About the Site

A little bit about the site…

A Curiosity of Crime came about by accident, and along a circuitous route. The seeds were planted during an interview with Ed Adach, Toronto Police Services Forensic Specialist, about forensics and fiction. I got curious about what was available, and started researching resources for authors. That’s when I stumbled across a declaration that there were no reference books for writers of historical crime fiction because there wasn’t enough forensics to write about.

To the historian in me, that read like a challenge.

I set about doing what I love best: rummaging through books. What I found was a treasure trove of information. (To me, at least; I hope to you as well.) From that, the site was born.

I write about nineteenth-century forensics, policing, science, (a spoonful of) medicine, and the social context in which they occurred. A few bits and bobs will appear that don’t quite fit into these categories, but they’re useful and interesting nonetheless. My goal is to create relevant, useful content that enriches your storytelling.

I typically post twice a month. Along with the blogs, I have a monthly newsletter which you can subscribe to here.

A little bit about me…

I have three degrees; one I got in Canada (University of Toronto), and two in England (University of York, University of Reading). All of them are in history. The latter two in medieval warfare.

I have been a freelance writer and editor for over a decade, both in the publishing industry and in the business world. My most interesting jobs occurred while a student including pulling pints, an extra in Cate Blanchett’s Elizabeth (look for me in lime green), and overseeing the licensing of slaughterers in Great Britain. (At one time, I was the go-to person about the EU legislation on the subject.)

When I am not rummaging through books on crime, I do salsa, quilting, go for long walks, and complete simple crosswords relatively quickly.