National Network for Equitable Library Service

"A cracking tale" – Duncan Campbell, investigative journalist and author of Underworld. "A revelation" – Professor Sue Black, author of All That Remains and Written in Bone. "Required reading for professional and amateur criminologists" – Gerald Seymour, bestselling author of Harry's Game. "Highly recommended" – Howard Sounes, author of Fred & Rose. "A gripping read" – Patricia Wiltshire, author of Traces: The memoir of a forensic scientist and criminal investigator. "This book is a must-read" – David Wilson, Professor Emeritus of Criminology. What is it about crime that we find so fascinating, even if at the same time the details are repugnant? Why exactly do we immerse ourselves in true crime podcasts and TV shows? Has this appetite for gore shifted over the years? And what role does the crime reporter play in all of this? In this compelling book, Martin Brunt draws on the most shocking and harrowing stories he’s covered over the past thirty years to document the life of a crime reporter and assess the public obsession with crime that his reporting caters for. He also considers the wider relationship between the press and the police, the impact of social media, and the question of why some crimes are ignored while others grip the nation. Featuring many undisclosed details on some of the biggest cases Brunt has covered, from the ‘Diamond Wheezers’ to Fred and Rose West, this blend of storytelling and analysis is not only a riveting overview of the nature of crime reporting but a reflection on the purpose of the profession in the first place.