This third edition of Clinical Forensic Medicine has been regrettably slow in gestation. Each year, it seemed, impending major legislation affecting the work of the forensic clinician made delay necessary or justifiable, until delay became a habit.

More important than legislation has been the long-awaited establishment of the Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine at the Royal College of Physicians of London, under the presidency of Guy Norfolk, one of our authors. Another author, Ian Wall, is the first to occupy the chair set up in memory of the late David Jenkins, a stalwart of the Association of Police Surgeons. Other friends and colleagues are no longer with us, most poignantly the writer of Chapter 4, Michael Knight, who, with characteristic self-discipline, delivered a polished manuscript on time, and still found it possible to discuss other contributions before he died.

Thanks are, of course, due to all the authors. Several of these, and other colleagues who were not contributors, have given me advice on contentious matters (Vicky Evans, George Fernie, Judy Hinchliffe, Alistair Irvine, Archie McConnell, Jason Payne-James, Mac Ransom). I have not always taken that advice, so the responsibility for error lies with me.

During discussions with Cambridge University Press editors Nick Dunton and Laura Wood about format, the suggestion of a dedicated website emerged. Some material, mainly large figures and colour illustrations, will be posted there; this will help to keep down the cost of production and allow for periodic updating.