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The Casebook of Forensic Detection
Discover the surprising answers in The Casebook of Forensic Detection, a true-crime treasury of 100 of the most fascinating cases of all time. More than two centuries in the development of modern forensic procedures come to vivid life as everything from handwriting analyses and voiceprints to ballistics, DNA testing, and psychological profiles reveal whodunit (and, in some startling cases, who didn't do it).
"Pithy, concise, and remarkably accurate." -Science Books & Films
"Contains ample material to hold the attention and foster interest in science." -Science Teacher
"Pithy, concise, and remarkably accurate." -Science Books & Films
"Contains ample material to hold the attention and foster interest in science." -Science Teacher
ebook
First published January 1, 1996
42 people are currently reading
2100 people want to read
About the author
Colin Evans
76 books37 followersColin Evans is the author of 17 books dealing with forensics and true crime. His fascination with the murkier side of human nature began while he was still in school. Hours spent in library archives researching contemporary newspaper accounts about "Jack the Ripper" (no, he doesn't have any clues to the killer's identity, and he seriously doubts that anyone else does, either) got him started and it's really never stopped since then.
He was living in America when his first book was published in 1993, and since that time he's gone on to become one of the foremost writers dealing with the history and development of forensic science.
He was living in America when his first book was published in 1993, and since that time he's gone on to become one of the foremost writers dealing with the history and development of forensic science.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
August 15, 2010
The Casebook of Forensic Detection: How Science Solved 100 of the World's Most Baffling CrimesColin Evans
Any student of detection and forensics, casual or serious is sure to love this book.
I always expected a book of true crime to be a little too factual and boring, but Colin Evans makes this a very pleasurable read (once you ignore human depravity and gore).
A book like this needs to be presented well, and in this also The Casebook doesn't disappoint. It has sections for the major disciplines like Fingerprinting, DNA Typing, Ballistics, Cause of Death, Psychological Profiling etc. The cases are then presented chronologically so that you can follow the progress of each branch of science. 100 very well known cases (mostly homicides) are presented with the facts of the case the way it was handled by those in charge. The science in many instances was not only essential to solve the crime, but was also instrumental in proving the case in court and getting a conviction.
Each case is presented in 2-3 pages, not going into too much detail, but jut presenting the pertinent facts.
Summing up each case is a comment on how the expert made an impression,
or science was brilliantly put to use or what progress was made in forensics through this case.
Fascinating read, and quite unexpectedly, I managed to get through it all at once. Will definitely be re-reading this in a few months.
Even if the book had been less than satisfactory, I would be inclined to look at it with fondness if only for the many favorable mentions of Sherlock Holmes!
Any student of detection and forensics, casual or serious is sure to love this book.
I always expected a book of true crime to be a little too factual and boring, but Colin Evans makes this a very pleasurable read (once you ignore human depravity and gore).
A book like this needs to be presented well, and in this also The Casebook doesn't disappoint. It has sections for the major disciplines like Fingerprinting, DNA Typing, Ballistics, Cause of Death, Psychological Profiling etc. The cases are then presented chronologically so that you can follow the progress of each branch of science. 100 very well known cases (mostly homicides) are presented with the facts of the case the way it was handled by those in charge. The science in many instances was not only essential to solve the crime, but was also instrumental in proving the case in court and getting a conviction.
Each case is presented in 2-3 pages, not going into too much detail, but jut presenting the pertinent facts.
Summing up each case is a comment on how the expert made an impression,
or science was brilliantly put to use or what progress was made in forensics through this case.
Fascinating read, and quite unexpectedly, I managed to get through it all at once. Will definitely be re-reading this in a few months.
Even if the book had been less than satisfactory, I would be inclined to look at it with fondness if only for the many favorable mentions of Sherlock Holmes!
February 16, 2013
This nonfiction book is a must for fans of CSI/Law & Order/Bones and any police drama that features forensics. The book is divided into sections, each discussing crimes and how a particular type of forensic science helped solve them. Under ballistics, you'll read of Sacco and Vanzetti; disputed documents uncovers the forged Hitler diaries; DNA typing, the Romanovs; fingerprinting, the notorious Kelly gang; forensic anthropology ("Bones"), the infamous John Wayne Gacy and Josef Mengele; odontology, the serial killer Ted Bundy. The cases are all very detailed and most of them were groundbreaking for their time. You'll learn of the forensic scientists like Edward Heinrich (who solved nearly 2000 crimes), Sir Edward Henry (the father of fingerprinting) and detectives whose names deserve to be as well remembered as the criminals.
July 29, 2021
An interesting compilation of cases from history, organised by main "detection method" in how the crime was solved: e.g. via ballistics, serology, toxicology, fingerprinting, voiceprinting, DNA typing, odontology, etc. The cases range from those committed in the 19th century to present day. Each case is concisely explained, with emphasis on how one particular detection method helped crack it.
P.S. As the book was published more than 10 years ago, it should be noted that bite mark evidence is now no longer accepted in court as it has been proven that it is inconclusive.
P.S. As the book was published more than 10 years ago, it should be noted that bite mark evidence is now no longer accepted in court as it has been proven that it is inconclusive.
November 28, 2015
The Casebook Of Forensic Detection As I said earlier, this was a fascinating book, it just felt like it took forever to read it. And it was only 350 pages or so.
I liked the style of the book, a short summation of each forensic technique (time of death, fingerprints, DNA, etc) that gave a little bit of an explanation and a little history before delving into specific cases. And a great selection of cases, from murder to forgeries to poisonings, all over the last few hundred years to show how each aspect of forensics moved the science forward. Each case was given just a few pages to lay out the facts of the case and then another page or 2 to cover the science used and the outcome. So each case was around 5 to 10 pages at the most. Which means there were a lot of cases, so much so that after a few, I was ready to move on to the next chapter, but unwilling to skip ahead and miss a good story.
So I think that's why it felt like it took forever to finish the book. It's not that it was dry and boring - far from it. Just too much of a good thing, and I'm sure the author found it frustrating not to add "just one more case..."
Overall, riveting and fascinating read, but became overwhelming after awhile. But if you love true crime stories and the science that goes along with solving them, then you will enjoy this book.
I liked the style of the book, a short summation of each forensic technique (time of death, fingerprints, DNA, etc) that gave a little bit of an explanation and a little history before delving into specific cases. And a great selection of cases, from murder to forgeries to poisonings, all over the last few hundred years to show how each aspect of forensics moved the science forward. Each case was given just a few pages to lay out the facts of the case and then another page or 2 to cover the science used and the outcome. So each case was around 5 to 10 pages at the most. Which means there were a lot of cases, so much so that after a few, I was ready to move on to the next chapter, but unwilling to skip ahead and miss a good story.
So I think that's why it felt like it took forever to finish the book. It's not that it was dry and boring - far from it. Just too much of a good thing, and I'm sure the author found it frustrating not to add "just one more case..."
Overall, riveting and fascinating read, but became overwhelming after awhile. But if you love true crime stories and the science that goes along with solving them, then you will enjoy this book.
June 9, 2019
Casebook of Forensic Detection
So as you may have gathered from some previous reviews, I am a true crime junkie- at least, as long as the case has been solved, and the person responsible in jail or punished. The Casebook of Forensic Detection was basically perfect for my purposes, then, since it describes a bunch of cases that established forensic techniques through successful prosecution.
The book is divided into sections based on the forensic technique, such as fingerprints, graphology, ballistics, and DNA testing, and covers cases ranging from a slaying in Argentina in 1892 to crimes committed only a few years before the book's publication in 1998. The coverage is short but thorough, leading to short, quick, reassuring reads for someone like me. I enjoyed it. If you're into true crime or looking for a reasonably thorough overview of basic forensic crimesolving, this is a good book for you.
So as you may have gathered from some previous reviews, I am a true crime junkie- at least, as long as the case has been solved, and the person responsible in jail or punished. The Casebook of Forensic Detection was basically perfect for my purposes, then, since it describes a bunch of cases that established forensic techniques through successful prosecution.
The book is divided into sections based on the forensic technique, such as fingerprints, graphology, ballistics, and DNA testing, and covers cases ranging from a slaying in Argentina in 1892 to crimes committed only a few years before the book's publication in 1998. The coverage is short but thorough, leading to short, quick, reassuring reads for someone like me. I enjoyed it. If you're into true crime or looking for a reasonably thorough overview of basic forensic crimesolving, this is a good book for you.
August 9, 2010
A friend of mine worked in Oklahoma PD when the John Joubert case was being investigated (pg. 285)
Fascinating reading.
It took me longer than expected to finally finish this book. What should be noted - even when investigators (forensic and otherwise) mess up, the bad guy usually gets caught on something. The evidence doesn't lie, even if the people processing the evidence do.
A good read, and fascinating for anyone interested in the world of the REAL CSIs (you all know that the popular TV show is fake, right?)
May 25, 2022
This is definitely dated - both in terminology and in forensic methods that today are inadmissible or otherwise largely debunked. But it was a very interesting read! Ironically I found this book since a perpetrator that Forensic Files covered read it as a sort of how-to guide, and there are several stories in here that Forensic Files also covered.
January 20, 2009
A collection of one hundred crimes. Each summary is a couple pages long, and they're grouped by the forensic discovery that best defines the case (time of death, fingerprinting, etc). A good read, and a book I'll be keeping around as a reference/for story ideas.
November 28, 2016
The Casebook of Forensic Detection
The Casebook of Forensic Detection is a collection of many stories about how science has helped solve crimes. It has collections of stories in branches such as Psychological Profiling, DNA fingerprinting, odontology, and many more. For example, Psychological Profiling deals with looking into the mind of a criminal, and building an image of a criminal in their minds.
I would recommend this book to someone who enjoyed shows such as Criminal Minds or How to Make a Murderer. I was also recommend this book to someone interested in criminology or forensics. I enjoyed this book, especially the Psychological Profiling because it was very interesting how accurate the predictions were. The only thing I disliked was that some of the parts were a bit boring and hard to pay attention to. Other than that, I really liked this book.
The Casebook of Forensic Detection is a collection of many stories about how science has helped solve crimes. It has collections of stories in branches such as Psychological Profiling, DNA fingerprinting, odontology, and many more. For example, Psychological Profiling deals with looking into the mind of a criminal, and building an image of a criminal in their minds.
I would recommend this book to someone who enjoyed shows such as Criminal Minds or How to Make a Murderer. I was also recommend this book to someone interested in criminology or forensics. I enjoyed this book, especially the Psychological Profiling because it was very interesting how accurate the predictions were. The only thing I disliked was that some of the parts were a bit boring and hard to pay attention to. Other than that, I really liked this book.
March 18, 2022
One of many books I picked up at a charity book sale to give away. I could not resist reading it first. For a book 35 years old, most of this holds up well. I know that some of the fiber evidence (particularly hair analysis) has been shown to be less than accurate, but the cases are all interesting. A couple of them are controversial (the Fatal Vision case and Steven Truscott and Hauptmann) but a lot of them are ones I was unfamiliar with -- and I follow a lot of true crime in multiple formats. The things that interest me are what would be added now that DNA and computers are so much more prominent in the field. I also learned a couple of things -- like the types of bomb testing done on luggage at the airport and the fact that most of the time you can tell if a blood sample came from a male or a female.
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February 26, 2024Dearest Collin of the Evans,
I hail from the great discovery canyon and am here to script to you about your literature endeavors. The council and I have concluded over from fortnights of perilous investigation and careful consideration of your writing, we have come to the conclusion that we, as a collective initiative, would rather read a literary works crated by your bedpan than ever set face upon your works again. And so, we would rather learn brail from practicing on the moles upon your bosom than pretend to comprehend your 'works.' Your unidyllic comprehension of the English language is shameful.
In conclusion, we suggest that you cease action upon writing anything furthermore. As your defilement of the creation of book is disgusting.
P.S. y u built like that
I hail from the great discovery canyon and am here to script to you about your literature endeavors. The council and I have concluded over from fortnights of perilous investigation and careful consideration of your writing, we have come to the conclusion that we, as a collective initiative, would rather read a literary works crated by your bedpan than ever set face upon your works again. And so, we would rather learn brail from practicing on the moles upon your bosom than pretend to comprehend your 'works.' Your unidyllic comprehension of the English language is shameful.
In conclusion, we suggest that you cease action upon writing anything furthermore. As your defilement of the creation of book is disgusting.
P.S. y u built like that
April 4, 2019
A very quick survey of numerous cases where forensic science was developed to help solve crimes. From odontology to ballistics and everything else you can imagine, each case is summarized in just a few pages with scant highlights of what was used to bring conviction. Think "weekly reader," if you will. An excellent short read to pass time if one is interested in bare facts.
December 2, 2020
This book was good. It took me awhile to read because I would read about one case a day and some days not having read any for a few days/week. I have always had an interest in forensics since watching my first episode of CSI when I was young. I can't believe some of the things people have done.
September 20, 2020
Enjoyable book detailing various crimes some well known not others not. Discusses the various different forensic methods used to solve crimes.
November 24, 2024
this is my favorite book in the world. i have 2 of them. i have read it 8 times. 5 stars . thank you
August 4, 2020
If you are interested in forensics, you will enjoy this detailed, thorough and compelling book. I was very pleasantly surprised by the extensive coverage of the various cases. I have ordered the second volume and I look forward to reading it at the earliest opportunity.
July 21, 2022
The Casebook of Forensic Detection. Colin Evans
100 casussen, vnl. uit de Westerse wereld (waar blijven Azië, Afrika en Zuid-Amerika?), van in de 18de tot einde 20ste eeuw, waarbij forensische technieken en soms ook hun ontstaansgeschiedenis een belangrijke rol speelden. Zeer systematisch aangepakt. Er is de onderverdeling naar de techniek, in 15 hoofdstukken, gaande van ballistiek over documentenonderzoek, psychologische profiling en personenidentificatie tot odontologie, DNA-onderzoek, toxicologie enz. Elke casus zelf is ook mooi ingedeeld: beginnend met een klein overzichtje van plaats, tijd en betekenis in één zin, nadien een verhaal van de feiten, de forensische onderzoeken die uitgevoerd werden, en het beslag dat de zaak kreeg voor de rechtbank (uitgezonderd enkele cold cases, waarbij de misdadiger al overleden was bij de finale oplossing). Nu vind ik wel dat de vrijwillige beperking tot 4 à 5 blz. per casus voor sommige casussen goed uitpakt, maar voor andere toch een beetje te summier is. Dan wordt het een wat saaie opsomming van de feiten, en de uitkomst voor de rechtbank. Aan veel van deze gevallen (Ted Bundy bv. of de Mad Bomber), waarbij de misdadiger over een langere periode actief was, zit toch heel wat meer vlees (excuses voor de flauwe woordspeling). Dat deed Colin Wilson in zijn boek Written in Blood toch beter.
Ik heb een e-versie, wegens goedkoper en plaatsbesparend, maar dan is de kwaliteit van de illustraties (afmetingen en zwart-wit contrasten) toch vaak erg teleurstellend. Jammer, maar elk voordeel hep ze nadeel.
100 casussen, vnl. uit de Westerse wereld (waar blijven Azië, Afrika en Zuid-Amerika?), van in de 18de tot einde 20ste eeuw, waarbij forensische technieken en soms ook hun ontstaansgeschiedenis een belangrijke rol speelden. Zeer systematisch aangepakt. Er is de onderverdeling naar de techniek, in 15 hoofdstukken, gaande van ballistiek over documentenonderzoek, psychologische profiling en personenidentificatie tot odontologie, DNA-onderzoek, toxicologie enz. Elke casus zelf is ook mooi ingedeeld: beginnend met een klein overzichtje van plaats, tijd en betekenis in één zin, nadien een verhaal van de feiten, de forensische onderzoeken die uitgevoerd werden, en het beslag dat de zaak kreeg voor de rechtbank (uitgezonderd enkele cold cases, waarbij de misdadiger al overleden was bij de finale oplossing). Nu vind ik wel dat de vrijwillige beperking tot 4 à 5 blz. per casus voor sommige casussen goed uitpakt, maar voor andere toch een beetje te summier is. Dan wordt het een wat saaie opsomming van de feiten, en de uitkomst voor de rechtbank. Aan veel van deze gevallen (Ted Bundy bv. of de Mad Bomber), waarbij de misdadiger over een langere periode actief was, zit toch heel wat meer vlees (excuses voor de flauwe woordspeling). Dat deed Colin Wilson in zijn boek Written in Blood toch beter.
Ik heb een e-versie, wegens goedkoper en plaatsbesparend, maar dan is de kwaliteit van de illustraties (afmetingen en zwart-wit contrasten) toch vaak erg teleurstellend. Jammer, maar elk voordeel hep ze nadeel.
May 5, 2014
An interesting and decent enough book. I thought most of the cases presented were worthy, but there were others that I thought should have been in there and weren't. I guess any compendium suffers from this. There were a lot of older cases, and by older I mean 1700s and 1800s, but I get that. The idea was to present a history of the evolution of forensic science. The most interesting aspect was the kind of mini biographies of some of the best of the best pioneers in forensic science. I would actually have liked to seen more in depth stories about the scientists who pioneered this gruesome scientific discipline. At any rate, it was a quick read. Take home message: if you're thinking of committing a crime, particularly murder, and getting away with it, think again. The technology used in forensic science has advanced so much since this book was published that your chances of success would virtually be non-existent.
November 24, 2014
I think The Casebook of forensic detection:how science solved 100 of the worlds most baffling crimes was an amazing book! some people may not agree with me, due to the fact that the book talks quite a bit about murder and can include gruesome details, but it is a very good book, especially if you are thinking about becoming a CSI agent or forensic specialist. Even though it can be boring in some parts, it is very informational.
This book includes topics such as fingerprinting, time of death, and important documents. It even has some very well known events in history, such as the Sacco and Vanzetti case. The book uses science and scientific evidence to solve these cases, and makes them sound very compelling and interesting.
All in all, i would recommend this book to my friends, seeing as how this uses science, and not what people say or thier opinions, to solve these interesting yet extremely baffling cases.
This book includes topics such as fingerprinting, time of death, and important documents. It even has some very well known events in history, such as the Sacco and Vanzetti case. The book uses science and scientific evidence to solve these cases, and makes them sound very compelling and interesting.
All in all, i would recommend this book to my friends, seeing as how this uses science, and not what people say or thier opinions, to solve these interesting yet extremely baffling cases.
September 9, 2013
Another of Evan's excellent books on forensic pathology. This book is arranged alphabetically by type of evidence (Ballistics, Cause of Death, Disputed Documents, DNA Typing, Explosives and Fire, Fingerprinting, Forensic Anthropology, Odontology, Psychological Profiling, Identification of Remains, Serology, Time of Death, Toxicology, Trace Evidence, Voiceprints) and then chronologically within each section. Most cases are only a couple of pages long, making the book feel like light reading. Some cases have been explored in the author's previous work (Blood on the Table) but re-reading them wasn't terribly repetitive as they were previously treated in more depth. Overall, a great book for students interested in forensic science who want to get a sense of the basics and their historical background.
May 12, 2008
I thought this was an interesting book since I find forensics fascinating. It's not very gripping or intense, which you might think it should be from the "world's most baffling crimes," but it is very informative. I learned some interesting things.
Also, it had some key crimes in there (Hitler Diaries, Anastasia), but again, "world's most baffling"...I don't know. It's an good read though, if you're interested in learning a little bit more about the history of forensics.
DO NOT read this if you get squeemish easily or are prone to "mean world syndrome" (if you don't know what that is, I can let you know).
Also, it had some key crimes in there (Hitler Diaries, Anastasia), but again, "world's most baffling"...I don't know. It's an good read though, if you're interested in learning a little bit more about the history of forensics.
DO NOT read this if you get squeemish easily or are prone to "mean world syndrome" (if you don't know what that is, I can let you know).
February 17, 2016
While Colin Wilson is a good writer, I should have known better than to read something so depressingly filled with stories of mankind's abuse of mankind. Too much gore. (Naively I had thought this would be mainly a clinical study of how the art of detection was perfected over the years, from fingerprinting to DNA to deductive reasoning minus actual true life and death stories, shiver).
I know someone has to detail and archive these kinds of acts, especially when the aim is to perfect the skill and art of crime detection but, well, as I concluded with relief: I don't have to read it. Well, ugh.
I know someone has to detail and archive these kinds of acts, especially when the aim is to perfect the skill and art of crime detection but, well, as I concluded with relief: I don't have to read it. Well, ugh.
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October 25, 2011I thought this was an interesting book since I find forensics fascinating. It's not very gripping or intense, which you might think it should be from the "world's most baffling crimes," but it is very informative. I learned some interesting things.
Also, it had some key crimes in there (Hitler Diaries, Anastasia), but again, "world's most baffling"...I don't know. It's an good read though, if you're interested in learning a little bit more about the history of forensics.
DO NOT read this if you get squeemish easily.
Also, it had some key crimes in there (Hitler Diaries, Anastasia), but again, "world's most baffling"...I don't know. It's an good read though, if you're interested in learning a little bit more about the history of forensics.
DO NOT read this if you get squeemish easily.
January 3, 2013
An overview of key developments in forensic detection, this book offers fascinating accounts of the various cases which introduced those modes of detection. Each case highlighted is about a page or two long - with just enough detail to be interesting, while not indulging in gruesome descriptions. Colin Evans was able to balance the info with his writing style, to make each account intriguing. Only a few of the cases mentioned (involving crimes against children) were too much me to bear. Even still, Evans's expositions were modest.
July 2, 2007
A really great book if you're feeling morbid. The focus on the early days of true forensic investigating is fantastic, and the cases share an apropriate degree of the creepy/chilling factor. For atmosphere, think Caleb Carr's The Alienist, only real. This was one of my favorite books to read and reread when I was about fifteen, which proves at least one thing conclusively: I was a very strange fifteen-year-old.
October 10, 2010
A fascinating book about 100 high profile crimes (mostly murders) and the different forensic methods used to solve them, dating from the 1700s to 1995, when the book was written. I couldn't put it down! The descriptions aren't too graphic, although there were a couple that made me feel a little squeamish (body disposals in a sausage factory and a restaurant well.) Definitely a good read if you like true crime stories.
June 26, 2011
Handy episodic view of forensic sciences, and a good grounding for how actual forensic detective work has been practiced over the last 100 years, but the short treatment for each case, inconsistent emphasis of forensics and snappy summations make this more a fun read to breeze through rather than a serious work to savor.
Still, if you're going to steal ideas for a forensic TV show, this'd be a good place to start.
Still, if you're going to steal ideas for a forensic TV show, this'd be a good place to start.
July 18, 2013
I found this book interesting, although definitely disturbing. My only disappointment was that the cases are titled using the name of the guilty party so that the reader doesn't have the chance to follow the development of the case as the detectives would have. I solved this by skipping the headings and trying to read the cases without glancing back at the headings, but it was difficult. It would have been easy to solve this problem just by titling the cases with the names of the victims.
July 1, 2008
I love this kind of stuff !
This book examines the evolution of forensic dectection, just as the title states. It's very interesting to read of familiar cases (last 20 years) and the methods employed to solve the case, along with 200 year old cases solved without the technological advances of today.
The cases are presented in short 2-4 pages generally so interest is not lost.
This book examines the evolution of forensic dectection, just as the title states. It's very interesting to read of familiar cases (last 20 years) and the methods employed to solve the case, along with 200 year old cases solved without the technological advances of today.
The cases are presented in short 2-4 pages generally so interest is not lost.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews