BLOOD AND IVY by Paul Collins is about a famous murder trial occurring in 1849. What's unusual about it is that a Harvard professor is accused of murdering a famous doctor and real estate landlord.

The case was also unique in that there were no eye witnesses but the victim's false teeth were found in a small furnace in the accused's lab. The dentist who made his false teeth took the stand and identified the teeth as those he made for the victim. A handwriting expert also testified that one of the letters sent to the police and newspapers was written by Dr. Webster, the accused.

We also learn that no distinction was made between premeditated murder and second degree murder in those days. If guilty the accused would hang either way

One of the most valuable witnesses was the medical school janitor who noticed the lab door was locked in the morning when he was accustomed to firing up Dr. Webster's furnace, since he constantly complained about being cold. He also noticed the wall of the lab was hot to the touch, which meant the furnace was being stoked almost beyond capacity. The janitor also found what remained of the body. The defense, used the now much used charge of accusing the janitor of the nefarious deed. He took the fifth when he was asked if he used the lab to gamble occasionally.

The newspapers of the day were basically tabloids and every wild scheme and accusation was duly published as were some of the letters sent in by obvious scammers, but as noted above, one of them was apparently sent by Dr. Webster.

I got the impression from the synopsis that the wrong man had been accused. I waited for a last minute reprieve and a last minute witness clearing the doctor. Otherwise this was a rather predictable true crime endeavor. But the authorities did make exceptions for the doctor since he had been at Harvard for many years and had never shown any sign of this type of malevolence, although he did have a bad temper.