Wharncliffe Books imprint: 25 books

The violent history of twelve of historic Essex County’s most infamous murderers, spanning more than 300 years. Includes illustrations! From South-End-on-Sea to Epping Forest, the English county of Essex offers many delights, and many settings for murder. Reaching back to the Early Middle...

Murder and more in the Midlands—true stories of historical crimes in this British city from the 1850s to the 1950s. Includes photos.   Within the pages of this book are some of the most notorious and often baffling cases in Leicestershire’s history—from the appalling double murder at Melton...

A breathtaking history of Britain’s executioners—from the seventeenth court of King Charles II to the UK’s last official hangman of the twentieth century. In 1663, Jack Ketch delighted in his profession and gained notoriety not only because of those he executed—dukes and lords—but...

The author of The A-Z of London Murders investigates Jack the Ripper’s stalking grounds for even more crimes and killings in England’s capital.   For centuries London’s East End has been associated with some of the worst elements of human depravity, where foul deeds and murder were commonplace;...

True crime tales from this ancient British city and tourist spot—photos included.   Take a journey through centuries of local crime and conspiracy, meeting villains of all sorts along the way—cut-throats and poisoners, murderous lovers, assassins, prostitutes and suicides. Among the many tales...

From Oscar Wilde to the Kray brothers—a unique history of the lives and crimes of the United Kingdom’s most famous, and infamous, inmates.   Their names can chill the blood of true-crime aficionados: Peter Sutcliffe, aka The Yorkshire Ripper; child-torturer Ian Brady; cannibal Dennis Nilsen;...

The disturbing, criminal history of Britain’s “World Capital City of Pop”—home of murderers, thieves, bodysnatchers . . . and The Beatles.   The city of Liverpool, England, was like every other city energized by the Victorian boon in industry and trade. It is best known today as the home...

Historical true crime stories from a town in South Yorkshire, England, with photos included.   Ranging from Victorian times to the World War II era, this is a collection of true crime stories from a coal town in England. Whether motivated by passion, greed, or something else, these cases come from...

In the middle of Great Britain sits a historic city—with a long history of horror. These are the true crime stories from Coventry’s past.   Now a thriving, modern metropolis, Coventry has been an established center of trade and culture for nearly a thousand years. But as with any site where mankind...

Tory gangs, madmen, war criminals, frauds, anarchists, duelists, kidnappers, and more scandal-makers throughout four centuries of Irish history.   Dublin is a wonderful, energetic cultural center—the pride of Irish achievements in architecture, arts, and literature. But it is also a city of paradoxes...

Read about crimes over the centuries in this historic area of London—includes photos and illustrations.   In this collection of true crime stories, each chapter investigates the darker side of humanity in cases of murder, deceit, and pure malice in this corner of London. From crimes of passion...

The charming English town of Guildford is built upon centuries of mayhem and madness—from a Game of Thrones–style massacre to mysterious murders.   The twin fascinations of death and villainy will always hold us in their grim but thrilling grip. In Foul Deeds & Suspicious Deaths in Guildford,...

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,...

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...