Nominated for the CWA Dagger 2023

‘A wonderful book’ - Guardian

Truth, murder, and the birth of the lie detector

Henry Wilkens entered the emergency room covered in his wife's blood. But was he a grieving husband or a ruthless murderer who had conspired with robbers to kill her?

To find out, the San Francisco police turned to technology and a new machine that had just been invented in Berkeley by an innovative detective, a visionary policeman, and a teenage magician with artistic skill.

John Larson, Gus Vollmer, and Leonarde Keeler hoped that the lie detector would make the judicial system fairer - but the flawed device soon became more powerful than they could control. It poisoned their lives, transformed quick friends into bitter enemies, and as it conquered America and the world, it changed our relationship with the truth in ways that are still felt.

As new forms of lie detection gain ground in modern times, "Tremors in the Blood" reveals the astonishing truth behind the creation of the polygraph, through gripping true crime cases involving explosive clashes, shocking twists, and dramatic courtroom battles.

Touching on psychology, technology, and the science of truth, "Tremors in the Blood" is a vivid, atmospheric thriller and a warning from history: beware of what you believe.

Pages: 352, Dimensions: 12.9x12.9cm