Unexplained Deaths by Bruce Goldfarb

 Unexplained Deaths by Bruce Goldfarb is a biography of the mother of forensic science, Frances Glessner Lee. This book follows Lee from her birth and childhood to her death looking at how she became involved with the field of forensic science and the influence she had on Harvard University by establishing a new academic department and the United States as a whole. Within this book, there is a particular emphasis on her Dioramas and the homicide seminars which are still running to this day. It is important to note that this book refers solely to the beginning of forensic science in the United States, Europe and the United Kingdom seem to have been well ahead of the United States in terms of forensic science.

This is a good book following a wealthy woman who helped lead some massive cases which would have had an influence on many people, not to mention the whole world. We are taken on a detailed journey discovering what sparked Lee's interest in medicine and then legal medicine and the challenges she faced on the way. The book also comes with a collection of pictures mainly of Lee's dioramas which is an excellent addition to the book.

There is not much I can criticise this book for. Perhaps it covers some irrelevant details in perhaps too much detail at the start of the book but as you get further into the book it is full of interesting and educational facts. Within this book, Lee is referred to as the "mother of modern forensics" which is true, but I think it is important to remember this is largely related to the United States rather than some other countries which were already ahead and have different stories to how they are where they are in the modern day in terms of forensics, such as the Colin Pitchfork case in the United Kingdom.

Altogether I rate this book 2 stars making it an enjoyable and interesting book full of information and facts for interested individuals. This is definitely not a bad book at all and is certainly worth a read. You may learn something new about the field of forensic science, how it began in the United States or even the little progress the United States has actually made in the field of forensic science and homicide investigation.