New softcover. The author has selected a fascinating collection of tales of murder and manslaughter from across Lancashire spanning the 19th and 20th centuries. The crimes are as diverse as the locations in which they were committed, and include mass murder and suicide in Salford, infanticide in Manchester, robbery and murder in Oldham, a vicious assault over a wager in Liverpool, rape and murder in Darwen and Bolton and a sweetheart shot to death in Southport. The perpetrators faced public execution outside the walls of Lancaster Castle or hanging within the walls of the gaols of Manchester and Liverpool; others faced imprisonment, and some were never caught. Contemporary illustrations complement the text to provide a shocking and compelling account of the Red Rose county's dark side. Illus. + Bibliog. 95pp. New softcover.