Book cover: Practical Homicide Investigation: Tactics, Procedures and Forensic Techniques

It's often the case that when an author offers another edition of the same book, it's been updated with new information but little has changed in the rest of the contents. Geberth is much more conscientious. He goes through the contents — even the 901 pages of the Third edition of Practical Homicide Investigation: Tactics, Procedures and Forensic Techniques — to make necessary changes, both for accuracy and clarity. He listens when people tell him their experience of reading the book or when they offer something new about a case that he didn't know. Even better, if readers point out that Geberth has mentioned an idea or phrase that originated with them, he's quick to add the correct attribution. For him, the name of the game is teamwork, and that has been his motto since he published the first edition in 1982. In fact, thanks to professionals around the country who share their information with Geberth, there are several new cases in this new edition. As well, he offers the latest DNA technology and more information (much needed) about equivocal death analysis, as well as a revised checklist for homicide investigators. The bibliography, too, includes more resources and the glossary more terms.

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But, actually, the best thing about this new edition is the replacement of black-and-white with color photos and illustrations — 675 of them. They're graphic and shocking at times, but they have impact. I noticed pictures as I looked through this edition that I had barely glanced at before, and found a number of new ones that refined my understanding of wounds, manner of death and investigative analysis. Others who participate in medicolegal testimony will find these new illustrations to be quite valuable, and the full-color crime scene sketches and reconstructions are particularly instructive. Geberth is to be congratulated for all the work he clearly put into this new edition, but also for urging the publisher to go all-out with high quality glossy photos. This book now stands out even more clearly as the definitive guidebook for homicide investigators. It will be difficult for anyone to top it.

"This new completely revised textbook is finally in the format that I had strived for after many years and three prior editions," Geberth says. "All the figures and illustrations, as well as crime scene photographs, are in full-color to show the investigators exactly what to expect, what to look for and how to evaluate the various scenarios and modes of death as they are presented. The book has not only been completely revised with new forensic techniques and excellent photographs, but has also been expanded to 24 chapters. State-of-the-art crime scene collection procedures as well as a compete chapter on DNA technology (written by a microbiologist) have been added. For the researcher, additional citation and sources have been included to assist in examining homicide.

"I am most proud of the fact that I have been able to include information on the forensic and investigative subjects contained in the other books in my series. Just like when I was a Homicide Commander in the New York City Police Department, where I handpicked the best investigators to work with me in my unit, I have surrounded myself with the best of the best between the two covers of this book. Throughout this text you will see the names of many professionals, as well as the citation of a number of sources, to assure the accuracy and integrity of the text."

As Geberth often states in the seminars he offers around the country, "The successful investigation of sudden and violent death is based on teamwork and mutual cooperation. I am proud of the long list of acknowledgements in this book, which represent a lifetime of professional friendships and affiliations, and which makes this text 'The Bible' of homicide investigation."

There's no doubt that investigators will find this fourth edition to be a valuable asset for learning about the varieties of suicide and homicide, as well as the protocols involved in difficult and complex investigations.

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