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2007 Edgar® Nominee
Take a wild ride by hansom cab along the road paved by Sherlock Holmes— a ride that leads you through medicine, law, pathology, toxicology, anatomy, blood chemistry, and the emergence of forensic science during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
The Science of Sherlock Holmes is as fascinating and eye-opening as any Holmes mystery. Examining the Great Detective’s remarkable adventures—along with gripping real-life mysteries such as the disappearance of Dr. George Parkman, wife-killer Kenneth Barlow, Jack the Ripper, and Lizzie Borden—author E. J. Wagner gives you a new perspective on both Holmes and modern-day forensic detection.
“Fascinating.” —The Christian Science Monitor
“A double triumph . . . masterful.” —Toronto Star
“Utterly compelling.” —Otto Penzler, member of the Baker Street Irregulars and proprietor of The Mysterious Bookshop
“E. J. Wagner’s accounts of Victorian crimes make Watson’s tales pale!” —Leslie S. Klinger, Editor, The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes
“This is CSI in foggy old London Town. Chilling, grim fun.” —John Westermann, author of Exit Wounds and Sweet Deal
“A wonderful blend of history, mystery, and whodunit.” —Andre Moenssens, Douglas Stripp Professor of Law Emeritus, University of Missouri at Kansas City, and coauthor of Scientific Evidence in Civil and Criminal Cases
"Holmes is, first, a great detective, but he has also proven to be a great scientist, whether dabbling with poisons, tobacco ash, or tire marks. Wagner explores this fascinating aspect of his career by showing how his investigations were grounded in the cutting-edge science of his day, especially the emerging field of forensics.... Utterly compelling." —Otto Penzler, member of the Baker Street Irregulars and proprietor of The Mysterious Bookshop
"E. J. Wagner demonstrates that without the work of Sherlock Holmes and his contemporaries, the CSI teams would be twiddling their collective thumbs. Her accounts of Victorian crimes make Watson's tales pale! Highly recommended for students of the Master Detective." —Leslie S. Klinger, Editor, The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes
"In this thrilling book, E. J. Wagner has combined her considerable strengths in three disciplines to produce a work as compelling and blood-curdling as the best commercial fiction. This is CSI in foggy old London Town. Chilling, grim fun." —John Westermann, author of Exit Wounds and Sweet Deal
"I am recommending this delightful work to all of my fellow forensic scientists.... Bravo, Ms. Wagner!" —John Houde, author of Crime Lab: A Guide for Nonscientists
"A fabulously interesting read. The book traces the birth of the forensic sciences to the ingenuity of Sherlock Holmes. A wonderful blend of history, mystery, and whodunit."
—Andre Moenssens, Douglas Stripp Professor of Law Emeritus, University of Missouri at Kansas City, and coauthor of Scientific Evidence in Civil and Criminal Cases