Author:James Morton
Eugene Vidocq was the Morse, the Guv'nor, the James Bond of his day. A notorious criminal and prison escaper, he turned police officer and employed a gang of ex-convicts as his detectives. Now, James Morton takes us on a historical romp through the 18th century in search of this elusive figure.
Today Vidocq's influence can still be seen as members of The Vidocq Society, an unusual, exclusive crime-solving organization honor him by applying their collective forensic skills and experience to 'cold case' homicides and unsolved deaths.
You really must read ... The First Detective: the extraordinary life and times of a career-criminal
—— Sunday TimesMorton has done Vidocq a service by removing him from his unfair tabloid image and giving him his due as an important social innovator
—— Sunday TimesEntertaining
—— Sunday TelegraphHas the virtues of force, clarity, wealth of ideas and a voracious intellectual curiosity
—— Times Higher Educational SupplementA swashbuckling foray into the very heart of racist, Eurocentric historiography... Already one can hear the knives being sharpened against Bernal
—— City LimitsRashid assembles a broad network of sources on all sides of the debate and is probing in his treatment of all the main actors ... a powerful and pacey primer
—— Shiraz Maher , SpectatorHer excavation of the histories of the ordinary people who lived in each place is fascinating and she vividly brings the past to life via domestic minutiae
—— Tina Jackson , MetroSubtle, delicate and slightly dotty. Tindall is attracted to the idea of lives overlooked and deeds mislaid…this intriguing, imaginative book is very much my cup of tea
—— Lucy Worsley , Evening StandardThree houses - a Cotswold vicarage, a one-time girls' boarding school and a Jacobean house. Gillian Tindall explores the lives of those who once lived there, and through her research she is able to reveal four centuries of English history. Tindall has sensitivity to the past like few others; her approach to history is delicate, detailed and revealing. For my money, this is one of the history leads of the year
—— BooksellerThe big surprise of this book is the fascinating thread of memories which holds the narrative together
—— Press AssociationShe is a writer with a quiet genius for local history and empathetic understanding of ordinary people
—— Iain Finlayson , SagaA deeply rewarding read
—— Sally Morris , Daily MailBoth warm and poignant and a joy to read
—— Hannah Britt , Daily ExpressIt’s a worthy project, but in the most fascinating way
—— Lesley McDowell , Glasgow Sunday HeraldTindall transforms bricks and mortar into fascinating social history
—— Christopher Hirst , IndependentWonderful, passionate, dangerous, fascinating stuff. I couldn't put it down
—— Julian FellowesLeanda de Lisle has the gift of reminding us that history is the story of real people; real men, real women, full of rage and ambitionand lust and hope and love. The Tudors are already our most vivid dynasty, by quite a long chalk, but these pages render them more vivid still. This was an age when the game was worth the candle, when a chance remark could result in a crown or the axe. Wonderful, passionate, dangerous, fascinating stuff. I couldn't put it down
—— Julian FellowesThis fresh take on the Tudor dynasty is history at its best... an engaging and well-sourced account, sprinkled with provocative anecdotes that will appeal to both scholars and general readers... This compelling tale is driven by three-dimensional people and relationships, and de Lisle does a fantastic job of making them feel lived and dramatic
—— Publishers WeeklyReveals an entirely new perspective on one of England's most fascinating dynasties
—— Mary Lussiana , Country & Town HouseA very lucid, entertaining and excellent read
—— Suzannah Lipscomb , History TodayA thrilling, intelligent and fresh royal history that sweeps from the family’s unlikely beginnings in the 1420s to their apotheosis under Elizabeth
—— Dan Jones , TelegraphThe compelling story of the Tudors is vividly brought to life in de Lisle's narrative
—— Discover BritainThis should now be the go-to book for those looking for a broad understanding of the Tudors
—— Chris Skidmore , BBC History MagazineDe Lisle's energy and stamina in this vast operation are truly impressive. What is more, she tells an often thrilling story with great dexterity... Altogether, this remarkable achievement puts de Lisle firmly in the front rank of popular historians of the period
—— John Jolliffe , Catholic HeraldUnlike many books that claim to tell the story of the Tudors, but focus mainly on four characters (namely Henry VIII and his three children who all ruled England after him), this excellent book includes so many members of the Tudor family who may not always be forgotten, but are often sidelined
—— Good Book Guide