The Blooding

Interesting true-crime story about an early use of genetic testing to find a killer. The title promises that the case was solved by DNA testing but that isn't quite true. The testing does provide the ultimate proof, however.

A fifteen-year-old is raped and strangled in 1983, in a small village in England. Three years later another teen is raped and strangled nearby. The police realize they have a dangerous killer in their midst and he may well strike again.

A scientist had just developed a way of testing body fluids for DNA that was reliable, and as the test was proven, the detectives on the case heard about it and had an idea. The department decided to test every man in the right age range who had been in the area during the time of show more the two killings. The testing was voluntary but pressure was put on by friends and family. Ultimately they tested over 4000 men, a remarkable effort, but it still took some additional detective work to close in on the killer. Because the testing was of the men's blood, the author chose to use the term "blooding", even though the term does not technically fit the use.

A nicely detailed story, full of information for Americans not familiar with British slang and customs as well as the history of genetic testing both in England and the U.S. Much better than most true crime books because of the research and details, as well as because Wambough writes well. show less

Intriguing true-crime tale of two murders in a small English village, eventually solved by the development of DNA "fingerprinting".

Wambaugh juggles two distinct plot threads here -- the advances in forensic science, and the search for the killer of two young girls. There's a plot twist of the must-be-true-because-no-one-would-believe-it-in-fiction variety, and a thoughtful study of what became of the victims' families, as well as a professional cop's take on the investigation itself.

Wambaugh writes well and this book is no exception. I gave it a 3.5-star rating because I think he could have left out about 100 pages of detail and made this a better book. It seems like he wanted to get in every single fact that he gathered in his research, and I found the level of detail tedious at times. Otherwise, this was a fascinating true crime story that read like a novel. An excellent example of the true crime genre.

Absolutely chilling, suspenseful, intriguing and heartbreaking all at once.
An insightful look at the process of identifying the victims and their attackers and seeing the story unfold from the eyes of each person involved. It's most amazing how certain events lead to the missing yet eventual capture of the real killer.

Very gruesome, yet true account of the first murder case solved by genetic fingerprinting in England.

First use of human DNA (AKA genetic fingerprinting) solution of and conviction of psychosexual psychopathic serial (2 only) murderer

1st Edition