Truly Criminal: A Crime Writers' Association Anthology of True Crime

by Martin Edwards (Contributing Editor), Peter James (Foreword), Catherine Aird

Real life crimes, famous and forgotten, re-examined by leading crime writers A superb collection of brand new and original essays about famous and obscure real life crimes, Truly Criminal showcases a group of highly regarded, award-winning writers who all share a special passion for crime. Among these real-life crimes, famous and forgotten, are such notorious cases as Samuel Herbert Dougal, the Moat Farm murderer; George Joseph Smith, the Brides in the Bath killer; and Dr. Hawley Harvey Crippen, one of the most infamous killers in British history. Featuring a dazzling list of contributors, including leading crime novelists Peter Lovesey, Andrew Taylor, and Catherine Aird, as well as 2013 CWA Crime Non-Fiction Dagger winner Paul French; a bonus essay by the late great Margery Allingham about the controversial William Herbert Wallace case has also been rediscovered. With a foreword by international bestselling writer Peter James, this collection will thrill lovers of true-crime writing.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Short Stories, Crime, Mystery

288 pages, Paperback

First published April 15, 2015

About the author

Martin Edwards has been described by Richard Osman as ‘a true master of British crime writing.’ He has published twenty-three novels, which include the eight Lake District Mysteries, one of which was shortlisted for the Theakston’s Prize for best crime novel of the year and four books featuring Rachel Savernake, including the Dagger-nominated Gallows Court and Blackstone Fell, while Gallows Court and Sepulchre Street were shortlisted for the eDunnit award for best crime novel of the year. He is also the author of two multi-award-winning histories of crime fiction, The Life of Crime and The Golden Age of Murder. He has received three Daggers from the Crime Writers’ Association and two Edgars from the Mystery Writers of America and has also been nominated three times for Gold Daggers. In addition to the CWA Diamond Dagger (the highest honour in UK crime writing) he has received four other lifetime achievement awards: for his fiction, short fiction, non-fiction, and scholarship. He is consultant to the British Library’s Crime Classics, a former Chair of the CWA, and since 2015 has been President of the Detection Club.

Reviews

[Damaskcat · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like reading true crime books then you will enjoy this collection of essays. If you think you might like reading true crime then this anthology could be a good place to start. There are some well known cases - the Wallace case and the Maybrick poisoning - but there are also some very much less well known cases too.

I particularly liked Peter Lovesey's essay on the Brides in Bath case which focusses on the fate of the baths concerned. I was also intrigued by the Stanfield Hall Murders by Martin Baggoley as they took place only a couple of miles from where I lived for several years though I hadn't heard of them at the time.

Catherine Aird's tale of the missing doctor was also interesting and suggests a wide ranging conspiracy especially as the inquest was held before the post mortem! There are cases from Shanghai and Iceland as well as a chilling tale of dead babies from the Shetland Isles.

I enjoyed reading this collection and it has given me several cases I would like to read more about and one or two authors whose crime fiction I would also like to read. This is a must read for anyone interested in true crime or crime fiction.

[Deanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Several of my favourite things, true crime, history and written by crime writers. There are cases that have been talked about before and some obscure cases, but each writer seems to come at it from a new angle. As is usual some are good stories and some are not so interesting, but this maybe to do with how the story is told and if it's a favourite writer.

[JZ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointing. You would think that several of these authors could write non-fiction as well as they write fiction. Not necessarily so.
The best stories appear early on. I was quite enthusiastic, but the less well-written are deservedly placed toward the back of the book. Had I known, I would have quit.

I can see where many of these stories have been mined for the essential plots of subsequent novels, but the facts in the case are far less engaging, especially when the novelists insist on jumping all over the place in time, as if in non-fiction. They need better outlines.

[Mrs. Read · Rating 3 out of 5]

Truly Criminal is a collection of mostly well-written essays by mostly well-known English mystery writers about mostly lesser-known English murders. I found it mostly interesting, except for Allingham’s "The Compassionate Machine," which I happily reread. Twice. But then I am so hooked on that mysterious murder that I’d be a guaranteed customer for Fifty Shades of Wallace, if only someone would write it ...

[Ant Koplowitz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent anthology of true crime essays by various crime fiction authors.

[H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written and enjoyed it.

[Les · Rating 3 out of 5]

These are Nonfiction essays on historic crimes, and basically dull as dishwater. Mostly British crimes from the 19th century. I had encountered a few of these stories in other forms but few are notorious and most are rather sad.

[D.S. Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A interesting compilation of true crime that has inspired some very famous crime writers. True crime isn't usually my choice of subject, I prefer my murder mystery a little less real but it's a interesting collection and certainly gets the reader thinking about crime fiction and it's influences.

[Roger Woods · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent anthology of true crime by a wide selection of crime writers.

[Angela Reeves · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting