Crime Scene Asia: When forensic evidence becomes the silent witness

by Liz Porter

Crime Scene when forensic evidence becomes the silent witness is a casebook of fascinating true stories from Singapore, Malaysia, HK, The Philippines and Indonesia. Its opening case begins when the body of a woman is found in a Singapore nature park. Nobody has reported her missing. Nobody knows who she is. The only clue to her identity is a set of tiny numbers etched into a series of implants in her teeth. Police door-knock the dentists of Singapore until they find the one who treated her. Then, following a trail of numbers called from her phone, they unmask her killer. In another case, set 300 kms away, in Kuala Lumpur, a married man is arrested for the murder of his mistress. Police are adamant that he is her killer. But the man’s lawyer can point to forensic evidence that tells a different story altogether. Meanwhile one of the book’s Hong Kong cases tells the story of a humble truck driver facing jail for his apparent involvement in a bombing plot allegedly masterminded by two of the former British colony’s most notorious gangsters. Then the evidence of a forensic scientist sets him free.

Genres: Nonfiction, Crime, True Crime

320 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 15, 2017

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Liz Porter is a journalist who began her career in Hong Kong and then worked in Sydney, London and Stuttgart before returning to her home town of Melbourne, where she is a feature writer for the Sunday Age. She has won awards for her writing on legal issues and has published a novel. She lives with her partner, her daughter and the obligatory female-writer quota of two cats and is a hopelessly devoted fan of the St Kilda Football Club.

Reviews

[Marianne Webb · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting at the start with how forensics was solving real crimes in Asia but after 26 cases I was over it.

[Stina · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF vid 70%. Staplande av brottsfall i Hongkong, Singapore och andra länder i området. Intressant att höra hur rättssystemet fungerar (eller ibland inte, liksom här). Föredömligt utförd research och grundligt redovisade källor. Dock mycket torrt, nästan knastrigt, trots generöst med detaljerade beskrivningar av tillfogat våld. Helt obegripliga kapitelindelningar av varje fall, med riktigt lökiga kapitelrubriker.

[Yvonne · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plain story more like a journalism type of writing rather than narrative or stories.

[Peg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the

[Yee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some cases were slightly complicated to be likened, plus it was written in a journalistic writing style.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a quote on the back of this book from Stephen Cordner, Professor of Forensic Pathology, Monash Universay Australia:

"The forensic science and medical evidence in Crime Scene Asia is fascinating in itself, as are the accounts of the police investigations. But what sets it apart is seeing how that evidence is used in court by the prosecution and then challenged, or alternative forensic evidence is introduced by the defence. The reader hears from the experts, but also experiences the lawyers facing each other on a tightrope trading blows... Compelling reading."

From the Bali bombing's, a deadly fire, to a number of murders in Singapore, Malaysia and other locations throughout Asia (and in Australia where the victims and perpetrators where Asian nationals), Liz Porter has assembled a series of analysis pieces about individual cases where forensic investigations played a major part in the resolution, court cases, and ultimate results of a series of violent murders, attacks and crimes. The central premise of the book "when forensic evidence becomes the silent witness" is the entire point, although whether or not readers will consider that relevant in all cases will be up to them. It felt to this reader that there was a hell of a lot of hard slog police work involved in a lot of the cases as well which went somewhat under-commented on, with the Forensic aspects held up almost as the more "sexy" part of investigative efforts.

Because this is a series of individual analysis of cases within similar locations there is also a bit of repetition here with the background of various individuals and forensic methods reiterated in close proximity - probably made more obvious when reading the book from start to finish in one go. 

The comment made by Cordner about the forensic battles between prosecutors and defence is spot on however. There was some interesting aspects of interpretation and experts facing off against each other that was quite compelling, and the way the legal system is responding to the increasing use of forensics, analysis, laboratory reports, theories and evidence interpretation is an evolving world all of its own. 

Crime Scene Asia Review

[Петр · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a quick read, interesting but very "surface level" in its detail. I think it suffers from having too many stories (16?) and doesn't get into enough detail imo. I am enjoying it but it is leaving me wanting to know more about how forensic science has developed all of these techniques.