilia is peverted without being told. The section on 'psychic detection' is simply pathetic with no scientific rigour applied whatsoever — which is odd given that the rest of the book praises the scientific method.

Despite these criticisms, the book is a handy reference for writers wanting to add some verisimilitude to their writing.