Steeped in Blood: The Life and Times of a Forensic Scientist

Bloody crimes of passion, political assassinations, sinister poisonings, investment fraud and mass mining disasters … Dr David Klatzow has seen it all. During his extraordinary twenty-six-year career as South Africa’s foremost independent forensic scientist, he has investigated countless high-profile and notorious cases. Steeped in Blood provides gripping accounts of dozens of these matters, including the infamous deaths of Brett Kebble and Inge Lotz, the Helderberg aeroplane crash and the frustrating investigations of the brutal apartheid years. From the Gugulethu Seven and Trojan Horse massacres to the assassination of David Webster, Klatzow’s investigations reveal his fierce determination to unveil the truth in spite of overwhelming state obstructions, police bungling and cover-ups. Unfazed by controversy and unwilling to accept no for an answer, Klatzow’s tenacity, fearlessness and forensic know-how are used to brilliant effect in these fascinating cases. This book exposes a demanding and sinister world where the rewards are equalled only by the frustrations, and where the truth is always elusive. But the truth is out there, and David Klatzow will find it.