First published 1987
Bernard Taylor and Stephen Knight take readers into the cold case files of British criminal history. They begin with William Saunders, found beaten to death in a pond by Penge cricket club in 1877. The investigation moves through Charles Walton's mysterious death, possibly connected to witchcraft practices. Each case receives thorough treatment as the authors reconstruct crime scenes, analyze police work, and examine evidence that previous investigators missed. The duo uncovers new facts in several cases, most dramatically in the Brighton trunk murder of 1934. Tony Mancini, who had been cleared of charges, admits his guilt directly to Stephen Knight. The authors build detailed portraits of seven cases spanning a century, revealing the personalities and possible motives of suspected killers. Their research exposes how many murderers escaped justice entirely. This republished edition demonstrates that even the most careful police work sometimes fails to catch killers.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, mystery, crime, non-fiction, true-crime
Vibes: dark, emotional, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: investigative-journalism, true-crime
Setting: Brighton, Penge, United Kingdom
Period: 1877, 1934
364 pages · Paperback · Duckwoth Overlook
Content warnings: death, graphic-violence, murder