True crime Books

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Book SynopsisThe untold story of the women behind the greatest mass poisoning of the 20th centuryThe women in Nagyrev are desperate. They are suffering. `They are being abused by their husbands.They are feeding their newborns to livestock.Midwife Zsuzsanna Fazekas first arrived at the village of Nagyrev, Hungary in 1911 to assist the impoverished women with abortions. She offered them a solution: arsenic, made of kitchen larder flypaper boiled with vinegar. But when they told her of the violence they were suffering at the hands of their husbands, she concluded, Why put up with them?Nearly twenty years later, it had spiralled into an epidemic and the greatest mass poisoning event of the 20th century.But it wasn''t murder of their unborn children. It was the murder of their husbands.In THE WOMEN ARE NOT FINE we follow these women to the noose.

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Book Synopsis''An intricate and brilliantly written psychiatric perspective on the most perplexing of crimes'' Kerry Daynes, author of The Dark Side of the Mind''Beautifully written and very dark'' Nimco Ali OBE''Whodunnit'' doesn''t matter so much, not to a forensic psychiatrist. We''re more interested in the ''why''.In his twenty-six years in the field, Richard Taylor has worked on well over a hundred murder cases, with victims and perpetrators from all walks of life. In this fascinating memoir, Taylor draws on some of the most tragic, horrific and illuminating of these cases - as well as dark secrets from his own family''s past - to explore some of the questions he grapples with every day:Why do people kill? Does committing a monstrous act make someone a monster? Could any of us, in the wrong circumstances, become a killer?As Taylor helps us understand what lies inside the minds of those chTrade ReviewAn absorbing mix of high-profile case histories and a glimpse into the personal and professional pressures of a career spent at the sharp end of psychiatry. Dr Richard Taylor's knowledge and experience is undeniable. An intricate and brilliantly written psychiatric perspective on the most perplexing of crimesHeartbreaking, horrifying, but a brilliant and insightful book. Beautifully written and very darkA dark, fascinating and often surprising glimpse into the minds of those who kill, from a forensic psychiatrist who's seen it allA fascinating insight into what drives criminality - and a punchy polemic against mental-health service cuts * Sunday Telegraph *

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Book Synopsis'ASTONISHING AND ABSOLUTELY FASCINATING' - LYNDA LA PLANTE'Engrossing, emotionally honest and forensically fascinating' - Dr Richard Shepherd, author of Unnatural CausesEVERY BODY LEAVES A MARKIn Traces, Professor Patricia Wiltshire will take you on a journey through the fascinating edgeland where nature and crime are intertwined. She'll take you searching for bodies of loved ones - through woodlands and plantations, along hedgerows and field-edges, from ditches to living rooms - solving time since death and how remains were disposed of. She will show you how pollen from a jacket led to a confession and how two pairs of trainers, a car and a garden fork led to the location of a murdered girl. She will give you glimpses of her own history: her loves, her losses, and the narrow little valley in Wales where she first woke up to the wonders of the natural world.From flowers, fungi, tree trunks to walking boots, carpets and corpses' hair, Traces is a fascinating and unique book on life, death, and one's indelible link with nature.Trade ReviewAstonishing ... absolutely fascinating. * Lynda La Plante *One of those extraordinary books that will appeal to almost everyone. * The Washington Post *There is so much excellent crime, crime scene and laboratory detail in this engrossing book, but also warmth and emotion, which combined with Pat's immense forensic academic work, meant that I found Traces very difficult indeed to put down. It's truly forensically fascinating (even for someone in the field!) while also being emotionally honest and challenging at times. Pat is really to be congratulated for an excellent and engrossing book. * Dr Richard Shepherd, author of Unnatural Causes *Traces is proof that real-life can be more startling than fiction. The insights into the natural world are every bit as absorbing as the behind-the-scenes details of forensic investigation, while Patricia Wiltshire's own story is as remarkable as any of the cases she's worked on. Poignant, frank and utterly fascinating. * Simon Beckett *This is a fascinating combination of a moving and human personal story with a real insight into the value of a lesser known area of forensic science. In telling her story Pat makes little of her remarkable academic achievements and her contribution to the Criminal Justice System. An inspiring and interesting read. * Dr Ann Priston, OBE, FCSFS *

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Book SynopsisBullied at school, and growing up dreaming of revenge, Mark 'Chopper' Read determined to be the toughest in any company. He became a crime commando who terrorised drug dealers, pimps, thieves and armed robbers on the streets and in jail - but boasts never to have hurt an innocent member of the public. Streetfighter, gunman and underworld executioner, he has been earmarked for death a dozen times, but has lived to tell the tale. This is his story.

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Book SynopsisA BOOK OF THE YEAR FOR THE FINANCIAL TIMES AND FORTUNE MAGAZINE. The epic story of how a young social climber from Malaysia pulled off one of the biggest financial heists in history. In 2015, rumours began circulating that billions of dollars had been stolen from a Malaysian investment fund. The mastermind of the heist was twenty-seven-year-old Jho Low, a serial fabulist from an upper-middle-class Malaysian family, who had carefully built his reputation as a member of the jet-setting elite by arranging and financing elaborate parties for Wall Street bankers, celebrities, and even royalty. With the aid of Goldman Sachs and others, Low stole billions of dollars, right under the nose of global financial industry watchdogs. He used the money to finance elections, purchase luxury real estate, throw champagne-drenched parties, and bankroll Hollywood films like The Wolf of Wall Street. Billion Dollar Whale reveals how this silver-tongued con man, a ‘modern Gatsby’, emerged from obscurity to pull off one of the most audacious financial heists the world has ever seen, and how the financial industry let him. It is a classic harrowing parable of hubris and greed in the financial world.Trade Review‘An extraordinary tale … richly woven … with dogged reporting … Like all good business stories, Billion Dollar Whale is bigger than the immediate one it tells. It is a story of emerging markets crippled by corruption and cronyism and comes from the era of egregious — and mostly punishment-free — banking … One thing is clear. If ever Hollywood gets round to telling the story on screen, here is perfect material for the script.’ * Financial Times *‘If you like global intrigue, financial crime, wealth porn, and absurdity, Billion Dollar Whale, by Tom Wright and Bradley Hope, is for you … It almost seems made up. Still, anyone who has followed the news out of Malaysia will know that the story is all too real.’ * The New Yorker *‘As Bad Blood is to biotech, Billion Dollar Whale is to international finance … a wonderful read … Thrilling.’ -- Bill Gates‘An impeccably researched book.’ -- Matthew Valencia * The Economist *‘One of the best business books in a long time.’ * Brian Sullivan, CNBC *‘What a blast to read! A true life thriller that reads like a Hollywood movie, Billion Dollar Whale traces the exploits of the most mercurial, mysterious big player in history. Jho Low is Gatsby with twice the bank account and ten times the ambition, and the stories surrounding his exploits leap right off the page!’ * Ben Mezrich, New York Times bestselling author of The Accidental Billionaires and Bringing Down The House *‘I couldn’t put it down.’ -- Pete Tong * The Times *‘One of the most important books of 2018.’ * MoneyLaundering.com *‘Wright and Hope deliver a scintillating and prodigiously reported tale of a globe-spanning modern Gatsby and his audacious fraud.’ * Jesse Eisinger, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter for ProPublica and author of The Chickenshit Club *‘This story of a Wharton graduate who carried out the $5 billion swindle known as 1MDB offers a textbook case of financial fraud in the modern age.’ * New York Times *‘A rip-roaring case in kleptocracy.’ * The Economist *‘An incredible story … If you need some billionaires to despise—look no further than these charlatans.’ * Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit *‘Even the most skilled fiction writer would have trouble conjuring the corrupt and colorful protagonist of Billion Dollar Whale. Bradley Hope and Tom Wright's gripping portrait of Jho Low and his enablers throughout the global financial system will both fascinate and enrage you.’ * Sheelah Kolhatkar, staff writer at The New Yorker and New York Times bestselling author of Black Edge *‘The story of a massive international financial scandal … As the authors amply prove, the scandal reaches far beyond Low. To succeed, he relied on the naivete, greed, and generally immoral conduct of huge banks as well as corrupt governments.’ * Kirkus *‘Wright and Hope transform their investigation of a mind-boggling financial fraud into a nonfiction thriller … This is an epic tale of white-collar crime on a global scale.’ STARRED REVIEW * Publishers Weekly *‘An amazing tale of greed … juicy and entertaining.’ STARRED REVIEW * Library Journal *‘Well-researched and well-documented … Reveals how Low used a bag of tricks, including financial fraud, to make himself seem more powerful, more influential, and more successful than he actually was … This is a must-read.’ * Booklist *‘Billion Dollar Whale does more than dissect a financial fraud of epic proportions; it takes the reader on a fascinating journey inside the heart of a con that was years in the making. Wright and Hope show how perception becomes reality in the hands of a consummate financial illusionist. Billion Dollar Whale proves once again that truth is stranger than fiction.’ -- Gregory A. Coleman, retired FBI Special Agent; Case Agent, ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ Investigation‘The authors strike a good balance between keeping Low’s story at the centre and making it clear that 1MDB was a scandal waiting to happen … they also provide some telling anecdotes.’ * Money Week *‘I highly recommend this rip-roaring story of brazen fraud … political corruption … and investment-banker callousness.’ * Adam Lashinsky, Fortune *‘Jaw dropping.’ -- Ed Needham * Strong Words *‘Gripping … The heist of the century.’ * Axios *‘Take one chubby Malaysian business school graduate. Mix with Middle Eastern sheikhs and greedy Southeast Asian politicians. Add Wall Street investment banks, law firms and Swiss wealth managers. Then mix in superyachts, five-star hotels, luxury apartments, nightclubs, models, A-list movie stars — and bathtubs of champagne … [This] richly reported page-turner is meticulously pieced together from interviews, documents and emails by Wall Street Journal reporters Tom Wright and Bradley Hope.’ * Peter Thal Larsen, Reuters *‘Compelling.’ * Minneapolis Star Tribune *‘A wonderful book … A rip-roaring, absolutely delightful account of one of the biggest financial cons in the history of the world … If you liked Bad Blood, you might well enjoy Billion Dollar Whale … An incredible story of a con artist at the height of his game.’ * David Plotz, Slate “Political Gabfest” *‘A cracking read.’ * Unreserved Media *‘An incredible story.’ * Knowledge@Wharton *‘Just finished reading Billion Dollar Whale and was blown away. I thought I had seen it all with Russian kleptocracy, but the story of the money stolen in Malaysia in 1MDB and all the enthusiastic Western enablers was unbelievable.’ -- Bill Browder, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Red Notice‘This thrilling true story reads like a Hollywood movie.’ * Sheerluxe Man *

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Book SynopsisThe scalpel goes down. The gown is discarded. The chatter stops. Heads turn expectantly. 'Well, Doc, what happened? Have we got a murder on our hands?'For more than 30 years, bodies have been Dr Marie Cassidy's business. The lucky ones have died peacefully in their own beds, surrounded by loved ones. But that's not always the case.In her international bestseller, Marie invites us into the world of forensic pathology and her remarkable personal journey, from working-class Glasgow to being Ireland's head pathologist for nearly 15 years.Involved in the most high-profile cases in the country, Marie shares the intricate processes central to solving modern crime, inviting you to go beyond the tape.Follow her onto the scene of the crime and walk in her footprints - but don't touch anything. Remember, every contact leaves a trace . . .Trade ReviewBeyond The Tape provides an insight into Marie Cassidy's macabre but vital craft * Irish Times *a gripping insight into the criminal mind and the often awful ordinariness of crime * RTE Guide *She debunks the myths of the CSI generation and shows remarkable empathy for the people who end up on her mortuary table * Sunday Business Post *Beyond The Tape provides an insight into Marie Cassidy's macabre but vital craft * Irish Times *a gripping insight into the criminal mind and the often awful ordinariness of crime * RTE Guide *

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Book Synopsis'Reveals criminal corruption on a scale that the Kray twins would never have dreamt of' John Pearson, Profession of Violence, The Rise and Fall of the Kray Twins'Gillard's detailed investigation makes for a stunning and shocking read' Barry Keeffe, The Long Good Friday'Legacy illustrates the sordid links between business, politics and organised crime' Ioan Grillo, El Narco and Gangster WarlordsWhen billions poured into the neglected east London borough hosting the 2012 Olympics, a turf war broke out between crime families for control of a now valuable strip of land. Using violence, guile and corruption, one gangster, the Long Fella, emerged as a true untouchable. A team of local detectives made it their business to take him on until Scotland Yard threw them under the bus and the business of putting on 'the greatest show on earth' won the day. Protecting the Olympic legacy by covering up a scandal of suspicious deaths and corruption seemed more important than protecting Londoners from tTrade ReviewAfter reading this extraordinary book, I realised how much has changed in the criminal underworld of London’s East End since I wrote my own book on the Kray twins nearly fifty years ago. Where there are criminals, there is always corruption, but Michael Gillard reveals criminal corruption on a scale that the Kray twins would never have dreamt of when I knew them. Recreational drugs had barely started, the Krays were simple East End gangsters and the police were relatively easy to cope with then. In contrast, the world that Gillard uncovers is a nightmare of corruption, with vast amounts of crooked money and constant threats against him. To write a book like Legacy requires courage as well as literary skill. Michael Gillard has both -- John Pearson * The Profession of Violence, The Rise and Fall of the Kray Twins *A story of violence and corruption in gangland London that reads like The Sopranos….says a lot about Gillard’s immense strength of character and his fearless commitment to evidence-based journalism… it was Gillard’s robust journalism that managed to prove what the police failed to do in 30 years. -- Jonathan Calvert * The Sunday Times *Digging deep into the underbelly of London, Legacy illustrates the sordid links between business, politics and organised crime. It's not only Latin America that suffers from gangster capitalism and corruption in the twenty-first century; to understand modern Britain you also have to understand how modern organized crime works -- Ioan Grillo * author of El Narco and Gangster Warlords *Gillard's detailed investigation makes for a stunning and shocking read and adds credence to the old adage that truth can be stranger than fiction -- Barrie Keeffe * The Long Good Friday *a superbly well-researched book... Legacy could never be called a sports book in the accepted sense (it reads more like an outstanding crime thriller). -- Peter Sharkey * Bristol Post *this is a book that’s both eye-opening and hair-raising. -- James Walton * The Daily Telegraph *Gillard’s forensically meticulous book is a labyrinthine account of East End villains and the councillors, bankers, CEOs and police who became ensnared in their web of corruption... * The Herald *Gillard is unflinching as he sorts through the serious organised criminals and police tasked to take them down... You will emerge reeling. -- Kirsty Brimelow * The Times *Gillard is not one to shy away from a challenge, however risky, and his latest book, Legacy: Gangsters, Corruption and the London Olympics, finds him in fearless mode. -- Chris Moss * Big Issue in the North *Table of ContentsPrologue: Going for Gold Part One: Land of Dope and Gory 1. Children of the Docks 2. The Silvertown Strip 3. Billy Liar 4. The Aladdin’s Den Part Two: The Long Fella 5. Snipers 6. Poofed Off 7. Cut 8. Blackjack Part Three: Let the Games Begin 9. Judas Pigs 10. Estocada 11. Document 12. The Dementors Part Four: Legacy 13. Promised Land 14. Hammer Time 15. TOWIE 16. Games Epilogue: Truth Commission Index

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Book SynopsisThis book gives the most up-to-date story of the serial killer Peter Sutcliffe, AKA the Yorkshire Ripper. His confessions to police in 1981, and his later confession in 1992 to two further attacks, are gone into in greater detail than ever before, as are attacks on women that the police later felt they had enough evidence to charge him with. We also delve deep into the police investigation and highlight the many failings of the West Yorkshire Police Force and the many times Peter Sutcliffe should have been caught. Using Home Office files that the author had released under the FOI Act at the National Archives, this is the true story of the Yorkshire Ripper and the 32 girls and women whose lives he affected forever. In researching this book, the author contacted some of the those whose lives were affected by Sutcliffe. One of those, Mo Lea, kindly agreed to write the foreword for the book having read it in full:_This book is a very valuable contribution, knocking all the other boo

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Book SynopsisA tour of the dark side of Chesterâs 2,000-year-old-history. All these tales and much more will be of interest to all those who have lived in the city or know it well.

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Book SynopsisLife has no meaning unless it's lived for the benefit of future generations'Crafted from original interviews, American Heroes tells the vivid, authentic stories of the veterans who give themselves and even their lives serving in overseas conflict from World War II to Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Outnumbered, under pressure and under fire, these men and women exhibited extraordinary selflessness, camaraderie, and patriotism. For their service and sacrifice, they earned the US military's highest awards for valour. In this powerful collection of never-before-told stories, James Patterson and First Sergeant US Army (Ret.) Matt Eversmann salute America's most courageous military heroes. _________________________________PRAISE FOR JAMES PATTERSON'No one gets this big without amazing natural storytelling talent - which is what Jim has, in spades.' LEE CHILD'James Patterson is The Boss. End of.' IAN RANKIN'The master storyteller of our times' HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON'One of the greatest storytellers of all time' PATRICIA CORNWELL'Patterson is in a class by himself' GUARDIAN

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Book SynopsisFrom Bill Minutaglio and Steven L. Davis, authors of the PEN Center USA award-winning Dallas 1963, comes a madcap narrative about Timothy Leary's daring prison escape and run from the law.

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Book SynopsisSheds new light on the psychopathy, motivations and politics of murder by mail.

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Book SynopsisIn the aftermath of Nurse Lucy Letbys conviction in August 2023 for the murder of seven babies and the attempted murder of six others, cold-blooded killings by some of the most trusted professionals are a subject of very real public concern. The subject is also extremely topical, with massive media coverage. In this book, an experienced criminologist focuses a forensic spotlight on the phenomenon of murders committed by doctors and other medical professionals, including the child-killing nurses Beverly Allitt and Lucy Letby, and Dr Harold Shipman, the UKs most prolific serial killer.

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Book SynopsisExperience the harsh lives and privations of our Victorian ancestors. Meet the criminal classes, the murderers, wife-beaters, prostitutes, petty-thieves, infamous Peaky Blinders - and maybe some of your ancestors - in an unsentimental journey back in time to "Birmingham ... the Sinister Side.

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Book SynopsisEach day we saw the outside world in all its splendour, and each day that view served as a reminder that we had wasted and ruined our lives. Jim Quillen, AZ586 - a runaway, problem child and petty thief - was jailed several times before his twentieth birthday. In August 1942, after escaping from San Quentin, he was arrested on the run and sentenced to forty-five years in prison, and later transferred to Alcatraz. This is the true story of life inside America's most notorious prison - from terrifying times in solitary confinement to daily encounters with 'the Birdman', and what really happened during the desperate and deadly 1946 escape attempt.

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Book Synopsis‘Reads like a mashup of The Godfather and Chinatown, complete with gun battles, a ruthless kingpin and a mountain of cash. Except that it’s all true.’ – TimeIn this thrilling story of real-life events, the bestselling author of Empire of Pain investigates a secret world run by a surprising criminal: a charismatic middle-aged grandmother, who from a tiny noodle shop in New York’s Chinatown, managed a multimillion-dollar business smuggling people.In The Snakehead, Patrick Radden Keefe reveals the inner workings of Cheng Chui Ping aka Sister Ping’s complex empire and recounts the decade-long FBI investigation that eventually brought her down. He follows an often incompetent and sometimes corrupt INS as it pursues desperate immigrants risking everything to come to America, and along the way he paints a stunning portrait of a generation of undocumented immigrants and the intricate underground economy that sustains and exploits them.Grand in scope yet propulsive in narrative force, The Snakehead is both a kaleidoscopic crime story and a brilliant exploration of the ironies of immigration in America.‘A powerful piece of reportage about the violent underworld of New York’s Chinatown’ - The TimesTrade ReviewReads like a mashup of The Godfather and Chinatown, complete with gun battles, a ruthless kingpin and a mountain of cash. Except that it's all true. * Time *Essential reading. . . . A rich, beautifully told story, so suspenseful and with so many unexpected twists that in places it reads like a John le Carré novel. * The Washington Post *A powerful piece of reportage about the violent underworld of New York’s Chinatown * The Times *A masterwork . . . In this single tale about a global criminal, Keefe finds a story of quintessentially American hope. * Christian Science Monitor *Painstakingly reported and vividly told. . . . As immigration reform languishes in Washington . . . everyone involved--from policymakers to activists to the undocumented--would be wise to read The Snakehead. * Newsweek *Published in the UK for the first time, Patrick Radden Keefe’s tireless investigation of human trafficking from China to the US reveals the desperation of the migrants and the woman at the heart of it * The Observer *A formidably well-researched book that is as much a paean to its author's industriousness as it is a chronicle of crime. -- Janet Maslin * New York Times *Bracing, vivid . . . Keefe writes gracefully, perceptively, insightfully . . . Without sacrificing one iota of narrative momentum, he untangles a dauntingly complicated human-trafficking operation so a reader can effortlessly follow along. * The New York Times Book Review *Thoroughly researched and creatively drawn (some scenes are highly dramatic and vivid) by the New Yorker writer, [The Snakehead] is ultimately about the risks these refugees took to play their part in the enduring, grand narrative theme of the American Dream. * The Sydney Morning Herald *Brilliant . . . Keefe’s mastery of this chapter of our ongoing immigration saga is impressive. He muses thoughtfully about its many conundrums and highlights how our ethos of welcoming the persecuted gets soured by bad policy and the pervasive exploitation of the helpless. * Los Angeles Times *Engrossing. . . . Keefe’s narrative delves deeply into Chinatown and the labyrinthine smuggling routes between China and America, but it’s also a glimpse into our conflicted feelings about illegals and the morass of America’s immigration policy. * New York Magazine *A timely, powerful and thoroughly researched book. * The Irish Times *

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Book SynopsisWhen asked why true crime is so in vogue, Pulitzer Prizewinning journalist and New York Times bestselling author Amber Hunt always has the same answer: it's no hotter than it's always been. Crimes and trials have captured American consciousness since the Salem Witch Trials in the seventeenth century.

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Book SynopsisA searing, inventive memoir that interrogates misogyny, heroism and women's power in an often-unsafe world through the lens of Vicky's Foster's own traumatic background.How do you get close to people when the people close to you keep shattering your world?Vicky Foster thought she'd finally escaped violence when her abusive ex-partner was murdered. Vicky was 25. She tried to draw a line under the past and move on with her life. This meant overcoming PTSD, trusting people again, building her career and ultimately, learning to return to herself. But, 16 years later, the past came crashing down on her, when one of her ex-partner's murderers hit the headlines. This time, as the ''hero'' of the 2019 London Bridge terrorist attack.Lyrical and raw, It Happened Like This is a book about misogyny in all its forms, about heroism and villainy, about class and the climate of neglect created by austerity, but most importantly it's a book about women an

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Book SynopsisJoin the deadly journey of cocaine, from farmer to kingpin.Meet Maria. Maria doesn’t see herself as a criminal. She’s just a farmhand picking the crops that never lose money: coca.This is Cachote. He prays to the Virgin of the Assassins that his bullets find their target. If he misses, he’ll have to answer to the cartel who pay him to take out their enemies.Pedro works the coca labs. But this laboratory is hidden deep in the jungle, and he turns coca leaves in to coca paste, a step just short of cocaine.And finally, here is Alex. Alex is a drug-lord and decides where the drug goes next: into Europe or the US. And he wields the power of life and death over everyone around him.In Kilo, Toby Muse takes us deeper into the drug trade than ever before, following a kilo of cocaine as it travels from its origins to the street. On the ground in the drug war for over a decade, earning the trust of those involved on all sides, Toby Muse takes us with him through the endless blood-soaked horror and economic logic at every level of the journey of the world’s most alluring and dangerous drug. We come to meet and ultimately understand the tainted personal psychology and motivations of each player in this dark El Dorado. But there are no winners here. Anyone who tries to hold the power of the ‘white goddess’ cocaine is ultimately undone, violently stripped of their humanity, their souls and their lives in this endless, pointless dance of death.Trade ReviewKilo is one of the best books I've read on the cocaine trade... Forget all the TV stuff, this is the real deal * Max Daly, Vice *Poetic but also brilliant journalism. I loved it. One of the best books on drugs ever written * Mark Townsend, Observer *Absolutely hair-raising * Sam Leith *Compelling and unforgettable. With Kilo, cocaine now has its own Dispatches. - The New Yorker * The New Yorker *In Kilo, Toby Muse teleports the reader into the mad, bloody, tragic world of Colombian cocaine trafficking. You can feel the beats at the discos packed with drug lords and beauty queens; smell the sweat of laborers toiling in the coca fields for a pittance; hear the dog of the gun slinger barking in the barrio. In doing so, he pens a love letter to one of the most beautiful and bloodiest countries on earth * Ioan Grillo, author of El Narco and Blood Gun Money *

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Book SynopsisTHE ERA OF WIN AT ALL COSTS, WHETHER LEGAL OR ILLEGAL , IS UPON US. THIS IS THE ERA OF THE SLAPP CASE. Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation, or SLAPPs, are designed to censor, intimidate and silence critics of the powerful and wealthy by burdening them with aggressive opposing lawyers, heavy legal costs and deeply intrusive - and sometimes illegal - private investigations until they abandon the case. The UK has the unenviable accolade of being the number one destination for such cases. Billionaire oligarchs, often ex-convicts and linked to organised crime, come here to launder their reputations through suing for libel - even when what's been written about them is entirely true. Even worse, more often than not they either win their cases or scare their opponents into self-censorship, in a devastating blow to investigative journalism, media freedom and the public interest. In this timely, insightful and often shocking book, David Hooper, veteran media lawyer, explores how the power of money enables the very wealthy - including Robert Maxwell, Nadhim Zahawi and McDonald's - to crush their critics through SLAPP tactics. From billionaire oligarchs to powerful corporations, from corrupt politicians to super-rich businesspeople, Hooper describes how those with something to hide tried to stop you knowing about it, how their lawyers were willing to help them and - most importantly - what the government urgently needs to do to stop them.

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Book SynopsisFascinating' Margaret AtwoodCan taking the law into your own hands be the right thing to do?In June 2013, three upstanding citizens of a small town in Nova Scotia murdered their neighbour, Phillip Boudreau, while out fishing.Boudreau was an inventive small-time criminal who had terrorised and entertained Petit de Grat for two decades. He had been in prison for nearly half his adult life. He was funny and frightening, loathed, loved and feared. Boudreau seemed invincible, a miscreant who would plague the village forever. As many people said, if those fellows hadn''t killed him, someone else would have.Blood in the Water is a gripping story in a brilliantly drawn setting, about power and law, security and self-respect, and the nature of community. And at its heart is a disturbing question: are there times when taking the law into your own hands is not only understandable but the responsible thing to do?

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Book SynopsisA collection of real-life UK cases based on interviews with actual female police officers, anonymized for their protection, showing their bravery and dedication. Alice Vinten, a former Met Police Constable with over 10 years of service on the force, shares the stories of brave and dedicated policewomen who have been involved in real-life cases in Yorkshire, based on a series of interviews with these women who have spent their entire careers at the sharp end of crime-fighting.The Real Happy Valley reveals what life on the beat is really like. From dealing with domestic abuse cases to facing personal assaults, gang crime and murder, these courageous women stop at nothing to bring criminals to justice, never failing to put others' safety before their own.Gripping and inspiring, The Real Happy Valley is a celebration of our finest policewomen's extraordinary courage, and their peerless commitment to protect and serve.Trade ReviewAlice Vinten has published an important book on policing. She is a credit to the profession. I hope this signals a fresh approach to policing. * Dr Charlotte Proudman, Founder of Right To Equality *

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Book SynopsisThe story of the most audacious serial heist in the history of Australia?s museums?and the British gentleman adventurer who pulled it off and got away with it?in a scientific true-crime caper stretching around the globe.In January 1947, a chance discovery rocked the world of natural science: over 3,000 rare and precious specimens of butterflies had vanished from Australia?s most prestigious museums in Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide. Alarmingly, the missing insects included many priceless ?holotypes??the first specimen of a given species to be identified, against which all others are compared.On the other side of the world, New Scotland Yard descended on a country house in Surrey, where they found a trove of over 40,000 butterfly specimens. The culprit was Colin Wyatt, a Cambridge-educated ski champion, mountaineer, wartime camouflager, artist, and amateur naturalist whose high-flying exploits cut a path from the Alps of Europe to a London court room to a final expedition to the jungles of Guatemala.Drawing on unpublished casefiles, dossiers, and private archives, The Butterfly Thief pieces together Wyatt?s enigmatic life story and his decades-long impact on the world of natural history. Along the way, award-winning journalist Walter Marsh reveals a deeper history of gentleman explorers, scoundrels, and grave-robbers that begs an uncomfortable but vital question: What if Western museums were crime scenes all along?

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Book Synopsis''Shocking... a damning portrait of a man who, in the name of psychiatric progress, left a trail of broken lives in his wake'' Telegraph, five stars''Compelling'' Sunday Times''A gripping expose'' Financial Times''Lacerating'' Blake Morrison, Guardian Book of the Day ''A beautifully researched, wildly unsettling study of a psychiatrist running amok'' Sam Knight, author of The Premonitions Bureau''Shocking investigation'' The Times, chosen as a best book of 2025The Royal Waterloo Hospital, London in the 1960s. Six young women lie asleep on low beds. Day and night no longer exist, extinguished by a potent cocktail of antipsychotic, sedative and anti-depressant drugs. The women are taken from their beds by the nurses and given electroconvulsive therapy before being put to sleep again. All under the predatory eye of Dr William Sargant.THE SLEEP ROOM is a chilling exposé of Sargant''s bizarre psychiatric treatments that were inflicted on hundreds of women with mental illness - among them the actor Celia Imrie. At the story''s centre is a sinister and charismatic doctor, who was a hugely influential figure in post-war British society - lauded by Robert Graves and Aldous Huxley as well regularly appearing on the BBC. When Sargant died in 1988, the obituaries were glowing.But since then, women treated without their consent and with often horrific side-effects lasting decades have been campaigning to tell the truth about Sargant. Author Jon Stock tells these women''s stories as well delving into the murky history of Sargant''s links with the CIA and M15, both of which took a close interest in his efforts to reprogramme the human mind.As compulsive as a thriller, The Sleep Room finally gets to the truth of a scandal at the heart of the British medical establishment.''A devastating account of the effects one unchecked psychiatrist had on vulnerable mental patients.''Lisa Appignanesi, author of Mad, Bad and Sad: A History of Women and the Mind Doctors''A gripping medical biography that encompasses sex, drugs, brainwashing, intelligence operations, murder and several scandals'' Frank Tallis, author of Mortal Secrets: Freud, Vienna and the Discovery of the Modern Mind''A chilling case study in dangerous psychiatry, Stock''s gripping exposé of the invasive and reckless interventions inflicted on women in the Sleep Room will keep you wide awake.'' Cordelia Fine, author of Patriarchy Inc. and Testosterone Rex

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Book SynopsisThe classic, bestselling account of the infamous Kray twins, now a major film, starring Tom Hardy.Reggie and Ronnie Kray ruled London's gangland during the 60s with a ruthlessness and viciousness that shocks even now. Building an empire of organised crime that has never been matched, the brothers swindled, extorted and terrorised while enjoying a glittering celebrity status at the heart of the swinging 60s scene, until their downfall and imprisonment for life.Trade Review'The most famous biography of criminal life to have been published in Britain…a cult’ Time Out 'All credit to Mr. Pearson for a brave and disturbing book' Daily Express 'A scrupulous dossier of the Krays’ weird career' Daily Telegraph 'An exciting read' The Times 'Extremely well written and fittingly dead-pan' New Statesman

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Book Synopsis"This is the Zodiac speaking. I like killing people because it is so much fun...the most thrilling experience..." This shocking true crime classic is now a major movie. A sexual sadist, the Zodiac's pleasure was torture and murder. He taunted the authorities with mocking notes telling where he would strike next. The official tally of his victims was six. He claimed 37 dead. He was never caught. Author Robert Graysmith tells the inside story of the hunt for the hooded killer, and finally reveals his possible true identity. The new movie "Zodiac" is based on this book. Directed by David Fincher ("Fight Club"), it stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Graysmith himself, Robert Downey Jr and Chloe Sevigny.

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Book SynopsisA New York Times Book of the Year, 2018A REESE WITHERSPOON x HELLO SUNSHINE BOOK CLUB PICKA dazzling love letter to a beloved institution - our libraries.After moving to Los Angeles, Susan Orlean became fascinated by a mysterious local crime that has gone unsolved since it was carried out on the morning of 29 April 1986: who set fire to the Los Angeles Public Library, ultimately destroying more than 400,000 books, and perhaps even more perplexing, why? With her characteristic humour, insight and compassion, Orlean uses this terrible event as a lens through which to tell the story of all libraries - their history, their meaning and their uncertain future as they adapt and redefine themselves in a digital world. Filled with heart, passion and extraordinary characters, The Library Book discusses the larger, crucial role that libraries play in our lives.Trade ReviewExquisitely written, consistently entertaining * New York Times *Moving... A constant pleasure to read... Everybody who loves books should check out The Library Book * Washington Post *A loving and diligent portrait of a particular place and its history * Financial Times *Enthralling and inspirational... Above all, this excellent book is an unashamed love letter to the public library system... In this fine and heartfelt saga, [Orlean] repays a lifelong debt with both passion and elegance. * Alexander Larman, Observer *An exemplary work of creative non-fiction... I can't recommend this book highly enough. It manages to be deft and serious at the same time, elegiac and optimistic, scrupulous and free-wheeling... just buy it. * Scotland on Sunday *Vivid... Compelling... Intimate and epic * Wall Street Journal *Mesmerizing... A riveting mix of true crime, history, biography, and immersion journalism... Probing, prismatic, witty, dramatic, and deeply appreciative, Orlean's chronicle celebrates libraries as sanctuaries, community centers, and open universities run by people of commitment, compassion, creativity, and resilience. * Booklist (starred review) *Of course, I will always read anything that Susan Orlean writes - and I would encourage you to do the same, regardless of the topic, because she's always brilliant. But The Library Book is a particularly beautiful and soul-expanding book... It will keep you spellbound from first page to last. -- Elizabeth GilbertEngaging... Bibliophiles will love this fact-filled, bookish journey. * Kirkus Reviews *This is a book only Susan Orlean could have written. Somehow she manages to transform the story of a library fire into the story of literacy, civil service, municipal infighting and vision, public spaces in an era of increasing privatization and social isolation... and the central role libraries have always and will always play in the life and health of a bustling democracy. Beyond all that, like any good library, it's bursting with incredible tales and characters. There could be no better book for the bookish. -- Dave EggersSusan Orlean has long been one of our finest storytellers, and she proves it again with The Library Book. A beautifully written and richly reported account, it sheds new light on a thirty-year-old mystery - and, what's more, offers a moving tribute to the invaluableness of libraries. -- David GrannAfter reading Susan Orlean's The Library Book, I'm quite sure I'll never look at libraries, or librarians, the same way again. This is classic Orlean - an exploration of a devastating fire becomes a journey through a world of infinite richness, populated with unexpected characters doing unexpected things, with unexpected passion. -- Erik LarsonOrlean has a knack for finding compelling stories in unlikely places. * Kathryn Hughes, Guardian *

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Book SynopsisA Financial Times Best Summer Book 2023A Waterstones Best True Crime BookNagyrev, Hungary, 1929. Over 160 mysterious deaths. A group of local wives conspiring together, and one woman at the centre of it allIn 1929, a dark secret at the heart of a Hungarian farming village was finally exposed. For more than 15 years, Nagyrev had harboured a group of serial killers, one of the largest murder rings ever recorded. They came to be known as The Angel Makers.Led by a sharp-minded midwife known as Auntie Suzy, the local wives brazenly rid themselves of unwanted relatives, spooning doses of arsenic into soup and wine, stirring it into coffee and brandy. Murder was just another chore.Over 160 mysterious deaths later, the unlikely gang of murderesses came to justice in a sensational trial reported the world over. With absorbing detail, Patti McCracken pieces together the lives of Auntie Suzy, her wide network of killers, the unsuspecting victims and the villagers who witnessed it all.The Angel Ma

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Book SynopsisFRED & ROSE IS THE DEFINITIVE ACCOUNT OF THIS INFAMOUS TRUE CRIME CASE - NOW UPDATED WITH A POSTSCRIPT FROM THE AUTHOR. AS FEATURED ON TV, AND IN THE PODCAST SERIES, UNHEARD: THE FRED & ROSE WEST TAPESFred and Rose West are virtually unique in British criminal history: a husband and wife who loved and killed together.During their long relationship, the Wests murdered a series of young women, burying the remains of nine victims under their home at 25 Cromwell Street, Gloucester, including those of their daughter. What was left of Fred West''s eight-year-old stepdaughter was dug up from under the Wests'' previous Gloucester home; his first wife and nanny were buried in open country. Most victims had been decapitated and dismembered, their remains showing signs of sexual torture. These twelve are just the ones police found when the Wests were arrested in 1994. There may be more whTrade ReviewA comprehensive account - Guardian[Sounes] tells a clear, straightforward tale . . . It is a story of obsessive love as well as obsessive murder - The TimesThe great strength of [Sounes'] book lies in its in-depth and detailed background information going back several generations - Gloucester Citizen

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Book SynopsisOUR MOST NOTORIOUS CRIMINALS HAVE HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT. UNTIL NOW... ''Emily'' is a devoted single mother. ''Jack'' starts a new job in a new town. ''Russell'' may be falling in love. They all share the same secret: none of them are who they say they are. They are among only nine criminals in the UK who have been granted lifelong anonymity, for their own safety, because of their terrible crimes. But what if someone exposed their true identities to the families of their victims, who are desperate for revenge? Probation officer Olivia Campbell is caught in the crossfire of this unprecedented crisis - and as the hunt for the mole behind it all intensifies, so too does the search for the vigilante killers let loose by the leaks...Everyone is a suspect. Anyone could be a killer.Who deserves justice? And who gets to decide? Trade Review'A propulsive thriller ... Fast-moving, disturbing and thought-provoking' * GUARDIAN, Thrillers of the Month *'A stirring crime novel for the 21st century' * DAILY MAIL *'There are no easy answers in this thoughtful, harrowing thriller' * THE SUN *'Impressive and compassionate, Eye For An Eye should win prizes' * LITERARY REVIEW *

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Book SynopsisLondon has a history that emerges from the mist of time some 1500 years ago and is one that evolves yet never ends. It has always been a breeding ground for crime as people from around the world are drawn by its numerous attractions and opportunities. Each generation has produced its own colourful cast of robbers, murderers and fraudsters. Much of the crime was prompted by poverty and foul living conditions, but the main driver has always been the desire or need for money by whatever means and the risks involved. Until the eighteenth century this often involved a trip to perform the Tyburn jig' in front of a baying crowd of thousands. For a time Londoners staggered around in a gin-induced haze. Mothers often abandoned or even sold their children, just for a chance to block out the horrors of a seething London. The lanes and alleys around Covent Garden were lined with prostitutes, many still children. Famous beauties were kept by aristocrats and royalty and referred to as courtesans, although in many cases the dividing line between them and their less fortunate sisters lining the streets was thin indeed. The ending of the Great War saw the appearance of drugs, although at this stage they were mainly confined to the rich and influential as London entered the jazz age'. The second world war and the Blitz was not all about the spirit and bravery of Londoners, as gangs plundered wrecked houses and even stole from corpses. After the war the likes of the violent Jack Spot and Billy Hill were superseded by the Kray twins and the sadistic Richardson brothers, as they fought for control of London's drinking clubs. A little light relief was offered throughout the years by a succession of sexual scandals. Those particularly welcome involved senior politicians. A heady brew indeed covering centuries of crimes and indiscretions brought together this very readable account by author and social historian Mike Hutton.

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Book SynopsisThe most up-to-date research ever carried out on one of the most notorious series of crimes ever committed in the UK.

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Book SynopsisThe Bureau is a hair raising story of kidnap, murder and fraud, set on the Irish borderlands.

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Book SynopsisJAMES PATTERSON is one of the best-known and biggest-selling writers of all time. Among his creations are some of the world's most popular series including Alex Cross, the Women's Murder Club, Michael Bennett and the Private novels. He has written many other number one bestsellers including collaborations with President Bill Clinton and Dolly Parton, stand-alone thrillers and non-fiction. James has donated millions in grants to independent bookshops and has been the most borrowed adult author in UK libraries for the past fourteen years in a row. He lives in Florida with his family.

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Book Synopsis'Four million quid. There it was, inches away from me on a hotel table. Not in conventional currency, but in the world's deadliest commodity. Heroin.' As part of Scotland Yard's undercover team, it was Peter Bleksley's job to infiltrate some of the capital's most dangerous gangs and bring them down. For ten years, he went deeper into the criminal underworld than any cop had before him. Meeting with dealers, gangland leaders and members of the IRA and the Mafia, he lived the life of the Great Pretender, constantly changing his identity to ensure his cover was never blown. Whilst undeniably thrilling work at times, it came at a heavy price. The more successful he was at bringing criminals to justice, the longer the list of those who wanted revenge became. Even now, Peter looks over his shoulder in case someone should wish to act on an old threat. In The Gangbuster, Bleksley draws us into the world of drugs, violence and covert operations he inhabited for so long in the pursuit of justice. Now a renowned policing and crime expert seen on the BBC and as the Chief on Channel 4's Hunted, Peter Bleksley reputation still precedes him the world over.

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Book SynopsisNew York Post and Toronto Sun crime reporter and author of Cold Blooded Murder, Brad Hunter has spent over thirty years writing about some of America’s most horrific crimes. In this new book he enters the mind of John Wayne Gacy, the real-life ‘Killer Clown’, often said to be the inspiration for Stephen King’s evil Pennywise in It. Gacy lured victims to his home with the promise of work or a warm bed and then duped them into putting on handcuffs, claiming he wanted to show them a magic trick. He would then rape and torture his victims before killing them by suffocating or strangling them. Twenty-six were buried in the crawl space beneath his home; others were buried elsewhere on his property, while a handful were dumped in the Des Plaines River. While Gacy was executed for his sickening crimes in 1994, his terrifying spectre continues to haunt us. At least five of his victims remain unidentified and detectives have always suspected that the known victims were just the tip of the iceberg. Gacy even told one detective that his tally of murders was closer to forty-five victims. How many victims were there? Did Gacy act alone? And what drove John Wayne Gacy to murder? Was it his alcoholic, abusive father or was it something deep within him that caused the seemingly normal Gacy to sexually assault, torture and murder at least thirty-three young men and boys? And who was the John Wayne Gacy who regularly performed at children’s hospitals and charitable events as Pogo, or Patches, the Clown? The Gacy who was a player in local Democratic Party circles? Drawing on his many years’ experience as a crime reporter, investigating and interviewing perpetrators of terrible crimes, Hunter seeks to understand what drove Gacy to unleash a reign of terror in suburban Chicago.

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Book SynopsisThe untold story of the infamous criminal, Charles Salvador - known to millions as Britain's most violent prisoner Charles Bronson - from the unique perspective of his wife Irene Dunroe.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Deft, witty and totally compelling" Time Out

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