Mr Briggs' Hat: A Sensational Account of Britain's First Railway Murder Book

THE THRILLING TRUE STORY OF BRITAIN'S FIRST EVER RAILWAY MURDER 'A fascinatingly quirky portrait of the underside of Victorian London . . . unputdownable' Daily Telegraph'A cunning and suspenseful tale' Independent 'Meticulously researched . . . the final revelation is a showstopper' New York Times On 9 July 1864, businessman Thomas Briggs walked into carriage 69 on the 9.45 Hackney-bound train. A few minutes later, two bank clerks entered the carriage - but as they sat down, one of them noticed blood pooled in the seat cushions and smeared on the walls. But there was no sign of Thomas Briggs. The only things left in the carriage were his walking stick, his bag - and a hat that, strangely, did not belong to Mr Briggs . . . 'A thrilling book, which reads at times like a good Victorian novel... an utterly compelling did-he-do-it' Sunday Times'A riveting portrait of Victorian London' Financial Times

In July 1864, Thomas Briggs was travelling home after visiting his niece and her husband for dinner. He entered a First Class carriage on the 9.45pm Hackney service of the North London railway. At Hackney, two bank clerks entered the carriage and discovered blood in the seat cushions; also on the floor, windows and sides of the carriage. A bloodstained hat was found on the seat along with a broken link from a watch chain. The race to identify the killer and catch him as he flees on a boat to America was eagerly followed by citizens both sides of the Atlantic. Kate Colquhoun tells a gripping tale of a crime that shocked the nation.