True crime Books

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisYou''ve seen Manhunt, now read this powerful and personal account from Milly Dowler''s sister Gemma . . . ''My name is Gemma Dowler. On 21 March 2002, a serial killer named Levi Bellfield stole my sister and sent our family to hell . . .'' In My Sister Milly, Gemma Dowler recounts the terrible day of Milly''s disappearance, the suspicions that fell on the family, the torture of encountering the murderer in court, the fatal errors made by the police, how it very nearly destroyed her family and how love and hope helped the family survive.Everyone thinks they know the story of Milly Dowler, but only one person knows the true pain of having lost her sister, and how a family can rediscover hope to survive.________________ ''Compelling. An amazing book'' Jeremy Vine, BBC Radio 2 ''Heartbreaking'' Daily Mail ''Tragic, poignant, full of emotional memories'' Daily MiTrade ReviewThis is Gemma Dowler's powerful account, as seen on The One Show and This Morning . . . 'My name is Gemma Dowler. On 21 March 2002, a serial killer named Levi Bellfield stole my sister and sent our family to Hell . . .'Everyone thinks they know the story of Milly Dowler. * From the publisher's description *Compelling, an amazing book -- Jeremy Vine * BBC Radio 2 *The most honest and unsettling account * BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour *Powerful * Daily Express *Tragic . . . poignant . . . full of emotional memories * The Mirror *[Gemma] opens up . . . the books serves as 'fighting spirit' * Newcastle Journal *Inspired . . . the book to allows her voice to be heard * OK! Magazine *Gemma Dowler has finally revealed how deep they sank in My Sister Milly . . . her family's story is told in their own words * Daily Record *Gemma's book paints happy memories of her sister, a quirky teen who loved music, dancing and playing the saxophone * Reveal *

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewGot me out of a reading slump! Dark glee, tragedy . . . fans of my story The Corset will gobble this up -- Laura PurcellDark, twisted and dangerously addictive -- Sam LloydA brutal and compelling tale that starts as a revenge story but quickly becomes so much more. Clever, shocking and horrific in places, it's the sort of book for which the phrase 'page-turner' was invented. -- Lucie McKnight HardyCome for the fabulous premise, stay for the razor-sharp portrait of a marvelously complex (and often totally terrifying) mind. I was a big fan of You Let Me In, but Camilla Bruce has absolutely outdone herself with Bella Sorensen and Triflers Need Not Apply. -- Laird Hunt * - *Explosive . . . If you like true crime, you'll devour this chilling story of revenge * Woman's Weekly *Deliciously dark, wickedly observed with a protagonist who will haunt you in the best way. Utterly gripping, chillingly compelling - you won't read another story quite like Bella's. -- Miranda Dickinson * - *Loved this fascinating tale of how a woman's pain turns to rage and then murder. Based on the real life adventures of serial killer Belle Gunness, this book is a dark, thrilling ride into a world of revenge. Oh so satisfying. -- Julie Owen Moylan * - *Triflers Need Not Apply is a perfect read for any crime fiction fan. A chilling immersion into the mind of a serial killer - dark, seductive and addictive. A truly gripping read. -- Lia Middleton * - *Based on a true story, with dark humour throughout, you will be hooked * Prima *Extraordinary. Bruce does a marvellous job of reimagining this real-life murderer, without excusing her crimes * The Times *This gory fictionalisation of her story is also a great character study * Best *Explosive . . . If you like true crime, you'll devour this chilling story of revenge * Woman *Clever and pacy . . . To think of [Bella] only as a cruel murderer is too two-dimensional and doesn't do her, or Camilla's writing, justice * Belfast Telegraph *Chilling. Camilla Bruce's adept reimagining of this compelling historical figure is difficult to forget * Gazette and Herald *You'll veer between pity and loathing for the main character, with perhaps a touch of horrified admiration at times * The Hunsbury Handbook *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFor the first time the shocking inside story of the Outlaws biker gang, by the bestselling author of Gangs.Trade ReviewReviews for Gangs * . *Fascinating ... Thompson has a keen eye for the whimsical side of orchestrated illegality * Observer *A hard-hitting shocker of a book * Big Issue *Both chilling and compelling in equal measures * Birmingham Post *Reviews for Gang Land Britain * . *Shocking . . . Fascinating and slightly scary reading * Sun *An extraordinary book * Donal MacIntyre, BBC Radio 5 Live *

Read more less

Book SynopsisYou're from Glasgow. You're in a notorious Texas prison. You're on your own. The true story of the man who became a ... Gang of One.Trade Review'A compelling new account of two blood-splattered years spent at the hands of America's penal system'. * Mail On Sunday *'An entertaining read'. * Guardian *'An eye-opening account of US jails...fascinating reading'. * Libby Purves, Midweek, BBC Radio 4 *'Utterly engaging'. * Richard Bacon, BBC Radio 5 Live *'An absolutely fascinating story... an absolutely cracking read'. * Iain Dale, LBC Book Club *'Confirms my worst fears about American jails...the real tragedy of this book was the human tragedy'. * Jeff Randall, Sky News *Mulgrew's combination of personal insight and dark, subversive humour makes his new, autobiographical account of jail, GANG OF ONE a really special read, a kind of prison version of, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. * Catherine Deveny, Herald Magazine *'An absolute education...a fantastic book'. * Pat Kenny, RTE *'Anyone who still believes that we should be sending people to American-style jails should read the description of the violent Texas prison in Gary Mulgrew's GANG OF ONE'. * New Statesman *

Read more less

Book SynopsisAndrew Davies, author of the acclaimed Gangs of Manchester, paints a portrait of Britain's gangland between the wars - a period when Glasgow was known as the 'Scottish Chicago'.Trade Review 'City of Gangs's success lies in its compelling detail. Every other page can turn up a surprise; if not a delight, then at least an occasional grim smile.' -- Mike Wade * The Times *'Davies deftly explores the characters and crimes that defined this pivotal era. . . Meticulously researched, this is a comprehensive, compelling account of the gang culture that saw the gutters run red with the blood of a violent underworld steeped in bigotry, hatred and violence.' * Daily Record *'The image of Glasgow's infamous razor gangs could be set to change for ever thanks to the shocking revelations made in a new book.' * Sunday Express *'Gripping...a detailed picture of the gangsters who terrorised much of Glasgow.' * Evening Times *Praise for Gangs of Manchester: * . *'Masterly.' * BBC History Magazine *'Andrew Davies evokes the energy and excitement of gang life, their pride, their loyalty to each other, their love of fighting and their brutal excesses.' * History Today *'An important addition to the growing library on pre-fifties youth culture.' * Daily Telegraph *'A well thought out, brilliantly told, historically accurate and definitive work...Simply the best of its kind.' * United We Stand *'Rampant knife crime. Warring yobs clad in their own threatening uniform. And utterly powerless police. No, not 2009, but a Victorian England terrorised by teenage gangs even more savage than today's.' * Daily Mail *'An absorbing read.' * Family History Monthly *Lively, readable and engaging. * The Howard Journal of Criminal Justice *All the weight and conviction of a thoroughly researched historical monograph alongside the allure, humanity and drama of a gripping page-turner. * Contemporary British History *A very exciting and intriguing work, which does not shy away from including an amount of gruesome detail of a type likely to satisfy the traditional true crime reader. But it still remains a balanced, and ultimately, a sober (and sobering) read. * Law, Crime and History *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA new perspective on the D-Day landings with the heroic stories of a number of agents sent into Nazi Occupied Europe.

Read more less

Book SynopsisNew B-format paperback edition - This book features fifty-six Victorian murder cases from the files of the Illustrated Police News.Trade ReviewFrom the author of Murder Houses of London: ‘A book of unrivalled interestingness’ -- James Harkin, Head Researcher at QI‘Jan Bondeson is an extremely engaging and reliable storyteller, with a keen sense of humour.’ -- The Guardian

Read more less

Book SynopsisA look at the dark side of life in Liverpool in the eighteenth, nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Read more less

Book SynopsisInspired by a true unsolved crime, Frog Music is a gripping historical novel by Emma Donoghue, author of the multi-million-copy bestseller Room.San Francisco, 1876: a stifling heat wave and smallpox epidemic have engulfed the City.Deep in the streets of Chinatown live three former stars of the Parisian circus: Blanche, now an exotic dancer at the House of Mirrors, her lover Arthur and his companion Ernest.When an eccentric outsider joins their little circle, secrets unravel, changing everything – and leaving one of them dead.A New York Times bestseller, Frog Music is a dark and compelling story of intrigue and murder.Trade Review‘Time and again, Emma Donoghue writes books that are unlike anything I have ever seen before.’ Ann Patchett‘Emma Donoghue is one of the great literary ventriloquists of our time. Her imagination is kaleidoscopic. She steps borders and boundaries with great ease and style. In her hands the centuries dissolve, and then they crystallize back again into powerful words on the page.’ Colum McCannEmma Donoghue follows her bestseller Room with Frog Music. Set during a smallpox epidemic in San Francisco in 1876 and based on a true story, a burlesque dancer sets out to bring her friend's murderer to justice. -- Hot Books of 2014 * Daily Express *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA GLOBE AND MAIL TOP 100 BEST BOOKS OF 2022 WINNER ONTARIO HISTORICAL SOCIETY ALISON PRENTICE AWARD BRASS KNUCKLES AWARD FOR BEST NONFICTION CRIME BOOK 2023 FINALISTA former United Church minister massacres his family. What led to this act of femicide, and why were his victims forgotten?On May 2, 1963, Robert Killins, a former United Church minister, slaughtered every woman in his family but one. She (and her brother) lived to tell the story of what motivated a talented man who had been widely admired, a scholar and graduate from Queen's University, to stalk and terrorize the women in his family for almost twenty years and then murder them.Through extensive oral histories, Cook and Carson painstakingly trace the causes of a femicide in which four women and two unborn babies were murdered over the course of one bloody evening. While they situate this murderous rampage in the literature on domestic abuse and mass murders, they also explore hTrade ReviewA gripping true tale of a man’s spiral into murderous rage and a woman’s vulnerability — but it also explores the power of oral history and asks how childhood traumas can ever be alleviated. * Charlotte Gray, historian and bestselling author *The Castleton Massacre is a compelling, and meticulously researched, examination of an appalling Ontario tragedy. It is also a fascinating social history of settler families in the first half of the 20th century, and, most important, an urgent call for action regarding the many Canadian women and children who are still living with violent domestic abuse. * Jane Urquhart, award-winning author *Living with this story for sixty years, Cook and Carson have restored a voice to those silenced through horrendous violence. The authors separate fact from fiction and rumour from reality as they narrate the chilling descent of a killer from jealousy and rage to madness and murder. The Castleton Massacre will resonate in contemporary Canada where still too many women are killed by their partners. This is a story you will not soon forget. * Tim Cook, author of The Fight for History: 75 Years of Forgetting, Remembering, and Remaking Canada’s Second World War *Cook and Carson’s account of the massacre committed by Robert Killins...illuminates the lack of supports for abused rural women and the social beliefs about men’s entitlements and women’s duties that bind women to abusers. * Elizabeth Sheehy, Professor Emerita, University of Ottawa *This book makes an important and timely contribution. Detailed and sustained historical research combined with a willingness to consider the larger Canadian context in all its complexity, makes this horrifying account a must-read. Following a pandemic that led to a distressing increase in domestic violence cases, this story from many decades ago allows the reader to consider both this singular family drama and the sadly perennial aspect of domestic abuse. * Marie-Hélène Brunet, Associate Professor, University of Ottawa *The Castleton Massacre is a compelling memoir that delves deeply into the family dynamics that preceded and followed an unthinkable tragedy: the slaughter of three women, a young child and two unborn babies in one dreadful evening of mayhem and murder in a small Ontario town. * Adele Matsalla *Table of ContentsContents Prologue Chapter 1 The Great Migration West, 1900–1920: The Backstory of Robert’s Family Chapter 2 Two Canadian Families: The Killinses and the Frasers, 1920–1931 Chapter 3 Pursuing New Paths: The 1930s Chapter 4 Reality Strikes: 1940–1956 Chapter 5 A Perfect Storm, 1956–1963 Chapter 6 Murder Premeditated Chapter 7 Aftershock Chapter 8 Taking Stock After the Familicide Chapter 9 Gathering the Fragments: Addressing Childhood Trauma Epilogue: Sober Reflection Acknowledgements Endnotes

Read more less

Book SynopsisA much-loved mother, teacher and friend steps on a plane for an overseas adventure and is never seen again. When Marion Barter disappeared in 1997, police initially dismissed it as the actions of a divorced mother abandoning her family. In this book, the creators of the addictive global hit podcast The Lady Vanishes detail the winding investigation into Marion's disappearance, from tentative early police efforts to her daughter's 27-year search for answers. The Lady Vanishes is an engrossing story of how a small team of seasoned investigative journalists and storytellers, a daughter's intuition and a team of listener super-sleuths uncovered a web of intrigue spanning nine decades and three continents, and how - after 57 episodes, 20 million downloads and sparking a coronial inquiry - they discovered at the heart of the mystery a stranger-than-fiction international man of mystery who could hold the key to what really happened to Marion.

Read more less

Book SynopsisHandsome Brute explores the facts of a once-renowned, now little-remembered British murder case, the killings of the charming, but deadly ex-RAF playboy Neville Heath. Since the 1940s, Heath has generally been dismissed as a sadistic sex-killer – the preserve of sensational Murder Anthologies – and little else. But the story behind the tabloid headlines reveals itself to be complex and ambiguous, provoking unsettling questions that echo across the decades to the present day. For the first time, with access to previously restricted files from the Home Office and Metropolitan Police, this book explores the complex motivations behind the murders through the prism of the immediate post-war period. Against the backdrop of a society in flux, a culture at a moment of change, how much is Heath's case symptomatic, or indeed, emblematic of the age he lived in?Handsome Brute is both an examin

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn the early hours of 7th August 1985, five members of the Bamber family were shot dead with a .22-calibre Anschutz rifle. Sheila Caffell, who was known to have struggled with mental illness, was at first thought to have murdered her twin sons and adoptive parents and then to have turned the gun on herself. Forensic evidence, however, told a different story and raised such questions as how Sheila could have received two shots in an act of suicide. A year later it was Jeremy Bamber, the only survivor, who was convicted of the callous murders of his entire family. He is currently serving a life sentence, but continues to protest his innocence. In this the first full account of the case, Roger Wilkes bases his story around specially commissioned forensic research, personal interviews with Jeremy Bamber and previously undisclosed accounts and witness statements. Extraordinary and shocking, it is a story that would defy the imagination of fiction writers.Trade ReviewA serious book . . . Roger Wilkes's book covers the ground thoroughly, with a sure grasp of the complex points involved in technical evidence, and a nice commitment to objectivity. - Mail on SundayWilkes's book is a brilliant and powerful piece of reporting which deserves an award for excellent writing and sheer tension. - Hampstead & Highgate Express

Read more less

Book SynopsisNew York Times bestselling author Jillian Lauren's personal, shocking account of confronting serial killer Samuel Little - and the untold stories of his victims.

Read more less

Book SynopsisLOOKINGFORMADELEINE is the must-read account that the online haters tried to silence. Its award-winning authors, Anthony Summers & Robbyn Swan, are featured in the NETFLIX series ''The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann''.EXPLOSIVE Sun COMPELLING DailyTelegraphThe book: Identifies the blunders made during the police search for Madeleine Draws on confidential police sources Analyses the thousands of pages of the Portuguese police dossier Pinpoints the misreading of forensic evidence that - for a time - turned Kate and Gerry McCann into formal suspects Follows the clues indicating that the McCanns'' apartment was watched, that the apartment had been visited by a phoney charity collector Reports, in frightening detail, on the many earlier sex assaults on British children in the areaTwelve years on, as STrade ReviewOffers methodical documentation of the events as reported to police and by those connected with the case, following up each false lead and sensational allegation * Sydney Morning Herald *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA mother''s fight to bring her daughter''s killer, Christopher Halliwell, to justice''I have lived every parent''s worst nightmare. On what would have been my daughter''s 29th birthday, Detective Superintendent Stephen Fulcher knocked on the door and told me my beautiful Becky was dead. Found buried in a shallow grave in a remote field, Becky had been brutally murdered.''When Becky Godden-Edwards was killed, her mother Karen awoke to a world where the truth was never guaranteed; where taxi driver Christopher Halliwell got away with murder and the police officer who found her daughter was punished instead. This is Karen''s story. Despite unimaginable tragedy, her love for her daughter has been unbreakable: from her despair through Becky''s troubled teenage years, to the agonising eight years when Becky was missing, and then the dramatic story of how a killer''s confession led to a terrible discovery. The one constant has been KarenTrade Review[in] A Killer's Confession, Karen Edwards, shares her heartbreaking story... how she never gave up in seeking justice for Becky. * Daily Mirror *Karen's book A Killer's Confession... tells of her battle to bring Becky's killer to justice. * The Sun *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe acclaimed author of AMERICAN DIRT reveals the devastating effects of a shocking tragedy in this landmark true crime book: the first ever to look intimately at the experiences of both the victims and their families.A RIP IN HEAVEN is Jeanine Cummins'' story of a night in April, 1991, when her two cousins Julie and Robin Kerry, and her brother, Tom, were assaulted on the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, which spans the Mississippi River just outside of St. Louis. When, after a harrowing ordeal, Tom managed to escape the attackers and flag down help, he thought the nightmare would soon be over. He couldn''t have been more wrong. Tom, his sister Jeanine, and their entire family were just at the beginning of a horrific odyssey through the aftermath of a violent crime, a world of shocking betrayal, endless heartbreak, and utter disillusionment. It was a trial by fire from which no family member would emerge unscathed.Trade ReviewCummins presents a mesmerizing, highly balanced memoir. . . . [A] compelling, novel-like account . . . highly admirable * Publishers Weekly *Cummins recounts the wrenching drama in a straightforward, expertly paced narrative that reads like a novel * People *A wrenching tale of a notorious murder's long echoes for its survivors . . . [an] apt tribute to family endurance in the face of grievous loss * Kirkus *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Chris is a powerful force for good in the national debate on criminal justice.' The Secret Barrister'Extraordinary' Krishnan Guru-MurthyChris Daw QC has been practising criminal law for over 25 years, navigating Britain's fractured justice system from within. He has looked into the eyes of murderers, acted for notorious criminals, and listened to the tangled tales woven by fraudsters, money launderers and drug barons. Yet his work takes place at the heart of a system at breaking point one which is failing perpetrators, victims and society and now he is convinced that something must change. Drawing on case histories and global reporting, and published with a new afterword on law in the global pandemic, Justice on Trial presents a radical set of solutions for crime and punishment. By turns shocking, moving and pragmatic, Daw's account offers rare inside access to a system in crisis and a roadmap to a future beyond the binary of good and evil. Updated with a new afterword on law Trade ReviewChris is a powerful force for good in the national debate on criminal justice. You should all go out and buy his book. * The Secret Barrister *Fast-paced, engaging and littered with fascinating and often shocking real-life cases, Daw portrays a judicial system that’s broken from the lowest courts to the toughest prisons in the land, suggesting solutions that are as provocative as they are persuasive. -- Matthew Wright, BroadcasterExtraordinary -- Krishnan Guru-MurthyA shocking, disturbing, revealing and enlightening examination of a deeply flawed criminal justice system by someone who’s seen at first hand what the problems are, and more importantly, knows how they should be fixed. -- Piers MorganA hard hitting, page turning account of the failures of our criminal justice system describing through some of the author’s own cases not only how our system evolved but also why it fails to deliver to the public the protection they deserve. -- Cherie Blair QCA passionately written blueprint for resolving some perennial problems with our justice system ... A powerful case for reform. -- Geoffrey Robertson QCUncomfortable truths told in a compassionate and thoughtful way. Importantly, Chris offers hope and credible solutions. -- Lady Edwina Grosvenor, Prison PhilanthropistEmotionally searing … A political homme sérieux with a determination to reform our disintegrating criminal justice system. -- Jonathan Aitken * The Tablet *Will stand as a blueprint for criminal justice reform for decades to come … A must read for those in power who genuinely want a system that works. -- Erwin James * Inside Times *Table of ContentsForeword Author's Note Introduction: A study in crime 1 A short history of crime and punishment 2 Why we should close all prisons 3 Why we should legalise all drugs 4 Why children are never criminals 5 Why people are neither good nor evil The verdict Epilogue: The Dark Web and the Internet of Crime Afterword Acknowledgements Bibliography Permissions Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisMany of the cases within this book have never been written about outside of the original newspaper reports.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA searingly honest memoir of the uplifting highs and crushing lows of a life spent policing on the front lineTrade ReviewThis courageous and finely written book is a timely invitation to think more deeply about what we ask of our police -- Jane Shilling * DAILY MAIL *A stark account of a talented police officer's breakdown . . . This is a startlingly honest book and the final two chapters are heartbreaking -- Richard Morrison * THE TIMES *I read BLUE more or less in one sitting. I thought it was wonderful - very powerful, deeply moving and utterly honest -- Henry Marsh, author of DO NO HARMAdmirably honest and movingly human . . . Sutherland asks us to look behind the faceless blue and see the individual people * SPECTATOR *A remarkable book: a magnum opus on belief and success, on depression and despair. It is well written and intellectually demanding, profound and deeply moving. In places, it is funny; everywhere, it is thoughtful. It has as much to tell us about mental illness as it does about policing. And there is much love in it: for friends, for family, for life -- Alastair StewartAn honest look at the vulnerability that comes with bravery * THE I *Brave and very honest -- Bear GryllsThe effect of this honesty is to leave us both more appreciative of police officers and more concerned for their well-being, as well as encouraged that such a compassionate man was promoted so vertiginously. [Sutherland] describes police work as "fulfilling, humbling, inspiring, daunting, shattering, rewarding and soul-stirring" which is also a fair description of his book * TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT *Courageous and moving -- Tom Harper, THE SUNDAY TIMES Home Affairs CorrespondentJohn Sutherland lays out the human cost of working as a police officer in simple, devastating terms * HUFFINGTON POST *A gripping book . . . moving and really powerful . . . I highly recommend it -- Jumoke Fashola * BBC LONDON *Will expand people's understanding of what it means to be a police officer in Britain today, revealing the truth about the toll that a career in policing can have on those tasked with the responsibility of tackling crime. This is a brave and compelling account of policing from a very senior officer in the most renowned police force in the world -- Colin Taylor, author of LIFE OF A SCILLY SERGEANTI commend it to the public. It's a great book -- Cressida Dick, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police ServiceA superb book -- Charles CummingA remarkable, revealing and inspiring insight into the worlds of the police and the policed. The stories told are by turns heart-warming and saddening, moving and maddening - it is an account of the very best and the very worst of our society. It is a book which should be required reading for all who aspire to public office, in any sector and at every level -- John Nichol, author of TORNADO DOWNA fascinating, powerful and beautifully written insight into the life of a police officer -- Dan Walker, journalist and broadcasterA remarkable, honest account of twenty years in policing -- Sophy Ridge, journalist and broadcaster

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe astonishing true story of a nineteenth-century scoundrel and his murder at the hands of photographer Eadweard Muybridge, a founding father of cinema.

Read more less

Book Synopsis In the midst of gangland activities during the Roaring Twenties, a thief plagued the New York City area by breaking into people''s homes and stealing radios, possibly the costliest thing a family could own. Not only did the crimes deprive families of property and security, but they also resulted in the injuries of three NYPD officers and the death of officer Arthur Kenney. Based on interviews and trial transcripts, this book documents the search for the Radio Burglar, which turned into a wide-spread manhunt. Initially perplexed by the case, authorities eventually overcame great odds to achieve a conviction that has received praise in the following decades. But nine years later, the devastating effect on his family and friends of Arthur Kenney''s loss was prolonged when they were involved in a second murder trial that riveted the attention of the city and country.Table of ContentsAuthor's Note and Acknowledgments1. A Flicker of Light in a Dark House2. From Ireland to Manhattan to Police3. Politics and the City4. Searching for the Radio Burglar5. Two Officers Down6. "The Man We Are Looking for Has a Warped Mind"7. And Then He Just Died8. Bringing Artie Home9. Pawn Tickets in the Name of Ebert10. Caught for the Love of the Game11. "I only shot to get away"12. Investigation Launched, Hilton Arraigned13. Defense Argues "Intervening Cause"14. "Give this man a square deal"15. "If Kenney hadn't been shot, he wouldn't be dead"16. "Killing that man isn't going to bring my Artie back"17. "An instantaneous impulse to preserve his liberty"18. From the "Dance Hall" to the Chair19. Forced to Leave, Forced to Marry20. The Last Crime of the Radio Burglar21. Mistrial and Delay22. "But I am still innocent"23. AfterwardsAppendix I. State of New York Police Officers Memorial Roll of HonorAppendix II. Radio and Television Versions of the Radio Burglar StoryChapter SourcesBibliographyIndex

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Part memoir, part true crime, wholly brilliant.' – Paula Hawkins, author of The Girl on the Train.When law student Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich is asked to work on a death-row hearing for convicted murderer and child molester Ricky Langley, she finds herself thrust into the tangled story of his childhood. As she digs deeper and deeper into the case she realizes that, despite their vastly different circumstances, something in his story is unsettlingly, uncannily familiar.The Fact of a Body is both an enthralling memoir and a groundbreaking, heart-stopping investigation into how the law is personal, composed of individual stories, and proof that arriving at the truth is more complicated, and powerful, than we could ever imagine.Trade ReviewA haunting memoir of murder, revenge and dark family secrets * Sunday Times *Shocking, chilling, unforgettable * Mail on Sunday *Compulsive, eloquent and profoundly troubling. One of those rare books which embrace the genuine complexity of real life. -- Mark HaddonUtterly remarkable . . . It isn’t just that the writing can be beautiful (the author has a very nice way with cemeteries, which is just as well because she visits enough of them), it isn’t just her coruscating honesty, it is that she understands how very partial the stories we tell ourselves are. -- David Aaronovitch * The Times *An extraordinary book, weaving as it does the story of the author’s own childhood abuse at the hands of a grandfather into the (also true) story of a convicted child killer on death row in whose retrial she is involved. It’s a complex, difficult, essential read. -- S.J. Watson * Observer Books of the Year *Part memoir, part true crime, wholly brilliant. Bleak subject matter is expertly handled as Marzano-Lesnevich challenges us to see both perpetrators and victims from every possible angle. -- Paula Hawkins * Observer Books of the Year *One of the most fascinating, satisfying, moving, uplifting books I’ve ever read. -- Lucy Mangan * Stylist *The Fact of a Body is excellent. So gripping and fascinating. -- Sophie Hannah, author of The Carrier and The Monogram MurdersThis book is a marvel. With unflinching precision and immense compassion, Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich peels apart both a murder case and her own experience to reveal how we try to make sense of the past. The Fact of a Body is equal parts gripping and haunting and will leave you questioning whether any one story can hold the full truth -- Celeste Ng, author of the New York Times bestselling Everything I Never Told YouThe Fact of a Body is a remarkable act of witness, an anatomy of silence and the violence it abets, a book of both public and private accountings. Rejecting the false comfort of certainty, it confronts the inadequacy of all our tools for fathoming not just unforgivable crimes, but the baffling, human grace that can forgive them. This is a profound and riveting book -- Garth Greenwell, author of What Belongs to YouAs gripping as a thriller, The Fact of a Body is a disturbing work that explores the toughest questions of law and morality without offering any easy answers. * Literary Review *A powerful hybrid…The Fact of a Body is true crime that feels true. -- Victoria Segal, The Sunday TimesI haven’t read anything quite like this before..we must congratulate Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich. She has made us understand things we might not have understood before -- William Leith * The Spectator *The most compelling book I’ve read in a long time – if you liked the Serial podcast or Making a Murderer, it’s similarly addictive. However, it’s also intellectually exacting and rigorous, rather than salacious. A very fine balance. -- Susie Steiner, author of Missing Presumed[A] true-crime masterpiece . . . There are no easy conclusions in The Fact of a Body, but there are many moments of profound revelation. * Vogue *

Read more less

Book SynopsisDrawing on exclusive final interviews with Frank, and with unprecedented access to his closest relatives, Mad Frank and Sons follows his rise from a small kid stealing to put food on the table to a feared and respected West End crime lord and head of a legendary gangland family. It includes the story of Frank's beloved sister, Eva, who was a top-class West End shoplifter, and his sons David and Patrick, who reveal in shocking detail the full extent of the family's network and the influences that shaped them. With sawn-off shotguns as toys, the Kray twins as family friends and a mother who urged them as teenagers to 'get out of bed and rob a bleedin' bank', it is little wonder that the Fraser boys were heavily involved in organized crime by the time they were in their twenties. Packed with new information, and featuring some of the most famous names in the London underworld, this is a fascinating slice of gangland history seen through the eyes of Frank Fraser and his two renegade sons.Trade ReviewReminiscing on days gone by, this compelling book is a fascinating look into gang history through the eyes of Frank Fraser and two of his sons. * The Sun *Safely in the past, Fraser's story becomes nostalgic - a swansong not just for a psychopath but for the worldhe represented, with its supposed codes and false camaraderie. This is an arresting portrait of a bygone era. * The Mail on Sunday *A brilliantly structured and gripping account of an amazing family * Kimberley Chambers *

Read more less

Book SynopsisHoward Marks is the most famous drug smuggler of his age, and a hero to a generation. On his release from one of America's toughest prisons, Howard made a promise to himself to go straight. No more drugs, no more smuggling, no more fake passports. He would retire to a quiet life with his family in the Balearic Islands of Spain. It didn't quite work out that way.This was the mid-nineties, the height of the ecstasy and clubbing boom, and Ibiza was at the very centre of the vortex for the 'E generation'. Pills had taken the place of marijuana, Paul Oakenfold had replaced The Rolling Stones as the music of the masses, but some people are just born for life on the other side of the law.It wasn't long before Howard found himself trying pure ecstasy and rubbing shoulders with some of the king-pins of the pill trade. These included some of Britain's most notorious gangsters, who were laundering millions of pounds of gold stolen from the legendary Brink's-Mat bullion raid. As Britons descended on Ibiza ahead of one of the greatest summers of the nineties, Howard was preparing for his most outrageous operation yet.Incredibly funny, moving and scabrous, Howard Marks' Mr Smiley follows a journey to the heartland of the clubbing and British crime scene. It is also a fitting last word from one of Britain's best loved bad boys.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFor many, the Kray twins are legends but for Chris Lambrianou they were something else entirely . . . As a young East End tearaway, Chris turned to crime to escape the grinding poverty of his life. Armed robbery, safe blowing, fraud, even attempted murder - the big brash Cockney did the lot. Then, when he became too successful, the Krays decided they wanted a slice of his action. Pulled into their orbit, Chris was unimpressed by a crime empire built on fear, and alarmed to realise his brother Tony had become a paid up member of their firm. Then Chris was lured to the party that ended in the murder of Jack the Hat McVitie. Wanting to protect Tony, Chris helped dispose of the body. He was arrested along with the Krays and their firm, and after a sensational trial he was jailed for life in 1969.In this searing autobiography, he also describes what it's like to face life as a category A prisoner, the beatings and harsh regime, the friendship he found with other prisoners like Charlie Richardson and Bruce Reynolds. Still, in deep despair after years inside, he tried to kill himself but ultimately found the strength not just to survive but to change his life forever . . .Trade ReviewIt is the honesty with with Lambrianou relates his life story that makes this book so enjoyable . . . [he] succeeds in creating a great sense of atmosphere. He also offers valuable historical insights . . . fascinating * Financial Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis is—for the first time—the full and unedited story behind the sick life and mysterious death of Jeffrey Epstein that is being called one of the most significant scandals in American history He was the billionaire financier and close confidant of presidents, prime ministers, movie stars and British royalty, the mysterious self-made man who rose from blue-collar Brooklyn to the heights of luxury. But while he was flying around the world on his private jet and hosting lavish parties at his private island in the Caribbean, he also was secretly masterminding an international child sex ring—one that may have involved the richest and most influential men in the world. The conspiracy of corruption was an open secret for decades. And then this summer, it all came crashing down. After his arrest on sex trafficking charges in July, it seemed Epstein’s darkest secrets would finally see the light. But hopes for true justice were shattered on August 10 this year, when he was found dead in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, New York. The verdict: suicide. The timing: convenient, to say the least. Now, Epstein: Dead Men Tell No Tales delivers bombshell new revelations, uncovers how the man President Trump once described as a “terrific guy” abused hundreds of underage girls at his mansions in Palm Beach and Manhattan… all while entertaining the world’s most powerful men—including President Clinton, Prince Andrew, and Donald Trump himself. How much did they know about his perversions? And did they take part? How might they have helped him to continue his abuse, and to escape justice for it? What responsibility might they have for his sudden, shocking death? And is there a shocking spy and blackmail story at the heart of the scandal? The answers to these questions and more will be explored in Epstein: Dead Men Tell No Tales with groundbreaking new reporting, never-before-seen court files, and interviews with new witnesses and confidants. Combining the very best investigative reporting from investigative journalists Dylan Howard, Melissa Cronin and James Robertson—who have been covering the case for close to a decade—will send shockwaves through the highest levels of the establishment. Trade ReviewEpstein reflects the hard work and research Dylan Howard, Melissa Cronin, and James Robertson have put to tell this horrible story. It is well-researched and beautifully written. It should be required reading for young journalists who aspire to become investigative journalists. Epstein is the true story of crime in high places, but it is as gripping and thrilling as a good novel can be. It is a perfect match for those who love to read true crime. —Washington Book Review "Dylan Howard is the rare combination of cutting-edge journalist, true crime commentator, and relentless investigator. Howard passionately brings comprehensive and groundbreaking analysis to the most compelling mysteries of our time."—Dr. Phil McGraw, host of TV's #1 daytime talk show, Dr. Phil “The king of Hollywood scoops.”—AdWeek “The go-to guy for authoritative showbiz news and analysis on cable and over-the air television.”—Los Angeles Press Club “Dylan Howard is one of the finest journalists writing today. His depth and breadth of experience are second to none; he follows every intricate angle of a story and exposes the truth. As a former detective, I know firsthand the skills that make an exceptional investigator and Dylan has them in spades.” —Bo Dietl, former NYPD homicide detective who made over made over 1,400 felony arrests

Read more less

Book Synopsis"Suspenseful...moving...equal to any fictional thriller." —San Francisco Chronicle In August 1978, the Iron Curtain still hung heavily across Europe. To escape from oppressive East Berlin, an East German couple, Hans Detlef Alexander Tiede and Ingrid Ruske, hijacked a Polish airliner and diverted it to the American sector of West Berlin. Along with the couple, several passengers spontaneously defected to the West, and were welcomed by US officials. But within hours, Communist officials reminded the West of the anti-hijacking agreements in the Warsaw Pact, and thus the fugitives were arrested by the US State Department. Thirty-four years after World War II, the United States built a court in the middle of West Berlin, the former capital of the Third Reich, in the building that once housed the Luftwaffe, to try the hijacking couple. Former NJ district attorney, now a judge, Herbert J. Stern was appointed the "United States Judge for Berlin." What followed was a trial full of maneuvers and strategies that would put Perry Mason to shame, and answered the question: what is allowed to people seeking freedom? Judgment in Berlin, also a major motion picture starring Martin Sheen and Sean Penn, is unsurpassed as a true-life suspense story, with its vivid accounts of daring escapes, close calls, diplomatic intrigue, and dramatic courtroom confrontations. The original edition won the Freedom Foundation Award, and this updated edition includes a new introduction from author and trial judge Herbert J. Stern.

Read more less

Book SynopsisDiscover the real-life inspirations behind history’s most infamous serial killers: John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahmer, Charles Manson, and so many more. Gothic media moguls Kelly Florence and Meg Hafdahl, authors of The Science of Monsters, The Science of Women in Horror, and The Science of Stephen King, and co-hosts of the Horror Rewind podcast called “the best horror film podcast out there” by Film Daddy, present a guide to the serial killers who inspired the movies and media we all know and love. Delve into the brutal truth behind horror’s secret: many monsters portrayed on the silver screen are based on true murderers. Uncover the truth behind the real monsters of horror, answering such questions as: What is the science behind serial killers’ motivations like Ted Bundy and John Wayne Gacy? How did detectives discover the identities of criminals like the Boston Strangler and the BTK Strangler? Has science made it possible to unmask Jack the Ripper and the Zodiac Killer? What is the science behind female versus male serial killers? Through interviews, film analysis, and bone-chilling discoveries, join Kelly and Meg as they learn about the horrors of true crime through the decades.Trade Review"An outstanding addition to science and cinema studies collections."—Midwest Book Review“Hafdahl and Florence have written a page-turner probing into the most notorious killers and their influence on film and TV. They wisely dive into a variety of fascinating angles with Hollywood’s fascination, and the psychology and science behind what made them tick. By the end, you’ll have plenty of movies to add to your streaming queue.” —Paul McGuire Grimes, film critic and entertainment reporter“Hafdahl and Florence have done it again. The Science of Serial Killers is an engaging, informative dive into the forensic, environmental, and legal peripherals of notorious crimes that have inspired the horror genre’s most celebrated films.” —Anya Stanley, writer and film critic for Fangoria magazine and AVClub.com"Hafdahl and Florence once again deliver a compulsive read, this time to explore the fascinating cross-section of horror movies and the true crimes that inspired them. Through easily digestible forensic science, interviews, keen insight, and unwavering empathy for victims and survivors, the authors offer a deft examination of the steadfast fascination with the world’s most infamous killers." —Meagan Navarro, film critic and horror journalist"Close attention to how events are translated, represented, or interpreted makes this an outstanding addition to science and cinema studies collections."—Diane Donovan, author of San Francisco Relocated

Read more less

Book SynopsisIt’s a total crime wave: A mini encyclopedia of true crime, packed with stories of killers, cons, survivors, forensics and more! More than 200 stories of killers, con artists, master thieves, and brazen kidnappers—and strong survivors, detectives, forensic breakthroughs, and legal minds on all sides of the action. In other words, a mini-encyclopedia perfect for newcomers and hard-core crime fans alike. Here are the big names—Bundy, Manson, Berkowitz, Borden, and the Black Dahlia. The lingering mysteries—like JonBenet Ramsey and Natalie Wood. The disturbing puzzle of the Zodiac Killer. The true story behind the most lurid headline ever: “Headless Body in the Topless Bar.” Plus a feast of trivia and more, including the Psychopath test, how DNA profiling began, tattoo analysis, and quizzes like “Where Did They Hide?” and “Serial Killer Trophies.”Trade Review"The scope of Daly’s coverage is commendable…. A great entry point for those exploring true crime."—Library Journal"The scope of Daly’s coverage is commendable…. A great entry point for those exploring true crime."—Library Journal "For something light and lively and perfect for airport or car-ride, The True Crime File absolutely fits."—The Bookworm Sez

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Basu's account of how Arthur Conan Doyle set about trying to get a pardon for Edalji is in itself a fine piece of detective work.' The Times ‘Compulsive reading.’ A.N. Wilson 'Nails the nastiness of a peculiarly English scandal.' The Spectator 'A potent mix of racial injustice, Sherlockian mystery and Shrabani's signature storytelling.' Lucy Worsley In the village of Great Wyrley near Birmingham, someone is mutilating horses. Someone is also sending threatening letters to the vicarage, where the vicar, Shahpur Edalji, is a Parsi convert to Christianity and the first Indian to have a parish in England. His son George – quiet, socially awkward and the only boy at school with distinctly Indian features – grows up into a successful barrister, till he is improbably linked to and then prosecuted for the above crimes in a case that leaves many convinced that justice hasn’t been served. When he is released early, his conviction still hangs over him. Having lost faith in the police and the legal system, George Edalji turns to the one man he believes can clear his name – the one whose novels he spent his time reading in prison, the creator of the world’s greatest detective. When he writes to Arthur Conan Doyle asking him to meet, Conan Doyle agrees. From the author of Victoria and Abdul comes an eye-opening look at race and an unexpected friendship in the early days of the twentieth century, and the perils of being foreign in a country built on empire.Trade ReviewBasu's account of how Arthur Conan Doyle set about trying to get a pardon and compensation for Edalji is in itself a fine piece of detective work. * The Times *Compulsive reading. The bizarre story of Conan Doyle as detective and champion of justice has all the hallmarks of Shrabani Basu’s genius. * A.N. Wilson *It nails the nastiness of a peculiarly English scandal. * The Spectator *A potent mix of racial injustice, Sherlockian mystery and Shrabani's signature storytelling. -- Lucy WorsleyCompelling. * Prospect *

Read more less

Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE CWA DAGGER IN TRANSLATION ‘Disturbing and powerful … I loved it’ - Leïla Slimani, author of Lullaby 'Icy and chilling... In sharply drawn sentences, Sedira summons the beauty of a small French village, and the shocking acts of the people inside it' - Flynn Berry, author of the Reese Whitherspoon Book Club pick, Northern Spy You sprinted all the way to the river. What were you running from? Anna and Constant Guillot and their two daughters live in the peaceful, remote mountain village of Carmac. Everyone in Carmac knows each other, leading simple lives mostly unaffected by the outside world – that is until Bakary and Sylvia Langlois arrive with their three children. The new family’s impressive chalet and expensive cars are in stark contrast with the modesty of those of their neighbours, yet despite their initial differences, the Langlois and the Guillots form an uneasy friendship. But when both families come under financial strain, the underlying class and racial tensions of their relationship reach breaking point, culminating in act of abhorrent violence. With piercing psychological insight and gripping storytelling, People Like Them asks the questions: How could a seemingly ordinary person commit the most extraordinary crime? And how could their loved ones ever come to terms with what they'd done? Lullaby meets Little Fires Everywhere, this intense, suspenseful prize-winning novel explores the darker side of human nature - and the terrible things people are capable of. *Winner of the Prix Eugène Dabit*Trade ReviewPeople Like Them is disturbing and powerful. It explores the topics of racism and jealousy in a very subtle way. I loved it -- Leila SlimaniSedira packs a powerful punch, exploring the class-race divide …The graphic murders stand in stark contrast to Sedira's subtle accounting of Constant’s tortured path … Deeply unsettling yet compulsively readable * Kirkus *Icy and chilling, People Like Them is an investigation both of a crime and of the society that nurtured it. The novel’s precise, vivid writing brings to mind two other knock-outs from France, The Adversary by Emmanuel Carrere and Based on a True Story by Delphine de Vignan. In sharply drawn sentences, Sedira summons the beauty of a small French village, and the shocking acts of the people inside it -- Flynn BerryDark and unsettling and brilliantly concise ... I'll be thinking about it for a long time -- Jane CaseyPerfectly executed, and prize-worthy * La Marseilleise *Unflinching. Every word in this crisply told story matters, and every seemingly-casual moment is laced with dread, daring you to look away. You won’t -- Ani Katz

Read more less

Book SynopsisWinner of the Jhalak Prize & Plutarch Award A New York Times, New Yorker, Washington Post, Newsweek, TIME Book of the Year 2023Fabulously entertaining' Daily Telegraph Perfect for fans of Frank Abignale Jr.'s Catch Me If You Can' Publishers WeeklyThe astounding, never-before-told story of how an ingenious Ghanaian con artist ran one of the 20th century's longest and most audacious frauds.When Ghana declared independence from Britain in 1957, it immediately became a target for opportunists determined to lay hold of whatever assets colonialism hadn't already stripped. The military ousted the new nation's first president, Kwame Nkrumah, then falsely accused him of stealing the country's gold and hiding it overseas.Into this story stepped one of history's most charismatic scammers, John Ackah Blay-Miezah a con man to rival the trickster god Anansi. Born into poverty, Bl

Read more less

Book SynopsisTwo days before the outbreak of the Second World War, the British government imposed blackout regulations across the nation as it was believed that in the event of war, Germany would very quickly begin conducting air raids on British towns and cities. The measures included covering windows in a dark, thick material at night to ensure no light could be seen from the outside. The use of vehicle headlamps was also prohibited, which resulted in a number of accidents and pedestrians being killed. These restrictions, enforced by Air Raid Precaution wardens and the police, were for the benefit and safety of the British public, but it also unintentionally made life a lot less dangerous for members of the criminal fraternity, allowing them to go about their regular night time activities with less chance of being caught by the police. As a result, during one week in February 1942, Gordon Cummins, RAF, was able to move around freely to carry out his attacks and make it back to his billet without being caught, or even stopped, by the police. The very restrictions put in place to protect the British public from German bombers actually placed women in danger from men such as Cummins: three of his victims were known prostitutes, as was at least one of the two women he is known to have attacked, but who survived. All of Cummins victims were attacked during the hours of darkness whilst the blackou? was in place, leading to him becoming known as the Blackout Ripper.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn the summer of 1978, rumours emerged from the underworld that huge sums of money had been paid to the City of London Police to water-down evidence and arrange bail in cases of armed robbery. Then it was suggested that Scotland Yard's Flying squad was also involved. The Home Secretary appointed the Dorset Police to investigate but it became clear to the criminals upon whom they relied to provide evidence that they were completely out of their depth. One line of enquiry after another became hopelessly compromised. While the investigation was known officially as Operation COUNTRYMAN, things were so bad that the team were variously nicknamed 'The Swedey' and 'Malice in Blunderland'. Despite a four year enquiry costing �4,000,000 just two convictions were secured and the credit for these went to an undercover officer. Eight Metropolitan policemen were acquitted. The Author, a former senior Metropolitan police officer has used his knowledge and contacts to lift the lid on the shambolic COUNTRYMAN enquiry. He pulls no punches.

Read more less

Book SynopsisOn 12 September 1973 a seventeen-year-old na ve and vulnerable young gardener Stephen Downing returning from a short lunch break encountered the badly beaten and unconscious figure of thirty-two year old Wendy Sewell lying on the footpath of Bakewell Cemetery close to Catcliff Wood and the consecrated chapel where she had been attacked. Stephen ran to the nearby workmen's building and in the meantime the perpetrator of the attack who had been hiding, dragged Wendy's body out of sight to a second location where she was subsequently found soon after. There then occurred a horrifying sequence of events which were to change his young life forever. He was immediately taken into custody and questioned at length without a solicitor and eventually signed a false confession statement and Wendy was to die some two days later from her injuries. Following a very biased prosecution based three day trial during February 1974 Downing was found guilty by a jury, convicted and sentenced to what was eventually a full life sentence. Just eight months later during October 1974 there followed an appeal with fresh evidence from an eye witness who saw Wendy Sewell alive after Downing left the cemetery for lunch, however the prosecution rubbished this evidence and the appeal failed. In the many years which followed Downing's incarceration he was moved from prison to prison, continuing to maintain his innocence and in doing so jeopardised any chance of parole as he was In Denial Of Murder until eventually his plight reached journalist Don Hale, whose tireless efforts eventually led to a Criminal Cases Review and appeal in which Downing was released as a middle aged man after some twenty-seven years, the longest miscarriage in the United Kingdom legal history.

Read more less

Book SynopsisPopular history writer Terry Deary takes us on a light-hearted and often humorous romp through the centuries with Mr & Mrs Peasant, recounting foul and dastardly deeds committed by the underclasses, as well as the punishments meted out by those on the right side' of the law. Discover tales of arsonists and axe-wielders, grave robbers and garroters, poisoners and prostitutes. Delve into the dark histories of beggars, swindlers, forgers, sheep rustlers and a whole host of other felons from the lower ranks of society who have veered off the straight and narrow. There are stories of highwaymen and hooligans, violent gangs, clashing clans and the witch trials that shocked a nation. Learn too about the impoverished workers who raised a riot opposing crippling taxes and draconian laws, as well as the strikers and machine-smashers who thumped out their grievances against new technologies that threatened their livelihoods. Britain has never been short of those who have been prepared to flout the law of the land for the common good, or for their own despicable purposes. The upper classes have lorded and hoarded their wealth for centuries of British history, often to the disadvantage of the impoverished. Frustration in the face of this has resulted in revolt. Read all about it here! This entertaining book is packed full of revolting acts and acts of revolt, revealing how ordinary folk - from nasty Normans to present-day lawbreakers - have left an extraordinary trail of criminality behind them. The often gruesome penalties exacted in retribution reveal a great deal about some of the most fascinating eras of British history.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn the late 1960s the Richardson Torture Gang and the Kray Twins were removed from the London scene by ACC Gerry McArthur and Det. Supt. Nipper Read respectively. Predictably it was not long before the vacuum this left was being filled. With McArthur retired and Read moved on, who was to sort out the new gangland threat? Step forward Detective Chief Superintendent Bert Wickstead. Having cut his teeth on young desperadoes and neo-Nazis in North London and solved London's biggest post war bank robbery, Wickstead was well qualified to head up the Yard's Serious Crime Squad. First to fall were the Dixon brothers, followed by the Tibbs family. As his fame spread he took on the West End Maltese Syndicate specialising in prostitution and extortion. When he broke up the Norma Levy call-girl ring, two cabinet peers had to resign. Inevitably Wickstead's career was dogged by unproved allegations of malpractice but, as this riveting insider' account conclusively proves, he more than earned his sobriquet The Gangbuster'.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFor over ten years he was first detective on the scene when a murder was committed in south London. In the confusion and horror of the crime scene he identified the forensic clues that would later be needed to convict the killer in the calm and measured atmosphere of the Old Bailey; calling out the necessary experts from pathologists to ballistics specialists; protecting the scene against contamination. One slip and a case would crumble; one moment of inspiration and the Yard would have its man. He was the natural choice when the UN were looking for an experienced detective to create a trail of evidence linking the mass graves of Bosnia to the people who ordered the worst war crimes seen in Europe since the Second World War. From the Flying Squad to Investigating War Crimes tells of the rise of forensic evidence against the true story backdrop of a detective who has spent a career at the front line in the war against murder - the ultimate crime. It traces the development of forensic science and techniques from the days of the fingerprint to the battery of tests now available to homicide investigators. It is told in the no nonsense style of a pioneer cop who has seen the worst that human beings can do to each other.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe trial of the year in 1950 was of Donald Hume, a North London petty thief accused of stabbing car dealer Stanley Setty to death, of cutting up his corpse and dropping his body parts from an aeroplane. The press and public were horrified and fascinated by the details. But Hume was convicted and gaoled as an accessory - he later claimed his wife was guilty of the crime. He then fled Switzerland, taking up with a Swiss woman in Zurich, but he needed money to finance his lavish lifestyle and he returned to robbery. He carried out two armed robberies, shooting a member of the bank staff, but getting clean away. Then in 1959 his attempt to rob a bank failed and he shot dead a bystander. Arrested, he stood trial and was sentenced to life, but was later deemed criminally insane and was returned to Britain and to Broadmoor. Jonathan Oates's compelling account of Hume's notorious life of crime is based on extensive primary research. It sheds new light on Hume and his crimes, especially the murder of Setty, and gives the reader a rare insight into the criminal underworld of the time.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWithout doubt it was one of the toughest jobs. Faced with ruthless criminal, trigger-happy gunslingers and assorted desperados, the lawmen of the Old West tried, and sometimes died, in their efforts to bring some semblance of order to their towns and communities. There were Marshals, City Marshals and Constables who were employed by the local townspeople and whose authority was restricted to within the town or city limits. Then there were the County Sheriffs, who were elected by the citizens of the county, to keep the peace within the county, or the Texas Rangers and Arizona Rangers, who operated under the jurisdiction of their respective state governors and later US Marshals.The United States Marshals were appointed by the President of the United States and had the authority to operate anywhere in the USA and deal with federal crime. Each of these law enforcement officers employed their own deputies, all of whom had the same powers of enforcement. Some believed that former criminals would make the most effective lawmen. Consequently, in some cases notorious gunfighters were employed as town marshals to help bring law and order to some of the most lawless of towns. These lawmen had to deal with the likes of the Dalton Gang, the James Brothers and the Rufus Buck Gang who thought nothing of raping and murdering innocent people just for the hell of it. These outlaws would frequently hide in the Indian Territory where there was no law to extradite them. The only law outside of the Indian Territory was that of Judge Isaac Parker, who administered the rules with an iron fist; the gallows at Fort Smith laid testament to his work. The requirements needed to be a peace officer in the Wild West were often determined only by the individual's skill with a gun, and their courage. At times judgement was needed with only seconds to determine it, and that also meant that there was the odd occasion where justice and law never quite meant the same thing. The expression 'justice without law' was never truer than in the formative years of the West.

Read more less

Book SynopsisUnsolved crimes have a special fascination, none more so than unsolved murders. The shock of the crime itself and the mystery surrounding it, the fear generated by the awareness a killer on the loose, the insight the cases give into outdated police methods, and the chance to speculate about the identity of the killer after so many years have passed - all these aspects of unsolved murder cases make them compelling reading. In this companion volume to his bestselling Unsolved Murders of Victorian and Edwardian London, Jonathan Oates has selected over 20 haunting, sometimes shocking cases from the period between the two world wars. Included are the shooting of PC James Kelly in Gunnersbury, violent deaths associated with Fenian Conspiracies, the stabbing of the French acrobat Martial Lechevalier in Piccadilly, the strychnine poisoning of egg-seller Kusel Behr, the killing by arsenic of three members of a Croydon family, and, perhaps most gruesome of all, the case of the unidentified body parts found at Waterloo Station. Jonathan Oates describes each of these crimes in precise, forensic detail. His case studies shed light on the lives of the victims and summon up the ruthless, sometimes lethal character of London itself.

Read more less