Abstract Ever since being enticed into the field of forensic pathology some 15 years ago, I have awaited the publication of a concise, definitive text in the field which would encompass the numerous and varied aspects of potential cases sure to be encountered in the routine workday of a practicing forensic pathologist. Up until now, I had to be content with the sparse number of texts in the field, most of which were outdated, too cumbersome to carry, and filled with oversized photographs but very little text. With the publication of Forensic Pathology, the field of death investigation has finally been given a reference that encompasses a broad range of subjects, in a manner sure to instruct those individuals less familiar with scientific terminology, while at the same time acting as a reference for all pathologists, whether they are performing forensic investigation on a daily basis or only a few times a year.