Library Notes April Everett

Library Notes

April Everett

The human race has always been fascinated with the unknown.  The young boy who asks “why” grows up to be the man who still seeks the truth among lies.  In recent months, Rowan County has been on the minds of people across America regarding a high profile missing person case.  We all seek the truth, what has happened to a young girl who has been missing for two years.  But can a team of investigators really acquire evidence based on a fingerprint, or a suspicious book, or a bloody knife buried in a closet?  Is it really as simple as they make it seem on TV?

The field of forensic science may seem relatively new, but experiments with fingerprinting date back to the Chinese in the 600s BCE.  By the 1500s, studies in anatomy and pathology laid the foundation for what would later be termed “forensic science”.  Methods of detecting arsenic and other distilled chemicals in the body were discovered in the late 1700s.  Dr. Henry Faulds became the first person to encourage use of fingerprints as a method of criminal identification in the late 1800s. 

By the turn of the century, the United States Bureau of Identification had established a fingerprint collection and less than a decade later, the first criminal was convicted of murder based on fingerprint evidence.  The FBI opened its first crime laboratory in 1932, and would eventually introduce an Automated Fingerprint Identification System.  While there have been many advances in DNA testing and fingerprinting technology, often they are not enough to convict someone of a crime.  Today, investigators depend upon forensics, the use of science and other disciplines (such as photography or biology) to establish evidence in criminal or civil courts of law.

Many best-selling fiction crime writers have backgrounds in forensics or related fields.  Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, mastermind behind Sherlock Holmes, used his scientific expertise gained while studying medicine under forensics expert Joseph Bell.  Agatha Christie’s experience as a pharmacist gave her an inside look at poisons and chemicals, which were an instrument of homicide in the majority of her works.  Best-selling author Patricia Cornwell worked as a crime reporter and later as a technical writer for the Virginia medical examiner.  Kathy Reichs brings her experience as a forensic anthropologist, professor of forensics, and consultant to the FBI into her forensic thrillers.  The robust resumes of these authors lend credibility to their writing and readability to their plots.  Perhaps the old adage is true, it is best to write what you know.

Whether you want to learn more about becoming a forensic scientist, or enjoy a good page-turning crime novel, the Rowan Public Library has just the book for you!  Books with 363.25 on the spine will lead you to an overview of forensics.  With more than 250 full-color images, Forensics by Edward Ricciuti is an excellent illustrated guide for anyone interested in an overview of the history and practical applications of forensic science.  Another great illustrated guide is Richard Platt’s Crime Scene: The Ultimate Guide to Forensic Science, which includes photos of tools for the job, flow-charts for causes of death, and a section on “crimes without corpses” (which far outnumber those involving murder).  Fingerprints  by Colin Beavan focuses on the impact of fingerprinting on crime detection and forensic science.  Stiff: The curious lives of human cadavers by Mary Roach is an entertaining and surprisingly compelling look at what happens to bodies donated (willingly or otherwise) to science.

For a look into the fictional world of forensics, you may want to dive into Kathy Reichs’ Bones series, which features Temperance Brennan, a forensic anthropologist and medical examiner.  Patricia Cornwell’s forensic thrillers feature Kay Scarpetta, a medical examiner and forensic consultant.  Meg Gardiner’s series features Jo Beckett, forensic psychiatrist.  Iris Johansen’s novels feature Eve Duncan, forensic sculptor.  Or there are always the classics: Poirot the famous detective and examiner of Agatha Christie’s mysteries, or the all-knowing consulting detective Sherlock Holmes of Sir Author Conan Doyle’s mysteries, to name a few.

                Not a reader?  The library carries a number of the books and series mentioned above in audiobook and DVD formats.  Whether you’re looking for serious study or light entertainment, the Rowan Public Library has got you covered!