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A Short History of the World in 50 Murders
Not yet published
Expected 3 Dec 26The bestselling alternative history series in bite-sized chapters. Thoroughly researched and entertaining. This is history … but not as you know it.
Taking readers on a world-wide journey, criminologist and award-winning author Christos Markogiannakis examines how fifty murders shaped the course of history. From early serial killers to the birth of criminology, he shows how such tragic loss of life can have history-changing consequences.
From ancient Rome to the twentieth century, the reader is taken on a global exploration behind the history of the most heinous of crimes – murder.
Including iconic cases such as Liu Pengli, the Han Dynasty Prince who became one of the world’s first-known serial killers; the twisted history of Romanian ruler, Vlad Draculea, better known as Vlad the Impaler; and the mysterious murders tied to Mary Queen of Scots.
Throughout this book, Markogiannakis charts the evolution in how we view murder, through the rise in criminology from the 1700s and early understanding of criminal psychology and even mental health. Alongside delving into our centuries’ long true crime fascination, this thoroughly explores the impact of front-page stories such as Lizzie Borden and Jack the Ripper on how we view crime today.
Also
A Short History of the World in 50 Conspiracies (9781789299076)
A Short History of the World in 50 Tyrants (9781789298437)
A Short History of the World in 50 Failures (9781789296938)
A Short History of the World in 50 Lies (9781789294606)
A Short History of the World in 50 Books (9781789294088)
A Short History of the World in 50 Animals (9781789292954)
A Short History of the World in 50 Places (9781789291971)
Taking readers on a world-wide journey, criminologist and award-winning author Christos Markogiannakis examines how fifty murders shaped the course of history. From early serial killers to the birth of criminology, he shows how such tragic loss of life can have history-changing consequences.
From ancient Rome to the twentieth century, the reader is taken on a global exploration behind the history of the most heinous of crimes – murder.
Including iconic cases such as Liu Pengli, the Han Dynasty Prince who became one of the world’s first-known serial killers; the twisted history of Romanian ruler, Vlad Draculea, better known as Vlad the Impaler; and the mysterious murders tied to Mary Queen of Scots.
Throughout this book, Markogiannakis charts the evolution in how we view murder, through the rise in criminology from the 1700s and early understanding of criminal psychology and even mental health. Alongside delving into our centuries’ long true crime fascination, this thoroughly explores the impact of front-page stories such as Lizzie Borden and Jack the Ripper on how we view crime today.
Also
A Short History of the World in 50 Conspiracies (9781789299076)
A Short History of the World in 50 Tyrants (9781789298437)
A Short History of the World in 50 Failures (9781789296938)
A Short History of the World in 50 Lies (9781789294606)
A Short History of the World in 50 Books (9781789294088)
A Short History of the World in 50 Animals (9781789292954)
A Short History of the World in 50 Places (9781789291971)
289 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication December 3, 2026
About the author
Christos Markogiannakis
14 books29 followersEnglish language profile for Χρήστος Μαρκογιαννάκης.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Michael O’Mara Limited for this ARC.
“A Short History of the World in 50 Murders” is a new part in a collection of books teaching the reader about world history with a specific focus on one central aspect. In this one, we learn of 50 killings, killers and mass murders. Author and criminologist Christos Markogiannakis examines how each of these shaped our history, taking us on a journey from ancient Rome to the twentieth century.
This is the third book in this “series” I have read, and I found each of them to be formatted in a way that is wonderfully readable and approachable to those of us somewhat new to history nonfiction.
Markogiannakis wonderfully connects the individual murders to the greater historical picture, making the book feel like one whole product instead of a loose collection of fragments. Additionally, each murder (especially those in the section of modern history) is handled with great consideration and respect.
The way this book conveys information is also just fun, far from the dryness some may think of with regards to history books.
I enjoyed each instalment I have read so far, and will absolutely be making my way through all of them eventually. If you enjoy history but are intimidated by big books diving deep into a specific person, time or event, this is a great starting point. It can also make you a wonderfully annoying “did you know that…” guy at parties!
“A Short History of the World in 50 Murders” is a new part in a collection of books teaching the reader about world history with a specific focus on one central aspect. In this one, we learn of 50 killings, killers and mass murders. Author and criminologist Christos Markogiannakis examines how each of these shaped our history, taking us on a journey from ancient Rome to the twentieth century.
This is the third book in this “series” I have read, and I found each of them to be formatted in a way that is wonderfully readable and approachable to those of us somewhat new to history nonfiction.
Markogiannakis wonderfully connects the individual murders to the greater historical picture, making the book feel like one whole product instead of a loose collection of fragments. Additionally, each murder (especially those in the section of modern history) is handled with great consideration and respect.
The way this book conveys information is also just fun, far from the dryness some may think of with regards to history books.
I enjoyed each instalment I have read so far, and will absolutely be making my way through all of them eventually. If you enjoy history but are intimidated by big books diving deep into a specific person, time or event, this is a great starting point. It can also make you a wonderfully annoying “did you know that…” guy at parties!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of *A Short History of the World in 50 Murders* before publication. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
I really enjoyed the concept of *A Short History of the World in 50 Murders*. Rather than simply retelling famous murder cases, Christos Markogiannakis looks at how particular killings influenced history, society and the way we understand crime today.
The book moves across an enormous period of history, from ancient Rome through to the twentieth century, and I liked the variety of cases included. Some were already familiar to me, such as Jack the Ripper and Lizzie Borden, while others introduced me to people and events I knew very little about.
What worked especially well for me was the short-chapter format. Each case is relatively self-contained, so it is very easy to dip in and out of the book without losing the wider thread. It also means the historical information never becomes overwhelmingly dense.
I particularly enjoyed the sections looking at the development of criminology and criminal psychology. The book becomes more interesting when it moves beyond simply asking who committed a murder and instead explores how certain crimes changed attitudes towards investigation, mental health, punishment and the study of offenders.
There were inevitably some cases that interested me much more than others, and with fifty murders packed into one book, I occasionally wanted more depth. At times it can feel more like an introduction to a fascinating subject than a detailed examination of each individual case.
Overall, though, this was an accessible, well-researched and very interesting way to look at world history through crime. I enjoyed learning about lesser-known cases alongside the famous ones, and the bite-sized structure made it surprisingly easy to read. A strong choice for anyone interested in both history and true crime.
I really enjoyed the concept of *A Short History of the World in 50 Murders*. Rather than simply retelling famous murder cases, Christos Markogiannakis looks at how particular killings influenced history, society and the way we understand crime today.
The book moves across an enormous period of history, from ancient Rome through to the twentieth century, and I liked the variety of cases included. Some were already familiar to me, such as Jack the Ripper and Lizzie Borden, while others introduced me to people and events I knew very little about.
What worked especially well for me was the short-chapter format. Each case is relatively self-contained, so it is very easy to dip in and out of the book without losing the wider thread. It also means the historical information never becomes overwhelmingly dense.
I particularly enjoyed the sections looking at the development of criminology and criminal psychology. The book becomes more interesting when it moves beyond simply asking who committed a murder and instead explores how certain crimes changed attitudes towards investigation, mental health, punishment and the study of offenders.
There were inevitably some cases that interested me much more than others, and with fifty murders packed into one book, I occasionally wanted more depth. At times it can feel more like an introduction to a fascinating subject than a detailed examination of each individual case.
Overall, though, this was an accessible, well-researched and very interesting way to look at world history through crime. I enjoyed learning about lesser-known cases alongside the famous ones, and the bite-sized structure made it surprisingly easy to read. A strong choice for anyone interested in both history and true crime.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
As someone who graduated from a Justice Studies program in university, and a life-long follower of true crime, I worried when requesting this arc that I would be familiar with most of the stories contained within. I am happy to report that was not the case! I will admit there were parts of this book where my eyes glazed over, the majority of these historical summaries where really interesting. I think this book is perfect for anyone interested in history, politics, and crime (in that order).
Due to Markogiannakis' emphasis on "History of the World", a lot of these crimes and politically motivated or have lasting political effects. I will admit, without far reaching context, a lot of the political maneuvering was lost on me; however, I believe this mostly to be my fault. Perhaps if I had not read this book in massive chunks, but rather broke it out into a one-a-day read it would've been easier for me to not have the names and locations all run together.
This book is a great jumping off point for learning, but far from the full story. This book did nothing if not motivate me to do deeper dives into the cases I was the most interested in which I believe is exactly what it intended, and it has made me want to read more works in the 'A Short History of the World' series.
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a copy of the arc for review.
Due to Markogiannakis' emphasis on "History of the World", a lot of these crimes and politically motivated or have lasting political effects. I will admit, without far reaching context, a lot of the political maneuvering was lost on me; however, I believe this mostly to be my fault. Perhaps if I had not read this book in massive chunks, but rather broke it out into a one-a-day read it would've been easier for me to not have the names and locations all run together.
This book is a great jumping off point for learning, but far from the full story. This book did nothing if not motivate me to do deeper dives into the cases I was the most interested in which I believe is exactly what it intended, and it has made me want to read more works in the 'A Short History of the World' series.
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a copy of the arc for review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the ARC of A Short History of the World in 50 Murders in exchange for an honest review!
Rating: 4⭐/5
I really enjoyed how each murder gets its own short, bite sized bit of history. It makes it so much easier to dive into a slice of history, and it makes the whole thing feel accessible! The language used isn't too difficult or complex either, so you never feel like you're wading through something dense just to get to the good stuff.
What I loved most is how it gets you thinking about the butterfly effect of each murder, the what if this hadn't happened, what would the world look like right now.
I also quite loved how it's organized by timeline, starting with the oldest murders and working toward the newest. It really makes you understand what point in history you're reading about and gives you a sense of perspective as you move through it.
My one wish is that each section was numbered. If it's 50 murders, I'd love to know exactly which one I'm on as I go, it would make it so much easier to understand where I'm located in the book.
This is perfect for fans of history and anyone with a bit of macabre curiosity about murders! If that sounds like you, definitely pick this one up.
Rating: 4⭐/5
I really enjoyed how each murder gets its own short, bite sized bit of history. It makes it so much easier to dive into a slice of history, and it makes the whole thing feel accessible! The language used isn't too difficult or complex either, so you never feel like you're wading through something dense just to get to the good stuff.
What I loved most is how it gets you thinking about the butterfly effect of each murder, the what if this hadn't happened, what would the world look like right now.
I also quite loved how it's organized by timeline, starting with the oldest murders and working toward the newest. It really makes you understand what point in history you're reading about and gives you a sense of perspective as you move through it.
My one wish is that each section was numbered. If it's 50 murders, I'd love to know exactly which one I'm on as I go, it would make it so much easier to understand where I'm located in the book.
This is perfect for fans of history and anyone with a bit of macabre curiosity about murders! If that sounds like you, definitely pick this one up.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews