The Granddaughters of Edward III

The Granddaughters of Edward III written by Kathryn Warner and published by Pen & Sword Books - £20 - Hardback - Pages 232

Edward III may be known for his restoration of English kingly authority after the disastrous

and mysterious fall of his father, Edward II, and eventual demise of his mother, Queen Isabella.

It was Edward III who arguably put England on the map as a military might. This show of

power and strength was not simply through developments in government, success in warfare

or the establishment of the Order of the Garter, which fused ideals of chivalry and national

identity to form camaraderie between king and peerage. The expansion of England as a

formidable European powerhouse was also achieved through the traditional lines of political

marriages, particularly those of the king of England’s own granddaughters.

This is a joint biography of nine of those women who lived between 1355 and 1440, and their dramatic, turbulent lives. One was queen of Portugal and was the mother of the Illustrious Generation; one married into the family of her parents' deadly enemies and became queen of Castile; one became pregnant by the king of England's half-brother while married to someone else, and her third husband was imprisoned for marrying her without permission; one was widowed at about 24 when her husband was summarily beheaded by a mob, and some years later bore an illegitimate daughter to an earl; one saw her marriage annulled so that her husband could marry a Bohemian lady-in-waiting; one was born illegitimate, had sixteen children, and was the grandmother of two kings of England.

I thought The Granddaughters of Edward III by Kathryn Warner was an excellent book in which I learnt quite a bit. The reader gets a look into the lives of four women who are the main people of the book: Philippa, Elizabeth, Mary & Isabella. The author Warner has told their stories very well and we get a good insight into their lives, it would seem that although it was very much a man’s world, these women certainly had a big say in the world too. I have read a number of Warner’s books and she writes so well about royal history and always makes the stories to read and follow. If you are a fan of the medieval period or Edward III, you will most certainly enjoy this book and get quite a bit out of it. My compliments to Warner for another great book.

Elizabethan Rebellions Conspiracy, Intrigue & Treason

Elizabethan Rebellions Conspiracy, Intrigue & Treason written by Helene

Harrison and published by Pen & Sword Books - £25 - Hardback - Pages 256

Throughout her reign, Elizabeth I had to deal with many rebellions which aimed to undermine her rule and overthrow her. Led in the main by those who wanted religious freedom and to reap the rewards of power, each one was thwarted but left an indelible mark on Queen Elizabeth and her governance of England.

Learning from earlier Tudor rebellions against Elizabeth’s grandfather, father, and siblings, they were dealt with mercilessly by spymaster Francis Walsingham who pushed for the execution of Mary Queen of Scots due to her involvement, and who created one of the first government spy networks in England.

Espionage, spying and hidden ciphers would demonstrate the lengths Mary was willing to go to gain her freedom and how far Elizabeth’s advisors would go to stop her and protect their Virgin Queen. Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots were rival queens on the same island, pushed together due to religious intolerance and political instability, which created the perfect conditions for revolt, where power struggles would continue even after Mary’s death.

The Elizabethan period is most often described as a Golden Age; Elizabeth I had the knowledge and insight to deal with cases of conspiracy, intrigue, and treason, and perpetuate her own myth of Gloriana.

A really excellent book and read, kind of Royal history with all the interesting bits. This book concentrates on the parts that dominated Elizabeth I’s reign, the bits of real interest and intrigue such as the various plots Northern Rising, Ridolfi Plot, Throckmorton Plot, Babbington and Essex Plots. The author Harrison has written the book really well, explaining what went on and explained in a concise and clear way. I know a bit about Elizabeth I and the various things that went on but the author seemed to make everything clear and easy to read. Whilst I knew bits about the Elizabeth I story, these has filled in a lot of the gaps for which I appreciate, and it has made me want to read more on the subject which is always a good thing. An articulate and well-written book, I would think those that are students and people who would like to learn more will get the most out of this excellent read.

Winston Churchill as Home Secretary

Churchill as Home Secretary Suffragettes, Strikes and Social Reform 1910-1911

written by Charles Stephenson and published by Pen & Sword Books - £25 -

Hardback - Pages 280

There can be few statesmen whose lives and careers have received as much investigation and literary attention as Winston Churchill. Relatively little however has appeared which deals specifically or holistically with his first senior ministerial role; that of Secretary of State for the Home Office. This may be due to the fact that, of the three Great Offices of State which he was to occupy over the course of his long political life, his tenure as Home Secretary was the briefest.

The Liberal Government, of which he was a senior figure, had been elected in 1906 to put in place social and political reform. Though Churchill was at the forefront of these matters, his responsibility for domestic affairs led to him facing other, major, challenges departmentally; this was a time of substantial commotion on the social front, with widespread industrial and civil strife. Even given that ‘Home Secretaries never do have an easy time’, his period in office was thus marked by a huge degree of political and social turbulence. The terms ‘Tonypandy’ and ‘Peter the Painter’ perhaps spring most readily to mind. Rather less known is his involvement in one of the burning issues of the time, female suffrage, and his portrayal as ‘the prisoners’ friend’ in terms of penal reform.

Aged 33 on appointment, and the youngest Home Secretary since 1830, he became empowered to wield the considerable executive authority inherent in the role of one of His Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, and he certainly did not shrink from doing so. There were of course commensurate responsibilities, and how he shouldered them is worth examination.

This book looks at the year or so Winston Churchill was Home Secretary and his

involvement in a number of issues such as Feminism, Strikes, Suffragettes, Welsh

Miners and more. This was such a nice book to read purely from the fact that it

wasn’t about Churchill during WW2, which is usually the case. It was nice to read

about him during other points of his political career. Actually, I learned quite a bit

from this book in seeing how much social politics he was having to deal and the

way he went about things. Now he was obviously a young man then so I think he

actually improved with age because I found the way he acted sometimes or his

views were maybe a little of their age shall we say. A really good book I would

definitely recommend to others, especially if you want to read about Churchill in

periods other than WW2. 

Welsh Castle Builders - The Savoyard Style

Welsh Castle Builders - The Savoyard Style written by John Marshall and published by Pen & Sword Books - £25 - Hardback - Pages 344

The Edwardian castles of north Wales were built by a Savoyard master mason,

but also by many other artisans from Savoy. What is more extraordinary, is that

the constables of Flint, Rhuddlan, Conwy and Harlech were also Savoyards, the

Justiciar and Deputy Justiciar at Caernarfon were Savoyards and the head of the

English army leading the relief of the sieges of Flint and Rhuddlan was a future

Count of Savoy. The explanatory story is fundamentally of two men, the builder of

castles, Master James of St George and Justiciar Sir Othon de Grandson, and the

relationship of these two men with King Edward I. But it is also the story of many

others, a story that begins with the marriage of Alianor de Provence to Edward’s

father, Henry III, and the influx of her kinsmen to England, such as Pierre de Savoie.

It is impossible to understand the development of the castles in north Wales without an understanding of the Savoyards, where they came from and their impact on English and Welsh history. The defining work of Arnold Taylor in exploring the Savoyard history of Welsh castles is now many years past, and mostly out of print, it is time for the story to be revisited and expanded upon, in the light of new evidence.

I have to say that this book for me was a book of two halves, firstly it was a fascinating book and subject, with many interesting features and relationships and I really enjoyed it. The second part of the book was that I think you needed more of a knowledge of the subject to get the full impact of the book and what was happening. With the relationship between France, England and Wales throughout the book, it was a little complicated in parts, which is why a reader with a bit more in-depth knowledge would get more from the book. But I don’t want to deter people from this book but I found parts of the book revealing and it answered a couple of long standing questions. The book seems very well researched and the book contains many notes and sources, and I plan to do some further reading on the subject, it inspired me that much. An excellent book for those in the know, and certainly one I would recommend on this subject. 

A Dark History of Gin

A Dark History of Gin written by Mike Rendell and published by Pen &

Sword Books - £20 - Hardback - Pages 208

A Dark History of Gin looks at the origins and development of a drink which seems 

to have a universal and timeless appeal. Historian Mike Rendell explores the origins 

of distilling in the ancient world and considers the how, when, where and why of the 

‘happy marriage’ between distilled spirits and berries from the juniper bush. The book 

traces the link between gin and the Low Countries (Holland and Belgium) and looks at 

how the drink was brought across to England when the Dutch-born William of Orange 

became king.

From the tragic era of the gin craze in eighteenth-century London, through to the emergence of ‘the cocktail’, the book follows the story of gin across the Atlantic to America and the emergence of the mixologist. It also follows the growth of the Temperance Movement and the origins of the Prohibition, before looking at the period between the First and Second World Wars – the cocktail age. From there the book looks at the emergence in the twentieth century of craft gins across the globe, enabling the drink to enjoy a massive increase in popularity.

The book is intended as a light-hearted look-behind-the-scenes at how ‘Mother’s Ruin’ developed into rather more than just a plain old ’G & T’.

I must admit that I came to this book with some preconceived ideas of how the book would run, expecting mainly a book about slavery & crime. But I must admit that I was wrong. What we have a is really comprehensive read through a timeline, that mainly focuses on Britain, but it does have a bit of America and the Scandinavian countries thrown in for good measure. The book begins with the juniper berry and follows through to being a cocktail and more mainstream drink in the modern world. We go through prohibition in America, the influence of the Low Countries, and what I really enjoyed the effect on politics and regulation through a number of acts, and some of the riots and disruptions that occurred.

I also quite enjoyed the appendices at the back of the book which have a number of gin

recipes and also the slang involved in the gin world, these quite interesting. This was

an excellent book with a lot of research and entertaining writing from Mike Rendell.

I must say a big thumbs up for the good amount of cartoons and drawings throughout

the book, these were both amusing and entertaining. I would certainly recommend this

book to any fans of gin.

A History of Insanity and the Asylum

The History of Insanity and the Asylum written by Julianna Cummings and published by Pen & Sword Books - £25 - Hardback - Pages 232

The iconic image of the lunatic asylum is one that often leaves us wondering

what went on inside these imposing buildings.

In this new book, Juliana Cummings first questions what behaviours and characteristics define insanity and leads us through a comprehensive history of insanity and the asylum from the early treatment and care of mental illness in the Middle Ages and early modern period through to the closure of mental institutions in the twentieth century.

Throughout the years, we learn of how the treatments and institutional structures for caring for the mentally ill-developedand changed. The Age of Enlightenment and the rise of humanitarian reform was followed by the emergence of the insane asylum in the 1800s, which saw the beginning of the widespread construction of asylums.

We explore the different reasons for admittance, as well as the vast array of treatments. It shows that your treatment as an inmate of an asylum could vary depending on your gender and your social class.

Although once thought of as criminals, the mentally ill were gradually treated with care. Juliana discusses the different treatments used over time as attitudes towards the mentally ill changed, such as drug use, psychosurgery and insulin therapy. We learn of the regulations and reforms that led to the closure of asylums, how their closure affected society and consider how the mentally ill are treated today.

This insightful new history helps us to better understand the haunting past of the asylum and leads us down a fascinating road to where we come to an understanding of a time in history that is often mistaken.

This was a fascinating book in which we look at the history of the asylum system, looking at the buildings, the treatments of insanity and reasons for putting people in asylums. Also the book goes back in time to the early Middle Ages time in history, and the book goes right through to the late 20th century when thankfully society has decided to leave the days of the asylum go by.

What emerges from the book is the number of reasons for going into an asylum, often without choice for the person deemed mad. Plus some of the reasons why they were in there are so lose if not criminal, the book also covers the subject of treatment, and along with the introduction of drugs some treatments could vary from being completely spaced out to more sinister things like electric shock treatment or cases where humans were just experimented on. Luckily, society has a more grown up attitude to mental health these days and we have moved on from such draconian ways. This was a really fascinating book, in which there was lots of research and the book was well written and easy to understand, so compliments to the author Julianna Cummings. An ideal book if your are interested in mental health, and might be a bit surprising for those who know little about this subject.

Voices of the Georgian Era - 100 Remarkable Years, In Their Own Words

Voices of the Georgian Era - 100 Remarkable Years, In Their Own Words

written by James Hobson and published by Pen & Sword Books - £22 -

Hardback - Pages 224

Voices of the Georgian Age is the story of seventeen witnesses to the remarkably

diverse Georgian century after 1720. While being very different in many ways, the

voices have two things in common: they have an outstanding story to tell, and that

story is available to all for free on the internet.

Despite the obvious constraints of surviving evidence, men and woman, rich and poor and respectable and criminal are all covered. Some wrote out their life story with deliberation, knowing that it would be read in future, while others simply put their private thoughts to paper for their own benefit. All are witnesses to their age.

This book guides you through their diaries, memoirs and travelogues, providing an entertaining insight in their lives, and a personal history of the period. It is also a preparatory guide for those wishing to read the original documents themselves.

This was a very interesting and insightful book that looked at the Georgian Period of 100 years through the words and lives of a good number of people. What was good was the wide range of people the book covers, you could say the stereotypical view of the Georgian Age is men and women dressed to the nines in big fancy clothes and covered in make up, usually socialising or taking part in leisure activities.(or maybe that’s just me) But the book covers a wide range of people from well to do, creatives, farm workers and even criminals. It reveals a lot about people, their thoughts and viewpoints and paints an excellent picture of the people rather than the events. I have read a few of James Hobson’s books and he always writes in an informative but relaxed way which is easy to read and very enjoyable. Certainly, if you want a close up view of the Georgian Era, this would be an excellent book. Highly recommended.

The Son that Elizabeth I Never Had

The Son that Elizabeth I Never Had - The Adventurous Life of Robert Dudley’s

Illegitimate Son written by Julia A. Hickey and published by Pen & Sword Books

- £22 - Hardback - Pages 224

Sir Robert Dudley, the handsome ‘base born’ son of Elizabeth I’s favourite, was born amidst

scandal and intrigue. The story of his birth is one of love, royalty and broken bonds of trust.

He was at Tilbury with the Earl of Leicester in 1587; four years later he was wealthy,

independent and making a mark in Elizabeth’s court; he explored Trinidad, searched for the

fabled gold of El Dorado and backed a voyage taking a letter from the queen to the Emperor

of China. He took part in the Earl of Essex’s raid on Cadiz and was implicated in the earl’s

rebellion in 1601 but what he wanted most was to prove his legitimacy. Refusing to accept

the lot Fate dealt him after the death of the Queen, he abandoned his family, his home and

his country never to return. He carved his own destiny in Tuscany as an engineer, courtier,

shipbuilder and seafarer with the woman he loved at his side. His sea atlas, the first of its

kind, was published in 1646. The Dell’Arcano del Mare took more than twelve years to write

and was the culmination of a lifetime’s work. Robert Dudley, the son Elizabeth never had, is

the story of a scholar, an adventurer and an Elizabethan seadog that deserves to be better

known.

For someone who was considered ‘base born’ or illegitimate, Robin Dudley actually turned out to be a fine young man who had to fight or prove he deserved better than what life had labeled him. He tackled numerous jobs, the type that were of the kind you would expect with connections, as he was an engineer, shipbuilder, explorer to mention a few. Clearly a man that gets little notice or attention, but he turns out to be a rather interesting character. An intriguing book that has been very well written by the author Julia A. Hickey.

Medieval Royal Mistresses

Medieval Royal Mistresses - Mischievous Women who Slept with Kings and Princes

written by Julia A. Hickey and published by Pen & Sword Books - £25 - Hardback -

Pages 224

Marriage for Medieval kings was about politics, power and the provision of legitimate

heirs. Mistresses were about love, lust and possession. It was a world that included

kidnap, poison, murder, violation, public shaming and accusations of witchcraft.

Ambition and quick wits as well as beauty were essential attributes for any royal

mistress. Infamy, assassination and imprisonment awaited some royal mistresses

who tumbled from favour whilst others disappeared into obscurity or respectable

lives as married women and were quickly forgotten.

Meet Nest of Wales, born in turbulent times, whose abduction started a war; Alice Perrers and Jane Shore labelled ‘whores’ and ‘wantons’; Katherine Swynford who turned the medieval world upside down with a royal happy-ever-after and Rosamund Clifford who left history and stepped into legend.

Discover how serial royal womanisers married off their discarded mistresses to bind their allies close. Explore the semi-official roles of some mistresses; the illegitimate children who became kings; secret marriage ceremonies; Edith Forne Sigulfson and Lady Eleanor Talbot who sought atonement through religion as well as the aristocratic women who became the victims of royal lust.

Most of the shameful women who shared the beds of medieval kings were silenced, besmirched or consigned to the footnotes of a patriarchal worldview but they negotiated paths between the private and public spheres of medieval court life - changing history as they went.

An interesting and intriguing read about some of the women involved in Medieval relationships amongst kings and princes throughout Europe. There seems to be a variety of different reasons for these relationships such as love, seeking power and some that were born into a position where a relationship was a likely outcome. It was nice to read about women in this position rather than just the male viewpoint and I really liked that they took a European wide look rather than just sticking British. A lot of research done and well written certainly one for people into Women’s history through the medieval period.

The New Millennium Serial Killer - Examining the Crimes of Christopher Halliwell

The New Millennium Serial Killer - Examining the Crimes of Christopher Halliwell

written by Bethan Trueman & Chris Clark and published by Pen & Sword Books

- £20 - Hardback - Pages 216

In March 2011, a major police investigation was opened in the search for missing

Swindon local, Sian O'Callaghan. When taxi driver Christopher Halliwell was

arrested, Detective Superintendent Stephen Fulcher didn't expect what happened

next.

After the body of another missing girl, Becky Godden-Edwards, was uncovered, the police had two murders on their hands and one suspect, but how many more unsolved murders could Christopher Halliwell be responsible for? The hidden cache of around 60 pieces of women's clothing and accessories that he led police to suggests that the number could be much higher than the two murders he has been convicted of.

In The New Millennium Serial Killer, former police intelligence officer Chris Clark and true crime podcast host Bethan Trueman use their in-depth research to present a comprehensive study into convicted killer Christopher Halliwell. Discussing the crimes for which he was convicted but presenting them alongside the unsolved cases of missing and murdered women who fit with his victim type, and who went missing in the areas where he was familiar, from the 1980s to the time of his arrest in 2011. With many jobs over the years which allowed Halliwell to travel to different areas of the UK, along with a passion for fishing and narrow boating, including Yorkshire, East Lancashire, and the Midlands.

With a foreword by former Detective Superintendent Stephen Fulcher, The New Millennium Serial Killer presents a fascinating account of this cruel killer and tells the heartbreaking stories of over twenty women whose cases remain unsolved today, seeking to find justice for their loved ones who are still waiting for answers. Do they remain with Christopher Halliwell and the collection of women's items?

This is a fantastic book that would be widely approved by many true crime fans, following the trail of Christopher Halliwell. The book follows the trail of Haliwell, a man that had the chance to travel around the country doing lots of different jobs. So for this reason, it gave him the chance to avoid detection as he wasn’t in one area, but also gave us the chance to wonder whether all the crimes he committed were actually ALL of the crimes he should be punished for. A really good book that is easy to read, but keeps the reader gripped with fascination, I thought it was very well written by the author’s Bethan Trueman and Chris Clark. I really enjoyed this true crime book and would happily recommend it to other true crime fans.

The London Boys - David Bowie, Marc Bolan and the 60s Teenage Dream

The London Boys - David Bowie, Marc Bolan and the 60s Teenage Dream written

by Marc Burrows and published by Pen & Sword Books - £20 - Hardback - Pages 264

Rock n roll fanatics, mods, beat group wannabes, underground hippies, glam rock icons:

David Bowie and Marc Bolan spent the first part of their careers following remarkably similar

paths. From the day they met in 1965 as Davie Jones and Mark Feld, rock n roll wannabes

painting their manager's office in London’s Denmark Street, they would remain friends and

rivals, each watching closely and learning from the other. In the years before they launched

an unbeatable run of era-defining glam rock masterpieces at the charts, they were both just

another face on the scene, meeting for coffee in Soho, hanging out at happenings and

jamming in parks. Here, they are our guides through the decade that changed everything,

as the gloom of post-war London exploded into the technicolour dream of the swinging sixties,

a revolution in music, fashion, art and sexuality. Part duel-biography, part social history, part

musical celebration of an era, The London Boys follows the British youth culture explosion

through they eyes of two remarkable young men on the front lines of history.

A fantastic book that looks at the early lives before super stardom of two of Britain's

biggest stars in David Bowie and Marc Bolan from the 60’s, with a good bit of social

history thrown into the mix. The book looks at the teenage years and early careers

of these two music stars during the decade of the 1960’s. London youth culture and

the music industry are all revealed here through great stories and if you're a fan of

these two guys or the sixties, you should really enjoy this book. Some good work

and research has gone into this book, and it's one I would happily recommend to

anyone.

Henry V A History of His Most Important Places and Events

Henry V A History of His Most Important Places and Events written by Deborah

Fisher and published by Pen & Sword Books - £20 - Hardcover - Pages 208

There are many books about King Henry V, several of which concentrate entirely on his

victory at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. This one looks at his life from a different point

of view, concentrating on places that were important in his life and can still be visited by

those interested in getting a better feel for the man and understanding how his character

was shaped by his environment.

Henry spent much of his youth on military campaigns in Ireland, Wales and the Marches. As Prince of Wales, he became battle-hardened as a teenager when he received a near-fatal wound at Shrewsbury. Despite a fraught relationship with his father, he quickly reinvented himself as a model king and set his eyes firmly on the crown of France. Thereafter, much of his nine-year reign was spent on military campaigns beyond the British Isles.

The book takes its reader on a journey from the rural areas around Monmouth, where he was born, to Harlech Castle, where he put an end to Owain Glyndwr's rebellion, and from his coronation at Westminster Abbey to his private retreat at Kenilworth. We see him seize Harfleur and take the long road to Calais, culminating in the Battle of Agincourt, one of the most spectacular victories ever won by an English army. We follow his continued campaigns in France, through his marriage to Catherine of Valois at Troyes, to his eventual, tragically premature, death at Vincennes.

This book wants the reader to explore their knowledge about a person in this case through Henry V, some of the prominent places they stayed at or visited during their lifetime. This is a fascinating book as your getting the history and how certain places were important to that person. I particularly enjoyed the Welsh bits of this book and learnt quite a bit I didn’t know before, the author in fact has tried to concentrate on places or locations that are still around today. This will enable people today to visit these places through the handy appendix at the back of the book. The author Deborah Fisher has done a really good job with this book, and the up-to-date locations idea brings this book more of a modern feel to it. I would highly recommend this book.

Imprisoning Mary Queen of Scots - The Men Who Kept the Stuart Queen

Imprisoning Mary Queen of Scots - The Men Who Kept the Stuart Queen written by

Mickey Mayhew and published by Pen & Sword Books - £20 - Hardback - Pages 224

Imprisoning Mary Queen of Scots covers the lives and careers of the men and women who

‘kept’ Mary Queen of Scots when she was a political prisoner in England, circa 1568/9-1587.

Mary’s troubled claim to the English throne - much to the consternation of her ‘dear cousin’

Elizabeth I - made her a mortal enemy of the aforementioned Virgin Queen and set them on

a collision course from which only one would walk away. Mary’s calamitous personal life,

encompassing assassinations, kidnaps and abdications, sent her careering into England

and right into the lap of Henry VIII’s shrewd but insecure daughter. Having no choice but

keep Mary under lock and key, Elizabeth trusted this onerous task to some of the most

capable - not to mention the richest - men and women in England; Sir Francis Knollys, Rafe

Sadler (of Wolf Hall fame), the Earl of Shrewsbury and his wife, Bess of Hardwick, and finally,

the puritanical nit-picker Sir Amyas Paulet. Until now, these nobles have been mere bit-

players in Mary’s story; now, their own lives, loves and fortunes are laid bare for all to see.

From Carlisle Castle to Fotheringay, these men and women all but bankrupted themselves in keeping the deposed Scots queen in the style to which she was accustomed, whilst fending off countless escape plots of which Mary herself was often the author. With the sort of twist that history excels at, it was in fact a honeytrap escape plot set up by Elizabeth’s ministers that finally saw Mary brought to the executioner’s block, but what of the lives of the gaolers who had until then acted as her guardian? This book explains how Shrewsbury and Bess saw their marriage wrecked by Mary’s legendary charms, and how Sir Amyas Paulet ended up making a guest appearance on ‘Most Haunted’, some several hundred years after his death. In that theme, the book also covers the appearances of these men and women on film and TV, in novels and also the various other Mary-related media that help keep simmering the legend of this most misunderstood of monarchs.

An excellent book looking at the various imprisonment of Mary Queen of Scots who

needed to be kept safe/imprisoned securely in order to be able to execute her. This

would obviously take a lot of work and commitment especially if you were the family

entrusted with keeping her captive. This would have big effect on some people who

had to look after her, both financially and with regard to the relationships, the captors

already had. This book was full of wide range of stories all quite interesting and I felt

not really the usual we get in these types of history books. I really enjoy this author

Mickey Mayhew’s writing, and although a little different to his previous book House

of Tudor was still just as good. I enjoyed the profiles of all the main people in the

back of the book along with an excellent bibliography. A book, very well worth a read.

Killers, Kidnappers, Gangsters and Grasses

Killers, Kidnappers, Gangsters and Grasses - On the Frontline with the Metropolitan

Police written by DIck Kirby and published by Pen & Sword Books - £20 - Hardback -

Pages 240

In his latest thrilling book, much-published crime author Dick Kirby draws on his fast

moving policing service, much of which was with Scotland Yard’s Serious Crime

Squad and the Flying Squad. As if that was not enough he brings in accounts of fellow

coppers during the final decades of the 20th century to add a fresh dimension.

It quickly becomes clear to the reader that Kirby and his colleagues practised their art in a markedly different style than that prevailing today. Corners were cut, regulations ignored and pettifogging rules trampled on in the wider public interest of bringing criminals to justice and preserving law and order. Above all the best senior detectives led fearlessly.

Kirby describes front-line policing where the public came first and the criminals a poor second. There are great stories of arrests, ambushes, fights and meeting informants in unlikely places.

Eyebrows may be raised at the book’s contents but many will feel that there is no place in the fight against serious crime for ‘woke-ness’ and political correctness and regret the passing of no-nonsense law enforcement.

This is the latest instalment of True Crime stories and thoughts from the remarkable Dick Kirby, a former serving police officer in the Scotland Yard Serious Crime Squad. I might be wrong but, I felt that this book was a bit more personal than his usual books, it is the same kind of book about gangs, villains and gangsters taking part in crimes he had been working on. But I felt like I was getting more opinions and thoughts from him, rather than an official line, which was nice to read. I enjoy Kirby books because you get the opinions of those on the front line, sometimes warts and all. Although things were done differently in those days, than they are in today’s policing. I would say most people would enjoy that mainly because it seemed people got things done and crimes solved, although we now know not all officers could be trusted. An easy to read book in a relaxed but written in an informed manner.