Product Description

Before there was CSI, there was one man who saw beyond the crime - and into the future of forensic science. His name was Sir Bernard Spilsbury, and through his use of cutting-edge science, he single-handedly brought criminal investigations into the modern age. As a young, charismatic physician in the early 20th century, Spilsbury hit the English justice system like a cannonball, garnering a reputation as a real-life Sherlock Holmes. He uncovered evidence others missed, stood above his peers in crime reconstruction, exposed discrepancies between witness testimony and factual evidence, and, most importantly, convicted dozens of murderers with hard-nosed, scientific proof. Killers who would have previously escaped justice began to drop through the hangman's trapdoor. Fleet Street adored him. 'Horrible murder - Spilsbury called in' became a favourite headline guaranteed to boost circulation.In telling Spilsbury's fascinating story, Colin Evans also tells those of infamous criminals such as Dr Crippen and Louis Voisin, the 'Butcher of Soho', and explores in some depth gruesome cases which Spilsbury helped solve, such as the notorious 'Brides in the Bath' murders. He also traces the beginnings of the astonishing science of criminal investigation in our own time - for which we have Sir Bernard Spilsbury to thank.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #75173 in Books
• Published on: 2009-02-05
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 336 pages

About the Author
Colin Evans is a veteran writer specialising in forensics. His books include The Casebook of Forensic Detection: How Science Solved 100 ofthe World's Most Baffling Crimes, and A Question of Evidence: The Casebook of Great Forensic Controversies from Napoleon to O.J. He lives in Wiltshire.

Customer Reviews

Fascinating and informative
I really enjoyed this book as it combined the intersting biography of a complex and driven man, Bernard Spilsbury, with the story of his massive contribution to forensic science. His scientific approach to crime scene investigation revolutionized the kind of evidence that was presented in court cases. The latter mainly involved prosecutions for murder. Many of Splisbury's most famous and impressive cases are described and make fascinating reading, particularly for those of us who like crime fiction.

Father of Forensics
A fascinating insight into the embryonic virtues of forensic science which impoved detection in police investigative procedures and investigative systems.