Registered and available

Sent to Bookcrosser dolph1n in Chester

Ooh, this looks exciting. Yes I know that sounds a bit macabre but I love a bit of gruesomeness. (Is that a word?)
Thank you.

I thought this was fascinating. A bit repetitive but very interesting. I was quite shocked by the number of men who murdered their wives or mistresses.

A birthday gift. Hope you like it.

Ooh, this does look macabre, but interesting. Thank you dolph1n, for this and your other gifts.

The history is fascinating - both as it relates to the criminal justice system and the murderers who were executed. I was taken aback by how many were examples of what we'd now refer to as gender-based violence. Women really have had a raw deal throughout history.

But despite its incredible topic, this book was a disappointment. It read like something copied and pasted together in a hurry by the author. As dolph1n says, there was a lot of repetition, and I skim-read parts as a result.

What annoyed me the most was the lack of attention to the Pierrepoint men themselves. Despite this notionally being their biography, Fielding rarely shows any curiosity about their family lives, personalities, motives, or relationships. He repeatedly rates periods of their lives as being good or bad purely based on how many executions they carried out - which can make the book seem incredibly callous!

There are hints throughout the narrative that men who became executioners (including the Pierrepoints) were not entirely emotional healthy or emotionally stable. Narcissism, violence, addiction, and depression are all alluded to at points, but never explored as themes. This means that the book lacks the depth and punch that it should really have.

If you are new to bookcrossing - welcome and congratulations for finding a book! Please leave a journal entry to let me and any other readers know where it has gone and what you thought of it.

Picked up at the Old Gang Book Festival Meetup.