We start Season 3 with an absolute cracker as Lynda, Cass and Jon discuss the forensics behind the Great Train Robbery with some of those who were involved. In a world first, Listening to the Dead brings together the son of the robbery's mastermind, Bruce Reynolds, with a fingerprint expert who worked on the case back in 1963. Sit back and enjoy a lively discussion about planted evidence, bungling robbers, the swinging Sixties, betrayal, distrust and life on the run.

Jack Deans was just starting out in the Met Police's fingerprint department when the robbery happened and remembers manually searching the Met's paper database for the robbers' prints. He went on to have a 50 year career in fingerprinting.

Nick Reynolds was a toddler when the robbery was committed and his earliest memories are of being on the run with his father in Central America along with 'uncles' Ronnie and Buster. After his father's arrest Nick visited him in prison and was part of the team that brought Ronnie Biggs back to the UK in 2001. Today he is a successful musician and frequent contributor to documentaries on the robbery.

Chris Pickard worked with Ronnie Biggs on his renowned autobiography Odd Man Out (an updated edition is publishing this year) and is an authority on the Great Train Robbery.

 Lynda's new novel Vanished is out on March 31st 2022 in hardback, ebook and audiobook. 
Discover more at: www.lyndalaplante.com/listening-to-the-dead/

Nick Reynolds' band Alabama 3 is touring in 2022. Find out more at https://www.alabama3.co.uk. Nick is also one of the world’s leading death mask sculptors. You can learn more about his extraordinary craft at http://deathmasks.uk.

In October 1975, Peter Sutcliffe committed his first murder. Over the next five years he went on to become one of the UK’s worst serial killers. One of the main reasons the police took so long to find him was because they were sent off in the wrong direction by a series of hoax letters and a tape purporting to be from the killer. 
Nicknamed Weirside Jack, the perpetrator was never identified at the time. It wasn’t until 25 years later that Chris Davies – a forensic document examiner – got his hands on the letters. Chris joins Lynda and Cass to discuss how Weirside Jack was finally brought to justice. 
Christopher Davies started work in the Metropolitan Police Forensic Science Laboratory in 1981 where he was trained in questioned document examination. He continued to work in London when the Metropolitan Police Laboratory became part of the Forensic Science Service in 1996. He became one of the senior document examiners responsible for dealing with serious crime, including counterterrorism, cases. In 2010 he left the London Laboratory when the Questioned Documents Section there was closed and continues to work as an independent consultant.

Lynda's new novel Vanished is out on March 31st 2022 in hardback, ebook and audiobook. 

Discover more at: www.lyndalaplante.com/listening-to-the-dead/

Here we go then - let's kick off Season 3 of Listening to the Dead as we once more peel back the curtain of crime and reveal the forensics that cracked some of Britain's most famous cases. From the Great Train Robbery to the Yorkshire Ripper, we speak to some of those involved and hear astonishing revelations about the crimes, investigations forensics and protagonists. 
Join Lynda and Cass and get closer to crime!
Subscribe now and don't miss the first episode on the Great Train Robbery out on 16th February 2022.

 CORRECTION! 2nd Dec 2021. Apologies listeners, we previously uploaded a part-edited version of this episode in error. This one is now the real deal. We hope you enjoy it. 
Bonus episode recorded live at CrimeCon 2021 in London. Lynda and Cass look back at two seasons of Listening to the Dead and share more stories about the forensic experts and cases that have fascinated us most. 

**We apologise for the variable sound quality on some of the season two episodes which were recorded during the 2020 lockdown. Please don't judge us too harshly - we're back in studio in season 3!**

A bumper episode to end the season! 

In 15% of homicide cases involving a female victim, the cause of death is unknown. Despite the huge advances in post-mortem sciences, pathologists are still faced with cases of suspicious death where the cause of death cannot be conclusively proved. 
In this episode the team talk to a former member of the Thames River Police, Robert Jeffries, who worked on numerous cases where the cause of death could not be immediately established. They are also joined by Professor Angela Gallop, from Forensic Access (www.forensic-access.co.uk), one of the UK's leading experts in cold case investigations. 
Please note that some listeners may find elements of the cases disturbing.

Over six episodes, the team have investigated six causes of death: talking with experts, hearing how real life crime scenes are worked, exploring the latest innovations and discussing some famous cases.
   If you want to know what criminal investigation is like in real life, then get ready for a podcast that puts YOU at the crime scene. 

 Subscribe now!
 Lynda's new novel Judas Horse is out on 1st April 2021 in hardback, ebook and audiobook. 
Discover more at: www.lyndalaplante.com/listening-to-the-dead/

And if you want to learn more about the Thames River Police you can visit Robert at his museum: www.thamespolicemuseum.org.uk/museum.html

**We apologise for the variable sound quality on some of the season two episodes which were recorded during the 2020 lockdown. Please don't judge us too harshly - we're back in studio in season 3!**

A rarely seen method of murder today (outside of novels and state-sponsored assassination) but one of the most fascinating and challenging to investigate. A favourite of authors for generations, poisoning has appeared in some of the most famous crime novels as well as historic cases of murder and suicide. The team are joined by experienced toxicologist Victoria Jenkins from Forensic Access (www.forensic-access.co.uk) to discuss how hair and nails can be used to detect the presence of drugs and poisons, and the past, present and future of this ancient cause of death.
Over six episodes, the team will investigate six causes of death: talking with experts, hearing how real life crime scenes are worked, exploring the latest innovations and discussing some famous cases.
   If you want to know what criminal investigation is like in real life, then get ready for a podcast that puts YOU at the crime scene. 

Subscribe now!
  Lynda's new novel Judas Horse is out on 1st April 2021 in hardback, ebook and audiobook. Discover more at: www.lyndalaplante.com/listening-to-the-dead/

**We apologise for the variable sound quality on some of the season two episodes which were recorded during the 2020 lockdown. Please don't judge us too harshly - we're back in studio in season 3!**

In this episode the team are joined by pathologist Dr Brett Lockyer, part of the experienced team at Forensic Access (www.forensic-access.co.uk), as he reveals how to tell the difference between strangulation and hanging during a post mortem, and where best to look for evidence that a suicide is not what it seems.  
Sadly, strangulation is the most common form of murder of women in the UK. Traditionally considered to be a crime of passion, it’s also a common form of domestic abuse, which is why attempted strangulation has recently been criminalised.  

Over six episodes, the team will investigate six causes of death: talking with experts, hearing how real life crime scenes are worked, exploring the latest innovations and discussing some famous cases.
   If you want to know what criminal investigation is like in real life, then get ready for a podcast that puts YOU at the crime scene. 

Subscribe now!

Lynda's new novel Judas Horse is out on 1st April 2021 in hardback, ebook and audiobook.
 
 Discover more at: www.lyndalaplante.com/listening-to-the-dead/

**We apologise for the variable sound quality on some of the season two episodes which were recorded during the 2020 lockdown. Please don't judge us too harshly - we're back in studio in season 3!**

Unlike in America, there is little debate between pro-gun control and pro-gun ownership lobbies in the UK. There is general public consensus against ownership of handguns, which is enforced under strict legislation. Despite these strong sentiments, the UK has not averted gun crime by any means.  
In the year ending 31 March 2019, there were a total of 6,759 firearm offences recorded in the England & Wales. This was an increase of 4% compared with the previous year and the highest recorded number since 7,040 in 2010/11. Handguns are most commonly used and rifles remain the least commonly used in firearm offences.  
In this episode the team are joined by Former Senior Forensic Scientist specialising in Firearms and Wound Ballistics and an internationally-renowned expert in the field, David Pryor. As the ballistics expert called to the scene of the shooting of Jill Dando, David’s analysis and subsequent evidence were critical to the case. In the episode he joins the Listening to the Dead team to discuss his memories of those frantic days and his years of experience in identifying ballistics evidence.  
Over six episodes, the team will investigate six causes of death: talking with experts, hearing how real life crime scenes are worked, exploring the latest innovations and discussing some famous cases.
   If you want to know what criminal investigation is like in real life, then get ready for a podcast that puts YOU at the crime scene. 

 Subscribe now!
  
Lynda's new novel Judas Horse is out on 1st April 2021 in hardback, ebook and audiobook.
 Discover more at: www.lyndalaplante.com/listening-to-the-dead/

**We apologise for the variable sound quality on some of the season two episodes which were recorded during the 2020 lockdown. Please don't judge us too harshly - we're back in studio in season 3!**

From terrorist attacks to war zones, from earthquakes to floods, mass disasters are some of the most difficult and harrowing cases for police and forensic teams to investigate. Whether it’s identifying body parts or tracing a bomb factory from a tiny fragment of a device, the clues are often minuscule and highly disturbing. 
In this episode, the team are joined by former anti-terrorism branch and SO13 officer David Alexander as he discusses his extraordinary experiences working on IRA bombings, the 7/7 attacks and investigating war crimes in Kosovo.
Over six episodes, the team will investigate six causes of death: talking with experts, hearing how real life crime scenes are worked, exploring the latest innovations and discussing some famous cases.
   If you want to know what criminal investigation is like in real life, then get ready for a podcast that puts YOU at the crime scene. 

Subscribe now!

Lynda's new novel Judas Horse is out on 1st April 2021 in hardback, ebook and audiobook.
 
Discover more at: www.lyndalaplante.com/listening-to-the-dead/

**We apologise for the variable sound quality on some of the season two episodes which were recorded during the 2020 lockdown. Please don't judge us too harshly - we're back in studio in season 3!**

The Listening to the Dead team are back for a new season looking at causes of death and the investigative techniques that surround them.

This episode we welcome back pathologist Dr Stuart Hamilton to discuss his experiences in investigating blunt force homicide. 

Three of the six causes of death in the board game Cluedo are blunt force trauma – which nicely sums up the prevalence of this cause of death. It’s the second most common form of homicide in the UK. But it’s also one of the most difficult to investigate – what weapon was used, which blow actually that killed the victim? 

Over six episodes, the team will investigate six causes of death: talking with experts, hearing how real life crime scenes are worked, exploring the latest innovations and discussing some famous cases.
  If you want to know what criminal investigation is like in real life, then get ready for a podcast that puts YOU at the crime scene. 

Subscribe now!
 
Lynda's new novel Judas Horse is out on 1st April 2021 in hardback, ebook and audiobook.
 
 Discover more at: www.lyndalaplante.com/listening-to-the-dead/

You can read more about Dr Stuart Hamilton and his work at the East Midlands Forensic Pathology Unit at the University of Leicester here: https://www.forensic-access.co.uk/our-people/expert-witnesses/dr-stuart-hamilton/