This is what you get when you mix a brilliant and principled scientist with a passionately curious and witty writer. Dr. Baden and Ms. Roach educate and entertain the reader, yet never let you forget that these are the stories of real people, victims and their families who deserve justice. How science can serve up justice in many new and old cases and why it has failed, or been prevented from doing so in others, makes for some very good story-telling. I was fascinated to learn about "Blood School" in Corning, New York and the eccentric, fun-loving forensic entomologist who teaches the relationship between corpses and bugs on his farm in Indiana. There is new information on the Nicole Brown/Ronald Goldman and the Jon Benet Ramsey murder cases, as well as details about Princess Diana's death, but the writing is never exploitive or sensational, just an honest review of mistakes made and lessons learned. Anyone whose work brings them this close to deep and devastating tragedy on a daily basis could be forgiven if they exhibited a "scientific detachment" or even a degree of dark humor about the work. I was however impressed throughout with what I would describe as Dr. Baden's "scientific attachment" and non-waivering respect in handling and describing the remains of victims. There is welcome dark comic relief mixed into Ms. Roach's descriptions of the aformentioned Blood School, Bug School and the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences in Reno, Nevada which will let you in on a secret passion of Wayne Newton's that I promise will surprise and amuse. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, was educated by it and comforted by the dedication to justice of the authors and their colleagues in this fascinating profession.

This is what you get when you mix a brilliant and principled scientist with a passionately curious and witty writer. Dr. Baden and Ms. Roach educate and entertain the reader, yet never let you forget that these are the stories of real people, victims and their families who deserve justice. How science can serve up justice in many new and old cases and why it has failed, or been prevented from doing so in others, makes for some very good story-telling. I was fascinated to learn about "Blood School" in Corning, New York and the eccentric, fun-loving forensic entomologist who teaches the relationship between corpses and bugs on his farm in Indiana. There is new information on the Nicole Brown/Ronald Goldman and the Jon Benet Ramsey murder cases, as well as details about Princess Diana's death, but the writing is never exploitive or sensational, just an honest review of mistakes made and lessons learned. Anyone whose work brings them this close to deep and devastating tragedy on a daily basis could be forgiven if they exhibited a "scientific detachment" or even a degree of dark humor about the work. I was however impressed throughout with what I would describe as Dr. Baden's "scientific attachment" and non-waivering respect in handling and describing the remains of victims. There is welcome dark comic relief mixed into Ms. Roach's descriptions of the aformentioned Blood School, Bug School and the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences in Reno, Nevada which will let you in on a secret passion of Wayne Newton's that I promise will surprise and amuse. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, was educated by it and comforted by the dedication to justice of the authors and their colleagues in this fascinating profession.

Marion Roach and Michael Baden take you into the autopsy room and lives of a foensic pathologist, while teaching and educating
readers the fascinating (and gruesome) aspects of forensic medicine. The book is a fascinating mix of humor, philosophy, history and science, ending in an odd, but appropriate chapter on the brotherhood (and sisterhood) of pathologists, criminalists and scientists at a convention in love with a craft the public finds both gruesome and fascinating. Their writing collaboration brings out the best of Roach and Baden in a surprising well written, and sometimes poetic, passionate recount of forensic cases carefully chosen to illustrate the science. Several chapters were dedicated around top experts in the fields of entymology and blood spatter evidence literally taking the reader to school under the tutelage of some entertaiining teachers
True crime buffs and pathology groupies will not find the
material old hat-and novices to this growing area of literature
will feel the passion and philosophy of the doctor who 'listens'
to the dead to help learn what happened during their life,and
more particularly how they came to their end.
Along the way ,you'll learn the personal history of both both Baden and his good friend, the legendary henry lee. Their stories as to how these legends arrived who and where they are
today makes great reading.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who has any interest at all in forensic pathology and the lives of those whom the
science and search for the truth about the dead is their passion---with one caveat for the faint of heart--- be aware
of maggots . . .