A trail of blood through the centuries

In London in 1811, a family is brutally murdered in Wapping. Charles Horton from the Thames River Police Office takes on the investigation, as the actually competent colleagues are completely overwhelmed in Shadwell. But this case also drives Horton - one of the first "detectives" a time when policing was still in its infancy - its limits. As these so-called. "Ratcliffe Highway Murders", who actually happened to be linked in this book with the first English slave trade expedition of 1564 to read for yourself!

It is not easy to assign Shepherd's book one category. Most likely it is a combination of historical and crime Gothic Tale. The action jumps between the 19th and the 16th century back and forth and illustrates the terrible consequences that can have the pursuit of money and profit, when the scruples overboard throwing - in this way will create monsters.
Shepherd describes the events gripping and very cleverly weaves fact and fiction. A starring Wapping, the development of the London Docks and its inhabitants - so far you can get here by the way also look at an interesting chapter of London's history.