Cracking Crime by Niamh O'Connor, best selling author of The Black Widow, explores the fascinating and ground breaking work of Dr. Jim Donovan and his forensics team. A relatively new and intriguing science, Dr Donovan outlines the history of the development of various aspects of forensics and the sciences involved, from the study of dust to criminal profiling.

Since its introduction in Ireland, forensics has solved hundreds of crimes, with often the tiniest of clues leading to convictions. Some of the more notable cases of true life crimes solved by the use of forensics include:

• Gardai killings in Roscommon, and the shooting of Garda Reynolds by Noel and Marie Murray
• Bombing of British Ambassador Christopher Ewart Biggs and Lord Mountbatten by the IRA
• Abduction and murder of Mary Duffy - where teeth indentation on a wad of toilet roll helped identify the body
• Triple murder of Imelda Riney, her son Liam, and Father Walsh