Blood, Sweat and Fear

September 25, 2017
Lazarus (Cold Case Vancouver) shines a spotlight on a remarkable but forgotten historical figure once known as the Sherlock Holmes of Canada for his pioneering work in forensic investigation. The book is not a biography of Inspector John F.C.B. Vance but instead focuses on some of the criminal investigations in which he participated. His work repeatedly made front-page news during his career from 1907 to 1948. Lazarus paints a vivid picture of Vance as a man of great loyalty, dedication, and integrity whose expertise led him to be respected by colleagues and feared by criminals. He worked six or seven days a week for the police and other municipal departments, received numerous death threats, survived several attempts on his life, and returned to the Attorney General a check for $250 because he was prohibited from accepting gifts for his services. Lazarus acknowledges that histories tend to spotlight sensational criminals more frequently than the work of their stalwart investigators and is forced to do some of the former in the course of accomplishing the latter. This is an enjoyable, brisk read for those interested in forensic science, true crime stories, or local Canadian history.