{"product_id":"from-aconite-to-the-zodiac-killer","title":"From Aconite To The Zodiac Killer","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e''\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Dictionary of Crime\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e is now the first book I reach for when beginning a new novel. An essential resource, it''s packed with explanations, insider information, contemporary and historical slang, as well as some downright bizarre laws and practices. It''s funny, fascinating and a damn good read''\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eM. W CRAVEN, winner of the 2019 Crime Writers Association Gold Dagger for best crime novel of the year for \u003ci\u003eThe Puppet Show\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e''A really good idea . . . executed neatly to come up with the perfect gift for crime lovers'' \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMAT COWARD, \u003ci\u003eMorning Star\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e''I found myself rolling around in it for hours, like a gangster''s moll on a bed full of money. Sheer delight!'' \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCATRIONA McPHERSON\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e''Where was this book when I started writing? \u003ci\u003eFrom Aconite to the Zodiac Killer\u003c\/i\u003e is the essential companion for any serious reader or writer of crime''\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLEYE ADENLE, author of \u003ci\u003eWhen Trouble Sleeps\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e''A fascinating compendium of crime facts which should be on the shelves of every crime writer ­­- and every crime reader''\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSIMON BRETT\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e''This is a dangerous book in so many ways, chock full of ways of killing people, from undetectable poisons to various types of guns. It contains riveting accounts of notorious murderers, is crammed with fascinating details of slang, and precise particulars of police procedures. The perfect gift for any true crime enthusiast and an indispensable guide for all crime fiction writers.''\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eS. W. WILLIAMS, author of \u003ci\u003eSmall Deaths\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eHow to Write Crime Fiction\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e''A remarkable achievement. At once elucidating and compelling, indispensable and unputdownable. It reads like a page-turning thriller. Whether a crime writer who needs to distinguish a blood agent from a bum beef or a reader with an interest in queer coal makers, this lexicon will keep you hooked, and leave you sublimely informed.''\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGARY DONNELLY, author of \u003ci\u003eKilling in Your Name\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eBlood Will Be Born\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e''Fascinating, insightful and taking up permanent residency on my desk. Amanda Lees'' \u003ci\u003eDictionary of Crime\u003c\/i\u003e is my new bible!'' \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCHRIS WHITTAKER, award-winning author of \u003ci\u003eTall Oaks\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eAll The Wicked Girls\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eWe Begin at the End\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e''What a little gem this is ­- such a great idea and a valuable resource for writers. I found myself dipping into it at intervals and marvelling at the extent of the research that''s gone into it, as well as chuckling over some of the more unusual entries. My personal favourites? BINGO seat, nicker, moll buzzer and lully-prigger. Wouldn''t have had a clue what they meant . . . but I''m determined to work them in somewhere in a future novel!''\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eG. J. MINETTT, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Syndicate\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e''A fascinating journey through the dark side of the human psyche. Highly recommended for anyone interested in criminals and crime''\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePATRICK REDMOND, bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThe Wishing Game\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAn essential popular A-Z reference guide for fans of crime fiction and true crime, in books, TV and film, helping to make sense of everything from asphyxiation to VX nerve agent.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis is an indispensable guide for fans of true crime and crime fiction, whether in books, film or on TV, who want to look behind the crime, to understand the mechanics of an investigation, to walk in their favourite detectives'' shoes and, most importantly, to solve the clues. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTo do that, one needs to be fluent in the language of the world of crime. We need to know what that world-weary DI is talking about when she refers to another MISPER. We have to immediately grasp the significance of the presence of paraquat, and precisely why it is still a poison of choice. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIf you want to know how many murders it takes for a killer to be defined as a serial killer, what Philip Marlowe means when he talks about being ''on a confidential lay'' and why the ''fruit of a poisonous tree'' is a legal term rather than something you should avoid on a country walk, this is the reference book you''ve been waiting for.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt covers police and procedural terms and jargon of many different countries; acronyms; murder methods; criminal definitions, including different types of killers; infamous killers and famous detectives; notorious cases often referred to in crime fiction and true crime; gangster slang, including that of the Eastern European mafia; definitions of illegal drugs; weapons; forensic terminology; types of poisons; words and phrases used in major crime genres, including detective fiction, legal thrillers, courtroom dramas, hardboiled crime, Scandi and Tartan Noir, cosy crime and psychological thrillers; criminology terms; and the language of the courts and the legal systems of British, American, French, Nordic and other countries.     \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003ci\u003eFrom Aconite to the Zodiac Killer\u003c\/i\u003e is an essential, go-to resource for readers and even for writers of crime fiction. More than simply a glossary, this is a guide that provides a doorway into a supergenre, and one that is not just for readers, but also for the many fans of film and TV dramas, of podcasts, and crime blogs. It is also an indispensable resource for writers or would-be writers of crime fiction.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"MediaPlace","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57315889578366,"sku":"NW9781472143297","price":10.77,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1379\/1261\/files\/9781472143297.jpg?v=1778716791","url":"https:\/\/mediaplace.com\/products\/from-aconite-to-the-zodiac-killer","provider":"MediaPlace","version":"1.0","type":"link"}