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A review by jhbandcats
The Science of Murder: The Forensics of Agatha Christie by Carla Valentine
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