5. I seldom give five stars, but this one deserves it! I've been a fan of Ann Burgess since I first discovered her work. I read her first book, too. But, this, THIS, is SO good. The insight she brings to some of the US's most famous cases is fascinating. Because being a famous mindhunter isn't enough, she has to totally slay at being an expert witness, too? As you all know if you follow my reviews, I teach American History through the lense of famous criminal cases and trails. This book has already got me thinking about changing around some of my lessons. It also gives me ideas about how to better teach my students about the intersection between "chaos and clarity" as Burgess puts it. So thoughtfully written, and compassionate. Beautifully done.

Expert Witness: The Weight of Our Testimony When Justice Hangs in the Balance tells of Dr. Ann Burgess’s experiences as an expert witness on some of the biggest cases in recent years, including those of the Menedez brothers, the Duke Lacrosse team, Bill Cosby and more. Dr. Burgess is a forensic and psychiatric nurse, a professor at Boston College, and she has worked with the FBI.

The introduction sets the stage for her work by walking us through the history of the use of expert witnesses. I found this to be informative and helpful, but a little dry. The book got to be very interesting once she started telling her stories.

I admired her openness when telling of the challenges she’s faced over the course of her career. For example, the environment in the 1970’s was very different than it is today and it was more difficult having her opinions be truly considered. In more recent years where she’s sometimes struggled to balance empathy with impartiality.

Not surprisingly, my favorite chapters were those which dealt with the highest profile cases. At those times when I wished she talked about the cases through their resolutions, I had to remind myself the book was about the role of the expert witness, not a recount of the entire case.

Here’s my to-do list now that I’ve finished this enjoyable book:
• Watch the Mastermind docuseries on Hulu.
• Watch ESPN’s 30 on 30 episode about the Duke Lacrosse scandal.
• Determine whether the Menedez-related season of Monsters on Netflix had any mention of Dr. Burgess.

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for providing me the opportunity to read Expert Witness. The above opinions are my own.

Burgess offers an excellent sense of being an expert witness from several perspectives, along with a sense of the evolving attitudes about sexual assault victims. Her writing is accessible and intelligent, offering a much needed perspective on the complexities of the courtroom and a thoughtful epilogue of the pros and cons of true crime culture.

Ann Wolbert Burgess did a wonderful job sharing her courtroom stories. It was view that I don't think I have read before. It felt like I was like I was in the courtroom. The book has first hand accounts and interviews with attorneys, victims, and offenders.

The book definitely had me intrigued and I did not want to put the book down. You will begin to learn the science of behind being an expert witness and look into the lives of those and the psychological effects of their trama had on them.

After I read the book I went on Hulu and watched the series Mastermind featuring Ann Wolbert Burgess and her family.

Thank you NetGallery and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC.

The stories Ann Wolbert Burgess shared were interesting; it was like getting a "behind-the-scenes" view. I do wish she had spent more time explaining the psychological effects of traumatic events on a person. Yet, the book was interesting, and the story flowed easily and quickly.