The Green Bicycle Mystery

[ColdCaseJury]

Just to let you all know, my book The Green Bicycle Mystery is published today, available in paperback and digital formats. It is the first title in my Cold Case Jury series.

In my view, the death of Bella Wright in 1919 is one of the most interesting stories in the canon of unsolved true crime. This new book is an updated version of the original self-published e-book (no longer available), including an additional chapter, updated text and a raft of new images, including some published for the first time. It is the first book to publish the Bowley Statement, a remarkable police document that had not been made public until recently. It also references the Hall Memoir, an unpublished account of the police constable who was first on the scene and discovered that Bella had not merely died in a tragic cycling accident.

What happened to Bella Wright? Please take your seat on the Cold Case Jury...

[Harry D]

Congratulations on the new book, CCJ. Best of luck with it!

Not much of a mystery to me. Whether unwittingly or not, Light definitely killed her. Edward Marshall Hall did one hell of a number on the jury.

[jmenges]

Anthony,

Amazon in the US and UK are calling this out of stock. I'll check back in a day or two.

If supplies are still low on Amazon, and you know of an alternative way to buy it and have it shipped to the US please let me know.

Thanks,

JM

[ColdCaseJury]

Anthony,

Amazon in the US and UK are calling this out of stock. I'll check back in a day or two.

If supplies are still low on Amazon, and you know of an alternative way to buy it and have it shipped to the US please let me know.

Thanks,

JM

JM, thank you. I am aware of this. Apparently the book has sold out in 8 Amazon centres around the world! I am told by my publisher, Mirror Books, they are being restocked in next 48 hours.

Many apologies - some things are beyond the author's control.

[ColdCaseJury]

Congratulations on the new book, CCJ. Best of luck with it!

Not much of a mystery to me. Whether unwittingly or not, Light definitely killed her. Edward Marshall Hall did one hell of a number on the jury.

Ah, but even if you are sure of that, was it murder or manslaughter? Have you read the Bowley Statement?

[Joshua Rogan]

Good luck with the book... Not that it sounds like you need much luck, if it's already sold out eight times over!

Can I ask if you think that the Bowley statement is genuine?

Also, did PC Hall find an actual bullet at the crime scene, or an empty bullet-case? Reports seem to differ...

[ColdCaseJury]

Good luck with the book... Not that it sounds like you need much luck, if it's already sold out eight times over!

Can I ask if you think that the Bowley statement is genuine?

Also, did PC Hall find an actual bullet at the crime scene, or an empty bullet-case? Reports seem to differ...

Great questions.

I believe the Bowley Statement is genuine. For my book, I had it forensically analysed and there is, in addition, strong circumstantial evidence that points to its truth. This is covered in chapters 9 and 10.

It was a bullet. Hall served in WWI and knew a bit about firearms.

[Joshua Rogan]

Cheers CCJ. When you say there's evidence of the statement's truth, do you mean that it's a true account of what Bowley was told, or that Light was telling the truth to Bowley?

As regards the bullet....I'm sure Hall knew what he found, but somewhere along the line (in a couple of accounts) things had become confused - including me. Thanks for straightening it out.
So this was most likely the bullet that killed Bella....but I'm still puzzled as to how it was unclear whether it was fired from a pistol or a rifle. Surely, if the whole bullet was recovered, just weighing it would be enough? As I understand it, although there were rifles of a similar calibre - such as the Martini-Henry (of Zulu fame) - the bullets they fired were much longer and thus heavier, so I'd have thought easily distinguished.

Oddly enough, I unexpectedly found myself in Little Stretton over the weekend, but it turned out to be a different village in a different county, so I didn't find the murder site or see any ravens.

[ColdCaseJury]

Cheers CCJ. When you say there's evidence of the statement's truth, do you mean that it's a true account of what Bowley was told, or that Light was telling the truth to Bowley?

As regards the bullet....I'm sure Hall knew what he found, but somewhere along the line (in a couple of accounts) things had become confused - including me. Thanks for straightening it out.
So this was most likely the bullet that killed Bella....but I'm still puzzled as to how it was unclear whether it was fired from a pistol or a rifle. Surely, if the whole bullet was recovered, just weighing it would be enough? As I understand it, although there were rifles of a similar calibre - such as the Martini-Henry (of Zulu fame) - the bullets they fired were much longer and thus heavier, so I'd have thought easily distinguished.

Oddly enough, I unexpectedly found myself in Little Stretton over the weekend, but it turned out to be a different village in a different county, so I didn't find the murder site or see any ravens.

Joshua, you are getting into the nuances of the case - excellent! I meant there is evidence that the Bowley Statement is authentic - i.e. it records a conversation between Light and the superintendent. I give the reasoning for this in my book. Whether you believe Light told the truth, or the whole truth, during the conversation is for the Cold Case Jury to decide. I analyse the content of the statement to give some pointers - and I state my view at the end of the book. But no spoilers here!

Was the .455 bullet fired from a pistol or a rifle? A great question. I analyse the ballistics of the case at length in my book. Renowned expert Churchill believed that the bullet could have only been fired from a revolver - but he was not called to testify!

[Monty]

Purchased Antony.

It shall be heavily referenced to as I try and organise the you know what for you know when.

Monty

[ColdCaseJury]

Purchased Antony.

It shall be heavily referenced to as I try and organise the you know what for you know when.

Monty

It's always good to talk to you, Monty (in all your guises) - but I don't know the you-know-when bit! So, perhaps e-mail or direct message me.