This third edition, which again combines the features of an atlas and a textbook, presents findings in forensic histology, immunohistochemistry, and cytology based on microscopic investigations using different stainings’ and different antibodies. Questions of quality when working in the field of forensic histology are included as well as scientific perspectives for further research. The principal aim is to provide practitioners with detailed information and guidance on how microscopy can help to clarify the cause of sudden and unexpected death. Therefore, additional and particularly rare histopathological findings are presented. Many of the topics will be of interest not only to forensic pathologists but also to general pathologists, whether practitioners or researchers. Examples include the pathology of drug abuse, wound age determination, adverse drug reactions, histopathology of the sudden infant death syndrome, and age determination of myocardial infarction as well as histopathological findings in COVID-19-victims. Both typical and unusual findings are demonstrated with the aid of numerous tables, numerous high-quality color illustrations, and other key literature in forensic histology and immunohistochemistry is highlighted for each topic.

Professor Reinhard Dettmeyer was Head of the Institute of Forensic Medicine at Justus-Liebig University, Giessen, Germany, up to 2024. Professor Dettmeyer is qualified in both general pathology and forensic pathology, and studied medicine at the University of Düsseldorf and jurisprudence at the Ruhr University, Bochum. He has written many journal articles on forensic pathology and is co-author of several German language books on child abuse, forensic medicine, and medicolegal issues; in addition, he acted as scientific editor for Volume 2 of the comprehensive Handbuch Gerichtliche Medizin (Handbook of Forensic Medicine). He  also is co-author of the book “Forensic Medicine – Fundamentals and Perspectives”, published by Springer in 2014.