Hm, been awhile since I read this but I am bothered by my lack of reviews on Goodreads for all of the books that I have read. This book was easy to read but also a bit disappointing. I expected - more, somehow. Not having the book in front of me, I must go by memory but I remember that there wasn't enough detail about some of the topics and that others were fairly obvious. Still, it was basically an enjoyable book and I do like reading about new things and also about Sherlock Holmes. (Though if you look at what I've read, it's so far been lacking in a lot of Holmes books, but I do follow Holmes a bit on TV and the big screen.)

It is hard to rate this book. From the onset the historical, period criminal cases held my attention as it would for any "collector of odd knowledge". Where E.J. Wagner failed was respectable cross-referencing of fictional writing Conan Doyles character Sherlock Holmes and how the two were distinctly tied together.
Breaking the chapters up by forensic/criminal science and procedures and how they developed through history were well researched, as noted by the multi-page bibliography. What was lacking was the cohesive binding of Sherlock Holmes and said science. Yes there were some good cross-referenced examples but far too little for the 212 page print. The greater irritant and distractor was the vocabulary. Understanding that my word reservoir is limited I felt that Wagner inserted unnecessary pompous words that ruined the reading flow. To be fair here are just a few examples of word choice. If these words are standard grammar then I apologize. Here are a few examples, Charnel, gibbets, gelid, reticent, atavistic, purloining, tallow, malodorous, scion, exsanguinated ...
To end on a positive note, the book, as earlier noted has some interesting historical facts concerning criminal, investigative, and forensic practices.
My knowledge was expanded by the case evidence presented in dactyloscopy (fingerprints), phrenology (cranial evaluation), graphology (handwriting analysis), and a few more forensic first I am unable to remember at this time.

Not so much focused on Holmes, but the origins of modern-day crime scene investigation. Plenty of examples and historical tales fill the book. I enjoyed it immensely.

The Science of Sherlock Holmes describes many historical cases and methods that likely influenced Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, interspersed with quotes and tidbits from Sherlock Holmes stories. Many of the cases are quite interesting. The book also gives a decent history of the foundation of the field of forensics and how superstitions hampered the work of curious individuals with Holmes' investigative spirit.

Very interesting, especially if you have an avid interest in forensics, like I do! fascinating stuff.

So many crime books cover the same significant milestones and while that's great, E.J. Wagner does something rare: Tells the story with the hook of Holmes *and* tells it with her own voice but doesn't *intrude* with that voice. I so thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful book. P.S. If you can see E.J. talk, do, she's a marvelous storyteller!

My review is available at: https://cannonballread.com/2018/01/im...

A basic look at the history of scientific methods used in crime solving. It was a solid background on the subject and there were sufficient references to Sherlock Holmes in order to justify the tie in. However, I felt as though there were some fairly obvious examples that the author failed to develop, particularly the fingerprint transfer in The Norwood Builder. That absence prevented the book from being a true evaluation of Sherlock's scientific method.

2 stars for most of this. The title is misleading. I thought Wagner would take a case and work out the science. Rather it was a history of forensic science, while not bad, was not expected. I've also read other books about the emergence of forensic science and they've done a better job. The last chapter garners the third star. The discussion of myth and quackery is as important today as it has ever been.

After reading the nonfiction novel The Science of Sherlock Holmes, the evolution of forensic science and its prevalence today was displayed. Using the tales and stories of famous crime investigator Sherlock Holmes, E.J. Wagner explained and uniquely illustrated the evolution of forensic science and how it is applied to everyday life. Beginning with the first uses of fingerprint analysis and autopsies and eventually leading up to advances in biological testing and on-the-scene analysis, the novel accurately displayed the timeline of forensics. By capturing the reader's attention with cold and criminal cases, Wagner provided insight on major topics in which forensic science has been applied to previously. Due to my love for forensic science and its evolution, I rewarded this book with a five-star rating. A year after researching and studying forensic science for independent study, my heart has always been dedicated to the topic. Due to the emphasis on forensic science's importance on criminal cases and how it has and is continuing to evolve, it created an enjoyable reading experience.

La historia de la ciencia forense, su evolución junto a varios personajes ilustres, algunos muy "peculiares" (sí, qué inesperado) y muchos casos que conmovieron a la opinión pública y enloquecieron a los investigadores, pero permitieron el desarrollo y transformación de esta asombrosa ciencia ¿Qué pinta el gran Sherlock en todo esto? Bueno, la autora (historiadora criminal y sin duda Sherlockiana) se las arregla para encontrar en cada capítulo, una referencia a un caso o comentario del inolvidable Detective.
Con un nivel de complejidad intermedio y escrito competentemente como material de divulgación, resulta una lectura atrayente y repleta de curiosidades para los no expertos en la materia.

Incredible examination of the Holmes stories and a great overview of the history of forensic science for a layman.