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Product Description
Book Description
P. D. James's only work of true crime: a historical mystery every bit as gripping as her bestselling novels.
Product Description
In 1811 John Williams was buried with a stake in his heart. Was he the notorious East End killer or his eighth victim in the bizarre and shocking Ratcliffe Highway Murders? In this vivid and gripping reconstruction P. D. James and T. A. Critchley draw on public records, newspaper clippings and hitherto unpublished sources, expertly sifting the evidence to shed new light on this infamous Wapping mystery.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
29 of 29 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
this book is about more than the murder of innocent victims...it is also very much a social history of times, people and places. The authors tell the tale of the murders well, intertwined with what life was like for the poor in 1811, how they lived, what they ate, how they socially mixed with one another. The absence of a police force shows how vital clues were not followed through, silly, stupid mistakes were common, and information was certainly not to be shared. excellent read, one that deserves some thinking time after each chapter to appreciate its content.
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book is a vivid and detailed description of a number of brutal murders in the East End of London. In addition, piecing together the efforts of the police to identify and apprehend those responsible. The totally inadequate policing structure prior to these murders forces the Government to change the police structure, taking steps which led to the police as we know it today.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I did not know what to expect when I bought this book. I thought it might just be full of gore given the nature of the crimes but I was wrong. True there is an element of brutality present, that is to be expected but the quality of this book is in the writing, mainly the way the cases are presented interwoven with the state of policing 2 centuries ago. The way this book is structured is pure mastery. At times it reads as a contemporary thriller-murder mystery and at other times it is a research paper which is very digestable.
I was left with the extreme gratitude that I did not live in England 200 years ago as things were rather chancy back then to say the least, I loved the morality put forward as to the how the victoms were judged by the public ,crime by crime. I would recommend this book for those who want to place themselves in the past and enjoy the thrill of a dark and cold London anno 1811.
I was left with the extreme gratitude that I did not live in England 200 years ago as things were rather chancy back then to say the least, I loved the morality put forward as to the how the victoms were judged by the public ,crime by crime. I would recommend this book for those who want to place themselves in the past and enjoy the thrill of a dark and cold London anno 1811.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
good
This book was very interesting i fiorst heard about this story on ITV's Whitechapel, a very interesting story. Read more
Published 21 days ago by History Buff
A decent read
A quite interesting academic study but after a while I got a little bored. I found it rather dry .
Published 23 days ago by David Mckeown
A detailed analysis of an old crime
This must have been one of PD James first excursions into detective writing having originally been written in 1971. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Bluebell
Old but gold
I came across this book as a result of reading the much more recent "The Invention of Murder" by Judith Flanders. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Philip Lindsay
A disappointing experience
The authors of the Maul & the Pear Tree set out to reconstruct the 1811 murders of two London households - crimes which took place within days of one another and which were clearly... Read more
Published 16 months ago by CJ
keen reader
The book was everything I hoped for and more,may be it was the fact that p d james was involed in the writing.I believe it is the first non fiction book she has been involved with.
Published 16 months ago by grandad
Interesting read
I thought this book was an interesting insight to the murders but having read the Mr Reacher book on a similar subject I thought that was the more interesting approach.
Published 17 months ago by GMA
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