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Corpse: Nature, Forensics, And The Struggle To Pinpoint Time Of Death Paperback – October 1, 2002

by Jessica Snyder Sachs (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 68 ratings
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When detectives come upon a murder victim, there's one thing they want to know above all else: When did the victim die? The answer can narrow a group of suspects, make or break an alibi, even assign a name to an unidentified body. But outside the fictional world of murder mysteries, time-of-death determinations have remained infamously elusive, bedeviling criminal investigators throughout history. Armed with an array of high-tech devices and tests, the world's best forensic pathologists are doing their best to shift the balance, but as Jessica Snyder Sachs demonstrates so eloquently in Corpse, this is a case in which nature might just trump technology: Plants, chemicals, and insects found near the body are turning out to be the fiercest weapons in our crime-fighting arsenal. In this highly original book, Sachs accompanies an eccentric group of entomologists, anthropologists, biochemists, and botanists -- a new kind of biological "Mod Squad" -- on some of their grisliest, most intractable cases. She also takes us into the courtroom, where "post-O.J." forensic science as a whole is coming under fire and the new multidisciplinary art of forensic ecology is struggling to establish its credibility. Corpse is the fascinating story of the 2000year search to pinpoint time of death. It is also the terrible and beautiful story of what happens to our bodies when we die.
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  1. Print length
    288 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    October 1, 2002
  4. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.71 x 8.5 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    0738207713
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0738207711
  7. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Corpse is a joy to read." -- American Scientist, January-February 2002

"A grisly historical disquisition, leavened by the author's good cheer and eerily graceful prose." -- New York Law Journal 9/30/02

"Pinpointing time of death is exceedingly difficult...Sachs takes a refreshingly realistic approach to the subject in Corpse." -- New Scientist, 12/7/02

About the Author

Jessica Snyder Sachs is a freelance health and science writer whose work regularly appears in Discover, Parenting, Redbook, McCall's, and National Wildlife. She lives in Atlanta.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Basic Books; Reprint edition (October 1, 2002)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0738207713
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0738207711
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.71 x 8.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 68 ratings

About the author

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Jessica Snyder Sachs

Jessica Snyder Sachs

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Author of Corpse: Nature, Forensics and the Struggle to Pinpoint Time of Death. For information on my current book project please visit my blog at http://www.jessicasachs.com .

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
68 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

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Susanna
5.0 out of 5 stars A well-woven tale of history and science
Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2004
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Learning the time of death is crucial in many cases of unnatural death, yet it's still not an exact science. Jessica Snyder Sachs handles the grisly topic with confidence and a conversational tone. The book takes you through the history of determining time of death and then details the recent and current science of it without once slipping into dry academic style or overwrought drama. She uses many anecdotes that bring the topic to life (if you will excuse the expression), and her word sketches of the scientists involved shows the human side of science. Sachs is an accomplished science writer, and it shows. The book is fascinating, not for the faint of stomach but not deliberately grisly either. It's an excellent, readable work, one you'll find hard to put down.

I met Ms. Sachs last year, and interviewed her for a review of the book on another website. We sat in her back yard, talking about death and writing. She is gracious and knowledgeable in person, and her personable manner comes through in the book. As someone who has studied criminal justice in various forms for over 20 years, I highly recommend it.
13 people found this helpful
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Myrta Ramirez
5.0 out of 5 stars Entrega antes de tiempo
Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2022
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Llegó antes de lo esperado y en excelentes condiciones.
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doc peterson
5.0 out of 5 stars all we are is dust in the wind ...
Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2003
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Corpse is grisly, graphic reading. As one reader remarked, it is certainly not for the squeamish, as Sachs describes week by week what happens to our bodies as we gradually decompose. The book is much more than a mere cataloguing of which insects devour us in which order, though. At the root of the book is the important question of determing time since death - critical in the correct prosection of murder crimes.

I found the details fascinating of how forensic scientists (entomologists, anthropologists and even microbiologists) are learning more about the decompostion, dessication and eventual disintegration of human bodies. I was similarly riveted to the numerous stories of how the science was evolving and gradually coming into use in the courtroom.
The book is certainly not for everyone, and be prepared for the odd sideways glances from those who see you reading it. But it is a guilty pleasure (pardon the pun) for those who have the guts (sorry, had to do it) to read it through. Highly recommended.
14 people found this helpful
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LeahG
4.0 out of 5 stars Good overview of forensics through time, not just current technology
Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2015
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This was a very well written, easy to read, overview of what happens to our bodies when we die and how the different branches of forensics science have developed over time. The book was an easy read and had a lot of information, but I didn't feel like I was back in school. Instead I was just having a chat with a friend who knows a LOT about something I find interesting. Ok maybe several lunches over a week...but definitely a worthwhile read.
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Danielle
5.0 out of 5 stars A highly recommended & extremely detailed history
Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2009
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A seriously good read for those interested in the subject matter. Had I of known the whole midsection of the book would focus on the life cycle of flies and maggots in extreme detail then I may not have decided to read it - but I'm pleased I didn't put too much thought into it beforehand (although it should have been obvious that it would play a major part in a book like this!). It's extremely well written and highly detailed, but not a difficult or dry read at all. The history of forensic development and how advanced it was at certain points in time puts highlighted crimes and Bill Bass's work (the most detailed account I had read up to this point in time) into perspective. Whilst there are a few gory bits, a person who has read a lot of crime before would not be bothered.
2 people found this helpful
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Huggyhug
3.0 out of 5 stars From what I've read so far, it's alright
Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2014
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I've read quite a few books on this subject and I'm sorry to say that the books Stiff and Coroner's Journal held my interest a lot longer than this one. It's not a bad read at all, and it's worth the price I paid for it.
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Marcia Sloan
5.0 out of 5 stars I loved it - but it's not for the squeamish!
Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2010
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I bought this book originally because I teach a forensics class for high school seniors and I was trying to better educate myself. But I found the book to be such an entertaining read that I now require all my students to read it. They say there are boring parts, and some of the information is a bit dry, but for the most part it is entertaining enough for them - and they are REALLY tough critics! If you are into shows like "CSI" or "Bones" and you want a little historical background on how the time of death is determined, you will love this book.
2 people found this helpful
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Lady Blue
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic!
Reviewed in the United States on June 25, 2011
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This book is great for death investigators! This is actually the second one that I have bought and may buy more in the future to give as gifts. Sometimes, the hardest thing to do, is to actually pinpoint a time of death. The answer then becomes "unknown" and an approimate time frame may be used. I hope that scientist will one day find the key to solving this problem and in the near future. I enjoy reading about the resources that are available to help us answer this question as to the actual end of life and the precise time that it takes place.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Stone Gee
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic read!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 27, 2012
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Absolutely amazing book! I loved every page and I was quite sorry to see it end! Really interesting, not too gorey for those of you with a sensitive disposition and not too technical for those of us who aren't trained forensic scientists. Lovely historical look at how forensics developed and how it is still developing now in the modern era.
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A. G. Dawkins
5.0 out of 5 stars Well recommended!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 4, 2016
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If you want to know anything about the human body and the traces it leaves this is a superb guide! Well recommended!
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Angel
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 24, 2016
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Fantastic read, very informative and hard to put down, would definitely recommend this read to others.
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Dick Pearson
4.0 out of 5 stars Still as good as ever but why change the title?
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 2, 2021
Verified Purchase
Bought this Kindle edition to re-read the book on the move, which I've owned in paper format for years. A fascinating study that hasn't been bettered.

However, I'm truly baffled by the change of title. It doesn't make the subject any clearer, is clumsy to read, and smacks of sharp practice to make unwary readers think they are getting something new!
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