In Murder and Mayhem: A Doctor Answers Medical and Forensic Questions for Mystery Writers, Dr. D. P. Lyle culls the best of his popular "The Doctor Is In" question-and-answer column for the Mystery Writers of America, in which he answers medical and forensic questions from writers all over the country. A frequent advisor to published mystery writers, as well as writers for TV shows such as Law and Order, Dr. Lyle tackles subjects such as traumatic injuries, doctors and hospitals, weapons of death, poisons and drugs, police and the crime scene, the coroner and the crime lab, and more. In extremely organized and accessible detail, he answers questions spanning a wide range: Do pupils shrink or enlarge with death? Can X rays be copied? Can ingested cocaine kill? How soon do strangulation bruises appear? Lively and accessible, this solid reference book is bound for every mystery writer's shelf.

Murder and Mayhem: A Doctor Answers Medical and Forensic Questions for Mystery Writers

Lyle, D. P.

Literature & Fiction

Minotaur Books

How long can someone survive in a cold, damp cave without food or water? How was diphtheria treated in 1886? Can Botox kill? Can DNA be found on a knife years later? How are mummified corpses identified? How long does it take blood to clot when spilled on a tile floor? What happens in death from electrocution? As a consultant to many novelists around the world and to the writers of such popular TV shows as Monk, Law &amp; Order, House, and CSI: Miami, D. P. Lyle, M.D., has answered many cool, clever, and oddball questions over the years. Forensics and Fiction: Clever, Intriguing, and Downright Odd Questions from Crime Writers is a collection of the best of these questions. The answers are provided in a concise and entertaining fashion that will keep you wide awake so you can read "just one more."

Forensics and Fiction: Clever, Intriguing, and Downright Odd Questions from Crime Writers

Tallyman (A Cain/Harper Thriller)

Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

Mystery

Suspense Publishing

Raised as siblings by an itinerant "gypsy" family, knife expert Bobby Cain, trained by the US military in the lethal art of covert eliminations, and Harper McCoy, nurtured by the US Navy and the CIA to run black ops and wage psychological warfare, are now civilians. Of a sort. Employing the skills learned from the "family" and their training, they now fix the unfixable. Case in point: Retired General William Kessler hires the duo to track down his missing granddaughter, a Vanderbilt University co-ed. Their search leads them to a small, bucolic, lake-side town in central Tennessee and into a world of prostitution, human trafficking, and serial murder. The question then becomes: Will their considerable skills be enough for Cain and Harper to save the young woman, and themselves, from a sociopath with "home field" advantage, a hunter's skills, and his own deeply disturbing agenda?

Skin in the Game (A Cain/Harper Thriller)

Thrillers & Suspense

When Dub Walker's close friend Sheriff Mike Savage becomes the victim of a gruesome murder, the forensic expert is called upon to track down the serial killer who's been terrorizing the county. Having been involved in more than 100 cases of foul play and witnessed the bloody remains of rape, torture, and unthinkable mutilation, Dub thought he had seen it all--yet the killer is unlike any murderer Dub has ever encountered. Vacillating between wildly divergent personalities fueled by post-traumatic stress disorder--at times calm, cold, and calculating; at others maniacal and out of control--the psychopath taunts, threatens, and outmaneuvers Dub at every turn. The stakes are suddenly elevated as Dub uncovers a deadly conspiracy tainted with unrestrained greed, corruption, and ties to the military establishment and the medical community.

Stress Fracture (Dub Walker Thriller)

Hot Lights, Cold Steel (Dub Walker Thriller)

This compilation of medical and forensic science questions from crime writers around the world provides insight into medical and forensic science as well as a glimpse into the writer's creative mind. How do hallucinogenic drugs affect a blind person? Will snake venom injected into fruit cause death? How would you perform CPR in a helicopter? What happens when someone swallows razor blades? How long does it take blood to dry? Can DNA be obtained from a half-eaten bagel? D. P. Lyle, MD, answers these and many more intriguing questions. The book is a useful and entertaining resource for writers and screenwriters, helping them find the information they need to frame a situation and write a convincing description. TV viewers, readers who enjoy crime fiction, and those who want to know more about forensic science can keep up with the news and understand the science behind criminal investigation. From traumatic injuries to the coroner's office, the questions and answers are divided into five parts, making it a compendium of the incredible information that lies within the world of medicine and forensics.

More Forensics and Fiction: Crime Writers' Morbidly Curious Questions Expertly Answered

History & Criticism

"Prior bad acts predict future bad acts."-Harper McCoy Fear grips an isolated mountain town after drug dealer Dalton Southwell kills a rogue dealer and his entire family. Score settled; message delivered. But Dalton's best-laid plans go awry when his brother Dennie takes a bullet in the gut. In a panic, Dr. Buck Buckner is kidnapped from the local ER, a pharmacy is robbed and the owner murdered, and the killers melt into the rugged Tennessee hills. Buck's physician father calls in Bobby Cain and Harper McCoy to rescue his son from killers who would have little use for him after he saves Dennie; or worse, the wounded man dies. But which direction and how far did they run? What hideaway did they burrow into? For Cain and Harper it's a race against time to locate the killers, safely retrieve Buck, and settle their own score.

Prior Bad Acts (A Cain/Harper Thriller)

Does Satan have a malevolent Earthly presence?Deputy Samantha Cody finally bagged her man. The juryâs verdict: Guilty of three counts of murder despite Richard Earl Garrettâs "the devil made me do itâ defense. The penalty: A trip to San Quentinâs death row. But, even with Garrett safely locked away, other murders occur, each with his âsignature.â The bizarre deaths attract a cadre of characters to Mercerâs Corner, a tiny California desert community: Nathan Klimek, star reporter for âStraight Storyâ, a supermarket check-out tabloid rag; Penelope, no last name, and her pseudo-Satanic followers; Awinita Stillwater, a local Cherokee Indian spiritualist; and Reverend Billy Thibideaux and his First Church of God disciples. As fear and panic grip the community, Sam struggles to uncover the truth only to find more questions than answers. Does Satan have a malevolent Earthly presence? A face? A name? How could Richard Earl Garrett continue his rampage while locked up? How could he know details of the brutal killings and, more importantly, know what lies in the deepest recesses of her heart? Could she ever defeat a man who appears to possess such unearthly powers? Are her tough-mindedness and professional boxing skills enough to wage war against âthe right hand of Satanâ?Follow Samantha Codyâs further adventures in DOUBLE BLIND.

Devil's Playground

AuthorHouse

A plain-English primer on crime scene investigation that's a must for fans of CSI or Patricia Cornwell Since the O. J. Simpson case, popular interest in forensic science has exploded: CBS's CSI has 16 to 26 million viewers every week, and Patricia Cornwell's novels featuring a medical examiner sleuth routinely top bestseller lists, to cite just a few examples. Now, everyone can get the lowdown on the science behind crime scene investigations. Using lots of fascinating case studies, forensics expert Dr. D. P. Lyle clues people in on everything from determining cause and time of death to fingerprints, fibers, blood, ballistics, forensic computing, and forensic psychology. With its clear, entertaining explanations of forensic procedures and techniques, this book will be an indispensable reference for mystery fans and true crime aficionados everywhere-and even includes advice for people interested in forensic science careers. D. P. Lyle, MD (Laguna Hills, CA), is a practicing cardiologist who is also a forensics expert and mystery writer. He runs a Web site that answers writers' questions about forensics, dplylemd.com, and is the author of Murder and Mayhem: A Doctor Answers Medical and Forensic Questions for Writers, as well as several mystery novels. John Pless, MD, is Professor Emeritus of Pathology at Indiana University School of Medicine and former President of the National Association of Medical Examiners.

Forensics for Dummies

Politics & Social Sciences

Social Sciences

For Dummies

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