How to Solve a Murder: True Stories from a Life in Forensic Medicine.

by Derek Tremain 

How To Solve a Murder is an easy to read (for the most part), fascinating insight into the lives of forensic scientists as told by now husband and wife team, Derek, and Pauline Tremain. Both experts in their field they each tell stories from when their careers began and how they developed over the years. With often gruesome detail we learn about certain specimens they have collected and stored over the years. They share the techniques they have used as well as those they have developed themselves, making it easier for police to convict the guilty of their heinous crimes.

We also learn a little about them both personally and how their relationship developed from purely professional to eventual marriage.

There is no doubt they have had and continue to have a successful career, one they both seem to thrive on and excel in.

My only criticism would be that throughout the whole book it was difficult to distinguish which one of them was ‘talking’ at any one time, unless they mentioned the other at some point. This did make it confusing at times.

Still, an interesting read for anyone even remotely interested in forensic science.

** Many thanks to the author and publisher for my review copy via NetGalley **

FRACTURED SKULLS. GAS MASKS. BRAIN BUCKETS. VATS OF ACID. PICKLED BODY PARTS.

Not the usual tools of trade, but for Chief Forensic Medical Scientist Derek and Forensic Secretary Pauline they were just part of a normal day in the office inside the world-famous Department of Forensic Medicine at Guy’s Hospital in London.

Derek has played a pivotal role in investigating some of the UK’s most high-profile mass disasters and murder cases. Derek’s innovative work on murder cases, in particular, has seen him credited as a pioneer of forensic medical science, after developing ground-breaking techniques that make it easier to secure a conviction and also identify a serial killer.