Forensic Science: An Introduction To Scientific And Investigative Techniques

A complete overview of forensic science, from fingerprints to DNA, trace evidence, crime scene processing, and more. A great intro to the subject.

Essentials of the Reid Technique: Criminal Interrogations and Confessions (Criminal Justice Illuminated) (Paperback)

Considered the Bible for interviewing and interrogation techniques, the book is currently in its forth edition and hundreds of thousands of investigators have received training on the Reid Technique.

Below are previous years' selections well worth reading!

Techniques of Crime Scene Investigation, 6th Edition

Barry Fisher is the head of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's crime lab. I've taken his class in Forensic Science at UCLA three times, and learn something every time. The LA Sheriff's crime lab is second in size only to the FBI's crime lab. Fisher took the class on a tour of the facilities, and they are impressive. They have the second largest gun collection after the FBI too. This book is an excellent text on the fundamentals of crime scene investigation.

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers

What? You don't think cadavers are humorous? Well, Mary Roach finds a way to make you laugh out loud at the destiny of human cadavers while still showing them respect.

1886 Professional Criminals of America

Here is a late-nineteenth century rogues gallery of America’s foremost murderers, bank robbers, con-men, forgers, embezzlers, and pickpockets. Great fodder for writers!

Practical Aspects of Interview and Interrogation

Learn about the "Liar's Lean" and other physical manifestations of deception in interview subjects. Find out how the best interrogate suspects and find their way to the truth. This is a facinating book!

America's Dumbest Criminals

The dumbest lawbreakers in America...you won't believe these stories, unless you're a cop, then you've probably seen worse! There are some fumbling felons out there. Find out why crime doesn't pay, especially when you're a bumbling idiot!

Criminal Profiling
by Brent E. Turvey, Diana Tamlyn

This introduction to behavioral evidence analysis focuses on the deductive profiling methodology. If profiling and crime scene reconstruction interest you, this is an indispensable book. It turns the "art" of profiling into a science.

Antisocial Behavior: Personality Disorders from Hostility to Homicide

A psychologist explains the seeming growing menace of antisocial behavior in our society. Causes and possible cures. If you've been wondering if it is just you, or do people just seem to have no sense of the impact of their behaviors on others...this book will show you that your perceptions that things are indeed dark out there are accurate.

Dead Reckoning: The Art of Forensic Detection
By Jan Nordby, PhD

Nordby is a Forensic Science Investigative Consultant for Final Analysis, an independant consulting practice in forensic science and medicine. Specializing in crime scene reconstruction, evidence recognition, collection and analysis, as well as bloodstain pattern analysis, he has written an intensely fascinating book on how to approach the most difficult and confusing crime scenes, and how a blend of science and artful skill enable the forensic scientist to make sense of these horrific events. Extremely interesting book, not just for forensics experts but for crime fiction buffs and crime writers.

Crime Lab: A Guide for Nonscientists
by John Houde, B.S.

Houde is a board certified, twenty-year veteran criminalist.  This book takes you behind the scenes, describing each step of the analysis of evidence gathered at crime scenes, explaining in easy-to-understand concepts exactly what’s happening along the way. Complex instruments such as the gas chromatograph and techniques such as DNA amplification are thoughtfully described with 130 illustrations including 100 in color.

A to Z Encyclopedia of Serial Killers
by Harold Schechter, David Everitt 

A comprehensive collection of serial killers from all over the world, indexed by name and locations. A good reference for crime writers, profilers, psychologists, and law enforcement personnel. It certainly is disturbing that there have been enough serial killers to fill an "encyclopedia."

Death Investigator's Handbook: A Field Guide to Crime Scene Processing, Forensic Evaluations, and Investigative Techniques

By Louis N. Eliopulos 

A text intended for law enforcement officials investigating various types of deaths, it is also fascinating for the armchair detective who wonders just how they track down a killer.  A great book for crime writers in particular.  If you've ever been interested in the science of solving crimes, this is an excellent choice.  This is what homicide investigators take with them to the crime scene. 

Dead Men Do Tell Tales: The Strange and Fascinating Cases of a Forensic Anthropologist
by  William R. Maples 

A fascinating read for anyone interested in how forensic anthropologists identify human beings from the barest of evidence: the skeleton.  These case studies show how far scientists have come in understanding how bones represent the whole person.  It's amazing what anthropologists can tell from a single femur! 


My Dark Places : An L.A. Crime Memoir
by James Ellroy 

It's by James Ellroy. Need I say more?  He's not just  a "crime writer." His works, this one in particular, explore the soul with an eye for the dark places" most people rarely admit they have.  This autobiography left me breathless. A great book that both disturbs and enlightens.  He stares into his own dark places with unflinching honesty.  The book revolves around Ellroy's push to reopen the unsolved murder of his mother.  He was a young boy when she was found dead in a schoolyard.  He purges his demons and takes us on a journey through the underbelly of Los Angeles (and James Ellroy).  Also a great case study of homicide investigators delving into a very cold case.   Not for the faint of heart. Ellroy's dark places might be places many men prefer not to illuminate.