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As a survivor of a brutal attack by the Yorkshire Ripper, this book gives fresh insight into the consequences of being labeled a victim of this notorious serial killer.

Mo Lea was followed home and attacked by Peter Sutcliffe, who hit her over the head repeatedly with a hammer. She was stabbed with a screwdriver leaving her with life threatening injuries. The book reveals how Mo has wrestled with the past, struggling to come to terms with the well-trodden, morbid narrative. She has written a new, fresh perspective for the present day.

Her writing offers an alternative account, one which repositions her as a survivor with a success story. While sympathy has its place for the victims, this book gives insight into processes of recovery and success. Mo had no control over unwanted media interventions. Sometimes the Ripper story would appear on the morning news while she was getting ready to go to work. She learnt to contain her anxiety but she could neither predict or escape these uncomfortable moments that reminded her of her past trauma.

Mo Lea’s art practice has been an important factor in her life. She has been fortunate to use this as an outlet to explore her pain, anger, suffering and recovery.

After years of personal growth and recovery, a short film was made of Mo Lea creating a drawing from the iconic photograph of the man who had tried to take her life. She is filmed ripping up the Ripper. She is filmed tearing up the portrait that she had so carefully drawn, rendering him as disposable as a piece of litter. The film shows how Mo turned her story around, making Sutcliffe the victim and herself, the triumphant survivor.

Mo had finally found a way of stepping out of the frame. She no longer felt Iike running away. The illustrations contained within describe better than any words, her journey from tragic despair to calmness and acceptance. By writing this book Mo Lea has found a way to reclaim her story.

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This book examines some of the most horrifying, mystifying, and fascinating murder cases in British history. Expertly researched by true crime author Kevin Turton, these stories have endured and confounded both police and law courts alike. With a chapter devoted to each story, Turton examines the circumstances surrounding the crime, the people caught up in the investigation, and the impact it had on their lives. Though they span a century—from 1857 to 1957—these murders share one chilling fact in common: despite various accusations, arrests, and trials, no one has ever been proven guilty. The volume begins with notorious cases from the Victorian Era, such as the questionable trial of Scotland’s accused murderess Madeleine Smith, and the failed investigation into the murder of John Gill—possibly by Jack the Ripper. It then moves into the 20th century with the murders of Caroline Luard, Florence Nightingale Shore, and others. In each case, Turton sifts the facts and poses the questions that mattered at the time of each murder.

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Isabella Bird travelled to the wildest places on earth, but at home in Britain she lay in bed, hardly able to write: 'an invalid at home and a Samson abroad'.

In Japan she rode on a 'yezo savage' through foaming floods along unbeaten tracks, and was followed in the city by a crowd of a thousand, whose clogs clattered 'like a hailstorm' as they vied for a glimpse of the foreigner. She documented America before and after the Civil War and was deported from Korea with only the tweed suit she stood up in during a Japanese invasion. In China she was attacked with rocks and sticks and called a foreign dog, but she never gave up and went home. 'The prospect of the unknown has its charms.'

Transformed by distant lands, she crossed raging floods, rode elephants, cows and yak, clung to her horse's neck as it clambered down cliff paths, slept on simple mats on the bare ground, unable to change out of wet clothes or get out of the searing heat.

Her travels and the books she wrote about them show courage and tenacity, fuelled by a restless spirit and a love of nature. She is as unique now as she was then

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Mark Stevens reveals what life was like for the criminally insane, over one hundred years ago. From fresh research into the Broadmoor archives, Mark has uncovered the lost lives of patients whose mental illnesses led them to become involved in crime.

Discover the five women who went on to become mothers in Broadmoor, giving birth to new life when three of them had previously taken it. Find out how several Victorian immigrants ended their hopeful journeys to England in madness and disaster. And follow the nail-biting numerous escapes, actual and attempted, as the first doctors tried to assert control over the residents.

As well as bringing the lives of forgotten inmates to light, this thrilling book reveals new perspectives on some of the hospital's most famous Victorian patients:

Edward Oxford, the bar boy who shot at Queen Victoria. Richard Dadd, the brilliant artist and murderer of his own father. William Chester Minor, veteran of the American Civil War who went on to play a key part in the first Oxford English Dictionary. Christiana Edmunds, 'The Chocolate Cream Poisoner' and frustrated lover from Brighton.

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It’s the tale of intrepid journalist Nellie Bly and her race through a ‘man’s world’ — alone and literally with just the clothes on her back — to beat the fictional record set by Jules Verne’s Phileas Fogg in Around the World in 80 Days. She won the race in 72 days on 25 January 1890 and became a global celebrity.

I set off 125 years later to retrace Nellie Bly’s footsteps in an expedition registered with the Royal Geographical Society. Through the recreation of that epic global journey, I aim to bring to life Nellie Bly’s remarkable achievements and shine the light on one of the world’s greatest female adventurers … and a forgotten heroine of history. Please join Nellie and me on our global journeys in the pages of Following Nellie Bly.

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Some children are born for a purpose.

Samuel is having a tough time of it in school as he is tormented by a vicious gang of bullies, but it is nothing compared to the torture of his home life. Every night he hopes that his friend will take him away from his horrors, a friend he calls the Universe, a constant voice that speaks to him in his darkest moments. At least the Universe loves him.

As his teacher, Christina King wants so much to help Samuel, but she’s haunted by her own horrific childhood and the monstrous tragedy that stole her youth. She feels drawn to the young boy, she understands his pain, but she has no idea of the nature of the true horror that binds them in a vicious game of tug and war.

There is only one group of people who know the truth about Christina and Samuel, a sinister group of watchers who have observed them all their lives, a group known as 'I Tredici'. They have been waiting for centuries, and as the signs of the oncoming apocalypse reveal themselves in blood and brutal murder, they know the ancient war is upon them at last. Only they understand the roles that Christina and Samuel must play in the coming days, and only they know how the outcome will change the course of history forever.

For Christina, this is the start of her journey towards a terrible truth, but for Samuel, it is the start of a new and terrifying existence.

'If Derek had been facing the window, he would have seen it, the figure standing behind the lower pane, watching him through the darkened glass. It was nothing but a blurred outline behind the frilly lace curtain, but it was there, its head juddering violently from side to side until it became indistinguishable from the lace that concealed it.'

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In the years leading up to the First World War, the United Kingdom was subjected to a ferocious campaign of bombing and arson. Those conducting this terrorist offensive were members of the Women's Social and Political Union; better known as the suffragettes. The targets for their attacks ranged from St Paul's Cathedral and the Bank of England in London to theatres and churches in Ireland. The violence, which included several attempted assassinations, culminated in June 1914 with an explosion in Westminster Abbey.Simon Webb explores the way in which the suffragette bombers have been airbrushed from history, leaving us with a distorted view of the struggle for female suffrage. Not only were the suffragettes far more aggressive than is generally known, but there exists the very real and surprising possibility that their militant activities actually delayed, rather than hastened, the granting of the parliamentary vote to British women.

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We are all about following our rockstar dreams and encouraging everyone to follow the same while having a foot-stomping rocking time with everyone at our gigs, providing mighty one-liners, awesome powerful songs and just being human (well pirates).

Formed in February 2019, punk-rock-folk-pirate band JollyRoger are already taking the south-west by storm, gigging port, bow & starboard. Soon getting booked for the likes of Boardmasters Festival & performing live on BBC RADIO CORNWALL & TCR RADIO. One year later, in February 2020, they had a sell-out first year show. They were then asked to support one of their musical influences, The Rumjacks. Next, the three were approached by Channel 4 and were filmed playing their first single '21st Century Pirate' for the show 'Britain's Most Historic Towns', which is scheduled to air in June 2020.

They have built a loyal fan base & reached over 4000 followers on Facebook in their first year alone. Now, they are getting regular slots at reputable venues & have (had) a full calendar full of festivals & gigs for the rest of this year. Bookings include, hosting Bloodstock Festivals Metal 2 the Masses Final, Brixham Pirate Day & winning a newcomer slot at the biggest medieval festival in Europe - Mediaval Festival in Selb, Germany.

In September 2019, JollyRoger released their first, home recorded EP 'Everyday Pirate' (Here’s a link to their 5 track EP on Spotify). Tracks have since been played on Coast FM, BCFM radio & Astro Radio. Charity EP 'Silent Mountain' came in November 2019. A rowing themed EP made in memory of family member, Christopher. A community gig boat was made in his honour and JollyRoger sang the EP during the launch, half of the EP profits go to charity sadsuk.org.uk. JollyRoger have just released their selp-titled debut album which they aim to launch in May 2020! You can find out how to pre-order by visiting www.facebook.com/jollyrogerbanduk

JollyRoger comprises of brother & sister, Jae Dennis (guitar/ ukelele/ harmonica) & Samantha Hannah (mandolin/guitar) plus Kynan Sandles on the lesser-seen acoustic bass guitar, all of which grew up in the pirate haven of Penzance. These guys are family and their connection on stage adds that little extra to their music and performances as they naturally use the audience and foot stomping as their percussion. 

Inspired and influenced by the vocals of 'The Pogues' crossed with 'Fisherman's Friends' with the energy of the 'Dropkick Murphys' and the comedy of 'Tenacious D', it's hard to categorise JollyRoger! Their aim is to provide a new genre of music that can be enjoyed by all, bringing all walks of life together. They demand audience immersion (even from your homes!)

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There has always been fascination with crime, deviance and punishment; from the days of the highwayman to the Luddites and in the foul deeds of Peter Sutcliffe. Add to that, the continuing allure of the unsolved case, which has long provided material for true crime and fiction writers. In Stephen Wade's casebook, Murder in Mind he looks at his favourite investigations in his home county of Yorkshire, rich with villainous acts, painstaking investigations and outright injustices. Read about Leeds' most notorious female killer Louie Calvert and why he believes her conviction and hanging could have been a travesty; famous hangmen, Chartist rebels, and the many cases open to fresh investigation such as those of Bill o' Jacks, Mr Blum and Emily Pye. Murder in Mind brings together Stephen's journeys into the criminal underworld, including his work as a writer in prisons and his research in the murder archives as he attempts to uncover and understand why such heinous acts are committed. The basis for this book was created in the `Yorkshire Ripper' years, when the impact of that series of murders sparked the crime writer in him and his tutor, Stanley Ellis, worked on the notoriously misleading `Ripper Tapes.' Since then Stephen has written over 70 non-fiction titles - many of them on the history of crime and the law - but this is something different, a mixture of memoir, reflection and the realisation that murder often happens down the street.

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In 1976, a killer who called himself ‘The Son of Sam’ shot and killed a half dozen people and wounded as many more in New York City. During his crime spree, the madman left bizarre letters mocking the police and promising more deaths.

After months of terrorizing the city while garnering front-page headlines and international attention, a man named David Berkowitz was arrested. He confessed to the shootings, claiming to be obeying a demon that resided in a dog that belonged to his neighbor “Sam.”

Among the alleged victims was Carl Denaro. On the night he was shot, Denaro was hanging out with some friends at a bar when he met up with a woman named Rosemary Keenan. The couple left the bar and went to Keenan’s car to make out. However, a few minutes later, the windows of the car exploded as Denaro was shot in the head by an unseen assailant. Miraculously, Denaro survived the attack.

When Berkowitz was arrested, he was charged with trying to kill Denaro. However, there was a twist. Although he confessed to the other shootings, after his conviction Berkowitz denied attacking Denaro.

Now, after years of research, Denaro is convinced that Berkowitz was telling the truth, and that someone else tried to kill him.

In 'THE SON OF SAM’ AND ME: The Truth About Why I Wasn’t Shot By David Berkowitz, author Carl Denaro with co-author Brian Whitney (THE “SUPREME GENTLEMAN” KILLER, WildBlue Press) reveals his search for the truth and his shocking conclusion regarding the identity of the real shooter. In the book, Denaro also writes about his friendship and investigative partnership with Maury Terry, the author of THE ULTIMATE EVIL, which is considered the definitive case study on the theory that Berkowitz did not act alone.

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