Codd has done his homework and displays an eye for detail and a passion for finding lost stories. The book is arranged by type of offence, from early serial killers to war crimes, highway robbery, riots, and gentlemen who squared off in duels, giving this the feel of a reference work. The onslaught of names, dates, and gruesome crimes can be overwhelming but is certain to make readers grateful for constitutional rights and the rule of law.

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Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, September 2018 – reviewed by Dean Jobb

17th-century Britain was an extremely lawless place. All Europe was lawless. Some historians attribute this to climate change (‘The Little Ice Age’), others to over-population. Warfare was rife, both organised and informal; political and religious killings, witch-hunts, piracy and banditry abounded; duelling was an accepted form of legalised murder and almost all males carried weapons.

This book is therefore more than a record of individual crimes and lawful punishment. There are chapters on duelling, bandits and highwaymen, piracy and coastal raids, riots and disorders, clan warfare in Scotland, war crimes and judicial crimes (legalised murder of political enemies). It is surprising that ‘ordinary’ crimes received any attention or that normal judicial processes were observed. But they were and gradually the country developed into a tolerant, law abiding society. It was a long road.

Historical Novels Review

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