Dick Turpin: Fact and Fiction is a history based biography of highwayman, robber, & murderer Dick Turpin curated and written by Dr. Jonathan Oates. Due out 30th May 2023 from Pen & Sword on their True Crime imprint, it's 272 pages and will be available in hardcover format.
Long depicted as a dashing, handsome, and romantic figure, the historical Turpin was the diametric opposite: a murderer, thief, housebreaker, and thug who was eventually captured, tried, and executed in 1738-39. Dr. Oates does a good job of rendering Turpin more realistically (and MUCH less flatteringly) by liberal use of extant historical records, judicial transcripts, and well vetted source material.
The text is meticulously annotated and written in accessible and easy
to understand language. The chapter notes and bibliography will provide
hours of further reading for students of true-crime history. The text
is enhanced with an appendix which contains historical and modern photos
of the environs and some of the sites where Turpin lived and died.
Five stars. Well written and absorbing. Recommended for readers of true crime history.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
No comments:
Post a Comment