Book Description
This invaluable text provides a concise introduction to entomology in a forensic context and is also a practical guide to collecting entomological samples at the crime scene.

Forensic Entomology: An Introduction:

• Assumes no prior knowledge of either entomology or biology
• Provides background information about the procedures carried out by the professional forensic entomologist in order to determine key information about post-mortem interval presented by insect evidence
• Includes practical tasks and further reading to enhance understanding of the subject and to enable the reader to gain key laboratory skills and a clear understanding of insect life cycles, the identification features of insects, and aspects of their ecology
• Glossary, photographs, the style of presentation and numerous illustrations have been designed to assist in the identification of insects associated with the corpse; keys are included to help students make this identification

This book is an essential resource for undergraduate Forensic Science and Criminology students and those on conversion postgraduate M.Sc. courses in Forensic Science. It is also useful for Scenes of Crime Officers undertaking diploma studies and Scene Investigating Officers. ... Read more

Book Description
Insects and other arthropods found at a death scene can provide corroborating evidence regarding both the time and place of death as well as possible antimortem and postmortem treatment of the victim. Nevertheless, most forensic investigators are not specially trained in entomology, and until now, no entomology reference has fully explored these subjects. Forensic Entomology: The Utility of Arthropods in Legal Investigations usurps this void, instructing even individuals without a background in entomology on what to search for when recovering entomological evidence at a crime scene. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Missing a "key" point...
While this book does address a variety of necessary topics and its overall praise is well-deserved there is a gap, which means there is still a need for a textbook in forensic entomology.

For a book of this nature one would expect to be able to identify insects of forensic importance.The numerous color photos are nice to look at, but in most cases do not allow species determination at the adult level (don't even bother asking about immature idenitification!).Short species accounts are given, but much more valuable would have been the inclusion of keys (as in K. Smith's treatment of the European forensic fauna).Unfortunately this means that you have to buy another text in order to identify any specimens that you collect.You will likely have to go the Manual of Nearctic Diptera in order to identify genera of Calliphoridae, Muscidae, Phorids...

In summary, even if you buy this book you'll still need to consult a forensic entomologist and as such, I'd recommend dropping the words "Forensic Entomology" from the title.This book is written for those who do not have formal training in entomology or even a science background (i.e. arthropod, botantist, and invertebrate are all defined in the glossary).

For the authors I would highly recommend adding keys in order to increase the value of this work. Please, for the entomologists' sake place them in an appendix, but do include them.Another suggestion would be to expand the taxa covered in Table 9.1 (insect development times) and move it to the appendix.Thanks!

An Excellent Overview of Forensic Entomology
This work is extraordinarily useful to any death investigation professional.It provides an extensive overview of all aspects of forensic entomology with chapter contributions from the leading forensic entomologists in the United States and Canada.It is expertly written so that the investigator with no formal entomological training can easily understand the context of the book, while still on a level that other formally trained entomologists will find very useful.It is richly illustrated with over 150 color photos of insects of forensic importance.This allows investigators to immediately recognize forensic insects at the scene so that collection can be assured.This book is certain to become an invaluable reference for anyone in the field of forensic entomology, or those involved in the collection of entomological evidence from a death scene.It is a perfect complement to the other works published on the subject by K.G.V. Smith and E.P. Catts. ... Read more

Book Description
Insect-related evidence is one of the most powerful, least understood examples of modern forensic science. Entomology and the Law is a detailed roadmap from crime scene to courtroom--for entomologists, law enforcement personnel and lawyers preparing for trial. Part I focuses on carrion flies as forensic indicators, exploring relevant biology clearly and concisely illustrated by real-life cases. Part II is a thorough examination of the law of scientific evidence worldwide, complete with caselaw, applicable code provisions, and legal issues relevant to the admissibility and use of forensic entomology in litigation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Forensic Entomology made understandable!
This is a superb work of immense scope and brilliance.The authors leave no aspect of forensic entomology a mystery.Splendid for experts, both scientists and lawyers alike.

This is what CSI is really about!
Bugs are excellent crime solvers.This terrific book explains how and why, in a way everyone can understand.Great for everyone from experts to novices.

CSI made easy!!!!
This book makes it easy for even a layperson to understand the forensic entomology evidence so often featured on the C.S.I. television series!Kunich and Greenberg take insect-related evidence and make it come alive.What an amazing book!

Comprehensive?Hardlyý
Entomology and the Law by Greenberg and Kunich was promoted to be "the first comprehensive book on forensic entomology."This book certainly does not live up to that description, though it is a decent book in its own rights.At [the price], the book seems a little thin and incomplete.

The first section of the book, written by Dr. Greenberg, deals with the history, biology, identification, and use of forensically important flies.Dr. Greenberg's knowledge of flies is indeed extensive, and he has included keys to species of adults and larvae (pupae are ignored) of carrion flies from many parts of the world.Note that only flies are covered in this book, and all of the other forensically important insects are ignored.Also there is no mention of insect succession on the corpse outside of the preface to the first section of the book.This aspect alone limits the application of this book to the early postmortem interval.

The second section of the book, written by John Kunich, focuses on the legal applications of forensic entomology.This section deals with the laws behind scientific evidence, the admissibility of insect evidence, and how to optimize the use of such evidence.Placing the legal aspects into the prospective of forensic entomology made this section useful to the scientist who is interested in that aspect of the criminal justice system alone.

This book is far from being comprehensive.Nowhere are the details of the collection of entomological evidence presented, successional patterns of insects are largely ignored, and the temperature information included in the book is incomplete.Though lawyers and entomologists with experience in the field of medicocriminal entomology will benefit from this book, the curious lay person or law enforcement official should save their money and purchase either Catts & Haskell or Byrd & Castner.

Entomology and the Law
This book has it all.If ever a book crossed the lines of genre from a working guide for a professional in his field to an interesting read for the inquisitive mind, this book is it.This book is for the professional who has anything to do with a murder scene or wrongful death situation.This book is for everyone who watches television because "Entomology and the Law"is the marriage of a great murder mystery crossed with an investigatory courtroom drama.This book is for every litigator who wants to effectively use the law of scientific evidence in the courtroom.This book is for the layman who wants to know more.You see, it's about bugs.Gross bugs.Flys actually, and the fact that flys can be accurately used to identify the time and location of death.Interesting?Yes.Easy read?No.Necessary read?DEFINITELY. ... Read more

Amazon.com
Death is rarely pretty. It is decidedly unappealing when a body, made available to nature, is colonized and consumed by insects, worms, and other animals--unless, like Zakaria Erzinçlioglu, you have an appreciation for this "magnificent and highly nutritious resource."

Erzinçlioglu, a forensic scientist with three decades' experience in solving all manner of grisly crimes, gives a lighthanded if sometimes creepy account of what happens to the human body in death, and of how scientists can deduce from the succession of insect life, among other signs, just what happened to bring about that demise. As he ranges across the annals of wrongdoing, crime buffs will learn much from his observations on, among other matters, the outright stupidity of many murderers, who "seem to think that the last place a criminal investigator is likely to look is under the floorboards," and the many odd twists and turns that a scientific investigation can take while ferreting out the truth.

Erzinçlioglu's book makes a sharp-witted companion to such recent works as Jessica Snyder Sachs's Corpse and Richard Conniff's Spineless Wonders, adding to a growing--and oddly fascinating--library devoted to the coroner's art.--Gregory McNameeBook Description
The science of forensic entomology-the application of insect biology to the investigation of crime-is extremely specialized, combining as it does an expert knowledge of entomology with keen powers of observation and deduction.Dr. Erzinclioglu has been a practitioner for over twenty-five years and has been involved in a great number of investigations, including some recent high-profile cases, where his evidence has been critical to the outcome. A great admirerer of Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Erzinclioglu compares his own techniques with those of his fictional hero, and takes the reader behind the often gruesome but deeply fascinating scenes of a murder investigation.This absorbing book ranges over cases from history, prehistory and mythology to the present day and is as gripping and readable as a good thriller. AUTHORBIO: Dr. Zakaria Erzinclioglu was formerly Senior Research Associate at Cambridge University and also Director of the Forensic Science Research Center at Durham University.In his capacity as a forensic entomologist he is one of the most experienced scientists in the business.He is well known in England and has appeared in a number of television programs including The Witness Was a Fly for the BBC. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Some Specialists SHOULDN'T Write thier memoirs
Some years ago I read a very interesting book by the former doorkeeper to the senate of the United States of America.Now keeping the door at the senate chamber may not sound like a very interesting job,nor might it sound like it would yeild up a whole lot of fascinating tales,but the book was great.Being a specialist,in most fields,should provide at least some very interesting material and,if written with style & flair,the collected material should make up an interesting book.
Alas,although Dr.Erzinclioglu does indeed have a lot of interesting material,he is consistently unable to make any of it interesting.In the murder cases he writes about,the good doctor fails to provide much in the way of details except for his own particular field and contribution...this is much like looking a one piece of a jigsaw puzzle,in that one might have a clue as to the overall picture but,without all of the other pieces one cannot fully appreciate it.The Doctor's writing style might best be described as dry...Boring also comes to mind,but,seemingly,the majority of scientists writing memoirs seem not to understand that the mass market audience likes factual accounts to read like fiction.In the case of"Maggots,Murder & Men"the writing is so choppy,so tepid,so infested with personal asides and thinly disguised political opinions,it would seem to me that the writing style,whatever it might be,would not help the book one bit.

Don't judge a book by it's cover...
The title seemed promising enough. And sure, the beginning was a bit slow...forensic books can be that way sometimes, since there's a lot of technical information to convey. But, Dr. Zak's pompous biography never became even mildly interesting. The language was impossibly thick and the Sherlock Holmes references grew tiresome very quickly. Furthermore, Dr. Zak outlined cases in brief and cryptic passages, faling to inform (I believe I only learned the names of ten or so insects, unlike M. Lee Goff's book, where I found myself bombarded with fascinating information). Dr. Zak is highly subjective, melodramatic and conceited - even outlining cases in which he had absolutely no involvement - and seems like a petty novel compared to M. Lee Goff's "A Fly For the Prosecution".
My advice? If you're truly interested in the field, read "A Fly..." and leave "Maggots" to those who seek boredom, not information.

A Fine Collection of Anecdotes and Opinions
The secondary title of Maggots, Murder, and Men by Zakaria Erzinçlioglu is accurate-- Memories and Reflections of a Forensic Entomologist.Dr. Zak, as he is known to those unwilling to pronounce his name, has compiled an anthology of anecdotes and opinions accumulated over his long career of examining bugs for the British criminal justice system.I chose to read this book because I wanted to learn more than I already knew about forensic entomology, but I did not want to shell out the bucks to purchase an appropriate textbook.Maggots, Murder, and Men is a fine introduction to the basics; Dr. Erzinçlioglu explains quite nicely the logic of using flies, fly larvae and other creepy-crawlies to determine the time of death of a body.He provides a bit of the fly life cycle and discusses the ecology of various species, but the entomology ends there.There are no identification keys or the like.

The book is well written and entertaining.Besides bug stories, there is also a fair bit of exposition on such subjects as the criminal justice system, hypothesis testing, shady people (from both sides of the law), and Sherlock Holmes.I am quite sure that while one is picking through many tedious piles of insect samples a jillion odd thoughts pop to mind.I am thankful that Zakaria Erzinçlioglu chose to commit some of his to posterity.

"Maggots, Begetter Flies & Etc. in the Justice System"
"Maggots, Murder, and Men"...is a 256 page treatise written by a notable forensic entomologist with more than 25 years of experience with Cambridge University academia, research at Durham University, and administration of criminal law in England.

The book is scholarly and extraordinarily well-written with innumerous factual details on a variety of maggots, begetter flies and a medley of insects which, to the trained scientist, can provided desirous and often crucial information and evidence that otherwise may be lacking regarding the time of day, season and place(s) of death. Such information is often critical in indicting and convicting or dismissing suspects in deaths from natural, accidental, suicidal, unknown, or homocidal causes.

More than a potpourri of intensely interesting forensic cases solved or confirmed by forensic entomology, the author provides 10 chapters which move from discussion of entomology, maggots, flies, to the identification of human remains and the nature of crime, criminals and the justice system.Chapter 4 "Foul, Strange and Unnatural" describes some grisly cases and the author muses about those evils perpetrated today contrasted to those in times long gone and proffers that "meaningless violence now occurs during times of peace and prosperity," and that the modernday vandal "derives pleasure from distress it causes others."He is loathe to openly discuss the feral things he has seen done to children.He is aghast at those who give "serious talk about the 'rights' of paedophiles to indulge their desires" and who assert these paedophiles "are yet another persecuted minority."He is concerned about societal fragmentation by the agency of moral relativism.Dr. Erzinclioglu regards some values/actions as "sacrosanct and inviolable."

Reference is given to the initial application of DNA using PCR in Chapter 7 and of the "coffin" scuttle fly Conicera tibialis which can locate a corpse 6 feet underground, and he provides comnmentaries in Chapter 8 "Past Times" of the four plagues of Egypt (O.T.), and coverage of myiasis (obligate and/or facultative parasitic maggot feeding on live flesh) with specific references to King Antiochus IV Epiphanes (Syria), Herod the Great, King Herod Agrippa (Judea), Pheretima, etc., and reviews some of the unique problems of myiasis in domesticated versus indigenous mammals of different continents.

The Medicinal application of maggot therapy is well-covered in Chapter 9 that is replete with major tropical maladies, parasitology, and of the scientists who made discoveries leading to effective treatments and observations of maggot infestation in the Napoleonic, American Civil and the Great Wars.

In the final 25 pages, Chapter 10, the author articulates those perceived flaws and weaknesses he detected within the forensics of the Criminal Justice System (CJS), an adversarial system betwixt barristers.Elements of corruption on occasion were observed within the police system regarding creditability of evidence.The Home Office Forensic Science Service (HOFSS) under the CJS evolved into a 'privatized' FSS agency where cost factor by and by ordained the extent and type of forensic studies available to the prosecution. Frumpy & unqualified "muddy-water" consultants emerged as "specialists", plying their expertise through defence barristers.Since April 1999 scientific witnesses within the British Civil Justice System are no longer adversarial but answerable to the judge alone: This is not yet the case within the Criminal Justice System.

All in all, there is much more to this book than reviewed above.It is a scholarly work, written in a style which does not yield to cursory reading but with provoking commentary on those societal, judicial, and scientific issues that should insure a large audience for this exposition.

I would have liked to have seen a few illustrations of the various commonly encountered flies and maggots that were discussed, but references are provided for me to do so.A mystery to this reviewer is substitution of Pica pica with a member of the Muscidae family. To wit: the book's opening quotation taken from 'Who Killed Cock Robin?' Anon. is given as 'Who saw him die?', 'I' said the Fly...'is at variance with my library version which reads 'I', said the Magpie, 'with my little eye, I saw him die' from "Poor Cock Robin" printed in "Favorite Poems for Children" Ed. by Holly Pell McConnaughy. From cover to cover this is one of those books that simply can't get any better.It is underpriced and a "must read" that puts forensics in perspective.

Dr. Bugs Talks About Shirley Holmes
This book was worth the read, but it took a lot more effort to pay attention to than other forensic books I've read.The author is a forensic entomologist meaning he studies the life cycle of bugs on the dead to help estimate time of death and also connect the type of insect with the place of the homicide.This book had very small print and the author tended to refer back to a lot of Shirley Holmes stories (which made me want to buy some Shirley Holmes books because he never finished the whole story).Also, he tended to jump around a lot and not stay focused on one crime scene enough to give good details.The stories of the crime scenes and the insects found were not very detailed, and I really thought he would explain more about the different types of insects and get into more detail about them.The book was definitely worth the insight into the field of forensic entomology, but I just would have liked it better if his explanations of the crime scenes were more detailed and the insect identification was more detailed.Also, there were no pictures at all (other than fly sketches here and there), so that was definitely a bummer.The author is very knowledgable about his field, but book writing and story telling are not his forte. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

More about bugs than pollen
Mason Crest Publishers is producing a new series of books on forensic science, which are written mostly for children at the junior or senior high school level. There are currently 12 books in the forensic science series ranging in topics from psychological profiling, to fingerprint and DNA analysis, and their latest edition on entomology and palynology. As stated in the introduction, this series was prompted by the recent demand for more information on forensics, the rapidly growing interest fanned by TV (CSI and the Forensic Files on TV, high-profile court cases, & forensic evidence used to catch terrorists), and the role forensics plays in the apprehension and conviction of criminals.
The book is well-written with little use of technical jargon, nicely illustrated, simple to understand, and covers the topics of forensic entomology and palynology with a very broad "brush" leaving out many details, which one would expect to find in a journal article or professional book on these subjects.
It is obvious from reading the book that the author is interested in and is more versed on the field of entomology than palynology. Three-fourth of her book is devoted to discussions of entomology and only one-fourth of the book is reserved for forensic palynology. In addition, it is obvious that she obtained about 95% of all her information about forensic palynology from articles published in our Proceedings of the IX International Palynological Congress: Houston, Texas, USA, 1996, from articles in our journal Palynology, from articles in the AASP Contribution Series # 33, and from articles printed in the AASP Newsletter. The only major forensic source she missed was the recent book by Lynne Milne (A Grain of Truth). For those of us who have written these original articles, we can see our "fingerprints" and almost direct quotes from our articles scattered liberally throughout her discussions of palynology.
For those of you who are curious about how forensic entomologists use insects (mainly types of flies and maggots) to determine the time of death, whether or not the victim had been using prescription or illegal drugs (i.e. maggots grow much faster if feeding on a victim who used cocaine), and sometime even where the crime occurred, even if the body has been moved (i.e. urban flies and maggots are often different from those living in rural areas), then this book would provide a brief and easy-to-read overview.The book also provides a brief historical look at the development of forensic entomology from its apparent beginning in A.D. 1235 in China, when a farm worker was convicted of a murder because flies were attracted to the fresh blood on his sickle used to kill his victim.
The book is a quick read and will provide you with the basics of how and why both forensic entomology and forensic palynology are effective tools in the search for and apprehension of criminals. If you are a palynologist, I doubt that reading this book will expand your currently knowledge of palynology very much. However, if you study pollen and spores but have no previous knowledge about how pollen and forensics are becoming effective tools in criminal investigations, then you might enjoy the section on palynology.I think it is a great book for children who might want to know more about forensics and might encourage some of them to consider forensics or even palynology as a future career.My major complaint about the book is that throughout the entire section on forensic palynology she makes no mention of the names of the individuals (Mildenhall, Graham, Jarzen, Wiltshire, Bryant, Jones, Horrocks, etc.) who had written the works that she uses to discuss the subject.I also found it amazing that in the book's section listed as, "Further Reading," there is not a single reference to any article, chapter,book, or web site pertaining to forensic palynology!

Brief and generalized overview written at teen/young adult level
This book is part of a series of forensic science books and gives a brief, general, overview of what forensic entomology and palynology are.It is written at young adult comprehension level and is found in that section in my local library.The book provides the reader with an idea of what entomology and palynology are, who practices these areas, and common uses for them as they relate to forensics.It also provides examples, caes studies, and short histories of the fields, but doesn't really get into specifics about techniques or technical details.If you are looking for an in-depth book or one with techniques and procedures, this is not the book for you.In fact, I "Googled" forensic entomology and in the first 3 or 4 websites found virtually everything that this book had within it.On the positive side, this book could be used as a reference source and does list websites, agencies, and resources where one could find more information. Overall, this is an enjoyable, light read on the subject.If you want details, look elsewhere. ... Read more

Product Description
Encourages readers to question the influential messages in video and computer games.Describes what media is and how games are a part of media. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Great Fun and Intererest for the Amataur & Pro
This book is great!While this book is geared towards the real professional, such as a MD, ME, or Police investigator, (not me) this book is totally readable, interesting for the layperson or student of entomology.This is one of my favorite, if not my favorite entomological text!!While I am not normally morbid, this book brings out my morbid side - death & bugs can be fun and interesting!!!

Entomology & Death:A Procedural Guide
Entomology & Death:A Procedural Guide edited by Neal H. Haskell and E. Paul Catts, is a compilation of information collected from well known experts in the field of forensic entomology.In addition to editing thetext, several chapters were written by the editors.Their work as well asthe other contributing writers' works is well written and organized and themanual is superbly illustrated with line drawings.The introductorychapter covers background information on terminology, definitions, andeducational requirements for those who practice medicolegal or forensicentomology.Also, the manual contains historically significantentomological research that provides a foundation for applying itstechniques to legal investigations.Concise case histories are used toillustrate how insects significantly contribute to criminal investigations. The manual describes some basic structural biology, metamorphic processes,habitats, and other environmental factors that affect the development offorensically important arthropods.There is an excellent discussion ofblow fly development and how it may be used as a time of death indicator. In addition, entomological data analysis from evidence collected at thescene is discussed.Some information regarding death scene procedures,security and the treatment of evidence is covered as well.Propercollection techniques and preservation methods are discussed and also givenis a detailed list of materials and equipment needed by the investigator. Useful reference information such as several formulas for mixing standardkilling and preserving solutions are discussed.Also, presented arelaboratory procedures for raising insect larvae.The manual concludes withsome information on ethics, guidelines for testifying in court and ahelpful glossary complete with numerous references cited.This manual isan exemplary text, and I would highly recommend it for police officers,crime scene technicians, investigators, medical examiners, and forensicscientist.Presently, published information on forensic entomology isextremely limited.This manual definitely fills a void in the field offorensic entomology.

Hard to Find!
It took me a couple years to get this book since it was out of print and all.Glad I found it.Great guide and actually some very good reading. This book made me reconsider getting back into this field.Scrapingmaggots off the dead can be fun!

An Excellent Work
As said before, this book is one of the best all-around and in-depth reviews of this field.

A must read for anyone interested in forensic entomology!
If you are looking for books on forensic entomology, this is the book for you. Several of America's most well-known forensic entomologists has joined their efforts and produced this brilliant, one-of-its-kind book.

The only negative thing I have found is that the book is spiral-bound. My book is becoming rather well used, at this point, and some of the pages are rather loose.

Several drawings.

Contents

Chapter 1 - Medicocriminal entomology
Chapter 2 - Case histories of the use of insects in investigations
Chapter 3 - Arthropod basics - Structure and biology
Chapter 4 - Standard techniques and procedures at the death scene
Chapter 5 - Collection of entomological evidence at the death scene
Chapter 6 - Entomological collection techniques at autopsy and for specific environments
Chapter 7 - Procedures in the entomological laboratory
Chapter 8 - Analyzing entomological data
Chapter 9 - The paper trail: case records and reports
Chapter 10 - Being an expert witness: testimonial guidelines
Chapter 11 - Report/Witness ethics

Glossary of common terms in forensic entomology

References cited

Appendix

Index

... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

it has everything
This is the end all be all of forensic entomology books. It was the first written in its field, and the science and knowledge within its pages still holds true today. It is highly reccomended for anyone involved in crimescene investigation or entomology. It is really not for the squeemish,however. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

super
The insect cards are very informative and the picures are great, I have really enjoyed reviewing them. I think they are a definate for the field investigator.

Great tool for Investigators
I am a medicolegal death investigator, and these forensic entomology cards are a great. The size and shape are perfect for field work, and the color photographs are wonderful for positively identifying insects. They are a must for any crime-scene kit.

An Exceptional Tool for Forensic Investigators
The forensic insect identification cards are a tremendouslyhelpful item for me as a crime scene technician.Their small designallows them to fit easily into a pocket, and they are one of the fewitems dealing with forensic entomology that have color photographs ofthe most important insects at a crime scene.Particularly helpful tome is the small silhouette on the bottom corner of the cards thatindicates the actual size of the insect.Lacking a great deal ofexperience in entomology, I often have no idea how large these insectsmay be, particularly the beetles.The life-size diagram, used withthe photo enables me to quickly identify some of the adult insects Ioften encounter at a decomposition scene.The brief description ofthe insect on the back of the card is also helpful to me whenattempting to identify the insects I have collected.I have a copy ofthe first edition of the cards, and have purchased the revised set forthe other officers in my unit. ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document is a journal article from Forensic Science International, published by Elsevier in 2006. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Abstract:
This article presents Chrysomya nigripes Aubertin as a blow fly species of forensic importance in Thailand, and morphological observation of fly puparia using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Morphologically, we focused on the characteristics of puparia used to accurately identify fly species. Numerous puparia of C. nigripes were found aggregated, adhering side by side, on the tibia of a skeletonized corpse, which was recovered from a forested area of Chiang Mai, northern Thailand. In the triangular shape of the anterior end of the puparia, three thoracic segments and broad hairy patches beginning dorsolaterally at the sixth segments were distinguishing characteristics. This study, showing pupariation of the flies along the bone of a corpse as well as morphological features, provides important guidance in identifying C. nigripes puparia. A key to differentiate puparia of C. nigripes from the other flies of forensic importance in Thailand is given. ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document is a journal article from Forensic Science International, published by Elsevier in 2006. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Abstract:
Protophormia terraenovae is a forensically important fly whose development time is studied by forensic entomologists to establish the time elapsed since death (post-mortem interval, PMI). Quantity and nature of ecdysteroid hormones present in P. terraenovae pupae were analysed in order to determine if they could be correlated to the age of pupae found on corpses and thereby could give information on the PMI. Ecdysteroid levels were quantified during the pupal-adult development of synchronised animals using enzyme immunoassay (EIA), a sensitive method allowing acurate quantification in one pupa. Two types of pupae were compared: ''fresh'' pupae, kept frozen until analysis and ''experimentally dried'' pupae, which were left for several weeks at ambient temperature. A peak of ecdysteroids was detected between 36 and 96h after pupariation in fresh animals. It was not observed in ''experimentally dried'' pupae. High-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) analyses combined with EIA showed that 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) was the major free ecdysteroid at various pupal ages. Enzymatic hydrolysis experiments revealed the presence of apolar conjugates at all ages tested. However, neither qualitative nor quantitative difference was detected between early and late pupae. This study gives precise information on the nature and quantity of ecdysteroids in the course of pupal development of a calliphorid fly. The limits of using ecdysteroid measurement as a tool in forensic entomology are discussed. ... Read more

Book Description

Dead men tell no lies

When Hurricane Katrina takes New Orleans by storm, forensic entomologist Nick Polchak is waiting for her. He's part of DMORT (Disaster Mortuary Response Team), the FEMA team assigned to recover and identify human remains in large-scale disasters.

Customer Reviews (4)

PAGE TURNER
Talk about a gripping book! Even without having read the first two novels in the Bug Man series, I still loved following forensic entomologist Nick Polchak in the early days after Hurricane Katrina. Both characterization and setting are stellar in this book to the point where I set everything else aside in order to read. I'm squeamish when it comes to creepy crawlies, but this is one case where bugs and bodies make the perfect blend.

The Bugman is back! ...could be Tim Downs' strongest book yet.
Where were you on August 29th, 2005? If you're anything like the average American, you probably don't remember. We can barely recite what we ate for breakfast this morning, let alone what happened to us on a specific day years ago. But if you're a Gulf state resident, August 29th is a day you probably never will forget.

That late summer Monday was the day Hurricane Katrina, the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history ($81.2 billion) and the sixth strongest Atlantic hurricane ever recorded, made landfall. Almost two thousand people lost their lives from its effects. But did they all die of natural causes? What if someone took advantage of a storm they knew would wreak havoc to dispose of their murdered victims? First The Dead proposes someone did just that--someone who didn't expect forensic entomologist Nick Polchak to volunteer with the DMORT response team.

Dubbed the "Bugman", Nick made his debut in Tim Downs' first novel Shoofly Pie. Readers grew to love the eccentric character with thick glasses who thought of himself more as an insect than a human, and Downs followed up with Chop Shop, the unofficial Book #2 in the series. He even gave Nick a cameo in his non-Bugman book Plague Maker. In First the Dead the Bugman is back in all his quirky glory. Downs has us immediately loving the guy all over again.

As Nick lends his hand in the rescue efforts it isn't long before he starts recovering dead bodies, much to his superiors' dismay. Their motto is "first the living", and it's very much against orders for Nick to bring the bodies in before the rescues are completed. Surprise, surprise--he does it anyway. After all, as a forensic entomologist it's his job to examine bugs, namely the maggots infesting human remains. Through the larvae of ordinary (and sometimes not so ordinary) flies he can accurately pinpoint a time of death, and often the location of the death. Some of the bodies he finds in Hurricane Katrina's aftermath obviously met their demise from the hurricane. Others cause Nick to speculate foul play. It's something else his superiors' don't want to hear.

The buggish details in this novel are not for the squeamish. Nick is fond of sharing the often grotesque particulars of his profession with his uninitiated acquaintances, and the descriptions could turn the stomachs of some readers. Others (myself included) will find the facts delightfully intriguing because they're disgusting. Who knew a body in water decomposes in six stages and doesn't float until it bloats in the second stage?

The banter between Nick and supporting character Dr. Beth Woodbridge, a psychiatrist who may or may not be attracted to Nick, is the highlight of the First the Dead reading experience. Some of the dead-pan one liners Nick delivers are hilarious. These lighter moments give us a reprieve between the darker scenes featuring the villain. More a suspense than a mystery, you might be able to guess the bad guy early on. But that could've been the way Downs planned it. By knowing, or at least suspecting, you're constantly worried for Nick and his companions.

As in his previous works, Downs has done his homework, and we experience his research on every page. Except for Chapter 4's somewhat dull DMORT briefing (even Nick was bored during the meeting), Downs weaves his facts and figures seamlessly into the narrative. Even that scene was probably intended to give us a glimpse into exactly what goes on during one of these gatherings.

In some ways First the Dead presents a softer and gentler Nick Polchak. Early on he becomes the impromptu guardian of a young boy searching for his missing father, and it's in these exchanges we realize perhaps, just maybe, Nick has a heart after all. The spiritual take-away is limited to Nick's sense of honor and duty (as in the previous Bugman novels), but there's nothing a Christian would find offensive. Violence is kept mostly off-stage, or at least not described for shock value. The goriest moments come from the bugs and clinical examination of bodies, not the murders.

For anyone who didn't realize the utter devastation Hurricane Katrina caused to not only New Orleans but also the surrounding area, First the Dead will be an eye-opener. It could be Tim Downs' strongest book yet. With a setting that hits close to home and loveable characters to root for, it'll keep you rapt.

--Reviewed by C.J. Darlington for TitleTrakk

First The Dead
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Gotta love that Bug Man!!!

A Great Read!!
I love the bugman series of novels. This was pretty interesting. It held my attention,but it was a little redundent in parts . Overall very good! I liked his book Plague Maker best .So far its my favorite!!My favorite Bugman novelis ShooFly Pie!!If you like crime mysterys you"ll like these. They're written by a christian author but there is nothing preachy in them , they are clean & a fun read!! ... Read more

Book Description
Intern forensic pathologist Dr. Riley McKay has noticed irregularities in autopsies at the Allegheny County Coroner's lab. Suspecting foul play, she seeks help from Dr. Nick Polchak, the "bug man" renowned for his ability to solve murders by analyzing the insects on victim's bodies. Nick and Riley uncover a sinister link between the lab's director and PharmaGen, a start-up drug company specializing in genetic research. They also discover that PharmaGen fronts an underground system to procure transplant organs for wealthy clients by finding and murdering matching donors. But PharmaGen learns of their security breach and orders the couple destroyed. While staying a step ahead of PharmaGen assassins, romantic attraction develops between Nick and Riley. But the attraction is complicated by a tragic secret that Riley hides -- a secret closely tied to one member of PharmaGen's operation which propels the novel to its astonishing conclusion.

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Customer Reviews (8)

Slice N' Dice Isn't Always So Nice
When Tim Downs came out with "Shoofly Pie," I was scratching my head. But I wasn't going to miss out! I wanted to know what a "Bug Man" novel was all about. Hey, I loved it! Then I saw the title of this, book #2, "Chop Shop," and I laughed my butt off. Only Tim Downs! Only with the Bug Man himself, Nick Polchak. His last name almost sounds like "Pole Cat!" He always has an answer for everything, never a dull moment with Nick.

So what exactly are we to expect from know-it-all Nick this time? More fun, and more dead bodies! You talk about your average slab of meat? Check out the prime cuts that Downs serves up this time! First of all, he gives you Nick, but that's an instant gimme. We meet his Polish mother, and we meet his new friend, Riley. Riley is a special girl. She needs Nick's help with something that seems somewhat shady at her workplace. Is coroner, Nathan Lassiter, in over his head? He probably doesn't think so. We find out that Nick and Riley are fighting a battle that may prove unbeatable. And the people they thought they could trust could very well stab them in the back. You can even expect a modern day Samson, but you won't have the first clue as of where to look. So don't!

So, all in all, this just might make your liver quiver! It might even make your bowels move once or twice. But more importantly, whether you realize it or not, it will open your heart. And without giving anything away, that just may be an ultimate lesson that Nick might just learn before it is all said and done. Tim Downs tells a great story. And he didn't have to be Joe Spiritual to do it either. He had to be Tim Downs, and he had to simply tell a great story. That sizes him up with the likes of Robert Liparulo, maybe even Ted DeKker. So no matter how you slice n' dice it these days, Tim Downs has his own way of doing things. It isn't always attractive. But I like that! Hope you like it as well.

Excellent. I can't get enough of these bugs.
What an excellent book! A great improvement over the first in the series "Shoofly Pie" which I liked very much. Not as funny but much more intense. Both books had excellent endings. A lot of thought went into the writing of "Chop Shop" and it shows. Deep character, intelligent plot and sharp wit. Tim Downs is rising on my list of favorite authors. Now for the problem; there's very little that's Christian about it. It's clean, no sex, no cursing and it brings up some good ethical points (absolutes being the big one) but as far as spiritual growth it's not really there. Don't get me wrong this book is excellent but I do miss knowing our God just a little bit better when it's all over.

ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS
TIM DOWNS IS SUCH A GREAT WRITER!HIS BOOKS ARE NOT ONLY FAST-PACED, BUT FUNNY TOO.SHOOFLY PIE IS ANOTHER MUST READ BY DOWNS.I ANXIOUSLY AWAIT MORE BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR!!!

flies on walls tell all!
Rebeccasreads recommends BUG MAN2: CHOP SHOP as a lively & informative mystery about corporate doctors intent on securing a steady supply of body parts, & a young pathologist troubled by the autopsies her supervisor is making her sign-off on.

Dr. McKay finds Nick Pollack, the Bug Man of SHOO FLY PIE, in his greenhouse, & shows him some juicy maggots she's extracted from the latest corpse to cross her table. Together they set out on a trail of clues that will lead them to a firey & fatal finale.

Tim Downs has a hilarious way with words, poking fun of the pomposity of academia & financial tycoons, all the while spinning a gripping yarn. & if the ending, the real ending, leaves a bit to be desired, well, isn't that just like life?

Another winner with more texture than the first...
After reading his debut Bug Man novel Shoofly Pie, I knew I had to get ahold of Tim Downs' second (and latest) installment of the Bug Man series - Chop Shop.Once again, Downs pulls off a definite winner, with even more texture than the first.

Dr. Nick Polchak is once again censured from the university for "dissecting" a sleeping student in his class.No matter to him, as it just gives him time to work on his forensic entomology studies... in other words, the effect of bugs on dead bodies.He gets sidetracked when he's approached by Dr. Riley McKay, a budding pathologist in the fellowship study program of a local coroner office.She wants Polchak to offer some opinions on some anomalies she's seeing in the cases of the head pathologist, and she's willing to pay him out of her own pocket to answer the questions.This all leads to the door of a cutting-edge pharmaceutical company looking to manufacture custom genetically tailored medicines.The concept is great, but there appears to be a side business going on involving the black market sale of organ transplants.Polchak and McKay have uncovered a lot of the truth, but they really don't know who to trust to stop it all, or even if they'll survive long enough to get to that point.

Downs' first Polchak novel was very good, but it was really just a vanilla murder mystery.You knew there were some incidents in Polchak's life that had caused him to treat other humans with a fair amount of disdain, but none of that was really revealed.Chop Shop starts to cover some of that ground, as well as introducing some real medical ethics that have varying degrees of right and wrong.You meet Polchak's mother and learn a bit about his childhood that caused his withdrawal.You also see him struggle to come to terms with the affection he feels for McKay and how that can (or should) play out in his life.Polchak now is more than just a quirky intelligent scientist.He's a person with feelings and a history.This bodes well for future installments of the series.

The only bad thing I have to say is this...How much longer do I have to wait for #3??? ... Read more