The horrific killing of two young Edinburgh women in October 1977 sparked a nationwide manhunt that turned into one of Britain's longest and most famous murder investigations. In The World's End Murders, Tom Wood and David Johnston tell the story of two innocent young women, Helen Scott and Christine Eadie, and of the extraordinary commitment of the police enquiry over three decades that eventually led to the discovery of links to their deaths with Angus Sinclair, one of Scotland's most notorious murderers and sex offenders But this is not a gruesome tale of murder. It is a story of heroes - of the families of Helen and Christine who, with quiet dignity, have carried an unimaginable burden down the years, and of the police officers, the support staff and the scientists who persisted in their investigations and never gave up. This edition has been fully updated to cover the sensational retrial of Angus Sinclair after he was acquitted in 2010. Angus Sinclair is the first person in Scottish legal history ever to have been tried for the same crime twice.
In 1935, the deaths of Isabella Ruxton and Mary Rogerson were reported in newspapers worldwide. But behind the headlines was a different, more important story: the groundbreaking work of Scottish forensic scientists who developed new techniques to solve the case and shape the future of scientific criminal investigation.
Angus Robertson Sinclair, one of the worst killers the UK has ever seen, was convicted of four murders. His first took place in his home city of Glasgow in 1961, when he raped and murdered his seven-year-old neighbour Catherine Reehill when he was just sixteen. But after spending a mere six years in prison, he was released in his early twenties to kill again. Teenagers Helen Scott and Christine Eadie were last seen at the World's End pub on Edinburgh's Royal Mile in October 1977. The next morning both were found murdered; not together, but a few miles apart on the East Lothian coast. They had both been raped before they were killed. The largest investigation in Scottish police history didn't find their killer. Several years later, in 1982, Sinclair was jailed for life after he was charged with and admitted eleven charges of rape and indecent assault. However, twenty years after this, as Sinclair was beginning to be hopeful about being released on parole, a cold case review showed that Sinclair's DNA had been found on the body of 17-year-old Mary Gallagher, a 1978 Glasgow murder that had been previously unsolved. These discoveries lead detectives to examine the link between Sinclair and several other unsolved cases. Scientific advances put Sinclair and his brother-in law Gordon Hamilton who died in 1996 firmly in the frame for the World's End pub murders of Helen Scott and Christine Eadie. In 2007 Sinclair stood trial for these murders, but a lack of evidence saw the case collapse. But following the change in Scotland's double jeopardy law, Sinclair again faced trial for the World's End murders in 2014, and this time was found guilty. The judge said the words 'evil' and 'monster' were not enough to describe Sinclair, as he sentenced him to a minimum of 37 years in prison for the murders of the two teenagers. This is the longest sentence issued to anyone in a Scottish court, and ensured that Sinclair would die in jail. But there were more victims. Many more. Sinclair was convicted of four murders, but we believe he murdered at least twelve people, maybe fourteen. And in this book, we tell their stories.
A tale inspired by the 1976 attempted assassination of Bob Marley spans decades and continents to explore the experiences of journalists, drug dealers, killers, and ghosts against a backdrop of social and political turmoil.
Reading of murder stimulates a powerful response. We are repelled by the horror of it, but, simultaneously, our natural curiosity is strongly aroused. We want to know who did it, and why. Most unsolved murders have no apparent motives - or too many motives. The murders of Sir Harry Oakes in 1943, one of the richest men in Canada, and Christine Demeter, found dead in a blood-soaked garage in Mississauga in 1973 - remain unsolved. In fact, history is full of unsolved murders. Who killed King William Rufus, Edward II, and the Princes in the Tower? Who was Jack the Ripper? Was James Hanratty really guilty of killing Michael Gregson? These mysteries and more are contained in The World’s Most Mysterious Murders.
oIn 1923, Philip Murray went to the gallows for a brutal murder in Jamaica Street, thanks to a local prostitute turning King's evidence. oIn the late 1970s, two girls went missing from the World's End pub never to be seen alive again -case unsolved. oIn the late 1990s a young woman met a terrifying end in South Clerk Street - case unsolved. These horrendous crimes have one thing in common. They all happened in Edinburgh. Edinburgh has a famously blood thirsty history. In centuries past the High Street ran with gore as clansmen battled to the death, and criminals were gruesomely hung, drawn and quartered at the Tolbooth. Lesser known, however, are the terrible crimes that have been committed in the last century. In 1954 Donald Merrett walked free after cold-bloodedly murdering his mother, only to return in the 1970s under an assumed name and kill again. A grim pattern followed by Donald Forbes who, acquitted of a terrible murder in 1958, returned to Edinburgh 40 years later to continue his rein of terror in another death. Edinburgh's Murder Mile offers a fascinating selection of the most notorious murders of the last century within a mile radius of Edinburgh's famous Princes Street.Alanna Knight - one of Edinburgh's favourite crime authors - revisits the crime scenes and unravels the fascinating details of the police investigations, posing new questions and offering a new perspective on famous and lesser known cases. Join her on a chilling, unforgettable trip through the damp, shadowy secrets of Edinburgh's streets.
From the acclaimed author of The Jungle: The first in a Pulitzer Prize–winning historical saga about the son of an American arms dealer during WWI. Lanning “Lanny” Budd spends his first thirteen years in Europe, living at the center of his mother’s glamourous circle of friends on the French Riviera. In 1913, he enters a prestigious Swiss boarding school and befriends Rick, an English boy, and Kurt, a German. The three schoolmates are privileged, happy, and precocious—but their world is about to come to an abrupt and violent end. When the gathering storm clouds of war finally burst, raining chaos and death over the continent, Lanny must put the innocence of youth behind him; his language skills and talent for decoding messages are in high demand. At his father’s side, he meets many important political and military figures, learns about the myriad causes of the conflict, and closely follows the First World War’s progress. When the bloody hostilities eventually conclude, Lanny joins the Paris Peace Conference as the assistant to a geographer asked by President Woodrow Wilson to redraw the map of Europe. Perfect for fans of The Winds of War, World’s End is the magnificent opening chapter of a monumental series that brings the first half of the twentieth century to vivid life. A thrilling mix of history, adventure, and romance, the Lanny Budd Novels are a testament to the breathtaking scope of Upton Sinclair’s vision and his singular talents as a storyteller.
Trying to leave painful memories behind her, Chloe Ellefson is making a fresh start. She's the new collections curator at Old World Wisconsin, an outdoor ethnic museum showcasing 1870s settlement life. On her first day, Chloe meets with an elderly woman who begs her to find a priceless eighteenth-century Norwegian ale bowl that had been donated to the museum years ago. But before Chloe can find the heirloom and return it to her, the woman dies in a suspicious car crash. Digging up the history and whereabouts of the rare artifact quickly turns dangerous. Chloe discovers that someone is desperately trying to cover up all traces of the bowl's existence—by any means necessary. Assisting Chloe is police officer Roelke McKenna, whose own haunting past compels him to protect her. To catch the covetous killer, Chloe must solve a decades-old puzzle...before she becomes a part of history herself. Praise: "Clever plot twists and credible characters make this a far from humdrum cozy."—Publishers Weekly "This series debut by an author of children's mysteries rolls out nicely for readers who like a cozy with a dab of antique lore. Jeanne M. Dams fans will like the ethnic background."—Library Journal "Information on how to conduct historical research, background on Norwegian culture, and details about running an outdoor museum frame the engaging story of a woman devastated by a failed romantic relationship whose sleuthing helps her heal."—Booklist "Old World Murder is strongest in its charming local color and genuine love for Wisconsin's rolling hills, pastures, and woodlands...a delightful distraction for an evening or two."—New York Journal of Books "A wonderfully-woven tale that winds in and out of modern and historical Wisconsin with plenty of mysteries—both past and present. In curator Chloe Ellefson, Ernst has created a captivating character with humor, grit, and a tangled history of her own that needs unraveling. Enchanting!"—Sandi Ault, author of the WILD Mystery Series and recipient of the Mary Higgins Clark Award "Propulsive and superbly written, this first entry in a dynamite new series from accomplished author Kathleen Ernst seamlessly melds the 1980's and the 19th century. Character-driven, with mystery aplenty, Old World Murder is a sensational read. Think Sue Grafton meets Earlene Fowler, with a dash of Elizabeth Peters."—Julia Spencer-Fleming, Anthony and Agatha Award-winning author of I Shall Not Want and One Was A Soldier "Museum masterpiece."—Rosebud Book Reviews "A real find...5 stars."—Once Upon a Romance
A spine-tingling account of the man behind the World's End murders On 15th October 1977, Christine Eadie and Helen Scott left the World's End pub after a fun-filled night with two men in their arms. They had their whole lives ahead of them. They had nothing to fear and everything to look forward to. Their naked bodies were discovered the following day. They were found six miles apart from each other. No attempt had been made to conceal their bodies, and both girls had been beaten, gagged, tied, raped and strangled. The case attracted widespread media attention and despite the Police's best efforts, they were unable to identify a culprit. Within the next six months, the investigation was scaled down. The World's End killers were still at large. Free to continue terrorising the streets of Scotland. Thanks to the advances in DNA profiling, investigators were able to link the murders of Christine Eadie and Helen Scott to an Angus Sinclair, who was known to the Police. Sinclair had pleaded guilty to culpable homicide of an eight-year-old girl when he was just sixteen and was serving a life sentence for the murder of another seventeen-year-old girl. It is not known how many victims suffered at the hands of Sinclair. He is thought to have killed at least another four women but it could have been twice that amount. Bestselling author Ryan Green assumes the role of Angus Sinclair and attempts to fill in the blanks on one of Scotland's most notorious serial killers. Sinclair is a shocking true story about lust, manipulation, dominance and extreme violence. CAUTION: This book contains descriptive accounts of sexual abuse and violence. If you are especially sensitive to this material, it might be advisable not to read any further.
