The author has a lot to say on gratuities, because in those days they were given stuff for free, by friendly and grateful landlords, shopkeepers, residents, etc, which were perks of the job. He also explains some practices which today would seem dodgy but back then were acceptable and worked well for that time and place.

In summary this was an informative read which sometimes came across as defensive in tone and was not as fascinating as I expected, but still it was worth reading.

Published by Michael O’Mara, 2013.

Published by Doubleday, 2017.

If you want a bold insight into what UK prisons, and particularly Strangeways (HMP Manchester) are like today, then this book is ideal. It’s not pleasant reading and will have you shaking your head in disgust, compassion, disbelief, or all of those. We take a look at the types of people who are sent to prison, think about what prisons are for, how the prison system should be reformed, etc. It’s a book that will leave you with a sense of deep unease but also the hope that it might just influence some decision-makers.

I didn’t find the writing as compelling this time around. I think this was down to the interview style. I would have preferred to have each person’s experience written in their own style, with the author’s commentary saved until the end. A small issue perhaps, but I expected more of a gripping narrative.

To get the most out of this book, you probably need to have read the previous one, which is quite often referred to.

First published in 2022.

The poisons included are: insulin, atropine, strychnine, aconite, ricin, digoxin, cyanide, potassium, polonium, arsenic and chlorine. For each one, the author examines the history of each substance, describes how killers used it (and how the crime was proved, or not), how the poisons work at a molecular level and the treatment for victims of the poison.

Mostly the content is very interesting, although grim and not for the faint-hearted. It was depressing to discover how many deliberate poisoners were from the medical professions, using their knowledge of and access to substances and patients for evil deeds. I liked the discussions about the fine boundary between toxins and tonics, which had surprising revelations. I think this book would be very useful for writers of historical murder mysteries! It’s limited to examples from the UK and the US and is more about the science of poisons than the law, but it’s a good resource anyway.

The writing style wasn’t quite my cup of (not poisoned!) tea. It was somewhat repetitive and lacked the flair I look for in narrative non-fiction. I didn’t find the scientific explanations towards the end of each chapter to be very readable, so I tended to skip them. There are no images in the book, which is a pity.

If you’re interested in poisons (in an academic way, of course…) then it’s a must-read.

First published in 2022.

It’s definitely a shocking read. He was sent to Broadmoor at the age of 14 for poisoning his family and friends. In a terrible error of judgement, he was released 9 years later, apparently cured. Few people knew his past history and he went on to poison his colleagues. The case triggered debates and changes in the law around the sale of poisons and the release of offenders from psychiatric hospitals. The book is thoroughly researched and contains everything you could possibly want to know about Graham Young and his crimes. The writing style generally made me want to keep reading, but towards the end it became repetitive, with the same quotes and details used several times. Possibly the book could have been shorter as it seemed a little padded out to me. I liked the section on the history of poison at the beginning.

If you’re into true crime books, this one should be on your TBR.

Published in 2021.

The book begins with the holiday in Marrakesh, which was the beginning of the end for the friendship between Rachel and Anna. We then have a little background about her life, working for Vanity Fair in New York. She meets Anna through a friend and is intrigued by her forceful, yet distant personality, her foreign air and her taste for luxury. They start spending a lot of time together but increasingly Rachel finds herself paying for things, for which she believes Anna will pay her back…

People are fascinated by con artists and how they get away with so much. This is one point of interest in the book. Luxury is another fascination and we are treated to many descriptions of exclusive restaurants, spas and hotels which the majority of us are unlikely to experience. Aside from this, the content does seem a little thin. There are many quoted emails and texts, which were obviously of use to the eventual prosecution of Anna but are very repetitive and most could have been edited out. I felt that the writing style was too straight-forward for my taste in memoirs and needed more flair. I like the title of the book because it emphasises that Rachel thought Anna was her friend but whether Anna reciprocated or was just using her, no one can know.

Thank you to Quercus for the advance copy via NetGalley. The book was first published in 2019. The paperback will be published on 14th October 2021.

I hadn’t heard of any of these women before, so the content was all new to me, except for the part about the Romanovs’ fate (regarding the story of multiple women claiming to be the princess Anastasia). It’s difficult not to feel a little sympathy for them all, because even though they did terrible things, they were from poor or abusive backgrounds, or were suffering from trauma or mental illness, or were frustrated about the power of men in society. We can also secretly admire them for having the boldness, self-belief and skills to successfully – if illegally – gain wealth and power.

My favourite moment of each mini-biography was when their deeds caught up with them, because no one should be allowed to get away with it – although sometimes the punishment didn’t fit the crime, particularly when there wasn’t enough proof. I do think the book became repetitive, as some of the con women had similar stories which were told in similar ways. The scammers which shocked me the most were those who profited from public tragedies, claiming they were survivors or that their families were victims. Somehow this shocked me even more than the inclusion, at the end, of a con woman who became a murderer.

If you’re interested in true crime and don’t want a read that’s too heavy, this is one to consider.

Published in 2021 by Harper Perennial.

When I saw this book available to borrow from the library, I wasn’t sure about it. I thought that reading about the dreadful ways people have killed each other might be too upsetting. However, I was reassured by the tight focus on the challenges and limitations of law. The author only tells you what you need to know in the context of this. Of course, it was upsetting at times, but it was also enlightening and thought-provoking. The chapters are in roughly chronological order and deal with turning points in English legal history, using a variety of cases – some very well-known, others not so much. The boundary between murder and manslaughter is a theme throughout. Other topics include the plea of insanity, duelling, diminished responsibility, the death penalty, infanticide, provocation and corporate manslaughter. I was very shocked to learn how long it took for the latter to become viable law.

The book includes a glossary of legal terms, an index and a small picture section. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to understand the history of murder in English law. The writing style is accessible and you don’t need to have legal knowledge beforehand.

Published in 2021.

This is an eye-opening quick read which has many shocking moments but some heartwarming ones too. A prison doctor is non-judgmental, helping the patients as much as she can, while complying with prison rules and standing her ground when she decides that prisoners are ill enough for hospital treatment. There are many challenges to the job, particularly with self-harm and drugs being so prevalent in prisons. It’s not one of the best-written memoirs I’ve read but it’s quite gripping and easy to read. If there is a fault, it’s that there’s too much praise for her, quoted from staff and patients. I know the message is how much a dedicated prison doctor, passionate about helping people, can make a difference. However, I’m afraid it looks a bit like blowing one’s own trumpet.

It’s a good read and some of the prisoners’ stories will stay with you. Not for the faint-hearted, though.

First published in 2019. Written with the assistance of Ruth Kelly.

The way that Orlean creates a sense of place is very impressive. I’ve never been to Florida and knew little about the state before I read this book. Her descriptions of the landscape and particularly the swamps are wonderful and I felt that I was right there. You could describe the book as a portrait of Florida. This is not merely a book about orchids (which, by the way, she has no special love for). It’s about how far people will go to get what they want. It’s about the conflict between state law and tribal traditions. It’s about how things become desirable just because they’re rare or difficult to acquire. The writing has an informal documentary tone which tends not to judge the characters. Despite the orchid theme, I feel that humans are the main focus.

Generally I liked the book a lot. It’s very readable and has plenty of dialogue to bring the tales alive. Throughout, Susan is haunted (pun intended) by the idea of the ghost orchid, a native of Florida which John Laroche is obsessed with. Ghost orchids are rare and he has the idea of growing them for profit, but he can only get the plants to begin with by stealing them from the Fakahatchee Strand, the local nature reserve, with the help of the Seminole tribe. The orchid’s flowering is brief and Susan keeps missing it. Will she ever get to see one in bloom?

The only thing I wasn’t keen on in this book was the repetition of information in a few chapters. I’m sure that the author was just reinforcing her ideas but I prefer not to read the same bit of text (or similarly worded) more than once.

If you enjoyed The Library Book, you might like The Orchid Thief, as it uses the same concept of moving back and forth between a present day criminal case and the history of the location and related topics. You don’t need to be an orchid fan to enjoy this book.

First published in 1998. This edition published in 2000 by Vintage. The film Adaptation (2002) was vaguely based on the book.