Capital Crime

An outstanding historical crime thriller based on real-life events: the framing of Timothy Evans for murders committed by notorious serial killer John Christie.

It is winter, 1950 in a dingy part of London. John Davies confesses to strangling his wife and baby daughter, and for DI Ted Stratton of West End Central, it promises to be a straightforward case. When Davies recants, blaming respectable neighbour Norman Backhouse for the crimes, nobody, including Stratton, sees any reason to believe him. Davies is convicted and hanged, but later, after a series of gruesome discoveries, Stratton begins to suspect that there has been a terrible miscarriage of justice.

Her marriage in tatters, ex-MI5 agent Diana Calthrop is determined to start a new life, but, despite a promising beginning, she soon finds herself in trouble both financially and emotionally. And with a seemingly unstoppable killer of women on the loose, she is very vulnerable indeed.

A Capital Crime is a story of guilt, longing, uncertainty, and grotesque horror.

“'Wilson brings post-war London to life in a finely crafted murder mystery that yields surprises to the very end' Time Out.”

'Stands with 10 Rillington Place ... will make you wonder forever more about the seething passions behind your neighbour's door' Daily Telegraph. Daily Telegraph
'One of the country's most acute psychological crime novelists' Independent. Independent
Time Out

Laura Wilson (Author)

Laura Wilson was brought up in London and has degrees in English Literature from Somerville College, Oxford and UCL, London. She has worked briefly and ingloriously as a teacher, and more successfully as an editor of non-fiction books. She has written history books for children and is interested in history, particularly of the recent past, painting and sculpture, uninhabited buildings, underground structures, cemeteries and time capsules. She lives in Islington.Her first novel A LITTLE DEATH was shortlisted for both the CWA Ellis Peters and the Anthony Award for Best Paperback Original. A THOUSAND LIESwas shortlisted for the 2006 Duncan Lawrie Dagger. THE LOVER won the 2004 Prix du Polar Europeen for Best Crime Novel of the Year In Translation and was also shortlisted for the 2004 Gold Dagger and the Ellis Peters Award. In 2008, she won the Ellis Peters Award with her novel STRATTON'S WAR.

Laura Wilson (Author)

Laura Wilson's acclaimed and award-winning crime novels have won her many fans. Her novel Stratton's War won the Ellis Peters Award, while The Lover and A Thousand Lies were both shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger. Laura is the Guardian's crime reviewer. She lives in Islington, London.

London, Winter 1950. John Davies confesses to strangling his wife and baby daughter. It looks like an easy case for DI Ted Stratton. Not so - Davies recants, blaming respectable neighbour Norman Backhouse for the crimes. But why would anyone believe him? Davies is convicted and hanged. Later, after a series of gruesome discoveries, Stratton begins to suspect that there has been a terrible miscarriage of justice. Did an innocent man hang for a murder he didn't commit? Worse still - is the murderer still out there?

It is winter, 1950 in a dingy part of London. John Davies confesses to strangling his wife and baby daughter, and for DI Ted Stratton of West End Central, it promises to be a straightforward case. When Davies recants, blaming respectable neighbour Norman Backhouse for the crimes, nobody, including Stratton, sees any reason to believe him. Davies is convicted and hanged, but later, after a series of gruesome discoveries, Stratton begins to suspect that there has been a terrible miscarriage of justice. Her marriage in tatters, ex-MI5 agent Diana Calthrop is determined to start a new life, but, despite a promising beginning, she soon finds herself in trouble both financially and emotionally. And with a seemingly unstoppable killer of women on the loose, she is very vulnerable indeed. A Capital Crime is a story of guilt, longing, uncertainty, and grotesque horror.

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