What do you think?
Rate this book
A History of British Serial Killing: The Definitive History of British Serial Killing 1888-2008 - by the UK's Leading Expert
In this fascinating and informative new book, Professor David Wilson tells the stories of Britain's serial killers from Jack the Ripper to the extraordinary Suffolk Murders case. David Wilson has worked as a Prison Governor and as a profiler, and has been described as the UK's leading expert on serial killers. His work has led him to meet several of the UK's deadliest killers, and build up fascinating insights into what makes a serial killer - and who they are most likely to target. A vivid narrative history and a timely call for prison and social reform, Professor Wilson's new book is a powerful and gripping investigation of Britain's serial murderers.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published October 31, 2008
125 people are currently reading
846 people want to read
About the author
David Wilson
25 books126 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
David Wilson is Professor of Criminology and founding Director of the Centre for Applied Criminology at Birmingham City University – one of the university’s “research centres of excellence”. He is the co-Editor of the prestigious Howard Journal of Criminal Justice, which is produced five times per year. Prior to taking up his academic appointment in September 1997, David was Senior Policy Advisor to the Prison Reform Trust, and between October 1983-April 1997 he worked as a Prison Governor.
David completed his PhD at Selwyn College Cambridge in 1983, and immediately joined HM Prison Service as Assistant Governor at HMP Wormwood Scrubs. He worked as a Prison Governor at a variety of establishments, including HMYOIs Huntercombe and Finnamore Wood – where at the age of 29 he was the youngest governing Governor in the country – and at HMPs Grendon and Woodhill. At HMP Grendon he ran the sex offender treatment programme, and at HMP Woodhill he designed and managed the two specialist units for the 12 most disruptive prisoners in the penal system. This experience brought him into contact with some of the most notorious criminals in the country.
David has advised on live police investigations related to a linked series of murders and has provided training to new Senior Investigating Officers who will take charge of murder inquiries.
His current research interests range from the phenomenon of British serial murder, family annihilation, hitmen and lethal violence within organised crime, to all aspects of prison history and penal reform.
His first work of fiction is The Rules of Restraint.
David Wilson is Professor of Criminology and founding Director of the Centre for Applied Criminology at Birmingham City University – one of the university’s “research centres of excellence”. He is the co-Editor of the prestigious Howard Journal of Criminal Justice, which is produced five times per year. Prior to taking up his academic appointment in September 1997, David was Senior Policy Advisor to the Prison Reform Trust, and between October 1983-April 1997 he worked as a Prison Governor.
David completed his PhD at Selwyn College Cambridge in 1983, and immediately joined HM Prison Service as Assistant Governor at HMP Wormwood Scrubs. He worked as a Prison Governor at a variety of establishments, including HMYOIs Huntercombe and Finnamore Wood – where at the age of 29 he was the youngest governing Governor in the country – and at HMPs Grendon and Woodhill. At HMP Grendon he ran the sex offender treatment programme, and at HMP Woodhill he designed and managed the two specialist units for the 12 most disruptive prisoners in the penal system. This experience brought him into contact with some of the most notorious criminals in the country.
David has advised on live police investigations related to a linked series of murders and has provided training to new Senior Investigating Officers who will take charge of murder inquiries.
His current research interests range from the phenomenon of British serial murder, family annihilation, hitmen and lethal violence within organised crime, to all aspects of prison history and penal reform.
His first work of fiction is The Rules of Restraint.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
September 22, 2021
I found this book misleading, when I brought it I thought it would be an account of British serial killers but what the author claims in the prologue is that he has set out to focus on the victims of the murders, but I don't think he actually achieves what he claimed to set out to do and didn't discuss the victims anywhere near how he claimed he would and I don't think he achieved his aim.
It's still a really interesting read, horrified me in many ways and truly shocked me in an eye opening way.
It's still a really interesting read, horrified me in many ways and truly shocked me in an eye opening way.
April 2, 2020
Interesting look at the victims and society.
A really interesting book that looks at the possible reasons and causes between society and British culture and the increase in the occurrences of serial killers. A break down by time over the last 150 years with the focus on the victims, well worth reading.
A really interesting book that looks at the possible reasons and causes between society and British culture and the increase in the occurrences of serial killers. A break down by time over the last 150 years with the focus on the victims, well worth reading.
February 25, 2023
This book is interesting in parts, but other parts not so much.
The first few chapters I felt were quite boring and uninteresting. Some of the later chapters were definitely more interesting. However, this whole book wasn't amazing.
It was very dry and fact/study heavy. It felt more like reading an academic paper or textbook than reading a book about British serial killings.
A lot of the information in this book I was already familiar with and therefore didn't gain much from this book.
Unfortunately, this book wasn't the best true crime book I've read. It took me a long time to finish it. I much prefer other more recent books this author has written.
The first few chapters I felt were quite boring and uninteresting. Some of the later chapters were definitely more interesting. However, this whole book wasn't amazing.
It was very dry and fact/study heavy. It felt more like reading an academic paper or textbook than reading a book about British serial killings.
A lot of the information in this book I was already familiar with and therefore didn't gain much from this book.
Unfortunately, this book wasn't the best true crime book I've read. It took me a long time to finish it. I much prefer other more recent books this author has written.
October 17, 2017
Excellent. Focusing on how society makes its self vulnerable to serial killers and how they get away with it, many for incredibly long periods. Really fascinating, first book in a long time which I couldn't put down. A must read.
September 21, 2021
The book title and summary is misleading in the sense of it isn't at all about the serial killers but more so the targeted victims (types; classes/gender/sexuality) and situations which potentially led to why theae murders happened, motives based on victims and environment.
Non the less this was an interesting account on serial killers within the UK of the last century. Would recommend if you would like to dip a to into the statistical information of serial killing in the UK.
Non the less this was an interesting account on serial killers within the UK of the last century. Would recommend if you would like to dip a to into the statistical information of serial killing in the UK.
August 9, 2020
Full disclosure: I would walk out of my way to avoid a book like this one! I only read it because I had to read it for my work.
And this is what I love about my work - you come across things you wouldn't ever have chosen for yourself that are really excellent pieces of analysis. I am so glad I read it.
David Wilson seems like a really sane and sensible man and he doesn't make the usual mistake of doing a medico/psychological analysis of the "mind of the killer", which frankly is somewhere I have no desire to go. Instead he looks at the victims of serial killers in the UK, sometimes as individuals and sometimes as members of a particular group or category, and how it arose that they were vulnerable to the predatory serial killers who took their lives.
I confess that my imagination is quite colourful enough, so I was glad that David Wilson shows a determination to avoid gratuitous description in gory detail. Even so, there remain some images in my head that I shall not be sorry to see fade in due course. I suppose you just cannot avoid describing some things.
So I didn't exactly enjoy this book. But I am glad that I read it because for a start it shattered a few of the assumptions I had clearly made about writers in this genre of book. An excellent read. Just maybe not one to go with the bedtime mug of cocoa!
And this is what I love about my work - you come across things you wouldn't ever have chosen for yourself that are really excellent pieces of analysis. I am so glad I read it.
David Wilson seems like a really sane and sensible man and he doesn't make the usual mistake of doing a medico/psychological analysis of the "mind of the killer", which frankly is somewhere I have no desire to go. Instead he looks at the victims of serial killers in the UK, sometimes as individuals and sometimes as members of a particular group or category, and how it arose that they were vulnerable to the predatory serial killers who took their lives.
I confess that my imagination is quite colourful enough, so I was glad that David Wilson shows a determination to avoid gratuitous description in gory detail. Even so, there remain some images in my head that I shall not be sorry to see fade in due course. I suppose you just cannot avoid describing some things.
So I didn't exactly enjoy this book. But I am glad that I read it because for a start it shattered a few of the assumptions I had clearly made about writers in this genre of book. An excellent read. Just maybe not one to go with the bedtime mug of cocoa!
November 1, 2021
David Wilson provides a very thought provoking book. He looks at the actions and the reasoning behind the murders carried out by British serial killers since the first recognised case, that of “Jack the Ripper”.
However he looks at these crimes not through the lens of the killer but of those who have been killed. He puts forward a very interesting question, that we should look at who these killers, over and over again, choose as their victims and how does society constantly fail to look after these groups, I.e. sex workers, gay men, children, “runaways and throwaways” and the elderly. Most victims come from these groups and society fails to look after them.
David Wilson sets us all a question of why do we fail them, time and time again and does that reflect on the kind of societies we live in?
However he looks at these crimes not through the lens of the killer but of those who have been killed. He puts forward a very interesting question, that we should look at who these killers, over and over again, choose as their victims and how does society constantly fail to look after these groups, I.e. sex workers, gay men, children, “runaways and throwaways” and the elderly. Most victims come from these groups and society fails to look after them.
David Wilson sets us all a question of why do we fail them, time and time again and does that reflect on the kind of societies we live in?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2023
Interesting topic but quite boring to read...
October 18, 2024
Good way of looking into serial killing that isn’t killer focused. Made me consider societal impacts on crime and types of criminal activity.
June 26, 2022
A great book on how society can prevent serial killers although David seems to have missed one of the main categories of those targeted- the disabled.
November 2, 2022
This book is written by Professor David Wilson, he is a Criminologist and a former prison guard/prison warden, he is a interesting person & I like documentaries he makes, books he writes.
So far in his book, he is disregarding some types of victim groups, people that are addicted to drugs & alcohol, or people that are into B.D.S.M and not very really experienced.
Unfortunately there are a lot of men in the B.D.S.M community that are a misogynist, sexual narcissist, emotional sadist, sexual sadist and they use their interest in B.D.S.M to disguise their real intentions which is to exploit, emotional/verbally manipulate, coerce, control and abuse women, children, animals in various ways.
I wish Criminologists would consider looking into this aspect of serial killers, domestic violence/abuse as a reason, or in the opinion of the misogynist, sexual sadist, sexual narcissist they are entitled or justified to abuse women, animals & children.
Obviously not all men are like this, but a lot of them are in the B.D.S.M community unfortunately and they target women like me, due to being a little bit naive, too trusting of men sometimes due to how charming, manipulative and coercive they are.
Not being experienced in-person with B.D.S.M, being shy, sexually repressed are all reasons why a predatory sexual sadist, sexual narcissist, or emotional sadist would target any man or woman that is a sensitive person, vulnerable in some way, easier to manipulative, coerce, control, abuse in various ways.
It's creepy to me that there were 4 active serial killers in England a year before I was born (in 1987) Ted Bundy was executed two years after I was born in 1989 as well.
Serial killers were active in various places in the era I was born in, so I feel like it was my destiny to be a true crime fan.
I don't have Hybristophilia, i'm not a Hybristophile I don't idolize, romanticise, sexualize or fetishize serial killers like some serial killer "fans/groupies do"
It's a sick, disturbing paraphilia, or to some people it's a fetish which is absolutely disgusting, since real people were tortured, mutilated, sexually assaulted and mercilessly murdered.
The victims of crime/serial killers that are living, or dead should be remembered, treated with respect, they didn't deserve what happened to them, or the way they were treated.
The surviving victims of crimes have the right to privacy, due to going through a traumatic experience, which they survived, but now they are forever scarred, mutilated, traumatized by what they have experienced.
It must be therapeutic but painful to talk about what they have experienced, it's sad that people have PTSD due to what they have endured/experienced due to encountering a serial killer.
Knowing someone that is a murderer is surreal, I know from my own experience that it doesn't feel real, even though it happened, I'll never forget my murderous paranoid, schizophrenic teacher that murdered his mother.
Something that in my opinion, that is not considered is that a minority of people that are either poor or unemployed could become a vigilante/serial killer as a act of revenge for being marginalised, living on the "fringes of society"
Being poor & unemployed is not by choice for a lot of people and it includes myself.
In my opinion a person that is poor, unemployed, that has been rejected by society, that isn't accepted/respected for who they are as a person, would be justifiably enraged, bitter, angry about the way they have been unfairly treated in a way that wasn't deserved or justified & for no apparent reason their whole life, just because they are poor.
I've never understood why the amount of money a person does or doesn't have relates to their
self-worth as a person or worthiness of being accepted/respected as a person, being worthy of being someone's friend or girlfriend just solely based on your appearance, how much money you have.
Why does money relate to a person's self-worth, what does that have to do with if a person or group of people will accept you/respect you as a person, or want to get to know you as a person & for being your genuine, authentic self?
People that are poor & unemployed are judged, shamed, ridiculed, vilified, demonized, they are always judged in a inaccurate, incorrect, unfair, not deserved or justified way, due to the opinion, perception, attitude society has in general of the poor and unemployed.
For clarification not everyone that is poor, unemployed is a sex worker, a criminal scumbag, that creates and peddles drugs to kids/people in general, they are involved in gang activity or committing crimes either. Not all poor, unemployed people are addicted to drugs and alcohol either. It's about time, that society changes the perception, attitude, mentality that they have towards the poor, unemployed, not all poor and unemployed people are "lazy and don't want to have a job" and anyone that states this is a narcissist, it disgusts me.
I'm poor, currently unfortunately unemployed but I've had several jobs, I don't have perfect health, i'm not a criminal I obey the law, i'm not addicted to drugs, alcohol, i'm not a sex worker either.
I'm not involved in any criminal activity, or gang related activity either.
I struggle to get a job due to poverty, lack of varied experience, & maybe due to lack of some qualifications, not all people that are poor, unemployed are the same and it's about time that society changes how they perceive the poor, the unemployed because we are the most at risk, of developing addictions (food addiction, drug/alcohol addiction, self-harm/self-mutilation, depression/anxiety, suicidal ideation, murder, domestic violence & abuse)
We are the most likely to be a victim of crime(s) such as sexual assault, murder, because people assume that we are not likely to be missed, or cared about by anyone, just due to our circumstances which is outside of the control of anyone that is poor, unemployed and struggling to make ends meet, i'm not poor, unemployed by choice, it's an existence more than a life, it's depressing, very difficult. A lot more respect, compassion, should be shown to the poor, unemployed, marginalised, ignored minority of people in society. You don't know the circumstances of individual people that are poor, unemployed so you have no right to judge people or to have the narcissistic expectation/entitlement to expect people that are poor/unemployed to justify their existence, the way they live their life, or what people have to do to survive, to make ends meet.
You have no right to unfairly, inaccurately, judge or shame anyone especially just because they are poor, unemployed.
Your opinion, perception, mentality and attitude towards the poor, unemployed is not deserved, justified, not wanted/needed, it's inaccurate/incorrect, accusatory, offensive, insulting, condescending and disgusting dueto the entitlement people feel due to having more money that people in the most deprived areas of England.
People feel superior & a sense of narcissistic, classist, condescending, entitlement to judge, poor shame, bully people for their circumstances, poverty, unemployment when for a lot of people their circumstances are outside of their control.
So unfortunately they are often ignored, hated, shamed, labelled/treated like they are a scumbag or criminal, when that only applies to a minority of people, it doesn't apply to everyone that is poor or unemployed.
People should be judged morally, ethically, psychologically, based on their their mentality, personality & how they treat people/animals or based on their opinion, perception of themselves & society in general, instead of judging, shaming, bullying people for their appearance, for being poor & unemployed. Judged, shamed, bullied for not being perfect, in every conceivable way, then your rejected, discarded, forgotten about.
People in general that are poor & unemployed are a lot more likely to become a vigilante/serial killer due to being marginalised, not accepted for being their genuine, authentic self, not being respected, taken seriously, being ignored, not seen or heard just because they are poor, unemployed, "a have not"
People are becoming desperate, due to inflation, the rise in the cost of food and especially during the pandemic lockdown, i'm surprised that weren't any murders, or crimes committed during the pandemic lockdown.
Now there are security tags on particular food to prevent theft, or sometimes people look the other way when someone is sadly desperate enough to steal food, for themselves or their family.
So far in his book, he is disregarding some types of victim groups, people that are addicted to drugs & alcohol, or people that are into B.D.S.M and not very really experienced.
Unfortunately there are a lot of men in the B.D.S.M community that are a misogynist, sexual narcissist, emotional sadist, sexual sadist and they use their interest in B.D.S.M to disguise their real intentions which is to exploit, emotional/verbally manipulate, coerce, control and abuse women, children, animals in various ways.
I wish Criminologists would consider looking into this aspect of serial killers, domestic violence/abuse as a reason, or in the opinion of the misogynist, sexual sadist, sexual narcissist they are entitled or justified to abuse women, animals & children.
Obviously not all men are like this, but a lot of them are in the B.D.S.M community unfortunately and they target women like me, due to being a little bit naive, too trusting of men sometimes due to how charming, manipulative and coercive they are.
Not being experienced in-person with B.D.S.M, being shy, sexually repressed are all reasons why a predatory sexual sadist, sexual narcissist, or emotional sadist would target any man or woman that is a sensitive person, vulnerable in some way, easier to manipulative, coerce, control, abuse in various ways.
It's creepy to me that there were 4 active serial killers in England a year before I was born (in 1987) Ted Bundy was executed two years after I was born in 1989 as well.
Serial killers were active in various places in the era I was born in, so I feel like it was my destiny to be a true crime fan.
I don't have Hybristophilia, i'm not a Hybristophile I don't idolize, romanticise, sexualize or fetishize serial killers like some serial killer "fans/groupies do"
It's a sick, disturbing paraphilia, or to some people it's a fetish which is absolutely disgusting, since real people were tortured, mutilated, sexually assaulted and mercilessly murdered.
The victims of crime/serial killers that are living, or dead should be remembered, treated with respect, they didn't deserve what happened to them, or the way they were treated.
The surviving victims of crimes have the right to privacy, due to going through a traumatic experience, which they survived, but now they are forever scarred, mutilated, traumatized by what they have experienced.
It must be therapeutic but painful to talk about what they have experienced, it's sad that people have PTSD due to what they have endured/experienced due to encountering a serial killer.
Knowing someone that is a murderer is surreal, I know from my own experience that it doesn't feel real, even though it happened, I'll never forget my murderous paranoid, schizophrenic teacher that murdered his mother.
Something that in my opinion, that is not considered is that a minority of people that are either poor or unemployed could become a vigilante/serial killer as a act of revenge for being marginalised, living on the "fringes of society"
Being poor & unemployed is not by choice for a lot of people and it includes myself.
In my opinion a person that is poor, unemployed, that has been rejected by society, that isn't accepted/respected for who they are as a person, would be justifiably enraged, bitter, angry about the way they have been unfairly treated in a way that wasn't deserved or justified & for no apparent reason their whole life, just because they are poor.
I've never understood why the amount of money a person does or doesn't have relates to their
self-worth as a person or worthiness of being accepted/respected as a person, being worthy of being someone's friend or girlfriend just solely based on your appearance, how much money you have.
Why does money relate to a person's self-worth, what does that have to do with if a person or group of people will accept you/respect you as a person, or want to get to know you as a person & for being your genuine, authentic self?
People that are poor & unemployed are judged, shamed, ridiculed, vilified, demonized, they are always judged in a inaccurate, incorrect, unfair, not deserved or justified way, due to the opinion, perception, attitude society has in general of the poor and unemployed.
For clarification not everyone that is poor, unemployed is a sex worker, a criminal scumbag, that creates and peddles drugs to kids/people in general, they are involved in gang activity or committing crimes either. Not all poor, unemployed people are addicted to drugs and alcohol either. It's about time, that society changes the perception, attitude, mentality that they have towards the poor, unemployed, not all poor and unemployed people are "lazy and don't want to have a job" and anyone that states this is a narcissist, it disgusts me.
I'm poor, currently unfortunately unemployed but I've had several jobs, I don't have perfect health, i'm not a criminal I obey the law, i'm not addicted to drugs, alcohol, i'm not a sex worker either.
I'm not involved in any criminal activity, or gang related activity either.
I struggle to get a job due to poverty, lack of varied experience, & maybe due to lack of some qualifications, not all people that are poor, unemployed are the same and it's about time that society changes how they perceive the poor, the unemployed because we are the most at risk, of developing addictions (food addiction, drug/alcohol addiction, self-harm/self-mutilation, depression/anxiety, suicidal ideation, murder, domestic violence & abuse)
We are the most likely to be a victim of crime(s) such as sexual assault, murder, because people assume that we are not likely to be missed, or cared about by anyone, just due to our circumstances which is outside of the control of anyone that is poor, unemployed and struggling to make ends meet, i'm not poor, unemployed by choice, it's an existence more than a life, it's depressing, very difficult. A lot more respect, compassion, should be shown to the poor, unemployed, marginalised, ignored minority of people in society. You don't know the circumstances of individual people that are poor, unemployed so you have no right to judge people or to have the narcissistic expectation/entitlement to expect people that are poor/unemployed to justify their existence, the way they live their life, or what people have to do to survive, to make ends meet.
You have no right to unfairly, inaccurately, judge or shame anyone especially just because they are poor, unemployed.
Your opinion, perception, mentality and attitude towards the poor, unemployed is not deserved, justified, not wanted/needed, it's inaccurate/incorrect, accusatory, offensive, insulting, condescending and disgusting dueto the entitlement people feel due to having more money that people in the most deprived areas of England.
People feel superior & a sense of narcissistic, classist, condescending, entitlement to judge, poor shame, bully people for their circumstances, poverty, unemployment when for a lot of people their circumstances are outside of their control.
So unfortunately they are often ignored, hated, shamed, labelled/treated like they are a scumbag or criminal, when that only applies to a minority of people, it doesn't apply to everyone that is poor or unemployed.
People should be judged morally, ethically, psychologically, based on their their mentality, personality & how they treat people/animals or based on their opinion, perception of themselves & society in general, instead of judging, shaming, bullying people for their appearance, for being poor & unemployed. Judged, shamed, bullied for not being perfect, in every conceivable way, then your rejected, discarded, forgotten about.
People in general that are poor & unemployed are a lot more likely to become a vigilante/serial killer due to being marginalised, not accepted for being their genuine, authentic self, not being respected, taken seriously, being ignored, not seen or heard just because they are poor, unemployed, "a have not"
People are becoming desperate, due to inflation, the rise in the cost of food and especially during the pandemic lockdown, i'm surprised that weren't any murders, or crimes committed during the pandemic lockdown.
Now there are security tags on particular food to prevent theft, or sometimes people look the other way when someone is sadly desperate enough to steal food, for themselves or their family.
April 5, 2017
David Wilsonin "History of British Serial Killing" (Sphere, 2011) tarttui mukaan vähän niin kuin heräteostoksena lontoolaisesta kirjakaupasta - osittain ainakin siitä syystä, että kirjassa käsiteltiin Viiltäjä-Jackin lisäksi myös 1960-luvun ns. nummimurhia, joita myös Stuart Maconie sivusi vähän aiemmin lukemassani "Pies and Prejudice : in Search of North" -kirjassa.
Sarjamurhaajista ja muista tosielämän rikoksista lukeminen oikeastaan aiheuttaa lievää syyllisyyttä. Miksi minä tämmöistä oikeastaan luen? Mikä näissä kauheuksissa itse asiassa kiehtoo ja kiinnostaa?
Wilson käsittelee kirjassaan tunnetuimpia englantilaisia sarjamurhatapauksia Viiltäjä-Jackin arvoituksesta aina vuoteen 1998 saakka, jolloin yli 200 ihmistä surmannut lääkäri Harold Shipman saatiin viimein oikeuden eteen.
Käsittelytapa ei kuitenkaan ole sieltä sensaatiomaisimmasta tai shokeeraavimmasta päästä, vaikka melko makaabereista tapahtumista onkin kyse. Englannin johtaviin kriminologeihin kuuluva ja vankilanjohtajana pitkään työskennellyt kirjailija keskittyy teoksessaan murhamiesten (ja muutaman naisenkin) sijasta heidän uhreihinsa ja pohdiskelee sitä, mitkä ihmisryhmät yleisesti ottaen joutuvat henkirikosten uhreiksi ja millaisina aikakausina sarjamurhaajia on esiintynyt.
Wilsonin mukaan uhreiksi ajautuvat yleensä ja joilla ei ole lain tai yhteiskunnan tarjoamaa suojaa tai hyväksyntää (homoseksuaalit, naiset, prostituoidut, vanhukset, lapset ja niin edelleen). Lisäksi vallitsevan yhteiskunnan asenteet ja arvot vaikuttavat rikostilastoihin.
Sarjamurhaajista ja muista tosielämän rikoksista lukeminen oikeastaan aiheuttaa lievää syyllisyyttä. Miksi minä tämmöistä oikeastaan luen? Mikä näissä kauheuksissa itse asiassa kiehtoo ja kiinnostaa?
Wilson käsittelee kirjassaan tunnetuimpia englantilaisia sarjamurhatapauksia Viiltäjä-Jackin arvoituksesta aina vuoteen 1998 saakka, jolloin yli 200 ihmistä surmannut lääkäri Harold Shipman saatiin viimein oikeuden eteen.
Käsittelytapa ei kuitenkaan ole sieltä sensaatiomaisimmasta tai shokeeraavimmasta päästä, vaikka melko makaabereista tapahtumista onkin kyse. Englannin johtaviin kriminologeihin kuuluva ja vankilanjohtajana pitkään työskennellyt kirjailija keskittyy teoksessaan murhamiesten (ja muutaman naisenkin) sijasta heidän uhreihinsa ja pohdiskelee sitä, mitkä ihmisryhmät yleisesti ottaen joutuvat henkirikosten uhreiksi ja millaisina aikakausina sarjamurhaajia on esiintynyt.
Wilsonin mukaan uhreiksi ajautuvat yleensä ja joilla ei ole lain tai yhteiskunnan tarjoamaa suojaa tai hyväksyntää (homoseksuaalit, naiset, prostituoidut, vanhukset, lapset ja niin edelleen). Lisäksi vallitsevan yhteiskunnan asenteet ja arvot vaikuttavat rikostilastoihin.
May 11, 2015
This is not the best written or most organised book in the world, but this guys knows his stuff, his history and his sources. The cover put me off, I was expecting another skimmer analysis of the most prolific killers, with limited insights and the usual 'facts'. But Wilson gives a very interesting perspective on serial murder by focusing on victims: who are the victims of these crimes and what were their social settings - what were the collection of circumstances that allowed them to become victims.
Instead of thinking of the Cromwell St murders as 'the ones committed by the sexually deviant married couple' they become the ones that targeted vulnerable runaways and throwaways.. Similarly with Sutcliffe and prostitutes or Shipman and the elderly.
He doesn't detract from the fact that of course these people committing serial murders are culpable and in many cases psychopathic; but he adds the additional dimension of looking at what elements of society (be it economic, familial, professional, political) enable the crimes to begin and then continue undetected.
I'll be looking the author up and referring to his excellent list of sources.
Instead of thinking of the Cromwell St murders as 'the ones committed by the sexually deviant married couple' they become the ones that targeted vulnerable runaways and throwaways.. Similarly with Sutcliffe and prostitutes or Shipman and the elderly.
He doesn't detract from the fact that of course these people committing serial murders are culpable and in many cases psychopathic; but he adds the additional dimension of looking at what elements of society (be it economic, familial, professional, political) enable the crimes to begin and then continue undetected.
I'll be looking the author up and referring to his excellent list of sources.
October 7, 2021
I wanted to enjoy this book more than I did.
A History Of British Serial Killing focused more on the victims and situations surrounding the crimes such as why certain types of victims (prostitutes, gays, children) were targeted as opposed to the normal style of true crime book which focuses on the actual serial killer and murders themselves.
Great book if you like the factual stuff but I’ll be honest...I really like the sinister side. I wanna know how the crimes went down.
Definitely and audience out there for this but sadly it wasn’t for me
A History Of British Serial Killing focused more on the victims and situations surrounding the crimes such as why certain types of victims (prostitutes, gays, children) were targeted as opposed to the normal style of true crime book which focuses on the actual serial killer and murders themselves.
Great book if you like the factual stuff but I’ll be honest...I really like the sinister side. I wanna know how the crimes went down.
Definitely and audience out there for this but sadly it wasn’t for me
March 25, 2016
Wilson looks at British society in the periods when serial killers were most prolific to try and assess what made the victims so vulnerable to being murdered. He writes about specific cases and about the types of people most often targeted by serial killers. I didn't agree with some of his points but this was an interesting book in the true crime oeuvre.
August 9, 2021
A fantastic update of a previously written book. I'm not sure whether it's a smart move to release with whatever small changes that have been made here or whether it would have made more sense to write a new book - perhaps one that took a crime from each country of the author's choice for each chapter and analysed the way the murder and murderer behaved from a cultural standpoint to give readers an idea of the differences between, say, the US and Germany, or the UK and India, that kind of thing would really grasp my imagination - maybe I should try it, but I only have a degree in Criminology, two decades old, rather than the experience and exposure of Wilson... but, oh, I'd love to write that... if only I could afford to get that MA and PhD studied... too old now, obviously, but what a PhD a worldwide comparison would make!
Anyway, enough of unfulfilled dreams! After all, there are two tragedies in life, the first being to never achieve your dreams. The second, to achieve them... so I'd rather the first tragedy personally! I'll leave the second to people who want to be known and feted!
I'm not criticising when I say about the new rather than the old, there's always room for an update on any theory (after all, time changes all theories with further information), and I didn't read the first edition in 2009 anyway, so it's new to me, but I've read these updated books before, and it seems the author often simply tags a little on the end of each chapter and a new preface, leaving the rest 'as is'.
I enjoyed this, it gave me a lot to think about. When looking at serial killers, we do often sacrifice the victims in order to study the killer, they seem to get forgotten many a time. I have seen many documentaries and many books where they're not, however, so it's not universal. Many books and docs about Bundy, for instance, do talk about victims and often the credits roll with pictures and names of those women unfortunate enough to help a disabled man. Perhaps that says more about him than society - we want to have others to help us when we need it, strangers or not, and we want to help others when we can. Yet it's people like that who make everyone think twice about being a 'good neighbour'...
I enjoyed this book, and the victims of such men should always be remembered, not as cautionary tales, but by their attributes in life and their families' remembrances.
Thanks for writing this book, however, I did enjoy reading it. I even missed the Olympic closing ceremony for it... not that I'd have watched that anyway, but I did miss the last two Brit Golds, and I still don't mind!
Anyway, enough of unfulfilled dreams! After all, there are two tragedies in life, the first being to never achieve your dreams. The second, to achieve them... so I'd rather the first tragedy personally! I'll leave the second to people who want to be known and feted!
I'm not criticising when I say about the new rather than the old, there's always room for an update on any theory (after all, time changes all theories with further information), and I didn't read the first edition in 2009 anyway, so it's new to me, but I've read these updated books before, and it seems the author often simply tags a little on the end of each chapter and a new preface, leaving the rest 'as is'.
I enjoyed this, it gave me a lot to think about. When looking at serial killers, we do often sacrifice the victims in order to study the killer, they seem to get forgotten many a time. I have seen many documentaries and many books where they're not, however, so it's not universal. Many books and docs about Bundy, for instance, do talk about victims and often the credits roll with pictures and names of those women unfortunate enough to help a disabled man. Perhaps that says more about him than society - we want to have others to help us when we need it, strangers or not, and we want to help others when we can. Yet it's people like that who make everyone think twice about being a 'good neighbour'...
I enjoyed this book, and the victims of such men should always be remembered, not as cautionary tales, but by their attributes in life and their families' remembrances.
Thanks for writing this book, however, I did enjoy reading it. I even missed the Olympic closing ceremony for it... not that I'd have watched that anyway, but I did miss the last two Brit Golds, and I still don't mind!
February 15, 2021
There’s a strong central premise to this book. The author’s view is that you should look at the victims of serial killing as a way to understand serial killers rather than look at the serial killers themselves.
His point seems to be that it’s the most vulnerable to tend to be prey to serial killers. When society is at its most collaborative and looks after the vulnerable, there’s less serial killing than when society is at its most selfish.
So, he contrasts the 15 to 20 year gap between the mid 1920s and mid 1940s when there were no recorded serial killers in the UK, with 1986 when at the height of Thatcherism, there was the highest amount of recorded serial killing.
While this is certainly thought-provoking and makes the book worth reading, there are also some flaws with the book.
So, he doesn’t fully deliver on his promise to focus on the victims rather than the killers. The victims merge into “groups” based on their similarities - prostitutes, young people leaving home, gay men, children, old people - and you don’t actually get too many of the more individual stories. Some victims barely get a paragraph. This is maybe because there’s much less information available about the victims than about the killers, but it didn’t help the book live up to the main idea of focusing on the victims.
At the start, he says he won’t focus on the killers, but then devotes many pages to the stories of the killers. So you get quite a lot of detail on the police investigations and trials of notorious killers like Peter Sutcliffe, Fred West and Harold Shipman, for example. And you find yourself thinking, the killers are getting more words on the page than the victims, the opposite of what he sets out at the start.
The tone / writing style is also a bit stuffy and long-winded. He spends quite lot of time dismissing the more sensationalist style of writing about serial killers, which is a fine point to make. But, he feels the need to make the same point over and over again, so it comes across a bit curmudgeonly at times.
He’s certainly knowledgeable and it’s an interesting read, but not one I’d rush to read again.
His point seems to be that it’s the most vulnerable to tend to be prey to serial killers. When society is at its most collaborative and looks after the vulnerable, there’s less serial killing than when society is at its most selfish.
So, he contrasts the 15 to 20 year gap between the mid 1920s and mid 1940s when there were no recorded serial killers in the UK, with 1986 when at the height of Thatcherism, there was the highest amount of recorded serial killing.
While this is certainly thought-provoking and makes the book worth reading, there are also some flaws with the book.
So, he doesn’t fully deliver on his promise to focus on the victims rather than the killers. The victims merge into “groups” based on their similarities - prostitutes, young people leaving home, gay men, children, old people - and you don’t actually get too many of the more individual stories. Some victims barely get a paragraph. This is maybe because there’s much less information available about the victims than about the killers, but it didn’t help the book live up to the main idea of focusing on the victims.
At the start, he says he won’t focus on the killers, but then devotes many pages to the stories of the killers. So you get quite a lot of detail on the police investigations and trials of notorious killers like Peter Sutcliffe, Fred West and Harold Shipman, for example. And you find yourself thinking, the killers are getting more words on the page than the victims, the opposite of what he sets out at the start.
The tone / writing style is also a bit stuffy and long-winded. He spends quite lot of time dismissing the more sensationalist style of writing about serial killers, which is a fine point to make. But, he feels the need to make the same point over and over again, so it comes across a bit curmudgeonly at times.
He’s certainly knowledgeable and it’s an interesting read, but not one I’d rush to read again.
March 10, 2021
Most books about serial murder focus on the murderer and not the victims. They write biographies of the killers and try to delve into their minds to understand why they kill but this book tries to avoid that.
It’s quite refreshing to read a true crime book that is less focused on all the gory details and more focused on exploring the social issues that allow serial killers to exist.
Wilson looks at the victims of British serial killers to see how far our society is responsible for placing these victims in the line of serial killers. The book is divided based on the main victim demographics with killers looked at by victim-type rather than chronologically.
The victims these chapters look at are: women (especially sex workers), homosexuals, children and runaways, the elderly.
While it does seem that Harold Shipman skews the statistics and undermines the points made, it is interesting to delve into how marginalising vulnerable groups leads to further vulnerability and times of greater social inequality see increases in serial killer activity.
There’s also some excellent critique of police forces and their corruption and bias.
There are still some very disturbing cases brought up so it’s not all academic and should still satisfy the morbidly curious but no diving into the killer’s past. Instead we see how they made use of society’s neglect.
Wilson also points out a lot of suggested reading for those interested in the crime.
Really pleased to have read this and I’ve learned a lot from it.
It’s quite refreshing to read a true crime book that is less focused on all the gory details and more focused on exploring the social issues that allow serial killers to exist.
Wilson looks at the victims of British serial killers to see how far our society is responsible for placing these victims in the line of serial killers. The book is divided based on the main victim demographics with killers looked at by victim-type rather than chronologically.
The victims these chapters look at are: women (especially sex workers), homosexuals, children and runaways, the elderly.
While it does seem that Harold Shipman skews the statistics and undermines the points made, it is interesting to delve into how marginalising vulnerable groups leads to further vulnerability and times of greater social inequality see increases in serial killer activity.
There’s also some excellent critique of police forces and their corruption and bias.
There are still some very disturbing cases brought up so it’s not all academic and should still satisfy the morbidly curious but no diving into the killer’s past. Instead we see how they made use of society’s neglect.
Wilson also points out a lot of suggested reading for those interested in the crime.
Really pleased to have read this and I’ve learned a lot from it.
November 26, 2020
This is very interesting, it is not just a compendium of serial killers, but looks at the victims of serial killers to explore why serial killers attack certain types of people and what society can do to help these groups to stop them from being victims of serial killers. This is an interesting angle and Wilson wants to get away from seeing serial killers and just evil people and wants to look at how social structures and cultural values can aid a serial killer in getting away with multiple killings. I don’t think I completely agree with all of his arguments, there are some serial killers in this book that Wilson admits are exceptions such as Haigh, in the case of Peter Sutcliffe it is well known that he didn’t only attack sex workers and that he knew some of his victims were not sex workers. Wilson tries to get around this by saying society did not value women in general which I find hard to believe especially as he also points out the amount of time the police spent trying to solve the crimes and the outcry when Josephine Whittaker was murdered. Also Wilson leaves out some killers like Bellfield who do not fit the argument and some of the victims of the Wests who do not fit the argument. Overall I found this to be fascinating and well researched and very readable and it has a good bibliography of further reading.
December 28, 2024
I've read a few of David Wilson's books and have found them to be highly fascinating, unfortunately I didn't feel the same with this one.
At the start it states that instead of giving time to the serial killers themselves, the author would focus on the victims as they tend to be forgotten about. However the book focuses mainly on the killers themselves and the types of victims they prey on which is the elderly, women, sex workers, children and gay men. There are some cases discussed which I wasn't aware of but there were lots that I did know about of which there was nothing new to discover that hasn't already been made available to the public. There are also lots of quotes from professionals in the field as well as from other books.
In some ways I felt a little cheated of what was promised at the start of the book although the title is correct that it is a book on the history serial killers in the UK. Mr Wilson doesn't go into any great details of the psychology behind the killings focusing more on how they managed to get away with it for so long and how they lured their victims in. It is a still an interesting read but sadly didn't live up to my expectations.
At the start it states that instead of giving time to the serial killers themselves, the author would focus on the victims as they tend to be forgotten about. However the book focuses mainly on the killers themselves and the types of victims they prey on which is the elderly, women, sex workers, children and gay men. There are some cases discussed which I wasn't aware of but there were lots that I did know about of which there was nothing new to discover that hasn't already been made available to the public. There are also lots of quotes from professionals in the field as well as from other books.
In some ways I felt a little cheated of what was promised at the start of the book although the title is correct that it is a book on the history serial killers in the UK. Mr Wilson doesn't go into any great details of the psychology behind the killings focusing more on how they managed to get away with it for so long and how they lured their victims in. It is a still an interesting read but sadly didn't live up to my expectations.
April 13, 2023
Absolutely fascinating criminological analysis of serial murder in Britain, exploring the multi-layered factors that contribute not only to the triggers that lead someone to commit multiple murders, but also how it becomes possible.
David Wilson is the UK's foremost criminologist, and also a respected academic. In this book, he consciously analyses the structural mechanisms that facilitate serial killers, taking us beyond the expected medico-psychological approach. Whilst it is true that many murderers have been diagnosed with psychiatric conditions, there are also very many that haven't. Wilson is not claiming that extreme mental health problems don't don't play a part in the crimes of the murderers of those who have them, but looks at what additional external conditions must happen to enable such atrocities, particularly when they happen in 'safe' environments. He also conducts a meticulous analysis of when they occur in terms of their historical context, police investigative methodology and practice, and the many other structural factors that contribute to the body count.
David Wilson is the UK's foremost criminologist, and also a respected academic. In this book, he consciously analyses the structural mechanisms that facilitate serial killers, taking us beyond the expected medico-psychological approach. Whilst it is true that many murderers have been diagnosed with psychiatric conditions, there are also very many that haven't. Wilson is not claiming that extreme mental health problems don't don't play a part in the crimes of the murderers of those who have them, but looks at what additional external conditions must happen to enable such atrocities, particularly when they happen in 'safe' environments. He also conducts a meticulous analysis of when they occur in terms of their historical context, police investigative methodology and practice, and the many other structural factors that contribute to the body count.
June 6, 2022
I found this book rather misleading for a few reasons:
1. The title suggests the book is about serial killers, but the author repeatedly (and I mean really carries on until it gets on your nerves) states it focuses on victims rather the killers themselves.
2. Which would be fine, except I don't personally feel it focuses on the victims, other than grouping them into categories. I would have really enjoyed a deeper dive into the history of all the victims, instead of a glance over of a few.
He tries to give context to the killings from a societal point of view, but in all honesty I don't feel like the book has achieved what the author sets out to do. These bits of analysis are weak and fall flat - again, a deeper dive into this would have been interesting but not enough of the book was dedicated to this analysis.
I feel like the book had no real substance which is truly a shame as it's a great concept.
1. The title suggests the book is about serial killers, but the author repeatedly (and I mean really carries on until it gets on your nerves) states it focuses on victims rather the killers themselves.
2. Which would be fine, except I don't personally feel it focuses on the victims, other than grouping them into categories. I would have really enjoyed a deeper dive into the history of all the victims, instead of a glance over of a few.
He tries to give context to the killings from a societal point of view, but in all honesty I don't feel like the book has achieved what the author sets out to do. These bits of analysis are weak and fall flat - again, a deeper dive into this would have been interesting but not enough of the book was dedicated to this analysis.
I feel like the book had no real substance which is truly a shame as it's a great concept.
August 16, 2025
Having read some of the other online reviews of this books, I wasn't expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. But I found the author's arguments surprisingly compelling and his expertise both as a prison governer and in the field of criminology make him the perfect narrator for this study of the last 120 years of British serial killing. Yes, this book is written in a rather dry and academic style for the most part, feeling like a thesis which has been transformed into a non-fiction work, but I did enjoy the author's fresh statistical focus on the victims of serial killing rather than more well-worn biographies of the killers themselves. The arguments he makes about the killers going after easy targets - those who have been let down in various ways by the failings of society - are logical and clearly-defined, and as such this is an interesting work.
January 8, 2025
2.5⭐️
pros ✅
- interesting to define the difference between murder and serial killing and how the targets for these two crimes tend to be complete opposites (eg men are more likely to be murdered, women are more likely to be victims of serial killing)
- obviously horrible but interesting
- i learnt stuff! for example, i didn’t know about Beverley Allitt, who is local to me at home (Grantham-based serial killer) and is a grimly obvious predecessor to Lucy Letby
- liked that it was focused on the victims rather than the glorification and glamourising of the serial killers
cons ❌
- occasionally quite slow/hard work to get through
- felt like a pretty academic one for my small brain
- bit of a gear change from the last book!
- kind of wish he had ordered it strictly chronologically rather than by theme
pros ✅
- interesting to define the difference between murder and serial killing and how the targets for these two crimes tend to be complete opposites (eg men are more likely to be murdered, women are more likely to be victims of serial killing)
- obviously horrible but interesting
- i learnt stuff! for example, i didn’t know about Beverley Allitt, who is local to me at home (Grantham-based serial killer) and is a grimly obvious predecessor to Lucy Letby
- liked that it was focused on the victims rather than the glorification and glamourising of the serial killers
cons ❌
- occasionally quite slow/hard work to get through
- felt like a pretty academic one for my small brain
- bit of a gear change from the last book!
- kind of wish he had ordered it strictly chronologically rather than by theme
July 18, 2022
After reading The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold, I have altered my reading concerning serial killers to their victims, as they always get overlooked, pigeon-holed and dismissed by the press and some historians.
David Wilson has had my admiration as a specialist in these serial killers, so he did not sugarcoat their detestable crimes. Although the book planned to focus on the victims, as he states, due to their status (beneath the everyday capital class), there wasn't as much in-depth history of them before their death.
Very informative.
David Wilson has had my admiration as a specialist in these serial killers, so he did not sugarcoat their detestable crimes. Although the book planned to focus on the victims, as he states, due to their status (beneath the everyday capital class), there wasn't as much in-depth history of them before their death.
Very informative.
April 24, 2020
Fascinating. Includes a lot of information I never knew, like Jack the Ripper was seen by two people who had good, matching, strong identifications and it is very likely the killer was identified and it is known what happened to him. Which makes a nonsense of all these outlandish theories that have arisen. Also interesting details of other famous cases that I had never heard before. His analysis and social examination of serial killing makes a lot of sense and is very interesting. Would have been a 4.5 but parts of the book are poorly edited and you get un-needed repetition.
November 1, 2020
The author has written this book clearly introducing the reader to a new perspective on trying to understand what creates / aids a serial killer in their endeavours. He achieves this by introducing to the reader the ways in which society possibly helps to create vulnerable groups that are more accessible to serial killers. I do not personally agree with all of the author’s views but it is an interesting, thought provoking read that does not revolve around and increase the notoriety of the actual murderers.
Certainly worth a read.
Certainly worth a read.
January 30, 2021
This is a very interesting study of the victims of serial killers as opposed to the study of the serial killers themselves; after all there is a wealth of information about serial killers as society seems to captivated and fascinated by them.
It discusses in detail how vulnerable groups of people throughout British history so easily fell victim to these killers, mainly due to social standing, age or even profession.
It's a very thought provoking read, I'm loath to say enjoyable (due to the content) but it's an interesting read none the less.
It discusses in detail how vulnerable groups of people throughout British history so easily fell victim to these killers, mainly due to social standing, age or even profession.
It's a very thought provoking read, I'm loath to say enjoyable (due to the content) but it's an interesting read none the less.
May 12, 2022
At the start of thr book, thr author does a good job of talking about the victims of the serial killers but as the book goes on, he steadily lacks details about the victims. This is an issue for me as in the introduction to the book, he states he wishes to focus on the victims and why they are vulnerable. While he does the latter explaining why certain groups are victimised and more vulnerable, the neglect of who these specific victims were becomes apparent. still a good read but wished a higher focus was given on the victims towards the end.
January 7, 2017
I'm a big fan of Professor David Wilson and like the way he looks at these sort of subjects from a different angle. this book was fascinating. By focusing on the victims and trying to understand how and why certain sections of society have become victims of serial killers he has brought something very different to the table.
I've found myself telling people about his thoughts for weeks now.
Brilliant
I've found myself telling people about his thoughts for weeks now.
Brilliant
Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews