Forty Years of Murder

by Keith Simpson

Forty Years of An Autobiography

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Biography, Science, Crime, Biography Memoir, Autobiography

398 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

(Cedric) Keith Simpson. British forensic scientist, head of department at Guy's Hospital, London 1962-72. His evidence sent John Haig (the acid bath murderer) and Neville Heath to the gallows. In 1965 he identified the first "battered baby" murder in England.

Author of:
Forty Years of Murder (1978)
The Mysteries of Life and Death (1979)
Sherlock Holmes on Medicine and Science (1983)

Reviews

[Nick Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating. Though published over forty years ago, this personal and professional history by the eminent forensic pathologist Keith Simpson made for a very interesting read. Simpson's style I found approachable, well-explained, and authoritative - as well as not without wit.

The author's career spanned from the 1930s to the 1980s, hence this does not cover some of the more recent advances in forensic science or some of the more famous recent cases - however this gave the book an very interesting slant in terms of how crimes were solved by science in the middle part of the Twentieth Century. I also found the prose pleasantly old fashioned, albeit modern readers might find it a little dated in attitude.

I would recommend this for anyone interested in the field - there are some illustrative and informative examples and case studies. Quite a fortunate wee find in a charity shop, this!

[Fishface · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-written case histories and memoirs of British Home Office Pathologist, Prof. Keith Simpson. Many fascinating cases in here. Hard to put down. The drawback here is that I had already read Molly Lefebure's EVIDENCE FOR THE CROWN -- she was his secretary and almost all the cases are the same.

[Vanessa Meachen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the best true crime bios I've ever read - probably because of the eminence of Keith Simpson, and because it was written back before forensics was flavour of the decade :)

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Liked', despite having made a mistake in reading it from cover to cover, not least for the fact that it covered a much earlier stage of forensic pathology than I'm familiar with. The many and varied accounts of man's inhumanity to man felt relentless, for all their interest, but the development of skills and methods, the flexibility of approach, the need to be staunch and certain when giving evidence in court, all made for a fascinating and absorbing account.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Professor Keith Simpson was the first Professor of Forensic Medicine at Guy's hospital in London, and began his career as a forensic pathologist in the 1930s and 40s. He worked on countless high-profile murder cases for the Home Office and Scotland Yard, involving criminals who have now become infamous, such as the Kray twins and Lord Lucan.

By far the most fascinating aspect of this book is the detail about the history of forensic medicine. Anybody who reads a lot of crime fiction or watches CSI would think Simpson was working in a completely different world. These days it is easy to think that a murderer can be convicted on the basis of a DNA match from a cheek swab that takes 5 seconds to do. But back in wartime Britain the technology to do that didn't exist and it was infinitely more difficult to prove someone guilty. Simpson pioneered techniques that we take for granted today, such as forensic odontology (identifying a criminal from bite marks left on the victim). He also had to demonstrate the quick intelligence to explain and justify his conclusions in court.

His writing style can come across as a bit smug and self-congratulatory, and that did grate at times, but to be fair his achievements are truly astounding. I was amazed to read that on one occasion he was able to prove murder had taken place through identifying a single gall stone in a pile of rubble (with only the naked eye) after the rest of the body had been dissolved in acid.

As well as learning about the roots of forensic pathology you get a real insight into how much society in general has changed over the years. A large number of the criminals mentioned in this book were eventually hanged, and it's also interesting to read about how many got off scot-free because of a lack of hard evidence in court. Without the concrete proof provided by DNA tests etc., a conviction could rest solely on the pathologist's clinical deductions and reasoning, and it was often possible for the defence to pick holes in his logic. I was also amused to see how much society's attitudes towards doctors have changed. Simpson discusses a case in which he proved the innocence of a doctor who had been accusing of killing his patient for monetary gain. He dismisses this as a possible motive:
"She had left an estate of £157,000, out of which the doctor received an old Rolls Royce and a chest containing silver valued at £275...hardly a rich legacy!"
I imagine concerns might certainly be raised these days if a GP inherited a car and a chest of silver from one of his patients! On the other hand, Simpson also talks about doctors who got into trouble after prescribing morphine and sedatives for palliation of their terminally ill patients. When you consider the fuss that has recently been kicked up in the press about palliative care and the use of the Liverpool Care Pathway, it seems that maybe not so much has changed after all.

So of course, this is a book chock-full of gruesome stories and grisly details, and if you are of a squeamish disposition then I'd steer well clear. But anybody who is a fan of crime fiction - particularly with a forensic/pathological theme, such as the novels of Tess Gerritsen or Patricia Cornwell - would do well to track down a copy as it is a really interesting read.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have once again returned to true crime, This time it is with a book that was a long time coming. Way back in the day my Dad knew the author of this book. I suspect it was he who gave him the copy I read. It has always been on a shelf in my parent's house and then on my own. It is yellow around the edges and has that old musty smell to it now. I figured it was just about time for me to take a look and see what it was all about. For me, this is not the first of its type that I have read but it is one of the few to be from my home country. Unlike the others, this is not so much about the science of what they do but rather the cases he came into contact with in his long and varied. And for me at least I think it workers better given the age of the book. while some techniques are still in use today others have moved with the times.



The book itself moves along in chronological order starting with the reason for him starting in this field of work. I would say that for the most part a lot of the cases he talks about are now sadly forgotten. There are maybe just a handful that would be recognizable to the casual lover of true crime. So does this make them any less worthy of our time? For me, I feel the answer is no, While their names have long since faded from the headlines I feel someone should member these victims. It is hard to read about there horrific demises without wondering if that happened to me how long would it be before I to was forgotten. As I said there are a few more well-known names mentioned from the Kray's to Lord Lucan, but I also question how long before these two are lost to time. It is through books like this that many people are remembered for better or worse. What I think stands out with such books is that it is also their victims that are brought to light. Those people that are all to often forgotten when such events take place.



For his part, the author gives us enough of each case to get a glimpse into them. I think to some part for readers at the time of first publication a lot more would be recognizable. But for you and me it means doing a bit more digging to find out all the facts of the cases at hand. This is by no means the fault of the author. How was he to know that some twenty-nine years after its publication many of these stories would be long forgotten? To him, these people died in such ways that he would think they would never leave the greater public's consciousness. it took ask of us what crimes have held us captive of late will be completely forgotten in a few years. I will say that the author has done a great job of holding me with these people. It is a difficult thing to bring those of the past to life in just a few short pages and get you interest peeked.



I fully realize this book will not be for all, be it the subject matter or simply that it is now a very old book. But for those willing to spend a little time with it I feel you will be greatly rewarded. Not only in the learning of crimes of the past. but also getting to spend time with a man who at one time was at the top of his field.

[Bobby24 · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoroughly enjoyable book about an English Pathologist from the 1930's to mid 1970's, it begins with the author giving a brief intro to his life and how he got into Pathology he states that before a person can become a forensic pathologist he must first become an expert pathologist.

It goes into almost every conceivable death/murder from burning to shooting to poisoning to drowning's. You need a pretty strong stomach for some things ie he tells the tale of exhuming John Christies victims and a burns victim (always carried out at 5'30am) so it might not be for some, but imo it is a true crime classic that is so interesting in terms of human behaviour and the grim reaper. Oddly his evidence also turned him into the grim reaper, he sent men to the gallows then conducted their autopsies.

The story that got me was of a young lad who raided his mum and dads alcohol cabinet when they were out one night, they came home and found him dead covered in blood, turns out he cut his foot in his drunk state and bled to death in the dark, Simpson carried out this autopsy over the phone.

Some reviewers say that the author comes across as smug and stuck up, but to me he sounded like a real character he also sounded quite a funny witty man and when you are as expert at death as him you have the right to sound like a know all, I would certainly liked to have had a pint of beer with him and heard his tales although I certainly would not want to hear them over any solids. One thing I would have liked was to have heard how he slept at night and if he ever got nightmares about his work, alas its to late he died in July 1985, and a lot of wisdom, knowledge and stories died with him.

Anyway brilliant book and man, if you like true crime you will love it

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The cases were interesting, he came across as a mysogynist.

[Katy · Rating 3 out of 5]

My father bought me a copy of this as he thought it was something I would find interesting – he had read it himself years ago. On the surface, it would be. I am very interested in the history of crime investigation, including forensic pathology, and Keith Simpson’s impact on that field is undeniable.

His story is fascinating in a lot of ways. He was involved in so many important, high-profile cases, and pioneered certain techniques. The writing of the book is certainly engaging and flows very well, even if it does veer into the self-important.

This is part of the problem with the book. As interesting as he is, he annoyed me. There’s an element of being a product of his time, but his attitude for much of the book was really hard to stomach as a twenty-first century reader.

It’s also really graphic, even for me, who is reasonably used to true crime and reading this sort of content. I don’t think it required this much detail, especially when it came to describing the injuries of murdered women and children, especially those relating to sexual violence. I can appreciate that he was probably blinkered by how used to it he was – he acknowledges this himself in the text numerous times – but I found it distasteful.

My copy of this book was bought secondhand and was originally published in the 1970s, so I don’t know if more recent editions of this text have trimmed some of this content out. Regardless of this, the book I read was certainly interesting but not at all my cup of tea. It was a very hard read. If you like criminal history and the history of forensic pathology, you may find this interesting, but please check content warnings.

Content Notes:

Warnings: Graphic descriptions throughout of autopsies, death, murder, sexual harassment, sexual assault, rape, anal rape, child sexual abuse, sexual assault and rape with an inanimate object, graphic descriptions of injuries sustained from sexual violence, torture, elder abuse, child abuse, intimate partner violence, organised crime, gun violence, knife violence, drowning, robberies, armed robberies, anti-sex worker language, homophobic language, xenophobic language, racist language, poisoning, vomit, references to war, references to bomb and explosions, cancer, terminal illness.

[Caity · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forty Years of Murder refers to the work of the author, Professor Keith Simpson (20 July 1907 – 21 July 1985), who had a very long and successful career as a forensic pathologist in the UK beginning in the 1930s.

I’m not here to analyse the content of the book as it was mostly made up of Simpson’s most famous cases (mostly within the UK but he was also invited abroad many times due to his reputation). Though I will say for a man born in 1907, and for this book being published in 1978, the guy was surprisingly progressive given the circumstances. I especially appreciate his stance on abortion, pushing for legal abortions (they were illegal at the time) as he saw multiple cases of girls and women dying from botched abortions each week. Good guy, Keith.

The book itself is absolutely fascinating as someone interested in the history of medicine. Especially in Simpson’s early career, there was not the testing or equipment available to do what we can today to prove so much about someone’s death. It came down to knowing your craft and being painstakingly accurate throughout the entire process, which is how Keith Simpson found himself as such a prominent figure in his field. He was well known for his ridiculously fine attention to detail (in one case basically proving a murder by finding a discarded gall stone on the ground) and his coolness under pressure in court when being interrogated by defense lawyers. Getting to peek behind the curtain of some very famous cases was so interesting that even after 400 pages I was sad when it was over. Reading about his process sucked you in, and his passion for his work purely to have people brought to justice and to see closure for the families of the victims had you rooting for him every step of the way.

If you find this kind of medical history interesting then absolutely give it a go! But be warned - I found it a little more graphic and intense than more modern books in the same vein. I definitely feel more modern books on the topic are more censored. Otherwise, fascinating to be put in the shoes of someone who worked so hard without our modern luxuries to bring about justice.

[Ryan Hannay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read a lot of true crime books but this one was different. Mostly because it gives an inside look at how murders were solved long before DNA, computers, etc. Keith Simpson explains how they could go from finding bodies discarded in various places and work backward to find the identities, manner of death, and tracing the last days and hours of the person's life. Particularly interesting is the difference in homicides in the UK vs. America, where guns are a rarity and homicide is almost always done up close and personal. It's extremely impressive what he and his coworkers were able to accomplish, especially during World War 2 amidst air raids, transient populations, and a shortage of resources. Reads like a real-life Sherlock Holmes, but he still readily admits that there are many aspects of these cases he has no answer for and never will. People are strange and often very, very evil.

[Erik Surewaard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dr. Keith Simpson is seen as one of the most important forensic pathologists in the history of the UK.

As a book about the authors history in forensic pathology, I found the book very basic. Only very short descriptions of the cases whereby practically no knowledge is shared.

After having read so many short cases, the books becomes dull and almost even repetitive. I would rcommend the reader to seek other books about experiences in forensic pathology.

All in all it is rather remarkable that there is no "acknowledgement"-section in this book. It is in my opinion a sign that confirms that the author feels rather superior towards his contemporaries. There is not even one word about one of his best (if not the best) team members dr. Richard Shepherd.

It rate this read 2.8 stars, rounded to 3 stars.

[Cheryl Jensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading the first chapter or two of Forty Years of Murder, Keith Simpson's style seemed somewhat pompous and uninteresting. Upon continuing to read, however, and recognizing Dr. Simpson CBE was born in 1907, the autobiography became more approachable and interesting. A pioneer in many ways of British forensics, and having the reputation of performing more post-mortems than any other pathologist in the world at the time, Dr. Simpson's accounts his cases are fascinating. Interestingly, he was an early proponent of forensic dentistry before his death in 1985. Forty years later, this field is highly controversial as a scientific tool.

[Trevor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written in 1978, this book is almost as old as me, but that shouldn't detract from the fact it's a fabulous read!

The book centres around Professor Keith Simpson, a home office pathologist who covered cases seemingly between the 1940s to the 1970s.

There are a couple of well know, high profile cases but each case in itself holds an interest.

The book is well written in a truly humble fashion and fascinates throughout.

If you like your true crime along with some pathology you will love this book, don't let its age put you off.

[Felicity Pike · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was fascinating and informative. Keith Simpson was clearly a brilliant man. Apart from the insights into how he solved crimes, I also found it really interesting and revealing in the context of a woman's place in society in the middle of the 20th century. He described the post mortem examination of a woman later identified as a prostitute as being "very sexually experienced"; can you really tell that from a post mortem? The body of one young woman was described as being dressed in her "autumn coat".

[Reason Restored · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book at the start of my career as a police detective. At that point it was already 20 years old and covered the period of forty years before that. Nonetheless it was a fascinating insight into the work of the coroner and some of the most high profile cases of the previous half century. There was much to learn in the way of the basics of crime scene management and investigative methodology. That one mams career seemed to cover such an extraordinary period of scientific and institutional development makes it an extraordinary autobiography.
Another forty years have passed and while science has continued to progress and the culture has spun out of all apparent sense, Professor Simpsons inquisitiveness, humanity and doggedness can still teach is worthwhile lessons in investigations, and in an era of True Crime obsessives, this excellent book should find a new audience who will enjoy getting behind some of the most unpleasant headlines of the 20c.

[Aileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book (along with Sydney Smith's "Mostly Murder") that put me on the path to adoring my favourite genre of gory crime/thrillers! My father was a policeman and occasionally had to attend PMs, which I found fascinating. We used to watch programs like The Expert, and for many years I wanted to be a pathologist. This book fed into this of course, and I was gripped by the tales Simpson told. Forty years of my own later - still love them!!

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating account of many notable cases Professor Simpson worked on throughout his long career. Each chapter is only a few pages long which makes it easy to read 5-10 minutes here and there. Of course, this is before DNA testing, so it's interesting to see how law enforcement wasn't able to use that.

[Rose]

A particularly charming quote

“But when I have seen strangled girls who had deliberately taken the occupational risks of prostitution, drunken sots who toppled downstairs to their death, or the adolescent victims of the lure of drug addiction, I have often said without the slightest emotional disturbance, ‘Better out of this world - really. Never a chance of being a happy and useful citizen.’”

[Evander · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good but his language regarding sex workers is absolutely disgusting.

[Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Silent Witness: The Early Years"

[Victoria Williamson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic forensics book, made all the better as it is all pre DNA and cases rest on physical evidence - maggots and stuff. Great read.

[Victoria Viswam · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was knowledgable as well as gripping. A very great addition to the library .Itbwas worth the shot.😊

[Angela Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book for anyone who is interested in forensics and pathology.
With sporadic insights into Doctor Keith Simpson’s wicked humor.

[Ritwik Dey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating real life stories of forensic medicine and chronicles about day to day life of a forensic pathologist.

[Terry · Rating 3 out of 5]

dry

[Vicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this really hard to follow and the print was too small. Gave up a third of the way through as I just couldn't get into it. Shame, as I was quite excited to read this.

[Geoff Cumberbeach · Rating 4 out of 5]

A remarkable career in the early days of forensic pathology.
A detailed trip over a collection of his cases.
An easy read.

[Jane Jarman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing biography of a life in forensic science and aiding the police in a time before DNA came into it's own!

[Ian · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. Full of his own importance and he liked to see people hang. Could have been so much better.