When I saw the blurb for this book I knew that I wanted to read it!

This is a comprehensive history of Murder from its early conception around a thousand years ago to more recent cases such as Grenfell. The author explores many stories (including cases of corporate manslaughter, medical incidents, abused spouses and even an event of cannibalism to name a few) and then explains how they changed the law at the time and how they have shaped the law we have in the UK today.

Some of them I had heard of before but most were new to me and I learnt so many interesting facts along the way. A lot of crimes have left behind legacies that we still use today, for example, the phrase ‘Sweet F.A.’ derives from the brutal death of a small girl named Fanny Adams in 1867.

It is well written and researched and very informative. If you’re into true crime then this is the book for you!

Thank you to @netgally @kateclmorgan and @harperscollinsuk for this ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Murder: The Biography is lawyer Kate Morgan’s comprehensive account of UK murder law, from its early origins through to the landmark real-life cases which have contributed to its development and the changing attitudes of society that have shaped it. The book also illustrates how murder is far less black and white than we often imagine it to be and given that in reality not all murders are created equal, it has proven in practice a far more slippery concept for the justice system to prosecute. Beginning with a consideration of society’s seemingly insatiable appetite for murder with the origins of murder ballads such as ‘Mack the Knife’ and following its progression through to today’s obsession with true-crime podcasts, the book is extraordinarily wide-ranging. The history dates tight back to the Viking landing in the ninth century and the gradual emergence of a concept that loosely translates as a secret killing. From there Kate Morgan recounts the first attempt at a definitive statement of the law, including tackling the contentious legal dividing line between murder and manslaughter, made by renowned jurist Sir Edward Coke in the first half of the 17th century. Encountering some extraordinary cases along the way, from the little known to the infamous, the book is an enlightening look at homicide in the twenty-first century.

Cases include that of Daniel M’Naughten and the consideration of his sanity at the time of committing a crime with the implementation of the ‘M’Naughten Rules’ to define the criminally insane that are still used today. The first defence of necessity is also illustrated with the case of the crewmates of cannibalised cabin boy, Richard Parker, in a rather macabre Victorian example and the story of Dr Percy Bateman, the doctor whose botched procedure changed the law on manslaughter, is also featured. Issues such a diminished responsibility and its tricky history is clarified and the question of provocation is exemplified by the hanging of Ruth Ellis and the groundswell of public unease surrounding the history of abuse she suffered. Morgan also sets out the case of Derek Bentley and the joint enterprise conviction that saw him hang and was subsequently overturned. Atrocities which drew collective public horror, including that at Aberfan, Hillsborough, the Grenfell tower fire and the sinking of the Marchioness all feature with the book looking at corporate manslaughter and also the matter of death by dangerous driving.

Meticulously researched and impressively detailed, the book is hugely accessible and Kate Morgan writes engagingly with a focus on the colourful cases that hold readers attention in a way that a dry recounting of facts could never hope to. Whilst there are some notably gruesome and macabre stories featured along the way, the focus is on the implications that these have had, and how they have contributed to altering UK murder law. It is definitely not the right book for readers after a gratuitous history of infamous UK cases and it is also a book that the reader has to actively engage with, and think about, to get the best out of. I came away having been entertained and satisfied that I had learnt far more than i envisaged.

Murder a Biography

Murder fascinates us. There is an apparently endless stream of thrillers, police procedurals and ‘cosy crime’ to whet our appetites and we are intrigued and horrified in equal measure. TV and film also provide us with programmes in which we could almost be the sleuth such as the late, lamented CSI and Broadchurch. But what could drive someone to kill another person? Is it a case of ‘There but for the grace of God go I?’ A moment of frenzy and a lifetime of regret or a calculated campaign of deaths as with a serial killer.
In ‘Murder: The Biography, Kate Morgan who is a lawyer, reveals that the despite the inexhaustible stream of murders, it’s actually very rare. She quotes figures from 2019, in which there were 671 murders out of 519,000 deaths in England and Wales. This equates to 11 people murdered for every million women, men and children. It often features domestic crime as murder appears to be mainly committed at home. Women are often killed by current or former partners whereas men are killed by friends and acquaintances.
The author quotes several high profile cases as she traces the history of murder through the centuries. It’s not as easy to define as you might think. The actual word ‘murder’ comes from the Anglo-Saxon word, ‘mordor’ which meant a ‘secret killing’ for which the traditional payment of wergild to the victim’s family wasn’t an adequate atonement. It then became ‘mordrum’ by the time the Normans arrived, and it was punishable by death.
In the 17th century, Sir Edward Coke made the distinction between murder and manslaughter by using ‘malice aforethought’ and ‘upon a sudden occasion’ respectively. Morgan quotes Ruth Ellis’s testimony when asked about her intention when she shot her lover, ‘When I shot him, I intended to kill him.’ which would be an example of malice aforethought. Morgan goes on to add that greed, lust, rage and gain are the archetypal triggers for taking a life.
She also goes onto discuss the other degrees of murder and manslaughter: self defence, by reason of insanity, gross negligence, diminished responsibility and corporate manslaughter. The M’Naughten Rules as a means to judge insanity are still in use today.
Morgan also cites the notorious case of 4 sailors adrift in a boat after their ship sank who decided to kill and eat the cabin boy. By the time they were rescued, all that remained of the boy was a bone and some dubious dried meat. 2 of the sailors stood trial after the ship’s captain turned Queen’s evidence. They were found guilty despite the public leaping to their defence and they were each sentenced to 6 months. UntiI I read this book I had no idea that there was ‘a rich history of cannibalism among the maritime fraternity…it was a little acknowledged custom of the sea.’
Dr Percy Bateman was on trial for manslaughter by gross negligence in a particularly gruesome case. He had been called to a difficult birth in SE London which resulted in a dead baby and the death of the mother some days later. He had tried to cover up the fact that he had made a catastrophic mistake when removing the placenta and was sentenced to 6 months. I found this case to be one of the most tragic in the book. The author also discusses high profile cases such as Derek Bentley and the Yorkshire Ripper. With corporate manslaughter, she explores the tragedy of Grenfell Tower amongst others.
It’s a varied selection of lives cut short by an action over which they had no control. After all, let’s not forget that murder is the life and death of a real person. ‘Murder: The Biography’ is a very readable, and accessible book which presents the history of murder and its many strands. As she says ‘all tales of murder are, in essence, ghost stories. In the telling of these cases and trials, the victim returns from beyond the grace to live again and see their death avenged.’
My thanks to Mudlark and Netgalley for an ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is right up my street, carefully researched well written. Morgan tells the history and punishment of murder through time and how the law has adjusted and changed to the crime of murder.

This book is very similar to the Bloody Yorkshire series of books by W M Rhodes, which again retells crimes from bygone Yorkshire and details the history of crime in the UK. These books are also worth a read.

‘Murder: The Biography’ -Kate Morgan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“...our grisly fascination with murder; we are simultaneously intrigued and revolted.”

⚠️ Murder, Suicide, Cannibalism, Capital punishment and Torture ⚠️

In this Non-Fiction book, Morgan details the progression of Criminal Law in the British Legal System, spanning one thousand years; specifically in relation to the deplorable crime of homicide, including both murder and manslaughter.

Shifting from responsibility of the town sheriff, to introducing a more rigid, consistent and fair judiciary process. Paying the price of ‘wergild’ for a man’s life was no longer satisfactory to take a life. From the 10th century the concept of ‘Murdrum’ was devised and thus began “murder’s long and fascinating criminal career”.

Morgan meticulously assesses the evolution of the illegality of killing and explores various defence routes such as; diminished responsibility, gross negligence and insanity.

Each chapter references infamous cases throughout history; some popular and other, less-known but equally shocking cases. From Mack the Knife, to ‘Sweet’ Fanny Adams to Jack the Ripper, no stone is left unturned. Choice of method, common weapons and malice afterthought is all discussed in this diligently researched book.

This is a must read for anyone interested in true crime. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins, UK Nonfiction for my e-arc.

I really enjoyed this book. I read widely, but crime fiction has always held a special place for me and I also enjoy well written non fiction which look into the factual side of crime and punishment. Kate Morgan’s book is in a class of its own; a truly compelling mix of legal history and case analysis.

I was fascinated by the first part of the book which delves into what is understood by murder and how unlawful killing of another human became a crime. It goes back over 1000 years and it’s first time in decades of reading that I’ve come across a succinct analysis of what is really meant by the word, one we all take fir granted.

The cases examined are mostly different to those covered in popular case stories and again provide a unique slant on developments and changes in legislation, including punishment. Seems to be meticulously researched and is written with an energy that drives the content like an adventure story. Excellent and my thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley.

This was okay but very difficult to get into. I got more into it towards the end but then it ended. Morgan does dissect some interesting and infamous cases but I needed more.

What a fascinating read this was. The analysis of murder definitions during the previous 1000 years was well researched and presented in an easy to read way. A book full of informative facts that kept on surprising me or at times bringing back memories of the discussed cases.
Highly recommend.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this review copy. A fascinating and informative book on how murder has developed in the eyes of the law over the years. Gave it four stars rather than five as I would have preferred the book to be longer as some parts could have been developed further.

I love True Crime as a genre but I’m choosy about what I read as a lot of it is exploitative and unnecessary. Luckily, this book hit all my sweet spots. Crime, law, history of ideas. It’s all in here. From 18th century duels to the coercive control defence of the 2010s the story of how we got from there to here in our cultural and legal understanding of homicide is explored in such an entertaining and thought provoking way. It’s academic without ever being dry and I’d highly recommend.

A fascinating legal and social history of murder in the UK.

Lawyer Kate Morgan takes us through the evolution of the concept of murder in the British legal system. She identifies how certain cases have swayed public opinion to such an extent that the law has changed as a result, and looks at the trends in punishment for the crime. Also covered are the origins of terminology, such as ‘malice aforethought’.

Illustrative cases include sweet Fanny Adams, Ruth Ellis and capital punishment, plus Sally Challen and coercive control. The book also considers diminished responsibility, political assassination, corporate culpability (manslaughter/homicide), and maritime cannibalism.

Morgan’s writing is accessible and diligently researched. She links contemporary cases to the point in history when the legal concept relevant to that case first arose. In her enthusiasm, she draws on more cases than necessary, to the extent the book loses focus towards the end. Nevertheless, an engrossing read.

My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, Nonfiction for the ARC.

This is a comprehensive and interesting read on the subject of murder and related offences and their differences.

The writing is easy to follow and detailed without being complicated, and takes the reader through sometimes complex matters making them easy to digest.
The true crime cases through the book make fascinating reading for any true crime fan.
The subject could have made for a boring read , but this is definitely opposite, highly recommended!

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK.

Loved this mix of story and technical detail on the crime of murder and how society and the law has treated it over centuries. Technical in parts, but still easy to follow. A really interesting book.

This book is a comprehensive book looking at the crime of murder over time.
It links back to the first documented cases of murder and the forming of laws and how these have changed.
It also looks at the difficulties with the law and how some crimes have changed the law when it hasn't been appropriate for the crime.
This well researched books is detailed with cases that are relevant to the law and how the cases are categorised. It is amazing at how many of these controversial cases are not in the public consciousness and this book is recommended for not just fans of true crime but anyone who is interested in justice and law.
This book is well written and although the research put into this book is evident it does not reduce the enjoyment of this book.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley in allowing me to read this book in return for a review.

Fascinating, macabre at times, well researched, legally correct and beautifully written, this is a welcome and original treatise on the history of murder and makes a potentially complex subject clear and easy to understand.

Liberally illustrated with examples of major cases throughout the ages which helped define and indeed change the law, it is particularly strong on the differences between murder and manslaughter and what constitutes an insanity defence.

This could have been dry and dusty but it was a pleasure and delight to read and I was entertained and educated in turn.

Highly recommended.

I like my books to gain my interest from the very first page. Unfortunately, this book did not do it for me. I lost interest quite early on and the book was a struggle to get through

This is a great read if you want good and accurate information on murder or it is a subject that is of interest. I guess it's not something you openly talk about but I'm definitely curious how you separate the various cases and how some murders gain more sympathy than their victims which I find wrong by so is the injustice of the system at times. That's talking as a non legal expert.

I never realised how complicated the issue of murder could be and how much needed to be done to make the legal system fairer. Kate Morgan takes you through the history of how our laws have changed with the passing of time to what we have now. Its fair to say that their may never be a fully fair system but then it's never fair for a life to be cut short whether by accident or intent. Or that the individual, individuals or system as in the company that caused the death should not be made to pay a price.

This book shows how through the years whether it's the serial killer the one of intended, or the accidental killer, there's the grieved or emotional wounded the wrong place at the wrong time or the over gerlache doctor (not referring to Harold Shipman he was a serial killer end off). Yes there are so many variations that they can't all be the same justice as the other. That's what has slowly been adjusted through the years and Kate brings it up to the present day, would be hard to predict the future, like a Leader that ignores the plague so thousands or millions die ( definitely not referring to the UK here) but if in the future would a new law be needed. There will always be a case that tests the current, here you will read about how historical deaths have shaped our justice system and how the public react.

I found this book both fascinating and absorbing as well as informative and highly recommend it to history buffs and anyone who is concerned with justice or the lack of it at times.

Murder: The Biography examines the definition of murder, and the often convoluted and complicated way in which the term has been applied and shaped throughout British history. It closely examines those important cases which have influenced the change in the law surrounding murder and the challenges often faced by judge and jury in convicting murderers. Because sometimes it's never as clean cut as a life for a life.

This covers so many different topics under a complicated legal system that has had to evolve in the wake of social changes. We start in Tudor times with the first definition of murder and premeditative intent, following on to Georgian duals, Victorian medical negligence and the introduction of manslaughter charges. Some of the cases are really interesting, especially the chapters that offer a real moral conundrum in convicting individuals for murder - such as maritime cannibalism, and mental instability. I also rather liked the chapter on corporate manslaughter - which I didn't realise was such a new edition in law in the first place. It's quite scary to think that companies can be fined more for environmental damage than the taking of human life through poor health and safety measures. Aberfan, the sinking of the Marchioness, Granfell...all are brought up in relation to the introduction of corporate manslaughter and how the law has changed because of the tragedies that happened.

I did think that the over arcing evolution of provocation charges which lead to murder in men (often used as a 'red mist' analogy) and women in abusive relationships could have been expanded on a little. We read of a few cases of diminished responsibility charges used in appeals for women charged with the murder of partners, but I really wanted some more cases. There's probably enough to make a whole book on the subject matter to be honest. I also found the writing a little dry at times, especially when deep diving into criminal law. As I've said, it's a very messy subject area, and sometimes the complicated descriptions of laws got a bit dull. However, I did find the writing very accessible on the whole and kept my interest piqued throughout.

Facinating look into the evolution of murder and law in Britain with some incredibly interesting cases. I learnt a lot, and would highly recommend to anyone looking to further their studies into true crime in the UK.

A very curious book for a world that tends to think in black and white - it is either murder or it is not! This "biography" does a rather good job of proving that murder is far from a black or white decision to the extent that even 50 shades of grey are not sufficient.

In the good old, bad old days, a thousand years ago, if you killed someone you paid their perceived worth in cash or kind and went away free. Fast forward to the mid 1900s and you have the situation where 2 people committed a robbery and during that robbery a policeman was shot dead. Easy verdict, no, they were both found guilty but, because the gunman was under-age, he went to prison but his adult associate was hung.

Just 2 simple examples and it is very well worthwhile reading the book to discover how complex adjudicating on the taking of a life has become.

Join lawyer and writer Kate Morgan on a dark and macabre journey as she explores the strange stories and mysterious cases that have contributed to UK murder law. The big corporate killers; the vengeful spouses; the sloppy doctors; the abused partners; the shoddy employers; each story a crime and each crime a precedent that has contributed to the law’s dark, murky and, at times, shocking standing. If like me you binge watch Netflix for true life crimes this one is definitely for you! Fascinating read! Fully recommend this ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️