THE THIEVES' OPERA. The Mesmerizing Story of Two Notorious Criminals in Eighteenth-Century London

Hardback. In Georgian London crime was everywhere - from pickpockets and prostitutes in the city centre to plundering highwaymen on the outskirts. Jonathan Wild came to dominate London's criminal underworld in part by orchestrating the theft of personal goods and then offering them back to their rightful owners - at a price. The reputation and credibility of this self-styled "Thief-taker General" were suchj that in 1720, the Privy Counsil sought his advice on how to deal with the rising crime rate in England's capital city. Jack Sheppard on the other hand was the archetypal idle apprentice, who spent his free time drinking, gambling, and whoring in London's Covent Garden, eventually falling into a life of petty crime. When Sheppard refused to work for Wild (as almost every other thief was forced to do), Wild had him areested, tried and convicted. But his extraordinary ability to escape from prison - repeatedly and against striking odds - made Sheppard a celebrated folk hero. Illus. + Map eps,, Bibliog., Notes and Index. 304pp. 8vo. From the library of true crime writer, Wilfred Gregg, with his personal b/plate. F. in f. dw.