Forensic Friday: Forensics in WWII

 Forensic Friday: Forensics in WWII

One of the challenges of writing historic fiction is keeping anachronisms out of the story. Simply put, an anachronism is the act of attributing a custom, event, or object to a period to which it doesn’t belong. When writing a historic mystery, it is especially tempting to give characters knowledge or access to technology they shouldn’t have to solve the crime.

During my research for both Under Fire and Murder of Convenience, I was surprised to discover that the field of forensics was both further ahead and behind than I thought. For example, the first FBI crime lab was not set up until 1932, and the first British forensics lab in 1935, eleven years later than the first U.S. lab was created.

Here are some of the milestones in forensics history:

1447:   Teeth are used to identify remains in Duke of Burgundy

1810:   First chemical test of ink in Germany

1835:   First bullet comparison catches murderer Scotland Yard

1830:   “Time since death” temperature experiments with dead British soldiers

1849:   Odontology, the study of teeth for the investigation of identity is used in court

1880:   First elimination of suspect by fingerprints in Scotland

1937:   Luminol invented in Germany to identify blood

Which of these surprised you as to when they were discovered?

May 1942: Geneva Alexander flees Philadelphia and joins the USO to escape the engagement her parents have arranged for her, only to wind up as the number one suspect in her betrothed’s murder investigation. Diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, she must find the real killer before she loses her sight…or is convicted for a crime she didn’t commit.

Set in the early days of America’s entry into WWII and featuring cameo appearances from Hollywood stars, Murder of Convenience is a tribute to individuals who served on the home front, especially those who did so in spite of personal difficulties, reminding us that service always comes as a result of sacrifice. Betrayal, blackmail, and a barrage of unanswered questions… Murder of Convenience is the first in the exciting new “Women of Courage” series.

Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JVT42FW

Forensic Friday: Forensics during the 1940s

Forensic Friday: Forensics during the 1940s

Although in some ways, forensic science was in its infancy during the 1940s, police officers and detectives took evidence collection seriously, recognizing that physical clues were a crucial part of any investigation. These 1940s photos show how much things have changed since then:

Crime lab employee James Haas compares an imprint of tire marks found near a murder victim with those of the car belonging to the suspect.





Police getting rid of "hooch," better known as moonshine. It looks to me as if it is being flushed down the town's water system. I don't think that's how it's done nowadays.

There was no indication of what they fellas were looking for, but it seems to me they might be contaminating a crime scene by standing in the middle of whatever that is on the ground!





An American soldier was convicted and hanged for the murder of three women in Melbourne, Australia. With any luck the barrier the police officers are standing behind kept too many folks from marching through the crime scene.