When forensic evidence becomes the silent witness

Crime Scene Asia: 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.

Liz Porter is an Australian writer best known for her prize-winning books about “the real CSI” — the way forensic science is used to solve crime. She is also the author of Written on the Skin: an Australian forensic casebook, joint winner of the 2007 Ned Kelly award for the best true crime book and Cold Case Files, winner of Australian Sisters in Crime’s 2012 Davitt award for best true crime book. She is an open water swimmer and a member of a pop music choir.