Beating the Devil's Game: A History of Forensic Science and Criminal Investigation [Paperback]

Katherine Ramsland (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 3, 2008

First time in paperback? essential reading for the millions of fans of CSI and Cold Case Files.

Katherine Ramsland, a renowned expert in criminology, traces the story of the evolution of forensic science??from thirteenth-century Chinese studies of decomposition through the flowering of science during the Renaissance and its veritable explosion during the era of Newtonian physics, to the marvels of the present day and beyond. Along the way, she introduces readers to such forensic pioneers as the father of toxicology; the criminalturned- detective who founded the Parisian Sureté; and trailblazers like William Bass whose integrated program in entomology, anthropology, and pathology at the Forensic Anthropology Center has galvanized the field.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Noted forensic expert Ramsland (The Forensic Science of C.S.I.) disappoints with this plodding history of the evolution of forensic investigation. Tracing the earliest roots of what has become an invaluable component of criminal investigations and legal proceedings, Ramsland begins in ancient Greece, with Heraclitus' and Paramenides' philosophies of change and permanence as the governing forces of the world. Moving her way through the Industrial Revolution and Charles Dickens's apparent coining of the word detective, Ramsland laboriously documents case after case as investigators refine methods of fingerprinting, poison detection, ballistics and identification of potential repeat offenders. Ramsland concludes with a brief exploration of the future of forensic investigation, from sophisticated DNA analysis to the global role of forensics in the age of terrorism. Too little time is spent on some of history's most notorious cases (such as Lizzie Borden and Leopold and Loeb), with Ramsland instead offering numerous accounts of husbands poisoning their rich wives. Despite a subject so ripe for historical and sociological examination, Ramsland waters down her topic until the cases run together. Without any variation in her chronological narration, Ramsland will lose even the most dedicated of readers and C.S.I. fans. (Sept. 4)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

Praise for Katherine RamslandÂ’s books:

“A must-read for CSI fans.”
—Booklist

“A must-read for true crime fans.”
—Ann Rule

“A must for anyone who wonders how the real crime solvers do it.”
—Michael Palmer --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Trade (June 3, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425221466
• ISBN-13: 978-0425221464
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,334,414 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Katherine Ramsland began her career as a writer with Prism of the Night: A Biography of Anne Rice. She had a bestseller with The Vampire Companion. Since then, she has published 40 books and over 1,000 articles, reviews and short stories. From ghosts to vampires to serial killers, she has taken on a variety of dark subjects. She holds graduate degrees in forensic psychology, clinical psychology, criminal justice, and philosophy. Currently, she teaches forensic psychology and criminal justice at DeSales University. Her books include The Forensic Psychology of Criminal Minds, The Human Predator: A Historical Chronicle of Serial Murder and Forensic Investigation, Inside the Minds of Serial Killers, Inside the Minds of Sexual Predators, and Inside the Minds of Mass Murderers. Her background in forensic studies positioned her to assist former FBI profiler John Douglas on his book, The Cases that Haunt Us, and to co-write a book with former FBI profiler, Gregg McCrary, The Unknown Darkness, as well as The Real Life of a Forensic Scientist with Henry C. Lee and A Voice for the Dead with James Starrs. She speaks internationally about forensic psychology, forensic science, and serial murder, and has appeared on numerous documentaries, as well as such programs as The Today Show, 20/20, 48 Hours, NPR, Coast to Coast, Montel Williams, Larry King Live and E! True Hollywood.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A holiday gift for TV crime enthusiasts, November 6, 2007

By 

Marilyn J. Bardsley "Editor, Crimescape books" (Savannah, Georgia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beating the Devil's Game: A History of Forensic Science and Criminal Investigation (Hardcover)

Now I know what to get for holiday gifts for those of my friends that are "crime TV" addicts.

This very enjoyable and instructive new book by Dr. Ramsland could also be titled Great Moments in Forensic Science. While everyone who watches the popular forensics shows on TV knows how important DNA, luminol, fiber evidence and other modern-day forensic tools are to solving crime, most people have no idea how these techniques slowly, and often contentiously, evolved into their present-day acceptance in the courtroom. Nor do people have any appreciation of how the early forensic pioneers and their supporters risked their reputations and careers developing, testing and defending the new scientific methods.

In Beating the Devil's Game, Dr. Ramsland gives you just enough of the story, insight into the personalities and description of the cases to satisfy. She makes these forensic initiatives, and the inventors and investigators who nourished them, really come to life. No extraneous, dry technical detail here, just the core of the matter. Unlike so many books on forensics, this one is so easy to read in layperson's language that even a junior high school student can grasp the details.

In her history of forensic science, Dr. Ramsland explores the complex relationship between science and law. None of the new forensic techniques would be used today had they gone through the daunting debate and rigorous challenges we see in the courtroom today. For example, Ramsland uses the O.J. Simpson case. Damning forensic evidence should have returned a guilty verdict, but a jury, unfamiliar with DNA and other technology presented during the trial, was unable to process and accept the scientific evidence for what it was. The unfortunate result was that Simpson was acquitted, but there was an upside as well -- the vast audience that followed the trial was exposed to fascinating new crime-solving science. This influenced the origin of popular television series today, like CSI, Forensic Files, The Investigators, etc.

For anyone who wants to know the story behind the science that is shown every day on TV, this is the book to buy.