London Month of the Dead - Reading the Dead

READING THE DEAD Forensic Anthropology and the Search for Truth With Professor Sue Black on Saturday the 31st October 2026 at 1:30 pm Every skeleton tells a story. Long after the voice has fallen silent, our bones preserve an extraordinary record of the lives we have lived—where we travelled, how we worked, what we endured and, sometimes, how we died. But uncovering those stories requires more than scientific expertise. It also demands the ability to present evidence clearly, objectively and convincingly in a court of law, where justice may depend on the interpretation of a single fragment of bone. In this talk, Professor Dame Sue Black draws on four decades at the forefront of forensic anthropology to explore the remarkable science of reading the dead. Weaving together the themes of her bestselling Written in Bone and her new book An Expert Witness, she reveals how forensic evidence has transformed criminal investigation, how expert witnesses shape the outcome of trials, and why the pursuit of truth is as dependent on rigorous science as it is on integrity and compassion. Through extraordinary criminal investigations, historical mysteries and landmark legal cases, Sue offers a rare insight into the hidden world where anatomy, justice and humanity converge. Tickets £12.50 including a delightful gin cocktail and a 20% donation to the King's Chaplaincy Trust. Please click here to purchase. Professor Dame Sue Black Professor Dame Sue Black is one of the world’s leading forensic anthropologists and an internationally renowned expert witness. She is Professor of Anatomy and Forensic Anthropology, President of St John’s College, Oxford, and the bestselling author of All That Remains, Written in Bone and An Expert Witness. Her pioneering work has transformed the fields of forensic science and human identification, earning her a worldwide reputation for combining scientific excellence with extraordinary humanity.

READING THE DEAD
Forensic Anthropology and the Search for Truth
With Professor Sue Black on Saturday the 31st October 2026 at 1:30 pm

Every skeleton tells a story. Long after the voice has fallen silent, our bones preserve an extraordinary record of the lives we have lived—where we travelled, how we worked, what we endured and, sometimes, how we died. But uncovering those stories requires more than scientific expertise. It also demands the ability to present evidence clearly, objectively and convincingly in a court of law, where justice may depend on the interpretation of a single fragment of bone.

In this talk, Professor Dame Sue Black draws on four decades at the forefront of forensic anthropology to explore the remarkable science of reading the dead. Weaving together the themes of her bestselling Written in Bone and her new book An Expert Witness, she reveals how forensic evidence has transformed criminal investigation, how expert witnesses shape the outcome of trials, and why the pursuit of truth is as dependent on rigorous science as it is on integrity and compassion. Through extraordinary criminal investigations, historical mysteries and landmark legal cases, Sue offers a rare insight into the hidden world where anatomy, justice and humanity converge.

Tickets £12.50 including a delightful gin cocktail and a 20% donation to the King's Chaplaincy Trust. Please click here to purchase.

Professor Dame Sue Black
Professor Dame Sue Black is one of the world’s leading forensic anthropologists and an internationally renowned expert witness. She is Professor of Anatomy and Forensic Anthropology, President of St John’s College, Oxford, and the bestselling author of All That Remains, Written in Bone and An Expert Witness. Her pioneering work has transformed the fields of forensic science and human identification, earning her a worldwide reputation for combining scientific excellence with extraordinary humanity.