Wharncliffe imprint: 191 books

A history of true crime in a quaint resort town in Essex, England that hosts a variety of amusements—along with a legacy of madness, mayhem, and murder. This ghoulish look into the past takes readers on a sinister journey through Southend-on-Sea, from medieval times to the twentieth century,...

In 1981 amid recession and widespread urban unrest Dave Watson left the building trade to join the West Yorkshire Metropolitan Police. You will be enthralled by his stories which cover every human emotion, from a cancer victim having a breakdown to a young bingo caller falling to his death fleeing...

Two centuries of true crime—the murders, the scandals, and the vice—all of which stain the history of this world-famous seaside British resort city.   While renowned as a place of culture, fun, and tourism, the town of Brighton, England has a dark side—and a shockingly well-deserved reputation...

True-life tales of bloody killings and brutal crimes wind through the dark past of this historic town on the Thames.   John J. Eddleston’s latest selection of notorious criminal cases takes the reader through a sequence of sensational episodes that have marred the history of Reading. His book,...

To face a trial for murder must be a terrifying prospect, all the more so when you know that you are innocent of the charge. How much more horrific must it be then, when you know that should you be found guilty, the sentence must be that you will lose your life at the end of a rope? All of...

Death and villainy always hold us in their grim but thrilling grip. In Foul Deeds and Suspicious Deaths in the Isle of Wight the chill is brought close to home as each chapter investigates the darker side of humanity in notorious cases of murder, deceit and pure malice that have marked the history...

In their daily battle against a remorseless tide of crime, officers of London’s Metropolitan Police routinely risk their lives protecting the Capital. In The Brave Blue Line Dick Kirby, the former Scotland Yard detective turned popular crime author, has brought together a superb collection of inspiring...

“A detailed account of crime and capital punishment . . . from the days of the 1700s when felons were publically hanged outside the walls of Lancaster Castle.” —Friends of Real Lancashire   This account of executions in Lancashire spans two centuries and begins in the era of the Bloody Code....

The ten Scotland Yard detectives, featured in The Guv’nors, are unique. Such a group of intrepid crime-busters will never exist again. They possessed only the most rudimentary education; none had a degree. Intuition and knowledge of their ‘manor’ counted for more than DNA and databases. They...

Martin Baggoley was born in Eccles . He spent several years working in London and Salford as a civil servant, before qualifying as a probation officer in 1976. Since then, he has worked in the Greater Manchester area, and during this period gained a masters degree in criminology. He has written for...

Historical tales of crime and punishment from this ancient British town—includes photos and illustrations.   Colchester historian Patrick Denney takes the reader on a sinister journey from the religious persecutions of Queen Mary’s time to the twentieth century, meeting villains, cutthroats,...

True tales of betrayal, robbery, and murder across Worcestershire, from Redditch to Upton-on-Severn—includes illustrations and photographs!   Though the Battle of Worcester brought an end to the English Civil War in 1651, it was not the end of the bloodshed for the West Midland county of Worcestershire....

This famous resort town attracts millions of visitors each year—but it’s history of true crime proves that murder and mayhem never take a holiday.   On the shores of Sussex, England, the famed town of Brighton has long been a favorite for those who want to enjoy its beaches, music, art, and culture....

Set in a social backdrop of recovery from two world wars, Margaret Drinkall's Rotherham Murders concentrates on killings that took place in and around the town during the first fifty years of the twentieth century. Most of her cases have not been written about in recent years, but are now investigated...