Signs of Murder: A small town in Scotland, a miscarriage of justice and the search for the truth

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Description

From the UK's leading criminologist comes the true story of Margaret McLaughlin, and the man he believes was fitted up for her murder

'Enthralling ... will leave true crime readers with more to ponder than they bargained for' - The Herald

Before David Wilson became the UK's pre-eminent criminologist, he was just a young boy growing up in the Scottish town of Carluke. When he was a child, the brutal murder of a young woman rocked this small community, but very quickly a man was arrested for the crime, convicted and put behind bars. For most, life slowly carried on - case closed.

But there were whispers in the town that the wrong man was imprisoned. Over the years, these whispers grew louder, to the point that any time David would visit, he'd be asked in hushed tones, 'What are you going to do about the Carluke Case'

Carluke believed the real killer had evaded justice. A murderer was still on the loose.

Forty years later, it's time for David to return home, and find out the truth.

Reviews

This should be essential reading for any budding detective as it navigates the reader through the opportunities and risks involved in the search for evidence and truth -- Tom Halpin QPM, Deputy Chief Constable (Retired)
Not only an enthralling and very personal account of the pursuit of justice, Signs of Murder is a moving testimony to the value of communities and the tragedy of their decline - a book that will leave true-crime readers with a lot more to ponder than they bargained for. * Herald Scotland *

Author Bio

David Wilson is Emeritus Professor of Criminology and the founding Director of the Centre for Applied Criminology at Birmingham City University. Prior to taking up an academic appointment in 1997, David was a prison governor working at a variety of establishments in a number of different roles.

Professor Wilson appears in the print and broadcast media as a commentator and presenter. His publishing includes Hunting Evil, A History of British Serial Killing, Signs of Murder, and his professional memoir, My Life with Murderers, which was shortlisted for the Saltire Prize for Non-Fiction. His next book, A Plot to Kill, will publish in 2021.