At the Scene

Gr 7 Up—Bodden covers, in compelling detail, how crime scene investigators, past and present, operate. The author often compares actual job duties to depictions in media (particularly the "CSI" TV series), proving that it's all much more intricate and harder than it looks. Quotes from those working in the field lend authenticity to the narratives. The texts occasionally lack nuance: an examination of victimology in Mind of a Criminal suggests that "The victim might remind the killer of his mother… Or she might look like the girls who laughed at him," which can read as victim blaming, and there is little discussion of bias on the part of law enforcement. The layouts are uncluttered, but the images are less than inspiring. Though these selections have flaws, dedicated fans of true crime or those with career-related interests will enjoy.