Description
Great and Horrible News: Murder and Mayhem in Early Modern Britain by Blessin Adams is a meticulously researched exploration of nine historic crimes that captivated public attention between 1500 and 1700. Published by William Collins, this 304-page book delves into the grim realities of murder, criminal investigations, early forensic techniques, and high-profile trials in early modern England.
Blessin Adams, a former police officer with the Norfolk Constabulary, transitioned from investigating contemporary crimes to academia, focusing on early modern English law and literature. She earned her doctorate from the University of East Anglia, specialising in historical cases of murder and justice. Her unique background combines practical investigative experience with scholarly research, offering readers an insightful perspective on historical criminality.
The book reconstructs nine compelling cases using original sources such as coroner’s inquests, court records, parish archives, letters, diaries, and popular street pamphlets of the time. These narratives shed light on the societal and legal responses to crimes like murder, infanticide, miscarriage, and suicide. For instance, readers follow a fugitive killer through London’s streets, witness citizen detectives aiding officials, and explore the emerging science of forensic pathology in unraveling suspected staged suicides.
Adams also examines the public’s fascination with crime stories, drawing parallels between past and present obsessions with true crime narratives. She highlights how historical trials were public spectacles, much like today’s high-profile cases, and discusses the enduring intrigue surrounding female perpetrators, societal views on suicide, and the evolution of forensic science.
Critical reception has been positive, with the Daily Mail describing the book as “grimly fascinating” and “engrossing” and author Gareth Russell praising it as a “bone-chilling and brilliantly researched account of murder, cruelty, and scandal in Tudor and Stuart Britain.”
Great and Horrible News offers an insightful journey into early modern Britain’s criminal underworld, providing readers with a vivid portrayal of historical crimes and their societal impacts. Adams’ blend of investigative expertise and academic rigour makes this work a valuable addition to both true crime enthusiasts and history scholars.
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