The Invention of Murder

'Engrossing...Flanders excels at following the trends in detection and how this was reflected in writing' Sunday Times 'Riveting and meticulous...Flanders balances judicious facts with lively story-telling...the research behind this book is phenomenal...THE INVENTION OF MUDER is what great non-fiction should be; as erudite as it is entertaining, as gripping as fiction despite being stranger than fiction ' Scotland on Sunday 'Compelling...remarkable...in this intelligent and comprehensive compendium of murder, she has left no gravestone unturned' Sunday Telegraph 'Want to be appalled by a book? Then try this one...In more than 400 blood-soaked pages Judith Flanders lovingly traces the progression of notorious Victorian murders and the public's taste for them...with her expert knowledge and guidance we can shudder at the violence or the cold-calculation of murderers...excellent, well-written and hugely well-informed' Daily Mail 'This is so much more than a compendium of famous crimes...Flanders's knowledge of the period is both wide and extraordinarily deep. She writes incisively, and often with dark wit. Best of all, she had a wonderful ability to make connections and to show us familiar sights from unexpected angles...in this unrelievedly excellent book' Independent

At the start of the 19th century, Britain saw few murders, but it seems by the end of it, murder was prevalent and ubiquitous. Particularly if you read the newspapers, went to the theatre or attended a public execution! Thoroughly researched, with many stories of crime (and punishment), this vividly absorbing book will appeal to both the crime buff and the historian. Lindy