Forensics
Part of the Howdunit series!
Forensics: A Guide for Writers
By D.P. Lyle
ISBN 9781582974743
Coming in April 2008!
Learn all about crime, police procedure, and even get in the minds of your criminals!
This will be the definitive reference on forensics for writers in all genres, and fills the shoes of several titles from the old Howdunit series. In a conversational manner, it will cover the various fields of forensic science in easily understood language, supported with diagrams as needed for clarity. Writers will learn how things work, how long it takes for the coroner or crime lab to perform various tests, when these testing procedures came about, under what circumstances they are useful, and where common errors occur.
This book takes each area of forensics, such as fingerprint analysis or crime scene reconstruction, and discusses the history of its development, how the science works (in simple to understand terms), how it helps in crime solving, and how a writer might use this technique in crafting his or her plot.
About the Author
D. P. Lyle, MD is the Macavity Award winning and Edgar Award nominated author of the nonfiction books Murder and Mayhem: A Doctor Answers Medical and Forensic Questions for Mystery Writers, a compilation of the most interesting questions he has received over the years, and Forensics for Dummies, an in depth look into the world of forensic science. His published fiction includes the thrillers Devil’s Playground and Double Blind. He has worked as a story and technical consultant with many published authors and with the writers and producers of several popular television shows, including Law & Order, CSI: Miami, Diagnosis Murder, Monk, Judging Amy, Cold Case, Peacemakers, House, Medium, and 1-800-Missing.
Through his website, The Writers’ Medical and Forensics Lab (www.dplylemd.com) he works with writers and readers to enrich their understanding of complex medical and forensic issues in the stories they write and read.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Part I: The Forensics System
1: Forensic Science: The History and Organization
2: Evidence: The Heart and Soul of Forensics
Part II: The Coroner and the Body
3: The Autopsy: A Look Inside the Body
4: Identifying the Body: Who Is the Victim?
5: Time of Death: A Critical Part of the Timeline
6: Cause, Mechanism, and Manner of Death: How Did
the Victim Die?
7: Bodily Harm: Identifying Wounds
8: Asphyxia: Depriving the Body of Oxygen
9: Serology: Blood and Other Body Fluids
10: DNA: Your Personal Code
11: Toxicology: Drugs, Poisons, and Toxins
Part III: The Crime Scene and the Crime Lab
12: Fingerprints: A Handy Identification Method
13: Bloodstains: Patterns Tell the Story
14: Impressions: Shoes, Tires, and Tools
15: Trace Evidence: Sweating the Small Stuff
16: Firearm Examination: More Than Guns and
Ammunition
17: Arson Investigation: Fires and Explosions
18: Questioned Documents: Handwriting and Forgery
Examination
19: Criminal Psychology: Assessing the Mind
A Few Final Words
Appendix A: Forensic Science Tools
Appendix B: Forensic Science Timeline