Does what it says on the tin. Entertaining read about a very specific topic, written by an author with an anti-capital punishment sentiment. ( )

Bailey gathers every bit of information on the history of executions and executioners throughout England, with some of Scotland, Wales and Ireland's history on the subject as well.

Overall the writing is fine but sometimes the author betrays his lack of professional experience by suddenly referring to himself. Often these sentences are to remind the reader that Bailey is anti-death penalty. Yea, he starts off the book by letting the reader know his stance, which seems like, "I don't believe in capitol punishment, but let's look at a bunch of people who do!" It's quirky. And yes, he stresses sentences with exclamation marks. I think the book would have benefited from a more structured layout of time periods or one executioner at a time rather than jumping back and forth in referring to them.

Even though I have these criticisms I would recommend the book for the enormous amount of research it must have taken as it was writing before the internet, for the little bits of obscure info about long forgotten people, the interesting and pertinent sketches and photos included and for the history of English law in centuries past when a person could be put to death for stealing bits of cloth and children as young as nine years old could be hung. ( )

I was excited about the potential of this subject. It was well written but could have been more comprehensive. ( )

This is better than Geoffry Abbott's books though it certainly suffers from a similar pandering to the lurid and sensational. ( )