SCOTLAND YARD

Sub-titled 'A History of the London Police Force's Most Infamous Murder Cases' this is riveting true-crime history which chronicles Scotland Yard's evolution through gruesome murder cases from 1829 to World War Two, showcasing pioneering forensic techniques like bloodstain analysis and fingerprinting. Scotland Yard was the world's first modern, professional and centrally organised police force which set new standards for policing and investigating. From fingerprints to ballistics and evidence collection, it made the first attempt at criminal profiling and captivated the public on both sides of the Atlantic with feats of detective work that rivalled any fictional interpretation. Chapters cover A Murder in the Manor, A Death in Duddlewick, Chasing Crippen, The Brides in the Bath, War Crimes, and Human Wickedness of All Kinds, and begins with Ratcliffe Highway Murders among the tenements, taverns, shops on the crowded narrow byway that ran from the Tower of London past Wapping to Shadwell. Rigorous research, smooth storytelling, this is shrewd synthesis of a wealth of material which uses court transcripts, investigative files and other sources. 470pp, fairly large print, well illustrated.