Mrs. Sherlock Holmes by Brad Ricca is a book about Mary Grace Winterton Quackenbos Humiston (September 17, 1869 – July 16, 1948) and the Ruth Cruger case. Humiston Humiston was the first female Special Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York meaning she was the chief federal law enforcement officer for […]
Book Reviews
The education of a coroner
The title The education of a coroner, lessons in investigating death by John Bateson was enough to make me buy the book. Which crime writer cannot use some lessons in death investigations? The first half of the book is filled with those lessons. The author explains that he is interviewing and reviewing the career of […]
The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson
The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson is another book I found while reading the BBC History magazine. I read it was part about the history of the cholera outbreak in London, 1854. But it was also described as a detective story. We obviously have victims but where was the culprit coming from? What were the […]
The Last days of Night by Graham Moore
I just watched an episode of the Big Bang Theory where Leonard, Howard, and Sheldon take a closer look at themselves to see who amongst them is Edison and who resembles Tesla. With that discussion in mind, I wondered through my local book store and saw Moore’s book. Westinghouse, Edison, Tesla. I flipped to the […]
The Coroner’s Daughter by Andrew Hughes
I read about the book ‘The Coroner’s Daughter’ by Andrew Hughes in the BBC History Magazine. As my readers know I like to read historical fiction especially if it takes place at the onset of forensic sciences. Well, Hughes opens the story with a severed hand and floating baby lungs in a glass bowl with […]
Albino Luciani, Pope John Paul I
Albino Luciani, known as smiling Pope John Paul I, died on Sept 28, 1978 after a papal reign of only 33 days. He was 65 years old. Lack of clarity The death of Albino Luciani (Oct 17, 1912 – Sept 28, 1978) has long been one of speculation, intrigue, conspiracy, and wild accusations involving the […]
His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrea Burnet
The book’s title is your red flag: is it a blood-covered piece of work or, a cursed work? If it is the first, who spilled the blood and why? If it is the latter, is the killer cursed by their crimes or were they predestined to commit these crimes? And the project itself, who started it […]
The Cadaver King and the Country Dentist
As I mentioned in Sum it Up! #57, I am reading up on forensic odontology. I came across this book “The Cadaver King and the Country Dentist.” A quick glance told me it was about the wrongful convictions of both Kennedy Brewer and Levon Brooks. They were wrongfully convicted when two girls (both three years […]
Jason Lucky Morrow’s Famous Crimes
The book “Famous crimes the world forgot” by Jason Lucky Morrow is a perfect fit here at DCC. I too like to know more about old cold cases. This book review concerns Volume II. It came out in 2017. Volume I came out in 2014. I have not read Volume I. Jason Lucky Morrow’s website is […]
The Brain Defense: neuroscience in court
Neuroscience plays a role in the courtroom just like partial fingerprinting and DNA. It is a field with which many struggle. Is it true when someone says: “my brain made me do it?” Is that person hearing voices or simply making excuses? It is tempting to think that indeed, they make up excuses to avoid […]