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Review : Maggots, Murder, and Men : Memories and Reflections of a Forensic Entomologist by Dr. Zakaria Erzinçlioglu
I suppose there were two things that drew me to this title : the alliteration of the title and the author’s name. I have only a vague idea of how to pronounce the author’s name (and actually, neither my French or American keyboard layout contains the accent mark that is needed over the G in his last name), but when you see a name such as this one on the library shelf, you can’t help but be curious. That moment of curiosity was well-rewarded by reading Maggots, Murder, and Men : Memories and Reflections of a Forensic Entomologist.
The author, known as Dr. Zak to his associates and police throughout Great Britain, presents case studies from a long and distinguished career in forensic entomology. (Entomology is the study of insects ; forensic entomologists interpret crime scene evidence of insects and insect activity.) It helps to have a tough stomach while reading the cases, which range from the one about a man who may have died alone in his house after it was boarded up to the case of the girls who went on a walk in an English wood in November 1862 and never returned home. Dr. Zak discusses the facts of the cases, the evidence (especially the entomological evidence), and then walks readers through the process of « working the cases. » While this kind of book could easily turn technical and dry, the author turns each case study into a passionate narrative that will get you all caught up in that particular investigation’s web. The introductory chapters are just as interesting as the case studies, an unexpected delight and foray into a bit of historical background.
My only beef with the book is the concluding chapter, « The Ends and the Means. » It is by far the least interesting aspect of the book, unless you’re into English law and legal reform. The chapter begins promisingly enough, but I found myself tuning out about twelve pages in. I skimmed over the middle and finished my reading with the last few paragraphs, which did a good job of summing up problems with forensic science at the time of the publication of the book.
I found one of the reviews of the book on the jacket particularly interesting. Colin Wilson of Literary Review wrote, « (I)t would make a superb TV series – in which event, I would be one of its most faithful viewers. » Huh. The book was published in 2000, just prior to the first season of one of today’s most popular television dramas, CSI : Crime Scene Investigation. One of the main characters, Dr. Gil Grissom is, as luck would have it, a forensic entomologist. Go figure.
I suppose there were two things that drew me to this title : the alliteration of the title and the author’s name. I have only a vague idea of how to pronounce the author’s name (and actually, neither my French or American keyboard layout contains the accent mark that is needed over the G in his last name), but when you see a name such as this one on the library shelf, you can’t help but be curious. That moment of curiosity was well-rewarded by reading Maggots, Murder, and Men : Memories and Reflections of a Forensic Entomologist.
The author, known as Dr. Zak to his associates and police throughout Great Britain, presents case studies from a long and distinguished career in forensic entomology. (Entomology is the study of insects ; forensic entomologists interpret crime scene evidence of insects and insect activity.) It helps to have a tough stomach while reading the cases, which range from the one about a man who may have died alone in his house after it was boarded up to the case of the girls who went on a walk in an English wood in November 1862 and never returned home. Dr. Zak discusses the facts of the cases, the evidence (especially the entomological evidence), and then walks readers through the process of « working the cases. » While this kind of book could easily turn technical and dry, the author turns each case study into a passionate narrative that will get you all caught up in that particular investigation’s web. The introductory chapters are just as interesting as the case studies, an unexpected delight and foray into a bit of historical background.
My only beef with the book is the concluding chapter, « The Ends and the Means. » It is by far the least interesting aspect of the book, unless you’re into English law and legal reform. The chapter begins promisingly enough, but I found myself tuning out about twelve pages in. I skimmed over the middle and finished my reading with the last few paragraphs, which did a good job of summing up problems with forensic science at the time of the publication of the book.
I found one of the reviews of the book on the jacket particularly interesting. Colin Wilson of Literary Review wrote, « (I)t would make a superb TV series – in which event, I would be one of its most faithful viewers. » Huh. The book was published in 2000, just prior to the first season of one of today’s most popular television dramas, CSI : Crime Scene Investigation. One of the main characters, Dr. Gil Grissom is, as luck would have it, a forensic entomologist. Go figure.
posted by Linz at
10:59 AM
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