From Prisoners to Predators: True Crime Stories from Australia’s Past

The criminal history of Australia is notable for how it has changed in nature in line with the rapid changes in Australian society, from convict colony to modern industrialised nation. From prisoner hangings in Sydney Cove to the tragic mass shootings in Port Arthur, convict uprisings in Toongabbie to the Hilton bombing and the Lindt Cafe siege in Sydney’s CBD, David Field has combined the history of many infamous, and some not so well-known, crimes with a discussion of the times in which they occurred.

The wide-ranging topics include the bush-ranging era, the notorious baby-farming epidemic, the influence of WWI on Australia, the 1920s razor gangs of Sydney and Melbourne, the post-War rat poison murders, notorious post-War killings, predators and serial killers, and recent terror offences.

This highly readable collection will appeal to readers with an interest in Australia’s criminal heritage and its underlying social history, from British penal colony to contemporary society.

Features

• Real-life crime stories provide engaging insights into Australia’s social history
• Offers a unique treatment of the criminal trends in Australia
• Written by an author with extensive background working with the rules of criminal law and evidence

Related Titles

• Field, Crimes that Shaped the Law, 2015