A riveting true-crime history of London's first modern police force as told through its most notorious murder cases.
The idea of Scotland Yard is steeped in atmospheric stories of foggy London streets, murder by lamplight, and fiendish killers pursued by gentleman detectives. From its establishment in 1829 through the eve of World War II, Scotland Yard—the world’s first modern, professional, and centrally organized police force—set new standards for policing and investigating.
Scotland Yard advanced ground-breaking use of forensics—from fingerprints to ballistics to evidence collection—made the first attempt at criminal profiling, and captivated the public on both sides of the Atlantic with feats of detective work that rivaled any fictional interpretation.
Based on official case files, contemporary newspaper reporting, trial transcripts, and the first-hand accounts of the detectives on the beat, Scotland Yard tells the tales of some of history’s most notorious murders—with cases that proved to be landmarks in the field of criminal inquiry.
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“A thrilling tour of Scotland Yard’s most gripping cases, from the sinister alleyways of the Ratcliffe Highway to the lamp-lit cobblestones of Whitechapel…brimming with vivid characters and detail.”
— Daniel Stashower, author of American Demon
“Read shrewdly synthesizes a wealth of material…Marrying rigorous research and smooth storytelling, this is a must-read for fans of true crime.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)“[An] entertaining, atmospheric history…True crime enthusiasts will relish these many murders most foul.”
— Kirkus ReviewsBe the first to write a review about this audiobook!
Simon Read is an award-winning journalist and author of several works of history and nonfiction, including The Iron Sea: How the Allies Hunted and Destroyed Hitler’s Warships, Winston Churchill Reporting: Adventures of a Young War Correspondent, and Human Game: The ‘Great Escape’ Murders and the Hunt for the Gestapo Gunmen. His work has been featured on the top-rated true crime podcasts Morbid and Criminal. As a journalist, his writing has appeared in a variety of journals, including the San Francisco Chronicle and Time magazine.