We've always known that Holmes used scientific methods that were getting edge in Victorian London, but reading the breakdown of each method plus reading how they were used in real crimes showed how far ahead Doyle was in his time still making the Holmes canon very timeless. Great choice for fans of Holmes and true crime.

Ordered :)This one looks awesome! Halfway through and I love it though it is more a history of forensics than a study of Sherlock's cases in light of forensics. All forgiven though. Just finished and I thoroughly enjoyed this read. I have even ordered a book mentioned which is "the washing away of wrongs" a book on forensics in 13th century China. Go figure but looks pretty interesting.

I recommend the science of Sherlock Holmes to those interested in forensics more than for the fan of Sherlock :)

nice combo book of Sherlock holmes & science of police detection!

Received this for my birthday this year and loved every page. Lots of interesting discussions of forensics, sociology, and history all built around cases taken from Sherlock canon. Highly recommended for any fans of Sherlock Holmes, forensics, history, or crime novels

Lots of interesting information that is tied into the Sherlock Holmes stories expertly. Can be a bit dry in some parts as the plethora of information does make it read more like a textbook. Overall an interesting read.

Very compelling read. Was not aware that Sir Conan Doyle was quite a forward thinking person, he included essences of a lot of well-known cases where novel forensic sciences had played a huge part in solving.
The book did quote Sherlock Holmes quite a lot, but the ties to the books aren't so strong. If you're interested in the development of forensic techniques, then this would be a great read, you'd hear a lot of well-known crimes at the time too. However, this is not a book where we investigate what to learn so you can become like Sherlock.

E. J. Wagner has written an accurate, interesting, and humorous book detailing the science behind forensic investigation. The overall history of forensics is linked to the famous Sherlock through examples referenced in the literary texts. The writing style of Wagner makes the non-fiction text especially interesting and appealing to crime investigation fans and mystery lovers. The various subjects of autopsy, finger printing, and even hair identification are written in an absorbing, logical and easy to understand manner that makes this book an excellent young adult resource for future crime scene investigators and science buffs. With the popularity of the new Sherlock Holmes movies, this book would be an excellent read for teens who liked the movie or might be inspired to read the classic Sherlock Holmes books. Readers seeking to understand the history and processes of forensics and its connection to science will find this resource very helpful. The book is not an organized recital of each of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries and the forensic background associated with these stories as the title implies.

What I loved about this book was its way to explain forensics and medicine to someone who doesn't know anything about it. Also it gave me a whole lot of 'victorian feelings' like ACDs stories.
But I really can't stand the fact that the author isn't really able to differ between the _fictional_ character Sherlock Holmes and his creator ACD. Even if the author quotes real murder cases (which I like a lot!) - SH couldn't have read about it. But instead of focusing on ACDs knowledge of science, the author forces the fictional character into reality. That's a little disappointing.

This was a great read. Wagner is an excellent writer and pulls together historical and literary context well. I only wish she had used headings within her chapters to separate stories/incidents. A couple times I missed the switch and wondered why we crossed the pond for what seemed like no reason.

Interesting series of case studies and general medical history during the Victorian period (and sometimes considerably later, somewhat confusingly!). It’s quite a generic overview, without that much in terms of scientific detail (eg why did the arsenic tests work or not work, from the chemistry?) but it’s suitable for laypeople without much scientific background. Overall an interesting read.

A great book looking at the real forensics behind the ACD stories.

It also tracks the use of science in the detection of crime and explores its usage in real cases.

Interesting and readable.

I recommend it to all Sherlock Holmes fans and anyone with an interest in forensics.

Entertaining introduction to the history of forensic science and criminology. Loved the lengthly bibliography in the back so I could easily find more information on... whatever. Eugène François Vidocq is a badass.