I'd like to think the forensics guy was right, but there might be another explanation: Statistically, most houses don't have a lot of books. I've read that the trend has been for fewer buyers, each one buying more books. Therefore, fewer households with significant numbers of books displayed. Anecdotally, I've visited many houses without books; I once heard a realtor tell friends that their house with all the lovely built-in bookshelves would be impossible to sell, nobody would know what to do with so many knick-knack shelves.
Also, the room where the murder took place might not be the one with all the books. In my house, there are very few books in the living room, dining room, and kitchen--they are all displayed elsewhere. So if I were gunned down in the living room, it would look as though I'm a non-reader.
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Date: 2009-09-16 09:41 pm (UTC)Anecdotally, I've visited many houses without books; I once heard a realtor tell friends that their house with all the lovely built-in bookshelves would be impossible to sell, nobody would know what to do with so many knick-knack shelves.
Also, the room where the murder took place might not be the one with all the books. In my house, there are very few books in the living room, dining room, and kitchen--they are all displayed elsewhere. So if I were gunned down in the living room, it would look as though I'm a non-reader.