Foul Deeds Around Crewe

Foul Deeds Around Crewe takes the reader on a fascinating journey through centuries of local crime and conspiracy, meeting villains of all sorts along the way - casual killers and robbers, murderous husbands and lovers, prostitutes and poisoners.

This revealing book recalls many grisly events and sad or unsavoury individuals whose conduct throws a harsh light on the history of Crewe and the surrounding countryside.

Among the many acts of wickedness the authors recall are shocking crimes from the recent past - the daughter who poisoned her father, a murder in a stately home, two brothers who conspired to kill their father, a mysterious ritual drowning and the killing of a policeman.

But they also cover in vivid detail the early criminal history of the area - the theft of sheep, cattle and horses, crop-wrecking, rural assaults, land-disputes, poaching and highway robbery.

The ruthless punishments meted out to convicted criminals - public humiliation, imprisonment, the death penalty - are an essential part of the story.

This chronicle of Crewe's hidden history - the history the town would prefer to forget - will be compelling reading for anyone who is interested in the dark side of human nature.