The Killer of Little Shepherds: A True Crime Story and the Birth of Forensic Science by Douglas P. Starr has just been added to the "new book shelf" on the library’s third floor.
The book tells the story of French serial killer Joseph Vacher, who, in the 1890's, roamed the French countryside killing 11 people, many of them young shepherd boys. It also recounts the development of modern forensic science by interweaving the story of criminologist Dr. Alexandre Lacassagne, who helped bring Vacher to justice. Lacassagne pioneered many of the criminal forensic techniques in use today, including ballistics, blood-spatter analysis, and the microscopic examination of hairs and fibers.
The author’s website includes an excerpt and a trailer for the book. You can also read a review here.
