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Scotland Yard's First Cases
- Narrated by: Richard Fox
- Length: 7 hrs and 12 mins
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Scotland Yard's First Cases
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Summary
When Scotland Yard’s first detective branch was set up in 1842, crime was very different from today.
The favoured murder weapon was the cut-throat razor; carrying a pocket watch was dangerous; the most significant clue at a murder scene could be the whereabouts of a candlestick or hat; large households (family, servants and lodgers) complicated many a case; and servants sometimes murdered their masters.
Detectives had few aids and suffered many disadvantages.
The bloody handprints found at two early murder scenes were of no help, there being no way of telling whether blood (or hair) was human or animal.
Fingerprinting was 50 years away, DNA profiling another hundred, and photography was too new to help with identification.
The detectives had no transport and were expected to walk the first three miles on any enquiry before catching an omnibus or cab and trying to recoup the fares.
All reports had to be handwritten with a dip pen and ink, and the only means of keeping contact with colleagues and disseminating information was by post, horseback or foot. In spite of these handicaps and severe press criticism, the detectives achieved some significant successes.
Joan Lock includes such classic cases as the First Railway Murder, as well as many fascinating, fresh reports, weaving in new developments like the electric telegraph against a background of authentic Victorian police procedure.
Charles Dickens said that Scotland Yard detectives gave the impression of leading lives of strong mental excitement. Listeners of this book will understand why....
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What listeners say about Scotland Yard's First Cases
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Kenneth Crowley
- 31-03-23
Excellent details from the early days of the Bow street runners
Detail detail, very open looking from an outside perspective of early London Rough Ready injustice, dependent upon one’s post code . Definitely the devil is within the realm of possibility as human nature is a unique thing.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Nick
- 31-03-23
Poor choice of reader.
An interesting and well written account of the development of criminal investigation.
However, the reader's disinterested, and unemotive voice makes this more like 'O' Level revision than an enjoyable, educational listen.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Liz Perryman
- 08-03-20
Mr Whichers colleagues
Very informative for those interested in the history of detection in the UK.
Historically accurate.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Marie
- 13-07-23
First cases
Very enjoyable listen. Had heard of quite a few of the detectives eg Littlejohn and Whitcher and one or two others who broke the law themselves.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jacky
- 07-05-23
Intriguing interesting historic police cases
A different type of book very interesting to listen to historic cases of murder and the differences between results, hard labour, hanging, sent to the colonies and some were let off when it was quite obvious they were guilty
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
Excellent factual stories about the 18 centuries!!
It is like reading a history book into crime and the and the way they were committed first class!!!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Joanna
- 31-07-24
Interesting historical cases
Enjoyed learning about the early development of policing in the 18 hundreds. The crimes were surprisingly gruesome. Unfortunately the narrator was difficult to listen to at times, was often like listening to him read off instructions, causing me to loose interest and switch off.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- GFL
- 23-02-23
An important record
An important and interesting journal of law and disorder and the slow development of policing and use of scientific development.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Lynne B
- 19-09-24
Shame about the narrator
This would have been very interesting to listen to we’re it not for the narrator who had a very monotone and boring voice
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Adam H.
- 19-08-24
Great story, awful to listen to
The subject is absolutely fascinating! But - after several attempts- I found myself unable to continue to listen to it.
It’s delivered almost as a news report, which by m some circumstances would work, but not for a very long but audiobook- at least I have struggled and given up.
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