Just out of Harvard Law School, Kate Paine is on the fast track at Samson & Mills, the nation's richest, most powerful law firm. Assigned to assist the charismatic managing partner in a high-profile sexual harassment case, Kate can hardly believe her good luck. But with the brutal murder of Madeline Waters, a beautiful female partner, Kate's carefully constructed world begins to collapse. A mysterious warning from the dead woman just hours before her death leaves Kate terrified and confused -- could she be the killer's next target? Kate finds herself in a race against time to unlock the secrets of Madeline's violent death. Delving far beneath Samson & Mills' smooth veneer, Kate discovers a shocking legacy of abuse and betrayal -- a legacy that may hold the key to solving the murder, as well as to Kate's own survival.

The best way to grasp the essence of death scene investigation (DSI) is to witness its application, called the psychological autopsy, by an expert forensic scientist/clinician. This remarkable book affords the opportunity to delve into the challenges that the forensic mental health specialist and public safety professional confront in DSI. Suicides, and often death, are complex, multidetermined events. People, whether police investigators or mental health professionals, are generally perplexed, and even confused, when they are confronted by the equivocal case. Was it a suicide? Homicide? Accident? These are critical questions. Dr. Leenaars shows that DSI is, however, not mysterious; the reader can learn the generally accepted, evidence-based protocols of the psychological autopsy. Illuminated by individual (idiographic) case studies and general (nomothetic) research, this definitive guide allows the investigator to uncover the bare bones of a suicide or death.

Legal investigators are responsible for providing factual evidence as the fact finders, they are the foundation for the attorneys they work with daily. The attorney is responsible for forming and implementing the legal strategy and presenting it to the judge or jury. The legal investigator provides checks and balances to ensure that no evidence i

Death and dying and death-related behavior involve the causes of death and the nature of the actions and emotions surrounding death among the living. Interest in the varied dimensions of death and dying has led to the development of death studies that move beyond medical research to include behavioral science disciplines and practitioner-oriented fields. As a result of this interdisciplinary interest, the literature in the field has proliferated. This two-volume resource addresses the traditional death and dying–related topics but also presents a unique focus on the human experience to create a new dimension to the study of death and dying. With more than 300 entries, the Encyclopedia of Death and the Human Experience includes the complex cultural beliefs and traditions and the institutionalized social rituals that surround dying and death, as well as the array of emotional responses relating to bereavement, grieving, and mourning. The Encyclopedia is enriched through important multidisciplinary contributions and perspectives as it arranges, organizes, defines, and clarifies a comprehensive list of death-related perspectives, concepts, and theories. Key Features Imparts significant insight into the process of dying and the phenomenon of death Includes contributors from Asia,; Africa; Australia; Canada; China; eastern, southern, and western Europe; Iceland; Scandinavia; South America; and the United States who offer important interdisciplinary and cross-cultural perspectives Provides a special focus on the cultural artifacts and social institutions and practices that constitute the human experience Addresses death-related terms and concepts such as angel makers, equivocal death, end-of-life decision making, near-death experiences, cemeteries, ghost photography, halo nurses, caregiver stress, cyberfunerals, global religious beliefs and traditions, and death denial Presents a selective use of figures, tables, and images Key Themes Arts, Media, and Popular Culture Perspectives Causes of Death Conceptualization of Death, Dying, and the Human Experience Coping With Loss and Grief: The Human Experience Cross-Cultural Perspectives Cultural-Determined, Social-Oriented, and Violent Forms of Death Developmental and Demographic Perspectives Funerals and Death-Related Activities Legal Matters Process of Dying, Symbolic Rituals, Ceremonies, and Celebrations of Life Theories and Concepts Unworldly Entities and Events With an array of topics that include traditional subjects and important emerging ideas, the Encyclopedia of Death and the Human Experience is the ultimate resource for students, researchers, academics, and others interested in this intriguing area of study.

Renowned for being THE definitive resource for homicide investigators, Practical Homicide Investigation: Tactics, Procedures, and Forensic Techniques details the recognized protocols used by investigative divisions of major police departments throughout the world. The text is used in most police academies, including the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Now in its fifth edition, the book begins with a comprehensive discussion of homicide crime scenes and moves chronologically from initial police notification, the correct police response that follows, and the subsequent steps necessary to conduct an intelligent investigation. It then delves into the more technical aspects of homicide investigation, augmented with numerous pictures and full-color illustrations that involve pertinent case histories. This latest edition includes three new chapters along with fully revised chapters with new case histories and techniques that reflect the latest forensic methods and modern investigative procedures. Highlights of the Fifth Edition Include: Newly revised "Homicide Investigator’s Checklist" A new chapter on the latest DNA technology A rewritten chapter on equivocal death investigations that includes staged crime scenes Additional information on modes of death Fully updated chapters on death notifications, sex-related homicide, management for police administrators, suicide investigation, and narcotics-related and homosexually based homicides Over 920 photos and illustrations, 250 new photographs, and several new case histories Eminent author, lecturer, consultant, and expert witness Vernon J. Geberth incorporates his more than four and a half decades of real-world law enforcement experience in this quintessential reference. This classic and must-have resource provides the most vital information needed by detectives and police investigators responsible for cases in violent and sudden death. Remember: do it right the first time. You only get one chance.—Vernon J. Geberth, M.S., M.P.S., Homicide and Forensic Consultant, Author of Practical Homicide Investigation, and Series Editor of The Practical Aspects of Criminal and Forensic Investigations