5 Nonfiction Books to Read If You’re Into Forensic Science
If you, like me, have an interest in forensic science you have come to the right place. Maybe you enjoy crime TV shows, maybe you’re a murderino, maybe you’re looking to start a career in forensic science; whatever brings you to look for books to read: I got you.
I have collected five nonfiction books all about different aspects of forensic science. But don’t worry, they’re not dry retellings of cases long past. Instead, they are memoirs and stories from some of the world’s leading experts about their work and how it has shaped their lives.
So whether you are looking for your true crime fix, want some insight into the methods used to solve crimes or are simply looking for a good book: here are five that have it all.
Forensics: The Anatomy of Crime – Val McDermid
Whenever somebody I know expresses a vague interest in forensic science, this is the book I recommend first.
Val McDermid is, of course, most well known for being a prolific crime writer. In Forensics, she takes a step back and takes a look at the different real-life areas of forensic science and their history. From entomology, toxicology and anthropology to forensic psychology, this book is a great starting point. It’s going to equip you with a basic understanding of those fields (and some morbid facts to annoy your friends with). And then you can go from there and read more specialised books, consider it a ‘Crime Tasting’ (get it, like wine tasting?).
If you are a crime TV show enthusiast and want to get a glimpse into real cases and the people solving them, or just have a general interest in forensic science, this is the book for you!
All That Remains – Sue Black
All That Remains is a fascinating memoir by one of the most world-renowned forensic anthropologists: Sue Black.
She intertwines stories from her life with stories of cases she’s worked on, providing an insight into the field of forensic anthropology and also what it takes to get there. It’s one of the books I think about a lot even a year after reading it for the first time, so that’s saying something. All That Remains is wonderfully readable and had me laughing, crying and scribbling lots of notes in the margins.
This book is definitely for you if you’re interested in forensic anthropology. Maybe you’ve seen Bones and wonder what forensic anthropologists actually do and want to read about some real cases. However, this book is also for you if you simply enjoy well-written memoirs (especially those by death professionals, like I do).
Traces – Patricia Wiltshire
Before I started learning about forensic science, I never put much thought into how many traces of my existence I leave behind in nature every day. From footprints in the mud to almost invisible fabric fibres, we all leave marks.
Patricia Wiltshire is a forensic ecologist and in Traces, she explores our inevitable link with nature and how the environment can help to solve crimes. If you have ever wondered how minute details and traces can help close a case, this is the book for you!
Maggots, Murder and Men – Dr. Zakaria Erzinçlioğlu
Keeping in line with memoirs by death professionals, this might be the book for those of you who had a soft spot for Jack Hodgins from Bones. Forensic entomology is the study of insects and Dr. Zakaria Erzinçlioğlu was one of the world’s most well-known entomologists!
It’s one of the lesser-known fields within forensic science and I only ever knew about using insects to determine the time of death, but there is so much more to learn!
In Maggots, Murder and Men, Dr. Erzinçlioğlu recounts cases he’s worked on and compares his own methods of crime-solving to those of Sherlock Holmes. It’s definitely one of the more unusual forensic science books on my list! So if you’re not overly freaked out by insects, enjoy reading about real cases (and maybe if you’re a Sherlock Holmes fan), this could be the book for you!
When the Dogs Don’t Bark – Angela Gallop
When the Dogs Don’t Barkby Angela Gallop is yet another memoir (can you tell I like them?). She has worked as a forensic scientist for over 40 years and looks back at her career, starting with her very first case.
I particularly enjoyed that she takes the time to dive deep into the techniques and methods used by various forensic scientists. That way, you get a real impression of the attention to detail this work takes. So if you’re looking for a book about all kinds of lab work that delivers details and insights into a career, this book is for you!
With these five forensic science books as a starting point, you should be well equipped to dive deep into the wonderful and fascinating world of forensics!
Have you read any of these? Is there one that looks particularly interesting to you?
I hope you have a lovely day,
5 Comments
linesandlifemiriam
This is very on brand and I love it!
All of those five sound super interesting, but I think I will look into All that remains first!
bookshelfsoliloquies
It’s definitely the book out of the bunch that’s the best to read if you like good memoirs but also some wonderful thoughts about death! I think it’s written very accessibly and has the most “mass appeal” for the average non-deathling 😀
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