This is a well written, fast moving book through some of the struggles and triumphs of early forensic pathology and anthropology in the early 20th century. Although I cannot speak to those who enjoy CSI, this is a facinating read for someone with a bit of a science background who is interested in forensics.

For the reader who enjoys crime scene/forensic/ true crime TV shows and novels--this book shows how it all began. A little more chemistry than I wanted, but the story of two honest men fighting to create a credible, professional crime lab during a corrupt era of cronyism and graft was absorbing. Explains how poisons could be detected in a human body, how tests for poisons were discovered, and how forensics became the backbone of the fight to convict the bad guys.