Scotland Yard, Simon Read
Scotland Yard, Simon Read
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Scotland Yard
A History of the London Police Force’s Most Infamous Murder Case

Author: Simon Read

Narrator: Harry Myers

Unabridged: 14 hr 41 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 09/03/2024

Synopsis

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.

About Simon Read

Simon Read is an award-winning journalist and author. His most recent histories include 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, from the San Francisco Chronicle to Time Magazine. Simon lives in Phoenix, Arizona.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Krissy on October 12, 2024

A 3 1/2 star read, rounded down to three. Well researched, but dryly written at times, particularly in the first half of the book, where many of the cases are little more than summaries. The author even made the Jack the Ripper killings seem boring! The chapters about "The Brides in the Bath," "The......more

Goodreads review by Florence on January 25, 2025

The Victorian era population of Great Britain was fascinated by murder, the gorier, the better. And the tabloids of the time catered to the unhealthy obsession. This book describes some of the bloodiest crimes I could have ever have imagined. For a nation that was not bristling with firearms, crimin......more

Goodreads review by Kevin on February 12, 2025

4.00 Rating ---------------------------- “Scotland Yard has been called in.” Those authoritative words imply the renowned reputation of the London Metropolitan Police, first established in 1829 as the world’s first professional, centrally organized police department. The name, in case you were wonderi......more

Goodreads review by Steven on January 30, 2025

This book might be one of my favorite true crime books that I have read. I loved how the author made the history come alive with a narrative rather than just spitting facts and figures at us. It was interesting how each major crime covered in the book shed some light on where modern policing theorie......more

Goodreads review by Miriam on January 07, 2025

Wow! a powerful book full of gruesome details of murder and mayhem in England in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Details the history, development, and growth of Scotland Yard and The Met through the various and bloody murder cases from the 1811 Ratcliffe Highway murders to Jack the Ripper and the......more

Quotes

“The story of Scotland Yard told through some of its most famous cases. Read begins this entertaining, atmospheric history in 1811, with London’s gruesome Radcliffe Highway Murders, then quickly backtracks to 1753 and the establishment of Henry Fielding’s Bow Street Runners, a small, private constabulary force. A lively narrative. True crime enthusiasts will relish these many murders most foul.”

Harry Myers dives into the role of narrator for this "History of the London Police Force's Most Infamous Murder Cases." . . . [capturing] the gruesome murders and dismemberments as told through newspaper articles, case files, trial transcripts, and detectives' accounts. Perfect for fans of true crime and urban histories.

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