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Burke and Hare were infamous suppliers of corpses to the Edinburgh medical establishment in a reign of terror 1827-8. History remembers them as body snatchers, but there is no proof that the pair ever robbed a grave; instead they created fresh corpses by suffocating hand-picked victims. This is just one of the myths exploded by this 'bloody history' featuring trial reports, confessions, prison records and contemporary illustrations. A rich cast of characters includes the pairs' implicated lovers, Helen and Margaret; Professor Knox who received the bodies; and, local victims from 'Daft Jamie' to ageing prostitute Mary Haldane. New light is thrown on the bodies trade through a recent find at The National Archives: a confession from John Bishop - perhaps a copycat 'burker' - who with Thomas Williams was executed for the murder of the 'Italian boy' in 1831.
About the Author
Alanna Knight is one of Scotland's foremost crime writers. Her many books include the popular Inspector Faro series about a Victorian detective, set in her home city of Edinburgh. She lives round the corner from Dr Knox's address.
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This small, but perfectly formed, book dispells the myth that these 2 notorious criminals were body snatchers. They were, in fact, cold-blooded murderers, who saw an opportunity to finance their hard drinking by selling their victims to a local school for anatomy - the head honcho of this institution being the equally notorious Doctor Knox. Knox turned a well-educated blind eye to the goings on, as long as their was a fresh body for his classes. The book packs in a lot; it paints a bleak picture of life in Edinburgh for the poor and working classes, especially the life surrounding Burke and Hare and their victims. These two come out of the book as thoroughly evil and blackhearted specimens. It would be telling to reveal the outcome of these truly vicious men - but you will be surprised, angered and then sigh with relief as poetic justice is seen to be done!
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
A story almost as frightening as Jack the Ripper
21 Jan 2009
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
William Burke & William Hare who are usually (incorrectly) referred to as "Body Snatchers" were Scotland's worst serial killers. However they never stepped foot in a grave yard or robbed dead bodies. They would murder people (usually indigents, strangers, prostitutes, and the mentally ill) and then sell their corpses to the famous 19th century Anatomist Dr. Knox in Edinburgh. From late 1827 through 1828 the Irish duo murdered at least 16 people by suffocating them. Eventually they got caught but in a miscarriage of justice only Burke was hanged while Hare turned states evidence against him. Almost equally as guilty as the two men was their two women; Helen McDougal and Margaret Hare. Burke was hanged before a crowd of 25,000 and Hare was released never to be herd form again. This is a creepy atmospheric story of early 19th century Edinburgh and the unsanitary conditions that pervaded there.
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