Author(s): Drew Gray

History | The People's Carousel

Elegant period maps and compelling crime analysis illuminate this disquieting volume, which reexamines the most captivating and intriguing homicides of the nineteenth century.Organized geographically, the elements of each murder--from the prior movements of both killer and victim to the eventual location of the body--are meticulously replotted using archival maps and bespoke plans, taking readers on a perilous journey around the murder hot spots of the world. From the "French Ripper," Joseph Vacher, who roamed the French countryside brutally mutilating and murdering at least eleven people, to H. H. Holmes and his "Murder Castle" in Chicago, crime expert Dr. Drew Gray recounts the details of each case. His forensic examination uncovers both the horrifying details of the crimes themselves and the ingenious detective work that led to the capture of the murderers. Throughout the book, Gray highlights the development of police methods and technology, from the introduction of the police whistle to the standardization of the mug shot to the use of fingerprinting and radiotelegraphy in apprehending criminals.Vividly recreating over one hundred individual murder cases through historic maps, photographs, newspaper excerpts, court papers, and police reports, Murder Maps is perfect for everyone interested in criminal history, forensics, or the macabre.

Review: [A] coffee-table book for connoisseurs of murder and forensics... This deeply researched book is an engrossing journey into the macabre world of crime and punishment, exploring the origins of press sensationalism, the public's insatiable appetite for lurid accounts of murders, the rise of forensic science, and the development of modern methods of detection.-- "Dean Jobb, Ellery Queen Mystery"
Engrossing... A slew of historic prints--crime scene photos, mugshots, etc.--brings all of the individual entries to life.-- "Fine Books & Collections"

Contents: Introduction: Sensationalized Murder & the Rise of the Detective * Part 1: London, England * Suffolk, England * Liverpool, England * Glasgow, Scotland * Paris, France * Auvergne, France * Bavaria, Germany * Vienna, Austria * Budapest, Hungary * Prague + Polna, Bohemia * Emilia Romagna, Italy * Madrid, Spain * Part 2: New York City, USA * Massachusetts, USA * Indiana, USA * Chicago, USA * Kansas, USA * San Francisco, USA * Part 3: New South Wales, Australia * Victoria, Australia * Criminology Matrix

Author Biography: Dr Drew Gray is a social historian of the 18th and 19th centuries, specializing in the history of crime and punishment. He has written extensively on this subject, including for his recently published book proposing a new suspect for the Jack the Ripper murders. Gray is also the author of 'The Police Magistrate', a daily blog deciphering Victorian crime, and is a member of the editorial board of The London Journal and a fellow of the Royal Historical Society. At the University of Northampton he teaches on both the History and Criminology programmes, and is subject lead for History.