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:

lesserspotted · 17/10/2023 08:55

O yes, just remembered what my other friend in forensics does - matches shards of glass to manufacturers - all day every day, He graduated in forensics, but just carries on because he has a management position, supervising other glass fragment analysers, and wont get another management position if he looks for another career.

His management role involves sending "known" samples in with the evidence from crime scenes, and assessing how quickly and accurately the workers identify the manufacturer, and recording the results on a spread sheet - any one not quick or accurate enough is given notice.

lesserspotted · 17/10/2023 08:51

encourage her to widen her interests and ambitions. Everybody wants forensics and psychology at this age, but a psychology degree is virtually useless, and forensics is grim. Think wading through three day old vomit to find evidence or oral sex etc. My friends in forensics just sit in a lab doing the same tests over and over and over again for weeks, and never know anything at all about the case, the suspects or anything. Occasionally make statements in court, but even then know nothing about the case or the outcome. One specialises in telling dog hair from cat hair, with the occasional horse hair thrown in. One can identify fly eggs. Both have to do an annual stint of a month or so in the vomit corner.

As for psychology, when my sons were at university, 90% of the girls they met were psychology students, and none found their degrees of any use - so common, and so easy.

My children all did science degrees, but it was very well known that if you were really struggling with a particular module ( quantum physics comes to mind) then you could use a psychology module as a "patch" to fill up with extra credits easily - no need to attend the lectures even, just sit down for the weekend with the assignment and a computer or text book

By all means give her fiction she enjoys, but make sure she understands it is fiction, and not something to base a life plan on

CableTidy · 17/10/2023 08:51

Beyond the body farm by Bill Bass is a brilliant read. He basically pioneered the body farm idea, the book is really engaging and oddly funny in parts but goes into his career. He's also co-authored some fiction

Original poster

MustBeNapTime · 17/10/2023 08:49

@CarInsuranceIssue
Thanks for the suggestion.
Is she good then? Is there a particular series of hers that you would recommend? Bizarrely, I don't think I've ever read one of her books. And I don't know why...🤔

OP posts:

CarInsuranceIssue · 17/10/2023 08:42

Patricia Cornwell

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