Barbara Rae-Venter

This is a detailed history of cold cases solved using genetic analysis of the DNA preserved at the crime scene. The author was clearly very devoted to the immense team effort to find the perpetrators of horrendous crimes. Unfortunately, her overly detailed, often repetitive story hugely detracted from the overall narrative theme. Further derailing the crime solving aspect were many irrelevant descriptions (unrelated to using DNA profiles in solving crimes).

An audience familiar with exactly show more how DNA profiles can be teased apart to find the family related to the criminal would be very intrigued. In contrast, the wider readership could potentially be lost in all these genetic details at the molecular level. The story theme was invaluable but desperately needed a very knowledgeable editor to help the author cut to the chase. show less

I read Unmasked by Paul Holes, followed immediately by I Know Who You Are by Barbara Rae-Venter. Both are personal memoirs focused on the topic of using DNA matching with Holes being a long time criminal investigator specializing in cold cases and Rae-Venter being the expert genealogist who was the first person to successfully use DNA matching to build out a family tree which could identify a serial killer who had managed to elude law enforcement for more than forty years. Both books tell a show more compelling story of dedicated law enforcement personnel, heart breaking victims, and the scientific breakthroughs which have made it possible to find answers in our DNA. show less

While heavy with genetic information and technical verbage, she makes investigative genetic geneology easy for the lay person to understand. Plus she covers some fascinating cases