Swanson: The Life and Times of a Victorian Detective

[Herlock Sholmes]

Like everyone, I’m looking forward to this one. I’m wondering though if Adam, or any other writer (hint, hint Mr B) might consider a next project of a long overdue biography on Warren or Anderson or Macnaghten or Munro? Or even a sizeable book with section on each of the four?

[Michael W Richards]

Yes, new stuff. But it's a very small book... Roughly 75 pages.

Sorry, my mistake. 750 pages. Police biographies are going to struggle to match the detail Adam has managed to get into those pages.

Thanks Paul, Im now looking forward to it more!

[PaulB]

Like everyone, I’m looking forward to this one. I’m wondering though if Adam, or any other writer (hint, hint Mr B) might consider a next project of a long overdue biography on Warren or Anderson or Macnaghten or Munro? Or even a sizeable book with section on each of the four?

I would love someone to produce a proper biography of people like Warren and Anderson to help us really understand what those men were like. We have loads of biographies of the great politicians, like Disraeli, Gladstone, and Lord Salisbury, but nothing about senior policemen or even about Henry Matthews, so we don't have the insights into the men and the work they did during quite an interesting historical period, at least as far as the police were concerned. Of course, it's quite likely that the available information isn't out there. As for me writing such a book, I don't think I have the strength for such an undertaking!

[Herlock Sholmes]

I would love someone to produce a proper biography of people like Warren and Anderson to help us really understand what those men were like. We have loads of biographies of the great politicians, like Disraeli, Gladstone, and Lord Salisbury, but nothing about senior policemen or even about Henry Matthews, so we don't have the insights into the men and the work they did during quite an interesting historical period, at least as far as the police were concerned. Of course, it's quite likely that the available information isn't out there. As for me writing such a book, I don't think I have the strength for such an undertaking!

That’s a pity but yes it would be great if someone could tale on the task. Maybe a next project for Adam?

Theres at least one on Matthew’s but this one is only 96 pages for £17! So I’ll let you buy and you can lend it to me

https://www.history.org.uk/historian/resource/9618/henry-matthews-viscount-llandaff-the-unknown-hom

This is the only one that I can see. I suppose that there’s always a chance of a historian deciding on a biography of Matthews. It seems less likely for the others though.

[Al Bundy's Eyes]

As for me writing such a book, I don't think I have the strength for such an undertaking!

Can we get a show of hands? A proper, objective biography of the chief men, by one of our finest writers?
Have a guiness, and get cracking.

[Simon Wood]

Hi Herlock,

Never say die.

I bought a copy of the Henry Matthews book for $3.00.

Regards,

Simon

[DJA]

$6.51 AU plus $17 AU postage from Amazon USA.

Shall purchase when something else is found to take the total to $49 which makes the postage free.

Suspect his sexual orientation might be of interest in Jack's case and the Cleveland Street scandal.
His letters would have been interesting.

Tom Wescott possibly agrees on the latter.

[Herlock Sholmes]

Hi Herlock,

Never say die.

I bought a copy of the Henry Matthews book for $3.00.

Regards,

Simon

Hi Simon,

You live in America don’t you? Did you just get it from a shop (sorry, a store?)

Its £10.89 on eBay. Still a bit steep for such a slim volume.

I hope you haven’t been affected by Storm Ciara by the way

[Herlock Sholmes]

$6.51 AU plus $17 AU postage from Amazon USA.

Shall purchase when something else is found to take the total to $49 which makes the postage free.

Suspect his sexual orientation might be of interest in Jack's case and the Cleveland Street scandal.
His letters would have been interesting.

Tom Wescott possibly agrees on the latter.

I know that he died unmarried but was it known or suspected that he was gay? I haven’t read much about him apart from in biographies of other politicians and a long time ago,

[Simon Wood]

Hi Herlock,

I don't wish to rub it in, but my copy arrived postage free. The only extra I had to pay was 27 cents tax.

I got it from Amazon. Check out their used editions from independent sellers. There's some real bargains to be had.

Failing that, give Abe Books a try. They've also got a .com and a .co.uk site.

Happy hunting.

Regards,

Simon

[Al Bundy's Eyes]

I got it from Amazon. Check out their used editions from independent sellers. There's some real bargains to be had.

Failing that, give Abe Books a try. They've also got a .com and a .co.uk site.

Happy hunting.

Regards,

Simon

Also world of books, absolute go to for cheap reads. Unless it's books by members of the Casebook community, in which case it's full whack hardbacks direct from the publisher!

[barnflatwyngarde]

Hi folks, has anyone actually received their copy of this book via a bookselller?

I placed my order with Watersones on the 31st January this year.
Waterstones are actually pretty good at supplying any orders I place, normally supplying them within 2/3 days.

I am flagging this up because I have just received a notification from my local library authority saying that they were unable to supply the book (I placed a request for it)
because the book was "not available with supplier".

My concern is that the book will probably not have a huge print run, and as time goes on, it may actually become unavailable.
If that was a distinct possibility, I would consider cancelling my order with Waterstones and ordering the book direct from Adam Wood.

As I write this I note that Amazon is only showing the Kindle version available for sale, there is no mention of a hardback edition being available from Amazon.

[Herlock Sholmes]

Hi Herlock,

I don't wish to rub it in, but my copy arrived postage free. The only extra I had to pay was 27 cents tax.

I got it from Amazon. Check out their used editions from independent sellers. There's some real bargains to be had.

Failing that, give Abe Books a try. They've also got a .com and a .co.uk site.

Happy hunting.

Regards,

Simon

Cheers Simon,

Ive bought many books from Abe Books (especially after I’d discovered that they weren’t a seller dedicated to books on Lincoln)

[Herlock Sholmes]

Can we get a show of hands? A proper, objective biography of the chief men, by one of our finest writers?
Have a guiness, and get cracking.

Agreed. Come on Paul you’re overdue a book. You can’t just sit around the house all day watching Loose Women

[Simon Wood]

Hi DJA,

Regarding Henry Matthews' sexual orientation, there's an illustration on the cover of Roger Ward's brief biography showing him at the despatch box, looking for all the world like a preying mantis.

Inside the book, a caption to this illustration reads, "A caricature reflecting unproven innuendo regarding his sexuality and a 'Frenchified' style unpopular in the House of Commons."

In 19th Century dictionaries, 'Frenchified' is given to mean 'having become more like the French', or 'infected with the venereal disease.'

So, who knows?

Regards,

Simon