West Country Murders

By Nicola Sly, John Van der Kiste and Simon Dell MBE QCB

Hidden behind the picturesque facade of country lanes and rugged coastlines, quaint villages and busy market towns, the South West counties of Cornwall, Devon and Somerset have witnessed some of the most shocking murder cases in British history. West Country Murders brings together over 30 cases from the authors' previous collections here in one volume. They include stories of those who killed for greed, jealousy and lust, as well as those who committed murder in what a well-known judge once described as 'a gust of passion'. Some of the killers were undoubtedly insane at the time of their crimes; others were almost certainly innocent, yet paid the ultimate price for a murder they did not commit. Some remain unsolved to this day, despite the best efforts of the local constabularies. This book is sure to appeal to all those interested in the shady side of the West Country's history.

• Language: English
• Publisher: The History Press
• Release date: Feb 29, 2012
• ISBN: 9780752484075

Nicola Sly

A lifelong interest in crime and criminality led to Nicola Sly studying for a Master’s degree in Forensic and Legal Psychology in her forties. After this, she worked as a criminology and psychology tutor in adult education, while also writing a number of true crime books for The History Press, including several from their Grim Almanac series and a range of titles focusing on local historical murders. She has also appeared on several television documentaries pertaining to historical crime. Nicola now lives in South Wales with her husband and their two dogs and enjoys walking, gardening, cooking, swimming, reading and solving all sorts of puzzles, from sudoku to escape rooms to cryptic crosswords. This is her first book for Pen and Sword.