True crime Books

Book SynopsisAn astonishing and revelatory memoir by two women who escaped the glamorous yet deadly international drug trade.Mia Flores and Olivia Flores live under assumed names. To their neighbours, they are typical single mothers, their days filled with school runs and PTA meetings. But Olivia and Mia are anything but ordinary. They live in fear, hiding from a past that included wealth beyond their wildest dreams but also more danger than they ever could have imagined.Mia and Olivia are married to the highest level American drug traffickers ever to become US informants, Chicago-born twin brothers Margarito and Pedro Flores. These men worked with - and then brought down - dozens of high-level members of the Mexican cartels, most significantly notorious kingpin Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman. The brothers and their wives had everything money could buy - luxury cars, huge houses and expensive jewellery - but came to understand that the vast wealth that accompanied cartel life came with the ever-present threat of kidnapping, death or imprisonment. Choosing their families over money, they decided to give it all up and cooperate with the US government.Now, from behind the cloak of witness protection, Olivia and Mia have come forward for the first time to tell the full story of their family's decision to risk everything and seek redemption. Cartel Wives is a love story, an insider's look into a terrifying but high-flying modern-day drug empire and, finally, the story of a major federal government operation to bring down one of the most feared men in the world.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn February 2021, Joe Biden released the CIA report that concluded the de facto leader of Saudi Arabia 'was responsible' for the assassination of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The Saudi secret service lured him into the Saudi diplomatic mission in Istanbul on 2 October 2018, dismembered him, and packed him into five suitcases. Crime writer Owen Wilson has forensically gathered all the known facts about the slaughter, what we know happened exactly, and what prompted the most demonic conspiracy of the twenty-first century. Chilling to the core and informative about Middle Eastern politics.Table of ContentsFrom London with Love Part 1: What is certain? 1 Mysteries 2 A Blip 3 Murder at the Consulate 4 Caught 5 The Attack 6 The Crown Prince 7 Saudi Secrets 8 The Insider 9 Tysons Corner, Virginia 10 Exodus 11 'Certain circles' 12 'Is he facing charges?' Part 2: Pushing Narratives I 3 October II 'Friends' III Five Eyes IV Who Benefits? V Thunderbolt VI Meticulous Planning VII Cat and Mouse VIII Pastor Brunson IX Horse-Trading X Dr Death XI 'Regular tourists' XII Apple Watch - iCloud XIII Crucial Hours XIV 'Rogue operators' XV Last Words XVI Uncomfortable Truths XVII Bone Saw XVIII 'Crap' XIX 'Pre-meditated' XX Theatre XXI The Recording XXII High-five XXIII Diplomatik Vahset XXIV What Lies Ahead Conclusion: Erdogan and Kasikci Time Line

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE ALCS GOLD DAGGER FOR NON-FICTION'METICULOUSLY RESEARCHED ... A GLORIOUSLY ENGAGING ROMP' JANICE HALLETT, THE SUNDAY TIMES'IMMERSIVE AND COMPELLING' DAVID KYNASTON'A PAGE-TURNER' ROBERT LACEYA brilliant narrative investigation into the 1920s case that inspired Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers and Margery Allingham.On a bleak Tuesday morning in February 1921, 48-year-old Katharine Armstrong died in her bedroom on the first floor of an imposing Edwardian villa overlooking the rolling hills of the isolated borderlands between Wales and England.Within fifteen months of such a sad domestic tragedy, her husband, Herbert Rowse Armstrong, would be arrested, tried and hanged for poisoning her with arsenic, the only solicitor ever to be executed in England.Armstrong's story was retold again and again, decade after decade, in a thousand newspaper articles across the world, and may have also inspired the new breed of popular detective writers seeking to create a cunning criminal at the centre of their thrillers.With all the ingredients of a classic murder mystery, the case is a near-perfect whodunnit. But who, in fact, did it? Was Armstrong really a murderer?One hundred years after the execution, Agatha-Award shortlisted Stephen Bates examines and retells the story of the case, evoking the period and atmosphere of the early 1920s, and questioning the fatal judgement.'CAREFUL AND COMPELLING' KATE MORGAN'YOU WILL READ IT IN ONE SITTING' MARC MULHOLLAND'A REAL-LIFE GOLDEN-AGE CRIME NOVEL' SEAN O'CONNORTrade ReviewMeticulously researched ... a gloriously engaging romp revolving around a knotty case that boasts all the ingredients a crime fiction fan could hope for. -- Janice Hallett * The Sunday Times *Compelling ... There will surely be more books on this fascinating case, but it'll be hard to beat this one * The Literary Review *This intriguing true crime investigation looks back at the now-forgotten case and aims to answer the key question about it, whether Armstrong was in fact really guilty of the murder. * The Sunday Times, 100 Best Books for the Summer *Clear, engaging prose that lays out the circumstances with plenty of storytelling flair. * Times Literary Supplement *Immersive and compelling, The Poisonous Solicitor works at every level: as human drama, as an evocative slice of social and legal history, above all as a lucid and dispassionate presenting of the evidence about a century-old puzzle. -- David KynastonStephen Bates puts us in the middle of an extraordinary trial for murder, when one life and many reputations were at stake. It was gripping then and fascinating now, with a shocking sting in the tale. You will read it in one sitting. -- Marc Mulholland, author of The Murderer of Warren StreetMarital disharmony, spare arsenic in the house, a premature death, the suspicions of nosey neighbours - all leading to the judge putting on the 'Black Cap'. Have you ever imagined you might find yourself sitting in judgement over a murder trial? Stephen Bates' gripping narrative takes you right inside one of the classic court cases of the 20th century. His page-turner lays out all the evidence for you to examine, so you feel you are actually up there on the bench - presiding over the dramatic trial of the only solicitor ever to be hanged in England. Guilty or innocent? You decide . . . -- Robert Lacey, bestselling historian and biographerPart Agatha Christie, part social history, Stephen Bates has stripped one of the classic 20th-century murders of a hundred years of conjecture and supposition, revealing a dark and troubling parable of inter-war rural Britain, a suffocating world of professional rivalries, rigid social codes and deadly small-town gossip - where poisoned chocolates are delivered by first class post. Finding nuance and ambiguity in what has often been viewed as a black-and-white case,The Poisonous Solicitor is a real-life golden age crime novel with a tragic heart and an unexpectedly poignant denouement. -- Sean O'Connor, author of Handsome Brute and The Fatal Passion of Alma RattenburyA careful and compelling reconstruction of one of the most infamous murder trials of the twentieth century. Stephen Bates excels at contrasting the claustrophobia of small-town life with the grisly details which make the story still so notorious, a century on. -- Kate Morgan, author of Murder: The BiographyA meticulously researched, gripping true crime book. * The Western Mail *Fascinating ... and beautifully written. -- Zack White, History HackA perceptive measured look ... if you read just one account of the saga, this will do nicely. Be warned, you will have a job to put it down. * Worcester News *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe life of a criminal defence lawyer is shrouded in mystery. Outsiders might wonder about how to deal with potentially dangerous clients; what happens behind the scenes when building a defence; and, that age-old moral dilemma, how a lawyer can defend someone they think is guilty. But what is life really like for those tasked with representing the shadowy underbelly of society? For over forty years, criminal defence solicitor Henry Milner has been the go-to lawyer for some of Britain's most notorious criminals - including Kenneth Noye and the Brink's-Mat robbers, Freddie Foreman, John 'Goldfinger' Palmer and the gang behind the Millennium Dome raid. Here, the lawyer referred to in the Sunday Times as 'The Mr Big of Criminal Briefs' offers a fascinating insight into life at the top of the profession, lifting the lid on the psychology of those who end up on the wrong side of the law - and those who defend them. By turns shocking and hilarious, this remarkable memoir takes us deep into the enigmatic criminal underworld, delivering a wry personal commentary on the most extraordinary aspects of a life spent amongst the accused.Trade Review"In more than forty years at the top of his game as a criminal defence lawyer, Henry Milner has been on speed dial for many of Britain's most notorious alleged villains. Sometimes serious, sometimes very funny but never, ever dull, No Lawyers in Heaven offers a sharply observed insight into his most gripping cases, from murder to money heisting, drug trafficking and beyond." - Martin Brunt, Sky News crime correspondent "Henry Milner's colourful account of a career over decades as a criminal defence solicitor evokes a bygone era of the criminal justice system. In a highly readable style with plenty of wry self-deprecating humour, Milner gives a compelling insight into a life defending some of the big-league criminal names. A must-read." - Frances Gibb, former legal editor, The Times “A fascinating read and brilliantly written.” Clare Montgomery QC

Read more less

Book SynopsisToday's gangsters are streets apart from the old-style gang lords of the Fifties and Sixties. The godfathers of old were seen by many as a stabilising influence. Their power inspired respect and they well and truly kept the underworld in check. The twenty-first century gangs of Britain are far more shady.Their brutality has spread far and wide and they live and thrive in our midst, on the streets and in suburbs where ordinary folk live. The creeping tentacles of crime have never stretched further. Organised crime is now worth more than GBP 10 billion in Britain every year. The old crimes of prostitution and extortion are being dropped in favour of multi-million pound drug deals, bringing gangsters more money and power than they've ever known. It is a cut-throat industry that is conducted in the shadows and driven solely by profit.Acclaimed true crime author Wensley Clarkson has met many of Britain's richest and most powerful gangs. In this fascinating and gripping account, he provides an extraordinary insight into these feared characters and takes us on a journey into the dark and glamorous underworld that seems to prove that, for many gangs, crime really does pay.This book reveals the activities of these gangs to the world, exposing such underworld legends as Kenneth Noye, who hold continuing fascination with lovers of true crime.

Read more less

Book SynopsisOn 28 November 2004, banker and father-of-two Alistair Wilson was shot three times on his doorstep in a killing more commonly associated with inner city gang wars than a sleepy seaside town in the Scottish Highlands. All these years later, the question remains: why?Who would wish to kill this respectable husband and family man in such a brutal fashion? Was it simply a tragic case of mistaken identity, or did someone have reason to end Alistair's life? And what was the significance of the envelope handed to him before he was fatally wounded?Over the years, lines of enquiry have been investigated and dismissed, gossip has spread, theories offered and rumours debated at length. And yet, so long after Alistair's death, no arrest has ever been made and precious few motives have been made public.In this gripping true crime investigation, Peter Bleksley, top ex-undercover cop and The Chief on Channel 4's Hunted, strives to uncover the truth and hunt down Alistair's killer. He travels to Scotland, speaks to experts, and draws on his decades of investigative experience in order to provide new insight into Scotland's most mysterious murder case.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE CWA ALCS GOLD DAGGER FOR NON-FICTION 'Brilliantly summons up one girl's life, dreams and suffering. It's ingenious history writing' Mail on Sunday 'A gripping, unputdownable masterpiece' - Hallie Rubenhold, author of The Five 'Extraordinary' - Guardian 'Historical writing does not get any better than this' Matt Houlbrook, author of The Prince of Tricksters 1910, Wellington, New Zealand. Lydia Harvey is sixteen, working long hours for low pay, when a glamorous couple invite her to Buenos Aires. She accepts - and disappears. 1910, London, England. Amid a global panic about sex trafficking, detectives are tracking a ring of international criminals when they find a young woman on the streets of Soho who might be the key to cracking the whole case. As more people are drawn into Lydia's life and the trial at the Old Bailey, the world is being reshaped into a new, global era. Choices are being made - about who gets to cross borders, whose stories matter and what justice looks like - that will shape the next century. In this immersive account, historian Julia Laite traces Lydia Harvey through the fragments she left behind to build an extraordinary story of aspiration, exploitation and survival - and one woman trying to build a life among the forces of history.Trade ReviewA gripping, unputdownable masterpiece of scholarly historical research and true crime writing. -- Hallie RubenholdBrilliantly summons up one girl's life, dreams and suffering. It's ingenious history writing * Mail on Sunday *Extraordinary * Guardian *Historical writing does not get any better than this ... Imaginative and compelling, impassioned and powerful, and deeply, deeply moving -- Matt Houlbrook, author * Prince of Tricksters and Queer London *A gripping, unputdownable masterpiece of scholarly historical research and true crime writing. Julia Laite explores the sordid world of crime, sex and international policing in 1910 by focusing on the individuals caught up in an elaborate web of exploitation. Readers who loved The Five will find this story and its skilful telling equally as enthralling. -- Hallie Rubenhold, author * The Five *Demonstrates how, with determination, sensitivity and a careful dose of imagination, extraordinary recoveries are possible ... Laite has taken her slim archival trace and immeasurably enriched it; she has reclaimed a woman's life and restored a more complex reality to the record. -- Sarah Watling * Guardian *One of the great storytellers of her generation, Julia Laite provides a lens through which we can view the practices and experiences of sex trafficking in the early twentieth century. Along the way, Laite nudges us to think about the ethics of telling another person's story. Riveting, powerfully argued and emotionally moving. -- Joanna Bourke * Fear: A Cultural History *A careful, empathetic reconstruction of the early-20th-century vice trade, placing the victims at the heart of the narrative and returning their dignity to them. This is a moving and compelling work of great scholarship. -- Sarah Wise, author * The Blackest Streets *Historical writing does not get any better than this ... Working out from one trial at London's Old Bailey, Laite provides a vivid account of a globalising world at the start of the twentieth century. Imaginative and compelling, impassioned and powerful, and deeply, deeply moving, this book is also a signal example of the contemporary political stakes of writing about the past -- Matt Houlbrook, author * Queer London *With an inventive mix of sources, Laite brilliantly summons up one girl's life, dreams and suffering. It's ingenious history writing, but as the author says, it's a story being repeated daily for today's victims of traffickers. * Mail on Sunday *History at its most rigorous and imaginative. Laite provides an insightful account of the regulation of sex trafficking in the early twentieth century and an enthralling encounter with some of the people involved in one of its more salacious episodes. ...A history book that often reads more like a novel, and that challenges the clichés of villains, victims, and heroic rescuers that dominate writing on sex trafficking. ... A masterwork * Australian Book Review *

Read more less

Book SynopsisAs featured in The Mirror, this is the story of mother's quest to find her murdered daughterBurying a child is every parent's nightmare. But Marie McCourt has spent over 30 years yearning to do just that.On 9 February 1988, Marie's 22-year-old daughter, Helen, left her office in Liverpool city centre and began her usual commute home. But she was never seen again. . . Within days, local pub landlord Ian Simms was charged with her murder. Despite Helen's body not being found, overwhelming DNA and circumstantial evidence at his trial secured his conviction, and he was sentenced to life.But Simms' refusal to disclose the whereabouts of Helen's body means that Marie and her family have never been able to have a grave at which they can lay flowers and pay their respects.For over 30 years, Marie has searched, in vain, for her daughter's body and campaigned tirelessly to prevent other families from facing the same horrifying fate, taking her fight to the houses of parliament. The resulting 'Helen's Law', ground-breaking legislation that recognises the distress caused to families of missing homicide victims, was passed in November 2020.This is the incredible story of a mother, devastated by the loss of her daughter, whofound the strength and determination to change the law.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis'This book is an extremely important part of women's social history. Read it!' - Maxine PeakeRobin Hood, Dick Turpin, Ronnie Biggs, the Krays … All have become folk heroes, glamorised and romanticised, even when they killed. But where are their female equivalents? Where are the street robbers, gang leaders, diamond thieves, gold smugglers and bank robbers?Queens of the Underworld reveals the incredible story of female crooks from the seventeenth century to the present. From Moll Cutpurse to the Black Boy Alley Ladies, from jewel thief Emily Lawrence to bandit leader Elsie Carey and burglar Zoe Progl, these were charismatic women at the top of their game. But female criminals have long been dismissed as either not ‘real women’ or not ‘real criminals’, and in the process their stories have been lost.Caitlin Davies unravels the myths, confronts the lies and tracks down modern-day descendants in order to tell the truth about their lives for the first time. Trade ReviewWhat a brilliant piece of research; pieced together with compassion, heart and understanding. Caitlin's book gives voice to women who have been forgotten or have only been seen through a male prism. She wrestles back their stories. This book is an extremely important part of women's social history. Read it! -- Maxine PeakeThis riveting book begins with the surprise of a different "ever after" and goes on to confound expectations, assumptions and stereotypes.In Queens of the Underworld, Caitlin Davies displays that rare talent for history and storytelling without judgment. "Female Crooks" in particular could do with more of this. -- Shami ChakrabartiNeither sentimental nor judgmental, Davies presents these characters as important examples of criminological history.

Read more less

Book Synopsis‘Compelling, authoritative and as readable as the best airport thriller. It fizzes with crime, fame, power and illicit sex.’ Jeremy Vine‘A timely and important book. It’s quite remarkable how one building has played host to such debauchery. If only the walls could talk…’ Iain DaleDesigned as a city dwelling for the modern age, Dolphin Square opened in London’s Pimlico in 1936. Boasting 1,250 hi-tech flats, a swimming pool, restaurant, gardens and shopping arcade, the complex quickly attracted a long list of the affluent and influential. But behind its veneer of respectability, the Square has become one of the country’s most notorious addresses; a place where the private lives of those from the highest of high society and the lowest depths of the underworld have collided and played out over the best part of a century.This is the story of the Square and its people, an ever-evolving cast of larger-than- life characters who have borne witness to, and played pivotal roles in, some of the most scandalous episodes of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. From Oswald Mosley and the Carry On gang to allegations of systematic sexual abuse, it is a saga replete with mysterious deaths, exploitation, espionage, illicit love affairs and glamour, shining a light on the changing nature of British politics and society in the modern age.Trade ReviewCompelling, authoritative and as readable as the best airport thriller. It fizzes with crime, fame, power and illicit sex. -- Jeremy VineA timely and important book. It’s quite remarkable how one building has played host to such debauchery. If only the walls could talk … -- Iain DaleDanczuk and Smith’s entertaining history zips along, teeming with tales of espionage, crime, politics, scandals and lots of sex. The tenants of Dolphin Square include an extraordinary cast of well-known characters – royalty and party leaders; celebrity actors and star entertainers; the eccentric and the exotic. But the Square also has its darker side – as home to spies, secret lovers and paedophiles. -- Michael Crick

Read more less

Book SynopsisSet against the backdrop of the Great Depression and based on police reportsand the colourful tabloid reporting of the day,The Many Murders of Michael Malloydetails a crime so convoluted in its audacity, authorities refused to believe it until the irrefutable evidence revealed the most grotesque chain of events in New York criminal history'

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisFor as long as historical annals have been kept, they have recorded the frauds and fakes that have been imposed upon innocent dupes. Perhaps the earliest Christian story of all is that which tells of the deception that Jacob practised on his unsuspecting father Abraham, pretending to be his brother Esau; and today the theft of identity is reported to be the most rapidly spreading crime. And throughout the ages works of art and literature, coinage, and documents of all kinds have been forged for profit, personal status – and even out of pure mischief. Fakes, Scams and Forgeries details many of the most notorious acts of forgery, fraud and fakery that have taken place over the centuries, describing how they were perpetrated, their acceptance by those who considered themselves experts, and how – often after many years – they were eventually detected. As well as providing entertaining and in-depth profiles of famous forgers and legendary frauds, the text deals with the many modern scientific techniques that have been developed for the examination of suspect materials.Table of ContentsSection 1: Funny Money The production of counterfeit coinage is as old as the first introduction of money: archeologists have discovered forged coins that were manufactured as much as three thousand years ago. The practice continued well into the twentieth century, but has now been largely superseded by the printing of counterfeit travellers’ cheques, banknotes, and stamps. After a brief survey of coin counterfeiting (and the penalties the counterfeiters suffered), this section will detail the techniques employed in forging security documents, from the earliest fake banknotes, laboriously engraved by hand, to the modern use of photolithography. Treasury experts have been unremitting in their attempts to develop documents that could not be copied, such as employing special papers, watermarks, the use of more than one printing process, and the incorporation of metallic strips and foils; but the forgers have been equally ingenious in finding ways round these obstacles, producing banknotes and cheques that look and feel, superficially, like ‘the real thing’. A selection of outstanding cases will provide details of their methods. This section also covers cryptocurrency. Among major stories covered in this section will be: Artur Alves Reis – forger of 60 million escudos of Portuguese banknotes Charles Black – printed $2 million a month Stephen Jorey – credited with £50 million forged notes Section 2: Fake Art Although there is evidence that some works of antiquity, believed at the time to be the work of a well- known sculptor, were in fact produced by another, unknown, hand, the deliberate production of fake work really dates from the seventeenth century, when collectors began to buy up art treasures from dealers or others, many of whom were far from scrupulous. This is, in fact, a distinctly grey area. At that time, many artists employed assistants and apprentices in their studios, themselves putting in perhaps only a few finishing touches, and signing the work as their own. Is a painting by Botticelli, for example, to which he added only a few folds of drapery, to be considered ‘a genuine Botticelli’? The plot thickens when another artist produces an original work – but exactly in the style of a well-known artist. This is a fake, and experts down the years have quarrelled over the question of attribution. Should the faking artist sign the work with the other artist’s name, or make a copy of an existing work, this is an act of forgery. And should he then sell it, or a dealer knowingly offer it for sale, fraud, a criminal offence, has been committed. Works of art covered in this section: The figure of sleeping Cupid, allegedly by Michelangelo The fake sculptures of Giovanni Bastianini The ‘antique’ coins of Carl Wilhelm Becker The ‘restored’ frescoes of Lothar Malskat Among the modern fakers and forgers detailed: Van Meegeren – and the ‘Vermeers’ he sold to the Nazis Tom Keating – and his ‘Sexton Blakes’ Elmyr de Hory – probably the most successful art faker of modern times Section 3: False Papers The ‘discovery’ of unknown works of literature has a long history. William Henry Ireland produced a wealth of Shakespeare documents, including two new dramas, in 1795. John Payne Collier was another forger of documents related to Shakespeare. Earlier, William Lauder had claimed that Milton’s Paradise Lost had been plagiarised from the work of other poets, much of which he invented. In 1773, James Macpherson published his ‘translations’ from the Gaelic of the poet Ossian, which achieved great popular acclaim. About the same time, Rudolf Erich Raspe published the first edition of his imaginary Adventures of Baron Munchausen. But many of these were fakes, rather than forgeries. The most notorious forger of antique documents was Thomas J. Wise, a distinguished late nineteenth century collector of old books. Three years before his death in 1937 – and after his collection had been sold to the British Museum – it was revealed that many of the books he had sold to other collectors were blatant forgeries. Denis Vrain-Lucas (1818-88) faked a huge quantity of autograph papers, ranging from a letter from Alexander the Great to Aristotle, and a letter from Mary Magdalene, to a ‘proof’ that Blaise Pascal had discovered gravitation fifty years before Isaac Newton. More recent forgers of documents – with huge sums expected for their sale: Konni Kujau – forger of the Hitler diaries Clifford Irving – forger of the memoirs of millionaire Howard Hughes Mark Hoffman – forger of Mormon documents, and the Oath of a Freeman Section 4: Phony Prehistory The most famous fraud in paleontology is the Piltdown skull, which for fifty years was believed to represent a vital ‘missing link’ between the apes and modern mankind. There have been others, however. During the nineteenth century, itinerant Edward Simpson, who became known as ‘Flint Jack’, sold fake flint arrowheads, primitive icons, seals and inscribed stones. It is relatively recently that a set of cave paintings, seemingly prehistoric, was revealed as the work of modern schoolboys. And a decision has yet to be reached about the strange hoard unearthed at Glozel, France, in 1924. Section 5: Bogus Identity The cases of Martin Guerre and Kaspar Hauser have puzzled historians for centuries. More recently, the claim to the Tichborne estate, and the possibility that Anna Andersen could be the Grand Duchess Anastasia, have been the subjects of innumerable books and several films. There are many other similar cases. This section will also look into the matter of identity theft, which has recently attracted widespread press attention. How easily it can be carried out is exemplified in Frederick Forsyth’s novel The Day of the Jackal. Section 6: The Confidence Tricksters False identities are often adopted by confidence tricksters. Among the principal cases to be described: ‘Count’ Victor Lustig - the man who sold the Eiffel Tower, twice. Harry Domela – who successfully passed himself off as the Kaiser’s grandson ‘Yellow Kid’ Weil – whose best-known ‘scam’ became the film The Sting Cyril Hoskins – who became the Lama Lobsang Rampa Hayden Haitana – changed the identity, not of himself, but of a racehorse Section 7: Faking for a Cause Not all fakes and forgeries are made for profit, or even for fun. Some are made deliberately to support a cause or a belief. During World War II, for example, the opposing sides produced all sorts of forged documents, some to protect agents working undercover, and some aimed at undermining enemy morale. Then there are the religious forgeries, from the ‘Protocols of Zion’ to the Turin Shroud. This section also looks at the Cottingley Fairies, a hoax perpetrated by two young girls, which completely fooled Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes. Section 8: Suspect Science A smattering of technical terms can often persuade the man-in-the-street of the most outrageous claims. Albert Abrams, whose ‘Dynamizer’ and ‘Oscilloclast’ made him over $2 million in the 1920s, was described by the American Medical Association as ‘the dean of all 20th century charlatans’. And there was the mysterious ‘black box’ of the 1950s, among many others. More serious, however, is when a qualified scientist fakes his experimental records – possibly the most notorious case being that of Paul Kammerer and the midwife toad. This section also covers Elizabeth Holmes and the Theranos scandal.

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Inspiring... Important' Observer'A page-turner which everyone who cares about policing and justice in Britain should read.' Meera SyalAt the point of her retirement from the Metropolitan Police Service in 2019, Parm Sandhu was the most senior BAME woman in the capital's police force. She was also the only non-white female to have been promoted through the ranks from constable to chief superintendent in the Met's entire history.In this enthralling memoir, Parm chronicles her journey from life on the outskirts of Birmingham as the fourth child of immigrants from the Punjab to the upper echelons of the Met. Forced into an abusive arranged marriage aged just 16, Parm made the decision to escape to London with her newborn son and later joined the police as a constable.During her thirty-year career, Parm worked in everything from crime prevention to counter-terrorism, and she also served in the Met's police corruption unit. She played a senior organizing role in the London Olympics and was the superintendent on duty when Lee Rigby was beheaded in the street in Greenwich. However, Parm's time on the force was chequered throughout with incidents of racial and gender discrimination, and, after deciding to make a stand, she found herself facing a spurious charge of gross misconduct. Black and Blue tells her shocking story and of her quest for justice in her police work and for herself. It is a story that cannot fail to inspire anyone who has experienced prejudice or abuse of any kind.Trade ReviewInspiring... Sandhu's account of her ascent through the ranks of the Met is testament to her extraordinary tenacity and ambition... Shines an important light on the Met's failure to understand and represent the diverse community it serves. * Observer *Parm Sandhu's story is an inspiration to anyone who has found themselves struggling against adversity. It's also a page-turner which everyone who cares about policing and justice in Britain should read. -- Meera SyalA captivating exhibition of courage and conviction, Sandhu's story is an inspiration for those facing prejudice and a revelation for those in the dark. -- David Lammy MPA brilliant book full of nail-biting tension and shocking statistics that make it hard to put down. It made me simultaneously angry and tearful. Parm's story leaps off the page and makes you want to walk every step of the way with her, to be her friend, to stand shoulder to shoulder with her. -- Andi OliverBlack and Blue is a profoundly moving account of life as a senior police officer. It is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand our police service. -- Rob RinderA powerful, page-turning - and often shocking - story of courage. It's essential reading for those interested in the state of policing Britain, and for readers who enjoy memoirs with inspirational bite. -- Joanne Owen * LoveReading *Table of Contents1: A Difficult Child 2: Hostage 3: Escape 4: 'Managing my shame' 5: 'You've not had your bum stamped!' 6: 'A spade in uniform' 7: Zulu 8: 'Prisoners, prostitutes and plonks' 9: 'Never apply again' 10: 'Shi-ites and shitties' 11: A Death a Day 12: 'Police officer or single parent' 13: The Diversity Directorate 14: Making History 15: 'It's you!' 16: Croydon 17: The Cannabis Farm 18: The Pope and I 19: The London Olympics 20: Own Goals 21: 'Help for Heroes' 22: 'He went berserk!' 23: 'Belittle, intimidate and bully' 24: 'Your Indian heritage' 25: Gross Misconduct 26: 'You have personally failed!' 27: 'Don't let the bastards grind you down'

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn December 1995, three key members of the infamous Essex Boys firm were executed in their Range Rover after being lured to a deserted farm track by the promise of a lucrative drug deal. The police predicted that the void left as a result of the murders would cause a gangland war that would extend across London and much of the south-east. Essex Boys, The New Generation tells the chilling true story of the gang that destroyed everything that stood in their way to take control of their fallen predecessors' drug empire. With a reputation for ruthless violence, the gang expanded and protected their drug-dealing operation with a terrifying combination of bloodshed and intimidation. In February 2001, tensions within their circle boiled over and resulted in one member being shot dead. The police investigation was met with a wall of silence and for three years it seemed as if the case would remain unsolved. A leading member of the gang was eventually charged, but in an unexpected twist he became the prosecution's star witness. While a murder conviction was finally secured, the real truth surrounding the murder and the gang's psychotic crimes has never been revealed. Now, for the first time, former Essex Boys member Bernard O'Mahoney tells the full, extraordinary story of the rise and fall of the gang that took over the Essex underworld from him and his associates.Trade ReviewGritty, moving and fast-paced. A must for all true-crime fans * News of the World *

Read more less

Book SynopsisOne man's story of life in The Joy -- compulsive, chilling and frank. A no-holds-barred account of a criminal's time in the notorious Dublin prison, as revealed to journalist Paul Howard. This extraordinary life story tells it all. The desperate lifestyle of a junkie; bullying and savage beatings among the prisoners; ingenious drug-smuggling ploys; the despairing cry for help of a failed suicide attempt. But alongside the pain there is humour -- from the hilarity of World Cup celebrations to the distraction of a beautiful aerobics teacher, from bingeing on altar wine to the shortest-ever "hunger strike". The first ever glimpse of Mountjoy Prison -- from the inside. Illustrated with black & white photographs. With a new introduction by the author.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe first comprehensive account of one of the darkest and mostly forgotten episodes of the Troubles.

Read more less

Book SynopsisBessie Mundy, Alice Burnham and Margaret Lofty are three women with one thing in common. They are spinsters and are desperate to marry. Each woman meets a smooth-talking stranger who promises her a better life. She falls under his spell, and becomes his wife. But marriage soon turns into a terrifying experience.In the dark opening months of the First World War, Britain became engrossed by 'The Brides in the Bath' trial. The horror of the killing fields of the Western Front was the backdrop to a murder story whose elements were of a different sort. This was evil of an everyday, insidious kind, played out in lodging houses in seaside towns, in the confines of married life, and brought to a horrendous climax in that most intimate of settings - the bathroom. The nation turned to a young forensic pathologist, Bernard Spilsbury, to explain how it was that young women were suddenly expiring in their baths. This was the age of science. In fiction, Sherlock Holmes applied a scientific mind to solving crimes. In real-life, would Spilsbury be as infallible as the 'great detective'?Trade Review'A riveting and beautifully written book. A high point in the annals of murder, for every necessary ingredient - callousness, ruthlessness, mystery, recklessness, boarding houses, detection, a chase, money, sex and even a bit of glamour - is present. Miss Robins has made a thumping good book out of it'. * Sunday Telegraph *'In Jane Robins' excellent The Magnificent Spilsbury - part-whodunit thriller, part-social history, part-biography - there's delight in the detail.. This is a pacy page-turner underpinned by meticulous primary source research. Frankly, it's a treat.. as satisfying as a fine thriller'. * The Scotsman *'Robins's description of the murders and of Smith's persuasive personality is gripping. The Magnificent Spilsbury teems with promise'. * Sunday Times *'As well as being a gripping, pacy account of a gruesome murder trial, this book is also a compelling piece of social history. Robins. . . shines a light on a dark age for women'. * Independent on Sunday *'Not just a compelling read but it also an intriguing slice of social history'. * The Express *Here Jane Robins gives us that story in all its tingling horror * Sunday Telegraph *Jane Robins's account of this classic murder story is riveting * Mail on Sunday *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe thirty-three cases in this excellent book give a unique and fascinating insight into life in the Victorian period, in Liverpool and beyond. Although murder can never be condoned, it is clear from the accounts of the lives of the accused and their victims that the world they inhabited was a harsh one, where people were pushed to the very end of their tethers on a daily basis. It seems little wonder sometimes that people snapped under the strain, and this is clearly what happened in some of the cases described here. Others, however, are much more brutal and premeditated and still have the ability to shock 150 years on.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA spell-binding account of an appalling miscarriage of justice. Charged with the "Cranborne Road murder" of Wavertree widow Alice Rimmer, two Manchester youths were hastily condemned by a Liverpool jury on the police-orchestrated lies of a criminal and two malleable young prostitutes. George Skelly's detailed account of the warped trial, predictable appeal result courtesy of 'hanging judge' Lord Goddard and the whitewash secret inquiry will enrage all who believe in justice. And if the men's prison letters (including from the condemned cells) sometimes make you laugh, they will make you weep far longer. Following his masterful expose of injustice in the Cameo Cinema murder case in 1950s Liverpool contained in his book The Cameo Conspiracy, George Skelly now reveals a second police conspiracy  -  two years later in the same city involving the same senior detective  -  which this time led to the execution of two young men. In 2011, faced with countless proven contradictions and errors plus substantial previously undisclosed evidence, the Criminal Cases Review Commission unbelievably side-stepped the opportunity to refer this gross injustice to the Court of Appeal. So until justice is finally done, Teddy Devlin and Alfie Burns still lie together beneath the staff car park at Walton Prison, their only trace a tiny plaque numbered 55.Trade Review' A very powerful case of a miscarriage of justice': Former Attorney General Lord Goldsmith PC QC

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisSeparating fact from fiction, Anatomy of an Injustice - The Killing of Fr Niall Molloy re-examines the astonishing circumstances surrounding the death of a 52-year-old priest almost forty years ago. In July 1985, the discovery of Fr Niall Molloy's badly beaten body in the bedroom of his close friends and business associates, Richard and Therese Flynn, was the stuff of soap operas, not of a small rural village in the Irish midlands. The gentle-natured cleric came to a violent and bloody end during a weekend of extravagant wedding celebrations at the Flynn stately home, Kilcoursey House. For decades, the events of that tragic night fuelled rife speculation and gossip, as well as allegations of a cover-up by the State and Church, and today his death remains unsolved and shrouded in mystery. From an extraordinary criminal trial and acquittal, which conflicted with a subsequent inquest verdict, to a botched investigation and questions over motive, the savage beating of Fr Niall Molloy continues to beg more questions than answers. Anatomy of an Injustice - The Killing of Fr Niall Molloy builds on fresh revelations unveiled in a recent two-part TV documentary for RTE, 'The killing of Fr Niall Molloy', to detail and document the whole story before and after that fateful summer Sunday. In this new book, TV documentary producer, Sharon Lawless of Flawless Films, and Maresa Fagan, a journalist of 20 years standing, delve further into the case to test evidence, old and new, and follow the money trail. It forensically analyses all available facts and testimony given at the 1986 trial and inquest and also hears from criminal and medical experts about how Fr Molloy died and about what really might have occurred that night. This story of significant public interest also sheds light on the many injustices in the case and how the Molloy family were let down by the State and criminal justice system.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis*Recommended in the New York Times*A Punishing Breed, the first in a series of novels featuring Detective DJ Arias, is a murder mystery that takes place in Los Angeles, the city of angels, freeways, Santa Ana winds, and honeysuckle slithering through chain-link fences and perfuming LA''s dark streets and neighborhoods. Detective Arias hunts for a murderer on a liberal arts campus that prides itself on its progressive curriculum but is rife with jealousy, racial and sexual tensions, and a hierarchy as real and destructive as a medieval fortress. DJ Arias, good at his job because he sees the worst in people, is challenged by the college community, a neighborhood recluse, and a young Latino gardener he sent to jail ten years ago for a hit-and-run accident. Through the course of his investigation, Arias will find out no one is who they appear to be. He begins to reclaim his humanity by adopting a dog he names Evid

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen Love Kills is the tale of hip hop star, AKA. whose life unraveled when he embarked on a relationship with 21 year-old Anele Tembe.

Read more less

Book Synopsis11 gripping crime stories Popular Channel V series ''Gumrah: End of Innocence'' has been adapted into a crime book ''Gumrah: 11 Short Teen Crime Stories'' by Ira Trivedi. It wasaunched by Chetan Bhagat in January 27, 2016. Bhagat has written the prologue and foreword for the book, which is a collection of 11 spine-chilling crime tales inspired fromives of real adolescents. Each story portrays common mistakes committed by teenagers of today and the profound consequences that such mistakes canead to. A Glimpse into the plot The book features stories, which according to Trivedi depict the gruesome and horrendous reality of today. Apart from being entertaining, she believes that these stories need to be told in order to create awareness. Some of the stories include ''Soulmate'' which is about sibling rivalry and how dire the consequences could be, ''Heartbreak'' which explores the darker side of human nature, ''Naaz'' which talks about India''s cultural diversity and how that could actually be a negative factor and then there''s Double MMS; which depicts the awry story of a college girlooking for fame that goes which doesn''t turn out to be good.ike the show, the book''s stories are also direct and eye-opening; and each storyeaves us with a message to stay safe and beware of such dangers. About The Author Ira Trivedi is aucknow-based novelist, columnist and yoga instructor. She published her first book at a young age of 19. Her notable published works include Marriage and Sexuality in the country, What Would You To Do To Save The World?, The Great Indianove Story and There Is Noove On Wall Street. She is also a well known journalist who has written articles for The Times of India, The Telegraph, The Cosmopolitan and several other renowned newspapers. The book is available online for convenient shopping. You can bag this book from A today by following a few easy steps.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Stolen Necklace might seem to about a small crime in a small town, but with its incredible twists and turns, it is ultimately the story of a common man who fought the system and pulled off a miraculous victory.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWinner of the Literary Titan Book Award Winner of the International Impact Book Award Reviewers'' Choice Award for Nonfiction After retiring from twenty-five years on the bench, former chief judge, Belvin Perry Jr., reveals a rare and disturbingly vivid first-hand perspective of the most gruesome death penalty cases in which he played a key role, including the infamous Casey Marie Anthony, who was dubbed “America’s Most Hated Mom” after her shocking acquittal.The Velvet Hammer is the gripping, true crime memoir of former Chief Judge Belvin Perry Jr., who sentenced some of Florida’s most evil and notorious murderers to death, fulfilling his oath to uphold justice. Perry provides a clear, accurate description of America’s criminal justice system and explains why the death penalty can, and should, work and how it was applied to certain capital murder cases he either prosecuted or presided over. Perry discusses his journey as an African American growing up in the segregated South, his life as a prosecutor and chief judge, and how he ended up presiding over one of the world’s most intriguing capital murder trials of the century: State of Florida v. Casey Marie Anthony. From the widow who slowly poisoned her lovers; to the lust murderer who mutilated his victim while she was still alive; to the serial killer who slayed a family of four, including his own child; as well as several other violent and frightening murders, Perry spares none of the gory details when bringing each case back to life in his debut, true crime memoir.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAs a police officer, Alistair Livingstone was dubbed Supercop by the media for making more arrests than any other officer in the UK. But then Ali broke down. Broken Blue Line is the vividly told story of what brought him to that point, and the beginning of his slow, painful recovery.Trade ReviewBroken Blue Line is a rollercoaster of a ride depicting the realities of twenty-first-century policing on the front-line. Its well written, honest and informative. Alistair Livingstone put his life on the line, and now he's put his heart on the line. Courageous and human. Highly recommended. -- Mike Pannett, author of Now Then Lad . . . and Crime Squad

Read more less