Arson investigation is a highly technical field, so I was naturally interested when a friend (a retired arson investigator) told me about what he used to do. He described what’s involved in determining if a fire occurred as a result of arson and he lent two books to me (Torchered Minds and The Arsonist Profiles). I couldn’t put either down. They are fascinating reading.
Ed Nordskog wrote Torchered Minds first; The Arsonist Profiles followed. Although initially intended for arson investigators, Nordskog’s writing makes them fascinating reading for anyone. A few of the concepts Nordskog develops in his books include:
Both books have descriptions of the arson events, the investigations, the outcomes, and Nordskog’s evaluation of the arsonists and their motivations. Nordskog did much of his work while a member of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department; many of the events he describes in his books are crime sprees I saw in our local news as they were occurring (for me, that made the books even more interesting). Arson investigation may not seem like an interesting topic, but Nordskog’s ability to tell the tale and characterize arsons by initiation method, arsonist motivation, and other factors makes for great reading. Trust me on this: Torchered Minds and The Arsonist Profiles are fascinating books.
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