As featured by

Best of British, May 2020

Since the network of canals around England were first dug in the early years of the Industrial Revolution to the modern use of them for pleasure, crime has taken place. Murder, mugging, coal theft.

Read the full review here

Rosemarie Cawkwell, Blogger

As featured by

Ripperologist, October 2019

As featured by

Waterways World, November 2019

You would think, after a while, reading through material of this nature would have a depressive effect on not only the writer but ultimately the reader. However, surprisingly there are plenty of humorous stories. For instance, in 1867, a man was charged with stealing a large quantity of mangold wurzel – an inedible root vegetable. Why?

Find out the facts behind this and other crimes in this fascinating examination of the seedier side of the canal.

Towpath Talk, October 2019 – reviewed by Noah Price

Truly a unique addition to the canal bookshelf.

Canal Boat, August 2019

I thoroughly enjoyed reading through this book, especially as some of the crimes occurred on parts of the canal system that I know. It really brought history to live for me.

The book is well written and organised chronologically. It has accounts from witnesses and trials and where applicable, the sentences given.

If you have even the slightest interest in reading accounts of true crimes you will love this little book and I’m sure there will be a crime in here that happened near you.

Read the full review here

Vintage Airfix

This interesting book is presented as an exposure of criminality on the canal system, and it does achieve that objective rather well.

In this case, as Anthony indicates, John Turner’s family remained unconvinced by the verdict but this had occurred in a world where our modern opportunities for evidential examination just did not exist. This is a valuable snapshot into that former world.

The Historian