Murder and crime is caused by greed, need, jealousy, desperation and insanity. London, the financial and capital city of England is no stranger to the excesses of its turbulent citizens – their past misdemeanours enrich the fabric of this great city. Here are some of the most infamous crimes committed in the capital in its long history. Tales are included from the dark recesses of the middle ages to the turbulent eighteenth century with its nascent press and the 'great' Victorian age where pleasures and vices ran hand in hand, where excesses dominated the London scene and social and economic extremes were the norm. The early twentieth century is also treated with some of the most high profile cases that have necessitated changes in the law. This book will appeal to everyone interested in true-crime and the shadier side of London's past.

A suicide, a derelict barge, and floating pink chiffon nightdresses... When the San Angelo drifts into port in the Pool of London, telephones begin to ring across the capital and an intricate series of events is set in motion. Beset by dreadful storms in the Bay of Biscay, the ship, along with the "mixed cargo" it carries, is late. Unaware of the machinations of avaricious importers, wayward captains, and unscrupulous traders, docklands residents Harry Reed and June Harvey are thrust together by a riverside accident, before being swept into the current of a dark plot developing on the harborside. First published in 1938, this early novel from one of the great Golden Age mystery writers skillfully delivers a compelling tale of murder set against a gritty portrayal of life alongside the Thames. This edition also includes an Introduction by series editor CWA Diamond Dagger-Award winning author Martin Edwards.

Early on the morning of May 6, 1840, the elderly Lord William Russell was found in his London house with his throat so deeply cut that his head was nearly severed. The crime soon had everyone, including Queen Victoria, feverishly speculating about motives and methods. But when the prime suspect claimed to have been inspired by a sensational crime novel, it sent shock waves through literary London and drew both Dickens and Thackeray into the fray. Could a novel really lead someone to kill? In Murder by the Book, Claire Harman blends a riveting true-crime whodunit with a fascinating account of the rise of the popular novel and the early battle for its soul among the most famous writers of the day.

Dig deep into the unsolved murder of Jackie English and join the hunt for a serial killer Fifty years ago, a serial killer prowled the quiet city of London, Ontario, marking it as his hunting grounds. As young women and boys were abducted, raped, and murdered, residents of the area held their loved ones closer and closer, terrified of the monster — or monsters — stalking the streets. Homicide detective Dennis Alsop began hunting the killer in the 1960s, and he didn’t stop searching until his death 40 years later. For decades, detectives, actual and armchair, and the victims’ families and friends continued to ask questions: Who was the Forest City Killer? Was there more than one person, or did a depraved individual commit all of these crimes on his own? Combing through the files Detective Alsop left behind, researcher Vanessa Brown reopens the cases, revealing previously unpublished witness statements, details of evidence, and astonishing revelations. And through her investigation, Vanessa posits the unthinkable: is it possible that the Forest City Killer is still alive and, like the notorious Golden State Killer, a simple DNA test could bring him to justice?

Immensely entertaining and illustrated with 180 colour and black-&-white artworks, Bloody History of London is an engaging and highly informative exploration of almost 2,000 years of London history, from the highlights of London lowlife to the depravities of London’s high life.

Murder and crime is caused by greed, need, jealousy, desperation and insanity. London, the financial and capital city of England is no stranger to the excesses of its turbulent citizens – their past misdemeanours enrich the fabric of this great city. Here are some of the most infamous crimes committed in the capital in its long history. Tales are included from the dark recesses of the middle ages to the turbulent eighteenth century with its nascent press and the ‘great’ Victorian age where pleasures and vices ran hand in hand, where excesses dominated the London scene and social and economic extremes were the norm. The early twentieth century is also treated with some of the most high profile cases that have necessitated changes in the law. This book will appeal to everyone interested in true-crime and the shadier side of London's past.

In 1888 Jack the Ripper made the headlines with a series of horrific murders that remain unsolved to this day. But most killers are not shadowy figures stalking the streets with a lust for blood. Many are ordinary citizens driven to the ultimate crime by circumstance, a fit of anger or a desire for revenge. Their crimes, overshadowed by the few, sensational cases, are ignored, forgotten or written off. This book examines all the known murders in London in 1888 to build a picture of society. Who were the victims? How did they live, and how did they die? Why did a husband batter his wife to death after she failed to get him a cup of tea? How many died under the wheels of a horse-driven cab? Just how dangerous was London in 1888?