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Original poster

Forensic criminology / psychology books for 15 year old

30 replies

MustBeNapTime · 17/10/2023 08:40

My daughter has decided she would like to go into forensic criminology and / or psychology. They had a careers day last year and someone in that field came in and she talked to them and has been getting more and more interested in it as time has gone on and has now decided that is something she is interested in pursuing. She reads a lot and has always loved a good psychological murder and has read loads of teenage appropriate books and is now starting to get onto adult authors.

I used to read all those kind of books years ago and still do on occasion (usually when I'm exercising on Audible these days!). So for Christmas I wanted to start her on a couple of fictional series.

So far I have thought of:
Kathy Reichs (the "Bones" books are different from the series so not sure whether that's a good or bad thing? I read them before I watched the TV series and we have now watched all of those together as well).
Karin Slaughter - Sarah Linton / Will Trent series.
Alex Kava - Ryder Creed series. Have read most of them and absolutely loved series.
Tess Gerritson - Rizzoli and Isles. I know that's a TV series now but I haven't watched it.

I know they are all American and more importantly fiction and she knows that it's not going to be like that even if she does study and go into that field, but this would literally be reading for pleasure in a vaguely related, if jacked up, subject and I think most of the authors have some kind of authority in the field if I remember correctly.

Can anyone recommend any more series, or even stand alone books?

Or to be fair, any non-fictional books that might be interesting for a 15 year old that aren't too text-booky? She does have one but I can't remember what it's called.

Thanks very much for any suggestions!

OP posts:
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Canyoucheckonme · 23/10/2023 09:46

Not read the whole thread, but Unnatural Causes by Dr Richard Shepherd is absolutely fantastic (you might want to read it first tho).

Floralnomad · 19/10/2023 19:30

Have a look at Kerry Daynes books , she’s a forensic psychologist and has written a few books about her work .

JennieTheZebra · 17/10/2023 17:52

If the people part of psychology appeals then I would always encourage mental health nursing. It's much less competitive than forensic psychology with plenty of jobs available, including in prisons, plus lots of room to develop a therapy focused career.

skilpadde · 17/10/2023 17:47

TheaBrandt · 17/10/2023 09:20

Criminology is the new beauty therapy type course for less academic girls. Wouldn’t be encouraging it sorry.

What does that even mean?

Back when I was studying occupational psychology, I was classmates (research methods module) with quite a few women who were doing their MSc in forensic psychology. A high proportion of them were already working in prisons, and the day to day job sounded like it varied somewhere between draining and absolutely brutal. It's definitely not a less academic career path, nor an easy option.

Original poster
MustBeNapTime · 17/10/2023 17:39

@StillNoFuckingEyeDeer
Thanks for that, sorry I missed you post before!

@SuperLoudPoppingAction
Thank you for that explanation, that's really interesting. She planning on doing chemistry, psychology and drama, so a reasonably varied choice of subjects that she's interested in and enjoys studying. She can always change her mind if she becomes less interested.

OP posts:
Fluffycloudsfloatinginthesky · 17/10/2023 17:36

TheaBrandt · 17/10/2023 09:20

Criminology is the new beauty therapy type course for less academic girls. Wouldn’t be encouraging it sorry.

Cambridge include criminology modules in their HSPS degree course.....

Greenshake · 17/10/2023 17:35

TheaBrandt · 17/10/2023 09:20

Criminology is the new beauty therapy type course for less academic girls. Wouldn’t be encouraging it sorry.

That’s absolute rubbish, and I say that as someone who has a MSc in Criminology with Forensic Psychology. I have gone on to have a satisfying and directly related career.

SuperLoudPoppingAction · 17/10/2023 17:26

I don't think beauty therapy is in any danger of dying out - it's very popular in colleges - so I'm not entirely sure there needs to be some kind of back-up course for anyone "less academic", whatever that means.

I mostly teach police officers on the degree apprenticeship so quite a few of them might not have considered a degree, but they have to engage critically with theories, with evidence to justify their policies and procedures etc.
I've taught across various different disciplines - education, health, sociology etc and I tend to find a mix of people who are very keen and/or very able, and people who seem to be less able to get to grips with the content and assignments (I suspect mainly because today's economic situation means many of them are working full time and just don't have the headspace).

I'm a sociology person myself and I might encourage either sociology or psychology as things to look into instead of criminology, to make sure you're making the right choice for you. The reason I teach criminology is I have a background in the women's sector and used to train police in that capacity.
I saw Jo phoenix speak at filia and she was very inspiring. Criminology can be really impactful and worth looking into, at least.

LizardOfOz · 17/10/2023 16:50

MustBeNapTime · 17/10/2023 14:26

@midlifemelancholy and @ememem84 Thank you so much for those, will have a look!

@LizardOfOz I've read the Will Trent series, a while ago now though and you are right, they are very hard reading due to his personal circumstances, some of which I can relate to. So actually, thanks for the reminder, I think I might not get her those for a few years... I'll have a look for the other book you mention.

I'd actually forgotten about Will's personal life! I meant the crimes. There was one series of killings involving a funeral director/pathologist (?) that has stuck with me - in a bad way
Another about women being kept in a basement....

Original poster
MustBeNapTime · 17/10/2023 15:56

@Needmorelego Thanks for that, will look for those standalone ones too!

OP posts:
Needmorelego · 17/10/2023 14:42

I really enjoy the Tess Gerristen books. There are a few stand alone novels not part of the Rizzoli and Isles series that are good. There's one called Harvest and one called Bloodstream that I really enjoyed.
@TheaBrandt that's the most bizarre thing I have read on Mumsnet for a while. What a snobby and rude thing to say.

Original poster
MustBeNapTime · 17/10/2023 14:35

TheaBrandt · 17/10/2023 09:20

Criminology is the new beauty therapy type course for less academic girls. Wouldn’t be encouraging it sorry.

Erm... Thaaanks? 😬

Not really relevant to my question but hey ho, this is a public forum so you crack on, and since you are commenting, may I ask what exactly is wrong with a beauty therapy course? Have you (or anyone else you know) never had a massage? A facial? Your nails painted? Given that my daughter is ND, I'll encourage her to do anything that catches her attention and she wishes to study whether you deem it worthy or not. I'm not a job snob.

@SuperLoudPoppingAction Perhaps you could confirm what kind of people you are teaching? Are they only people who couldn't get on the beauty therapy course...? I suspect not but what do I know?! 😂

OP posts:
StillNoFuckingEyeDeer · 17/10/2023 14:31

The Jigsaw Man by Paul Britton

Original poster
MustBeNapTime · 17/10/2023 14:26

@midlifemelancholy and @ememem84 Thank you so much for those, will have a look!

@LizardOfOz I've read the Will Trent series, a while ago now though and you are right, they are very hard reading due to his personal circumstances, some of which I can relate to. So actually, thanks for the reminder, I think I might not get her those for a few years... I'll have a look for the other book you mention.

OP posts:
midlifemelancholy · 17/10/2023 14:06

TheaBrandt · 17/10/2023 09:20

Criminology is the new beauty therapy type course for less academic girls. Wouldn’t be encouraging it sorry.

Sorry,what!
Please
Explain.

LizardOfOz · 17/10/2023 09:26

Dr Marie Cassidy, the former Irish state pathologist has written a book,I don't know its name

The Will Trent Karin Slaughter books are horrific, I won't say why because I'd need a number of trigger warnings.
I've read some but they turned my stomach. So vet them before you give them to her.

ememem84 · 17/10/2023 09:22

i've just finished the seven ages of death by Dr Richard Shepherd he's a forensic pathologist and talks through some of the cases he's worked on. i listened to the audiobook on audible and it was very interesting.

TheaBrandt · 17/10/2023 09:20

Criminology is the new beauty therapy type course for less academic girls. Wouldn’t be encouraging it sorry.

midlifemelancholy · 17/10/2023 09:18

MR Hall who wrote keeping Faith also writes about a coroner based in Bristol. They Americanised and turned into tv but I remember it being quite forensic

Original poster
MustBeNapTime · 17/10/2023 09:17

@Terpsichore
Just seen your second post. That sounds brilliant, I'll look those up and we can watch at half term!

@SuperLoudPoppingAction
Thank you, that could be a really good starting point for her!

OP posts:
Original poster
MustBeNapTime · 17/10/2023 09:15

@CableTidy and @Terpsichore
Thanks so much for the suggestions. I'll have a look at those.

@lesserspotted
Thanks for the insight, very interesting. But as I said, these books are just for pleasure in a vaguely related field. And to be fair, the guy she spoke to was under no illusions to explain it's not a glamorous profession. She's ND and will never be a rocket scientist but she's a bit like me (and her dad) in the fact we are really good at really repetitive, boring, mundane tasks and it's an important job that someone has to do, right? It's also the first thing that has really sparked a prolonged interest so we'll go with it for now. She has chosen three broad-ish A-levels so can easily change her mind in the next couple of years.

Due to one of my previous jobs, I used to know several SOCO's who loved their job, bodily fluids and all, so not worried about that aspect of things. I also have a friend that's a lab tech who pretty much does the same test over and over and has done for years, and she does find it a bit boring at times, but it's literally a life-saving job, so she gets a lot of satisfaction out of it.

And how strange, not one of her peers wants to go into forensics, they all think she's a weirdo! 😂

OP posts:
SuperLoudPoppingAction · 17/10/2023 09:06

I teach criminology and we use this book - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Introduction-Criminology-Pamela-Davies/dp/1526486857?ref=d6k_applink_bb_dls&dplnkId=eb62aa64-5386-424f-b2af-106693207456

If you can find a second hand copy, your dd may find it interesting.

Terpsichore · 17/10/2023 09:03

Professor Sue Black's All that Remains and Written in Bone would be the first thing I’d recommend for anyone who wants to do hands-on forensics; she’s a fascinating writer (and a highly distinguished forensic anthropologist). Her Royal Institution Christmas Lectures from last year are online - did your DD see those, @MustBeNapTime? She basically restaged crime scenes then did forensic investigations of them for (and with) her young audience.

lesserspotted · 17/10/2023 08:56

o the one that does dog hair used to be a crime scene investigator but got fed up of getting body fluid in her shoes

Terpsichore · 17/10/2023 08:56

She’s a psychotherapist rather than a psychologist, but Dr Gwen Adshead's The Devil You Know was an interesting read, @MustBeNapTime.

There are several books by the forensic psychologist Kerry Daynes about her work (one of them also called The Devil You Know: what are the chances?!) that seem to have good reviews, but I haven’t read any so can’t vouch for those - might be worth checking out, though?