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Considering how quickly I read this book, I'm surprised I didn't give it more stars. But I think this is an example of expectations not meeting reality. First the good: this was an interesting history of forensic science, focusing on the late nineteenth/early twentieth century. I like the author's writing style and her vocabulary is prodigious. Unfortunately, as a Sherlock Holmes fan, I was disappointed that the book didn't deliver more Sherlock. He was mentioned usually at the beginning and end of each chapter. I was expecting an analysis of the forensic science Sherlock uses in some of his cases. Instead, this felt more like the author had written a history of forensic science, and then some publisher felt it wouldn't sell as is, so she was asked to go back and add some Sherlock Holmes stuff in to draw in readers. Sherlock Holmes was an afterthought in this book, not the focus.
