Geoffrey Abbott: 5 books

How did it feel to be faced with the prospect of being branded, pressed to death or boiled alive in oil? In this classic account of the history of torture, Geoffrey Abbott guides us through some of the worst torture methods known to man, from chilli powder punishment to needles under nails,...

In his own darkly humorous style, Geoffrey Abbott describes the instruments used and their effectiveness and reveals the macabre origins of familiar phrases such as "gone west" or "drawn a blank," as well as the jargon of the underworld. He covers everything from the preparation...

The fairer sex get it in the neck in these grisly tales from the gallows, guillotine and gas chamber. You have been warned. From Nan Hereford, the cloaked highwayman who held up coaches with just her fists, to the woman who survived the gallows and took her empty coffin away with her, Female...

This friendly handbook is full of practical advice on attracting wildlife to your garden, and encouraging creatures to stick around, as well as expert tips on green gardening, seasonal planting and garden predators. Colour photographs illustrate hundreds of mammals, birds, insects, invertebrates,...

A morbidly fascinating mixture of bungled executions, strange last requests, and classic final one-liners from medieval times to the present day. Sometimes it's hard to be an executioner, trying to keep someone from popping up to make a quip when they should have spectacularly sunk without...