The laws surrounding murder in the UK have been shifting and changing almost since the day they were first put on place. Every generation brings new cases and questions about what makes murder murder, and how and when a person is guilty of it. With technological, scientific and forensic advances, these laws have had to change drastically over the last 200 years to keep up with the changes in society.
Packed full of cases and stories, this fascinating novel tells the story of UK murder law from its medieval inception all the way up to today in an understandable and gripping way.
I absolutely loved this book. I listened to most of it on audiobook, and it was like listening to and extended podcast. Chock full of stories and facts and details, every chapter of this book was gripping and enlightening and concerning.
A truly interesting aspect of this conversation is how sometimes the perpetrator in these stories gets flipped upside down, when the law makes bad judgements and innocent people are punished, or almost more worrying - guilty people are let off.
When the law is untrustworthy, where can we turn when tragedy strikes or carelessness causes the worst to happen? The more recent stories near the end of the book focus mainly on the issue of corporate manslaughter/murder, and honestly all of them were fairly horrifying. The fact that our system of law still hasn't got it's head around how and when to convict corporations or corporate bodies of murder when lives have been lost because of them is scary and frankly shameful.
I would recommend this book wholeheartedly to anyone who loves niche knowledge, Aaron Mahnke's podcasts, dark British history or true crime. Don't be put off by the size of the hardcover, it is easy reading and it's gripping enough to pull you on to the next chapter and the next. And if in doubt, get the audiobook from your library!
Packed full of cases and stories, this fascinating novel tells the story of UK murder law from its medieval inception all the way up to today in an understandable and gripping way.
I absolutely loved this book. I listened to most of it on audiobook, and it was like listening to and extended podcast. Chock full of stories and facts and details, every chapter of this book was gripping and enlightening and concerning.
A truly interesting aspect of this conversation is how sometimes the perpetrator in these stories gets flipped upside down, when the law makes bad judgements and innocent people are punished, or almost more worrying - guilty people are let off.
When the law is untrustworthy, where can we turn when tragedy strikes or carelessness causes the worst to happen? The more recent stories near the end of the book focus mainly on the issue of corporate manslaughter/murder, and honestly all of them were fairly horrifying. The fact that our system of law still hasn't got it's head around how and when to convict corporations or corporate bodies of murder when lives have been lost because of them is scary and frankly shameful.
I would recommend this book wholeheartedly to anyone who loves niche knowledge, Aaron Mahnke's podcasts, dark British history or true crime. Don't be put off by the size of the hardcover, it is easy reading and it's gripping enough to pull you on to the next chapter and the next. And if in doubt, get the audiobook from your library!