Bøger af Joan Lock

It is 1884 and London is gripped by fear after Fenian bombs explode on the underground railway and more are threatened. Detective Inspector Best is sent to Paris where these Irish Americans are plotting their next 'outrage' and obtaining arms for an uprising. 'Intriguing, meticulously researched description of nineteenth-century London; it is difficult to miss the chilling parallels between the Irish bombings in the 1880s and the London terrorist attack of 2005. A solid and very readable addition to the Inspector Best series.' Booklist (American Library Association) 'This is a highly enjoyable read. Inspector Best and his wife are engaging characters and the plot has many twists and turns.' - Historical Novels Review

It is 1887, the year of Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee, and London is in turmoil - particularly at the dead centre, Trafalgar Square. Here, the angry unemployed gather daily to protest and nightly to sleep. The police are worn out by endless duty and bitter about the accusations of brutality from the protesters and blame from others for not doing more to prevent the disorder. Adding fuel to the fire, a prominent member of one of the new socialist organisations leading the protests is found dead at the foot of Nelson's column and Detective Inspector Earnest Best catches a fleeting glimpse of Stark a man he knows was guilty of a dreadful crime in Whitechapel. Tension builds. Something terrible is about to happen. "The author obviously knows Victorian London well and I learned a lot as I read." - Historical Novel Review

When Phoebe Threapleton is found dead on a four-poster bed in Bainbridge's department store with six long-stemmed white roses next to her, Inspector Best is baffled... How does the death in Newcastle of this young woman fit in with the other missing-girl cases in the area, and was Phoebe really as snow-white as her reputation, and the roses, might imply? Best's initial investigations point him towards the shadowy world of spiritualism, but this proves as difficult to penetrate as the potential motives of the dozens of suspects - from Phoebe's maid to the Bainbridges themselves. Dead End is the fourth in the Inspector Best series by Joan Lock. The other titles are Dead Image, Dead Born, Dead Fall, Dead Letters, Dead Loss, Dead Centre and Death in Perspective.

'The characters are believable but even more so is the setting.' - Historical Novels Review A real murder occurs on the stage of the London theatre where Detective Inspector Best and his wife are enjoying a night out. The Victorian theatre is only just emerging into respectability, which is threatened when another death follows - a murder which could be a reaction against one of the Victorian theatres most traditional practices. The evocative array of suspects includes an all powerful actor-manager, the resentful Super and Property Masters, a crusading journalist turned playwright, a disgruntled dresser, the family of a ballerina who died in a theatre fire and, not least, members of the audience who indulge in a curious form of blackmail.

Scotland Yard's early history in Victorian London has never previously been told. Dreadful Deeds and Awful Murders fills the gap, painting a vivid picture of the difficulties and considerable triumphs of London's first detectives. The author presents detailed and intriguing accounts from the detectives' viewpoint, showing how they worked before the days of fingerprinting, blood tests, telephones or typewriters - when hunches really did form a large part of a sleuth's armoury. The cases examined are set in their social and political context: the fledgling detectives had to pursue culprits in the face of severe press criticism, intense public interest, and frequent antagonism from magistrates, coroners, lawyers, and even prison governors. Joan Lock draws extensively on contemporary reports and descriptions in newspapers, journals, police records, and fiction (including the works of Charles Dickens) in telling the story of determined and often brave pioneers.

So many people asked the author: 'But what does a policewoman do?' Six years policing London's West End in the 1950s provided plenty of answers. In this book, Joan Lock gives them with honesty and humour. She takes us behind the scenes, into the life of an ordinary police officer - not the familiar CID crime buster. We accompany her 'on the beat' for early, late and night shifts, and experience the public's friendly, curious or downright rude reactions to a woman in authority. The lady policeman makes mistakes, is less than efficient at times, and even breaks some of the sacred disciplinary rules. Her work included dealing with runaway juveniles, attempted suicides, abandoned babies and the mental disturbed. She sees an astonishingly varied cross-section of London life: Piccadilly Circus at dawn, devoid of traffic and still wet from the attention's of the council's cleaning department; the Mall at the Trooping of the Colour ceremony; the foyer of a cinema on a royalty-studded premiere; hostels and hospitals, prisons and courtrooms. There are visits to nightclubs for observations or raids, and glimpses into training school and 'The Yard'. Her 'patch' took in cosmopolitan Soho and wealthy Mayfair where prostitutes lined many of the streets. In the line of duty Joan even posed as one of them. 'On the whole, ' she says, 'it was quite an experience.'

When Scotland Yard's first detective branch was set up in 1842 crime was very different from today.The favoured murder weapon was the cut-throat razor; carrying a pocket watch was dangerous; the most significant clue at a murder scene could be the whereabouts of a candlestick or hat; large households (family, servants and lodgers) complicated many a case and servants sometimes murdered their masters.Detectives had few aids and suffered many disadvantages. The bloody handprints found at two early murder scenes were of no help, there being no way of telling whether blood (or hair) was human or animal. Fingerprinting was fifty years away, DNA profiling another hundred and photography was too new to help with identification. All reports had to be handwritten with a dip pen and ink and the only means of keeping contact with colleagues and disseminating information was by post, horseback or foot.In spite of these handicaps and severe press criticism, the detectives achieved some significant successes. Joan Lock includes such classic cases as the First Railway Murder, as well as many fascinating, fresh reports, weaving in new developments like the electric telegraph against a background of authentic Victorian police procedure.Charles Dickens said that Scotland Yard detectives gave the impression of leading lives of strong mental excitement. Readers of this book will understand why.Praise for Joan Lock...'Thorough account of important early cases dealt with by Scotland Yard.' - Professor B. J. Rahn'A better picture of the development of the detectives and the CID in the 19th century Metropolitan Police than any other book I have read.' - Alan Moss'Vivid detail' - Historical Novel SocietyJoan Lock is an ex-nurse and former policewoman. Joan has also written short stories, radio plays, radio documentaries and eight crime novels. She lives in London.

In 1878 the Criminal Investigation Department replaced Scotland Yard's corrupt and discredited Detective Branch.In this classic story of the early days of detection, Joan Lock tells the fascinating story of the creation of the CID, the scandal which preceded it, and the successes and failures of the new organization, including early cases such as the four murders by Ernest Southey, the ferocious outbreak of dockland killings in 1869 and the more familiar Bravo, Neill Cream and Jack the Ripper crimes.First World War spy and Dear John jealousy murders were followed by Roaring Twenties' swindles and the arrival of motor car bandits - which in turn led to the formation of the Flying Squad and the adoption of mobile wireless telegraphy.The introduction of women detectives is also discussed and the difficulties they experienced in establishing their place in a male dominated force.Joan Lock closes the gap between the academic police historian and the writer of popular true crime, making this book a fascinating read for crime experts and the general reader alike.

Here, now fully updated for the twenty-first century, is the complex and fascinating history of the formation of the British Women Police. Full of drama, intrigue and humour, it also captures, through well-authenticated primary material, the colour and manner of the times.

It is a beautiful warm August day in 1880: perfect weather for the annual Metropolitan Police Annual Fete held at Alexandra Palace. Inspector Best is summoned to uncover the identity of 'Quicksilver' who has sent an anonymous note threatening to cause an horrific explosion at the event.

Joan Lock's warm and nostalgic account of her three years of training as a young student nurse in the early 1950s. Perfect for fans of CALL THE MIDWIFE.