#Blogtour All That is Wicked by Kate Winkler Dawson

 It's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour All That is Wicked: The 'Victorian Hannibal Lecter' and the Race to Decode the Criminal Mind by Kate Winkler Dawson.

About the Author

Kate Winkler Dawson is a seasoned documentary producer, her work has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, WCBS News, ABC News Radio, 'PBS NewsHour' and 'Nightline'. She is the author Death in the Air, American Sherlock and All That is Wicked, and the host of Tenfold More Wicked, a historical true crime podcast on the Exactly Right network, now on its fourth series. Follow @kwinklerdawson on Twitter, Visit katewinklerdawson.com

About the book

The thrilling story of Edward Rulloff - a serial murderer who was called 'too intelligent to be killed' - and the array of 19th-century investigators who were convinced his brain held the key to finally understanding the criminal mind. Rulloff was a brilliant yet utterly amoral murderer - some have called him a 'Victorian-era Hannibal Lecter' - whose crimes spanned decades.

From alienists (early psychiatrists who tried to analyse the source of his madness) to neurologists (who wanted to dissect his brain) to phrenologists (who analysed the bumps on his head to determine his character), each one thought he held the key to understanding the essential question: is evil born or made?

Expanding on her hit podcast, Tenfold More Wicked, acclaimed crime historian Kate Winkler Dawson draws on hundreds of source materials and never-before-shared historical documents to present one of the first glimpses into the mind of a serial killer - a century before the term was coined.

Review

This is historical true crime, which is well documented enough for the author to create an accurate factual picture instead of speculation and theories. The case of Edward Rulloff, a man who confused the experts of that era, because he didn't fit the image of a monster. 

How do you equate heinous acts with a man who appears intellectually superior - a gentleman. I think this aspect is something we see in our day and age, and the last century. If a criminal is articulate, intelligent and well educated a lot of people think it is a direct contradiction to their image of what a serial killer might be, ergo also makes them more vulnerable to manipulation and make them potential victims.

I think the last few chapters, especially the epilogue, gave a lot of food for thought. I can imagine Rulloff was considered a bit of an enigma. The perfect specimen to interview, examine and to diagnose. Perhaps the first inklings or awareness of a certain sector of people who don't have a reason for killing, who enjoy the power of death cause by their actions. Just sitting on the boundary of discovering serial killers. At the time the actions of Rulloff must have felt like an inexplicable blip.

I wondered whether the description of how Rulloff was perceived differently by each person who interacted with at length actually resonates as a type of pathology - the mirroring to give the other person what they need and expect, ergo making them comfortable, vulnerable and even hyper-vigilant to the danger. 

I thought the book was well researched and an utterly engrossing read. As the author mentions, it's the path towards the mindhunter - trying to understand the behaviour patterns, the reasoning and the triggers in order to catch this very dangerous and special type of killer. It's genuinely concerning to think that at any given time there are many undetected serial killers, who haven't hit any radar or who have and are needles in very large human population needlestacks. Really interesting read.

Buy All That Is Wicked at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher‏: ‎Icon Books pub date 6 Oct. 2022. Buy at Amazon com.

#Audiobook #BlogTour The Bad Place: Stories from the Margins by Shane Dunphy

It's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour The Bad Place: Stories from the Margins by Shane Dunphy - narrated by Shane Dunphy.

About the Author

Shane Dunphy was born in Brighton in 1973. A child protection worker for 15 years, he is the bestselling author of 16 books. His first nine titles dealt with his time on the frontline of social care work, and include the number one bestseller Wednesday’s Child. His series of crime novels (written under the name SA Dunphy) feature the emotionally damaged criminologist David Dunnigan. Stories From the Margins, his new series of True Crime books written for Audible, is critically acclaimed as well as being an audio-bestseller.

Follow @shanedunphy1 on Twitter, on Facebook, shanedunphyauthor.com, Buy The Bad Place: Stories from the Margins 

About the book

The Bad Place sees Shane Dunphy contacted by an old friend seeking advice about children who went missing in the 1980s. The call forces him to revisit a dark time in his early career as a child protection officer, when a young girl described children in care being taken to a residence known as the Bad Place. As a conspiracy emerges that goes to the top of the Irish police and Government, Dunphy recognises the MO of the alleged killer as The Dark Man, a terrifying figure he encountered over thirty years ago, who nearly ended his career before it had even begun.

Determined to confront his past, Dunphy decides to investigate, uncovering a vast international child trafficking ring involving cases of historical child disappearances, unsolved abductions, collusion with the Catholic church and its culture of secrets, lies and cover up

Review

I love the way the music, the talk of the culture, history and folklore of Ireland are interwoven into the stories. The frightening uncertain balance between fact and fiction, abuse and murder, and the general stereotypical ideas that come to mind when the country and people are mentioned.

Dunphy lifts the lid on the horrors, the reality and the unspoken is a direct contradiction to the image portrayed by anyone outside of the aforementioned. These brutally honest stories of True Crime will often make listeners shake their heads in horror, dismay and disbelief, especially given what appears to be complacency about the systemic abuse and murder committed against children and the vulnerable in Ireland.

Dunphy also delves into the status of the Irish Travellers as an ethnic minority. History builds a picture of why there is such a divide between the travelling community and the rest of Ireland. There is so much in this second book in the Stories from the Margins it would be hard to go into each story individually and would also spoil the listen for other listeners.

I'll be honest some of the stories are tough to listen to, others are riveting because they explain so many unanswered questions, but overall this is a fascinating listening experience. One I wouldn't hesitate to recommend.

Dunphy's personal experiences result in a commentary, which will of course be uncomfortable for many, but it is important to open the doors on these horrors that the perpetrators want to keep hidden. Too many predators are organised in a way that is shockingly accurate, clever and done in a way that functions just below the surface of the face of normality. Somebody has to be the voice of the lost, the innocent and the forgotten. Shane Dunphy is one of those important voices.

Buy The Bad Place: Stories from the Margins at Amazon Uk 

Listening Length - 7 hours and 43 minutes, Author - Shane Dunphy, Narrator - Shane Dunphy, Audible.co.uk Release Date - 15 October 2020, Publisher - Audible Studios, Program Type - Audiobook, Version - Unabridged, Language - English.

Stories From the Margins #3 – Ceremony For the Dead (to be released March 2021)

Ceremony of the Dead – A group of childhood friends are coming after the man who abused them and put one of their friends in a coma; can Shane Dunphy stop their murderous plans but still bring the predator to justice?

#BlogTour Murders of Old China by Paul French

Today it's a pleasure to review the Audiobook Murders of Old China by Paul French. It is narrated by Paul French.

About the Author
Paul French was born in Enfield, London and moved to Shanghai after studying Chinese at the City Literary Institute. Paul spent nearly twenty years living and working in China, splitting time between Shanghai and Beijing. During this time, he worked as a journalist and book reviewer for a number of publications, researching the early twentieth century history of both cities, particularly the foreign communities that lived there.

French is known for his true crime literary non-fiction set in twentieth century China. His book Midnight in Peking was a New York Times bestseller, and won a number of prestigious awards including the CWA Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction and the Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime. Paul’s second literary non-fiction book City of Devils: A Shanghai Noir was a Kirkus Book of the Year.

Follow Paul French @chinarhyming on Twitter, on Facebook, on Goodreads, Visit chinarhyming.com, Buy Murders of Old China

About the book
Paul French (Midnight in Peking, City of Devils: A Shanghai Noir) dives into fifty years of murder and true crime across China and Hong Kong from the start of the twentieth century in Audible original narrative non-fiction Murders of Old China. Drawing on two and a half decades of research, French explores a dozen gripping murder cases, taking listeners from warlord-wracked Beijing, through the mighty international city of Shanghai and on to the remote and bandit-infested hinterlands of the Tibetan border and Inner Mongolia.

Using new documentation, cross-referencing and what French calls ‘sleuthing by hindsight’, Murders of Old China takes a fresh look at these twelve cases, whisking listeners on a journey through the dangerous underbelly of old China and uncovering more of the country’s unique history.

Each true crime case offers new insights into foreign society in China in the last days of the dying Qing Dynasty and the first decades of the Chinese Republic, shining a light on racial tensions and the criminal underworld, and querying the extent to which foreigners exploited the turmoil of the time. With a backdrop of war, imperialism and revolution, these stories provide an incredible insight into how modern China was formed, and the dark realities behind much of its recent past.

Narrated by French, and written in the style of the “American Noir” exemplified by Capote’s In Cold Blood, Murders of Old China is a must for fans of true crime, and those keen to learn more about China’s fascinating history.

Review
What I really enjoyed about this Audiobook is the way the author narrates the story as if he were sat beside you having a dram whilst lounging in a comfortable leather chair in front of a log fire. He adds the smallest details, so in a sense it becomes almost like a vigorous discussion on various murderous scandals. Twelve true stories of violence, betrayal and murder that took place in the 20th century.

A Very Awkward Death in Tibet (1907)
The first big murder case tried by the American court for China in Shanghai. It was an attempt by the POTUS (Roosevelt) to extend American justice and punishments to its US citizens in China. A white foreigner killed a Chinese national. It was unheard of in times of white supremacy and patriarchy that a white man would stand trial with the possibility of death.

The Death of a Rickshaw Man (1908)
In this case a white man is tried by a jury. Once again a white foreigner kills a Chinese national. This time a British national, which meant it even made the news in Britain. The accused denied the charge and claimed self-defense. No wonder the Chinese thought the deck was stacked against them when having to abide by foreign rules in their own country.

Trafficked to her Death - Eliza Shapera (1907)
In a time when rumours of White Slavery were abundant. When gossips spoke of white women being tricked into prostitution in foreign countries. The real outrage caused by the thought that non-whites were having sex with white women. The body of a European woman was found - a prostitute.

A Deadly Rampage in Tai-O (1918)
It's safe to say that not all the evidence or factors leading up to this tragedy were reviewed at the time. Colonialists being reluctant or unable to take issues such as inequality, racism into account and the corruption in this remote location. There is no doubt about victim or perpetrator, but perhaps the reasons for the rampage would have shed a different light on the matter.

The Irritating Betram Lennox Simpson (1930)
French wonders how Simpson managed to attract so many enemies in so many different fractions. Perhaps his part in the looting, which the in China born Simpson always denied. His machinations and loud protestations both written and vocal made him a contentious person to everyone.

A Deadly Dinner in Shanghai's Gangster Mansion (1932)
Shanghai represented the power position of France that equally their rival Britain. Shanghai was often known as the Paris of the East or the Whore of the Orient. The Green Gang was a well-known criminal operation both in China and overseas. The leader or crime boss of this gang at the time, Big-Eared Du invited the most senior and important French officials to a dinner at his fortress like mansion. It became the most vicious of lessons in authority and power plays.

Slain by His Best Friend - Two Tragic Deaths in Shanghai (1932)
Did a personal dispute really cause one man to kill the other over something as trivial as a job promotion? Why did the two friends end up in such a contentious relationship? Or was the disagreement that ended in the death of one of them born in a more base emotion like greed?

Gareth Jones - The Man Who Knew Too Much (1935)
The death of the investigative journalist looked like another kidnapping gone wrong by bandits out for quick profit. However his investigations appeared to have hit a goldmine when it came to the political pulse of that era. He was an intelligent young reporter with an interest in current affairs, an interest that probably led to his death.

The Shanghai Long Drop: The Case of The Sikh They Couldn't Hang (1935)
A straightforward crime and conviction - a death sentence. The story really starts after the death sentence is pronounced. The guilty man was transported to a hellhole, six thousand prisoners in a space equipped for two thousand prisoners. One could argue that physics play a big role in this story and perhaps not 'luck' per se.

The Good Doctor Colbert - Wife Poisoner? (1936)
Interesting how poisoning was considered an alternative to ridding oneself of a wife or husband. Divorce, especially for women, was synonymous with scandal. This is also the only story where the victim is actually able to watch the trial herself. It was a case that caught the attention of not only China, but also the US.

Who Killed The Baron of Frenchtown (1941)
A murder, an assassination that remains unsolved to this day. A murder with motives that draw from long before a pre-war time and culminate in wartime. The Baron opposed the new regime and wrote favourably about the prior one. He was highly critical of the way the powers that be let crime run rampant. His opinions may have made him a potential target.

The Death of a Shanghai Gold Dealer (1947)
As an East meets West city, Shanghai became a melting pot of refugees, peasants looking for a better life and ex-soldiers. Eight long years of war and occupation had left their mark on the city that once was its own jewel in the crown of China. Greed and coming to the attention of people who were interested in making a profit to restart their lives back home was the downfall of the Gold Dealer.

I think what shines through in the majority of these old cases is just how oppressive and unjust colonialism was. It's really no surprise that there is a general sense and feeling of mistrust towards predominantly white regimes that believed themselves to be superior above all others, especially to non-whites. Was there really any justice for victims of crime when the victim was a native, and indeed if the roles were reversed the punishments were harsher for non-whites.

This is a must-listen for readers or listeners who enjoy true crime and like their crime to be factual rather than fictional. French does an excellent job of melding history, politics, social structures and culture together with well-researched crimes that have been buried and forgotten with the passing of time.

French narrates with passion and power, and opens the door to the world and captivating history of China, albeit just a small part His voice draws readers in as he tells the tragic stories of debt, theft, abuse, violence and murder. He brings in all of  the documented evidence that is available and gives life to the men, women and children who have become mere blips in history.

Buy Murders of Old China at Amazon Uk. Publisher Audible Original: pub date: 4 Dec 2019. Buy at Audible Uk.

Audible Audiobook
Listening Length: 8 hours and 32 minutes
Narrated by: Paul French
Program Type: Audiobook
Version: Unabridged
Publisher: Audible Original
Audible.co.uk Release Date: 4 Dec. 2019
Language: English, English
ASIN: B08288B56D

The Long Drop by Denise Mina

The Long Drop is based on the true crime story about an American born Scottish serial killer called Peter Manuel and the man accused of three of his crimes.

In 1956 William Watt was accused of killing his wife, daughter and his sister-in-law. He would have been tried and executed for the crimes, if the police hadn't cottoned on to the fact they had a serial killer in their midst.

Mina turns a meeting of the two men into a cat and mouse game between killer and accused. A literary thriller with the dark city of Glasgow as a backdrop. A city on the brink of change, just about to take a step into literally a lighter brighter time, well at least optically. The black stones of buildings were cleaned, trees planted, whole neighbourhoods ripped down and rebuilt. A massive health and x-ray initiative was launched to combat and eradicate tuberculosis.

It will be interesting to see whether Mina draws parallels between the meeting of Watts and Manuel, and the essence, core and subsequent change in Glasgow.

Mina's writing is expressive, sharp and memorable. Her knowledge of Glasgow and the people is filtered into her stories in an almost subconscious layering. Mina writes noir with a twist, the psychological tear-downs between her characters is what sets her stories apart from the rest.

I think the reader starts out with the same assumption as Mina when she wrote the play Driving Manuel, that Watt was a victim in this scenario. After listening to people who were alive and there at the time Mina took another look at the crimes, the result being the novel The Long Drop. This time she presents a slightly different slant on the story.

Perhaps Watt wasn't the innocent bystander everyone thought he was. Why would a man in his position, a man who had spent time in jail for the murders of his family, why would he even consider spending time with the real killer? Pretending to prove his innocence by getting the guilty party to admit their guilt or conveniently conjure up the murder weapon.

Drinking and laughing with the man who shot his wife and then hurt and killed his daughter. Having a jolly good chat like old chums. Is it just desperation or does Watt have something to hide?

Mina gives a really good insight into the possible conversation between Watt and Manuel. No matter whomever you think may be guilty or whatever the possible scenario, one thing is absolutely clear, Peter Manuel was a sadistic killer. A killer with no remorse, who liked to stalk and torture his victims, and a man who killed viciously and enjoyed the violence.

Mina explores certain personality traits of Manuel and describes them rather well. He had a need, almost a compulsion to show-off, to brag and hog the limelight without being caught. His braggart nature and overconfidence is what led to his demise.

It's an interesting read, which has the distinctive mark of Denise Mina.

Buy The Long Drop at Amazon UK or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.

The Search for Anne Perry by Joanne Drayton

This book and story has been a long time coming, and I for one am glad someone has written it.

It clears up a lot of unanswered questions and more importantly we get to hear the story from Perry's own perspective.

I can remember when the story broke about Anne Perry and the life she left behind her many years ago. The life of Juliet Hulme, a young girl convicted of conspiring to and actually killing her friends mother. This young girl, murderess at the age of 15, was to go on and become a world renowned author of murder mysteries.

The true story reads like script for a television crime drama.

I along with many others was and still am, an avid reader of Perry's books, and the revelation of her past was and still is a topic of conversation among bookworms. Where do you draw the line between the book and the personal life of an author? Can and should the personal opinions, personal choices, religious beliefs or political affiliations of authors influence the reader and their decision to buy a book?

Each reader or buyer must make that choice themselves. I own my buying power and you own yours.

Where Perry is concerned I personally think she has paid her debt to society in form of her imprisonment and I can imagine she will still be looking for forgiveness and redemption till she draws her last breath. It is certainly a common thread in many of her books. She is also known for her critical assessment of gender inequality, misogyny, abuse and human suffering in general, regardless of whether it is centred on the Victorian era or in her mythological fantasy.

Her faith and religion plays a major role in some of her books. Tathea is heavily laden and influenced by the Book of Mormon. I think it is safe to say that her faith and the church have been her beacon and support system for a very long time.

What becomes very apparent in this book, is the way Anne is perceived by those that have gotten to know her without knowing her true identity and how those friendships or relationships have stayed intact even after learning the truth. They know and celebrate her as the adult Anne, the person they have learnt to love and admire.

Juliet is the past. Her actions will always be part of who Anne is, but Juliet is merely a chapter in her life. A book and story unto itself, which should be closed and placed on the bookshelf. Nothing will change what happened to Honora Parker.

I think this book could have done with a wee bit more structure. The author weaves in and out of the past and present, from book plots to real life events. Some of the details and comparisons are superfluous, however I think the point the author was trying to make comes through clearly. That point being the use of the crime and Perry's old or new identity to create media hype over and over again to sell stories.

Only a few of those tasked with writing about it have actually managed to recognize the fact that the penal system has done its job. Juliet acknowledged her guilt and Perry has worked extremely hard to never forget.

I was and still am surprised by the lack of compassion and interest shown towards her both before and after the crime. Neglect, disinterest before and during her internment in an adult prison neither parent visited her. Both mother and father left the continent. Even if Perry managed to rebuild or chase relationships with her parents after her release, their behaviour speaks volumes about they way they treated her.

There is a passage in the book in which Perry talks about the fact she and her mother never spoke about the crime, because her mother didn't want to. Perry also alludes to the lack of care, parenting, rules and even restraint in their parenting.

Part of me would really like to hear her story, written in her own words and style, but I think she will probably remain stoic in her shouldering of the burden and in doing so lessening the burden for her childhood friend.

I think this book gives an excellent overview of long journey of Anne Perry's books, with many intricate descriptions and explanations for plots and various new ventures. It is a must have read for fans of Perry. It really gives an outsider a good insight into the extremely long process of publishing and lengthy journey to become a very popular author.
I received a copy of this book courtesy of Edelweiss.

Quiet Dell by Jayne Anne Phillips

The first part of the book drags along a little, however it does pick up after a few chapters.

It is filled with an atmospheric layer of beautiful prose in some parts of the book, especially when what remains of Annabel sweeps over the countryside and looks down upon events and ponders to herself. Other parts of the story, usually involving Emily, are a little heavy on the dramatic side and a tad unrealistic.

Emily Thornhill is a fictional character in the midst of a real crime narrative. That in itself is alright when done in a way that complements the main story. I didn’t think that was the case. In fact I felt there was far too much emphasis put on her love life, her apparent beguiling ways with men, her domestic life and her complicated relationships. It was as if the fictional Emily was vying for more attention in the book than she needed to and in doing so her dominant storyline became detrimental to the main plot. The story of the Eicher family.

The real crime aspect is a fascinating one. Now that might seem gruesome but if you look at it purely from a crime point of view it is actually a highly detailed account of the discovery of a serial killer. A killer, who based on the way he covered his tracks and planned the crimes with such detail had probably been killing for years unnoticed. In fact he had hundreds of letters from lonely women in his postbox in answer to his ads, receiving about 20 replies a day. There are numerous women who disappeared during his lonely hearts ad scheme, a few of them have also disappeared, only a one or two can be linked to him via circumstantial evidence.

Power/Drenthe was never prosecuted for the murder of the entire Eicher family. The evidence was deemed too circumstantial. Quite mind-boggling seeing as he was identified by multiple witnesses, as the person picking up the children, travelling with them en route to the final destination and all four bodies were found on the grounds of his property near his self constructed torture chambers.

The author has omitted some of the more graphic details of their kidnapping, confinement and torture, except for one very particular detail of the crime. What was done to the young boy, the torture and the chambers indicates a killer who was not motivated by money. The money and items gained from his crimes are something he gains, but not his real motivation.

All in all it was an interesting read from a historical point of view, which could have been better if Emily had remained a narrator of the Eicher/Powers story only and her life had taken up a smaller portion of the book.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley.

The Convictions of John Delahunt by Andrew Hughes

This is a fictional story based on the conviction of a man called John Delahunt in 1842 for the murder of the very young boy Thomas MacGuire.

It is good example of how sociopaths can walk among us unnoticed perhaps because they have yet to commit a crime or have never been caught. Delahunt lacks a conscience and a sense of moral responsibility, and yet he is a responsible member of society. He comes from a reputable family, he goes to college and he is a gentleman. John Delahunt is also capable of the most heinous of deeds without feeling any remorse whatsoever.


Or is he guided by desperation? He has no more options and has to do what he does? Sounds fair right? Or could it be that the situation allows him to do things he subconsciously wanted to do. There is a scene in the book describing John as a child and an incident with a small animal. That incident is indicative of his true nature.

The relationship between John and his wife Helen is quite intriguing. She is far from being the naive young woman from high society. Helen is a hard-nosed manipulator and liar. She has her own role to play when it comes to John making money. She does it willingly and with a lot of pleasure.

John fails to understand just how far Helen will go to get what she wants and until the end he holds on firmly to the belief that she will think of him and be sorry about his impending death.

The real story lies within the grimy filth ridden streets of Dublin of that era and the corruption within the very structure which is supposed to keep the population safe. Instead of doing that the Castle rules Dublin like a mafia like street gang.

After watching John act without any conscience over and over again the scene between himself and the child at the end was a contradiction to his prior behaviour. Once again the reader is lured in to believe John was just a victim of circumstance. Was he?
I received a copy of this book courtesy of the publisher via Netgalley.