Reviews

DEATH AT THE PRIORY

On its US publication, Death at the Priory received a rare starred review from Kirkus. In 2003 the book it was nominated for Best Non-Fiction at the US Edgar Awards.

As James Ruddick points out in this excellent reconstruction, the Bravo case won a lasting place in the chronicles of crime, with Agatha Christie declaring it "one of the most mysterious poisoning cases ever recorded." Now, thanks to Ruddick and his meticulous research, I am utterly convinced that we finally know who really murdered Charles Bravo. To achieve this triumphant piece of detective work, Ruddick went back to original sources, acquired access to Home Office and police files, studied witness statements and forensic reports, and even tracked down fresh material belonging to surviving family members. His resulting book is not only a gripping historical whodunit but also a brilliant evocation of the period.
Daily Mail, Val Hennessey

Riveting…
The New Statesman

A marvelous read…
The Weekly Standard

All lovers of crime fiction will enjoy this gripping piece of crime non-fiction.
The Sunday Telegraph

An enthralling and fast-paced story of cruelty and revenge.
Detroit Free Press

Highly enjoyable: Ruddick has done much admirable sleuthing.
New York Times

The most plausible and thoroughly researched account yet… If the police had been able to call on Ruddick's detective services back in 1876 then Scotland Yard would have been considerably less baffled. Ruddick's book is violently successful. His researches illuminate actions with clarity, and he advances the best explanation of what happened that you're ever likely to read.
The Independent on Sunday

James Ruddick has managed, 125 years after the crime, to discover new evidence and to write a gripping whodunit. Read it.
The Guardian, Marcel Berlins

Ruddick did not invent his colorful cast of characters. But he excels in displaying the raw emotions behind their actions. He has given the reader a front-row seat to what was a turning point in England's social history.
Philadelphia Inquirer

The grandfather of all mysteries… Ruddick has skillfully woven the threads of crime and social history to produce a thrilling read…
Forbes Magazine

Ruddick renders Death at the Priory as a kind of non-fiction mystery novel. We can't help but share Ruddick's fascination with the case and, as he claims, the gender-based pattern to poisoning. He unfolds the mystery with the logic of a modern eye, giving commentary with thoughts that were, as he claims, previously unfathomable.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Thrilling reading… Death at the Priory is one of the most fascinating books I have read in a long time and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to be entertained, thrilled and transported back to a past age.
Oxford Times

This book maintains a scholarly meticulousness. Masterful… A wonderful tale, vividly told…
Kirkus Reviews (5 star review)

This has to be the most comprehensive survey of all the available evidence plus new material unearthed by the author in Jamaica, Australia and New Zealand. The satisfaction of snooping on this real-life Victorian melodrama more than repays the cost of admission.
Saturday Guardian

A riveting real life whodunnit.
The Mail on Sunday

The granddaddy of all murder mysteries… But now journalist James Ruddick has uncovered fresh evidence. He takes the case apart and reassembles it, examining each character in turn, Agatha Christie-style. Then he introduces his own research, including one major discovery that arguably cracks the case.
Forbes Magazine

Stimulating, suspenseful, highly enjoyable.
Los Angeles Times

Impressively researched… a sensational read.
Chicago Tribune

Engrossing…
Houston Chronicle

A brilliantly evocative narrative... painstaking research. Ruddick brings his cast to life with skillful observation and literary flair.
Sydney Morning Herald

LORD LUCAN: WHAT REALLY HAPPENED

An engrossing account.
Daily Express

Ruddick recreates one of the most perplexing mysteries of modern times and… offers a convincing explanation for Lord Lucan's disappearance.
Sunday Mirror

Ruddick brings a forensic fascination to the details of the crime and has a shrewd grasp of its social context.
Shamus O'Mally, BBC Radio 4 reviews

REVIEWS FROM OTHER AUTHORS:

Death at the Priory

Gripping…fascinating… I was enthralled throughout.
Rupert Christiansen, author, Victorian Visitors

Death at the Priory is as compelling as any fictional thriller. James Ruddick possesses a real talent for bringing these characters and their situations to fascinating life…
Kate Atkinson, author, Behind the Scenes at the Museum

James Ruddick has created a book that is not only a thrilling page-turner but a wonderful evocation of the limitations and hypocrisies of the Victorian elite. It is smart, utterly absorbing and a genuine reader's treat.
David Liss, author, Conspiracy of Papers

A meticulously researched and utterly gripping account. It bears all the hallmarks of an immensely satisfying mystery.
Elizabeth George, author of the Inspector Linley novels

There is not a dull moment in this book. James Ruddick, journalist and researcher, has examined the evidence by going right back to the original sources and tracing the descendants of the families involved. His book is enthralling - more gripping than many a fictional whodunit.
Maureen Caryle, Shots Magazine

The tragedy provides a fascinating insight into the constraints of marriage for a Victorian middle-class woman… James Ruddick offers a convincing explanation for this intriguing case.
P.D. James, Crime Writer.