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Reviews tagging 'Murder'
The Science of Murder: The Forensics of Agatha Christie by Carla Valentine
9 reviews
bookedandbusy's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
5.0
This was a fascinating book. I enjoyed getting a look at the science of the methods Christie uses in her novels and also learning about techniques used in the past!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Murder
jlye's review
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
4.5
A great book for fans of Agatha Christie, murder mysteries, and true crime. I’ve only read about 10 Christie books and I plan on reading many more, so I’m glad that Valentine does not give away any plot spoilers. If anything, this book has helped me decide which Christie books to read next!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Medical trauma, and Murder
piperclover's review against another edition
informative
fast-paced
4.75
Absolutely fantastic. Easily digestible difficult science, funny asides that lighten some horrifying examples, a great narrator. I have never read a Christie book and honestly probably never will but I was too intrigued by this to not try it and I'm so glad I did. Its wonderfully written and gave me such interesting insight into a prolific much beloved author I knew absolutely nothing about and professions I didn't understand.
Ch 6 and 7 were too gruesome ones for my very weak stomach and nightmare prone mind so I skipped a lot of those but honestly I think the author did a great job keeping it fairly light for how dark it could've gotten.
Ch 6 and 7 were too gruesome ones for my very weak stomach and nightmare prone mind so I skipped a lot of those but honestly I think the author did a great job keeping it fairly light for how dark it could've gotten.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Murder
anniereads221's review against another edition
informative
reflective
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
clarabooksit's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Murder
jhbandcats's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
4.0
I love mysteries and I loved Carla Valentine’s memoir, The Chick and the Dead. I was really excited about this book, eagerly awaiting its release in the US.
Unfortunately, I found it slow. Because I hadn’t read any Agatha Christie in many years, I was unfamiliar with the books she mentioned. I read several of Christie’s mysteries concurrently with this book, and that helped, but overall I found it a bit of a slog.
Valentine’s research is top-notch and she includes witty anecdotes, background on real murder cases Christie would have known, and information on the development of forensics. Christie wrote for more than fifty years so there were lots of changes that were reflected in her tales.
I think I just didn’t find it as exciting as I’d expected. Others will likely enjoy it because it’s so well-written.
Unfortunately, I found it slow. Because I hadn’t read any Agatha Christie in many years, I was unfamiliar with the books she mentioned. I read several of Christie’s mysteries concurrently with this book, and that helped, but overall I found it a bit of a slog.
Valentine’s research is top-notch and she includes witty anecdotes, background on real murder cases Christie would have known, and information on the development of forensics. Christie wrote for more than fifty years so there were lots of changes that were reflected in her tales.
I think I just didn’t find it as exciting as I’d expected. Others will likely enjoy it because it’s so well-written.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Medical content, and Murder
jomarches_22's review
dark
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Excrement, Medical content, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
what_heather_loves's review against another edition
dark
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
"Of course, Agatha herself didn't talk of 'forensics' - it's a relatively modern term. But every one of her stories is an expert tapestry of human observation and ingenuity threaded through with the emerging sciences and dete tion methods of the era; and it's this attention to forensic detail that really enthralled me at that young age."
Agatha Christie is known for her golden age murder mysteries, but perhaps less understood (by those of us without forensic knowledge and experience) is her accuracy. Where she was inaccurate in early novels, she had learnt by later novels and other errors were in line with contemporary knowledge. Christie did have the foresight to avoid including atavistic and racist, pseudo-sciences like phrenology and physiognomy, which claimed to explain a person’s personality and behavior based on his skull and facial features.
With chapters of fingerprints, trace evidence, ballistics, documents and handwriting, impressions weapons and wounds, bloodstain pattern analysis, autopsy and toxicology, this is a thorough and involving piece of work. Analysing Christie novels, whilst avoiding spoilers, alongside true crime and forensic discoveries contemporary with Christie's novels, makes for a fascinating and informative read. The author's forensic experience is evident, yet her explanations make it accessible to those of us whose limited forensic understanding comes from TV programmes like CSI! The conversational tone, personal anecdotes and humour make and involving read and the author's passion for Christie and her novels shines through.
If you're a fan of Christie, this is an enlightening read, bursting with the forensic science of the era - combined with present-day approaches - and sprinkled with true crime.
Agatha Christie is known for her golden age murder mysteries, but perhaps less understood (by those of us without forensic knowledge and experience) is her accuracy. Where she was inaccurate in early novels, she had learnt by later novels and other errors were in line with contemporary knowledge. Christie did have the foresight to avoid including atavistic and racist, pseudo-sciences like phrenology and physiognomy, which claimed to explain a person’s personality and behavior based on his skull and facial features.
With chapters of fingerprints, trace evidence, ballistics, documents and handwriting, impressions weapons and wounds, bloodstain pattern analysis, autopsy and toxicology, this is a thorough and involving piece of work. Analysing Christie novels, whilst avoiding spoilers, alongside true crime and forensic discoveries contemporary with Christie's novels, makes for a fascinating and informative read. The author's forensic experience is evident, yet her explanations make it accessible to those of us whose limited forensic understanding comes from TV programmes like CSI! The conversational tone, personal anecdotes and humour make and involving read and the author's passion for Christie and her novels shines through.
If you're a fan of Christie, this is an enlightening read, bursting with the forensic science of the era - combined with present-day approaches - and sprinkled with true crime.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Murder
taleofabibliophile's review against another edition
dark
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Animal death and Gore
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault