“There is no better communicator than Sue Black.”
Val MacDiarmid. From the world-renowned forensic anthropologist and bestselling author of All That Remains comes an insider's history of forensic science told through its pioneers and high-profile cases.CSI might suggest that forensics is a science based on brilliant laboratories and impeccable results. But the truth, as Ms. Sue Black knows from her 40 years of experience analyzing human remains, is much harsher and more interesting. Every tool used today - from fiber matching and DNA analysis to fingerprinting, footprints and even earprints - had to be proven first at the crime scene, then in the courtroom by scientists willing to take risks.With their research and reputation for justice.
In her book, Expert Witness, Black uses her decades of experience to shed light on forensic science itself. Through pivotal criminal cases throughout history, Black traces the development of forensic medicine from nineteenth-century poisonings to modern sex crimes, and shows the great efforts of its pioneers to gain acceptance of new techniques.Despite the tremendous progress the field has made, including Black's pioneering work in identifying veins, errors in forensic medicine have also contributed to wrongful convictions and imprisonment. In murder trials, mistakes come at a very high cost.In this deep dive into the history of criminal investigation, Black brings to her book the humor, empathy, and candor that made her books All That Remains and Written in the Bones so beloved. Alongside her fascinating history of forensic science, Black provides an in-depth study of the many cases in which she has been involved: in which have justice prevailed? Why do things go wrong? How can we hold forensic science accountable?
