I might come off as weird but I think women talking Murder is hot as fuck. My idiosyncrasies aside, I was hooked to the book from page 1. The book is thoroughly researched and thorough doesn't do justice to the detailed information the book provides for murders - their intentions/executions/failures/consequences in a narrative that is wisely economical.

Only after finishing the book I found out that Kate Morgan is in fact a lawyer (I read books on instinct, I'm not a blurb person and I have fared well just like that) so it all kinda fits. Morgan doesn't limit herself to the monotonous verdicts and journalistic reports of five hundred years ago. She takes you by the hand to the psychological and humane aspects of these deeds in all their absurd glory.

I think this is the perfect "palate cleanser" if you always stick to a genre and wanna read something else for a change and yet something of value. Because this darling book is gonna stick. It will also be the best Halloween present ever (for adults)!!!!

Thankyou Kate Morgan *tips hat*

I really enjoyed this book. As a fan of true crime, I found it to be was meticulously researched and informative, and a really enjoyable and gripping read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Lots of information about murder and the law. Lots of examples of real life crime, past and present. Each chapter led seamlessly to the next. Very well written. I would read more by this author. Definitely recommend if this is your sort of thing!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the eARC of this book.

An exceedingly well-researched and insightful study of the history of the crime of murder, and the cases that informed the law. It is written in a way that’s informative but still gripping. A well-crafted book.

I found this book very interesting and devoured it in a surprisingly short amount of time. I watch every single Netflix crime programme, and this could easily be made into one. It was amazing to learn about the real and current world implications and importance that crime has had on the world. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

Absolutely fantastic read. I have loved this and been completely unable and unwilling to put this one down.
This is a great read which I will be highly recommending.

I must confess to a fascination with all things murder, so this was an obvious choice for me, and it didn’t disappoint.
Morgan traces the criminal law system and how it deals with the complexities of what constitutes murder from the arrival of the vikings to the present day.
She traces the defences of manslaughter and diminished responsibility and how they evolved.
What if you accidentally kill someone? Or if a woman kills a man who has abused her, but plans it rather than it being a crime of passion? What if the sloppy practices of a company allow a disaster to occur?
Medical negligence is a fascinating one and she describes one case in the nineteenth century when a Dr Bateman attempted to cover up how he has accidentally killed his patient while delivering her baby.
What is fascinating is how case law has dealt with the complexities and reformed the application of the law.
I found the book most interesting as it progressed and used modern day cases to illustrate the complexities. For example, she described the sinking of the Zeebrugge ferry and what it exposed about sloppy practice at P&O and the difficulties at the time in prosecuting the company.
I was also intrigued by the decision of whether the Yorkshire ripper could plead diminished responsibility - a tough decision.
And the case of Tony Bland - the young man who survived the Hillsborough disaster - and whether the doctor responsible for withdrawing his feeding tube (something his family wanted) would be guilty of murder.
So many cases and such a compelling read. Recommended.

Kate Morgan's 'Murder: The Biography' provides a gripping narrative on how the legal framework around murder has developed. Laws regarding manslaughter, fitness to plea etc, that we all take for granted, have developed out of cases and the debate that has surrounded them. Morgan thoroughly researches all of this, and writes in a way that is accessible and compelling. She also highlights how the law is constantly in a state of flux, meaning that future cases could alter its course in the same way as those from the past.

An absolutely fascinating and informative read, I was totally sucked in by this book and read with an eagerness to know more, Well written and a difficult subject handled delicately, a great read.

My thanks to #Netgalley and #HarperCollins publishing for the opportunity to review this book.
What a fascinating read especially for those of us who relish true crime articles and documentaries.
It actually put the meat on the bones of criminology and the why of court proceedings. Plus the odd gem of origins of sayings eg ‘Sweet Fanny Adams’
Loved it and would definitely recommend.

Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for an ARC of Murder: The Biography.

This book could've been either riveting or boring, but thankfully it leaned more towards the riveting side. If you enjoy true crime and want to know more about the legal side of crime and the crimes that contributed to the changes within the UK legal system, then this is a book for you. One case that has already stuck with me is Dr. Percy Bateman which led to changes in manslaughter laws. I found this book very informative and interesting as some cases I'd already heard of but a lot I hadn't. What I loved about Murder: The Biography is that while it's written by a lawyer, but Kate Morgan didn't write it in a way that was overwhelming for the average reader (me), and it's not full of jargon. It's factual, straight to the point and I really enjoyed it.

An excellent book and a very informative read. I am of the age that I can remember a lot of the murders that Kate Morgan covers although I have never considered the Judiciary process behind them. It is interesting to know how murder from the Middle Ages has significance and bearing on murder/manslaughter leading up to the twentieth century and the present day. I would throughly recommend this read.

Interesting concept - the history of how murder has evolved in English law. I learned quite a lot, even if some of the famous 20th century cases were already pretty familiar to me. A very easy read as well. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I love crime novels and true crime books and programmes and thought this Murder biography would be of interest, I wasn't wrong. The journey of murder and manslaughter through the ages was very interesting and I didn't realise that this was such a vague area in terms of court cases and definitions. Very informative.

I loved this book, I’m a huge fan of true crime, history and the downright macabre, this book ticks all of those boxes for me.
Kate Morgan has researched and impressively detailed the book in such a way to make it highly accessible to everyone and Kate writes in such a way to keep you hooked and wanting more.
Some of the stories are a bit gruesome, but delivered in such a way that it is educational, and they all explain where the laws came from as a result, yet it remains fun, and engaging. Morgan has managed to create a bridge between a relatively dry subject of the law, and make it entertaining.

She takes us as far back as the Vikings in the 9th century, then weaves a tale throughout history up to modern days.
Where did the concept of manslaughter come from?
When was the last ‘Trial by combat’ ( Up to reading this book I thought that was a Game of Thrones thing) - and why did it eventually cease to be requested?

All of things are explained in the book, it is so much more than a collection of tales of murder - in fact the stories are more of a sideline.

All in all, I loved this book, it’s educational, it’s fun and interesting, If I had to pick any negative, it would be that the chapters are quite long, which makes it difficult for me to stop reading at a decent time of night, but that’s my only grumble.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was really looking forward to reading this and was hoping it would have a lot of detailed information and be more non-fiction/factual than story based.
For me the writer story, while including some interesting insights, did slow the pace for me.
Others want more of a novel based experience would probably enjoy this element.
Interesting read but not what I had expected.

This was a fascinating and extremely well researched book looking at the history of murder in Britain; more specifically, the legal definitions and criminal cases that brought us to the where we are now. Far from being a salacious look at all of the famous murderers of the past, this is instead a thoughtful history of the crime itself from a legal standpoint beginning with the anglo-saxon penalties and travelling through the landmark cases that have made substantive changes to the law code. Not for everyone, I personally thought this was excellent and will definitely read future works from Kate Morgan.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing my a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

As I am currently studying Criminology, I found this book very interesting. I have always had an interest about true crime and I religiously watch all the Netflix documentary’s so this was right up my street. Murder: The Biography explores what murder is and how the law has evolved over time. There is a mixture of real-life cases, how murder is less black and white than what it seems, and how the law has changed throughout the years.
Kate Morgan is a lawyer as well as a writer, so you can tell that she has a true passion about this topic. It felt very well researched and each case had so much detail. I have read many true crime books and this one is by far one of the best as you can tell that Morgan really knows what she is talking about.
If you are a fan of true crime, a law or criminology student or are just looking for a really interesting book, then I would really recommend this book.

Fascinating and concise read about many different crimes and criminals many of them totally new to me. Well worth a read to any crime fan.

The background and insight into the history of the charge of murder. Its changes over time to take into account the changes of living and the complexity charge. Murder, manslaughter, corporate manslaughter, dimished responsibility, provocation and death by dangerous driving all come together.
A fascinating insight into the law and how it has changed and why.