This book has not been produced in the manner of a conventional stand-alone textbook but rather as a part of a package of training materials under the direction of the UK Department of Education and Skills, the other elements of which include training exercises, PowerPoint presentations and a DVD. It is perhaps unsurprising, therefore, that although providing a sound overview of the topic of fabricated or induced illness (FII), it feels a little bit incomplete on its own.

After a brief overview, in which the changing nomenclature and definitions of the problem are reviewed, we launch straight into an array of brief case studies outlining …