Opening in 1902 with the first case in a British criminal court to use the radical new technique, this is an original exploration of fingerprinting's birth in colonial India and its subsequent repercussions: fascinating, beautifully illustrated, and based on hitherto unpublished research.

'Sengoopta has done a great service... Deliciously understated, yet precise and powerful, the book moves effortlessly from the detail of fingerprinting to the wider implications' Guardian

'Not just an investigation of a relatively arcane area of criminology but an altogether grander piece of revisionist history' Literary Review

'Well-researched and stylish...a heady mix of nostalgia, history, science and, above all, a compelling read' India Today