The Bloody Register: Crimes and Misdemeanors in the Eighteenth Century

by Nick Groom (Introduction)

Part sensationalist crime literature, part police and witness reports, and part accounts of judicial proceedings, these four volumes were originally published in 1764 and cover over sixty years of crimes in England, from 1700 to 1764. It is a collection of the most remarkable trials for murder, treason, rape, sodomy, highway robbery, piracy, house-breaking, perjury, forgery and other crimes and misdemeanors. The volumes also give an insight into issues that are still pertinent today, such as the effectiveness of trial by jury, the extent of a judge's power in court, and the role gender plays in getting a fair trial or being treated as a reliable witness.

1456 pages, Hardcover

First published August 17, 1999

About the author

Nick Groom, known as the “Prof of Goth,” is professor of English at Exeter University, UK. His previous titles include The Gothic: A Very Short Introduction, and The Seasons: A Celebration of the English Year, which was shortlisted for the Katharine Briggs Folklore Award and came runner-up for BBC Countryfile Book of the Year.