A review by joabroda
Blood & Ivy: The 1849 Murder That Scandalized Harvard by Paul Collins
informative
fast-paced
4.0
I cannot remember how this book got on my shelf, but I am awfully glad it did!
Not only a murder mystery, but a great history of a role in the of the American legal system. This is the very first time certain forensic evidence was used (I won't say what, you need to read the book!), and for the history of Chief Justice's (Robert Gould Shaw) instructions to the jury regarding reasonable doubt. "Webster Charge" became the norm across the country and it was not until 2015 that the state of Massachusetts Supreme Court decided that it should be updated.
Well researched and well written, enough so that I really was not sure the accused was guilty or not guilty until the very end of the book.
Recommended not only for non-fiction readers but those of you who love a mystery.
Not only a murder mystery, but a great history of a role in the of the American legal system. This is the very first time certain forensic evidence was used (I won't say what, you need to read the book!), and for the history of Chief Justice's (Robert Gould Shaw) instructions to the jury regarding reasonable doubt. "Webster Charge" became the norm across the country and it was not until 2015 that the state of Massachusetts Supreme Court decided that it should be updated.
Well researched and well written, enough so that I really was not sure the accused was guilty or not guilty until the very end of the book.
Recommended not only for non-fiction readers but those of you who love a mystery.