Mystereity Reviews's Review of Scotland Yards First Cases

by Joan Lock

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 fifty 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. Readers of this book will understand why...

See my full review at Mystereity Reviews

Scotland Yard's First Cases is more than a story about Victorian crimes, it's also a fascinating look at the beginnings of Scotland Yard and the first detectives to come aboard and pioneer the finest law enforcement agencies in UK. It highlights not only their fight to create a detective force, but also their struggles to modernize, deal with corruption in the ranks and to standardize crime cases across the UK. Their legacy is still lives today, as Scotland Yard is recognized world wide as one of the premier law enforcement agencies in the world.

I particularly enjoyed the focus on the methods of detection used, their abilities were admirable, considering the lack of technology and training. Really, it's a wonder that so many crimes were solved and the compelling cases highlighted in the book are a testament to their tenacity. The author's thorough research in the archives is apparent in the details, with each case presented in a concise but very entertaining manner and one story about the robbery of a stamp office was particularly amusing. Their legendary exploits even made it into literary works of the time, including stories by Charles Dickens.

Scotland Yard's First Cases is an entertaining first-rate history of one of the world's most prestigious and recognizable agencies in law enforcement and its captivating cases will appeal to fans of history and/or true crime.

Thank you to Endeavor Press and Netgalley for a copy of the book in return for my honest review

Scotland Yards First Cases

by Joan Lock

Reviewed by Mystereity Reviews on Dec 31, 2016

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