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English

9781492680482

9781492680482

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A captivating blend of history, women in science, and true crime, 18 Tiny Deaths tells the story of how one woman changed the face of forensics forever. Frances Glessner Lee, born a socialite to a wealthy and influential Chicago family in the 1870s, was never meant to have a career, let alone one steeped in death and depravity. Yet she developed a fascination with the investigation of violent crimes, and made it her life's work. Best known for creating the Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death, a series of dollhouses that appear charming -- until you notice the macabre little details: an overturned chair, or a blood-spattered comforter. And then, of course, there are the bodies -- splayed out on the floor, draped over chairs -- clothed in garments that Lee lovingly knit with sewing pins. 18 Tiny Deaths , by official biographer Bruce Goldfarb, delves into Lee's journey from grandmother without a college degree to leading the scientific investigation of unexpected death out of the dark confines of centuries-old techniques and into the light of the modern day. Lee developed a system that used the Nutshells dioramas to train law enforcement officers to investigate violent crimes, and her methods are still used today. The story of a woman whose ambition and accomplishments far exceeded the expectations of her time, 18 Tiny Deaths follows the transformation of a young, wealthy socialite into the mother of modern forensics ... "Eye-opening biography of Frances Glessner Lee, who brought American medical forensics into the scientific age ... genuinely compelling." -- Kirkus Reviews "A captivating portrait of a feminist hero and forensic pioneer." -- Booklist.