James H. Hodge

I actually own the Penguin reprint of this book; a pity in a way they went to this trouble, since this volume is one of the weaker entries in the series. Even though some of the crimes are interesting -- in particular, the insane mass murderer Thomas Neill Cream -- the writing can be turgid, over-long, and over-analytical. The Rattenbury/Stoner murder trial is more tragic than anything else, which may have been the point, but it doesn't hold the reader's attention. Not, as I say, one of the show more better ones in the series. show less

One of the problems with this series is that either the entries are overlong, or too short. The Neville Heath entry, for example, starts out well, but then gets into a discussion of insanity rules that's abstruse even for this lawyer, who studied the M'Naghten Rule in law school.

The trials of Thomas Neill Cream, Neville Heath, John Watson Laurie, Dr George Lamson, and Rabbenbury and Stoner are recounted.

Abridged versions of accounts first published in the William Hodge & Co. Notable British trials series: Captain Kidd, 1930; Dr. Thomas Smethurst, 1931; Alfred Arthur Rouse, 1931; Patrick Carraher, 1951; John Thomas Straffen, 1954.