Dead Giveaways
Andrew Donkin presents stories of real crimes and explains how each was solved through “amazing scientific evidence, personality profiling and paranormal investigations.” Brief, yet exciting accounts of about 50 actual crimes are given and then followed by descriptions of the steps investigators take to unravel the evidence leading to convicting the criminal.
This straightforward book is easy for young readers to comprehend, yet it includes enough technical information to hold the interest of junior high students. The descriptions of the crimes are concise and not sensational. The crime-solving techniques range from evidence that is visually apparent at the scene to fingerprinting, DNA testing, psychic assistance, and the use of computers in constructing virtual crime scenes. The black and white illustrations lend a sense of suspense.
In closing the book, Donkin discusses the future of crime detection and then provides a multi-choice questionnaire for readers to assess their powers of memory, observation and eye for detail. A good choice for fourth to eighth-grade readers.
Reviewed by
Dawn Farley
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
